I was awakened by a commotion at our bedroom door. I sat up and saw Bram opened the door wide.
“Stop it, mum!” I heard him say to his mom, “You’re going to wake Emma.”
“We need to have that checked,” I heard Mama Credence say.
I turned the bedside lamp on. Bram hurriedly walked towards the bathroom and locked the door. Mama Credence stopped at the bottom of our bed.
“Bram got hurt, Emma,” Mama Credence told me as she opened our room light, “He might need stitches.”
I got off the bed quickly and knocked on the bathroom door, “Bram? It’s me, open up!”
“Leave me alone, both of you!” Bram yelled from the bathroom.
“Come on, Emma,” Mama Credence said to me, “I’m taking you home with me.”
“No!” Bram yelled as he opened the door.
He was holding a blood tinge towel on his left cheekbone, “Let me see?” I asked Bram. I held his left lower arm so he would remove the towel on his cheeks.
“It’s not that bad,” Bram said. Then lowered his hand so I could see his wound.
“My love, this needs stitches,” I told him, “Two to three stitches, we need to go to the emergency room now.”
“You stay here, Emma,” Mama Credence said, “I’ll take him. Don’t wait for us, just rest.”
I checked my phone from time to time. I was waiting for their messages but there were none. I tried to stay awake to wait for them but I ended up sleeping.
Wednesday
I opened my eyes the next day and I was still alone in our room. I slowly got up and went straight to the bathroom. I got cotton boxer shorts from Bram’s closet then went out of the room. Bram was seated in the dining area with his laptop on the desk. He glanced up to me and I saw the bandaged side of his face. Then he went back to what appeared to be a Zoom meeting.
“Good morning, Madam,” Maria greeted me.
“When did you get here?” I asked her, “Is Chantal with you?”
“We got here around six o’clock, Madam,” Maria answered me, “Chantal is outside, Madam.”
I nodded at her and went to the kitchen because I was hungry, “What did Bram eat for breakfast?” I asked.
“He had breakfast cereals, Madam,” Maria answered me, “Madam Credence cooked a healthy meal for you Ma’am. Do you want me to prepare it?”
“Oh, what room did she sleep in?” I replied to Maria.
“She already left, Madam,” Maria answered me.
“Oh okay, yes please. I’ll just get my phone from our room then I’ll eat,” I told Maria.
I walked back to the master bedroom but Bram grabbed me by the waist. He made me sit on his lap then he winked at me. I heard someone speak to his headset so we both looked at his laptop. He typed something at the keyboard and I saw his bruised hands.
I did not say anything. Then Maria called my attention and told me that my breakfast was ready.
It was a balanced meal of chicken, vegetables, and rice. I learned from Maria that Bram was working from home today; to avoid office gossip because of his facial injury. I badly wanted to ask him how it happened but I needed to wait until after work hours.
I took a bath and wore one of my floral dresses from the cabinet. I chose the short one that only reached half of my thighs. It was black and was designed with peonies. I wore my rubber shoes again, picked up my phone, and went out of the bedroom. I decided to kill time by exploring the amenities of this building.
“Going somewhere?” Bram asked, his eyes were on the laptop screen.
I did not answer him. I walked towards the water dispenser. I was getting very thirsty lately, I was assuming that this was pregnancy related. I finished a glass of water then unlocked my phone. I looked up and Bram, Maria, and Chantal were watching my every move.
I started to type a message to Dr. Delgado when I noticed that Bram was still staring at me, “What?”
“I asked you a question,” Bram said, irritated.
“Oh, I’m just going to the pool area,” I answered and focused on the message that I was composing.
“No,” Bram told me, “You stay here.” Then he put his headset back on and glared at me. I stared at him with my eyebrows in the middle. I left the glass on the sink and walked towards the door.
“Emma!” Bram yelled at me.
“Will you stop it, Bram,” I said without looking at him, “I just want to walk.”
“Chantal, stop her!” Bram ordered my bodyguard sternly.
“What is wrong with you?” I yelled at Bram.
“I’m in a meeting,” Bram said, “Just do what you’re told.”
My mouth hung open with what he just said. I shook my head and went to our room quietly. I was so annoyed at Bram by treating me this way! I removed my shoes and slowly crawled on the bed. I rested my back on the headboard and sighed.
I was thinking why Bram acted that way. I had so many questions in my head because of what happened last night. I should probably try to not overthink things and let them be. I yawned and checked the time on my phone. It was one o’clock in the afternoon. I put my head on the pillow and closed my eyes.
Later that night Bram woke me up, his hair was still wet from shower. He asked me to clean his wound and change his gauze. I stood up and made him sit on the left edge of the bed. I noticed that Bram was looking at my cleavage. I widened my eyes at him because Maria was assisting me.
But he just kept on staring. When Maria turned her back to us to leave our room. Bram hugged my waist, pulled me closer, and placed his face on my cleavage and licked it.
“Stop it!” I told him because Maria might come back.
Bram looked up to me, “I punched Connor in the face.”
My jaw dropped, I rested my arms on his shoulders, “Why?”
Bram made me sit on his lap and hugged me, “I listened to the audio recordings that Chantal sent me. Sometimes we need to set boundaries.”
“Did he punch you back?” I asked Bram, “Wait, what audio recordings?”
“Yup,” Bram answered as he looked down at the floor, “He said that I should stop using you.”
I shook my head in disbelief and bit my lower lip, “I’m sorry, Bram.” Connor was probably assuming something far from the truth.
“I don’t care what he thinks,” Bram said then added, “I think our dinner is ready.”
I stood up and fixed my dress then looked up to him, “I did not know that these things would happen. I am truly sorry that you and your family are going through this because of me.”
Bram stood up too and he took my left hand, “If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have known that she was cheating on me.”
I knew he was referring to Alicia. I took a long breath. I guess I needed to tell him this, “Connor said that you were so in love with each other,” I looked down because I could not look at him.
“Connor does not know everything about me,” Bram commented. Then he pulled me towards the door. I took my hand back and stopped walking.
Bram was already holding the knob and the door was ajar. I saw his shoulders move when he gave out a sigh. He closed it again and turned to me. He leaned at the back of the door and crossed his arms to his chest, “What is it Emma?”
I looked him directly in the eyes, “You said you listened to audio recordings? Did you ask Chantal to do that?”