Chapter 3: I like you already
At the hospital
Joan sat on a chair next to Fred in the hospital. "How're you feeling now, can you hear me", she whispered to him. Fred's right thumb began to move gently. Joan thought she didn't see it well at first, but then, Fred's thumb moved again. She picked up the telephone in the ward and called for a doctor. The doctor arrived shortly after, accompanied by two nurses. The policemen at the ward entrance maintained duty. The doctor checked on him. "He's awake", he said to Joan. Joan smiled so happily and asked if she could stay with him. "Yes, you can", the doctor answered. "He's not fully awake yet, but he's regained his consciousness. Be careful", he added. "Yes, I will", Joan replied. The doctor told a nurse to stay and observe him, while he took his leave. Joan phoned Jay and told him Fred has regained consciousness. "Alright. That's a good news, I'll inform the chief right away. We'll be in the hospital soon", Jay replied. Joan held Fred's hand and spoke gently with him. "Fred, I met you by chance, I couldn't believe myself when I threw away my fears and rescued you. Don't know if we had met somewhere before or we have any sort of connection. But I feel totally different towards you", she said to him. Fred opened his eyes and called her, "J-O-A-N". She looked at him in the eyes and asked, "did you just call my name?". "Yes, I did. Thank you for saving me. I'll return the favor", Fred said. The nurse informed the doctor that Fred is fully awake, and he rushed over immediately. The doctor checked on him again. "He's fine and can be discharged today. His injuries are fully healed too", the doctor said. "Mr Fred, don't move too much yet, and rest adequately. You should visit the hospital in few days, you'll be informed on when you should come. We've gotten in contact with your parents too, they'll go through the discharge process for you, so you can go home in the evening", the doctor added. "Thank you", Joan said to the doctor. "You're welcome", he answered. The policemen arrived shortly after and greeted the doctor. "How's he doing", Jay asked. "He's fully recovered. A thorough examination has been conducted on him, his health condition is stable", the doctor replied. "Can we ask him a few questions now", Jay asked. "Yes you can, but you should make it quick. He shouldn't be stressed mentally yet", the doctor answered and took his leave. Joan took her leave while the policemen asked Fred some questions. "Where were you heading to on the day of the incident", a policeman asked. "I was gonna meet with a friend, cause I just returned from abroad a few days before then, and wanted to discuss some things with him", Fred answered. "Did you discover something unusual when you were driving", Jay asked. "No I didn't", Jay answered. He paused for a while and said, "the truck driver collided with me intentionally. I tried to avoid it, but somehow, we crashed". "That's all for now, we'll contact you if we have other things to ask you. Thank you for your cooperation", Jay said. "Alright. Where's Joan", Fred asked. "She's waiting outside. You should thank her well for saving you. She contacted the police and rescued you already before we got there", Jay answered. Fred smiled and said, "I'll do that". "The doctor said I'll be discharged this evening" he added. "Alright, take good care of yourself. We'll take our leave now. The policemen at the entrance would return to the station once you're discharged", Jay replied and went out with the policemen. "Thank you", Fred said. Joan returned to the ward and stood next to him. "You can sit", Fred said. "I'm fine this way", Joan replied. "What! You became shy once I'm awake. You've been staying with me throughout the time I was unconscious, it's up to a week I think", he said. "What're you thinking! I had to look after you", she replied. "Thank you for saving me, I really appreciate. I don't know how to express my gratitude, but I'll treat you kindly", he said. Joan sat next to him and said, "I hope you keep your words". Fred sat up, held her hand, and said, "I always hear your voice in my dreams, I wondered whose voice it is, a lot ran through my mind. You're more beautiful than I imagined. You didn't only save my body, you saved my heart as well. I already figured out how to repay you, I'll give you my heart". Joan looked at him in the eyes, and they stared at each other. "He's really handsome. Could I be falling for him already. He's got sweet words and lovely lips too. It's not a bad thing if I decide to be with him. No! I already said I don't believe in love", Joan said in her mind. "What're you thinking about", Fred asked. "I'm not thinking about anything", Joan replied. "Really!", he asked. "Yes", she answered. "What are you talking about, why should you give me your heart. I'm not interested, we can only be buddies", she added. "Buddies! it's not a bad idea though. But what would happen to my heart if I give it to you", he asked. "I'll break it into pieces of course", she answered. "Oh no! you sound scary. I know you can't do that. I love stubborn ladies, they are the most loving", Fred replied. "You're such a player" Joan said. "You can say that actually. I already quit this minute since we met", Fred replied.
They were still talking when Mr and Mrs Benard came in. "Wow! I didn't know they were this close. Darling, could my son and Joan had met before the incident", Mrs Benard asked her husband. "No, I don't think so. He never mentioned her. Besides, your son is such a player, he doesn't take a girl serious", Mr Benard replied. "That's exactly why I asked you. Even if they knew each other before, Fred might not mention her", Mrs Benard said. Fred looked up and saw his parents. "Dad! Mum! you're here", he greeted his parents. Joan greeted Fred's parents as well. "I see you're in the middle of a romance, you just recovered. You shouldn't be flirting with a lady in the hospital room, you can wait till we get home", Mrs Benard said. "No mum, we were only discussing as adults. I fell in love with Joan's voice, as if that wasn't enough Mum, I fell in love with her beauty too", Fred answered. "You should fall in love with the real her, her personality, love her for who she is and not all these things", Mr Benard said. "This is Joan, you indeed look beautiful. Thank you for saving my son, I'll reward you personally", Mrs Benard said to Joan. "I'm grateful young lady, you're such a nice girl. My son loves you, don't disappoint my faith in you", Mr Benard said. Joan smiled and said, "thank you". "So what do you do, Joan", Mrs Benard asked. "Darling, all these can wait till we get home", Mr Benard said to his wife. "Joan doesn't mind", Mrs Benard said to her husband. She turned and said to Joan, "answer me sweetie". "I work for an advertisement company, BET. I'm one of the managers there and has a team of 8 members. My specialization is designing ads, and winning clients over. I also make the best use of my team and we work efficiently in giving a satisfactory result" Joan answered and smiled. "Wow! Darling, this girl works for our company", Mrs Benard said to her husband. She held her hands and said, "I'm fully in support of you". "Thank you ma, I feel elated", Joan replied. Mr Benard turned to Joan and said, "Steven once told me about the young talents in the company. He mentioned you, but I didn't expect us to meet this soon. Rest assured, your position in the company is secured". Joan smiled and thanked Mr Benard. "Could you be the chairman, Mr John Benard", she asked. "Yes, I am", he answered. "I feel so humble right now, I don't know what to say", Joan said. "Dad, Mum, we'll continue when we're home. It's time you let me pack up and have a proper rest", Fred said. "Why do you want to go home suddenly son. You aren't waiting till evening again", Mrs Benard asked. "I feel this is not the best place for I and Joan to talk. We can have a proper conversation with you and dad when we're home", he replied. "Let's leave then, we've gone through the discharge process already", she said. Joan assisted him in packing up and helped in getting to the car. The chairman and his wife took a separate car, while Joan and Fred went in a different car. "How're you feeling Fred", she asked him. "I'm fine", he answered. "I can't believe my parents brought two cars with drivers", he added. "They care for you" she replied. "Yes, they do. Their love for me is overwhelming", Fred replied. They got home and went inside. "Sweetie, please help me assist Fred to his room", Mrs Benard said to Joan. Joan nodded and asked Fred where his room was. He assisted him to his room and was about to leave when he called her back. "Joan, our story has been written even before we met, my parent supports us as well. Please think about my request and give me an answer I wanna hear. I'm not in a rush baby", he said to her. "Let's leave that for now, we'll get to know each other first" she answered. They exchanged contacts and he hugged her. "Let's meet up tomorrow", Fred said. "We can't. I'm going out with my friends tomorrow", Joan replied. "What about tomorrow night then", he asked. "You're just recovering. You shouldn't go out at night yet, the doctor asked you to watch your health", she replied. "I'm only going out to see you, I won't do other things", he said. "Alright, we'll meet tomorrow night", Joan replied. "I'm leaving now, I'll contact you", she added. "Lemme see you off then", Fred said. "I'll ask Josh to drop you at home", he added. "Alright, thanks mr caring", Joan replied. "You're welcome", Fred said and pecked her. They left his room and bid his parents goodbye. "When should we be expecting you", Mrs Benard asked Joan. "I don't know yet, I'll let Fred know whenever I'm coming, so he can tell you", Joan replied. "Alright sweetie, be good", Mrs Benard said. Joan smiled and said thanks. "Have you made an arrangement of how she's gonna get home son", Mrs Benard asked Fred. "Yes mum, I already did that", Fred replied. "That's my son", she said. "Josh is here, let's go out", Fred said to Joan. Joan and Fred went outside, he introduced Joan to Josh and asked him to drop her safely at home. They arrived at Joan's house and she alighted. She bid Josh goodbye and went inside.
Joan texted Fred to let him know she's home already. Her friends were in the sitting room when she entered. "Welcome miss, who's the guy that dropped you just now", Tracy asked. "He's Josh, Fred's assistant", Joan replied. "Fred, that name sounds familiar. Is he the guy you rescued the other day", Maggie asked. "Yes, he's the one. He got discharged today, his parents came to see him and go through the discharge procedure. We all went home together. His parents went in a separate car, while I and Fred went in a separate car too", Joan answered. "Wow! that's amazing. You're definitely getting married into a rich family baby", Maggie said. Joan smiled and said, "maybe". "I don't think that's all, did something else happen" Annie asked. "Not really, Fred happens to like me, he said he wanna meet up tomorrow. His parents likes me as well. Do you wanna know the most surprising thing", Joan said. "What's that", Annie asked. "His dad is the CEO of BET group, Mr John Benard", Joan said. "Amazing! I can't believe this", Tracy said. "Sweetie, you guys need to meet up tomorrow. You should go out with him instead of us", Annie said. "No! I can't cancel on you guys for him. I'm meeting with him tomorrow night", Joan replied. "See who said she doesn't believe in love", Maggie said. "Love is written all over somebody's face", Annie said. Joan blushed and said, "we're only buddies". "You can't deny it Joan. You said to stay unmarried together, but it seems you're getting married before us. A career woman is already drunk in love", Tracy said. "You can't lie to us, we're your friends and sisters", Maggie said. "Hmph, did you hug him, I can smell something on you", Annie asked. "Yes, we hugged, he didn't wanna leave me", Joan answered. "See, you can't hide from us, baby", Tracy said. "I really can't", Joan replied and laughed. "Don't disappoint us sweetie, you need to hook this guy", Maggie said. "Baby, I'll like you to be the daughter in-law of BET group soon. I really can't wait to be your bridesmaid", Annie said. "You guys should date soon, tell him to introduce us to rich guys like him", Tracy said. "Alright, I won't let you guys down. I love you! I wanna rest now", Joan said and went inside her room and rested.
Cobbs called Mrs Benard on the phone and told her about his findings. "Are you done with the investigation", she asked. "Yes. I've sent it to you", he answered. "Alright, I'll check it out", Mrs Benard answered. "Don't do anything for now, I only need you watch her" she added. "Alright ma'am", Cobbs replied. She hanged up and went to check on Fred. He was fast asleep so she returned to her room. "Madam, you really like Fred in your heart", Vivian said to her. "Yes I like him, but he's a threat. I have no choice than to do this", she replied. "He already brought her home like you predicted, the girl is lovely and Fred likes her so much", Mrs Benard added. "That's a good thing madam, you should bring them together", Vivian said. "Yes I will, but I'll stick to my plan", she answered. "Alright madam, there's always a chance to execute our plan" Vivian said. "Mitchell informed me she'll be home in few days, she heard what happened to her brother and wants to check on him. I hope she doesn't get in my way, I'm doing all these for her" Mrs Benard said and dismissed her maid.
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