A woman's dilemma - Episode 58

 

Francesca:

  The heat against my skin spreads quickly and I start to panic. I'm not seeing anything but a flaming room. I scream but nothing comes out of my mouth. I touch my throat and I see blood. It doesn't make sense. Then the voice of the man brought into the hospital earlier today booms in the background. He's screaming for his wife . I try to reach him just as the smoke enter my lungs and I start to choke.
"Help. Help!" I scream and this time it comes out. I jump out of the bed sweating profusely as my eyes open to peruse my surroundings. I'm in bed and there's no fire. It was just a dream.
"Gosh, it felt so real." My throat still feels hoarse like I really was breathing in excess smoke. This is the same dream I keep having for so long now. Nothing else of my memory is coming to me.
I put my face in my palms and cry. It's so frustrating. I can still hear a child's cry amongst the fire's crackling. I drop my hands and take in calming breaths when I start to breathe weirdly.
  Some water should help. I tell myself. There's no wall clock in my room to confirm the time but the quietness of the hospital tells me it's pretty late. If it wasn't, I'm sure Gideon would be awake and running to me at my scream.
"Gideon." I whisper into the darkness

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

. He's been avoiding me since he advised me not to go near the new patient. I don't know why but I'm not dumb. I can feel it.
"I'll just get that water." I stand on steady feet and push the door open. My room is at the back of the hospital away from patients so I don't fear waking anyone with my noise.
I walk tiredly to the water dispenser at the wall and grab a plastic cup. I fill it to the brim and bring the cup to my lips. I thirstily gulp everything down. I push open the dispenser again and fill my cup again. I take this cup with me as I make my way to my room. The cup is just to my lips when I hear it. A thump sound. I jump slightly at the unexpected sound and my water slosh in the cup. I hold the cup steady and make my way towards the noise incase it's a patient who needs help maybe with water or to get to the toilet.
I'm almost at the next curve of the hallway when I see light coming from the room of the patient from earlier who Gideon asked me to stay away from. I stop walking when I see a black form come out to peek his head out. The sight of the mask on his face makes my eyes widen in fear as I throw myself behind the wall and clamp my mouth shut.
"No.no.no.no." I shake with fear at the possibility of what could be happening to the patient now. I should call Gideon. I take a step back and the view from the room becomes clear. Someone is touching the IV fixed to the man.
I crazily jump out of hiding.
"Stop!" Both men turn to me with stun expressions on their face just as I stop short. Both men look to one another then to me with odd expression on their faces.
"Get away from that man right this instant. I already called the police and our security." I slowly close on them.
"F*uck." I hear one mutter before he races past me. He bumps into me on his way out and I almost fall to the floor.
"Careful!" The other one catches my arm before I hit the floor and our eyes clash.
"It can't be." I hear him gasp under his breath.
"What? What can't..."I hear footsteps behind me before I hear our security man. He's close. He's a huge man and I think the man has seen him because his hand falls off my arm.
"Ma'am! Get away from her!" I hear the big man yell just as the man shakes his head and jumps out through the window of the room.
"Goddamnit!" The security man pushes past me as runs to the window to look out.
"He's still out there. Don't get out of this room." The man seems to be saying to me but my eyes are now locked on to the man on the bed. His eyes are open and he's staring at me. I can't even break the contact. I feel my legs bring me closer to him. His hand goes up and I take it.
"Francesca." I hear him breathe out and I gasp.
"You...you know me." It's not a question. A painful sound leaves me when the man's hand starts to get painful.
"Francis let go!" I screech just as he sits up and In my fright, I jump too far back and hit my head against the wall. My head explodes with various images. I don't even know that screaming until I hear a voice pierce my screaming.
"Frances! It's me! It's me. It's Gideon." I shake my head profusely. Ola's face is the first thing I can grasp when it flashes in my mind's eye with a big smile on his chubby face.
"My son." That's all I can get out before I lose consciousness. It's too much.

****

Claudia:

"One more shot." I call for the barman. He fills my shot glass without a word before going back to the couple sitting two seats away from me in the hotel's bar. I down the liquid and cringe.
"Jeez." I mutter at the burning in my throat. The buzz it's creating is the only welcome feeling I embrace. My eyes move to the couple who are now sucking face in broad day light and I hold down the urge to bawl at them. They aren't doing anything but living each other after all.
"That's not the right way to down shots." I turn too quickly at the voice beside me and my head spin. Okay, I'm successfully drunk.
"Benedict!" I squeal so Amy like and I frown.
"Someone's happy to see you." Amy comes from behind the big man to level a disapproving look at me. I stick my tongue out at her quite childishly before raising my hand to call back my favorite barman.
"One more." I say.
"No. That's enough." Amy says too late because the efficient man already has my glass filled to the brim. He shrug apologetically to Amy who waves him on politely.
"Always so polite." I giggle then frown.
"I'm starting to sound like you, Amy." I accuse her and she shakes her head at me as she grabs my shot glass.
"I'll like to think that I don't sound like a drunk." She says.
"Maybe you do." Benedict jokes from beside her and she pushes the shot glass to his chest.
"Drink this and shut up." She snaps at Benedict and I chuckle.
"Now you sound like me. Did we switch bodies Amy? That'll explain alot." I say. Benedict's phone interrupts Amy's retort and he walks away to answer it.
"What is going on, Claudia?" She asks me and I pat the seat beside me for her.
"Should I order you a drink?" I ask her when she complies and sit.
"Yeah I've had my fair share of alcohol for a lifetime." She says sheepishly while staring at Benedict in the corner where he's talking on his phone.
"Good day?" I ask her and she brings her eyes back to me.
"I'm scared of what is happening."
"Don't be. You deserve this. you've lost so much in your young life and now, you have to take what you want in life. Don't settle." I say to her. The irony of my advice isn't lost on my though. I'm the one settling.
"Hey ladies. I really have to go now. One of the boys have a situation." Benedict walks back to us to stand behind Amy's chair.
"Oh that's fine. You should go." Amy cranes her neck to look into his eyes and I swoon.
"So beautiful." I hear myself coo like a sappy old lady. Benedict's shiny eyes settle on me and he chuckles.
"I'll take that as a compliment to me." He winks at me and I giggle.
",He is beautiful." I whisper to Amy and I catch her blush. My drunken whisper is little lower than a scream I tell you.
"Can you handle this one?" Benedict asks Amy like I'm not here.
"She's good. See you at the football game?" Amy says to him and he drops a peck on her hair. I catch Amy's blush and chuckle.
"Goodbye Claudia." He calls to me as he hurries out.
"Fine piece of male." I mutter on a giggle.
"Okay spill." Amy says once he's out of sight. I see her serious look and I sag in the chair.
"Can't I get another drink?" I ask.
"No. Talk."
"Who's bossy now." I mutter. I'm actually stalling. I don't know if I should tell her. I'm afraid she'll convince me to do what I want to do which is wrong.
"Daniel. He's here." I say softly.
"Where? What do you mean here?" She actually starts to look around the bar and I roll my eyes at her.
"I mean in this hotel. He is responsible for this vacation."
"What does he want now?" Amy says quietly.
"A second chance."
"A second chance? He blew the first one even before he got it." She points out and I shake my head.
"That's the thing. Everything was a setup by Tina. His sister." I fill her in on everything Daniel told me and how we ended up stuck in his car till this morning and my friend stare at me wide eyed.
"Oh God." She breathes out.
"Yeah. You see why I need the drink?"
"What are you going to do now?" She asks me.
"What do you mean what? I have a fiancee." I point out unnecessarily.
"You are in love with Daniel though. Both of you were the it couple.

Read " Beautiful Mask " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Not the functional thing you have with Ben." She says and I frown.
"We were never a couple." I tell her.
"That's not the point. Ever since you moved in with Ben, your relationship has sucked out the Claw I know." She says. I secretly motion for the waiter to get me a new glass behind Amy's back while she muse on what I just told her.
"What do you mean suck out the Claw you know. I'm not a Claw!" I pout. The waiter drops the drink in front of me and Amy frowns.
"I deserve this one." I bat my lashes at her and she shakes my head. I quickly down it and this one actually doesn't go down right. I start to sputter and cough.
"Claudia!" Amy pats my back slowly.
"I don't feel so good." I groan as I sway from the chair.
"Claudia? Claudia!" I hear Amy's voice just as I start to stand unsteadily.
"I'm fine. I'm fine." I say to myself but my head is spinning. I stagger and slip on my own shoes and fall. Strong arms catch me but I don't open my eyes to check whose hands they are. They are just comfy.