Now, he gave her a call for the second time. The phone rang several times and timed out.
“She must have gone to sleep,” he concluded and went to sleep as well.
At the Tourist Center.
The Officer was happy with the changes in Jude’s composure. His youthfulness radiated as he was constantly happy. The moisture that usually gathered in his eyes whenever he wanted to speak was not there. He enjoyed making music with his piano rather than watching the television. When the Security Officer got to his room that afternoon for his lunch, he observed that he spoke freely with him; more like a relation than a stranger.
“How is your day going, Jude?” he inquired.
Jude smiled, paused from the keyboard, and responded, “My day is going well, Sir. And you?”
“Fine. Your lunch is here.”
“Okay. Thank you, Sir. How about the boss?”
“The boss is good. He sent his love.”
“Oh! I hope I will meet him soon.”
“Yea! You will meet him sooner than you can imagine. Just relax.”
“It is okay, Sir. Thank you for your concern.”
“You are welcome,” the Security Officer said.
He left his room filled with compassion. He wished he could pull the boss over to the Tourist Center to see him so that he would permit him to leave his room and walk around. Before dinner, he called Denise.
Unfortunately, he was already at home. When he saw the call, he thought of Jude and exclaimed, “Oh! My new friend.”
“Hello, Officer. How was your day?”
“My day was fine, Boss.”
“Any message for me?” he inquired.
“None, Boss. I called to check on you.”
The security officer was careful not to bore him with Jude’s matter, even though that was his reason for calling him.
‘If only he would allow him to move around,’ he thought.
“That is nice of you. How is my friend?”
The Officer was happy that he initiated the discussion and answered him confidently, “Your friend is fine?”
“It is all right. I will make time to see him tomorrow.”
The excited Security Officer responded merrily, “Wow! He would be happy to see you.”
“Happy to see me? Why?”
“He had been yearning to see you.”
“It is okay. See you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Boss.”
(Cut)
Denise quickly walked downstairs to join his wife at the dining table. Before he took his seat beside her, he observed that she was exhausted and wondered what could be responsible for that.
“Wifey, you look fatigued. What is the matter?” he inquired.
Olivia was amazed by the question. She thought she had succeeded in hiding her exhaustion from him. Then, Denise locked eyes with her until she looked away.
When she could not provide any answer, he asked further, “Apart from your online business, what else do you do in my absence?”
His tone sparked guilt and fear in Olivia and she kept her face down.
Then, Denise inquired further, “Who prepared this dinner?”
Olivia looked up and faced him with the answer to his question written all over her face.
When she was not forthcoming with the response, he called out, “Caleb.”
“Yes, Boss,” he answered from the kitchen, where he was doing the dishes.
He walked up to the dining table cheerfully. For Denise to get the truth, he smiled and made him comfortable before he tactically asked him, “Where were you when my wife was preparing the dinner?”
Caleb was not aware of the magnitude of his offense and provided the answer as it was while Olivia ensured that her fear did not get into her expression, “I was doing the laundry, Boss.”
“That is good to hear. For how long has she been cooking?”
Now, Caleb believed that he was doing Olivia some good, so, he declared, “I can’t remember, but she loves cooking.”
“Thank you. You can leave.”
Caleb left with a sense of accomplishment.
Olivia looked at him. She discovered that he was about to get up and leave the dining table.
“Hubby, I was…” she began to plead.
Before she could complete her sentence, Denise had left the dining table and headed for the bedroom.
She followed him while calling and pleading, “Hubby, kindly hear me out.”
Now, Denise had gotten to the bedroom, picked up his car key, and was about to walk out of the door, but Olivia blocked him and pleaded, “Sweetheart. I promise I will not do that again.”
Denise, who did not wish to be rough with her, looked at her before he walked back to the room and sat on the couch. She sat beside him and gave him a peck.
He stared into the space for a while and inquired, “Why did you disobey my order and endanger your life and the life of our baby?”
Meanwhile, Olivia, who was already fatigued, was struggling to keep her head above water. She moved away from him when she noticed that she was spinning, laid her head on the armrest of the chair, and mumbled, “I am deeply sorry, please.”
Now, Denise looked at her and noticed that she was dizzy. He stood up at once and called out, “Angel, what is the problem?”
Olivia could not respond to his question, but mumbled again, “I am sorry.”
Denise raised her two legs by placing them on the other armrest and hastened to the dining table. He picked up a bottle of water and carried her food back to the bedroom.
“Take water,” he urged her and raised her head from the armrest.
Then, he made her gulp the water gently. When she had enough, he laid her head back on the armrest.
“Rest, you will be fine,” he assured her.
Olivia fixed her dim eyes on him and saw some resemblance between him and Louis for the first time. She remembered how Louis gave him water the day she fainted at the school.
Now, Denise walked back to the dining table and got the rest of the food.
He placed them on the center table and announced, “We are having our dinner here.”
She nodded in agreement. Then, Denise, who was supposed to be angry with her, began to feed her and she cooperated.
However, she was not at rest. Then she looked into Denise’s eyes and called out, “Hubby.”