13. Acrimony

The early morning sunlight, soft and diffuse, gives way to the first strong rays of the day, the ones that bring true warmth. In this light, water evaporates in slow waves, waves that eddy in the gentle breeze, flowing upward to white-puffed clouds, ships of white in the blue above. The opera from the trees becomes all the more powerful, as if these golden rays are their conductor's wand, and together they are the song that calls forth the spring...

Laura breathe in the sweet air as the birds soften the dawn with their chorus..., The sun poured through the cracks in the curtain and awaited entrance into Laura's eyes. Sight still in the clutches of the night's glue, she hesitantly rubbed the dreams away. Thoughts of the visions in sleep come and go in waves, clinging on to the very last memory before her sudden temporary departure....

"Good morning..."Stephen, the doctor said before checking her wrist...."How are you Mrs Richard..?"

Laura rubbed the remainder of sleep from her eyes and gazed at the horizon....

"Where am i...?"She asked shabbily

"Hospital..."Stephen replied jotting somr things on his diary..."Your husband brought you in lastnight..., you were unconscious..."

Her head swell with anger when her head brood over what happened..., that bastard beat her until she fainted..., her hands glided to her stomach, eyes enlarged with fear, she faced Stephen..."My baby.., how's my baby...?"

Adrenaline flood her system, pumping and beating like it's trying to escape when Stephen gave no reply

"Stephen..., my baby.., is my baby okay...?"

"Mrs Richard..."

"Stop calling me that.."She snarled..."You've never called me that so don't start now.."

Stephen sigh..."Laura.., am sorry.."

Her fear sparked in her belly with added gasoline..."You're sorry what..?"

He nibbed his lips, involuntarily snap his forehead with a finger before speaking up..."You lost the baby..."

Laura's heart froze..., she can't lose the baby, she was planning on keeping it after watching "Am a kid again..", the kids were adorable, then she started believing that truly her child was a gift to put a smile in her face.., and now....

"I lost my baby..."She stated, voice engulfed in tremors..

Stephen exhales..."You were bleeding profusely when he brought you in..., you're lucky to have lost only the baby...."

"I lost my baby.."She cut in with a yell....

"Am sorry.."

Her hands tremble with quickening breathes, then beads of tears began to flow from her eyes...

"Does Richard knows you were Pregnant...?"

She didn't reply, she just smouldered in her angry look and let the tears flow constantly from her eyes..

"Should i call Richard and tell him you're awake...?"

Eyes sparkling anger, she shift her angry gaze at him..."No.."

"Do you want me to call anyone....?"

She blink, giving permission for more tears to run down her cheek...."Call my friend.."

"Your friend..."He reiterated

"Yes, Daisy..."

He jut his chin and took his phone out..."Do you know her phone number...?"

She look away, allowing her anger relax inside her before it tears her apart....

"Yes.."

"Okay..., am listening.."

She sniffled before calling out Daisy's phone number to him....

********************

Lily rested her head on her hand, her face red with suppressed rage, in her lying position, she glare at Tony as he stood up from the bed and trot towards the wardrobe, another night without sex...

The moment Tony entered the bathroom, Lily jump from the bed and pick up Tony's phone eager to see the picture of the whòre he was masturbating to...

She bit her lip, hard that she felt the pain, he had a password on his phone.....

Infuriated with his bullshit, she pounce on the bathroom door like an enraged panther and gave it a violent knock..

The door open a second later and she stepped in with a yell...

"Which married man puts a password in his phone...?"She queried, voice molded in spite..

"You went through my Phone...?"He fling back holding the towel around his waist to prevent it from falling..

"Yes.."She retorted..."To see the whòre you were masturbating to lastnight.., but your phone is locked.., why..?"

"Because it's private.."

His words sparked her rage...."Private to who, your wife..?"

"Private to everyone..."

"Because you stored the pictures of your whòres in it.., you cheating bastard.."

"Lily, i don't have time for this..."

Her head swelled with resentment, she glared at him before forcefully pulling the towel from his waist baring him naķed....

"What is wrong with you...?"Tony yelled

"You not having sex with me is wrong with me..."She yelled back...."What do you think i am Tony, a picture you look at one second and in the next you've forgotten it was there, an entertainer who yells at you and beg you for sex...., am a human Tony..., for christ sake am a human, i craved sex like other women do, i want to be fùcked like other women are been fùcked..., and if you can't give me that, then I'll get it somewhere else..."

"You won't do that..."He said stepping out to take another towel..

"I'll do whatever i want.., you know why Tony, because you're a useless vegetable..."

His heart bruised at the harsh words..."Am a what...?"He ask facing her...

"A withered and useless vegetable.."She reiterated angrily..

"Is that what you call your husband..?"

"Husband..."She laughed hysterically..."You're just a band who derives pleasure from masturbation..., aren't you ashamed of yourself..., what married man masturbates...?"

He took a deep breath, grabbed another towel and retrace his steps to the bathroom...

"Who is she...?"Lily queried, rage seething her insides..

He stopped and spun around to face her..."Who is who..?"

"I just said 'she', don't pretend like you didn't hear it..."

"Who is she...?"

Irritation sliced across her face..."Do not take me for a fool..."

"Am not taking you for a fool, in the other way, you're the one taking me for a fool...,besides she is not a person's name..."

"Am talking about the she, the whòre, whose picture you were masturbating to last night..."She snapped

"I wasn't masturbating to any whòre..."

"A man then.."She riposte..

"Why would i masturbate to a man..?"

"Cos you're capable of many things that i detest..."

"Like.."

"Like not having sex with your wife, like asking to bang me in the ass, like masturbating..."

"What's your thing with sex..?"He asked irritated

"What's your thing with no sex..?"She fling back

He exhales..."Am taking my bath.."

"Well what else do you do than taking your bath...?"She sneer

"What's that supposed to mean...?"

"What it's supposed to mean..."She riposte

"Don't cheat on me Lily..."

Exasperation flushed her insides...."I shouldn't cheat, you want me to remain sex starved all my life and watch you masturbate to your old cargo whòres pictures..."

"You masturbate.., why are you making mine a big deal...?"

"I don't masturbate..."

He scoff..."Then the fake big black penìses in the drawer are for what..., remote for the TV..?"

"No they're there, in place of you..."

"So then you agree you fùck yourself...."

She bit on her lip.."You're shameless Tony...., you cannot perform as a man and you aren't even bothered about it and you open your big mouth that moans from your stupid masturbation to tell me to not cheat on you....., you must be really stupid..."

"Enough of the insults Lily, there's a limit to what i can take..."

"And there's a limit to what i can take.."She yelled back....."What sort of a man are you...?"

He didn't reply, instead, he walked into the bathroom and shut the door, what followed was the erratic sound of water dropping from the shower....

"We're not done Tony, we're not..."She shouted banging the bathroom door...

*******************

Her stomach ringing with butterflies, Janet entered the restaurant..., she look around then she found him sitting in a corner..., she wore a smile on and walk towards him...

"Hi..."Janet said..

She blushed when Kenny open his mouth at her sight...

"God.., you're an angel..."Kenny said giving her his own smile..

"Angels are in heaven.."She teased before sitting opposite him..

"This one...."He pout and look at her face..."Is in earth..."

Her body tingle with an unexplainable feeling...."You asked me to come.."

His cheeks radiates with a smile before he spoke up..."Yeah.."

"What's the urgency.?"

"Are you angry i asked you to come...?"

"No, am not..., just that am a bit scared my madam might show up at my workplace.., though i asked Flora, my colleague to cover up for me.., i told her I'll get her an icecream when i get back..."

"And icecream she shall get.."

She chuckle...

"I keep thinking about you...."Kenny said

She blush..."We spoke all through lastnight after the party.."

"I wasn't comfortable with the late night call, i allowed you have your sleep, remember..."

"Yeah, i do.."

"Well i couldn't sleep after i ended the call..."

"You should have called back..."She said.., then her conscience barked at her she hated night calls..., maybe she hated it with only Barry...

"Wanted to.., but i felt you still need to get your sleep.., i saw how stressed you were after the party..."

"God, i hated the party..."

"Is your friend still angry you left...?"

"Daisy..., i haven't even called her since we last spoke..."

"It's my fault, i shouldn't have dragged you away the way i did..."

She smile...."Trust me, you did me a huge favour when you dragged me out, i was getting fed up with the whole party noise and sight of girls with panty gowns..."

"Panty gowns...!"

"Yeah...."She suck in before saying..."The type that reveals everything you have..."

He chuckle...."Am no fan of these type of parties either..."

"I never wanted to go there, my friend dragged me along..."

He smile and reach for her hand...

His touch sent her body electrifying with strange desires....

"I got you something...."Kenny said pulling his hand from hers..., he deep his hand in his pocket and took a necklace box...

"Here..."He said handling it to her..

Face brimming with excitement, she collected it, then she opened it...., her face flushed with shock when she took out a diamond pendant....

"Oh my God..."She slack-jawed...."A diamond pendant..., is this for me..?"

He smile..."Yeah..., it's a gift from the purest part of my heart to you.."

"Oh My God Kenny, this must have cost you a fortune..."

"For you..., anything is priceless..."

A swoon washed over her and she felt the urge to kiss him...."Thank you.."

"Thank you for coming into my life..."He replied...

She almost cried..."I really appreciate this Kenny, i really do...., thank you..."

He reached her hand again, his face looking straight at hers...

Janet felt her heart jumping with confused feelings and a violent desire to kiss him stupid.....

"I love you..."He mutter

Janet eyes enlarged with butterflies.., she swallowed as the words registered in her head once more..

"You....

"I love you.."He said again caressing her hand with his right thumb.....

She try to talk but what came out from her mouth was engulf in stutters.."You..., you love me..?"

"I know it's too soon, I've thought about it, these feelings inside me as not just as friends..., i think about you day and night, you have no idea how am feeling right now that I've let that out..."

"How do you feel..?"She asked Shabbily

"Free..., my feelings for you have been biting me from the inside for days now...., i just have to tell you, you don't need to love me back, if you aren't interested it's fine, i won't force you take any decision against your will..."

She ran out of words to say to him...

"But whatever you decide Janet, know that i love you with my heart.."

She sat dumbfounded, how stupid she must be in front of him, just staring at him like that, allowing his words sink into the deepest part of her soul....

"You want to eat something...?"He ask pulling his hand from hers....

His question snapped her from her thoughts, her head still spinning with conflicting thoughts, she said..."Yes.."

*******************

"Careful Laura..."Daisy said as she pushed the door open..., a wave of bitterness swept across her face when she saw Richard watching a football match...

"Look who's back home..."Richard sass..."My wife..."

Burning rage hissed through Laura's body like deathly poison, screeching a demanded release in the form of an almost unwanted uproar.., Daisy noticed and stopped her before she booked them a flight ticket to hell..

"Laura please, don't answer him, just go to your room..."Daisy mutter..

Face rigid with anger, Laura walked away.., Daisy sigh and shift her gaze to Richard

"If we keep meeting like this, I'll begin to think you need something from me, something big and pointing, something that can fill a hole..."Richard sneer...

Daisy frown, a vein pulsing in her forehead...."You disgust me..."

"Ah ha...., you said that to me at the party....., just nod if you're thinking what am thinking..."

Irritation sliced across Daisy's face..."How could you do that to your wife..., beat her unconscious, what sort of a man are you...?"

Richard hissed and refocus on his football match...

"Only a monster will kill his own baby..."Daisy groaned, finally letting the trashy skeleton out of the cupboard..

"What did you say..?"He ask meeting her gaze..

"I said only a monster like you will kill his own child..."

He scoff..."My own child..., you must be out of your mind, i have never had a child.."

"Laura was pregnant..."Daisy cried out angrily...."And you killed the baby..."

Shock stroked him..."I,i..i did what...?"He ask standing up..."She was pregnant..?"

Daisy sniffle, allowing a tear to fall from her eye...."How would you know when you don't think twice before torturing her...., before making her life a living hell, you punch and kick her every chance you get...., you're just a demon..."

"She never told me she was pregnant..."

"Go to hell Richard..."

"How could she not tell me she was pregnant...?"

Daisy sniff, anger choking her, she was about to latched out when she heard a cranking sound on the wall.., she turned and saw Laura with a baseball bat...

"Laura..."Daisy mutter gently...

"How could you not tell me you were pregnant...?"Richard yelled

Anger boiled deep in Laura, it churned within ready for destruction, she gave in to her anger and snarled at Daisy when she came closer...

"Laura.."Daisy called out with pulsating heart before taking a step backward..

Holding the baseball bat firmly, Laura turned on the flat screen TV like an enraged panther, she smashed it violently with the baseball bat, the TV tripped off and cascaded in broken fragments.....

"What did you just do...?"Richard growled walking closer..

His voice triggered her anger more, like fuel added to fire, she swing the baseball bat at him and it almost reach him...

"Laura calm down..."Daisy begged as Richard hide behind her...

"Do you think you're the only crazy one...?"Laura growled

"Laura please calm down.."Daisy said shifting aback as Laura push forward..

"Do not tell me to calm down...."Laura yelled directly at Daisy...."This monster, this good for nothing thrash made me lost my baby today...."

"I know Laura, please...

"Out of my way Daisy...."Laura growled

"You need to calm down first..."Daisy begged

Laura scream, then she walk out and reappeared a second later with a gallon of fuel...

"What are you doing...?"Richard queried...

When he went closer, she wave the baseball bat at him, not once but twice, the second attack hit his arm and pain erupted from the point of contact...

She targeted his head but Daisy hold her before the wood reach Richard's head...

Infuriated, she pushed Daisy aside, glare at Richard before stepping outside..

"Laura what are you doing...?"Daisy ask running after her..

Laura smashed Richard car windshield, then she poured the fuel on the seats...

"Laura don't do it...."Daisy begged...

Her pleads fell on deaf ears, Laura lit the match stick, and threw it in and the car burst in flames...

"How dare you...?"Richard retorted walking furiously towards her...

Anger hovers around Laura, clouding her judgement, then it pushed her into a state of acrimony.., without thinking, she hit Richard's head with the baseball bat...

Head spinning, blood gushing out, Richard fell to the floor...

Daisy rushed to Richard..."Oh God.."She whimper trying to stop the bleeding..."Laura what have you done...?"

Daisy's eyes flick from the burning car to Richard again..., heart pulsating she shouted..."Laura we need help, he's dying...., Laura..."

Ignoring her, Laura went into the house, what followed was smashing of glasses and every valuable thing in the house...

"Laura...."Daisy screamed