#TENDER_BEAUTY_2 (Life after the wedding)
EPISODE 10
I left Richa-rd ‘s office dazed. I should be celebr@ting my pregnancy but how do you cope when what you love the most is in danger of being yanked away from you. I was trying to piece up an explanation for what I had just seen but none of the conclusions I arrived at made s-en-se. Only one thing seemed logical and could be a possibility. I was just a few steps away from Richa-rd ‘s office when I saw Prisca approaching me with a questioning look but the look seemed to disappear when she saw my countenance.
“How did it go?” she asked. Before she could catch her breath, I pu-ll-ed her into Richa-rd ‘s office, closing the door firmly behind us. We sat down without a word and I gave her Richa-rd ‘s phone. She looked at the phone for a while, and then looked at me.
“I don’t un-derstand this. When did this happen?” she asked, confronting me directly.
I stood up and paced the room slowly, trying to gather my thoughts together. “The time I bu-mped into Kelvin should be a week ago. No, wait. It was yesterday”, I said. I expected that the misun-derstanding between Richa-rd and I had reached a week, thinking about all the numerous things which had happened but the reality is that, it is just a day old. I had checked the day the message was s£nt and saw that it was the previous day.
Prisca was waiting for me to continue. “What were you doing with Kelvin, Bell? You don’t still have feelings for him, do you?”
My head j£rked in her direction. “Definitely not. Whatever I felt for him died the day I saw him with that harlot. Most times I wonder if my feelings for him had actually been love because I can truly say I love Richa-rd and what I feel for Richa-rd is nothing compared to what I felt for Kelvin.”
“OK” she breathed. “Then tell me what actually happened because I don’t see myself hvgging Frank if I see him today.” Frank was her b©yfri£nd; the one who almost R@p£d her.
“I was on my way home earlier than usual yesterday because I felt terribly weak when I had a flat tire. It was so surprising because I just changed my tires ba-rely a week ago. I couldn’t get a mechanic so I set about doing it myself. All of a sudden, Kelvin showed up. He did not leave until I allowed him fix the tires. I was about entering my car when he suddenly blocked me, causing me to bu-mp into him. All he said was that he wanted us to have a drink together and familiarize with each other. I declined, explaining that I am a married woman and so on. I left him there and DID NOT hvg him” I concluded.
Prisca thought for a while. “My guess is that someone took a picture of you guys when you bu-mped into him”.
“I have thought of that but what I don’t know is who would have done it. Did Richa-rd put someone on my trail?” I thought aloud.
“I would not say that. I would say that Kelvin asked someone to do that for one singular reason; the same reason that brou-ght him to your office today” she said standing up.
“What? He was here? When?” I queried, surprised and alarmed.
“Some hours ago. I guess you were on the hospital be-d then. He got what he hadn’t expected though; Richa-rd met him there and asked men to bundle him out” she replied.
I was becoming more confused by the minute. Richa-rd had received this message yesterday but did not say anything about it. I remembered his countenance yester night and knew that he must have seen it. He also saw Kelvin today but did not mention it. Why on earth would he do that?
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Loretta paced the waiting room holding her head in her hands. Ap@rt from the several ab-ortions which she had done, she hasn’t literally killed anyone before. She still couldn’t repl@ythe scenario. How did she get herself into this mess? Her tears flowed ceaselessly. She had called James br@nson and informed him because she didn’t know what to do and she nee-ded someone here to hold her hands and tell her it would be alright.
She saw Richa-rd pas-s in a hurry towards the emergency dep@rtment and her heart skipped a beat. What would he do if he found out after treating the guy that she was the one who put the guy in that condition? It would just make their relationsh!pmore complicated, hence, destroying any hope of re-union between them. More tears flowed unhindered as her heart ached.
“Loretta” she heard James call behind her. She turned and threw herself in James’ hands, nee-ding all the support she could get. James just held on to her, his heart beating fas-ter than normal, whispering words of encouragements. His eyes snapped up just in time to see Richa-rd head in the direction of his office, furiously, throu-gh the glas-s barrier. Loretta also saw this and left his arms instantly.
“He must have found out that I brou-ght him and refused to treat him” she exclaimed, holding her head fiercely. James could not see that happening. Richa-rd would not hold someone’s life ransom just because of Loretta; Richa-rd is not like that. Maybe Richa-rd is angry about something else, besides, he wasn’t even sure Richa-rd would be the one to attend to the guy in question. He has so many doctors in his hospital. Guessing is not an option, though. He did not like seeing Loretta so distressed, no matter what she had done to him in the past.
“I would talk to him” he said, walking in the direction of Richa-rd ‘s office. Loretta followed briskly. He tried dissuading her but she was hell bent on begging Richa-rd herself.
********************
Richa-rd marched into the office and I was startled, Prisca also. He should not be back by now, I thought. He had left ba-rely ten minutes ago, and knowing how long such emergency cases could be, only one thing could have happened.
I rushed to him as he sat on the couch. “What is wrong honey? Is the patient Ok?” I asked hoping that whoever it was is not dead. Richa-rd just fixed a permanent glare on his face and I could not un-derstand anything again. Just then, the door opened and my father-in-law c@m£ in, accompanied by the last person Richa-rd wanted to see – his mother. He was up in an instant.
“Is the devil bent on ma-king what ought to be my happiest day very miserable? What are you doing here?” he asked, glaring at his mum.
I held his hand. “C’mon Richie-” I was saying
“Don’t t©uçh me” he yelled at me and I skrie-ked. He has never done that. I was hurt down to my bones. I detest people yelling at me, it reminds me of one person: Mr. Badmus, before he changed.
“Son” Mr. br@nson started. “Could you plea-se put this behind you and save the dying patient Richa-rd ? He was hit by Loretta and she is freaking out now. plea-se son, he had nothing to do with what your mum did, don’t let him pay for it” he concluded.
Richa-rd glared at his mum for a while, and then faced me. “You are right dad. He has nothing to do with my problem with mum but he has something to do with my crumbling family. The guy that was hit is Kelvin”
“What?” Prisca and I yelled. I jumped out of my seat in an instant. “What is going on here Richa-rd ? You are leaving him to die because he is my Ex?” I could not believe it.
He shook his head. “No. I am not leaving him to die. The other doctors are with him but I cannot save someone who just threatened to bring us down some hours ago. I also got the message where you were with him, holding him affectionately. What do you think I would feel”?
Loretta left the place she had been since she c@m£ in and knelt down before anyb©dy could st©p her. “plea-se Richa-rd , save the guy. I don’t know what you have with him but plea-se don’t let him die, plea-se. You may decide not to forgive me for what I did to you but plea-se save him.” She said in tears even though everyone tried to get her up. Prisca and I finally got her to her feet.
I looked at Richa-rd more closely and I could see him fighting a battle within himself. He was distressed and I could un-derstand his reluctance. I carefully asked everyone to excuse both of us and within seconds, we were alone. I didn’t even know how to deal with things now that we were alone. I just stared at him.
********************
Prisca left Loretta and Mr. br@nson immediately she left Belina and Richa-rd alone. She saw that ‘harlot doctor’ enter an office which she as-sumed was hers. She felt an instant urge and de-sire to confront her and that is what she would do, she thought. Prisca got to the office and luckily for her, no Secretary was there. she was about to knock when she heard the lady in the office talk to someone on the phone. She would not have bothered if she hadn’t heard Belina’s name in the conversation.
“The plan is ruined” she heard her say. “That Belina of a woman is pregnant”… “How am I supposed to know that?”… Silence followed.
Prisca did not know the full detail of what must have happened between Richa-rd and Belina but one thing was definitely sure, she would find out what this woman have been up to.
She entered the office like a predator. Oyinade looked back, not knowing who had entered but on seeing her, she seemed to know who she was – Belina’s sister.
“You know what Missy? i think we nee-d to have a little chat” Prisca said, sitting down comfortably and crossing her legs.
*******************
Ronke smashed her phone on the floor in frustration. All their chances were now destroyed. She had told Oyin to keep things cool but she wouldn’t listen. They had s£nt the message earlier than planned. She had specifically told Oyin that they would have to change the position and atmosphere in the picture they had taken of Kelvin and Belina before s£nding it to Richa-rd but Oyin was too damn impatient. If they had edited the image with computer; thanks to the highly developed technology; they would have been able to put Belina and Kelvin in a compromising position, probably n-ked, k!ss!ngor something a bit stronger than a mere hvg. Now Belina is pregnant. She hissed and poured herself another glas-s of drink.
If Oyin had been patient enough, she might have even gotten Richa-rd to doubt the paternity of the child. But now, that is totally out of the question. She had placed a lot of hopes on the success of this thing.
“I am not going to rest for nothing. If Oyin can’t get money from that guy for me, she would have to get it anywhere else if she wants to keep her secret” she said to herself. Maybe it is time for some blackmail after all.
WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 11