A woman's dilemma - Episode 44

 

Claudia:

"Babe! Get the door, the doorbell is so loud!" I hear Benjamin yell from the sitting room. I don't try to point out that he's closer to the door. I dab on powder as fast as I can and take my earrings with me as I dash out of the room.
"You could have just opened the door y'know?" I say to Ben's back as he's so immersed in the news on the television.
"You know I have to catch my flight soon and this is the only time I can watch this." He says as I pass him to pull the door open.
"Amy!" My friend pulls me in for a quick hug before going into the house.
"Looking fine as always, Claudia." Benson smiles crookedly at me as he follows behind my friend. I roll my eyes at his compliment before shutting the door.
"I'll just grab my bag . We can't be late for the naming ceremony/baptismal. Cass will have my head." I say as I follow them into the living room. Benjamin and Benson do that shoulder hug thing guys use to greet themselves before Benson plops on the couch beside him.
"The government are doing nothing at all to end the worker's strike." Benson says when he gets comfortable. I know this will end in another political argument between both guys so I just motion to Amy to follow me.
"They get along pretty well." Amy says drily once we are out of earshot of the guys.
"Guys will be guys." I push my legs into my sandal heels and buckle up.
"So Benson___" I trail off while I try to act nonchalant.
"Benson what?" Amy rolls her eyes at me and I chuckle.
"Well, when are you going to say yes? He seems persistent

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-woman-s-dilemma

. He's nice and he even let you stay at his place." After I lost my job and got back with Benjamin, he insisted we live together in his two bedroom apartment. After months of pressuring me and talks of me not doing everything for our relationship, I gave in. But that rendered Amy homeless. I couldn't keep the house and when Benson suggested she stay with him, she sort of agreed.
"We're just friends. I told him I needed to concentrate on my studies for now." Amy says and I shake my head at her.
"He's your mystery guy. I actually thought you guys will be married by now. It's been what? Nine months since you guys met?"
"Eight. I just want to concentrate on my school for now."
"Is that it, or you still get butterflies watching his twin brother play basketball on TV." She wriggle my brows at her and she grimace.
"Shhhh! Benson might hear you." She shushes me.
"Didn't you just say you're just friends?" I ask her.
"That doesn't mean I want him to know about my past crush on his twin brother. Past being the operative word here. I haven't even seen Mr Benedict since the day I knew they were twins. He's in California right now living his dream. What good will a crush be?" She worries her lips like the adorable woman she is.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about that. As far as Benson knows that you both are just friends. Are you comfortable at his house? Does he try to pressure you? You know, into dating him?" I level concerned eyes at her.
"The truth is, he doesn't. For the past few months that I've been living with him, he hasn't mentioned anything about a relationship. He's barely home anyways. Working at the hospital has his hands full anyways." She shrugs and I nod.
"That's good. If he starts to push too far, you know you can come and live with Benjamin and I right?" I ask her and she bursts into laughter.
"Yeah. I'm not doing that."
"Why?!" I'm offended.
"I don't want to impose on your relationship." She says and I roll my eyes. Of course, I'm in a relationship.
"What's with that look?" Amy knows me too well. I sigh deeply and lick my dry lips.
"He's traveling again." I inform her.
"What?! Again. Didn't he travel two weeks ago?" Amy asks me.
"I know right? I can't complain though. He's working to give us a better future. I'll just prefer if he's more home."
"I know what you mean. When was the last time, the both of you went on a date?" Amy asks me. I actually have to think about it for me to answer. Is that normal?
"A few months ago? We've been together for so long. We don't need to date so much." I find myself covering for him but Amy shakes her head.
"I don't know about you, but I'll prefer a guy who doesn't stop trying even after we start a relationship." Amy says
"Yeah, Miss hopeless romantic. Let's get our ass going or Cassandra will have our heads." I laugh lightly to change the topic and Amy goes along with me.
"Come on. Let me put your earrings on for you." I hand the earrings I'm still clutching over to her and she helps me put them on. I'm still happy that even when most things have changed, we still have each other.

****
Tina:

"Francesca! Stop! Don't hurt me! I didn't mean it, I swear I never meant to leave you like that. No! Stop! Arghh---" I wait for his usual screaming before I push the door to his bedroom open.
"Francis! Are you okay?" Worry is etched on my face as I go to his crouched form at the corner of his room. He looks up at me with watery eyes. Eyes that are red rimmed from lack of sleep.
"You don't see her? She's laughing at me." He points to thin air.
"There's no one in here but the both of us! Snap out of it Francis. You're scaring me." I pull him off the floor and haul his big body unto the bed.
"You're sweating so much. I brought you water. Here, drink up." I hand him the glass of clear water and watch as he downs the whole thing.
"Sleep okay? You'll be better tomorrow morning." I've been telling him this same lie for two months already. His face scrunches up this time around and he shakes his head.
"I need to meet the doctor again. I think something's wrong." He tells me.
"Nothing's wrong. It's all in your head. We already met with the doctor. There's nothing wrong with you. Apart from stress but that's to be expected since you're the governor of this state. You have a lot on your neck." I push him down gently till his back touches the bed then I pull the blanket over him.
"I'll ask the doctor to get us stronger pills for your headache. That should help you sleep better." I carress his face lightly and his eyes flutter close.
"I'm sorry. I'm just so stressed that I'm seeing things." He says without opening his eyes.
"Don't apologise. You're going through a lot of stress lately, with the strike and everything." I say in a quiet tone.
"I'm so lucky I have you. Thank you, Frances." He pats my hand on his face and I smile sadly. I don't correct him that I'm not his dead wife. The mention of the woman I killed still haunts me. I watch him sleep for a while before I let myself out of the room.
"He's asleep?"
"Sh*t!" I squeal a little too loudly when the voice comes out of nowhere.
"What's with the shock?" The deep voice drips down my spine with how cold it sounds.
"You startled me. And yes, he's asleep." I come face to face with him. He's just on the screen of the iPad, one of my security guard is holding up for me but his presence is felt in my bones.
"Don't worry. This will be over soon." He tells me.
"How soon?" I put some steel behind my voice and hide my fear.
"Weeks, maybe less. You're feeding him the drugs right?"
"Of course. He's already hallucinating and having dizzy spells." I tell him. A scarce smile curls his lips.
"That's good. He'll soon go down from liver failure. It's death after that. You've done your part of the deal. I'm proud of you." His hand touches my arm lightly and I try not to grimace. Can he see my lips shaking?
"You don't have to feel sorry for him. He ruined your life. Killed your unborn child. Estranged you from your family." My hands form fists beside me.
"I feel nothing for him." I say and I mean it.
"Good. Await further instructions. And keep him away from any other doctors that aren't on my paycheck. Let him believe stress is his only problem till we feed him death to the end."
"I won't disappoint." I say. The screen goes dark and I know that he has ended the call. Then and only then, do I breathe right. The goon leaves me without a word.
 I push my shaky legs to the kitchen to get water but find the staffs gathering around the television in the kitchen. They don't see me and I don't make my self known to them. I find myself staring at my brother on the television screen as he acts with the charisma, his fans love so much. I'm filled with yearning again. The last time I spoke to him, was when I put a wedge between him and that woman, Claudia.

Read " To Live For Once (Set Me Free II) " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. I still see the sadness in his eyes even from just looking at him act.
"Madam!" One of the helps notices me at the doorway and they all scurry away from the television.
"This is not what you're payed for. Get back to work!" I bark at them. They don't wait for another word, they all scurry out of the kitchen. One of them goes to turn the TV off.
"Leave that and get out." I instruct. She nods firmly and scurries out.
 I make sure they are all gone before I move closer to the television.
"Daniel__ I miss you." I touch the screen and sigh deeply.
  I know I'm not done with my mission here, but it's just weeks before I'll be free. The urge to correct the wrong I did my brother and Claudia seizes me. I pull my cellphone out of my pocket and punch in someone's digit. I'm answered at the first ring.
"Good afternoon ma'am."
"Get me the address, phone number and  work  address of a woman named Claudia. I'm sure you can do this before the end of the day. Her picture is on the internet where she was pasted with my brother a few weeks before the election." I say and drop the call. I'm sure he got the message.