Chereads / The Escape of Stigma / Chapter 22 - Chapter 19

Chapter 22 - Chapter 19

No matter how bad ones heart seems, there is always someone he likes.

Eric woke up with an banging head ache. He slowly opened his eyes. He remembered he went drinking last night but he couldn't remember what happened on his way home. When he turned he saw a pair of fair hands sticking outside the blankets. He panicked! Did he accidentally get laid yesterday? But this was his room. So, how could Jane allow a stranger into his room? He quickly lifted the covers and was shocked even more that it was Naomi.

"Mami can I sleep a little more?" Naomi said obviously dreaming. Eric chuckled at her cute face. He decided to let the sleeping beauty sleep more but he made sure there was no hickeys on her body. He sighed in relief as he confirmed they had nothing together.

But, the fact she slept in his room and on his bed set him on a good mood.

"Eric" Jane knocked and Eric panicked. Would Jane think he had something to do with Naomi? He didn't want her to see them in such a position. No matter how he think about it, it was embarrassing.

To avoid her suspicion, he quickly walked to open the door while blocking the view of the bed with his strudy body.

'What's up Jane? Good morning. Please can you make me a hangover soup? I feel like my head will get bursted any seconds from now" Eric said palming his head.

Jane caught a glimpse of Naomi's figure sleeping. She laughed in her heart but she wasn't willingly to let them off.

"I was going to ask you if you have seen Naomi? I checked her room and she wasn't there." Jane asked looking at Eric with raised eyebrows.

Eric began to sweat, he felt like a teenager caught in action.

"Em" he said rubbing his head

"Eric" Naomi called from inside.

This took both Jane and Eric by surprised. Naomi's disheveled appearance was suggesting something ambiguous.

Jane looked back at Eric with a surprised look.

"Jane, it's not what you are thinking. She just slept, nothing happened." Eric tried explaining.

" Of course she just slept! What else could have happened?" Jane asked surprised making Eric realized he had said too much in the need to explain.

"Damn!" Eric exclaimed.

"Stop acting like a kid, I was just teasing you." Jane said laughing.

" Of course I know she slept here, I was just trying not to make it obvious that it was a set up plan." Jane whispered chuckling.

Eric was speechless. How come he never noticed that this middle age woman had more dirty mind then he does? Whatever! He was happy she did. 

"Thank you" he muttered as he made way for her to go inside the room. Jane winked at him.

" Okay, sleeping beauty." Jane tugged at the still sleeping Naomi. "Time to get up for breakfast. You have a long day today." Jane said.

Naomi didn't even mind she was caught sleeping in a guy's room. Maybe she was too sleepy to realize that.

"I think you should freshen up while I take her back to her room. Ben will make a hangover soup for you along side breakfast." Jane said supporting Naomi out of the room.

Soon they were sitting at the dinning table. Naomi was still nodding off, sleeping at interval.

"Is it okay for her to be this drowsy? I am getting scared if she has sleeping sickness." Jane said worried.

Eric sighed " I think the her medications and hormones are the ones acting up. You see, when I found her, she was mal-nourished and stressed out. She was staying under the bridge and was working in a local restaurant in the streets. She hasn't told me her situation but I think she was abandoned." Eric stressed.

When he looked up at Jane, a tear was already running down her cheeks and she had a kind of look like she was really pained.

" Jane, are you okay" Eric asked bringing the strayed Jane backed from her thoughts. That was when she realized that she must have acted too emotional.

"Yeah, I am fine. I was just feeling too sorry for her. Like, she is too young to undergo this kind of circumstance. I don't think she is up to 22 yet." Jane explained.

" Yeah, I thought she was a wife to one of the street hustlers, considering the fact she was pregnant. Not until I witnessed her fainting and discovered that she wasn't married. Only God knows what would have happened to her if I didn't go eating in that restaurant that day. She was over 40 degrees and she is anemic." Eric took a deep breath. He looked at Naomi and he was quick to reach her before she falls of from the chair. 

Naomi was startled and wide a awake. She looked at them in confusion before realizing she was having breakfast. She was red with embarrassment.

 Jane smiled at her " It's okay sweetheart, I think you should go upstairs and catch another hour of sleep. I will remember not to let you stay awake that long again."

" Thank you Jane, Eric" Naomi said yawning at she walked her way upstairs. 

Eric hasn't taken his eyes off her the whole time.

"Some guys could really be stupid" Eric said continuing his breakfast. "Who in his right sense will let such a woman go and the fact she was carrying his child. Naomi doesn't look loose to me so I am sure she knows who the father of her baby is...."

" I know but I think,there is more to the whole story. Even if the man doesn't want the child, what about her family, her mother? No sane mother would let her child go away from her unless she was forced to do so. I think Naomi ran away from home. That's the only conclusion I can come up with. Maybe because of the shame or something she will have to tell us." Jane said.

Eric thought for a while before concurring to what she said. 

"I think your analysis makes sense. But if she was pushed out home or stigmatized, I will make everyone who hurt her pay. And the asshole that got her pregnant, would have to kiss her and the baby goodbye" Eric said angrily.

" Calm down son" Jane said patting his hands. She only calls him 'son' in times like this.

"I know you like her but I will still advise you take everything slowly and don't go overboard, okay" Jane adviced.

" I know" Eric said in a creaked voice " She just reminds me of my mother. This could have been how she suffered alone carrying me in her belly while my stupid father was enjoying life to the fullest" Eric said with a voice filled with pain and resentment.

"Nah, Eric, I know what you are brewing, but don't do it.The fire of revenge is a wide flame, you can't be too sure of who it will burn next. I know your mother wouldn't want you stuck in rage and hatred for your father. That was why she told you about him right?"

Eric sighed " I know Jane, but they won't let me off. He has taken enough from me and he still want to take my martial happiness by arranging a stupid slut..."

" Watch your words, young man!" Jane said stingily

" I am sorry, Jane. I just don't like that girl at all." Eric said

" Wait, I hope the main reason you brought Naomi is not because you want to use her to stop the engagement?" Jane asked in surprise

" Not totally true but it's part of the plan. But that doesn't mean, I don't have feelings for her. I just don't want to lose the opportunity of being with someone I truely love." Eric said.

Jane sighed " I know how you feel honey but I want you to consider Naomi's feeling too. You have to make sure she wants to be part of this willingly, ok?" 

" No worries Jane, I will fill her in about everything. I promise I won't force her to do what she doesn't want to do" Eric said smiling again.

" That's my boy" Jane said squeezing his hands.

Eric blushed " Could you stop calling me 'boy'? I am already so big."

Jane kept teasing him.

" And thank you for making her sleep in my room last night. I slept wonderfully well." Eric appreciated

" Oh come on, I will do anything to make you happy" Jane said