Chapter Fourteen

Joe returned after four weeks away, but instead of going home to rest, he went to Vintage Hospital to bring Bianca home. When they arrived, the gateman opened the door for the black Range Rover SUVs to enter. Philip parked the car in the wrong area and caught the attention of a security guard who approached him to direct him to the proper parking spot. However, Philip ignored the guard and Joe got out of the car. When the security guard saw Joe and recognized him, he bowed and greeted him. The other guards also bowed and greeted Joe. In response, Joe gave them a thumbs-up and a smile. He then hurried into the receptionist area.

The receptionist was surrounded by a crowd of people, eager to see the doctor, resembling ants gathering around food. Surprisingly, Joe managed to make his way to the front without any objections or warnings, as everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the doctor. When he reached the front, Joe lightly tapped the lady's hand who was sitting at the reception desk, getting her attention. She looked up, about to speak, but fell silent and smiled when she saw Joe, greeting him almost immediately.

"How can I help you, Sir?" She said, flashing her white thirty-two teeth.

"There is a patient called Bianca, can you show me off to her ward," Joe said.

"I think someone came early in the morning to ask for her," the lady responded.

"Is the person still there?" Joe asked.

Joe's mind was filled with numerous questions, but the crowded and chaotic environment made it difficult for him to find the right moment to address the pressing issues on his mind.

"I think so," she said, "let me call the doctor to take you there right now."

Before Joe could respond, the receptionist swiftly picked up her phone and dialed a number. Within seconds, someone answered the call. She informed the person on the line that Joe was present and in need of urgent assistance. Without further delay, she ended the call.

"He will soon be here," she said.

As Joe stepped out, a male doctor wearing a white overall and a name badge on his left breast arrived. He left the door slightly ajar, bowing his head and greeting Joe. In response, Joe extended his hand for a handshake. The doctor's gesture, with a hint of "is it me?" expression, indicated that it was a rare privilege for him to shake hands with someone as notable as Joe.

They both climbed the staircase without muttering words to each other as they galloped along the 'T' and 'I' of the long passage.

"Where is Dr. Kenneth?" Joe asked, finally breaking the silence that had ruled for a long time.

"He is on a break for now, Sir," he said, opening a door in front of him.

As soon as the door opened, Joe's eyes focused on Bianca's location. He took a step back, seemingly taken aback by her sudden appearance or the drastic change in her physical appearance. Trying to maintain composure, Joe attempted to pretend as if nothing was amiss. However, the observant doctor standing in front of him noticed Joe's reaction and was about to inquire about what was wrong. Joe quickly silenced him, saying, "It was just a minor hiccup, I'm fine."

"I'm fine, it was just a minor hiccup." Joe uttered.

Joe rushed towards Bianca, his gaze fixed on her. Without hesitation, he dropped down to his knees and embraced her tightly. Bianca simply smiled in response to his affectionate gesture.

"Bi-bi," this time he called her the name that Lucky gave to her, "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." Bianca said.

"Thank God for your recovery." He said, pulling out of the embrace and gazing at her body.

Bianca's smile revealed her dimples, although they were not as pronounced as before due to the loss of flesh in that area. Nonetheless, it still reminded Joe of the first day he met her, evoking a rush of memories and emotions.

The sound of zipping and unzipping bags, the squeaking of nylon materials rubbing against each other, and the rolling of tires caught Joe's attention. He turned his head to see who was causing the noise, and to his surprise, it was Lucky.

"You finally noticed my presence," Lucky said, smiling at Joe.

Lucky continued to create noise by repeatedly zipping and unzipping the bag while also causing the nylons to squeak simultaneously.

"Stop that," Joe warned, sternly.

The doctor approached Lucky and gave him a pat on the shoulder as a signal to stop making noise. Lucky grinned while nodding. Joe felt the feel of Bianca's hands while he was holding them. Compared to last week, her health was better. Her eyes were drawn in, leaving what appeared to be a hollow within her eye area, and even her face was gradually regaining some flesh. Even though she found it difficult, she complied with Joe's request to stand up, and when she did, she moved while Joe could only look at her.

"That means we can leave since you've fully recovered."

Bianca flashed her teeth and smiled.

"Lucky prepare her stuff, let's leave," Joe summoned.

"That's what I was doing before you told me to stop," Lucky said.

"Because you were making some hell of a noise with it."

"I did that because I wanted you to recognize me. And my mission was finally completed," he said.

Joe was aware that if he persisted in talking to him, Lucky would drag him into another conversation and make fun of it. The male doctor approached Joe and motioned for his attention with his hands. Then, in order to prevent anyone inside from hearing their conversation, he went to the door and opened it while he waited for Joe to leave. Joe most likely had never wanted to leave before, but he had to.

As they stepped outside, the doctor attempted to initiate a conversation but was unable to speak clearly due to stammering. Joe noticed this and wondered why a doctor would stammer, finding it odd. However, the doctor eventually cleared his throat and spoke clearly, but his voice seemed tense. He informed Joe about the amount required for Lucky and Bianca's treatment. Joe requested the hospital's bank account number, and the doctor promptly provided it, as if anticipating the request. Joe then took out his phone and began entering the details. Given to Joe after the doctor tore apart a large side and left the other part intact, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bundle of papers that resembled a receipt. The doctor then took out his pen from his breast pocket and scribbled on the receipt before handing it over to Joe.

Lucky got out of the car and used a key to open the main gate so the vehicle could enter. Philip parked at the front of the main building. Bianca followed Joe out of the car. Joe gave Mark a black nylon after he ran over to him and bowed his head to the ground to greet him before Joe went inside the house.

After his arduous journey, he was surprised that Esther didn't run out to greet him. However, Mark had informed him that she had just returned from the outside fifteen minutes prior to their return, so Joe didn't think she was not at the mansion or was likely sleeping. He was just thinking about her attitude at the time. Esther revealed her face when she pulled back the curtain in the living room. At the very least, Bianca hurried to give her a hug. With a flick of her hand, Esther motioned for Bianca to stop immediately as she withdrew.

"Don't," Esther spoke, seeing Bianca coming nearer.

Bianca felt dejected. It showed in her throwing of her hands in a frustrated figure and a head bow to the floor.

"Esther, please forgive me," said Bianca.

Joe, who was watching the action, was alerted by the sound of his name that echoed in his ear like crackling thunder from Esther. He was taken aback. He wanted to talk, but Esther had thrown him into a question.

"Just tell me," Esther said, "choose between me or this hag?"

Joe's eyes squinted.

He wasn't expecting the question. This was a tough question to answer. How would he approach it? It was a worry for him.

"Can you give me some breathing space," he asked as he used his key to open his bedroom door.

Esther laughed gently, clapping her hands as if there was no flesh in them.

"Who do you think you are playing games with? Me? Look at this whore who went straight to the hospital to pick a harlot. A devilish gold digger. You chose to pick her and take her first instead of coming to me. I know your problem. You just want to have more enjoyment. Greedy man. Don't worry, I will show the both of you. Just look at what greediness can cause a man. The girl you carried from the hospital looks like a skeleton. Even a skeleton is better than her. I just hope she won't have given you HIV/AIDS." Esther reeled, ranting in the air.

Bianca was so frozen in place that she was unable to move forward or backward. She had imagined a different atmosphere in the car as she was returning; however, this was odd. She believed Esther would view her with sympathy. If nothing else, her protracted hospitalisation ought to have convinced Esther to put her past wrongs behind her. The last thing Esther said, Bianca understood, was directed solely at her. What could she do, though? If not, ingest it and salivate it for digestion.

It was dawn. A fresh new morning of a foggy atmosphere, the cloud was light blue as the sun rose up bright but dim. Joe who looked enigmatic early this morning, gathered everyone to the sitting room. He started by telling everyone how difficult the journey was. The constant delay in the airport and the hostile weather that welcomed him. Suddenly, he stopped the conversation and ordered everybody to leave except Esther. The funniest part of this was, the way Esther and Joe reconciled together after event that went through yesterday―was something amazing.

From that moment of their conversation, Joe temperament changed. He shouted when giving instructions, and got easily irritated whenever he saw someone idle. Bianca who looked like the person protected in his hands became a subject of derision and abuses in his sight. And anytime he threw insult at Bianca, a giggling voice was heard. Esther tantrums stopped. It looked like this was a planned game from the both of them. Probably to frustrate Bianca in running away from the house. Joe started sending Bianca errands upon errands. Bianca noticed that Joe had totally changed. He was always getting angry and heated up at any slight chance. One fateful day after Bianca took many thoughts into consideration. She tried approaching Joe. Probably to tell him about his mercurial temperament, but before she got near to him. Joe warned her not to come near to him. This shocked her. As she was about turning back, tears rushed out of her eyes rolling down to her cheeks. The person she thought as a divine helper to her had become an enemy all of a sudden.

"Why are you crying" Lucky said, walking out of the kitchen.

Bianca ignored him and went to her room, before she could bolt the door from behind, Lucky had almost gotten in.

"Why are you crying?" Lucky said, walking out of the kitchen.

Bianca ignored him and went to her room. Before she could bolt the door from behind, Lucky had almost gotten in.

"Tell me, why are you crying?" Lucky asked.

"The frustration is too much. I have to leave here." Bianca voiced out.

"To where, exactly?"

"Anywhere."

"Like where?"

Bianca didn't answer him again probably the recurrent question made her to weep the more. Lucky started consoling her. At that moment, Joe dashed in and was surprised to see Lucky inside the room. Perhaps his intention of coming to the room was slightly destroyed by the mere seeing of Lucky. Joe shouted at him and warned him that if he doesn't leave the room now, he would kill him. Shockingly, as Lucky intended to leave. He himself also left there. Lucky who would have just try to catch some fun with it, quietly walked away even his footstep wasn't heard.

Meanwhile as the both of them left, Bianca stopped crying. It was as if she had long wished to be the only one in the room and it came to pass. She started thinking of the best place she would go to because Joe wasn't what she had long thought of him. He might end up killing her or chase her away or do something strange to her. But where was she going to rest her head? Was a question she never had an answer to. She contemplated returning to the bridge, but didn't want Joe or the others who were there before to track her down and bombard her with questions about why she left. Some people there might mock her. And which might make her commit suicide. But what made Joe develop such a sudden change in character was a far imagination that could not be mystified by her. She stopped thinking for a while as she stood up to walk to her box. Suddenly, a sharp blow struck her head, as if someone had used a bass drumstick. She instinctively clutched her head, attempting to alleviate the throbbing pain. Struggling, she made her way to her box, unlocking it. Grabbing a jotter and pen, she hurriedly began scribbling on a piece of paper. She spent minutes and hours writing, her tears accompanying each word, until she finally completed it. With a heavy heart, she returned the jotter and pen to the box. Exhausted, she struggled to return to her bed and lay down upon it.