Caught In between

CHAPTER TWO: A Bad Deal

As soon as Marlise entered the bedroom, she closed the door and dropped to the mattress like a bag of garri. She felt like the weight of Cameroon was on her shoulders. How could she have been so blind to think that Levi would keep to his word? Had she made a bad deal? Three years! Three years of waiting for Levi to convince his family to marry her. Now she was leaving the house the way she'd come. Without Levi. A tear ran down her eyes but she quickly wiped it. She wasn't going to give them the pleasure of seeing her cry so she stood up and opened her wardrobe. Time to pack out. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and opened to a text message from Levi.

"I'm sorry Marlise, this wasn't the plan," it read.

She frowned. He had the nerve to talk about plans?

"The deal is off. This was your chance to tell them the truth but you remained silent," Her fingers typed back furiously.

"It just didn't feel like the right time" Levi wrote. She could almost see his sorry face but she'd heard that excuse a thousand times.

"There's never going to be a right time," She replied quickly and started to put the phone back in her pocket when the door burst open.

"Who are you texting? Aren't you supposed to be packing?" Cherish said, arm on her waist and nose in the air.

"You won," Marlise faced her sister. She just wanted her to get out so she could be alone. Cherish rolled her eyes several times while dramatically walking around Marlise as if examining and ugly object. Whenever she was around Cherish, she felt less beautiful. Cherish was the tall, 1m65cm shapely one while she was the 'fatty bobolo' of 1m50cm. They were so different that's  why she found it hard to believe they were siblings not to talk of being twins.

"By the way, the child is crying. Go and attend to him," Cherish announced and started to walk away.

"Isn't that your job, step-mom to be?" Marlise called back.

"Excuse me?" She swung back and focused on Marlise

"In six months time, you're going to be Levi's wife. You should take your responsibility as Jeremy's mother," she said.

Cherish turned back quickly and looked at Marlise with her mouth open and one hand on her chest as if she'd just said the most ridiculous thing.

"Look at this body, look at these nails. Do you think I'm here to take care of someone else's child. I will hire a nanny, just look after him." She said and turned to go.

"Speaking of someone, where is he? I know you came here because you thought he's with me," Marlise said as a smile played at the corner of her mouth.

"What are you talking about? He's...he's in the living room," Cherish said hesitantly, her eyes portraying fear.

"Are you sure or you hope he's there?" She asked, laughing quietly.

Marlise's phone beeped again. She looked at the screen, read the text message, smiled and looked up at Cherish whose eyes widened in shock when she realized who could be texting.

"He just texted me," Marlise said, enjoying the anger on her sisters face.

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"Please Marlise. Don't go or if you insist, let me drop you off. You know I love you but my family..."

The last line was enough to make her shoot her phone at the wall. She started pulling down her clothes frantically and throwing them into her box.

In an hour she was at the gate. Levi sat in his car looking straight ahead. She could feel the eyes  of the others in the house watching her through the window. As soon as she got in, Levi drove off without saying a word. A few metres away from the house, He suddenly stopped the vehicle and turned to her.
"What?" She asked, surprised.
He looked at her with a deep longing in his eyes.
"Come out for a minute," He said in a serious tone. She was confused but she came out. Levi leaned on the vehicle, pulled her into his arms and squashed her into a hug. Marlise was angry but she could never resist his hugs. She wanted to push him away but she melted further into him.
"I love you Marlise," He said the words over and over.
"I love you too but..."Marlise started to say.
"No buts. Let's enjoy the moment," Levi said, holding her tighter.
"You don't understand I have to tell you something," She insisted, pushing him away.
Her heart was beating like a hundred drums. Her tongue had suddenly gone dry. If she told him what she'd been suspecting for weeks, it could destroy or solidify their relationship.

TO BE CONTINUED....
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