??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 24??
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From U.S Bah ❤✌?
EDEN HOSPITAL
PAEDIATRICS DR. RUPERT HENDERSON’S OFFICE
Eyram sits patiently and watches as
Rupert expertly attends to Junior.
There are two nurses in the consulting
room who had taken Junior’s weight and
temperature and other
statistics before Rupert took over.
Rupert now avoids eye contact with
Eyram as he hands Junior, who is
giggling happily, to her.
RUPERT
He is doing very well, Eyram.
You’ve taken very good care of him.
You’re a wonderful mother.
EYRAM
Thank you, Doctor.
Their eyes meet and hold.
There is a very strong chemistry
between them.
Rupert knows a lot of the things that
Eyram has been throu-gh.
She has been talking to him on those
lonely days that she nee-ded a shoulder
to cry on.
He is a good man and a good listener.
He had always encouraged Eyram to inform
her family of the evil she had been going
throu-ghand leave Afful.
He had even threatened once to go to
the police …and then Chris had come
along and put a stop to everything.
Naturally, the chemistry between them
had grown to dangerous levels, but he
always treated her civilly.
Once, a long time ago, when Eyram was
about six months pregnant and Afful had
beaten her,
she had called him and met him in the public park.
He had consoled her and taken her in his
arms. She had felt so comfortable in his
arms.
He had told her that he did not believe in
extra-marital affairs and
would never be unfaithful to his wife.
Eyram had been sure he had felt the
mutual attra-ction they had suddenly
cultivated for each other.
She also did not believe in an adulterous
relationship, and so she had never
done anything to take whatever it was to
another level.
They are both aware that they have been
attra-cted to each other for a long time,
but they are both committed, principled
and faithful partners,
and so they have not allowed that mutual
feeling to be born.
It stayed hidden in both their hearts,
even long after she had grown out of love
with Jonathan.
In a way she knows he loves his wife very much,
and nothing will ever make him
unfaithful to Barbara.
She admires and respects that. But she
still teases him once in a while.
It is a game they play, a light sort of
fli-rtation that is harmless but
which each secretly enjoy.
She gets up and puts Junior across her
shoulder.
RUPERT
Going home?
EYRAM
No. Not yet anyway. I’m going upstairs to
see Effe before I leave.
Rupert stands up and rounds his desk.
RUPERT
Oh, yeah. There’s something I nee-d to
discuss with Effe.
I’ll ride up with you if you don’t mind.
Eyram smiles mischievously. She has
been aware that something was worrying
him.
She can feel it, just like he can feel her
pains sometimes.
He wants her company for a little bit longer,
but without the
presence of third parties.
EYRAM
Oh. I don’t mind at all!
When they go out the door the two
nurses exchange looks and smile.
They make small talk throu-ghthe
reception area and enter the elevator.
There are four people already inside the
elevator, forcing them to stand very close
together.
As the lift rises up Eyram fingers
the edge of the brown envelope in her bag.
She debates with herself whether to tell
him what is in the envelope.
He fingers the toll ticket he has found,
now lying in his pocket, and wonders if he
should tell her about it,
and also about the sudden
fears he is feeling as a result
of his doubts over the fidelity of Barbara.
Barbara, his great love, his only love …
suddenly he is having very strange
feelings about her. He wishes he can tell
Eyram. She is a good woman, a dedicated
woman, a listening woman, his friend.
By the time they get to the sixth floor all
the others have left the lift, and they are
alone, but neither make any attempt to
move back.
They still remain standing close together.
The lift continues to rise. Suddenly he
looks at her, and his face is holding a
strange expression.
RUPERT
Well. Must as well get it out.
You know I care a lot about you,
Eyram, don’t you?
She looks at him, sighs and chuckles,
shaking her head at him.
EYRAM
Ah. It’s finally out! I know, Rupert, just as
you know I have feelings for you too.
Very nau-ghty feelings, sometimes.
He looks totally startled. He looks very
miserable. He runs a hand throu-ghhis
dark hair, tussling it.
RUPERT
Oh, Lord!
EYRAM
(still smiling)
Mmhm. Oh, Lord. But don’t worry. I’m not
going to eat you up, at least not when
we’re both still married.
RUPERT
You know I vowed to love Barbara my
whole life, and that’s what I’m doing, and
will continue doing. When I vow, I vow. I’ll
never be unfaithful to her.
EYRAM
I know. You’re that different man
who every woman craves for in a husband. I’m
not about to make a dive for you and be
the femme fatale in your life. I have no
urge to se-duce you! But it’s nice for a
change, feeling wanted.
She reaches out and
touches his right cheek gently.
RUPERT
You’re back with your husband, right?
Eyram looks him straight in the eye and
speaks with sincerity.
EYRAM
I’m never going back to him.
He nods.
RUPERT
I’m happy about that, at least.
Eyram suddenly leans closer and brushes
her li-ps across his.
He gasps and the sudden look of desi-re,
love and nee-d on his face makes her
laugh and shake her head.
EYRAM
If it had not been your vows, and my
vows,
I’m sure you would’ve torn off my
clothes right here in this elevator!
RUPERT
(chuckling with genuine mirth)
I would, yes, I would’ve done that and
more, you little beautiful temptress!
They laugh nervously,
and just then the elevator dings and
the doors slide open.
Afful and Steve have just stepped out of
Steve’s office.
Afful has taken a bath, and he looks
clean and presentable.
He is facing the elevator.
He sees Eyram and Rupert
standing so close, and the
sheer look of happiness he sees on
Eyram’s face cuts him to the core.
It fills him with absolute jealousy, a
feeling he has never felt before.
It makes him green and fills him with
so much pain that he acts without thinking.
AFFUL
(in a booming angry voice)
Hey, get away from my wife,
you f—–g b—–d!
He charges on them just as they emerge
from the elevator, still smiling into each
other’s eyes.
It takes a moment for Eyram to see the
hu-ge figure of Afful bearing down on
them.
Her eyes open with sudden fear,
and she screams.
EYRAM
Nooooooo! Jon! Nooooo. It’s not what
you think!
Rupert, a man who hates violence, sees
the enraged husband charging at him
and raises his hands defensively.
RUPERT
Oh, no! Mr. Afful! Don’t do this! You’re
overreacting! Don’t hit me, don’t hurt me
please!
Steve tries to hold Afful back, but to no avail.
The screams and shouting have reached
Effe, and she opens her office door and
looks out.
What she sees is so shocking that she
comes out and runs quickly towards her sister.
Afful sinks a fist into Rupert’s stomach
and follows with a powerful left hook that
floors Rupert, causing blood to flow from
his nose.
Rupert crashes to the ha-rd corridor
with a gr-unt of pain.
EYRAM
Jon! Have you gone out of your senses?
Look what you have done!
Afful wheels and slap-s Eyram ha-rd. She
begins to fall and tries to save the baby
from hitting the ha-rd floor.
AFFUL
Is this why you left me, you shameless
adulterous b—h?
Eyram falls down ha-rd, and the baby flies
out of her arms.
He would have fallen very badly indeed if
Effe hadn’t reached them at that same
moment.
Effe Gr0-ns and leans forward and
catches the baby.
Eyram jumps to her feet.
Years of being beaten and tortured
by Afful all converge
to a head now.
All the beatings, atrocities and pain are
working and searing throu-ghEyram now.
She takes hold of the fire extinguisher
cli-pped to the wall of the corridor, rips it off,
turns round and smashes it on Afful’s
head.
Afful screams, more with surprise than in
pain.
AFFUL
Eyram, you hit me?
Eyram again smashes him across the
face with the fire extinguisher.
Afful screams this time and falls heavily
beside Rupert.
Eyram reaches into her handbag and
throws the big brown envelope down at him.
EYRAM
I filed for divorce! This is a copy of your
notice from the court!
With his face covered with blood, Afful
grabs the envelope.
AFFUL
No, no, no! You can’t leave me, Eyram!
You can’t live without me! You know that!
EYRAM
I left you several years ago, Mr. Jonathan
Afful.
You were so engrossed with yourself
that you never noticed I was
long gone!
Eyram reaches across and helps Rupert
to his feet.
Afful bellows like a wounded beast and
tears the envelope to shreds,
together with the Notice of Divorce docu-ment
inside, shouting and crying at the same
time.
EFFE
You guys better come with me!
She leads Eyram and Rupert into her office.
Before she closes the door she looks
across the corridor.
Afful is now on his knees, weeping
pitifully.
AFFUL
No, no Eyram please don’t go! Please
come back, honey, I love you!!
Effe’s eyes meet Steve’s.
Steve looks at her with de-ep pain. He
ignores Afful and walks towards her.
Effe enters the office and
shuts the door, cutting him off.
To be continued…