THE BLACK MARRIAGE
©Ralph Angel
EPISODE 26
Jessica took in a deep breath, feeling like confusion was her middle name. It had been hours since Andy left and she still could not put the pieces together. Now that she was actually thinking, she could not imagine Andy raping anyone. She had spent a night with Andy in the same room and he had kept his promise by not touching her. Due to her experience with men and how much she had been pressurized by them to grace their beds, she knew that men were always very sexually provoked. But Andy? Andy had kept his word that night even though it meant inconveniencing himself by sleeping on the floor.
Sonia! Jessica exhaled. Sonia had been just like a sister to her, the same way the other two were to her but Sonia was the closest. Her easy going nature made it very easy to talk to her without expecting an argument to come up. She was friends with everyone because of her quiet nature. The Sonia she knew would avoid trouble like a plague but now, Jessica was not sure she knew Sonia. But why shouldn’t she? Why should she doubt Sonia? She had known Sonia for more than three years and now she wanted to believe Andy who was more or less a stranger to her. She hasn’t even known him for five months! Jessica swallowed.
One thing still seemed off point though. Sonia hadn’t called ever since the incident happened. That was very strange. The Sonia she knew would want to explain everything all over again and make sure no one was holding a grudge against her. That Sonia would want to know if she was OK. That Sonia would want to explain to her how she found out about the secret she was hiding and also find out why Jessica hadn’t confided in her.
Was Lizzy right? Could Sonia be jealous of her? Lizzy was right to say that Jessica was too trusting. One would expect that after the experience Jessie had with her former best friend, that Jessica would be wary of friends, but no. Jessica still defends her friends. Still saw the good in everyone. The only set of people she managed to be wary of were men, but even at that, it had not taken much to get her to fall for Andy, and ultimately fall into his bed.
Bed? Yes, that was another thing. She had given Andy her treasure and the annoying thing was that she held no regrets whatsoever. Even when she had told Andy that their love-making and all that accompanied it Yizef Stories was a mistake, she had only said it on the surface, and she hadn’t meant it. Those few hours she spent with Andy, having him treat her like a queen, was the best experience of her life. She could not recall any other thing being more wonderful. But that was a problem.
Jessica sighed. If she had to leave Andy, it would be more painful than all the other break-ups she has had put together. But this time, it won’t be a break-up, it would be a divorce.
Jessica started pacing the room. Her life was in shambles. A contract marriage is definitely the worst thing you can ever consider in life.
She knew she had feelings for Andy but she didn’t think she should call it love yet. It was a different kind of feeling. A feeling she had never experienced with anyone. Seeing him in pains earlier had affected her in a very strange way. She had felt his pain like it was hers.
“OK, where is she?”
Paulina’s voice brought her back to her surroundings. What is she doing here? Jessica wondered. As Paulina’s footsteps drew closer to the room, Jessica groaned. She knew she was in for it.
The door opened as she sat on the bed. “Jessica” Paulina breathed and hugged Jessica until Jessica thought her bones would break.
“Sweetheart, why didn’t you call me uhn?” Paulina sat beside Jessie.
“Thought you would be busy in school, teaching your children” Jessie answered, although the main reason was because she did not want anyone to fuss over her.
“That is silly of you. You and the others are my priority, you should know that. I could have taken a sick leave or something. How are you baby?”
“I am fine mummy”
“Don’t call me that. And don’t you tell me that you are fine because you are not, Lizzy told me everything”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Wanted to hear it from your mouth” Paulina replied. Jessica raised her brow casually in response. “So, what are you going to do?”
Jessica let out a breath. “I don’t know”
“I don’t know what got into that girl. She must be so selfish”
Jessica looked at Paulina critically. “You think she is the one at fault?”
“You think your husband is at fault?” Paulina countered.
“You don’t trust Sonia?”
“You don’t trust your husband?” Paulina countered again.
Jessica pushed her hands through her hair and stood up. “I don’t know what I think Pauline. I don’t know what to make of what I saw”.
Jessica was more frustrated. Paulina knew nothing about the contract and obviously expected Jessie to trust her husband more than she was doing, that much was clear to Jessica.
Paulina stood and went to stand beside Jessica. She turned Jessie until she was facing her.
“Sweetheart, let me give you the lesson I had to learn the hard way: never let a friend come between you and your man; not me, not Lizzy, not Sonia, or anyone. Unless you have very tangible and undeniable evidence, trust your husband always”…….
To be continued…
