*****CASSANDRA*****
Episode 40
‘’ my dear little sister, Meet Dave’s mum. Can you believe she knows our mother’’ Nora quickly introduced my mum to her sister who gasped with astonishment.
‘’you can’t be serious. You mean she knows our late mother?’’ the little girl asked breathlessly, rushing forward to sit between her sister and my mother who nodded with a smile.
‘’yes your mother and I used to be friends a long time ago but did I just hear you say that she is dead?’’ My mother asked with great surprise. I listened in silence, greatly stunned by the revelations. Yes it really was unfortunate that I never for once showed any interest in Nora’s family history, hence my surprise to learn that her mother was dead.
‘’yes our mother is dead. She died a very sad woman. She died of a broken heart. It’s a very long story’’ Nora muttered softly as tears slowly melted her eyes. I groaned inwardly and looked away. I just couldn’t stand the emotional scene anymore.
‘’ I really have lots of stories to tell about your mother but you have to get well first. Be strong, be courageous. Tell me what’s actually wrong with you?. What did the doctor say?’’ my mother asked, changing the topic.
‘’nothing much. He simply said that it was stress that made me faint. That I should take a lot of rest, but how can I rest when I have myself and my sister to cater for’’ she answered painfully.. My mum looked up at me that moment, noticing how pensive I was.
‘’I think you can go now. I have lots of things to discuss with Nora. I will return to the house or send for you when I’m done. You can go and keep your female friend company’’ she dismissed me with a wave of the hand while Nora and her sister keep their eyes on me. I couldn’t say no to such unexpected offer even though it seemed like the right thing to do and so without another word, I turned and ran out of the hospital, breathing deeply as I got to my car.
Deep down I felt a bit guilty over the manner I left the hospital without saying a single soothing word to Nora but it was all because I had many issues going through my mind at the same time and I just wasn’t thinking properly..
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I returned to my apartment few minutes later, looking very miserable and colored up. Cassandra couldn’t help but ask over and over if I was alright. I was left with no choice than to sit her down and tell her the truth without wasting any other time. I decided to open up to her there and then with a very shaky heart.
‘’don’t tell me you had a fight with your mum or something. What’s going on?. Can you please tell me’’ Cassandra asked with great concern as we faced each other in the living room. I gave her one last look as I cleared my throat in readiness for the painful confession.
‘’you remember my old neighbor Nora?. I just found out she’s pregnant’’ I stammered, slightly twisting the truth to make it more selling. She nodded, leaving her eyes on me as she probably wondered what Nora got to do with tension in me.
‘’yes I know her. So what’s your business with her pregnancy?’’ she asked curiously. I swallowed hard as I desperately built up my courage.
‘’I’m responsible. I’m responsible for her pregnancy but we never dated nor had a relationship. This sounds crazy right?’’ I stammered with great pain. Cassandra’s eyes burned as she stared at me with disbelief. The shock the news generated in her was extremely apparent.
‘’I slept with Nora only once. It was on a very rainy evening. We were together as neighbors and suddenly a kind of spark ignited between us and we got carried away. After the act we went our separate ways. She packed out of her apartment months later and I forgot all about it until I just learnt from her the result of that careless evening. Confessing to you is the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life but It’s something I had to do because your feelings and happiness comes first in all I do. Please bear in mind I never cheated on you. Everything happened before we got serious with each other. I truly love you. I pray this doesn’t end our relationship’’ I poured out miserably, shaking with great remorse. Cassandra closed her eyes for some seconds before standing up, standing on her feet without saying a single word.
I stared at her fearfully, wondering what she was about doing. Of course I laid all my cards before her. Staying or leaving was now her decision to make. Nevertheless I knew losing her could make me lose my mind.
‘’Cassandra. Oh Cassandra’’ I breathed with great pain as she turned back her red eyes on me. My heart pounded furiously as I waited for her to say something.
‘’oh Cassandra’’ I breathed again and again.
To be continued
