Stop it! uncle

Chapter 4

CRYSTAL

Two nurses walked into my ward. One came to check my vitals and the other brought in a tray of food, the smell wafted into my nose making my mouth water. It took every ounce of self control not to jump over and grab the tray from her hands and gulp it down like a monster.
     
I almost laughed at the thought of their horrified faces at me eating like a monster. I was quickly drawn from my thoughts when the tray was placed in front of me while the other nurse was done checking my vitals and they both left me to devour my meal.

I immediately attacked the food not slowing down for a second as I repeated the process of chewing and swallowing for about twenty minutes. I finally leaned back against the pillow with a smile on my face. I hadn't eaten anything like that for months even when I was at home.

I was only given stale bread and water or on very rare occasions warm oats. My eyes tearing up at the life I lived then. I refuse to live that life now.

My mind wandered to the cold intimidating man that saved my life. I didn't even ask for his name but what if he was another cruel version of my stepmother then I  had just thrown myself from the pan to the fire.

I cringed at the thought. No, it couldn't be, he saved me and fed me. 'Yeah he's just trying to gain your trust before he devours you' a voice in my head mocked. 'Always look at the good virtues in people child, he saved you, always remember that' another gentle voice in my head mentioned.

I was still in the battle of which voice I should listen to when I was interrupted by a knock on the door and a woman probably in her late fifties walked in.

“Hello honey, I am Amelia, I am the doctor who attended to you. How do you feel now, child? You were injured badly when you were brought in”.

“Oh,thank you so much ma'am, I feel much better, better than I've felt in months”. I replied offering her a genuine smile. “If you don't mind me asking child, how do you know Damien?.

“As far as I know he isn't close to his relatives”. So the grumpy man's name was Damien, nice. I then narrated everything to the kind doctor and even told her my name. She looked at me with eyes filled with emotion. I don't think I'll ever get used to that I thought. “You don't need to worry now child”. She assured me. “Though, Damien doesn't show affection to others he must really like you for him to give you his attention”.

I remained quiet just staring blankly at her as the description she gave of the man was not the one he had displayed with me. That man had terrible mood swings, I suddenly remembered how cold he had been after I called him uncle.
    
“I'll leave you to rest now child”. She said drawing me from my thoughts. “You would be discharged tommorow morning”. Then she patted my head and left. ‘Liked me’ I thought well he didn't show any sign of liking me. Enough of all this I thought.

I decided to take my problems one day at a time. Let tommorow’s problem be for tomorrow. I settled back into the bed and closed my eyes.

  DAMIEN

I got to the office and began to look at the reports of the Norman family. It seemed they were a bit influential but still nothing compared to me. Joseph Norman, fifty years of age, had assets most of which were ancestral inheritance and not acquired by hard work, business seeming to be doing averagely, had a special hatred for his daughter.

I noticed he even offered a partnership contract to my company which I had declined. I had no idea it was him. Christiana Norman, forty years of age, whom had an habit of divorcing men when they could no longer cater for her needs and was known for demanding huge alimony from them. She had been in three marriages so far, Joseph Norman being her fourth. I wondered what he admired in her as she wasn't even a natural beauty.

Everything about her screamed plastic. I quickly flipped the page with disgust. Chloe Norman whiny spoilt thirteen year old with pathetic academic results still battling with issues of bedwetting for which she had gone on different consultations for. I scoffed, what a fucked up family.

These monsters didn't deserve crystal and I would make sure I do all in my power to keep her from them.

I flipped the page and saw Crystal's information with her picture beside it and it was now I was able to notice her features, big brown doe eyes, pointed nose and pink lips everything about her screamed innocence.

I was once again compelled to protect her. I looked through her information and noticed she had stopped school for a year now. I cursed. 
   
She was obviously brilliant I noticed as my eyes skimmed through her records the least this assholes could have done was to send her to school but their cruelty overcame their common sense.
    
My blood boiled at all what Crystal must have endured at the hands of her family. I flipped the page and my eyes landed on Crystal's deceased mother Jane Norman. The recemblance with Crystal was so clear. I had to look simultaneously between the two pictures to be certain they were different persons.

She died from a complication from her pregnancy of Crystal and I knew Crystal would blame herself daily even when it wasn't her fault thanks to her psychotic family.

Skimming through the rest of the information on the Norman family and not finding anything of great detail, I closed the file.
       
I decided to call my house keeper at the mansion and the line got connected “Get one of the best rooms in the house ready”. “Yes sir” she replied without questioning.

I was about to disconnect the call when I remembered something “and fill it with things a teenage girl would need. Every single thing. It should be ready by noon tomorrow, Also inform everyone else of the arrangement”. And I disconnected the call.
      
I glanced at the time and remembered that I promised Crystal I'll return back to her. I swiftly picked my jacket from the chair and headed to the hospital.