LOVE WITH BITTER TEARS
EPISODE 7
Opha la-id on her be-d thinking of what to do. She had been trying to reach Richa-rd throu-gh phone calls but he kept missing her calls. She kept thinking of what he could be up to, where he was at the moment. “I just wish he isn’t putting the whole blames on me. That woman is looking for whom to implicate, who asked her to get married in the first place when she knew she wasn’t going to keep her home well? I can’t believe I am wishing she never recovers. $h!t! God forgive me but I just can’t wait to have Richa-rd all to myself”
Different thoughts kept running throu-gh her mind at the same time. She did not know when her mum stepped into her room and sat on the be-d beside her, watching her daydream quietly.
Maggy: “Opha dear”she called softly. She lifted her long dark lashes slowly but quic-kly sat up when she saw it was her mum.
Opha: “Yes mum? Hope there is no problem? This one you are here all of a sudden like this, was just trying to take a nap”
Maggy: “Am I the one you are trying to deceive? I know when you are slee-ping and when you are just feigning it. So what were you thinking about?” she said smiling amusingly.
Opha: “I am not thinking about anything mum ah!”
Maggy: “Okay if you say so. I brou-ght a message from your dad”
Opha: “So I presumed. What bad news did you come bearing this time o” she shifted uneasily on the be-d.
Maggy:”I am not sure if it can be called ill news. Infact I also support him, we only want what’s best for you and it high time you did right by yourself”
Opha: “Just come straight to the point, don’t beat around the bush, you know I hate it”
Maggy: “Your ill temper is without measure. Well, your dad asked me to tell you to bring your husband home since you have decided to reject all the eligible bachelors he had introduced to you”
Opha: “well I rejected them because I don’t have feelings for any of them…”
Maggy: “Just allow me to land first”
Opha: “Okay go ahead”
Maggy: “He said that he is giving you till next year to get married because you will be leaving this house on your 29 th birthday”
Opha: “Mum! How can you agree to something like that? That is the most unfair thing a parent will ever say to his only child. Only child! Mama I don’t like this o, if its joke st©p it!” she ranted on and on while her mum watched her in awe.
Maggy: “Do you think you are still a small girl? Well he has said it and its final! I am only a mess£nger” she said and started walking out.
Opha: “Mama so you are trying to tell me you cannot stand up for me for this last time? Mama plea-se don’t let him do this” she ran to her mum and held her forearm preventing her from leaving.
Maggy: “I have been standing up for you and that’s why you are still in this house living a fairy tale life. I have talked and talked to you, why on earth don’t you want to get married? Why? You have made us an object of ridicule in this whole country, isn’t it enough yet?”
##########
Four hours later, the doctor emerged from the operating theatre and headed straight for where Richa-rd sat with Sammy slee-ping on his l@ps.
Richa-rd : “Doctor…how is she? How is my wife?” he j£rked up immediately he saw the doctor startling Sammy.
Dr Wilson: “There is good news and there’s also bad news Richa-rd ! Anyways, Congratulations
Richa-rd : What do you mean good news and bad news
Doctor?
Dr Wilson: Your wife has been delivered of a bouncing
baby girl but she has to be placed un-der our care for
now because she was born premature” he said
extending his hand for a handshake which Richa-rd
ignored.
Richa-rd : “So how is my wife? Is she alright?”
Dr Wilson: “She is alright for now”
Richa-rd : “What do you mean by for now?” he sounded
so desperate.
Dr Wilson: “We were unable to stabilize her heart. I will
advise you to see her now, before it’s too late” he said
and walked away.
He walked hand in hand with Sammy to his wife’s ward.
The sight that greeted him was a pitiful one. She looked
so lean and cold without all the pregnancy exaggerated
fats. Sammy wanted to run to her but he held him back.
Richa-rd : “Shhhhhh! She is resting, let’s not make a
raucous here okay? Come now! Let’s go back to the
reception and wait for her to wake up”
Sammy: “Dad but…” before he could say something
else, his mum turned slowly facing them.
Rebecca: “Baby you are here? I have been waiting for
you. Come here!” she said trying to sit up a bit but
couldn’t.
Richa-rd : “You shouldn’t stress yourself honey, go back
to sleep, we will wait outside till you have woken up” he
said not daring to move any closer to her unlike Sammy
who was alre-ady sitting on the edge of her be-d.
Rebecca: “Sammy do you remember all I told you? How
I might be going on a long journey and will nee-d you to
take care of your kid sister?”
Sammy: “Yes mum I remember but you are no longer
going anywhere right?”
Richa-rd as-sisted her sitting on the be-d with cover sheet.
Her hands swiped throu-gh the fibres of the long hair. It
was rumpled. She exhaled…
Rebecca: “Oh Sammy! I might still be going because I
am feeling so weak, I feel like…” he gr@bb£d herl-ips
before she could finish the statement.
Richa-rd : “Honey st©p saying stuffs like that, you are not
going anywhere, you will stay and we will all live happily
together” he went closer together at last. Richa-rd was in
the room with headache; tears seeped down his cheeks
met by phlegm that found its way out of the nostrils. He
was crying like a baby. He felt he failed his Wife not
being there especially when nee-ded most.
Rebecca: “It’s too late for that alre-ady, I guess since
you are here that you have forgiven me at last? She said
with tears streaming down the side of her face and
soaking the pillow.
Richa-rd : “It’s I who nee-d to ask for your forgiveness, I
did wrong honey. I cannot tell you how sorry I am
enough but don’t worry, I will make it up to you, I will
love you now with all I have got. I will no longer cause
you any heartache, just recover fast so we can have the
fun of our lives” he felt like he was trying to persuade
himself that she was gonna live.
Rebecca: “Help me take care of my children, take care
of Anita too. I will continue loving you all, I am feeling
sleepy now and I feel talking drains my energy. You
may check on me later. “I love you Sammy. I love you
very very much” she said tenderly and just like that she drifted off to the de-epest
sleep… RIP.
To be continued…
So Rebecca died after giving birth to their second born. Will Richa-rd regret her death? What will become of his relationsh!pwith Opha? Next episode