Torn Between The Two

Henry made his way back to his office. The whispers could be heard all over the building.

Everyone was talking about the statement he made. "It was unbelievable", "But when and how did they hook up?"...people were baffled.

But some part of them remained very sad that this love affair turned so deadly.

Henry asked the security escorts to allow Sarah into his office. He had to speak with her.

Sarah walked in looking like she had just rolled out of bed.

Her eyes were puffy. She reeked alcohol and she even looked like she had lost weight.

That saddened Henry even more.

"Henry...Why?" she said as she walked in the door. Henry was leaning against the glass window.

"Sarah...I am sorry but I should be asking you why?", he responded.

"Asking me why"?, she asked with her eyes wide opened.

She brushed off the statement because she clearly didn't understand Henry's question.

"How long Henry,?" she cried.

"Sarah...It hasn't been long. But I love her. And I love you also..." Henry admitted.

These words caused Sarah to feel weak. She held on to the office desk for support. It was like a part of her was dying.

"What now Henry?...what now?...I will divorce you,...I won't be put to shame. It's OK if it were a secret love affair Henry....But...But...not in the open like that", she said wiping her tears.

As Henry was about to make another statement, his phone rang. It was the hospital.

"Ok. I am on my way"...he said, instructing Sarah to wait for him at home.

Sarah screamed his name across the room. "Hennryyy...what has happened to you?...."

Her loud cries echoed the third floor of the building. It rattled all the nearby offices.

When Henry arrived at the hospital, he was accompanied by Mr. Williams, his confidant.

The Dr. informed him that the surgery didn't make a big difference in Isabella's condition. She hadn't improved.

"Sir she would need a heart transplant. This is the only way..." the Dr said.

Henry broke down in tears but quickly asked ... "Do we have any donors...where can we find one", he said.

There was silence in the room.

"Finding a heart is not as easy as replacing a kidney. The blood type would have to be the same. It has to be a healthy heart...we...we just don't know..." the Dr informed.

Henry realized that no amount of money he had could help the situation now. He realized that he was helpless.

He realized that the thing that he feared the most had come upon him. Isabella was dying.

Williams pat Henry on the back. They both went into the room where Bella's lifeless body laid.

Henry asked William to leave the room but William scolded him instead. He reminded Henry that it wasn't his fault but Henry knew better.

"Be strong Henry. You need to be strong. There's a lot to do. You can't just give up because of one woman," Williams said, afraid that he would be fired.

"Leave us", Henry shouted at Williams.

Henry leaned over Isabella's bed weeping.

"Bella...my love...please forgive me for failing you. Please forgive me for putting you through this. I am sorry for loving you so much...forgive me...Lord forgive me" he said, leaving the room

A distressed Henry drove to the cancer center to see Janet-Bella's mom. He got the information Bella's work file. He knew where her mother was.

He had no idea what he would say to her.

By now she had already heard what had happened but he felt the onus was on him to pay her the courtesy and speak with her himself.

When he walked into the center, he was escorted to Janet.

He noticed she looked a lot like Isabella in an older version.

She didn't even look sick. She had a pleasant smile on her face but one could tell that she was sad.

"Janet this gentleman is here to see you", an assistance said before leaving the room.

Janet looked puzzled..."sir how can I help you,?′ she asked politely.

"My name is Henry Stevens. I am the man who has been with your daughter...the one who was at the scene of the attempted murder...I ju..."

But before Henry could finish, Janet's face turned angry.

She stood up from the Sofa and slapped Henry so hard in the face it shocked his eardrums.

"Why are you here...get out", she said, with tears in her eyes.

"Ma'am...I love your daughter...I real...", another slap prevented Henry from finishing his sentence.

This time he felt his brain shifted.

He held unto the left side of his cheek absorbing every inch of the pain. For an old lady this woman had some power in her hands.

"I deserve it...I should have been in that hospital bed...not her," he said as he wept.

Janet knew when a man loved a woman. She knew Henry wasn't faking it. She realized that this man loved her daughter indeed.

"Young man...do you believe in God?", she asked. "I I...I mean I know there's a God but...but...", Henry couldn't finish his words.

Janet stood up and held his hands. She felt sorry and realized he was just a weak human...like all of us....

"Let us pray for Bella" she said.

Janet stood and started to pray for her dying daughter.

She apologized to Henry for hitting him and asked that he forgave her.

Janet was a woman of faith. She was born and raised in church and had a relationship with God.

Isabella also knew God but backslide at some point.

Her mother's prayer was that she returned to her maker.

She had faith that this would be so.

However, with the latest developments, she wondered if Bella would even make it alive to repent.

Janet and Henry had a good conversation before he left her, promising to return.

Henry drove home and, on his way,, he called Williams, instructing him to make arrangements to move Janet from the Cancer Center.

Henry owned a home in the mountains and decided to have her move there instead.

He also instructed Williams to advertise jobs to have two private doctors hired to provide home care for Janet.

"Ensure that they are the best. We will pay them whatever they require...", Henry demanded.

Bella was the one taking care of her mother and with her current condition, Henry didn't have much hope that she would pull through.

After the 45 minutes' drive from seeing Janet, Henry pulled into the parking lot of his Jersey home.

He sighed at the fact that he had to deal with Sarah...Not because he didn't care but simply because he knew what to expect.

He stayed in his vehicle, contemplating whether he had the energy to go inside the house.

But his thoughts were interrupted by a loud slamming on his car window. "Henry get in here...", Sarah screamed.

Henry opened the car door and stood up.

Sarah hugged him tightly. "I love Henry...I love you so much...Think of our children...have you been spell bound? ", she asked crying.

He held Sarah and didn't want to let go. Not because he wanted to be close to her really, but it felt like the only human, he could embrace to feel some kind of comfort.

After about a minute of holding each other, Henry whispered "Murderer..."

Sarah immediately let go of her husband.

Her eyes wide opened...lips trembling, hands shaking.

"Whaaa What do you mean?" She stuttered.

"I mean that you are a murderer Sarah..." he went back into his car and drove off.

Henry was heading back to the hospital.

He wanted to be near the woman he loved. Well...one of them.