Francis dragged the red button on his phone to ignore a call from Karen. He shifted on a side on the bed as Kelly walked out of the bathroom in a mini towel barely covering her butt. He watched as she sat in front of the dressing mirror and started applying different lotions onto her skin and face.Women with skin care. "Has Rhoda woken up?" Francis asked. He could have chosen to visit his best friend to cheer him up, but he felt too guilty to do so. He had no idea how he was going to react after seeing him. Not even when Karen was on his tail. "No, babe. The doctor said it might take a week or so. But why haven't you visited Jeff already? It's been two days," Kelly said. He had given him no other reason other than being very busy at work. She was starting to think he didn't want to go, but could not accuse him of that since she had no solid evidence.He pulled himself up and out his feet on the floor, putting on his slippers. He walked towards her and leaned against the wall besid
Jeff immediately became perplexed. What was going on? Why would Rhoda ask him who he was? He looked at the doctor, then at Kelly before returning his eyes back on hers."Rhoda… Uhm… Looks at me, babe," he said and sat before her on the bed. "I am your husband. I am Jeff. And that's my sister, Kelly," Jeff explained in the best way he could.Meredith and her husband entered the room. "Mum? Dad?" Rhoda said as she saw her parents."How are you, baby? I am so sorry this happened to you. I really am," Meredith said and hugged her.Jeff could not have been more confused in his life. Why would she act like she didn't know him and then hug her parents? He turned to the doctor. "You had better have a better explanation for this, doctor."The doctor sighed. "I do. But I can't explain that here. Shall we go to my office?" He said, and Jeff made the first move and walked out of the ward while the doctor followed behind.Kelly glanced at Rhoda one more time and felt uneasy about it. She looked so
Sharon emerged from her room carefully in hope of getting out of the house before 'her husband' noticed. She needed to go to the ghetto and oversee the situation herself. As she walked past Jeff's room, she carefully watched her steps and walked as quietly as she could.She had gotten to the door and had opened it ajar before she heard footsteps behind her. "Rhoda?" Jeff called and she froze on the spot. She stood upright and turned back to answer. She should have gotten used to being called the name but it was just so annoying that she could not help the hatred that developed in her heart each time. She just needed to get rid of Rhoda quickly and claim what was hers. "Yes? Baby?" She looked unsure at the pet name. She was trying her best to act like someone who lost her memory, but it wasn't easy. But she needed to buy herself some time for the perfect execution of her plan.She must admit that Rhoda had a very handsome husband. He even looked familiar as if they had met before, b
Rhoda had met the door slightly opened when she got to Jeff's house. She knew he must have been so worried about her disappearance and would have been looking for her. She smiled, knowing he would be so glad to see her. When she had gotten out of the ghetto, all that was on her mind was not even her injuries, so she made no attempt to go to the hospital. She came to her husband's house instead.Seeing the door opened gave her joy and hope. It was an assurance that he was home. And possibly waiting for her return. She dragged one foot along as she walked to the door. She was able to open the door wider without any sound due to the little strength that she had.She smiled and looked inside, but soon became shocked after seeing Jeffrey in the living room.Rhoda closed her eyes for a moment. They must be seeing things and she needed to correct that on time. She opened them back and saw the same thing she had seen before closing her eyes. She was not seeing things. Her husband was making o
Rhoda stirred awake and found herself in a hospital ward. There was no one else in the ward and it was well furnished. It was obviously not an ordinary hospital ward. She sat up looking all confused. She touched her face and realized that her injuries had been treated. She even had a bandage on her head. She started wondering who brought her in. She removed the IV drip in her hand and placed her feet on the ground. She rose to her feet and walked out of the door.She looked behind her at the door and her eyes widened at the 'VVIP room' sign she saw. Some hospitals can be very funny. Why would there be VVIP wards? VIP was enough. She walked down the hallway and got to the VIP wards section. An old woman, one of the patients that was there rushed to her and held her hands. "I thought you've gone home. How do you feel now? What happened to your face? You didn't have injuries on your face before. Your husband was so worried about you, Rhoda," the patient said. Rhoda had been so confuse
Francis was shocked and he didn't hide it. No one knew Karen was both his and Jeff's ex-girlfriend. And never had he imagined his girlfriend finding out about it. But why was Kelly just mentioning it to him if she knew about it?"Since when did you know about this?" Francis asked her. He needed to be sure.Kelly sighed. "It's been a while. I just happened to find out by chance. On your phone.""Kelly…""You can't break up with me just because she asked you to. I didn't say anything about it because I thought you were done with her. I just didn't expect to see her in your bedroom," she said.He exhaled. He didn't know what to say. "What else do you know?""Everything. I know everything.""You mean you…"She nodded. "You set my brother up with Karen and extort money from him without Jeff knowing that she was your ex."He placed his elbows on his thighs and covered his face with his palms. "Oh, my God!""I don't know why you did it and I have been trying," she sniffed. "I have been tryin
Jeff glanced from the strange man to his wife. Now, that was the first time she would have a man over. Oh, wait! There was a time she brought her boyfriend home. Perhaps, this was also her boyfriend, but he hoped not. "Who is this?" He found himself asking, not taking his eyes off the man. The man wasn't even young, he looked way older than him.Sharon rolled her eyes as she decided to put on an act. "Greetings to you too, Jeff," she said, but when he made no reply, she sighed. "I'll be back.""Rhoda?" Jeff called, but she ignored him. He could only watch as she linked arms with the 'old man's and literally dragged him out of the house.He sighed and tried to understand what happened. What was going on with his wife? He decided to go to her room to see if she would find anything to prove him right or wrong about the man being her boyfriend. He opened the door to her room and walked in, without closing the door. Her bed was not made and no book was in sight at all. That was unusual sin
Rhoda walked out of her room and walked into the living room. She smiled as she sighted Steve and got closer to where he was sitting. "I thought you were out," she said, but he raised a finger to his lips, indicating for her not to say a word as he continued his phone call."Alright, babe. I'll see you tonight, then," Steve said before hanging up.Rhoda could not help but chuckle. She took her seat beside him and faced him. She had started living with him since she had nowhere else to turn to. And he had been a perfect gentleman. At least, with her. He gave her no reason to doubt her living alone with him. But one thing he has noticed about him? He loved girls and he didn't hide the fact. He had lots of girlfriends that she knew about. Telling her to 'sush' could only mean he was talking to a lady and hearing another female voice from his side could be bad. Yeah. Not all of his girls knew that their boyfriend lived with another girl. And some of them didn't even know her at all."Who
“Oh, gosh! Rhoda!” He exclaimed as soon as he barged inside. “How did you fall?” He asked as he rushed to her side. She was in tears and couldn't utter a word. He helped her up and hugged her. “It's okay now. You're fine,” he consoled and she tried to subdue the tears. She shook her head in disagreement to what he said. “I'm not fine, Jeff. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again. I can't even stand up by myself after falling. I am doomed!” She cried. “Sshhh!” He said, looking her in the eyes. “Don't say that. You are not doomed and you'll walk again. I'll make sure that happens,” he assured, wiping her tears with his thumbs. She sniffed and nodded. He lifted her up in his arms and was about to put her back on the bed when she stopped him. “I need to use the restroom,” she said, looking everywhere but him. He smiled at her shyness and helped her to the bathroom and waited outside to help her back to the bed when she was done. “Are you okay now?” He placed her on the bed, po
After being discharged, Rhoda decided to go to Jeff's house. He didn't oppose it. He was surprised instead. Why would she want to go to his place instead of her boyfriend's? And why would the guy agree to it? No matter how he looked at it, it seemed odd to him. She wouldn't even go to her parents' house. Well, Rhoda gave him the excuse that she had to stay with him because of her parents since they didn't know about the boyfriend. Made sense, but at the same time didn't. He said nothing as he drove her to his house and helped her out of the car onto her wheelchair. She has not been able to stand and walk on her own properly even though there has been improvements in her condition, but the doctor insisted that she should keep using the special chair for a while. And of course, just as Jeff had predicted, Rhoda had been against it but had been left with no choice. As he was about to put her on the chair, she glared at him. "Are you kidding? I am not sitting there. I have legs," she
Few days later, the doctors finally concluded that Rhoda had had enough rest and could be visited, but one after the other. Rhoda said nothing as she saw her father walk in. Her mother had just gone out and she knew he was going to do the same thing her mother did. Apologize. And she was already tired of that. She had forgiven them and had told her mother that. She hoped she would relay the message to her father. She was getting bored with the apologies. When would he even come in? She thought. "Dad," Rhoda called and smiled. He held her hand and squeezed it a little. "I am glad you're better now. Rhoda, I am …"She nodded repeatedly. "I know, dad. I know you are sorry. You regretted it. Not telling me about Sharon, the marriage and sending me abroad? I know. I've forgiven you. So, you don't need to apologize."When would anyone ask her how she was feeling and not just assume that she was better? It seemed no one was interested in that even though she had just been to the moon and
Rhoda got rushed to the hospital in an ambulance without much time. Her pulse was very weak and she was bleeding profusely from the gunshot and was barely holding on. Jeff drove behind the ambulance with the family and his friend. He had been warned a couple of times to slow down his speed, but he paid no heed to them. He tried to. It just wasn't working. "Jeff, calm down. You don't want to kill us all and then get to know in heaven that Rhoda made it to your funeral," his sister said and he shot her a glare from the rear view mirror, but said nothing and slowed down. They arrived just as Rhoda was being wheeled in. He ran to her and kept calling her name, begging her to hold on. "You have to make it, babe. Please," he pleaded as he pushed the wheel alongside with the nurses with bloody hands and into the emergency ward. He was asked to wait outside the ward as the doctor and nurses attended to her, so he obeyed hesitantly, but not before using everything he knew and believed in t
Jeff's phone started ringing. He rolled over on his bed and looked at the phone beside him to check who the caller was. He didn't bother picking up when he realized it was his best friend. Ex-best friend. Moments later, it started ringing again and that happened a couple of times more until he got frustrated and forced to pick up. He put the phone to his ear. "What's up?""There's something I need to tell you," Francis said from the other end. "And it's urgent. Can you come over now? Please?"Jeff was still sleepy and it was evident in his voice. "Why would I? Sorry, but no. Bye…" he said and put the phone out of his ear. "Rhoda," Francis said as fast as he could before he hung up and Jeff put the phone back to his ear and sat upright immediately. The sleep left his eyes all of a sudden. "What's wrong with Rhoda? Oh, wait! Is she your partner too? Is that what you want to confess?" He was irritated and annoyed and he didn't bother hiding that from his tone. "Jeff, no. You know she'
Rhoda paced her room back and forth as Steve told her about the man he had seen that was following her. From the description, she knew who it was. He had found her. It seemed that fate wanted them to cross paths again. "I told him I am your husband –"She squeezed her face as she tried to re-listen to what he had just said. "You did what? You told him that you're my husband?" That would make him confused. "He wasn't sure if it was you. Well, with the look on his face, he was quite sure, but I stopped him from following you," Steve said as he crossed his legs and relaxed on her bed. He sensed and noticed the anger that was building up in her, but chose to ignore it. She wouldn't get mad at him. And if she would, he was ready for it. He would readily take her anger. He was going to be protective of her until the end. Rhoda had been an amazing person and he had grown to love her. He wouldn't let her go back into a life where she wasn't valued and appreciated. He was even ready to fathe
Sharon got out of her car and walked to the entrance of her parents' house. She paused at the door as she hesitated on knocking. She was going in to see her parents. Her biological parents. She had seen them before, of course, but then she had been pretending to be sick. Now, she was all well and good, going in as their only daughter. The only daughter of the parents who gave her up for adoption because they didn't want her. She wasn't needed. And now, she was going, pretending to be someone she was not. The original daughter. That realization stung and it hurt her really bad. She raised her head and fought back her tears because she wasn't the type that cry. They didn't even look for her. She had wasted so many years thinking they would, but it was sad that they were fine without her. The hurt pierced through her heart, but she refused to let a tear drop. She had become too strong for that. She hoped. It was obvious she was an unwanted child. It was only a matter of time and she wou
Meredith walked closer to where her husband was sitting and took her seat beside him. He had been avoiding her and saying little or no words to her ever since their argument. He was about to stand up and leave when she grabbed his arm. "How long do you plan to ignore me? Please, listen to what I have to say, at least."Rhoda's father said nothing and took his seat again. He ignored her totally and continued with the news he was reading on his iPad. "It was a mistake, Fred. A terrible mistake that I — regret.""Really?" He asked sardonically."Listen to me, please. I admit I allowed something wrong with your brother, but the kids are yours. Believe me," Meredith pleaded. She tried to hold her husband's hands, but he jerked them away. "Don't touch me, Meredith. Why are you so adamant about this? Why won't you admit it? Your secret is already known, why deny it? The kids are mine? Really? Care to enlighten me on how, you whore? How could you sleep with my brother?""I didn't sleep wit
Jeff could not have been more shocked in his life, because, now, he realized what had been going on in his life. Now, he knew the reason he was doubtful of his wife after the accident. It was because of one thing. The wife at home wasn't the one he got married to. Now that he was looking at his wife, he could see the differences between them. But how possible that he was able to confuse the two? They looked so much alike. What was going on? He thought."Oh, my God!" He exclaimed as the answer suddenly struck him like thunder. "Oh, my God!" He exclaimed again and all he could picture in his head was the lady he met at the bar the day he went there with Francis. He started finding it hard to control his breathing. He held his neck as he tried to get the full picture of what his brain was telling him. This lady in question had been the one he saw in the bathroom and had blamed Rhoda for it for months! How could he not know?! But who is the lady? And most importantly, why would she