Chapter 13

 THIS FEELING 

~ AT THE PARTY ~

As soon as Charles told him about Marie condition , he went in search of her and found her in the rest room washing her hands.

"What are you doing? This is the female rest room" she said on seeing him coming into the rest room.

"Why didn't you tell me about your condition?" He asked starring at her concernedly.

"This is not the right place to talk about this. Remember that we are to act like we don't know each other" she told him as she tried to walk past him but he pulled her back.

"We've got to talk about this and it's either we do it here or we go back home and talk" he declared fiercely and knowing that he wouldn't leave her alone until he has gotten the truth out of her, she decided for them to leave.

Marie left first making up an excuse before Romeo left too. No one find it suspicious apart from Charles who kept wondering why their boss is concern about Marie.

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

~ROMEO'S PENTHOUSE ~

"Now tell me what's going on with you?" Romeo asked the minute they were in.

"What do I have to tell you? You heard everything from Charles " she replied as she turned to leave but he pulled her back.

"Isn't there a solution to it? You can't live like this for the rest of your life just a moment ago you were eating spoilt fries" Romeo said.

"I did eat it but that doesn't mean that something bad will happen to me. So stop making a fuss and besides there's no solution to it" she said.

"But ....."

"Let it drop Romeo! Have come to terms with my being this way and it has nothing to do with you. So leave me alone!" She said as she quickly went to her room, slamming the door right on his face.

A while later Romeo sat in his room as he went through the number of doctors he had. 

Not that he had a lot of doctors at his bidding but the doctor he kept calling referred him to someone who knew more about Marie condition.

The last call he made turned out to be fruitless as the doctor also told him the same thing which is that Marie's condition is a permanent thing and instead of looking for a cure he should try to help her come to terms with it.

Romeo sighed as he took his laptop trying to search for something about it online when he heard a loud thump from the other room.

He got up and quickly went to Marie's room only to find her on the floor clutching her stomach tightly.

"What's wrong?" Romeo asked as he quickly went to her and held her in his arms.

She opened her eyes and stared up at him while wincing at which ever pain was bothering her.

"My....my stomach....it hurts" she replied clutching it tightly.

"I will get a doctor..." He said but she shook her head.

"You shouldn't. It's not that much of a big deal" she told him.

"What do you mean by its not much of a big deal? You are in pain for crying out loud" he said.

"I....I will be fine.....this things happen Romeo"She muttered.

"I am still calling the doctor" he said lifting her into his arms and carrying her to his room.

"But I will be fine in my room" she said softly but he wasn't listening to her.

He layed her on the bed and was about to call the doctor when his phone began to ring.

"Am in the middle of something, I will call you later" he said hanging up the call.

He dialled for his personal doctor and when he confirmed that the doctor was coming, he hanged up the call and went to seat on the bed starring at Marie who was still in pain.

"Does it hurts that much?" He asked and she nodded.

"But I will be fine. You don't have to worry about me and....."

"I have to. You are my wife and it's only right that I take care of you" he told her as his phone began to ring again.

"The document. Have forgotten about it but I will fax it to you tomorrow, I can't do it tonight, something urgent came up" he said into the receiver as he stared at Marie again.

When he ended the call she watched him dial someone number again.

"Cancel all my appointment for tomorrow and also help me prepare that document. I was meant to do it but something came up and have been busy since then. Let the document be ready tomorrow cause am taking it with me during the business trip" he said and after listening for a while, he ended the call.

"All appointment cancelled. Am all free " he said wanting to add the 'for you' part to it but managed to stop himself.

The door bell rang and a while later the doctor finished his examination and Marie was asleep when the doctor left.

Turns out it was just menstrual cramp and due to the spoilt fries she had eaten earlier it had caused her stomach hurting much more.

He sat beside her on the bed and took hold of her hand. Her brows was furrowed and she kept muttering something like she was having a bad dream.

He took hold of her hand and gently tried to soothe her but it didn't work. She kept on muttering things to herself and without thinking, he pulled the sheets over and slept beside her on the bed. 

Pulling her to himself, she snuggled close and a while later they were both sound asleep.

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

~THE NEXT DAY ~ 

Marie opened her eyes to find someone arms wrapped around her.

She knew who it was even before she fully opened her eyes.

Romeo was fast asleep and for a while she couldn't help but to watch him sleep. Last night he had called the doctor even when she had told him not to.

She had watched him cancel all of his appointments just so he would focus on her which led her to wondering why he was doing this for her. Is it because she had once taken care of him when he was sick? She wondered as she gently moved out of his arms.

She sat up only to step on a paper which was on the floor. She picked it up only to see that it was a information about olfactory nerve even his laptop had stuffs about it. Was he doing this because of her? She thought as she went to the kitchen to get water to drink while pondering on it.

"You still need to get more rest" he said behind her startling her.

"Am sorry if I startled you, I just woke up to find you gone and you still look pale, you need to take a rest" He added.

"I don't need to rest. I need to be at work" she said as she set down the glass of water.

"You don't have to go to work today. You are sick and it will only be right that you stay home" 

"You might be the boss and you might often take time off work but am not and like other employees have got to be at work" she said as she turned to leave but his words stop her.

" For Pete's sake! Why don't you ever listen to me! " He yelled suddenly.

"And why are you suddenly showing an interest in me?" She yelled at him too.

"I don't get it! In the past while I was in the hospital you never once came to visit me,you told me to mind my business and told me that our marriage will never be a real one but now your action is telling a different thing!" 

"Why? Why are you suddenly being nice to me? Why are you suddenly caring about me? You weren't like this in the past. Is it because I ask for a divorce is that why you are suddenly being nice? The real Develene will come back and am only just preparing myself just incase I have to leave. Is that bad?" Marie asked and when he didn't seem to have any answer she turned to leave.

"Do you want to know why I do all this? Why I cancelled every of my appointment for you? Why I attended a party which I wasn't fit in? Why I chose to spend time with you instead of working? Am someone who always value his time but for you am willing to throw all of it away!" He said suddenly and she stopped to stare at him.

"What are you trying to say Romeo?" She asked.

"What am trying to say is that I love you. I love you Marie. I don't know how it happened but you slowly crept into my heart and made me crazy for you. It's because of this feeling that I keep on doing things for you" he said.

Marie stood still watching him, she hadn't be expecting him to tell her that, she had been expecting something else and listening to him tell her about his feelings got her feeling strange.

"Do you hear me Marie. I love you" he said as he walked the few distance that separate them to pull her to him.

"I love you and am not going to let you go. Not now or ever" he declared starring down at her and before she could stop him, he kissed her.