"Sorry about the interruption but I've come bearing the results of the test and I think you might want to see this..."

Before us, stood a man sporting a handlebar moustache and swaddled in a white coat. All the doctors I'd seen wore coats so he must be one too. From his voice and foreign accent, I could tell that it wasn't the same one whose conversation I had eavesdropped on that day.

He moved with a spring in his steps, determined and sure towards us like a man on a mission that was atypical to his clumsy entrance.

"Hello, Dr. Henrique," Madam said. "What 'might I want to see?'"

"Yes!" He cried. "Something that has never occurred just happened! After the MRI scans and the other tests we conducted on him, we were expecting the same unimpressive outcome. However, there was a difference—call it a slight improvement."

At those words, I watched her features soften.

"It was a breakthrough. On that note, is there any prescription that was changed? This was our most reasonable hypothesis. If anything, we hoped you could tell us more about what heralded this flux." He reported.

"So...you're saying that there's still hope for him? For my son?"

"Apparently," was Dr. Henrique's answer.

Could it have been the song? I had better not get my hopes up because it could've been anything, not forgetting that I was about to lose my job.

I looked between the door and back at them. Maybe I should just make things easy for myself and leave so I could start packing. I guess Susan's wishes to make me leave this place had come true.

"There was something else though," Henrique mentioned, pulling out some kind of odd-looking gadget from his pocket. "During the procedure, we observed a strange occurrence. He was humming something, it was some kind of tune. It was almost too low to catch."

He pressed a button on the gadget before giving it to Madam. From where I stood, I couldn't catch anything. Sighing, I turned to make my leave.

"And where do you think you're going?"

My hand was on the door handle when I heard her. It prompted me to turn around.

"I'm not done with you."

Both pairs of eyes were now centred on me when I was formerly being ignored.

She rose from her chair motioning for me to come. I had no other choice but to comply. I could see the same big phone in Dr. Henrique's hands and I had no doubts that he'd gone through the footage.

She motioned for me to sit down on a chair this time.

"There is reason to believe that you are the genesis of these improvements we've been noticing. How did you know that music therapy was the solution?" He questioned me.

"I-I-I..." I stammered, perplexed. "What was therapy?" I looked between them, tongue-tied.

"I don't think she understands you, Doctor. She's just one of those village girls and a very unfortunate one at that," Madam cut in.

"I see," he spoke, thoroughly scanning over my features.

"You see," he began. "Our research has shown that music can stimulate brain waves to resonate in sync with the beat, depending on the type to promote a calm, meditative state.

It also causes the brain to shift speeds more easily on its own which helps to say that music can bring lasting benefits to the state of health even after he or she has stopped listening..." He was pacing the vacuity as he talked until Madam cleared her throat, looking impatient.

"Oh, my deep apologies. I went off course," he said when he faced us once more.

"That is what your music is doing for him. You are God-sent, truly!"

I still hadn't understood any word he babbled during his lecture.

"She is a resource," he said as he turned precisely to Madam. "She alone and single-handedly has developed a relationship with him and if we can harness this, the results will be wonderful. Therefore, you cannot lay her off."

"So, what role does she get in all this? How does she help matters?" Madam asked, eyeing me curiously.

I shuffled quite uncomfortably in my seat.

Rubbing his hands together, Dr. Henrique began. "Now that she is closer to him, he won't hurt her, yes. So, with their positive interactions, she is able to administer his drugs, keep him company and sing to him. Then, later on, we can check on his improvements and adjust his prescriptions if need be." he stated.

I could see her head bobbing in understanding which prompted me to lower mine to my hands which rested on my thighs. I could feel her eyes on me. Did the temperature here just increase?

"Can you do that?"

It took me a while to notice that the question was directed at me. When I looked up, she was now looking at me in a different light and not as some rural girl whom she could mercilessly squash beneath her shoes like an ant.

She looked at me like someone who could help her achieve something—someone who could become an asset to her. It was a look of appraisal which differed greatly from the condescending one she gave earlier.

I straightened up and nodded in affirmation.

"Good, you will become his personal maid and work with Dr. Henrique here. He will enlighten you on what you will do and give you everything you need." She spoke.

"So...I won't be getting fired?" I asked, unsure.

"No, in fact, consider this a promotion."

"What about my cleaning chores?"

"You are relieved of those duties. From now on, you are to focus on my son and only him. I will talk to Evelynn and Cassidy concerning your reassignment so you needn't worry." She reassured me.

I couldn't believe my ears, what just happened? I just went from almost being fired to a promotion. My mind was literally on overdrive—the good kind. Oh my God!

Dr. Henrique had given me the drugs and also made me memorise the prescriptions before he informed me that he would be back the week after that one.

Now, I was on my way back to the maid's room. Seriously, it felt surreal. I mean, one minute I was prepared to hear the words that would end things for me here but somehow I came out of that room unscathed.

"Life is all about risks and this one was so worth it."

While I went through my things still ecstatic, I had not noticed someone running towards me until we almost crashed down to the floor.

"What was wrong with this girl?"

"Zebbah told me everything. I swear I'll miss you—I wish I treated you better, Carina." Bambi rushed out all at once. Her voice was disconsolate and I had to blink several times to be sure it was really her. Did she think that things turned out badly? I should probably clarify everything to her or...

I shook my head, feigning a pained expression. She pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. She had to stand on her tippy-toes and I had to tilt forward for her arms to even be able to reach my neck.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry-" her voice broke at this point.

Maybe I should quit my act.

"I always considered you a friend, since that day you helped me out. It shouldn't have to end like this. Why did you go and get into trouble?"

When she pulled back and saw me grinning from ear to ear like an idiot, the look on her face was priceless.

"I knew you always cared, Denise. You act like it doesn't get to you but it does, doesn't it? Anyways, I'm not going anywhere which leaves more than enough time to bug you about what you said." I laughed.

"I take back everything I said. You're just...evil and I hate you." she proclaimed, wiping her tears with a deathly expression on her face after which she turned and began to stomp away.

"You can take it back but you can't make me unhear it," I called after her, still chortling.

"She's such a character."

When I endeavoured to pull out a red short from my bag, my leather-bound Bible tumbled out. I picked it up and sat on the bed, leafing through its pages.

To be honest, since I had gotten there, I hadn't opened that thing and I didn't have plans of doing so despite my Mom's sermon and advice. I only ever prayed or read my Bible just to please them 'cause I too had the devastating speculations that held me back.

I sighed, putting the sacred book away, and continued what I was doing. When I looked up, I saw Anne sparing me a malicious glance as she walked by. You know, I should be thanking them. They catalyzed all of this.

Deciding not to give any more thought to the gesture, I went to lie on my bed. I fiddled with my good luck medallion as I  remembered what took place that day. I just knew I wasn't wearing it in vain.

Reaching out, I slipped my hand under my pillow and retrieved my phone. I was seriously contemplating calling my mom and informing her about the changes but later decided not to do so.

That day marked the end of all those hard hours I spent cleaning and doing chores. Now all I'd have to do was sit around all day to play nanny and still get paid.

What a promotion!

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Don't forget to vote and comment,

Neon.