CHAPTER 3 (A MAN'S WEAKNESS )

WHAT IS A MAN'S WEAKNESS?

Charity sat in silence and stared keenly as though she had seen a ghost and is being possessed.

         “....of all people to fuck.....MR CLARKE FORD, MY GOD-DAMN HUSBAND chose his fucking secretary. A shallow-looking lady I employed for him, a woman I gave him to make his job at the office go smoothly...”

Rachel rearranges the pillow behind her yet it wasn't comfortable enough so she angrily drags it to her front and places her hands calmly on it.

      “He decided to explore sexually with this shrewd lady and get her pregnant...I mean THERE IS A FUCKING WOMAN OUT THERE THAT IS CARRYING MY HUSBAND'S CHILD"

Rachel breaks down in hot tears.

      “All I've ever done was love him...I have only ever loved him...I have...”

Rachel couldn't catch her breath, everything felt like a knife through her heart.

Charity kept on patting her back to console her.

Rachel had bathed Charity in saliva, tears, and catarrh but that was the least of their worries.

      “ I just want to die...I can't live knowing that I don't have my husband to myself! I can't live knowing that Clarke has had his penis in another woman...I can't”

       “Rachel...PUT YOURSELF TOGETHER!!”

Charity ordered sternly.

      “Maybe if I die he would learn to love me enough”

      “No...don't say that...Rachel, any man would be happy to have you...any man would want you in his life”

Rachel pauses and gazes at Charity in disbelief.

       “So why is he not contented with me?... Charity look at me, do I lack anything a woman should have to entice a man?”

Charity stares into Rachel's eyes, she could see the pain sitting beautifully in her eyes, her eyes were bloodshot red and filled with tears.

       “Rachel you are enough”

       “You know what???”

Rachel wipes off all the tears on her face with her palm, it was as though Charity's words had given her life.

        “I would file for a divorce and I would demand alimony......by the time he realizes that half of all he owns would go to me, he would feel so sorry and beg me.....and..and...I would run deaf ears at him.”  she stutters 

Charity lets out a loud sarcastic laugh.

       “I never knew you do comedy too.....what's with the epiphany...and a divorce??...ooh common don't tell me that's your revenge plan".

Rachel gawks at Charity in utter confusion.

         “ Do you think leaving him would hurt him when he has a mistress who I assume satisfies him enough for him to nut in her?... I would prefer you ride along with him....play his game with him and that is the only way to win him”.

The doorknob to the ward turns and a stunning, petite nurse walks in. 

she smiles warmly at them and waves as though she was shy.

It was obvious she was a student.

     “ooh, Mr.s Ford...I'm a big fan of your husband's tech brand...anyways  Mr. Ford directed us to inform you that he is on his way to this hospital and he loves you”

      “Thank you”.

Rachel feigns a smile.

     “ Mr. Ford is so sweet”

The nurse mutters silently as she walks briskly out of the room.

    “.....and that's how I would get butterflies for LIES and pretense”

Charity chuckles and holds Rachel's hands softly.....her warm palms gave warmth to Rachel's cold hands.

       “ I know you are hurt and it's okay to feel hurt....you have to weaken him....he is your husband, it's your duty to identify his weakness and strike.....I believe you can't identify his weaknesses now cause you've not looked into it...and that's enough reason to remain in this marriage....strike him in ways that retaliation cannot be an option”.

Rachel supports her head with her hand and listens keenly.

         “He has ruined your beliefs on love and relationship now it's your time to ruin whatever he strongly believes in”.

        “Do you mean I should kill him?”

Rachel asked enthusiastically.

Charity knew not to give a positive answer to that question, Rachel was in no position to think for herself so she would do anything Charity says.

       “No...Rachel No...how did you draw that conclusion??... bloodshed is not a part of the revenge plan....nobody has to die...Rachel, please don't think in that direction...I beg you”

       “ I was just joking”.

Rachel bursts out in laughter.

   

         “Do you think I was going to kill him?....I'm not a psychopath that kills people”.

Rachel continues laughing.

Rachel and charity had indulged in other discussions that didn't pertain to the problem at hand.

A little soft knock was heard at the door followed by it opening and Clarke walking in.

He carried a big bouquet of white roses and a small gift bag.

     “oh my sweet baby"

He leans forward and places a thousand kisses on her forehead.

      “I bought your favorite flowers"

He takes a strong sniff of the flowers.

        “...and they smell like you”

Rachel leans backward.

     “What happened??.... I know I left you laying pretty at home....how did you get yourself injured?”

He caressed her bandaged hand softly and kept on raining kisses on it.

        “ I was just having a little fun by myself and I got drunk while having fun,hence the accident”

       “it's not hurting much right?”

He asked still bathing the hand with kisses.

      “Thank God for Charity...if she wasn't there...I don't know where I would have been”

     “Thank you, Charity...I am highly indebted to you"

He stretches his hands towards Charity. 

Charity reciprocates the handshake and withdraws her hands almost immediately.

     “The Fords are going through another form of crisis.....Mrs. Ford had met with a domestic accident....reasons concerning the said accident is still yet to be investigated...some sources....”

I don't want to watch that Clarke.....put it off.

Clarke walks toward where the television's remote was kept and switches it off.

"Okay, I have a lot of work to do at home so I would be leaving right now"

Charity broke the silence with her mellow voice.