THE HEART OF A LUCIFER

Linda stands and collects the novel from her father. "I will be right back." she runs upstairs, making really loud noises on the stairs. "Mom!" she calls checking all the rooms upstairs, kicking the doors open. "Where are you?!" she asks again and kicks her parents matrimonial room open, she sees her mom sitting on the chair opposite the dressing mirror, looking at herself as she sips her tea. "Here you are!" Linda says and shuts the door behind her matching straight to her mom.

"What do you want again?" Jessica asks looking at her daughter through the dressing mirror. "Why are you shouting around the house? Screaming my name as if I fainted?!"

Standing behind her mom and looking at her through the dressing mirror too. "I will like to have a word with you, right now."

"You don't order me around young lady! Not especially when you are in my house!" Jessie cautions with a tone of authority.

She raises the novel, displaying clearly the book cover. "Was this the book what you used?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about." Jessie waves it off and sips her drink.

"Mom!" Linda calls and drops the novel on the floor in annoyance.

"Leave this room, if that is all you have to say."

"A woman who betrayed the man she loved because he loves another woman." Linda sniffs, she appears to be sobbing. "Isn't that you, and Ella's parents?"

Jessie stands in annoyance and faces her daughter in rage. "Can you please leave me alone?"

"You preferred to follow this book and cause this amount of ruin?"

"I preferred to be the lonliest woman on earth than to watch Peter be with another woman and live happily."

"You already watched them for thirteen years mom." Linda whispers sadly.

"I hope you all knew how terrible it was for me to live then. Do you know how irritating it was for me to look at Ella and her trashy mom?" Jessie asks screaming, and panting loudly.

"You have no excuse mom, there will never be a right reason for doing all the terrible things you did." she stamps on the novel for about five times. "This is exactly how I would have stamped on you, if you weren't my mother." She says and walks out.

"That little girl." Jessie whispers beneath her breath.

*********

"What? Shamim saved the life of a young lady by paying for her medical bills?" Ella asks.

"Yes." Malik nods.

"Shamim is turning into a real man now." She says.

"I was so happy when I heard that too, no matter what happens I will always have it at the back of my mind that my son saved someone's life." Lola adds with smiles.

"I still think you should have brought the girls here with you." Miss Smith whispers changing the topic.

"I don't like the idea of bringing my entire children to the hospital." Malik retorts calmly.

"Do not worry, just get well soon and on time, they are at home waiting for you." Lola assures.

"What about Jessica and Emerens?"

Malik and Lola exchange short glances. Showing a bit of resistance, before talking. "They are doing fine." Malik replies not sounding too bright and clear as always.

"You shouldn't worry about them now, just focus on your recovery that's all." Lola whisoers.

"Mom, dad." She calls and looks at them consecutively. "I have a favor to ask of you both."

"If it is concerning Jessica and Emerens, I don't want to hear it." Malik gives his condition.

"But why? I am your daughter, you should do all request of you." Miss Smith protests.

"Do all you say?!" Lola asks and scoffs. "If we did all you requested, then I guess you won't be alive by now. Have you forgotten the day you wanted to fly?"

Ella frowns a bit and asks. "I wanted to fly?"

"Don't you remember?" asks Malik. "That day you tied a kite round your waste, saying if a kite can fly, you should be able to do so too."

"Oh!" she exclaims with a soft laugh. "Why do you keep making reference to that day?"

"That is to tell you that, as parents we have monitor you and watch you closely." Lola whispers.

"Mom." Miss Smith calls and holds her mother's hands. "You just said it that you will always remember, Shamim saved someone's life. But I am busy taking people's lives."

"Shut up!" Malik cautions. "It's not your fault they turned out like that, do not blame yourselves for their own misfortune."

"I do not want history to repeat itself. Jessica's mom and grandfather went to jail cause of me, they died while serving their term. What will happen if she goes to jail too?"

Lola exhales deeply with her head down and gently raises it. "They already took their own lives."

"What? They did what?" asks Ella.

"We shouldn't be telling her that now." Malik tries to caution his wife.

"She is later going to find out anyways, so whats the point in hiding it?"

Disappointment is written all over Miss Smith's face immediately. "I was trying to avoid that." she whispers calmly. "What am I slowly turning too? A murderer?"

"Do not use such words on yourself!" Lola retorts.

"Mom, all together now, four different people have died because of me. I indirectly killed them."

"Ella?!" Lola calls loudly.

"You see why I said you shouldn't have told her?" Malik asks his wife.

"Please, spare Cassandra." Ella pleads whispering.

"I promise you she won't die, but she can't escape her jail term after the trial." says Malik.

"Why are you asking us to spare Cassandra?" Lola asks In a very low tone. "She is a very terrible human being,"

"For the sake of Shamim."

Lola positions herself and looks away. "Leave him out of this."

"No matter what happens, the fact that he once loved and cherished Cassandra will never change."

Malik exhakes deeply and says. "Even if I allow it, do you think Eric would? He is solely in charge of the case."

"Uncle Eric will do as you say once you have a reasonable for it. Please, just let her go. Her life is full of regrets already.