Island Secrets Ch. 03

Beep Beep Beep Beep

The steady drone of the machine was all that could be heard in the stillness of the hospital room. The slight figure on the bed lay hooked up to a myriad of tubes and wires monitoring her vitals.

A lone figure stood by the window looking out at the city of Montego Bay as the night lights danced on the hip strip. He had no idea what he was doing there. He checked his watch. Almost midnight. He stifled a yawn as he turned back to the bed. She had not stirred once since she collapsed in the office.

It had been a flurry of activity as they had rushed her downstairs. In no time they were at the hospital and just the mention of the Kirkland name opened up an examination room immediately. The girl was gravely ill. Her lungs were infected and she was severely under nourished which led to a breakdown of her immune system. The summer rains had not helped as it had brought on a virus which graduated to pneumonia. In short order her collapse had been inevitable and may have saved her as she was now getting treatment. They had sedated her and hooked her up to her various lifelines.

The personnel division had been asked to contact her next of kin and inform them of the situation. A woman had turned up an hour or so later and it was not until she had created a scene that investigations had revealed her to be Sharon's mother. He wondered how she had produced a daughter like Sharon. Her attire left almost nothing to the imagination.

"Weh she deh? Weh me pickney deh?" She had demanded boisterously. She had been ushered into the private room and had proceeded to put on an act of bawling that had the doctors asking her to leave as Sharon could not be agitated in that manner.

A slight cough caught his ear and he went to stand by her. The sedative seemed to be wearing off as her eyelids began to flutter. He pulled up a chair and waited.

Sharon felt as if she had been stuffed headway into a barrel as her head felt light. A slight pounding in her temple made her frown. She struggled to open her eyes but they felt like a ton of bricks was holding them down. Her chest felt like it was on fire as she coughed slightly. She tried to clear her throat but it felt like she had swallowed sandpaper. With much effort she tried to once again open her eyes. It hurt so much!

"Hmmmmm..."

"It may be better to keep them closed for now. You've been out of it for a bit."

That voice! Even through the fog she recognized her elevator savior.

"Hmmmmm...ahhhh..."

"Don't try talking just yet. Here, have a sip of water. It might make you feel a little better."

Sharon felt a gentle hand lift her head slightly and the rim of a cup touched her parched lips. She felt the cooling liquid touch her lips and sipped obediently.

"Easy now. Just a sip at a time. Not too much. That's enough for now."

The cup moved and the hand lay her head down.

She tried a third time and this time managed to get one eye half open. She blinked at the sudden light. Everything seemed fuzzy at first but soon the face above her came into focus. Searching grey eyes met hers.

"What...?" she barely got a croak out.

"Relax. You're in the hospital. You gave us quite a scare at the office the way you collapsed. But you're going to be just fine. The doctors say it's a good thing you collapsed when you did or you might have been beyond help."

Her eyes widened. He read the panic in her expression and sat on the bed. He leaned over slightly and smoothed the strands of hair that lay at her temple.

"Relax, Sharon. You're okay now. That a girl. Just relax." He continued to stroke her hair as she closed her eyes and swallowed convulsively. She took a deep shuddering breath, feeling the raspiness in her chest as she exhaled. She opened her eyes again to find him leaning in closer. She opened her mouth. So many thoughts were flooding her mind. There were so many questions she wanted to ask.

"Shhhhh. Shhhh. Just take it easy. You're going to be fine."

He was so near his warm breath touched her face. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but concern and kindness. She shifted slightly and felt a stinging in her right arm.

"Owwwww..." she squeaked.

"Cuidado. You have a few wires and tubes strung

up. You want to sit up?"

She nodded slightly. He stood and reached for the crank mechanism underneath the head of the bed. With a few quick turns she was elevated slightly. She nodded when he reached a height that suited her. He took up back his position but his hands remained in his lap.

"So, how does your chest feel?"

"Fire..." she rasped. A cough shook her slight frame and tears came to her eyes. God it hurt! She leaned weakly against the pillows and closed her eyes, her chest heaving from the exertion. Every breath was painful.

He watched as she took breath after painful breath and he felt his heart skip a beat. He recalled that morning a month ago when she had run up to catch the elevator. He had been amused at the speed the small girl had managed to run to catch the lift and had put out his hand just in time to make her sprint worth the while. She barely came to the middle of his chest. He recalled also what had become a Friday ritual for her to report to the seventh floor office after lunch to help with the filing. They would always watch in fascination as she moved at the speed of lightning to get the job done. How had he not noticed that she was ill? All he had known was that she was from a poor family and lived in one of the squatter communities surrounding the city. But after her collapse he had sat up and taken notice.

He had been the one to take her mother aside and slowly walk her out of the hospital. In between the hysterical sobs he had managed to learn of the younger siblings and the 'no dinner for them' as Sharon 'tek sick an drop dung' so now money would have to be spent on the hospital bill. He learnt also that she had completed two years of teachers' college in Kingston and was working to help pay for some of the things she would need when she went back to complete her final year.

He had taken two crisp twenty dollar bills and pressed them into her hand before putting her in one of the many taxis that often lingered at the hospital gate. Just as he went back in his brothers decided to leave. They had encouraged him to leave as well but something in him had refused. He told them he would catch a taxi home and walked back in. Now here he was hours later.

He again perched on the side of the bed. He put his hand on her brow and frowned. She seemed to be running a temperature yet again. The medication was definitely wearing off. Absentmindedly he used the pad of his thumb to smooth her eyebrow.

"I'm going to get a nurse. I think your medication is wearing off and you need to rest. I'm going to lower the bed and get a nurse, okay?"

She nodded weakly, keeping her eyes closed against the flood of tears that threatened to fall. She felt him move and heard his steps fade as he left the room. In no time he was back and she heard a woman speak.

"Alright honey. Let's get you dosed up again, alright. In no time you'll be out like a light."

She felt movement in the things attached to her and cringed.

"Careful with the tubes," her savior sounded anxious.

The nurse cleared her throat and said nothing. Normally she would have made some feisty remark but the Kirkland money spoke volumes. When she had come on shift that night she had gotten caught up on the gossip of the girl in the private room and the tall Kirkland bodyguard within. Of course the speculation had begun. Men of his colour and status did not usually deal with girls of her colour and status. She sneaked a sideways look at the girl on the bed as she adjusted the syringes. She didn't look like the sleep around type. She finished adjusting the saline drip and straightened.

"She'll be asleep in a bit." She looked around the room. "Will someone be bringing her bag in the morning?"

"Bag?"

"All patients need to have their toiletries and a change of clothing."

"Ohhhh." He nodded understandingly. "I'll get it sorted out."

"Okay." The figure in white exited and he turned his attention back to Sharon. Her eyes were open but barely. He breathed deeply.

"Feeling sleepy again?"

She nodded slightly.

He perched on the side of the bed yet again and went back to stroking her temple. He watched as her eyes fluttered close. He continued to stroke. In a few minutes she was fast asleep. As quietly as possible he exited the room. He made a brief stop by the nurses' station and gave some instructions. Several pairs of eyes watched his tall figure stride down the corridor, one or two wishfully willing to trade places with the girl in the room if only to be the centre of his attention.

**************************************************

"Sharon, get me the Pegasus file!"

Everyone in the outer office jumped as Maxwell barked into the intercom. Michael smirked while Matthew gave her a pitying glance. Maxwell was never in the best of moods on Mondays and everyone knew that except for Sharon. Today was her first day back on the job after her two weeks of forced sick leave.

One of those two weeks had been spent recovering in the hospital. While in the hospital she had been treated like royalty as each morning and evening she was tidied and dressed in nighties she knew she did not own. She shuddered to think where her mother was getting all this money from.

The second week was spent on bed rest at home. It was as if a miracle had taken place in the week that she had been gone. The cupboards were filled to the brim with food of all kinds. A single bed had been added to the bedroom and her mother had declared that it had been set aside for her. But in the week that she was home so had her mother, and she knew she did not go out at nights either. Whenever she asked the only response she got was "yuh is a blessed pickney".

The rest had done her good and she had gotten out of bed much revived that morning. She went through her usual ritual and left the house. She had barely reached the corner when a familiar white taxi pulled up next to her.

"Morning, Sharon.""

"Morning Crampy."

"Want a lift?"

"No thanks. I'm good." Taxi fare was not a part of her budget.

"Nah man. Me get pay areddy. Every morning me drop yuh and every evening me pick yuh up."

"But mama don't have..."

"Is not yuh mama pay me girly."

"Then who..."

"When jah send blessings our way nuh bodda question it."

Without another word she climbed in. She was at work in no time and entered the building.

"Good morning Miss Sharon." The security guard waved to her. "Welcome back."

"Good morning. Thank you." She continued towards the elevator, passing the receptionist.

"Good morning Miss Bailey. Welcome back Miss."

Sharon stopped and looked around. Surely there was another Miss Bailey behind her. There was no one. She looked at the receptionist who was smiling brightly at her.

"Good morning. Thank you."

"Mr. Kirkland left instructions for you to report straight to the seventh floor, Miss."

Sharon's mouth dropped open.

"O-Ok." Without another word she did as instructed. She had arrived at the administrative department and had been greeted as before. The desk she usually used on a Friday had been replaced by a bigger one with an intercom on it. She even had a mini filing cabinet behind her. It was into this that she began to dig around even as the intercom crackled again.

"Sharon!"

Matthew walked over quickly and handed her a file. Her eyes met his and she nodded her thanks.

"Don't let him rattle you. It's just his Monday

bark."

"Thanks for the warning." She flashed him a hint of a smile and he felt his heart lurch. The glowing girl in front of him was a far cry from the weak creature he had seen in the hospital two weeks ago. It just proved that a little proper care could go a long way. She still dressed simply in her usual black skirt with button down blouse. The only thing that was different was her hair. He had thought that it was chemically straightened the way so many black girls wore their hair. Hers was obviously a temporary thing as it was now kinky and rolled into a neat bun at her nape. The soft waves lay flat on her scalp with a few flyaways curling up softly. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked.

He put a hand on her shoulder and turned her in the direction of his brother's office.

"Go."

She scampered off just as the intercom crackled yet again. Maxwell's raised voice echoed like a boom as she opened his door.

"Here you go Mr. Kirkland, sir." She walked towards his gigantic desk. It was the first she had been to his office. Her bedroom at home could have easily fit in here at least twice. She handed over the file and turned on her heel.

"And where do you think you're going?" Maxwell narrowed his eyes.

Quietly Sharon turned back to face him. She stood calmly, waiting for her next instruction.

Maxwell thumbed through the file slowly. Every now and then he jotted something onto a notepad in front of him.

Sharon's eyes were drawn to the view beyond the floor to ceiling window behind the desk. The view from the filing room was nothing like this. She found herself at the window with a hand pressed against the glass as she watched the people below. The airport was a beehive of activity as usual. She found her thoughts wandering and wondered what it would be like to look down on the city at night.

"It must be absolutely beautiful."

"What is?"

Sharon gave a start at the voice which spoke just above her head. She had not seen when Maxwell had joined her at the window.

"The city. It must be beautiful to look down on it at night."

"Yes. It is." He shoved the file she had brought back into her hands. "Bring me the Wyndham file," he paused for effect, "sometime today." With that he took his seat once more.

Sharon almost rolled her eyes as she exited.

Maxwell watched her go. What in bloody hell was he thinking to give in to his brother's request to relocate the girl. He had been having a hard time each week when she was in the office as he felt an unnatural attraction towards her. There was something about her simplicity that touched a part of him. She was different from the women he usually dated. And now he was going to have to see her five days a week as fate had ganged up on him. The secretary he shared with his father was out on leave he had not recalled approving. The signature was his father's. He had blown a literal gasket at personnel for the foul up. Sharon was the quickest option. On cue the door opened again and there she was file in hand. She set it in front of him and stood waiting. Maxwell started to make jottings on his notepad yet again.

"Can you type?"

"Yes sir."

He pushed the notepad towards her and gestured for her to take a seat. Without warning he began to dictate.

**************************************************

"Ma, she's good. I think she would be a good fit." Michael spoke around a mouthful of peanuts.

Monica Kirkland looked up at her youngest son, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What about that pretty little brown one from the filing room."

"I wouldn't use her." Matthew bit out brusquely.

A nerve ticked in his jaw. He looked at Michael. Natalie was definitely not an option.

"What did you say her name was?"

"Sharon Bailey."

"Hmmmmm. And you're sure she's honest. She can be trusted."

"She definitely can. I would vouch for her." Matthew lifted his hand, palm facing outward.

She looked from one to the other and nodded.

"Okay. So that completes the list of servers then. I will need her to be here with the others from in the morning. Especially since she's new to the team I would want to be able to take her through what is required."

"Not a problem, ma. I'll talk to her on Monday."

"Good. Now you two be ready in half hour. We need to get you some stuff to take back to school."

"Gosh, ma. We're not kids anymore doing back to school shopping you know." Michael pretended to make a face.

"Well, for as long as you're my kids and you're in school, back to school shopping will be done. Twenty nine minutes and counting. Meet me in the garage."

**************************************************

Sharon looked up as Michael took a seat on her desk. He smirked as usual, as if there was some private joke only he got. She waited.

"What are you doing on Independence Day?"

"Stay home."

"How would you like to come to a party."

"No thanks." Sharon looked back at the file in her hand and continued to scribble.

"Ahem. What Michael meant to say was that we're asking if you're free to work as a waitress at our mother's Independence Day Soiree." Matthew had come to stand in front of her.

Sharon felt a sharp response rise to her lips and bit it back. She kept reminding herself that you had to learn to kiss ass before you could kick it. Plus she still was not sure who her benefactors were as the supplies still kept coming and her mother refused to say anything. Should it be the Kirklands she would have felt like less than a heel to be rude to any of them, much as she could barely tolerate the bunch. A part of her was glad she had only four weeks remaining. Fridays only had been fine. But last week spending an entire work week with the three of them had worn her out mentally.

"We already told her you would do it and you're going to get paid for it."

Sharon started to count backwards from ten. What on earth gave them the right to think they could offer up her services without asking? She felt a sense of indignation at the ease with which the Kirklands seemed to make decisions for her life. She swallowed as she began to think about the things the extra money could do when she returned to Kingston. As much as she wanted to say no as she had actually been looking forward to the day off it being her birthday, she knew that wisdom would prevail as she did need the money.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice then."

"Much as I don't have a choice but watch the three of you waste time rather than do the job at least one of you is being paid to do."

Sharon felt her heart drop at the ice in Maxwell's tone. She had learned very quickly not to piss him off and right now he sounded like pissed on steroids. The other two went back to their desks as Maxwell continued to lounge in his doorway.

"My office, notepad, now."

She felt her face grow flush and moved as commanded. As the door closed behind her she took her seat, pen poised over the pad.

"Bring your chair to the desk."

Sharon felt the hair stand up on her arms at the sudden softness in his tone. She had not heard this tone in over three weeks and it made her nervous in a whole other way. It was almost like a caress. Obediently she moved her chair closer, conscious of his eyes on her. She took her seat once more and placed the pad on his desk. He came to sit in front of her. He was so close she could feel the heat from his thigh and got a whiff of his cologne. Never in all her life had she been as conscious of a man as she was right now. She stiffened slightly as his hand reached out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. She had straightened it again over the weekend and it lay in waves around her. She looked up as his hand lingered.

"How have you been, Sharon?"

"I've been good."

"Eating right? Resting properly at nights? Not exerting too much energy by walking to work?"

Sharon's eyes narrowed keenly as she looked at him. He seemed to be engrossed in the feel of her hair between his fingers.

"Yes I am. Thank you for all that you've done in making those provisions for me."

"You're welcome." He murmured.

Sharon felt her heart slam against her chest.

"So it was YOU!"