"How's Elizabeth?" Doctor Kamara asked Levi as they sat in her living room one afternoon three days after the discovery. She had been very worried about the woman's reaction. Her medical instincts told her that that level of stress on the woman could lead to a heart attack or high blood pressure.
"I don't know," Levi replied with disinterest. After discovering the truth, he visited her every day, trying to catch every moment he'd lost. He didn't want to think about anyone else.
"You should know, Levi. She's still your mother, the woman who raised you," Doctor Kamara said gently.
"I don't understand how you're not angry about what she did doc?" he asked. He still called her doc because he'd not decided on a name for her. Ma Eli was still mom so he'll have to think of something else.
"How can I be angry? When you get to my age, you will pick your battles wisely. You will learn, that friends are better than enemies. That if you have a wife or companion, hold on to them as long as possible," she said.
"But... every time I look at her, I feel cheated. Everyone has been trying to cheat me all my life! I have you and my children, isn't that enough?" his voice had risen.
"Levi, family is a lifeline. Once you let go of the ropes you'll drift away and it would be difficult to catch it back. You may drown. Yes, I'm your biological mother but you need your family,"
After that he remained quiet, contemplating.
***
Meanwhile, Ma Mado sat in Ma Eli's house listening to her whine about her son leaving her. Early in the morning, the woman had called. As soon as she picked it up, she heard wailing and her first thought was that something bad had happened to Mr. Mutanda then she heard.
"I'm dying oh, my life is over," She'd listened to the woman wailing for a while then she reluctantly dragged herself there. She felt bad for the woman.
"Oh stop it, Eli!. You did something wrong and instead of you to face it, you're calling me at 9 am that you are dying. Couldn't you call your daughters?" Mado asked angrily.
"They too are angry with me for keeping the truth from them. You're my only friend, " Ma Eli said.
"We are not friends. We have a grandchild and that's where it ends. Stand up and go and face Levi and Doctor Kamara," Mado said sternly.
***
While Levi was still in Doctor Kamara's house, he heard the doorbell ring. On opening, he saw Ma Mado, Ma Eli, Cherish, and Marlise. He looked into each of their faces, hoping someone would explain.
"We would like a talk with you," Marlise spoke on their behalf.
"Here? Couldn't you guys wait? You just had to disturb my quiet time?" He asked.
"Who's at the door?" Doctor Kamara asked.
"No one," he replied, blocking their way with his body.
"It's me doc," Marlise shouted and forced her way into the house, giving room for the others.
As soon as Ma Eli saw Doctor Kamara, she fell on her knees and started wailing.
"If you want to call the police on me, go ahead! My sins have caught up with me!" the woman cried, her tears dropping on Doctor Kamara's feet.
Doctor Kamara looked very uncomfortable. She put her arms under Eli's arms and tried to lift her up.
"Please don't do this, stand up," she pleaded, helping the woman to a sitting position on the nearby couch.
"As I told Levi, I am not angry with anyone. I am just grateful for a second chance at life and family." Doctor Kamara said.
"I made up my mind early on never to marry or get close to family because I didn't want to risk loving and losing someone but here I am with my son and my amazing granddaughter," her eyes hovered on Viva sleeping on the couch and a smile appeared on her face.
Since I discovered the truth, I've been having dreams where I wake up and this isn't true but it is. Life isn't guaranteed. I choose to take the love I have today and run with it," She said, looking from one face to the other.
***
Cherish and Levi returned home quiet and in deep thought. As he took off his clothes in the bedroom, he could feel her eyes on him so he knew she had something to say.
"You heard what doc said, tomorrow isn't guaranteed," Cherish said.
"Yes, so?" he asked.
"So lets end this marriage now so you can have time to find love while you're young," she said, her head lowered and her eyes looking at every other place apart from his.
Levi turned around suddenly.
"Where's this coming from?" he asked.
"You don't love me and you may never. Let's just go our separate ways," she said.
Levi didn't say anything. He didn't know how to start professing his undying love to her because that was not how he felt. He however felt like he was trying but no matter how hard he tried, it wasn't working.
When Levi didn't say anything, her heart started to burn like gastric juice secretion on an empty stomach. She'd expected him to say how she was the love of his life and he would die for her but Levi wasn't a pretentious person. Part of the problem was her. Her self-esteem was so low that even when she saw him trying, she still didn't feel enough.
He turned to her and placed both hands on her shoulder. Lifting her chin with one finger, he said
"I think we should try a marriage counselor. I know that our marriage didn't start on the best foot but we can at least try," he said it so gently and sincerely, that she believed him.
***
THANKS FOR READING
Let's end this in the next chapter
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Caught In between
RomanceWhen Levi asks Marlise to help him babysit his son after his wife walks out on him, he never expects to fall in love with her or perhaps he's been in love with her right from childhood and he was just looking for an excuse to be closer to her. When...
