Three: No Charity!

'Please, do you know what happened and how I ended up in the hospital?'

'And I just asked you if you were married?'

'No, why do you ask?' she asked him before remembering that she had been at the hospital and the doctor most probably had checked her and found out the truth about her and told this man about her pregnancy. But she was not going to reveal anything until she was sure what he knows and what he does. She was not going to reveal anything to him at all. Afterall, she owed him no explanation except thanks for helping her though how exactly he had come to help her was still what she could not fathom.

'You have my answer. I am not married at least, not yet. So would you kindly tell me what happened to me that I had to be hospitalized?' She said and flinched as she felt a wave of pain shoot through her head.

He was at once sorry that he had made her talk too much when she should have been sleeping or relaxing.

'Its okay. I shall tell you all about it later, just rest your head on the chair and see if you can just relax. Don't speak and don't think. Well, until you tell me where your house is. She gave him directions to a roll of tall buildings before her real place of residence..

As they neared the place, She became fidgety. She hoped he would allow her alight there and not insist on going in with her, now that she had foolishly told him that she was unmarried.

Not that she thought him capable of something as perverse as rape but because she did not want him knowing the condition of where she lived.

'You were walking listlessly as though you were fed up with Life and in the middle of the road as well. A lot of cars had been honking their horns at you but you were just not there, and I coming from a curve hit you before I could apply the brakes. You hit your head on my bumper and passed out.

Everybody thought that you were dead. We checked your pulse and found a faint beat and I rushed you to the hospital. Luckily, the doctor was able to treat you and here we are'.

'I guess that I should be grateful then that you had not abandoned me to die on the road but had the courtesy to take me to the hospital'.

'But there is something I don't understand. Why did you feel the need to end your life? What problem is it that cannot be solve except if you take the way you may consider the easiest way out? Which I'd death?'

Nancy was shocked. She hoped that he had not been able to read her and her situation correctly. She decided to be harsh with him so that he would quit disturbing her and mind his own business.

'Oh ho. Look who's talking. You just told me that you came round a bend a d before you could hold the brakes, you hit me and you are accusing me of wanting to take my own life?' she asked in an incredulous tone.

'What do you suppose would make me want to do that?'

'Your pregnancy?'

Nancy was shocked. She had forgotten that she had just surmised that the doctor must have discovered her pregnancy and told him about it drawing the wrong conclusion that they were together since he brought her to the hospital.

'My pregnancy?'

'Yes, your pregnancy. Oh, don't pretend you were not aware that you were pregnant!' he said and she kept silent. The fight had gone out of her before she even began.

'You could take care of yourself at least for the sake of the baby in your womb'. he advised.

Nancy just kept looking straight ahead.

'I do not want you to speak much so that you don't come down with a headache. But please do not try this again. It is not just your life that is involved here, your baby's is as well'.

He gave her some wades of currency. It was really very tempting and Nancy nearly took it but she remembered that she did not want charity from anybody and her pride reared its head.

'What's all these?'she asked.

'What does it look like? I am giving some money to help you take care of yourself while you go around for a job. It will help sustain you'

'I do not take charity!'

'What do you mean Charity?'

'Exactly that. I do not take what I have not earned. If you really want to help me, then find me a good job so that I can fend for myself and not depend on you or on anyone for that matter'.

He had thought about that. She was in no condition going round looking for a job. She looked malnourished, which was why he had offered her the money she was rejecting. He admired her courage but he felt that she was foolish to reject it.

'Of course. I had that in mind but for you to start there, you have to transport yourself to the place and I doubt that you have the wherewithal for that and you have to take more nourishing food and fruits so that your baby can be healthy. I am not offering you charity but just being realistic and I suggest that you swallow your pride and be as well at least for the sake of your baby'. he said looking at her with pity.

Nancy could not dare to hope that he was serious about his promise about getting her a job. Something good seem to be coming out of the accident afterall.

She looked at him and seeing an expression she interpreted to be sincerity, she stretched forth her hands and collected the money

What he had said was the truth. She needed the money more than he needed it and she was not going to allow her pride to stand in the way.