He Doesn't Recognize Me
1175 Words
Allison sat, biting her lips hard as she stared at the man in front of her. He looked quite different from what she remembered four years ago.
His tailored suit was sewn well to the proportions of his body. His broad shoulders, sharp jawline that could almost cut a piece of paper.
“Dr Sam Grant is like a father to me…” He handed back the piece of paper to Allison, then continued, “Right now, I need a personal assistant.” He looked at Allison, who couldn’t seem to get her eyes off him.
For a second, it felt like familiarity, almost like fragments of the times he had spent with her in the past were flooding his memory, but it soon vanished.
“You have lived a really busy life. I can see here on your resume that you even worked as a waitress.” He said while flipping through her resume.
“Yes, I have a lot of experience doing so much…” Allison paused and thought within herself. “I had to do all that because you abandoned me when I needed you the most.”
“Daddy, hire her.” The little girl jumped up in excitement.
“This is my daughter, Braden. You will also be tasked with taking care of her.”
“I will be tasked? Are you hiring me?” Allison couldn’t hide her excitement as she bounced in her seat gleefully.
“Yes. I have a few rules for this job. Mr Hale will put you through all you need to know.”
Allison wanted to hold his hands, maybe place a kiss on them, as he had just given her hope. For a moment, the excitement clouded the anger she was feeling upon walking in to meet him a few minutes ago.
“Braden doesn’t like strangers. I don’t know what it is about you she really likes.” Reece said just as Allison left the office with Mr Hale.
Allison stood admiring the interior decor of the house as she walked with Mr Hale, who showed her around the house. She couldn’t help thinking about what had happened four years ago.
*****
Four years ago
“Congratulations, you are three weeks pregnant.”
Allison watched the tiny dot on the screen close to her. “Really, doctor?” she squealed in excitement.
“You will soon begin to experience morning sickness, amongst other things. You need to eat a lot of healthy food and rest.” The doctor said to her as she rubbed off the cold liquid from her belly.
“Thank you, doctor.”
She placed her hand on her still flat tummy. She couldn’t wait to break the news to Reece whom she had been in a relationship for two years.
The ride to Reece’s apartment had never felt longer. She rolled down the passenger window to take in the fresh morning air as nausea hit her.
Reece had told her he was working from home that morning, so she was certain she would meet him in the house.
“Reece!” She called out happily, but was greeted with a huge scowl on his face.
“What the hell is this Allison?” he shouted as he pointed at the screen on his laptop.
The wide screen showed pictures of Allison in bed with a man. A man she had never met before in her life.
“This isn’t me, Reece. There…There…has to be a mistake somewhere.” Allison couldn’t believe it.
The man had his arms around her as they both lay on a bed, but she had no memory of ever meeting him or being in bed with him. How was that possible? All she knew was, she was the one in the picture, but she didn’t cheat on Reece.
“Please believe me.” She held his hands, but he pushed her off, and just then, the pregnancy result fell from her bag.
“You are pregnant? For him?” Reece had never gotten that angry at Allison before. His eyes shot red with rage, and he bit his lips hard until they bled as he flung the laptop across the room.
“No, baby, this child is ours.” Allison’s hand moved to her belly.
“You are a liar and a cheat. Were you planning on pinning another man’s child on me?”
Allison had already broken down in tears as she lay on the floor. How were all of these happening? She had never been with another man since being with Reece.
She wouldn’t do that to him, but now with the irrefutable evidence before her, she didn’t know how to get out of it.
“Get out of my house!”
“But…But how am I supposed to take care of this baby on my own?” Allison got up from the floor, picked up the test results, and moved closer to Reece.
“I don’t care about this bastard you are carrying. I never want to see you again.” He stormed off in seething rage.
Allison stood in the empty apartment, clutching the test results. This wasn’t the reaction she had anticipated as she got the news.
She wailed heavily as she held tightly to her belly. Soon it began raining, almost as though the heavens were mocking her in her misery. Taking pleasure in it.
“Well, well, look what we have here?” The voice cut Allison from her deep remembrance as she sat in the Martins’ living room.
Allison didn’t need to turn around to recognize that voice.
Sarah Harrington. Sarah, who had made her childhood terrible. The heiress to Myers Corps. The girl who had mocked her for being a servant in their house.
“Could the day not get any worse for me?”Allison said under her breath.
“What is a criminal doing here? Are you planning on stealing this? ” Sarah asked, rushing to grab the Vase Allison had been admiring.
“No. I was just looking at it.” A startled Allison quivered at the accusation.
“What do you mean by that?” Reece asked as he walked down the stairs, with shock written on his face.
“I caught her, Reece. She was trying to steal this precious vase.” Sarah rushed to his side.
“I…I…was only looking at it.” Allison felt shame creeping in slowly.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, but somehow the universe had a way of accusing her of things and calling her all sorts of names.
“She has a criminal record, Reece. Why would you allow such a person in the house?” Sarah spat out, eager to disgrace Allison.
Reece turned to Allison sharply, both eyebrows jumped up, forehead stretching in disbelief. He moved to her, eyes on her like he was reading her soul, trying to figure out who she really is.
“If you are truly a criminal, I can not have you close to my daughter.”
- Writer
