FAITH AND DOLORES

    Dolores was in the kitchen when Faith came back. Faith was so frustrated that she stomped her feet on the floor, making her heels make a lot of noise. Dolores opened the kitchen door slightly and peeped from the creek. She watched as Faith kicked off her shoes in frustration and slumped on the couch, grunting. She made a face and gently closed the door. 

      Faith kept her head on the backrest and placed her palm on her forehead. What was she going to discuss with Adriana for a whole month? Twice a week for that matter. She felt thirsty and stood to go to the kitchen but her phone beeped and she sat back and fished it from her purse. It was Noah's message and her heart skipped. She opened the message and read it aloud. 

      "For getting back together, we are so far apart. Why don't I show you my newest achievement tonight?"

     She smiled to herself and looked away from the screen blushing. "He is asking me for another date." She texted him back. 

        What could be lovelier than that? Six is the time. 

      She stood up and her thoughts started running around. What clothes would she wear? How fabulous should she look? Oh, she was so confused. She started for the kitchen and her phone beeped again, excited she looked at the screen, it was Ethan. She groaned and opened the message still walking towards the kitchen. 

      Have you concluded yet? If so, can we go on a dinner with mom tonight? 

     She opened the kitchen door sighing, when she looked up she saw Mrs Floyd standing there and staring at her. She was so startled that she moved backwards and lost her balance. The next thing, she saw herself on the floor. 

       "You startled me!" she yelled. 

     The woman scoffed. "It is only the guilty ones that are startled." She walked past her into the living room. 

     Faith stared after her. What on earth was she going to be doing in this house with this woman? Her phone started to ring. She looked at it, it was Ethan, she rolled her eyes and answered. 

      "What?" 

      "Faith..."

      "It's Miss Pres..." She looked at Ethan's mom who was sitting on a couch now. An idea came to her head. She was going to get back at the woman for treating her this bad. Since the woman didn't like her she was going to annoy her by pretending she was really in love with her son. "Hi, babe!" she called cheerfully. 

       Ethan's brows furrowed in confusion and he looked at his screen to be sure it was Faith he called. "Hey," he said still confused. "Are you alright?" 

        "No, babe! I miss you so much. After our fight last night, I couldn't even sleep. When are you back? I need you to hold me." 

        "I take it that this is a yes to what I asked of you?" 

        "Babe, you don't need to ask me for anything. I'm all yours and you know how much I love you." 

       Ethan smiled. His heart kept thumping. Even though he knew they were all pretence but his heart kept racing. "Dinner tonight, yes?" 

        "Yes! You know that restaurant I love so much?" Faith said and glanced at Mrs Floyd who scowled and looked away. 

        "I will take you there. I'll call mom and tell her about this. Is she there? Is that why you are acting so romantic?" 

        Faith rolled her eyes. "Yes, my love she is here, should I give her the phone?" 

        "Sure," Faith stood up from the floor and went over to Mrs Dolores. "Ma'am, your son wishes to speak with you." 

         Dolores grabbed the phone from her. Faith gasped as Dolores stood up and eyed her. She moved closer to Dolores and whispered, "Please, make sure you don't drop it, I'm low on cash right now." 

       Dolores started going to her room. "I'll return your phone when I'm done speaking with my son!" she called entered her room and shut the door. 

       "Happy speaking!" Faith called back and tiptoed towards Dolores' door. She placed her ear on the door to hear what Mrs Floyd was saying. She couldn't hear a thing, then she straightened up. "What am I doing?" Whatever they say was none of her business, she wasn't even interested in Ethan, at least not for commitment. Her life was getting back on track.  

       Noah was taking things up again. She beamed and left Mrs Floyd's door but halted. She had promised to see Noah tonight and she had also gone ahead to accept Ethan's request to go for dinner. She sighed in frustration. 

        "What will I do now?" 

     The door handle clicked, Faith glanced back and quickly ran and laid on the couch, pretending she has slept off. Dolores walked up to her and slapped her on her shoulder. She sat up quickly. 

        "Ahhh! Why did you do that for?" 

        "Here is your phone, my son is still on the line and wants to speak with you." 

      My son, my son is it because I don't have a mother to call me her daughter? Faith yawned and took over the phone. Dolores started going back into her room. Faith placed the phone on her ear, hoping that Mr Floyd didn't agree to dinner. 

        "Hello, she didn't agree right?" she asked.

         "What are you talking about? She is totally in." 

      Oh, boy! Faith thought. She was so dead. How was she ever going to wiggle out of this? Who was she going to ditch for the other? 

        "My mom is not a bad person. She is just acting on the first impression she had of you, but believe me, it would soon wear off and she would get to know that you are a nice person and you will see, everything would be fine." 

        "How long is she staying here?" Faith blurted. 

     There was silence at the other end of the line for a while, then Ethan said. "I know that this might be a little difficult for you but believe me, things would get better soon." 

        "We really need to talk. How long will all these last? When will it end? If I get on your mom's good side then what?" 

        "We would discuss that when I get home, I'm on my way."

         They hung up. Faith sighed. She needed to see Nora. She got up and grabbed her purse to leave, but Mrs Floyd came out of the room. 

       "Going somewhere?" Dolores asked. 

    Faith turned and looked at her. "Why?" 

      Dolores went and sat on a couch. "For a young woman, you seem to have so many places to go. You just came back a few minutes ago." 

      Faith chuckled and walked to her front. "I'm a career woman Mrs Floyd, that you see me get off work anyhow I like is because I am my boss and my job requires appointments. And that I'm dating your son shouldn't restrict my freedom of movement, should it?" 

      Dolores eyed her and looked away without saying anything. 

       Faith smiled. "Right. If you have nothing else to say, I beg to take my leave." She started leaving without looking back at Mrs Floyd. 

        Nora held the file out to the other nurse that was to take over from her. "This is Mrs Eloise Sheen, she is an accident patient and I have already given her the pain relief, no need for another one." 

       "Alright." 

       "I have got to go now," Nora said. The door flung open and Faith came in. "Faith!" she called. 

        "I desperately need to speak with you, do you have time?" Faith asked. 

         "Let me change my clothes in the dressing room." 

        "Alright," Faith said. Nora hurried away. 

       A few minutes later, they were in Nora's car driving to a Korean restaurant to have kimchi. Nora craved it. 

       "You sounded quite distressed when you came earlier, what is the problem?" Nora asked, keeping her eyes on the road. 

        "Ethan asked me to go on a dinner date with his mom. You know, his fake girlfriend thing." 

        "Oh," Nora said still focusing on the road. 

        "I'm just so frustrated. It started with meeting that doctor. Can you imagine that Dr Ingrid sent me to a psychiatrist?" 

       "What? Does she think you are not mentally alright or what?" 

        "Exactly my thoughts. But my real problem is on the dinner date. I can't go." 

       "Why? This is your chance to get on his mom's good side." 

        "That is it. I don't wanna get on her good side, I don't want her to approve me for her son so that this charade would end sooner than later." 

        "Really?" 

       "The woman is really a handful." 

       "Still you should get on her good side. If I get that opportunity, I'll do that." 

        "I'm not good with mothers, I can't act the way people expect me to act around them." 

       "So, you don't want to go to the dinner? Why?" 

       "Because Noah and I are going on a date tonight and I forgot and agreed to Ethan's dinner with his mom." 

        "Holy shit! What are you gonna do now?" 

      Faith shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I will wait until night falls." 

       Nora stepped on the accelerator and the car lunged forward. 

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