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It was a rainy morning and the weather was cold. It has been raining since yesterday night and Gary wondered when it would stop. He Lay there in the master size bed of his hotel room. Staring at the beautiful art designs on the ceiling. It was the penthouse of the hotel and of course he can afford it.
He had taken his doctor's advice of taking some days off work to get some rest and embarked on this little journey. He took a break from all the hustle and bustle of the big city to the outskirts of the town. To this small town in the southern part of the country. In as much as he told himself and his doctor he was on a vacation, he knew deep down he wasn't ready to leave all his responsibilities as the CEO of his company in the hands of his incompetent deputy. So from time to time he had engaged in video calls and others to make sure everything was in place in his absence.
Gary lay there lost in thoughts of nothing in particular until he was put asleep by the strong urge of loneliness.
He was woken by the sound of the door bell. Someone was at the door. He sluggishly walked up to the door opened to meet a beautiful lady dressed in overall white. She looked tired and troubled.
"Good morning sir, housekeeping"'
"Good morning to you too. How can I help you"
"I'm here to clean your room sir"
"Alright " he replied as he stepped back in the room leaving the lady to drag her buckets of water and other cleaning instruments into the room.
He walked over to the big fridge in the kitchen just in between the table and water dispenser, opened it and took out a bottle of water and a glass cup and poured himself a water. He walked over to the counter at the other end of the kitchen which had a big tray filled with fruits of different species and took out two oranges and walked back to where he left the glass of water and sat down on a wooden stool there. He gulped his water and cut himself some oranges. He looked back at the housekeeper to see her already set to work.
"I'll be in the room let me know when you're done here" Gary said to her as he stood up still with the glass of water in his hands and walked over to the room. He needed to put a call through to his secretary.
Few minutes after the call his attention was drawn to a faint cry he paused and listened. The cry came again. It was from the kitchen. He quickly rose and walked into the kitchen to meet the housekeeper at the corner bent in her knees crying.
"Is crying and disturbing your guests part of the job description?" He asked.
" I'm sorry sir, I erm… I'm so sorry, please don't tell the management. It wasn't intentional" the lady cleaner quickly knelt pleading as she wiped her tears with the back of her palm.
"As long as you don't disturb me again." He said with a stern face. But as he made to leave he turned and stared at her again. He recalled how she had looked tired and stressed, he had noticed this right from when he opened the door. Her countenance wasn't pleasing at all. She looked troubled. Gary felt inquisitive and decided to ask.
"Come with me" he said as he walked to the big sitting room of his penthouse while followed by the already scared housekeeper who by now thought she was in trouble.
Sitting on a sofa he pointed to the couch opposite his
"sit" he offered.
"No sir I'm fine"
"Come on, I insist".
The lady cleaner reluctantly sat down.
"I don't know if I'm invading your privacy but, you don't look good and judging from how I met you crying I know something isn't right with you. Talk to me, what's wrong?" He calmly asked.
This time the lady cleaner let it all out. Hot tears flowing down her cheeks.
Gary pulled a wipe from the table and handed it to her as she wiped her tears. And continued when he thought she was okay
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"You still haven't said anything, I can't help you if you're not telling me anything" he said
"I'm a final year student of my university and I've been struggling to come up with registration fees for an external exam in our school. If I don't pay I wouldn't graduate with my mates. I took up this job part time with hopes of raising the fees but I couldn't and tomorrow is the last day of registration"
"So how about family, anybody you can ask for the registration fee."
" My dad is dead, and my mum is sick. I've been the one struggling to feed and help myself in school. It's just me, my kid brother and my sick mum, " she said in a teary voice.
There was silence for a while. Then Gary spoke
.
"What's your name?
"Blessing sir?"
"Blessing, I'll give you some money to pay your fees, take care of your sick mum and kid brother and maybe start up little stuff to help you. If you would do something for me."
Blessing looked up with hope in her eyes.
"What sir?"
"If you promise me you won't cry again"
" I promise sir" she quickly agreed.
Three days later Gary was done with his vacation and on his way back to his base. He had done as he promised blessing who in turn had returned with a bottle of wine to thank him. The joy on her face was so fulfilling to him.
Three years later.
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Seated in his exquisite office and working on a file. Hee was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't notice when someone walked into his office.
"Here's the file you asked for, sir" the female voice said.
"Thank you"he replied, taking a quick glance at the lady standing before him.
"Drop it on the table" he commanded.
And the lady turned to leave. Gary felt his memory jolt a bit. He called out to the lady who was almost at the door.
"Do I know you?" He asked her squinting his face as if to recall where he had seen that face before.
"Yes sir, I'm Blessing" the lady stopped and said.
"Blessing?"
"You helped me with my fees three years ago sir"
"It's a small world isn't it" Gary said as he remembered. "What are you.. wait!, are you the new secretary?"
"Yes sir,'"
"Isn't it a small world?" Gary said with a smile on his face.