“Have you heard anything about how Moses is doing?” Eric asked. Avika hadn’t said a word about him all evening.

“Oh, he’s still in the hospital – and everybody is hoping he will be there much longer!”

“Was he as bad as all that?” Eric asked.

“Worse,” Avika said. And on top of his sexual harassment he was skimming off the company’s funds.”

Betty shot Avika a look, and she shut her mouth immediately.

“How was he managing to do that?” Eric sat forward in his seat eagerly.

“Don’t mind, Avika,” Betty laughed. “He would just borrow some money from petty cash, but he always paid it back next day. Avika is just smarting at how he treated her the other day. Seems like Moses likes his women young and vulnerable. There’s no crime in that, as long as the young lady is over eighteen and willing.”

“I just wished somebody at the office had told me,” Avika said. “But considering everything, it didn’t turn out all bad. He’s in hospital now and suddenly I’m Superwoman. Everybody wants to be my friend. There was a great atmosphere in the office today.”

The three of them laughed. “We’re all hoping he’ll be there for a very long time. Seems like some of the guys too were even terrified of him.”

“He sounds like a nasty piece of work,” Eric said.

“Where is your house then, Eric?” Betty asked.

“It’s just past these shops. I live in the complex on the right. You can drop me off here, though. Thanks ladies.”

“Good night,” the women said, before Betty turned the car and headed towards their home.

Eric took a few deep breaths and shook his head. He didn’t want to go into his parent’s house, as they would have endless questions to ask him. He wasn’t in the mood for that tonight.

He dug inside his pocket, pulled out his cellphone and rang for a taxi to take him back to Richmond Hill. He cursed himself for having to spend the money on a taxi. But at the same time, it had been nice to be with the two young women. They were just so different to the ladies he usually was seen with and he had enjoyed talking to them. Molly was right when she said he didn’t take the time to get to know women.

He had always taken his wife for granted as well. She was there to cook and clean for him. Dolores, in her own way, was a good woman. She’d had a job at the Spar and worked long hours. He had lied to her numerous times about how much he’d earned. Instead, he’d lived mostly on Dolores’s money, promising her that once he passed his estate agent exams he would return it and they could start a family.

In fact, he’d put most of his money into a long-term, high interest savings bank account. She had no idea of how much money he’d been scamming over the years.

***

Tell us: Given all you have read about Eric, do you think he could ever reform and become a trustworthy person?