Caught In between

Chapter 25: Don't play with my heart

That evening, Marlise went back to her room with her heart heavier than two cement bags. She couldn't believe she was capable of feeling envious but watching Cherish in Levi's arms had unearthed a bitterness she'd never felt before.
With all that was happening, she'd not slowed down to think of how much she missed Levi. When he had knelt down in front of a weeping Cherish, it felt wrong. It felt like he should have been apologizing to her instead. For leading her on. For making her hope all her life that he would one day marry her.
"Don't play with my heart Levi. You don't have to pretend in front of everyone," that was what Cherish said.
"I'm not pretending. Its you I choose," Levi replied.
Those simple words sent shock waves through Marlise's body. She could almost hear the first part of his sentence.
"Its Marlise whom I love but its you I choose," She'd always been the loved but Cherish was the chosen one. She'd seen how easily the chosen could become the loved because that was the starting, middle and ending point of love. To choose the chosen everyday and soon the one who was once loved faded into a distant memory. She didn't know when a tear escaped one eye as she watched Levi sit beside Cherish and pull her into a hug. She'd once been the one being hugged and caressed.
The roles had switched right before her eyes. Cherish was going to experience happiness while she was going to remain the baby mama.
It would break her sister's heart if she found out that she still wanted Levi, so she excused herself before they noticed she wasn't shedding tears of joy for the reunion. In the bedroom, she tried to get Viva to sleep but the child seemed to have doubled her energy. Viva was constantly climbing over her body and Marlise had to keep preventing her from falling off the bed.

"Oh Viva stop!" She'd never yelled at her child before. The child suddenly stopped, looked at her with frightened eyes and burst into tears.
On cue, her room door opened.
"Sis is everything okay?" Cherish asked. She didn't respond. How could she when she was crying quietly under the covers.
"Let her be, get the baby," she heard her mother's voice. Cherish picked Viva from the bed, walked out and shut the door. Marlise turned to the side, grabbed her pillow and cried into it until she fell asleep.
She dozed off for hours and when she awoke, a thought dropped into her head so she decided to act on it before she changed her mind. Cherish had suggested that she pretend to like Elad so he could help her out right?. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all.
She dialed his number with shaky hands all the while convincing herself that it was the right thing to do. I'm doing it for my daughter, she told herself. He didn't pick up. She gave up and slept.

♡♡♡
When Marlise walked into the living room the next morning, the smell of something delicious hit her nostrils and her stomach grumbled
"Mama, good morning," she greeted her mother dutifully and looked around for Viva.
"She's with Cherish and Levi," Mado responded to her unasked question.
"Where are they?" she asked.
"Levi made breakfast, by the way yours is in the kitchen," Mado said.
"Where are they mama?" she asked anxiously.
"They've gone for a stroll with Viva," Ma Mado said.
"What? With my baby? What gives him the right?" She exploded.
"I asked them to go out because I need to talk to you," her mother said.
"I...I don't understand," she protested
"You're jealous of your sister and its too obvious. Sit down," Mado commanded.
She sat down reluctantly, throwing her head backwards into the couch and closing her eyes. She wasn't ready to deal with these feelings going through her body.
"I understand how you feel," Mado said.
"Really?" Marlise opened her eyes
"Yes. I liked Mr Mutanda and I was ready to do anything to get what I wanted," Mado said, looking at her intensely. Marlise looked away.
"Don't do what I did. Don't destroy another person's home. Even if the person chooses you, you may always be looked upon as a home wrecker,'" Mado said.
Her phone started ringing. She ignored it, not wanting to be disrespectful to her mother but it was distracting so Mado permitted her to answer it. She knew who it was so she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.
"Hello, I'm sorry I missed your calls. Is everything alright?" Elad asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I'm..." She began. She could act tough and never get what she wanted or she could...
She burst into tears, loud heart wrenching sobs that echoed in the bathroom.
"Oh my goodness, did something bad happen to Viva?" Elad panicked.
"No...not yet but if you don't help me, something bad might as well happen. You're the only one who can help me. Please Elad. You're the only one who has taken a second look at me since I got pregnant. The baby's father is reconciling with his wife and I'm left to fend for myself. You're my last hope," she cried even louder.
She could hear the frustration in Elad's voice as he continously exclaimed..
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Its gonna be okay. I...I will help you," He finally said.
"Really? Thank you. Viva will forever be grateful to you, God bless you," Marlise cried. Elad promised to get back to her the following day. When she turned around to walk out of the bathroom, she jumped as she ran into her mother. Mado was giving her a very dirty look which meant she'd heard everything.
Without saying a word, she shook her head in disappointment and walked away.

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