Ryxel's car gently cruised on the old tarmac road. His wheels rolled at a generous speed. Not too fast and not too slow. He silently drove with all his concentration on the road. He was never the person to have a driver. He thought them reckless and always settled for driving himself.
The traffic was not so tight but all the same it was annoying. Ryxel impatiently shifted his hand from the steering wheel to his temples and rubbed on them. From that he would pinch the space between his brows. The congestion on the road was unbearably annoying.
Finally, the traffic lights flashed orange and then green. He drove so fast like his life depended on it.
The long route that led to his premises was a deserted one so he did not mind his speed. He didn't need a speed limit. He drove just the way he wanted.
Hardly had he pressed hard on the accelerator when a body came flying his way. The two violently collided. It was hard to tell whether he had knocked the woman or she had run into his car by herself.
"Fuck!" He cursed as he broke his speed to zero and moved out of his vehicle to attend to the accident victim.
Before he could reach out to the female, he already knew who it was. It was not hard to figure out for he had grown used to everything is beheld. Her phisque, scent and clothing.
"Caramel?" His voice held question and so did his knitted brows.
From the slight car crash, she had lost consciousness for only a minute or so. After that, she was up for her quest.
"Ryxel-" She cried.
"What are you doing here ?" He beckoned.
"I-I-Idon't know. I-just-i-just-" She burst into tears.
"It's okay. Relax. Calm down. You'll tell me later. Let's get home first." He said and with his hands on her back, he led her to his car.
"No!" She objected.
"Okay." He exhaled. "Tell me then." He looked at her.
She tiredly but firmly tugged on his suit shirt. She tried to talk but no word came out of her mouth. All she could realise were hiccups and silent sobs.
"Hold your breath, Caramel."
She shook her head side ways to indicate a no. She was trying to fight the hiccups on her own but it was not helping at all.
"Don't swallow saliva you will chock."
She stopped but the crying and hiccups never ceased.
"Hold your breath for me, Caramel." He gave the command but her crying just increased.
"Please." He rubbed on her neck.
She held it.
"Good." He cleaned her tears with his handkerchief and led her to the co-drivers seat. She sat with her legs pulled up in front of her and one leg on top of the other.
He walked to his own side and when he had entered, he handed her a bottle of water. She drank as he faced her in patience.
When she was done and she eased out a bit,she talked on her own before he would ask anything.
"Ryxel, I want to go to Angel's Den hospital." She managed to speak though her voice was crusty.
"My-my- dad- " that stammering alone was a give away. She started crying again.
"I just wanna go to my paps." She wiped her tears and withdrew her legs from the car seat and reached for the door. Before she could open the door, Ryxel had pressed the lock from his side.
"I'll take you."
"No. It's fine. I'll get there on my own."
"How?" He asked almost losing his temper. She was not being practical at the moment.
"I don't know." She admitted.
"Yeah, you don't. So let me do the thinking for you." He said banging on his steering wheel. Only lightly.
"No, I'll do everything for myself. Just let me out of here and I'll sort myself." She said and unsuccessfully wiped her fresh tears with her shaking hands.
He pinched the space in between his brows out of frustration, impatience and annoyance. He had had enough.
"Karmale, you have no shoes on your feet. No car. I suppose not even a coin. Clearly, you cannot go on your own." He thundered.
He never called her by her real name unless he was mad at her. Hearing him address her by her real name and not the usual sweet 'Caramel', she knew better than to protest further. She sat mute to on her chair. She folded back her legs and fidgeted with her fingers.
"Caramel." He held her hand in his. "Let me take you. Mmmh?" He calmly asked for her consent.
She nodded a yes and for once he didn't ask her to use words. He simply hit the accelerator and sped through the night and out of the city.
It was a three hour drive but she did not even fall asleep once. She kept on shuffling around, messing with her hair and fingers. She was panicking.
"Caramel!"
"Have we reached?" Was her desperate response.
"Get to sleep. I'll wake you when we reach."
"No, I'm fine." She sighed in disappointment.
"I was asleep the entire afternoon. I'm good to go."
"That I know. Simply lay down and rest your nerves."
She did as she was told. She lowered the chair and silently lay still.
Not moments from that she was up asking when they will reach.
"Take it easy. We'll get there."
"Okay." She said and succumbed to patience.
__
__
"Mr. Kent Kane?"
"Who are you, miss?" The petite hospital receptionist inquired. She was a fairly young girl who was dressed in blue nurse uniform.
"I'm his daughter. I'm family. May I have the room number, please?" She politely said.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I cannot give you that." She dismissed her as her concentration returned to typing on the keyboard at her desk.
"And why is that?" Karmale impatiently banged on her table.
"Miss, visiting hours are done. It's late. You'll have to see him tomorrow."
Karmale shook her head in disbelief as she grabbed a pair of scissors from a tray that a nurse passing by was carrying.
"Look woman, i don't want to shove this down your throat."
The look on the girl's face was priceless.
"Caramel, put that down." Ryxel who was from the parking area whispered in her ear.
"Ryxel, she giving me useless reasons. I have been polite to her but she just won't let me-" she tiredly passed her fingers through her hair and moved to the side.
"Good evening." Ryxel greeted the lady.
"Good evening, Sir."
Ryxel placed his hand on the table and tapped twice on it.
"Give us the room number." His voice held that aura of authority that the poor nurse would not dare defy.
"Yes. Yes. Right away, Sir." She said and once again typed away on her keyboard.
"Second floor, Sir. I.C.U." She looked up from her monitor.
"What?" Karmale's mouth opened as she run.
"Your family is in the waiting room, Miss." The nurse called after her.
Ryxel and Karmale took the lift and were up in less than three minutes.
"Caramel." Ryxel grabbed her hand as she dashed out of the lift.
"Yeah?" Impatience was all her quivering voice held.
"I'll go see the main doctor as you go talk to your family."
"Yeah. Yes of course." She said her answer already giving her away that she didn't know what to do. She had been trying to hurry but didn't know where to though. He had helped her mark her destination.
"Okay. Be careful."
"I'll." She said and they took different paths. She knew the hospital very well for it was not the first time she was here. Her parents always brought her and her siblings to the very medical center whenever they had any health emergency. She was not a visitor here.
She found her way to the waiting room but worried whether Ryxel would find his to the doctor's office.
She entered at the sight of all six of her siblings.
The boys sat down in a separate couch from the girls. All of them were typing on their phones.
Her second last sister sat down on the opposite side with Michelle's head on her laps and her legs spread long in the sofa. The two girls had dozed off.
Marie was stood at the large window looking outside as she talked into a phone call. Her conversion came as whispers for she did not want to wake the little ones.
Karmale looked at her family and in deep anguish a tear cascaded her pale face past her nose and lips.
She sniffed and with the back of her palm wiped her face.
By the time she regained herself, she was met with a death glare from Marie.
"I'll call you back." She hang up.
"What are you doing here?" She growled.
"Marie, I'm here to see dad. Am I not allowed to?" She asked as fresh tears rolled down her face.
"Who called her here? Huh?" Marie shouted obviously calling for everyone's attention. The boys put away their phones and the girls woke up.
"Did I not tell everyone not to see anything to her?" She angrily seethed.
Michelle trembled.
"What's wrong, Michelle?" Edwardinah asked.
"Nothing." She smiled a fake one.
"Who called her here?" Marie searched everyone's face for anything suspicious. Everyone else looked her in the eye but not her youngest sister.
"Michelle!"
"Marie, Karmale is family too. You know."
"So? She's the cause of everything, Michelle. Everything!" She stressed the everything.
"What did I do, Marie?" Karmale innocently asked.
Marie ignored her and looked back at Michelle.
"What did she do, Marie?" Michelle asked.
"You too saw it Michelle. It was only after dad heard that she was not ever coming back home that he befell that misfortune. God forbid if-"
"Please don't say it Marie. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
"Is that everything?" Michelle asked.
"I'm not yet done, Michelle. It's because of this princess here that our family is never complete." She reasoned.
"Marie-"
"No, Michelle." She raised her hand to silence her and to Karmale she said, "You, get out of here." She pointed to the door.
The boys watched on and said nothing about the scene unfolding right before them.
Karmale stubbornly refused but Marie was definitely not the person to tolerate her behaviour.
"Get out, Karmale. I guess you are happy now. You can go relax and worry not about anything this side. Girl, we are good without you. Whenever you come into the picture, everything goes wrong. Everything! Please find the door. Real quick!" Marie made her last attempt and dialed the previous number to continue her conversation.
"In the next minutes, you should have varnished. I am giving you only two to organise your messy self and the last one will be for you to walk the hell out." She said to her sister and pressed the phone to her ear.
"That's the door. Get out!" She finally said.
"Marie, where is mummy?" The little one asked to distract the harshness that was boiling for her most loved sister, Karmale.
"She has gone to talk to the doctor, Michelle. She will be here any moment."
"Okay." She smiled and Marie proceeded with her call.
"Karmale come let's play rock, paper, scissors."
"Okay."
"No need to be so hospitable and welcoming towards her, Michelle." A loud voice came from the doorway.
"Mummy, look. Karmale is here. You were asking for her the whole of today and finally she has come."
"I 'was'." She emphasized the tense.
"Not anymore. I don't want the cause of my husband's condition to stand among us. Anyway, she clearly loathes us so why is she here? To see him breathe his last?"
"No, ma." Karmale wailed.
"Don't call me mother, Hale. I would never nurture my child to murder her own father. No, I would never. I would die before I do that."
"Ma, I didn't murder dad. I don't know even what happened to him yet. I just arrived and all of you are giving me this negative energy. I don't know. What have I done wrong?"
"You have attempted murder, Hale. On your own father. Only God knows whether he will survive." Mrs. Kane cried.
"Ma, don't cry." Marie came to her one side and Edwardinah on the other.
"Karmale just leave." Marie shot her a look of disgust.
"I'll see dad first. Then I'll leave. Perhaps none of you wants me here but it's not like I'm here for you." That was a lie.
"I'm here for dad." This was only the half truth.
"So should we assume you care about him or it's just a drama you came to stage? Must be drama. I can see you have no shoes on. Is it to melt our hearts or for show off. Should we assume you love my husband the most?"
"I love dad, ma. My love for him would never be a drama."
"You are a murderer. It's not in the blood of your kind to love. You are clearly shameless. The poor man is struggling in I.C.U. It's a death or life situation and here you are. Shouting about and causing drama. We are asking you to leave and you are adamantly refusing."
"Ma, please listen." Karmale extended her hands to touch her mother but she moved back leaving her hands to capture nothing but space. Karmale kept her hands to herself after that.
"We don't want you here. Leave!"
"I'm not leaving, ma."
"Leave, Karmale." She grabbed her by the elbow and practically threw her out like a bag of trash being disposed off in the bin. Karmale stumbled but did not reach the ground. The familiar warmth his palms radiated enveloped the skin of her hands where he had touched. His perfect fabric brushed on her skin and she blinked a tear.
She looked up and her misty eyes met his dry ones.
"Let's go, Caramel." He suggested but as usual, it was more of a command.
"No." She disagreed.
"Trust me. I'll figure out something. You'll see your dad. Okay?"
"Okay." She sniffed and let him lead the way out.
__
"A room for two. One night." Ryxel talked to the hotel receptionist.
Karmale sat in one of the chairs with her legs up. Her head on her knees and her hands around her legs. She slowly rocked back and forth.
"Here is the key to your room, Sir." The lady with a hair cut passed the key to Ryxel who nodded and went to where Caramel was sitted.
"Come, Caramel." He gave her his hand to hold and she gladly took it.
They took the stairs and reached the second floor shortly after. That applies to their room too.
"Get comfortable. I'll use the washroom."
"Okay." She said and climbed the king sized bed.
Ryxel came back only to find her sitted in the middle of the enormous divan but fast asleep.
He sat up next to her and tapped her to wake up.
You couldn't guess what happened next.
She started crying. Ryxel was puzzled. Had he done something wrong to wake her. And the rate at which she was increasing the pitch in her sobbing, you could think he had kidnapped her.
"Caramel. Please. Don't cry. Please stop. Okay I'm sorry about waking you up. Please go back to sleep. Don't cry baby girl. You can take the whole bed if you want to. I don't mind sleeping in the chair." He apologized and even gave in the bed all in panic and ignorance. This side of Ryxel was humourous.
He slid off the bed and she just increased the volume.
"Oh holy crap! Shit! Fuck! What the fuck I'm I to do? Caramel just can't stop crying. To make matters worse, I don't know the reason as to why she is crying. Does she want the entire bed to herself cause I have already given her that. Maybe I should sing a lullaby." He was confused.
The only sensible thing left to do was to ask. He had to simply ask her.
He climbed back the bed and sat up next to her. His legs crossed diagonally one on top of the other as hers where up till her chest.
"Caramel." He called as he patted on her back.
"What's bothering you? Talk to me, please."
"It's nothing." She said after her sobs had quieted down.
"You know you can tell me anything." He pushed his luck.
"No, it's nothing."
"Please talk to me. Like friends are supposed to. Share with me, your special friend." That term made her smile.
He too smiled when she did. It felt like a miracle on Christmas when she smiled. Ryxel's hope of her speaking increased.
"Ryxel, aren't you tired?" She asked her voice ever so tiny and crusty.
"Yes, I am. The evening was a long one. I want to rest too. What a weird question though?"
"It's not weird. Just that I did not complete it." She weakly smiled.
"I see. Go ahead then. You have all my attention."
"Of me?" She completed the question and before he could say anything, she was building on her talk.
"I mean. I am such a mess. Take a good look at me. Look at Karmale Hale. She is ever crying and if not that, she is either complaining or defying your orders. So headstrong and sassy. Sassy sounds polite. I'm rude. Even my own family doesn't like me. I actually regret thinking they would at least take me in today for dad's sake. Ryxel, if my people can highlight my flaws then why do you still hold on to me like a prized possession? Don't you ever grow tired of broken, distant and attitude filled me?"
"I do. I do grow tired of you, Karmale Hale. Yes, I do. You are really something woman." He chuckled.
"But I am not hell bent on listing your flaws. They rather amuse me. I would say. They are not merely flaws. They are a beautiful link to who you are. They enable me to know you. Imperfections are a genuine presentation of who someone really is. Unlike perfection. It is fake."
"I'm flawed, Ryxel. Broken. I'm wild. Bad attitude right here."
"Flawed, you're true to yourself and everyone else. Broken, I'll fix you. I'll save you. Wild, I'll tame you."
"Ryxel."
"Caramel, you are MINE to fix, tame and save. MINE. So even if you tire me out, I'll will not be leaving because I'm yours to exhaust. That's what I signed up for. I am ready for it and I want it all."
"Thanks for being honest. I know I can be a handful sometimes." She smiled in the dim light of the room. A kind one that he returned with an understanding feeling.
"Get some sleep Caramel."
"Okay."she said and retired to the covers. He helped her pull them over her.
"Close your eyes."
She closed them but when she heard him climb down she peeled them open.
"And dad, Ryxel? What about my family? Will they let me see him?"
"They will. All they need right now is sometime to themselves. By tomorrow, they will be ready to let you see your dad."
"And if they don't let me?"
"They will. Sleep now."
He said and turned off the lamp.
"Are you seriously going to sleep in the chair? This bed is big enough for two, you know?"
...
"Ryxel please come sleep here. I'm scared all by myself."
He still didn't say anything but she felt the other side of the bed dip and she knew he was on the bed with her.
"Can I move in closer to you?"
He did not reply. Regardless, she found him in the dark and cooed next to him like a small cat. Her fists curled up next to his chest and her legs folded too.
"Kitten."
"Don't call me an animal, Ryxel." She yelled loud enough for the two to hear.
"I hate shy kittens. I would rather a wild cat. Meow!"
"Sleep tight, too." She uneasily said to him and to herself, "This conversation is cheesy and weird." But he heard and laughed.
"Caramel, I'm simply saying," he paused and had a good laugh.
"Save it." She snapped.
"Okay." He laughed. Even though the topic had annoyed her, something about his laughter made her smile. It carried a boyish humour so friendly and approachable. Unfortunately, his demeanor never held any such thing.
"Why did you stop smiling kitten?" He teased.
"I wasn't smiling." She denied.
"Don't lie. I could feel your lips tickle my skin."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, little cat. You are literally in my skin. Practically." He chuckled at how uneasy she became by his words. He was enjoying all this teasing.
She moved away a bit.
"Don't move, kitty. I love your fur next to my body."
"Ryxel, I am not some animal. Most so not a cat. For crying out loud you are insulting me. I am not hairy!" She fumed and completely moved away from him.
"Just sleep by yourself." She turned to her side of the bed.
"Move back, Caramel." He pulled her back but she nudged him away.
"Come on. Be a good kitten."
"Stop calling me that, Ryxel."
"It's only fair. The way you were balled up close to me. What other name would I give you?"
"I think you enjoy giving names. First Caramel and now Kitten. You should go baptise kids in church. Not me. Don't call me those things again." She complained.
"Okay, Karmale." He said and turned to his side.
Oh my God! Had it not been for darkness in the room, the look of disappointment on her face would have been such a give away. Her heart dropped. It didn't sound good when he called her her real name. That was because he made it sound plain and it made feel dejected.
"Woah, you just used my real name." She said as if offended.
"No problem. I like it that way." She confined in herself.
"Go to sleep, Karmale."
"Pronounce my name well, Ryxel." She turned and found that he had faced away. They were laying back to back. Everyone at their side of the bed.
When he ignored her, she jumped out of bed and moved to his side.
"Move in." She impatiently stamped her one foot on the floor as the other supported all her weight and her hands crossed her chest.
"Lay down. The space is enough." He had already moved in when he heard her leaving her side. He pulled her down. She lay with her back to him and he pulled the sheets over them.
___
"Karmale! Karmale! Wake up." Ryxel tapped on her.
"Mmhmm." She groaned.
"Karmale!"
"Why are you calling me that?" She jumped up and stood tall on the bed.
"I don't really like child naming and baptism as you said so I am sticking to your real name." He said as he meticulously did his black dress shirt buttons.
"Ryxel, I was jok-"
"Hurry and shower. Your clothes are already laid out for you."
" I... didn't carry any."
"Neither did I. I suppose the hotel people are so generous that they gave us clothes."
"Drop the sacarcism. Who got us clothes?"
"You know they are bought. Not just got." He shot back with stress on the word got.
Karmale just sighed in clear frustration.
"Karmale, I have my men here. I texted one of them and they got clothes delivered in the morning. Simple. Go bathe."
"Please stop calling me that." She came down.
"It's your name. Embrace it."
___
"Mr. Kane. Room number please?"
"101, miss." A different woman was at the receptionist desk this morning.
"Thank you." Karmale rushed.
She knocked and Michelle opened.
"How is dad?"
"He is fine. Just that he has not yet regained consciousness." Marie spoke. Caramel was surprised that she had effortlessly, she had got the report and more was still coming.
"His heart almost failed him yesterday, Hale. He was put on oxygen but his body had refused to respond. It was like that the whole of last night. It was only at 1:00am that it responded. We were scared that-"
"Don't say it my dear child." Their mother who was sitted on a chair closest to her husband holding his one hand in hers said.
"I won't, ma."
"Where are the boys?"
"They went home to prepare for dad's return."
"Woah. So fast."
"Yes, Kar-"
"Sorry but please just call me Hale. That other name is annoying."
"Oh okay. So, the doctor said that dad is good to go. The only thing left is for him to wake up and a few tests will be run here and there. Then he will be discharged."
"Okay. Sounds good."
"Good indeed." Marie approved with a smile.
"Hey girls, your dad is awake. He just firmly held onto my hand." Mrs. Kane elatedly exclaimed.
Everyone gathered around him but Karmale did not.
He smiled at them with no energy to say a word. His eyes searched all the faces present but didn't seem content.
"Did Karmale not come to see me?"
"She- " Marie thought to put in before she was interrupted.
"I am here dad." She said and they all turned leaving room for the old man to see his girl.
"Come sit next to me, Karmale."
"Yes, of course, dad." She said as tears welled up her eyes.
"Don't cry my dear. I'm fit and fine." He talked with fatigue evident in his voice but still managed to smile.
Karmale's tear glands loosened and she cried.
"I can see dad. Yes you are fine." She smiled.
"Yes. And don't be sorry about it. It's not your fault. It's my old age." He laughed at his own joke and all the rest joined in.
"With whom did you come here? Was it all by yourself?"
"No, with Ryxel, dad."
"And where is he?"
"Outside. He said he didn't want to intrude on family time. So he said he would wait from out."
"Maria, go and call Ryxel."
"I'll do it. Let me do it." Michelle offered.
"Please."
____
When Ryxel came in, Mrs. Kane excused herself and all her other girl's followed apart from Hale and Michelle.
"Karmale, come let's switch clothes." Michelle whispered in her ear.
"No. What makes you think I would accept. We don't even wear the same size." She whispered back.
"Michelle take Hale with you. "
"No."
"Come." Michelle pulled her out.
"Karmale, please. I have always wanted such sneakers."
"Michelle, no!"
"Please. You know it's the FILA label. Moreover, black. Such a badass colour. Okay your leather jacket. You can keep the dress. Please."
"No. No. No. Now let's go back in."
"Hale, please." She folded her hands.
"Just come. I'm never changing my mind on these."
"Maybe we could go for ice-cream, Sunshine." Ryxel suggested.
"Wow! Yes! Cotton candy flavour is what I have eyes for. Yes. Yes. Let's go!"
"Karmale, are you coming?" Ryxel asked.
"No, she isn't." Michelle put in for her.
"No, I'm not. I have to stay with dad. He is all by himself I guess."
"I am not that heartless Karmale. I only left after he had slept again. I also left Mrs. Kane there with your elder sister I assume."
"Okay. Let's go." She reluctantly agreed.
___
"I don't know why that man just cannot leave my daughter. Maria, I am scared he will turn out like Louis. Ryxel will do the same as Louis."
"Calm down, ma." Marie patted her back.
"I'm scared for my child. The problem is that she doesn't believe me when I say. That man is the wrong one."
"It's just like you said about Louis, ma. But I don't think Ryxel will turn out the same. Louis was immature. Ryxel isn't. Big difference."
"Maria, I am anxious. This man will hurt my poor child like Louis did. He will. Why doesn't Hale listen when I tell her to stay away from him?" The woman panicked.
"Relax, ma. Relax." Marie comforted.
#MADAM LAWYER.
Hey loveys, pleasure hits me whenever I reach the A/N part. I simply feel at ease as I type a HELLO to my very vital humans.🌠🌠
I also feel relieved after updating. 💃
"At least i have something up for my lovely readers this week." I say to myself.😌☺️
And when I don't, I feel sick and guilty. I feel like a disappointment or something... along line.😔
I try hard to make y'all happy and make your time of value. I hope you enjoyed this chapter sweethearts. It's slightly longer if you noticed. I also don't know why. I hope you don't mind. 😙
Babes be kind enough to vote and comment on this chapter. It will make me happy.😊✨
By the way, please take note of the name Louis.🙄🧐🧐We shall read more about him in the coming chapters. Not so soon though.😉
For now, let's wait for the ice-cream and seminar. The former will be fun but not the last one.🙃🙂 Spoiler!!!! 🤦
I have written this at night and it's morning already. It's 2:13am. Too bad, I'll publish it tomorrow... perhaps noon or evening we'll see.💛🤍 I wanted it to be a Monday update but I didn't make it in time so yeah, tomorrow pals.🤍💛
Thank you to all those who are reading my work. Whether a silent reader or one who communicates, I appreciate.🙏
Have a great day ✨ or night y'all. Stay safe❤️✨😷
Love you ❤️
Authoress
Andria 💋