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

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