The Blindman's Wife Read online

  “Give it a few more days dear, from what you told me about the man, he will give up trying to get rid of you when he realizes you are there to stay. He has to accept it eventually.”

  Zola almost choked on her coffee; her brown eyes met her mother’s and they both burst into laughter. Her son looked at them in amusement and wanted to join in. She walked to where he sat eating his fruit loops and kissed his head, “Mummy has to go to work baby, be good for Nana and stay close to the house okay?”

  He looked at her with grey eyes that were much like his father's.

  “Is bad wolf my story book Mummy?” Wynter asked innocently.

  “No baby, there isn’t any bad wolf. Mummy and Nana were just joking,” she replied seeing the confusion in his sweet baby face. Tomorrow was the day of his surgery. She had tried explaining to him what was going to happen, but he just looked at her and then went back to play with his toys. Zola had to blink back tears. Her child was so precious and dear to her. She couldn’t think of a life without him. Shaking her head, she perished the thought, after tomorrow her son would be better. No more fatigue or laboured breaths just the road to recovery.

  “It’s going to be okay Zola, we have God on our side,” Zora said in tune with her daughters’ thoughts. Zola nodded accepting her mother’s words for what they were, soothing thoughts.

  “Mummy must go now sweetie, stay close to Nana won’t you?”

  “I go to big house, Mummy? I not to touch anything,” he said hopefully.

  He had been trying to get a look at the big house as he called it since they moved in. His curiosity was getting the best of him.

  “I know you won’t touch anything baby, but I want you to stay here. Can you do that for me?”

  He looked at her bottom lip protruding before he nodded.

  Liam had just finished his second cup of coffee when he smelled her scent. It was the soft vanilla scent she favoured, a scent he was beginning to get accustomed to. “About time you got here,” he snapped.

  “I—” she was about to apologize then stopped. “I could always leave and come back in five minutes when I'm supposed to start.”

  “You do that, and you would be packing and be out of here so fast you wouldn’t remember your name. Come and sit and have some coffee,” he commanded.

  “Thank you, but I just had breakfast,” she said gritting her teeth. The blasted man was a thorn in her backside.

  “I see, suit yourself but for your own good if I were you, I would cut out that bad habit you have of grinding your teeth, they might all turn to dust someday. Why not do something useful like crack some nuts? I am sure you could find some around here somewhere, now sit.”

  She knew when not to argue with the jackass. She took a seat and pushed aside thoughts of taking the chair and whacking him upside the head with it. The blasted man always brought out the worst side of her, yet he always somehow managed to make her realize that she was stronger than she thought. After a week of working with him, she learned that she was a strong woman with a backbone, something she thought she didn’t have. He was always trying her patience, and she was sure he was giving her a few gray hairs in the process.

  “I don’t have much for you to do today other than drawing up some contracts and those letters that I left on your desk. When the members of my board come, I want you to sit in and take minutes, let me know when they begin to arrive.”

  “Yes sir,” she said primly.

  “Call me Liam,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  “Say it,” he demanded.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I know you’re not stupid Azolah, I said say my name.”

  She paused and then whispered “Liam”.

  “Tell me Azolah, I am curious to know what you look like,” He said.

  “Pardon?” maybe she hadn’t heard him right.

  “I said what do you look like?” he repeated

  “Human,” she said angrily. She didn’t know why, but from the look on his face, she knew he wasn’t in the mood to joke. As if he would ever crack a joke, she thought rolling her eyes. She sighed and cleared her throat.

  “I am waiting…”

  “Black hair, five ten, fat and ugly with crooked teeth that’s about it,” she said through gritted teeth.

  “I see, you have issues with your self-esteem do you?” he taunted.

  “No,” before he could say anything else, there was a knock at the door; Zola sighed in relief not caring if he heard her. She turned to see a man around the same age as Liam standing in the doorway. He walked in looked at Liam and then at her.

  “Hey Liam, am I interrupting something?” he asked smiling at Zola.

  “No Mark, this is Azolah Kurtis, my new nursemaid,” she knew he said it purposely to irritate her, and he had succeeded. “Azolah, this is Mark, he is my vice president.”

  She shook the hand the other man had stretch towards her and without another word walked out of the office without a backward glance her spine straight as an arrow. She was at the door when his voiced stopped her. Her body almost snapped into two from the whip that he called a tongue.

  “Where do you think you are going?” Liam asked.

  “I—I have a few things that need my attention before the meeting,” she said and walked back to her desk not waiting for a reply.

  When the door closed, Liam exhaled. He’d been holding his breath since she entered the room. He lived for the days when she would come to the house to work. He was beginning to look forward to her sassy comebacks; it always stimulated him when he had these rare talks with her. That made him sound pathetic, but it was the truth, she was the only amusement he has had in months, and he didn’t even have to buy her any jewelry. His cock had hardened when she said his name; it felt like a caress on his skin.

  He cleared his throat and asked his long time friend and VP, “What does she look like?”

  Mark laughed, “why the interest? She isn’t your type.”

  “I didn’t ask for her bra size, just what she looked like,” Liam said impatiently.

  Mark sighed, “Mousy, about five-three, curly black hair, light brown eyes, the average body I think, but I could be wrong. It’s hard to notice under her frumpy suit. Smooth dark skin, somewhat cute. I think your mother said she is half-Pakistani half-black. Why the interest? From what I saw of you two, she could barely stand to be in the same room with you.”

  “Yeah well the feeling is mutual,” he lied. “I like knowing what the people who work for me look like. She said she was fat and ugly.”

  His friend laughed as if he had said something funny if he did Liam would like to know what it was.

  “She lied, as I said she is cute, and she is not fat, but she isn’t anorexic either. She could be a size eight or ten. I have to say she has one sexy mouth on her. It reminds me of ripe strawberries and those eyes of hers, I could imagine how they look when—”

  “Lay off Mark; don’t even think about it, she is off limits. Last time you dated one of my assistants I was left looking for another.”

  “Are you sure that’s the reason, or you want a taste of her for yourself? Last I heard assistants were a dime a dozen where you are concerned.”

  “Shut it, Mark, I am serious. I can’t go through any more assistants. My mother has taken a liking to her; I do not want to be on my mothers’ bad side.”

  “Relax Liam she isn’t my cup of tea. She looks too fragile, and the shy ones were never ones to cause my libido go into overdrive. I like my women sizzling and naughty not quiet and mousy.”

  His teeth were on edge from the way his friend was describing the girl, but before he could defend the damn girl, he was interrupted by whispered voices. What the hell could be going on now? He strained to hear what was being said and knew Mark must be laughing at him; he would like to wipe the smirk off his face.

  Zola wasn’t surprised her son found his way up to the big house. T
hat it had taken him the whole week they had been here to make the move was a surprise. His curious mind had obviously gotten the better of him. “Sweetheart, what are you doing here? Where is Nana?”

  “Home, I want see bad wolf, he in there?” her son asked pointing towards the office door.

  “Sweetheart, we’ve talked about this, there isn’t any big bad wolf remember?” she asked taking her son by the hand and trying to lead him away from the office. But he was too stubborn and pulled away from her standing his ground. He looked up with innocent grey eyes.

  “Nana --” Wynter persisted.

  “I know what nana said,” she whispered as she looked towards the closed door and hoped the wolf in question was too busy with his VP to hear any of this conversation. “Baby, there is no big bad wolf here they are only in your story books."

  He looked at her with curious eyes and asked, “What's in there?” Pointing towards the office doors.

  "That's mummy's boss Mr. Bradford's office."

  “He no bad wolf?” he asked looking at her with skepticism.

  “No sweetie, he isn’t.”

  “Miss Kurtis, get in here!” the wolf shouted. “Now.”

  Zola stiffened, had he heard them? If so, she was sure he would have assumed that the bad wolf was him and he was going to fire her. She looked at her son who was now clinging tightly to her leg. She stood there not moving. There was no way in Hell she was going to let this man near her son. “It’s okay baby; there’s no reason to be scared.

  “Come on; let me walk with you to the door. You go back to Nana and help her with her knitting okay.” She whispered to the frightened boy.

  He nodded, darting one last glance at the closed door.

  Ignoring the temperamental man in the next room, she walked her child to the door and saw her mother making her way up to the house. When she saw he was safely with is nana, she turned and went to Liam’s office bracing herself for the worst. Okay so she shouldn’t have called him a wolf, but it wasn’t as if she was far from the truth. She wouldn't blame him if he fired her because obviously, he couldn’t take a joke.

  The big bad wolf! That’s how she saw him? Well, he would show her who is bad. His colleague was laughing Liam wasn’t in the mood for one of his jokes.

  “Big bad wolf eh?”

  “Shut up Mark,” he snapped.

  “Guess you rubbed her the wrong way, you're losing your touch my friend?”

  As she walked into the office, Mark was leaving. He smiled at her but she couldn't tell if it was one of support or pity. She didn’t need his pity, she could handle Liam Bradford on her own. If this was her last day then she had nothing to lose, and when she was finished with him; he would be the one cowering in a corner. She still hoped that he did hear the nickname she had given him. Out of the mouth of babes, she thought shaking her head.

  He must have heard her approach because he turned towards her and nodded to the chair in front of his desk. He didn’t take his place behind the impressive desk. The man was always in control and liked to control everything and anyone in his presence. It was another one of his many attributes she didn’t care for. It would be nice to see him lose some of that tight control of his.

  She sat nervously playing with the hem of her skirt trying to figure out how to approach the subject of her day off and what he may or may not have heard.

  “Mr. Bradford, I just want to remind you that I have the day off tomorrow I—” he didn’t let her finish.

  “I know, you don’t have to remind me I may be blind, but I am not deaf nor am I going senile,” he snapped.

  Taken aback by his response, Zola pushed back in her chair in preparation to leave him to stew in his bad mood. She should be accustomed to his mood swings.

  “Sit! I never said you could get up. Do I look stupid to you Azolah?” he asked frowning.

  “N-no Mr. Bradford, I never implied that—” she stopped at his upheld hand.

  “I didn’t ask if you implied, I just asked if I looked stupid,” he growled.

  “No, you are not stupid.” She answered trying to keep the tears at bay, yet she was unsuccessful. This week had been an emotional rollercoaster for her, and he wasn’t making it any better.

  “I hope you are not crying,” he said turning from the window walking around the desk to where she was sitting.

  “No sir,” she said wiping the stubborn teardrops from her cheeks. She cleared her throat, “I am not one to cry.”

  “Good because you would have spoiled my superwoman view of you,” he walked closer until he was standing in front of her and touched her cheeks.

  His touch was softer, more caring almost sensual than she imagined and it was too intimate for her comfort. This was why she had sleepless nights tossing and turning because lately her dreams had taken an erotic turn, he held the starring role. She had thought after working with him and seeing how insufferable he was that this insane attraction would dissipate. She had been successful until day four, that was when her dreams started. In the day, she hated him, but at nights, he made her burn with need. What would his lips feel like against hers would his touch be gentle? Now she had that answer to one of her questions. This is insane she told herself. Was she losing her mind? She should hate him for the way he behaves. She thought she did but her nights were full with dreams of him touching her and doing things to her no one had ever done before. Just the memory made her hot with shame. She turned her face away from his comforting hand.

  “Azolah, why didn’t you tell me you have a child?”

  “I didn’t know that it was part of my job description sir,” she said. That should get him off her back so she could go and cry in private. She was always confused when it came to him. One minute he could be nice, the next he was an arrogant ass. She was never sure which of the Liam Bradfords' she would get. What went on outside of this office wasn’t any business of his especially when it concerned her family.

  “So what you are saying is it’s none of my damn business, right?” he asked with arched brows.

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-three sir,” she whispered.

  “I thought we had gotten over this sir bullshit, how old is your son?”

  “Wynter will be three in a few months.”

  “Wynter?”

  “Yes Wynter,” she said stubbornly.

  “Who names their child after a cold season?”

  She bristled, “I did,” she snapped losing her patience. “Is there anything else you need Sir,” she asked stressing the Sir deliberately.

  “Yes, next time you want to gossip or have a chat do it on your own time. I would like those letters I asked for before you leave at the end of the day.”

  He walked back to his desk facing the window that looked over the rose garden that was full of vibrant colours. It was also a way of letting her know she had been dismissed. Not waiting for another insult, she got up and ran out of the office straight to the washroom. She locked the door and turned on the water. She needed something to disguise the real reason she was in there to cry.

  Liam felt ashamed, he was never rude to anyone he worked with or worked for him before the accident. She was twenty-three; he thought she was older than that. He made her cry; he hated to see a woman cry. He felt he needed to apologize to her. Lucky for him he was blind, so he didn’t have to see those tears fall onto her soft cheeks.

  It took her about fifteen minutes to compose herself before she was back at her desk doing the tasks that were given to her. She was about to print the stack of letters when the phone rang. It was Cynthia, Liam’s mother.

  “Hello Mrs. Bradford, how is your cruise?”

  “Wonderful dear, I thought we had gotten over this Mrs. Bradford thing. Please call me Cynthia.”

  “Okay, I am happy you are having a good time, did you want to speak with your son?”

  “In a bit dear, how are things working out with you two?”
<
br />   She had taken a few extra seconds before she spoke, “it could be better I guess. He is still prickly."

  “In other words he’s still being difficult. Give it a few more days, how is your family? I know you must be nervous about tomorrow.”

  “They are okay and yes we are a bit nervous, but the Doctor assures me that everything is going to be okay. I’m counting on that for comfort but most of the time I can’t help but worry.”

  “That’s what being a parent is all about dear, even when they are old and grey, you still worry about them. Everything will be okay; I want you to know you are in my prayers.”

  “Thank you,” Zola said, touched by the woman’s words.

  “Now if you could connect me to that stubborn son of mine, I’ll talk to you later.”

  She bid Cynthia goodbye and transferred her to Liam. She cleared her desk after printing the letters and stacked them in a neat pile. She knocked on his door before entering and put them on his desk. She looked at his attractive face as he scowled at something his mother said.

  “The letters are here for you to sign, if it’s alright with you I’ll be on my way,” she said turning towards the door.

  “Wait, hold on a minute Mother. Azolah I am sorry for the way I behaved I had no right to talk to you the way I did. It is none of my business. Please accept my apology.”

  She paused and looked at him in shock by his apology. She thanked him and left his office.

  “Mother, how is your cruise coming along? Hope you and the girls are enjoying yourselves.”

  “We are dear and thank you for asking. Enough about me how are things with you and Zola?”

  “Good enough,” he said cautiously. He knew his mother had taken a liking to the girl and he suspected that she was trying to play matchmaker. He had no idea what Azolah and his mother talked about when she answered the phone.

  “Are you sure everything is okay love?” his mother asked with suspicion in her voice.

  “Of course, I am sure Mother, why would I lie to you?”