Lets play cupid
LET’S PLAY CUPID –
CHAPTER 4
******
Adam is surprisingly taken aback by the reproach of the
supposed nurse, but it seems his father..or rather Gerald ,
seems to be more insulted
“Who the hell does she think she is to talk to me like that?”
Gerald shouts
Adam turns to his father , “Oh! Now you want to have a cat
fight with a woman now..how nice Gerald” he hisses
Focusing back on him Gerald snarls “Soon your presence
here would be nothing but dust, your mother is the only
one stopping me from using a crowbar on you..bastard”
Gerald comes closer
“You know we don’t have to keep doing this because I am
quite tired of this back and forth. I would take her with me
if you are tired of seeing her face. Like when last did you
go in and sit and talk to her like the loving husband you
claim to be. When last did you hold her hands and let her
feel your presence? Instead you are busy not caring, which
is what you are good at..why are you even here? Why did
you come back eh..I thought you would be away for another
6 months atleast” Adam retorts
“She is my wife and you would not take her away from me
nor from my house and my relationship with my wife..my
wife is my business and you have no right to tell me when I
come and go in my very own home boy!”
“Don’t do that..don’t call me boy. I am not that weak little
boy you think you knew, I have a name and I would
appreciate if you call me that. I am a man Gerald and I am
not scared of you, never have and never will” Adam replies
“I would call you whatever the hell I want boy! Oh you are
still the little boy who is seeking to be loved but there is no
love here for you..not in this house. A man? I made you
what little you are, it’s my money that gave you cloths on
your back and shoes on your feet. I made you BOY!! And I
can break you, you spawn from the bin. You..you took my
precious little boy away from me and you are standing here
with no shame or remorse…why don’t you just go away and
die..why do you keep tormenting me with your presence,
you can never take his place..because Damien is
irreplaceable. You killed him and I swear to God that you
suffer immensely, leave my house ..leave my wife and go
into oblivion. You are not needed here. Your presence reeks
of death, you mean nothing to me ..NOTHING !”
That struck a chord, the strings of his heart pulled, he
blinked once and then again
“That was a bloody accident, when would you let that go?
You are wrong Gerald..you are wrong. I loved him as much
as you did if not more. You have no right to make me feel
this way constantly”
“Then leave. LEAVE!!!’’ Gerald thunders, his anger visible
“We don’t have to see and speak to each other, I don’t live
in your house Gerald, I stay in the cottage ..I only come into
the house to see mother and not even your anger and
outburst can keep me away, I have the right to see my
mother and besides you are never around for her. I would
not deprive her of love and comfort just because you are
too bitter to come down from your arrogant and high horse
and see, there is a sick woman in there whom you
promised forever, in sickness and in health, it doesn’t look
as if you are keeping up your end of the bargain. But you
would be laughable to think I would not live up to one as
her son” Adam’s voice matches his, they are both staring
angrily at each
“Get out from my face boy” his father threatens him
“Gladly” and with that Adam walks off down the hall and
out the door, he would come see his mother later at night
when his father was asleep.
“Damnit!!’ he swore ,
He was tired, tired of it all.
The pain was too much to bear, the fights were worse..
He needed a drink..something strong to forget about the
nightmares when he closes his eyes.
*****
Marybeth had managed to bath and clean Thelma up, and
feed her food that the chef had brought up, it took awhile
because she was refusing to eat, but she treated her as she
would treat a child..with patience.
Done with that she gave her, her drugs and then realizing
that the noise coming from the outer room wasn’t going to
stop anytime soon, she puts on the TV to distract the
woman from constantly turning her eyes to the door. Was it
from fear or from…anxiety. She couldn’t tell
“There there Thelma, there there’’ she holds her hands and
sooths her, rubbing her hands to calm her down
“What do you want..tell me Thelma, you want to watch
something, a series maybe..or listen to music, some old
Ballard? I am sure you would love it. Or should I tell you a
story? Oh a story..you would love that won’t you?”
Thelma’s eyes leaves the door and focuses on Marytbeth’s
face and then she nods,
“A story would be nice, he reads me one every night..” she
says. She had the sweetest voice for an elderly woman,
Marybeth was slightly jealous, when she smiled, it captures
her beautiful face ridden with wrinkles and lines and bags
under her eyes. Thelma Pope was a beautiful woman when
she was younger and had the lights in her eyes, Marybeth
concluded, she wondered what would have taken it out.
“oh really..which of them? The one who looked as though
he was going to shout my head off my shoulders or the one
who looked even meaner?”
Thelma laughs, that silent chuckle “I like you..” she tells
Marybeth. For a moment there Thelma focuses her eyes
right on Marybeth’s, as if she was just seeing her for the
first time, and then that focus was gone
“So I should tell you a story..what would it be?” Marybeth
scratches her head, she knew children’s stories but she
couldn’t tell her those, she was sick not a child. Looking
around the room she saw books laying on the floor,
“Fallen Embers…erm Unloved… Hope..” why did these
books all sound sad to her, wasn’t there anything cheerful,
seeing another she grabs it ,
“Aha..here is one, reaching for stars, why don’t I read this
to you Thelma yes?” she sits comfortably on the chair and
flips the book open
‘’Yes..I like stars” Thelma says
“As do I” then she began to read
*****
Gerald storms into the room, startling his wife and the
woman beside her, with a stride he closes the distance
between him and the woman coming face to face with her,
dropping the book Marybeth stares up at him to meet his
cold eyes
“ I need you out of here by tomorrow” he says, he was not a
simple man and what he hated the most was to be
disrespected by anyone much less someone who worked
directly or indirectly for him, and he won’t have Adams
make mockery of his authority, but because of his wife he
had to tolerate it, however he won’t have a nurse
disrespect him not when he can do something about it.
“Do you mind to tell me why..Sir Gerald is it?” she answers
him calmly, risking a look at Thelma who wasn’t doing
fantastic at the moment, visible tears glistens her eyes
“You are disrespectful and I won’t have that in my house
and won’t have that close to my wife” he thunders
“Very well sire, but if you are very concerned about your
wife who is obviously scared of your tantrum by the way,
you would have gone to her first..instead you come to me
directly to show your displeasure, which is a given. But I do
believe I was employed to take care of your wife and which
means I am meant to put her and her health first but you
and ..I believe your son—
“He is no son of mine” he cuts her abruptly taking another
step closer, he said it with so much anger she thought his
veins were going to pop out and a vein might cut, deciding
to leave the “why isn’t he your son, because the butler
rightly told me he was your son so why isn’t he your son”
question at the tips of her tongue for another day.
Yes her mother knew her well, her tongue was hot and her
mouth was sharp. But today she would be the obedient
daughter, she manages a smile
“Right..You and that man seemed to be making my patient
here very uncomfortable and that is not good for a woman
in her state’’
“You would not tell me how to take care of my wife and
about her health, I very well know–”
“No? I am sorry sir but do you know the symptoms of
paralysis?’’ she cuts him “let me tell you; your wife will
have changes in mood, personality or behavior, clumsiness,
confusion or loss of consciousness for even a brief moment,
oh and there is difficulty with memory and sometimes
evident loss of one, then thinking, talking and
comprehension might be a problem and sometimes you
have to talk to her as you would a child, with patience. And
writing and reading is another matter. what about
drooling..you know what drooling is right? Literally she
would have spittle coming out of her mouth and may or
may not need beeps, like the ones you wear babies when
you are feeding them, and what about numbness,
constipation, diarrhea, oh there is fever, hearing loss,
problem with her vision, nausea with or without vomiting,
pain, rash, severe headache, breathing problems, change in
mental status..which means at most times she may or may
not be coherent or as someone who isn’t at touch with this
world, you know delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and
delusions, and oh not forgetting—
“Enough. ENOUGH!!!’’ he thunders, his frown deepening but
his eyes wavered a bit resting on his wife and back at her
Good, maybe he wasn’t ever told the sufferings of his wife.
What sort of man who didn’t care to know?.
“Sir, you may want me out by tomorrow and I would leave.
But for someone who claims to care about his wife don’t
you think you need to put aside your anger towards me for
bruising your ego and put your wife first, because she
needs care and attention and I don’t see how your bickering
with your so—
He gave her that cold look again.
“I mean that man would help her. She needs peace,
love,support and care. I am a nurse sir, and I have worked
with so many patients, and I was told in the hospital that
there were a number of nurses who came and didn’t stay
and I don’t know what the reason is and neither do I care. I
was sent here to do a job and I intend to do my job ,and I
am sorry I won’t let anyone jeopardize my work and the life
of my patient sir, even if he is my boss and the one footing
my payment bills and if sir you have a problem with that I
would call the hospital and tell them to get me another job
and I would be out of here by morning, but if anything does
happen to your wife due to lack of proper care..it would be
on you and your over-sized ego..SIR!!’’ she said with all
calmness. She was intent to drive home a point. She didn’t
blink not when his cold eyes turned to ice or was it lasers
and looked as though he could fire her up if he could. Or
maybe he would just slap her and kick her out tonight.
She hopes he doesn’t. the silence was deafening..and
without saying another word he turns and began walking
away but he stops at the door
“I don’t like you..Nurse. Today you stay, and do your job.
The next time you as much as disrespect me or talk to me
that way again..I don’t care if you are helping my wife, I
would have you out of here falling on your ass you would
regret stepping into my house and I would make sure you
don’t have another nurse working permit for a long time’’
and with that he slams the door shut, Marybeth blinks.
Rude!! And he still didn’t even go to his wife..
“Thelma, its okay it’s okay. The big bad wolf has gone to his
cave. You are safe” she says going to Thelma whose silent
tears had soaked her face, she takes a towel and wipes her
eyes, holding her hands she calms her down cooing her
softly
“He is angry, he always gets angry..and it hurts it hurts”
Thelma shakes her head from side to side
“Sssshh it’s okay Thelma, it’s okay. Nurse Marybeth is here
and I promise I would give him hell” Marybeth says smiling
“y-you will?” she sniffs , Marybeth smiles nodding
‘’Oh yeah.!!.”
Thelma chuckles.
That’s it Thelma, that’s it. Smile..laugh. Laughter is a good
medicine. You seem to not have had that in your life for a
long time.
She keeps talking to her and then slowly Thelma drifts off
to sleep, Marybeth stays with her intending to leave when
she is sure she doesn’t wake up or is in need of anything in
the night. She makes herself comfortable in the chair and
continues reading the book to pass time.
**********
Adam walked into the house by midnight, it was cold, dark
and safe for the light leading into the hall way.
“Do you need me to get you anything sir?” The butler opens
the door for him wearing a robe, Adam shakes his head
“Go to sleep Richard, I just want to see my mother” Adam
says tapping him by his shoulders and leaves him by the
door.
He opens the door to find the room dark safe for a bedside
lamb showing a dim light, he goes to her bed and sits
down, staring down at her, a sad smile on his face
“Hello mother, I am sorry I didn’t come to see you earlier
before you slept and didn’t read you to sleep. I miss you
mum, I miss your smiles and laugher, I miss when you were
strong and healthy. I miss when we were happy, you, me,
Damien” he blinks away threatening tears
“I know its my fault, I know its my fault. I took away your
son, I was driving that car mom and I wish I was the one
who died. This pain…this pain is my hell and it’s a well
deserved hell. I am sorry mother.. I wish I could make all
your hurts go away and pain too..I wish I could” he cries
into her hair , holding her hands he doesn’t let go..
******
Marybeth finds him there in the morning, his hands tightly
gripping Thelma’s and dried tears on his face. She stares
down at him wondering why a grown ass man like him
would have to cry. Maybe because his mother was in this
state.
Thelma was fast asleep but she figured she must have
woken up in the middle of the night and finding him there
beside her she placed her hands on his head and went back
to sleep, a simple but motherly loving gesture.
He seemed peaceful as he slept, part of his hair covered his
eyes, without thinking she brushes it away carefully to find
really long lashes. Last night the man who stared at her
with equally cold eyes like Sir Gerald’s didn’t look so mean
now.
Bending low she continues to stare down at him , sadly he
was a handsome man, a cold-eyed-handsome man, she
chuckles, how she hated those types.
What would happen if she flicked his nose and wakes him
up. He was in the way of her job at the moment and she
had to wake Thelma up to bath and clean her, give her
drugs, massage her a bit, feed her and make sure she is as
comfortable as a queen and this cry baby was pressing her
with his big head..okay with his handsome big head.. that
hair though..running-hands-through-it-worthy, she smiles.
Raising her hand up, still close to him she makes her
fingers into a rock star sign showing a hole on the side,
ready to flick his nose awake and move out of the way
before he sees her..
A second before she releases her finger to his nose, his
eyes suddenly flew open, to stare face to face with
Marybeth who is a few air spaces from his face. With shock
she yelps backing away and almost falling backwards, he
reaches out standing and grabs her pulling her back with
force preventing her from falling over the stool and hitting
her head.
That movement propels her forward and lands on his chest,
face to face with him.
“Oops!! Wow such reflexes there Mr—
“Are you mad?” he thunders , up close his eyes were a dull
beautiful grey,
‘’Wait what..what did I do?”
‘’Next time be conscious of what’s behind you, for a nurse
you are quite clumsy” he spat
“Look here—
He pushes her away from him and walks out leaving her
staring at him, she scoffs frowning
Rude!!
‘’Are all the men in this house arrogant jerks??’’ she
wonders
Thelma stirs..
“who is there?” she opens her eyes.
“Its Nurse Marybeth Thelma, do you remember me?” she
goes to her
******
TO BE CONTINUED
PLEASE I'M NOT BEING ENCOURAGED BY THE UPVOTES AND COMMENTS .
👏👏👏👏