THE UNKNOWN FUTURE

CHAPTER 34

I woke up the following morning with swollen eyes. I had cried the whole night and caught sleep in the wee hours of the morning. The first thing I thought about was Roy. Maybe he was at work so comfortable and all I thought of was what he had done. Maybe I would be at work too but after all that I opted to stay indoors and stay with Braden. That would make me feel better.
I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen. Terry was busy making breakfast. She looked up and on noticing my swollen eyes her look changed to sadness.
“Hey Jackie? You didn’t sleep, right?”
“Morning Terry. After all that happened yesterday, I couldn’t sleep.”
“Going to work today?”
“No Terry. Braden can’t be left alone. Jane is not around.” I said sadly. Jane had become part of my life and talking about her made me think about Roy.
“I can stay with him today. I'm not working.”
“I can’t work in this situation Terry. I won’t concentrate on anything there. I guess I have already been sacked and I don’t see any need of going there.”
“No dear. Roy can’t sack you. By the way he has been calling continuously asking how you are doing. I don’t know what to tell him. He sounds devastated and shattered. This has never happened before. He loves you Jackie.”
“ I love him too Terry. I can’t stop asking myself questions of why he did what he did. Why did it even happen? I thought we were so good together. I don’t want to talk to him now. Not yet. I switched off my phone because of his endless calls. I can’t stand looking at his picture on the screen when he calls. I get shattered over and over again.”
“Then maybe you should give him a chance to explain things. He is so worried about you. He says he is worried about your condition and working yourself up is not good for you. I don’t get him. What condition is he talking about? Are you pregnant by any chance? Don’t hide it from me.” She said giving me a serious look and I chuckled. She looked funny playing a mother to me.
“Okay then! Yes, I’m two months pregnant!”
She hugged me tightly and smiled.
“I'm going to be an aunt. Don’t make this angel suffer for your mistakes. You two should talk this out. Why didn’t you say anything anyway?”
“We wanted to invite everyone for dinner and say it but what happened yesterday changed everything. I will tell you about that later. Don’t tell anybody please. It’s our secret. I need to write some emails. I will be back.”
She nodded and smiled at me. I went to the bedroom and sat on the bed. Braden was still asleep. I switched my phone on and Roy had called severally. Dave and Ann had called too. It meant that they already knew what had happened. I took the laptop and sent a resignation letter to Kate via email. There was no way I would work with Roy at the same place. I would look for another job elsewhere. Far from him. Maybe I would forget him then.
My phone rang almost immediately. It was Roy! Would I pick it? What was I supposed to say to him. I just stared at the screen and watched the call end. He called again. He wasn’t going to give up. I knew him very well. He was nagging when he wanted something. Maybe I would pick the call and give him a piece of my mind. I sighed heavily and received the call.
“Finally baby! How are you? How is Braden? How is our little angel? Please give me a chance to explain things to you.”
“Is this why you called Roy? I thought it was something important.” I felt tears cloud my eyes and I let them flow.
“I will talk about us later. Kate has called me. She has told me you have sent her a resignation letter via email. Has it really gotten to this point baby?”
“It’s my decision Roy. I can’t work with you in the same place. I just can’t. Anyway, I think we have said enough. Enjoy your day.” I hanged up and broke down in tears. I lay in bed and cried myself out the hundredth time. Sleep caught up with me within no time. I was woken up by someone tapping me on my shoulder it was Terry.
“Dave and Ann are here to see you Jackie. There are worried sick about you.”
I got out of bed and followed her to the sitting room. Ann rose up on seeing me and she hugged me tightly rubbing my back. She let me go and I offered my hand to Dave for a handshake.
“How are you Jackie?” Dave asked giving me a worried look.
“I'm okay Dave. Just trying to cope with all this. I guess Roy told you what happened and that’s why you are here.” I said and swallowed bitterly.
“ He told me. He is devastated Jackie. He is completely shattered by all this. I guess Terry hasn’t mentioned to you about him coming to see you here but she didn’t let him. She thought you needed time to think about all this but it can’t wait. He seems like he has lost it completely. I don’t know how to explain this but my brother loves you Jackie.” He said with pleading eyes.
“What about me Dave? Do you know how devastated I am by all this? Do you know how much I have broken down in tears throughout the night because of what he did? Did he tell you he was kissing another woman and she said she was his wife? How was I supposed to react to all that Dave? By going to where they were and fighting with his wife? I had no right whatsoever. She has all the right. She has his son. What about me? I was just some side dish. This is devastating for me too.”
“But you are also…” Terry stopped midway when I glared at her. She wanted to say I was carrying his child too but I didn’t want them to find out yet.
“I know Jackie. I can see it by looking at your eyes. Your eyes are swollen and I know it’s because of your crying. I don’t know what to say about the alleged wife but what I know is that he doesn’t have a wife. He can explain all this to you. Just give him a chance to explain all this to you. He just needs few minutes of your time then you can decide whether you want him back after listening to what he has to say or not.” I could tell he really loved his brother by just the way he was pleading for him.
“Please dear. You two are hurting each other. Just forgive him and move on. I'm so comfortable with you and Terry being my sisters. I don’t need another one. Please!” Ann smiled at me and I smiled back. They were all so sweet and I had to give in to their pleas. I sighed heavily.
“Okay then. I will listen to him. Where am I supposed to meet him?”
“He can come here. I will just call him and you can go to the bedroom and talk.” Dave said smiling.
“Fine but that does not guarantee our getting back together. I will be waiting in the bedroom. Thanks for coming. It made me feel better.”
I gave them a weak smile and went to the bedroom. I got in and sat down on the floor the cold from the tiles piercing my skin. Drawing up my knees, I folded in on myself. I placed my head on my knees and let the irrational tears flow unrestrained. They were tears of pain. Tears of betrayal. Tears of despondency. Why had he done that? Why did he have to kiss that woman? Why did I even go to that place in the first place? Maybe we would still be together even if it meant him pretending to love me. It was better than not being with him.
I heard the door open and I looked up. It was him. He looked terrible. He locked the door and sat down on the floor facing me. He took my hands into his and looked into my eyes. I saw tears fall down from his eyes and he did nothing to restrain them. He wiped my tears with his hand and continued looking at me.
“That was so fast. You have not taken long to get here.” I said in a whisper. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say yet.
“I was just outside there. I wanted Dave to talk to you first. I have been outside there hoping to see you.” He said in an equal whisper.
“You didn’t go to work today?” I was still whispering.
“I was there waiting for you but you didn’t show up. I couldn’t take it anymore and I came here. Kate called me about your resignation when I was there outside. I had to tell her you were unwell and needed some time and that was why you were resigning but you would be back. I'm shattered by all this baby. I'm completely shattered.”
“Why Roy? Why did you have to lie to me? Why didn’t you tell me you had a wife and I was wasting my time? Was that so hard to say?” Tears were still flowing down my face.
“I didn’t lie to you baby! I love you so much. I don’t have a wife but I have  a son. I didn’t want to tell you about it because I wanted to wait for the right time.”
“Well, it’s the right time. Tell me everything about it. We have all the time, don’t we?”
“ I was dating Becky and she came to my house to live with me. I was always outside the country for business trips and she was left home with Jane. One day I came back home and Jane told me everything Becky was up to. She always sneaked men into the house and slept with them on my bed. When I learnt about it I wanted to throw her out but she said she was pregnant and I was responsible. She apologized and I forgave her. She gave birth and her cheating habit didn’t change. I got tired of her and investigated whether the kid was mine but the DNA turned out negative. I loved him and it hurt me terribly. I threw her out but supported her because of my son. Even if he is not my blood I love him.”
I breathed heavily. So they were just staying together. They were not married. Why was he kissing her then?
“What about you kissing her? Do you know how shattered I’m Roy?”
“I know baby. I am too. I want to tell you the truth here. I hope you will trust me. I was not kissing her. She called me with the pretense that something was wrong with the kid and I went to see her at that restaurant. She hugged me and caught me unawares by kissing me. I pushed her away and I guess that’s when you saw us. I'm sorry for not telling you where I was going. I don’t want to lose you baby.”
“How am I supposed to believe that Roy?”
“I’m being sincere here baby! She forced herself on me and I guess that’s the part you saw and concluded that I was doing it willingly. She has been calling and texting me continuously but I told her that I was married and the only link I have with her is our son and nothing else.”
He showed me the chats and I sighed heavily. He was speaking the truth. Tears clouded my eyes once more and I blinked them back.
“Please baby! Just come back to me. I want to make things right with you. I love you so much. You, Braden and this angel in here.” He said massaging my belly. I didn’t do anything to push him away. I hauled myself at him and he wrapped me in his arms. I cried uncontrollably in his arms and he held me tightly.
“ I’m sorry for hurting you baby! Please forgive me and give me another chance.”
“I love you so much Roy.”
He took my face in his arms and looked  deeply into my eyes.
“Does that mean you are giving me another chance?”
“Yes, I am. I just can’t stand being away from you. I'm so addicted to you.”
“ I know baby. I'm too.”
He kissed me lightly and deepened the kiss. He then rose up and held out his hand to me.  He helped me stand up and led me to the bed. We got into the bed and he pulled me into his arms running his fingers through my hair.
“sleep for few minutes baby. You really need to rest after all this. I known it has been tough for you.”
“Will you be here when I wake up?” I asked staring up at him.
“I will still be here.”
I sighed with relief. We were finally back together. It had been a day full of torture. He kissed me on the forehead and sleep caught up with me within no time