His Nineteenth Secretary [✔]

Thirty-two

BRIAN

With Ruby's car no where in sight when I got home, I tried calling her number but she wouldn't pick my calls.

After trying her number several times with her still not picking up, I drove to her best friend's place but no one answered no matter how many times I pressed the doorbell and while I was still there, I called her grandmother. I wasn't straight forward in asking her if she was with her. It was during my talk with her I found out she wasn't with her either, she asked me instead if she was back from work.

All I could do afterwards was to keep trying her number and this went on for three hours. Trying her number again, the call was answered, only not by Ruby herself but by a guy who introduced himself as one of her department members and who told me she was at the bar she always goes to with her department members.

She was really there when I got there and I could tell she was still mad at me because even in her drunken state, she wouldn't let me touch her as she kept shrugging my hands off at any of my attempt to help her walk out of the bar until Michael came to my rescue and assisted in helping her to my car.

I killed the engine of my car once I got home before making my way to the back seat.

"Hey, Ruby." I sat on the edge of the seat, beside her. She lazily opened her eyes for a second before closing them back back.

"Go away, I don't want to see your face." She slurred.

"Why not?"

At my question, she broke into tears and my heart broke to see her this way.

"Ruby, what's wrong?"

"It hurts." Her eyes were still closed but there were tears spilling out of them and I could feel my heart ripping within me.

I couldn't tell if it was Mike's death or if it was because of all she had been going through at work or maybe even, because of what she witnessed in my office.

"What hurts?" I wanted to know so badly.

"Everything." She said in between tears.

"I'm so sorry about that." I wiped the tears off her cheeks with the pad of my thumb. "Let's go inside and we'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

In compliance, She rose from her sleeping position and stepped out of the car with irregular steps.

"Allow me to..." I made to hold her hand to guide her but she wouldn't let me.

"I don't need your help, I can walk on my own just fine." She protested.

"No doubt about that." And this time, I didn't bother asking for her opinion before getting her unto my back and she had struggled during the process to get down from my back.

"You are going to fall down and injure yourself if you don't stay still." I warned. "Also, I think you should hold unto my neck." I added. She didn't argue this time as I could feel her hands reach, then wound around my neck. During the walk to her room with her still on my back, I could feel the tenderness of her arms that were on my neck and could perceive the somewhat crushed flower scent of her perfume.

"You can put me down now." She said just as we entered her room. To prevent another argument, I put her down and with unsteady steps, she started making her way towards her bed.

As she was going to take the third step, her legs gave way and just in time, I was able to prevent her from falling.

"I'm okay. Let go." She turned to face me after I withdrew my hands. "What is going on between you and Madison?" Her words didn't come out slurred this time and she sounded like she wasn't even drunk at all.