Collecting Scars by Tee Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

dragging her feet. She was feeling tired and washed out from the excitement the day before. The phone rang on her desk.
    “Someone is here to see you,” came Gemma's usual cheery voice down the line.
    “Who is it?”
    “Well, why don't you come out and have a look for yourself?”
    “Okay smart ass,” Asha laughed. She enjoyed working with Gemma.
    Walking to the waiting area she was surprised to see Mrs Arnold sitting in the waiting area with Xavier. Both sets of eyes looked at her as she approached.
    “Hi Mrs Arnold, Xavier,” she smiled, looking around the room. “Where's Mr Arnold?”
    “Mum wanted to have a word with you alone if that’s okay Ash?”
    “Sure, of course. Come through Mrs Arnold,” she gestured towards her office.
    Mrs Arnold turned to her son. “Are you happy to wait here, honey?”
    “Sure Mum,” Xavier nodded. “Take your time.”
    Asha couldn't help but think how sweet they were to each other. Mrs Arnold was looking frail. Asha guessed that she would never have been a large woman, but the years of cancer and treatment had ravaged her body, as the evidence showed. Her eyes were sunken, her face drawn. Wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes and mouth. Hair-loss was always a huge concern for cancer patients and whilst the chemotherapy drugs had improved over the years, it still left a patient's hair looking spindly and grey.
    Mrs Arnold took a seat and Asha pulled up the chair beside her.
    “Is everything okay Mrs Arnold?”
    With a shaky breath, Mrs Arnold turned her eyes to Asha. She had the start of a bruise at the edge of her right eye. Asha gasped in shock but quickly tried to cover it.
    “I just wanted to apologise for my husband's behaviour yesterday. He gets very...protective at times.”
    Asha could feel her brows crinkle, so protective he hits you? She thought to herself but didn't say it.
    “No need for you to apologise to me Mrs Arnold, but if I can help you in any way? I can put you in touch with some services, there are places you can...”
    “No,” Mrs Arnold interrupted her abruptly. “No, it's ok. I know what it looks like and really it’s ok.”
    Asha shook her head, “No, no it's not okay Mrs Arnold.”
    “He loves me, he is a good man. We have been through a lot over the years and sometimes, he gets drunk and a little, um, heavy handed I guess. Mostly I see it coming and have time to get out the way. But last night, he had a bit of a rant, still upset from the meeting with you.”
    Asha was taken aback and Mrs Arnold quickly moved to put a comforting her hand on Asha's knee. She did not miss the irony in the situation.
    “I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean it was your fault...It's just, I know he loves me and Xave, we are all he has left. He was upset is all. He will come around. Just the thought of losing me is too much for him that’s all.”
    “But I don't understand how that makes him angry with you.”
    “I know, he just gets angry with the world sometimes.”
    “You know we can help you Mrs Arnold and we can get help for you. We can organise accommodation, we can organise counselling.”
    “That’s not why I'm here,” she smiled sweetly with that same familiar smile as her son’s, only ageing. “I have lived with the man long enough now, I know how he is. Life is just the way it is sometimes, we learn to live with the hand we are dealt.”
    Asha wondered if she would ever understand the mentality of women staying with husbands that beat them. Surely that is not what love is all about. How did they overlook that and just carry on?
    It was not for her to judge. She would do all she could to help, but if her help was rejected she could not force it. These were adults she was dealing with after all.
    “I just wanted to come by and apologise for his behaviour towards you yesterday. You did not deserve it, you were just doing your job and I appreciate it.”
    “That’s okay, Mrs Arnold.” She gave her a genuine smile, she really did like this