Chapter Forty-eight

When she no longer heard him rasping at the door, she knew he had taken her word for it and left. She felt really guilty about everything, it was her fault not Jake's. She had insisted on going to see her brother but then, he never told her that she was a prisoner in the house. She was going to stay here and  cry until he did as she desired. She was not going down for breakfast or dinner or lunch, or anything but thank God she still got some apples. She was going through a lot, she needed someone to talk to so what was wrong with going to see her brother in a public place for just thirty minutes. She stayed in the room all day and when she got bored, she picked up her novel, that asshole got to know his limits, he had no right to fire people as he desires. Few weeks talking with Jake, she discovered things about the old man. He respected Jay more than any member of the staff, he had been married until his wife died of brain cancer, he had two sons, one in the University and the younger in highschool. They both depended on their dad for support even if his older son did some menial jobs sometimes. He was one of the oldest staff alongside Theresa and all he spoke of Jay Martins was nothing short of admiration. Her phone was ringing, she looked, it was Jay, she did not want to talk to him so she put off her phone, he must learn. For days she had not seen him, she felt the purpose of her staying with him defeated and she had no friends, what was he expecting her to do, sit in the house all day or what. By 8pm, Bella had slept and woke up three times, it was a boring day. Should she just go out and reason with him because she was feeling hungry and she had finished her apples. But then her conscience pricked her, how was she going to show she sincerely cared about Jake's job if she acted weak, "Bella I need to talk to you please ", his voice broke her thoughts. She had not heard his footsteps and he sounded exhausted. She wondered if she should open and listen to him but then she kicked out the thought, she was staying put to the end. What did he take her for, some sort of weakling. When his pleas and knocks became unbearable, she covered her ears with her pillow. By the time she opened it, he was gone. She later tidied up and went to bed, alone as she was beginning to grow accustomed to. 

That morning, she woke up late, weak, weary and hungry. She managed to drag herself down from bed to the bathroom, the hunger strike was already getting to her. It was then while brushing her teeth that she heard him knocking again. She quickly finished up and came to the bedroom, "What, what do you want Jay ?", she asked even though she was weary. "There's someone here to talk to you ", he said and she listened, "Miss Bella? ", came the voice of the cheerful old man. Her struggle was not in vain, it had worked actually. She hurriedly opened the door, forgetting she was on her towel and hugged Jake. The old man had grown lean overnight probably from thinking too much thanks to someone and she shot Jay an accusing glance. "Mr Jake has been restored to his job madam ", he said to her looking wearied out himself. She had dealt with him too well, "What did you give him as compensation package? ", she asked him, he was going to seal her mouth. "Whatever you want ", and he pushed his way into her room. He looked like he added a year, "I'm thinking of giving him double of his salary this month ", she said stubbornly, "Whatever you want ", he said approaching her bed. "Um your room is that way in case you've forgotten ", she said.