Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Raquel pushed the door open and banged it loudly after her. She made for the drawer close to the bed, opened and closed it. She went to the wardrobe, opened it, and shut it back again. Her face was red with anger. She murmured as she roamed the room. Noah didn’t raise his face; his eyes were focused on the computer and he was absentmindedly punching the keys noisily. This very act was getting Raquel more and more infuriated. Her action was getting the room all heated up but Noah seemed not to care. At last, he turned to look at her, “why are you acting like a crazy woman? Can’t you see I’m trying to work? Can’t I have peace at least? What the hell is your problem?” he combed his hair with his fingers, trying so hard not to overreact. 

“You can’t be at peace when I’m not at peace either.” Raquel blurted. Noah seemed not to be ready for an argument, so he stood up to leave. 

“You can’t walk out on me when I’m still talking.” Raquel picked up his laptop and crashed it on the floor. At first, it seemed his head was beginning to split, his fists folded tightly like one who wanted to throw a dangerous punch. Then, he punched the wall beside him and blood oozed out. Raquel froze. She looked into his eyes and all she could see was rage. Noah wouldn't lift his finger but his countenance scared her a lot. She had never seen his face like that before. She seemed to have pressed the wrong button. She felt she would soon be engulfed in flames. She stepped back, miles away from his reach. Legs ready to kick off in a race. She didn’t mean to do that. She regretted her actions but she waved off the thoughts of being bothered by the aftermath, Noah was too gentle. All she wanted was his attention and for weeks, he hadn’t given it to her. The past few weeks had been quite irky; Noah was not talking to her as he would always do, ‘has he found someone else? Even if he has, I am still the legal wife. What could be going on? This isn't the man I married. Has he found out? No, no, no way'. Her heart was palpitating already. She knew how Noah would always want to talk to her. How he would always play with her and come to think of it, she was pregnant. That should be enough reason for him to be more than he used to be before right?

Raquel and Noah had met a few years ago, dated for two years, and finally tied the knot some months ago. It’s just been a year and six months and it seemed the marriage was already breaking apart.

 It all started some years ago, she had only gone to the club to chill, a moment without the company of her abusive lover. She was having a good time partying until she felt a tight grip around her wrist. She turned to see who dared do that; it was Max. He had found his way to the club, ‘but how?’ She drugged him before she left. He was supposed to sleep for a very long time. “Limme alone! You’re hurting me!” she screamed at the top of her voice because the music was too loud.

“You think you can drug me and come out to have some fun, you slut!” he hit her across the face. For a minute, her left eye had gone blind. She held that side of her face and cursed him. She tried to fight back. Then, he pulled his belt and started hitting her harder and left her almost dead. She woke up the next day and couldn’t realize where she was, ‘am I dead? Am I in heaven already She saw two ladies putting on a white dress and they were smiling, ‘are they angels smilingly receiving me? I haven’t lived a good life so why am I in heaven?’

“Doctor, I think she’s awake!” one of the nurses exclaimed. ‘Doctor? Oh! I am in the hospital'. She tried getting up but the pain in her head and the rest of her body pinned her down. She tried to recall what had put her in that current situation.

“What happened to me? Why am I here?”

“You were brought in here last night and the man that brought was sleeping on this site…” the other nurse who stayed back was beginning to answer her question. She was now pointing to an empty seat that had been occupied till past midnight. 

“He almost killed me and brought me here to save me? Is this some sick joke?”

“Huh? What are you saying?” Just then, the doctor walked in. She checked her pulse, “thank God you’re out of danger now. I wonder who could have brutalized you like this. Well, this is a regular case but if that Good Samaritan hadn’t brought you at the moment he did, I’m not sure you’d have survived this. But who could’ve done this to you?” doctor Sam asked. Raquel looked away, ‘how can I tell you that my boyfriend who I am engaged to be a drug dealer and he is the one who has put me in this situation?’

“Doctor, when will I be discharged? I can’t stay here much longer.” Raquel was scared, ‘if he could find me in a club after I had drugged his drink, would a well-known hospital shield me from being seen by him? It would be an easy finish-off. What exactly have I done to deserve such a treat from a man I have shown nothing but love?’

 

“Let’s say, two days more. We need to keep an eye on you.”

“I can’t stay here a day longer. You have to discharge me. I’m fine now. You can see that right?”