THE BLACK MARRIAGE
© Ralph Angel
EPISODE 22
“OK. Come and get rid of this cloth. Did I mention that you are looking very sexy in this dress?” Lizzy said, trying to make Jessica smile a bit but when Jessica fought back tears instead of smiling, she knew that something was terribly wrong with her and all her instincts pointed at Andy.
Jessica lay on Lizzy’s bed feeling shattered. Her life just seemed to go from one point of disaster to the other. She wondered why this occurrence seemed to be more painful, compared to the other problems that she had had to face in her life. Her head ached terrifyingly and she groaned. Tears kept coming and coming. She had been able to maintain a ‘no crying’ stance for a long time but in just one night, she had cried immensely. The tears came but she had no strength to wipe it off.
She had surrendered her most precious gift to Andy, something that she had treasured, something that she had refused to give her past lovers. Thinking of how everything had shattered was so alarming. Everything had been a charade. Just a surface charade to get past her pants.
But even though Jessica wanted to make herself believe that it had also been a charade for her and that she did not have any attachment with Andy, she knew that it was a lie. Andy had been part of her every thought ever since she met him, which was one of the reasons why she detested him.
She had detested him for being a man and had used her hate or dislike to her advantage but his late nights always got to her, terribly. She always found herself wondering what he was doing and with whom. He almost did not notice her and it hurt her feminine ego. Dressing differently had almost nothing to do with Andy’s father; she had only used that as an excuse.
When she had gone to bed with him, it hadn’t been because she was married to him, it was because she really wanted to give him that gift. She had wanted him to have it, but now, it turned out to be the worst mistake she ever made.
Why did she always have to develop feelings for the wrong people? Why was life so unfair? Why did she have to cry over and over again?
Lizzy entered with a plate of hot rice and stew and Jessica quickly wiped her face but Lizzy did not miss it. Lizzy was not terribly worried. She could not pinpoint ever seeing Jessica cry. She noticed that the hot tea she had given to Jessica earlier was barely touched.
“Jessie, please tell me what is wrong? You are scaring me o”
Lizzy said as she sat on the bed.
Jessie smiled faintly and intentionally digressed. “Are you not sleeping yet?”
“You look famished so I fixed you something. Come on, get up”
Jessie shook her head slowly. “I am not sure I can take anything”
“You don’t have to be sure, just try. You would feel better after eating”
“I am not sure if I would be better Liz” Jessie blinked severally.
Lizzy was touched deeply as she dropped the food, seeing Jessie struggle with threatening tears. “You can cry Jessie, it eases the pain. Come here” she pulled Jessie into her arms and Jessica could not hold back her tears again as she cried her heart out.
“I just want to die Lizzy…” she cried. “I want to die… Life is worthless”
“Oh sweetie” Lizzy breathed almost moved to tears by Jessica’s pain. It was now that Lizzy wished that Paulina was there. Paulina would have used her motherly attitude to handle this situation. It was obvious to Lizzy that Andy and Sonia were involved in whatever was wrong but she also had a feeling that Jessica had developed feelings for Andy. She knew a woman in love when she saw one……………
To be continued…
