SHATTERED

╣NINE╠

   Opening her locker, Ethel off-loaded her books and writing materials into it. She selected the books she needed for her Geography class and locked her locker. She turned around bumping into someone and her books dropped to the floor.
“Hey, can't you watch where you're going?” she scowled.
“I am sorry.” the dark skinned boy she had bumped into said picking up her books.
“Thanks.” she said as she took her books from the boy and walking away to her class. She turned her head back and saw the boy standing, starring at her. She looked away, rolling her eyes.
    The bell for  recess rang, Ethel and Sylvia went to the  school cafeteria to buy food for lunch. They both bought Sausage and a bottle of yoghurt.
“Hey, Brian!” Ethel saw Sylvia wave at the dark skinned boy who has just walked into the school cafeteria.
“Sylvia!” the boy grinned waving back at her.
    Sylvia and Ethel carried their snacks to a empty table  and sat. Sylvia motioned for Brian to join them at the table after he had bought his food.
“Thanks.” Brian said as he sat down on an empty chair opposite Ethel and Sylvia.
“Brian this is my friend, Ethel Clifford. Ethel, this is Brian Stewart, the boy from my church.” Sylvia introduced with a smile.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Brian smiled at Ethel, shaking her.
“Same here.” Ethel said smiling back, it was the dark skinned boy she bumped into in the locker room. She regretted been rude to the boy.
“Brian, you are going to enjoy your stay here in our school– Edenville High school. Welcome!” Sylvia said ethusiastically.
“Thanks” he smiled.
        Ethel looked away shyly when he caught her starring at him.
“Ethel, sorry for what happened earlier.” Brian apologized after they had finished eating.
“It's no problem…I'm also sorry for my rude behaviour.” she bit her lips avoiding his gaze.
“It's okay.”
“So…you guys have met?” Sylvia said surprised looking at both of them.
“Yes…I collided with her in the locker room.” Brian said as they walked out of the cafeteria.
“Woah!” Sylvia giggled.

                  ➰➿➰

Pulling out of the parking lot of Eleanor's school, Thelma's phone rang, she picked up her phone from the passengers seat, plugging in her earphone. She answered the unknown caller.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Good morning. I'm Mrs Melanie, can I speak to Rex, my husband please?”
“Excuse me, I don't know you and how is Rex your husband. Maybe you dialled the wrong number.”
“I am sure of what I am saying. Rex Wilbur is my husband.”
Thelma drew in a deep breathe, grasping the steering wheel tighter.

Maybe this woman is mistaking

She thought.
“If you don't believe me I could send you a picture of both of us together, Rex is my husband and I know that.” the woman spoke softly.
“Alright.” Thelma said and hung up, she threw her phone to the passenger's seat and blinked several times trying to process what Melanie has just told her.
“This can't be.” she said, shaking her head.

                ➰➿➰

“At last you are home,” Thelma got up from the kitchen stool at the kitchen island as Rex shut the door behind him, walking upstairs to their bedroom. “You are late.” she told him as he walked past her.
“Is that what you're supposed to say, no greeting…nothing?” he said irritably.
    Thelma tilted her head as she arched her eyebrows at him. “When you are done showering, you go and eat your dinner on the table.” she said and walked away to the living room, turning on the TV.
“Where's Eleanor?” Rex said after he had gone upstairs to freshen up.
“She is asleep.” Thelma answered without looking at him, her eyes glued to the TV.
“Aren't you going to join me in eating dinner?” he asked her.
“Okay.” he said and walked to the dining area to eat his food. Few minutes later, Thelma turned off the TV and went to the dining room, she drew out a chair, plopping her heavy self noisily on the chair. She took out her phone from the pocket of her pyjamas and put it on. Smiling Rex and Melanie's picture appeared on the screen. She starred at it, tears blurring her eyes. She has been starring at the picture since she came back from Eleanor's school.

How could he…how could Rex deceive her?

She thought, sniffling noisily.
“Are you okay?” Rex asked her.
“I am not,” she wiped a tear away from her cheek.“When you are done with your food, I'd like to talk to you.”
“You can talk to me now.”
“It can wait.” she stood up from the stool and headed to the bedroom. She sat at the edge of the bed, resting her elbows on her thigh as she covered her face with her palm. She later sat up straight removing her phone from her pocket where she had kept it, dropping it on the nightstand. Ethel's picture on the nightstand caught her eye, she picked up the frame, holding it close to her chest as she sat on the bed, her legs crisscrossed and she covered herself with a blanket. She wished she had had time for her, she just wish she had… she hated herself for not being there for her. She wept. She dropped the framed picture back on the nightstand, took a pillow and hugged it tightly to her chest.
“So you said you wanted to talk to me.” Rex sat on the bed, after he had walked into the room without her noticing him.
“Yes,”she mumbled that he could barely hear her. “Do you know her?” Thelma picked up her phone, showing him the picture on her phone that Melanie had earlier sent.
“Um,…” Rex squinted, taking the phone from her, looking at the picture intently.
“Do you know her?!” this time her voice was louder, almost a yell.
“I…I…” he stuttered as pespiration formed on his forehead.
“Do you have a wife?!” She yelled as hot tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Thelma,…”