A Greek God In Harlem (14 page)

Tanya felt like punching him in the face as he sat back down in his seat behind the desk. She had been taken for a fool by this bastard. She felt embarrassed and ashamed at their past intimacy. She felt betrayed, she felt horrible.

When he started to speak, she didn't even look at him.

"Good morning Eric. Good morning... Tanya..." Percy said as he looked at his patient. He felt like the guilt would consume him right there and then. He wasn't surprised when she didn't reply back.

"Good morning doctor. Well I can see that Tanya's memory is getting better..." Eric told Percy. 

The doctor nodded, "Yes. It looks like the treatment is working." When he said treatment, Tanya cringed. She still was not looking at him.

Percy noticed the cold shoulder. He continued nonetheless,

"However, I'd like to know if she still believes she is Andromeda." He felt like he was driving a stake through her heart as he said this, and that is exactly how Tanya felt.

She felt her cheeks flush and replied softly, "No. I know I'm not Andromeda."

Eric squeezed her hand and nodded profusely, "Well, honey, all those Greek stories really got to your head when you were shot. They're not real. I'm glad Dr Theodosiou sorted that out."

Tanya finally looked up into Percy's eyes. Her eyes had glassed over. 

Percy wanted to look away. All the pain he had caused was staring right at him.

After the session was over, Eric got up and shook Percy's hand smiling. Tanya just turned on her heel and walked out the door, with Eric asking, "What the?! Tanya!" And he ran out of the office after her.

The intercom rang again, "Dr Theodosiou, should I send in your next patient?"

"No," he snapped back, then he said more softly into the intercom, "I'm sorry Marcy, didn't mean to snap. Please- tell them to wait, I'm not ready yet. Just a few minutes."

The confused secretary did as told. Percy fell back into his chair and rested his head in his hands. As if to mirror his feelings, a heavy rain started outside.

Chapter Fourteen

A heavily pregnant Donyelle grabbed a bowl of popcorn and cleared the couch. It was raining heavily outside, which was perfect for a comfy afternoon in front of the TV.

Plus she was the only one at home. Perfect.

General Hospital
was beginning on the television and she wanted to see if that dude had finally been killed. She bent down to move a pillow ... when she felt it.

She dropped her bowl of popcorn as the sharp pain hit her again in the stomach. Oh. My. God., she thought, and grabbed her stomach as she doubled over. She could feel a bit of water between her legs. Then it became a lot.

Chapter Fifteen

"I'm not entering a car with you in that state..." Eric said as he hurried behind Tanya, who was ignoring him. They were walking through the sheltered parking lot, the heavy rain outside could hardly be heard.

"Oh. You mean my
mental
state?" she snapped back. 

Eric shouted back, "No. Your angry state. Calm down Tanya. Let me drive."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You. Leave me alone." Eric widened his eyes at her before shrugging in defeat. 

Tanya entered the car and before he could enter, she started the car and drove off, almost knocking him.

Eric watched as the car drove out of the parking lot and into the rain and he shook his head. He now had a nagging feeling he shouldn't have let her enter that car.

Tanya picked up her phone which was ringing as she drove through the torrential rain.

"Yeah?"

"Teach... it's me... Donyelle... please!!!"

"Donyelle?!! Are you okay?! What's the matter?" Tanya shouted into the phone. The rain was making it hard to hear anything.

"My water broke... I'm ready to... oh my God..argghhh!" Donyelle screamed as she felt another sharp pain. 

Tanya was shocked, she had completely forgotten Donyelle was due any time. And that time was now! 

"Ok! Donnie... sweetie!!! I'm on my way!!!" Tanya panicked while asking. She was quite far from Donyelle's home.

Then the phone went dead.

Tanya's heart beat as she stepped on accelerator, grazing against another car on the road.

Tanya clutched her steering wheel as she drove hurriedly down the slippery, wet road. The rain was now pouring with all its might, and it didn't look like it was about to stop.

She ignored the radio announcement for cars to slow down and be careful.

She had to get to Donyelle before anything happened. She had to get her to a hospital.

When the car approached a red light along the highway she beat her steering wheel in anger. She stopped the car abruptly and sighed impatiently.

The moment it turned green, she sped off again, as fast as the rain was pouring. 

She was now using the countryside shortcut to avoid the traffic. The roads were narrower than she was used to but she sped on. Then the phone rang again from Donyelle's number, but this time an unfamiliar voice, "Hello? I'm a cab driver. I'm driving this girl to the hospital. She told me to tell you?" 

Tanya breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes briefly. Donyelle would be alright.

She didn't see it coming around the corner, the huge truck carrying firewood. 

Her car swiveled to the side to avoid it and her car went off the road, plunging straight into the rapid rivers below.

Chapter Sixteen

She broke free from her seat and swam up out of one of the windows.

She swam towards the light. But the rapids kept pushing her to the side, not upwards.

The water was clear, but she had to get to the top. 

Am I going to make it? She tried to swim up to the surface, where she could see sunlight.

Her mind was telling her, swim. Survive. Make it to the top. You're not even injured. She blocked the all consuming fear out of her mind as she swam, trying to make to the surface.

"A friggin car just fell into the river!!!!" one scared onlooker screamed into his phone. He had called 911 the minute he witnessed the horrifying sight.

The car then floated onto the top and was washed away by the river rapids. Just like that. After all, the rain was sill pouring massively.

But where was the driver?!!!

More onlookers now gathered on the side of the road, shocked. Not even the bravest could jump into those rapids. They had to wait for the rescue services. And they didn't know whether the driver was alive or not.

They looked up as the sound of a helicopter got their attention. It now hovered over the river. An ambulance also arrived on sight and paramedics jumped out.

"You're watching CNN. This is a live broadcast. A rescue effort is underway for a driver who has been identified as Tanya Whitman. Her car plunged into this river a while ago...

As you can see, she has not been found yet, she has not emerged to the surface. Rescuers are looking for a way..."

Percy felt his face go pale as he looked up at the small television set in the corner of his office.

No. Not his Tanya...

"This is CNN. As of now, we're waiting on the rescue crew to start looking for the lost driver. All we know right now is that she is female. And she is somewhere, hopefully alive... in those rapids," the reporter on the scene said into the camera, in a dramatic voice. 

The camera then panned to the river which was gushing with fast moving, dangerous water.

Percy stepped on the accelerator and his car rushed off into the rain, hardy seeing where he was going in the pouring rain.
He was headed to the river.

Tanya could feel the life slowly moving out of her, the surface seemed so far up. She was slowing down and she felt extremely drowsy. She couldn't...

Then she submerged and took in the largest breath of air she had ever taken in her life. Her heart was beating extremely fast but now it started to beat normally.

Then she saw herself surrounded by nothing but rapid waters, and she started to panic again. She could see people in the far distance, all looking at her. A camera crew. A rescue crew.

And she was out here, alone. She screamed out but water entered her mouth. She tried not to swallow. She tried to keep her head above the water.

The river pushed her this way and then that way. She couldn't stay in one place. And it was freezing.