“Okay, Ellen. Push forward all my meetings to tomorrow. I am exhausted and nothing would please me more than a bubble bath and eight uninterrupted hours of sleep.” I dropped the telephone and stood up from the plush office chair. There was a creak in my bones and I made a mental note to go for a full body massage in the coming week.
There was a knock on the door, and Ellen, my trusted personal assistant, walked in, a conflicted look on her face. “Ma’am, there’s someone here to see you.”
I shook my head even as she spoke. “I thought I made it quite clear how fatigued I am. One more minute in this office —”
“Ma’am, she insists that it’s a matter of life and death. I asked the Security to see her out but she began causing a scene.”
“Well,” I drew my mouth into a tight line. “It will be a matter of life and death if this ends up being a waste of my time. See her in.” I plopped back into my chair and took three deep, calming breaths. I just completed the third one when she walked in.
I could have feigned ignorance. I could have pretended that I didn’t know who she was and made her work for it. I could have claimed that it had been ten years and I couldn’t possibly recognize her. But I could not, because I never forget a face, (even though said face was gaunt and half a step short of haggard) and she knew, judging by the knowing look she gave me. That half smile that could once lure me into spilling my deepest, darkest secrets.
I righted my posture and gave her a blandly serene look. “Sarah, how can I help you?”
She chuckled dryly. “You won’t offer an old friend a seat, or riches have taken away your ability to be courteous.”
It was weird, that even after ten years she still evoked the vilest of emotions in me. “You wouldn’t know a thing about courtesy if it smacked you in the face.”
She had the audacity to look contrite. “I see you still hate me.”
It was my turn to laugh heartily. “Now why would you think that?”
“You don’t have to pretend —”
I have her a withering look. “No, Sarah. I couldn’t spare a trivial emotion as hate on you. My only anger stems from the fact that I should already be resting in my house, but I can’t because you’re here. Now, for the last time, how can I help you?”
“Okay,” her voice had gone mellow. “I’ll beat around the bush no longer. I need a loan of $200, Theresa. I know I don’t deserve a dime of your money after all I did, and I wouldn’t come at all if it were about me, but it’s about my daughter, and she will die if I don’t have this money by tomorrow. I’ve asked everyone and it has been futile.” She dropped to her knees. “Please don’t send me away.”
I’d always wondered how I would feel if I ever stumbled on Sarah again. Would I claw her eyes out for making me lose my scholarship and ruining my education? Would I hurl insults at her for making every day of my life afterwards a living hell? Or would I be calm, having forgot about everything. Yet seeing her weeping like a baby in front of me, and the only thing I could feel was mind-numbing rage. Hate poured from me in scalding waves, I was shocked it didn’t melt her at the spot. The nerve to seek my help. After everything.
“You were right, Sarah.” I smiled at her hopeful look. “You don’t deserve a dime of my money.”
“Theresa, please —”
“You must be out of your mind,” I shrieked in her face, and willed my voice to be calm. “You must be out of your mind if you think that I would help you after you became the very weapon fashioned against me.”
“I am sorry. Sorry for everything. You didn’t deserve —”
“Oh, I know I didn’t deserve it, and I also know that a million sorrys from you will not change the pain you caused me. I am the king of fools to even give you a second of my time.”
“Just hear me out, please, Theresa.”
“Leave, Sarah. Leave now or I will call security.”
She looked at me, then. Really looked at me, and knowing that I meant it from my heart, stood up from her kneeling position. “Wow, you really are a different person now.”
“And don’t you ever forget it. Leave. Now.” She gave me one last sadly stunned look and fled the office.
I was still rooted to my seat a long while after she left. Sighing, I picked up the land telephone. “Ellen, find out what hospital that lady’s daughter is and make a payment to cover the bills needed.”
“Okay, ma’am.”
“And please,” I added with a pleading sigh. “Ensure I never set my eyes on her again.” I placed the call back on the receiver, and for the first time in a long time, broke down in tears.
Inspired by today's Freewriters' Daily Prompt: King of Fools.
Image generated with Meta AI.
