TOXIC ATTRACTION

TOXIC ATTRACTION EPISODE TEN

Susan and I got to her place. She lived in an apartment just like Julia but hers was a two-bedroom. The house was neatly arranged with bright and matching colors on the wall and the decor .it was eye-catching and the house smelled nice too.

Susan ushered me in and asked me to take a seat as she took my suitcase to a room then passed by the kitchen and came back with two glasses of juice. Susan was living well and she might have changed jobs because the last I visited her place with Julia, she lived in a smaller house and was attending driving school. Before I got kidnapped, Susan and I had not seen each other in a while since I rarely went out with both of them and she was also too busy to come to Julia's place a lot of time. It was now evident that she was busy making money.

Me: this is a beautiful house girl, I love everything about it.

Susan: thank you. All this is my man's doing, you know with my job I couldn't afford all these.

Me: lucky you...

She smiled.

Susan: don't feel sorry for yourself. All these are material things which doesn't mean so much. All you need is a hardworking man who loves and see a future with you.

I smiled, at least Susan understood that principle. She told me to feel.at home and not to hesitate to use anything I wanted. She also told me she would help me get a job through her friends so I didn't have to worry.

We had the juice and talked about a lot of things and she opened up about her growing up and her life in general. It felt nice to connect with her on a deeper level.

Cleopatra got to Julia's house after she had been given direction. She had boarded a bus and after alighting where Julia had told her, Julia asked her to find a rider who would take her to the exact location...

She did as Julia had told her and a few minutes later she was getting off at the gate to Julia's apartment.

Julia picked her up and showed her to her house. Julia had gone to Robina's home a lot of times and she presented herself as the perfect friend who charmed Robina's mother so the visit was not awkward at all as she felt like she was visiting her daughter...

Julia showed Cleopatra to a seat and offered her some coffee that she had prepared a few minutes before Cleopatra came...

Cleopatra: thank you, dear. I'm not going to stay long.

Julia nodded and took a seat next to her.

Cleopatra: I don't know if you have seen your friend and if she has told you anything that's going on in her life. We had a fallout and it has not been easy getting to her.

Julia: what did you expect ma, we are not in the 90s where you can just marry off someone to a person they don't love leave alone a cripple.

Cleopatra: I know..it wasn't my fault. You know how Robina's father can get. I'm just here to ask you to help me talk to her. She's your friend..she will listen to you.

Julia: I would if I knew where she went..she came to stay with me but left earlier today with some man.

Cleopatra: her husband, or maybe he sent someone since...

Julia: he can't walk?.. no. The man looked like someone who was attracted to her more like they are in love.

Cleopatra: Davis?..

Julia: I know Davis the ex, but no. I have not seen the man before. I asked her who the man was and where they were going but she told me to stay out of her business...

Cleopatra: oh Robina...Robina, you will kill me with pressure...

Julia: I told her she could stay here until she had sorted things with her husband but after the man came for her in a flashy car, I tend to think she is the reason her husband chased her away. I mean who would settle for a cripple when there are men with flashy cars hoovering around?..

Cleopatra: I think I should go now.

She got up and collected her purse.

Julia: I hope it is not anything I said ma, I just needed you to know the truth so that you know how to deal with the issue.

Cleopatra: I know... thank you for telling me all that. Please keep your ears open. If she tells you where she is please let me know. I need to see my daughter.

Julia: of cause ma, I will call you once I know where she is.

Cleopatra started to walk away and Julia escorted her with a wicked smile on her face. She had planned to tarnish Robina's name and so far it had worked. What sort of a friend was she?..

Julia got back to the house and dropped onto the sofa throwing off all the pillows celebrating her little win of managing to make Cleopatra believe her. Julia was definitely jealous of Robina but why?.. she wanted to paint Robina a different picture from what everyone else knew and thanks to her, Cleopatra had started second guessing that Robina's unborn child could have been another man's and not Richard's. If that were true, It was going to be a disaster because of the threats Nerea had made to Robert.

Cleopatra instead of going straight home, she decided to call Richard and ask for a meeting between them. She wanted to know what had transpired between the two. She wanted to find out from Richard if there was someone in Robina's life and if it was the reason he had sent her away. Robina was his wife and if he had noticed anything wrong about her, he should have called her parents and had a discussion instead of sending her away and what had gotten into Robina seeing other men when she was already married?.. Cleopatra was confused. Everything was just so complicated for her to "uncomplicate".

Richard told Cleopatra that he was going to meet her in a nearby restaurant located on their estate because the house was a mess now that Robina had left and he had not yet found someone to help with the cleaning. Richard also did not want Cleopatra to see the state of his house. He had promised to give Robina a good life but nothing in his current state seemed good enough...

They met at the restaurant thirty minutes after the call and Richard had Tosh take him to the restaurant where they found Cleopatra already waiting to have a cup of tea. Richard asked Tosh to wait at a different table and he went to talk to his mother-in-law.

When he got to the table, they exchanged greetings, and then there was a very awkward silence between them. This was the first time they were meeting since the wedding. Richard cleared his throat and started the conversation by asking how his mother-in-law had been...

Cleopatra: I'm here for my daughter's sake. Robert and I are well and thank you for asking.

Richard: your daughter left me.

Cleopatra: no one wakes up one morning and walks out of a marriage without a reason.

Richard: you understand Robina was forced to marry me right?

Cleopatra: a deal you and her father made behind our backs. What did you think...that she would happily and gladly be your wife?..

Richard looked down in shame and he knew where the conversation was headed. He was going to be reminded that he was a cripple and that Robina deserved better.

Cleopatra: I'm sorry..that came out totally wrong. Did you fight?

A waiter passed by their table but Richard asked him to serve Tosh instead. He was okay and was not going to have anything.

Richard: a small argument yes but not enough to send her packing. I just realized that she would never love me and I set her free.

Cleopatra: and you never thought of telling us?

Richard: Robina is an adult and besides I didn't think she would be that quick to take the option. Marrying her was a mistake.

Cleopatra: but you didn't take your time before getting her pregnant.

Richard: what I did with my wife is completely my business. You should thank me for giving Robina back her freedom, from the agreement I had with Robert, she should be at my service doing everything I want. I won't have you talking to me like it's my fault..you want a punching bag, take it out with your husband or go ask Robina why she left. I think we are done here...

Cleopatra was shocked at how upset Richard had become in a blink of an eye.. she signaled the waiter so that she could pay the bill but Richard took the bill from her and said he would take care of it...

She didn't argue but walked away from him leaving him wheeling his wheelchair towards Tosh's table...

Tosh: that was fast, I'm not even half my cup of tea.

Richard: yeah, just another lecture from someone who See's me unfit for her daughter...

Tosh: why are you putting yourself through this torture?..

Richard did not respond to that. He was too tired of explaining himself to people who never understood his reason for doing anything.

Two days later, after settling well into Susan's house, we went shopping for a few things that we needed in the house and when we were done, Susan insisted on passing by the same place where she had seen Richard begging for money from motorists and true to her word Richard was there on his wheelchair by the side of the road stopping cars and asking for money...

Susan: should we stop and give him some change?..

Me: no. I do not want to humiliate him like that. It would destroy him.

Susan: so you love him?

Me: no. But I chose to be human..that man has gone through a lot. He is always being humiliated by people around him. I left him and I don't want to take part in torturing him. He is doing what he can to survive.

Susan: and that's what he wants to save to take care of his baby, pocket change?..

I gave Susan a not-so-friendly look and she knew she was crossing the line.

Susan: I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you and your unborn baby...

Me: I will find a job and I can take care of myself. I don't need Richard's money.

Susan: okay...

We drove past him and took a good look at him through the tainted window. He did not see me but my heart broke for him. I felt ungrateful while all he was trying to do was make me happy. He got me a massage therapy voucher and I left it under my pillow. Maybe he thought it was too little and that I expected much from him. Was I the one who pushed him into begging, if they were so rich that my father had to owe him such a huge amount of money, what was he doing in the streets?..

Susan: you seem to be lost in thoughts, what are you thinking about?

Susan asked after snapping in my face and bringing me back to my senses.

Me: I'm fine.

Susan: seeing Richard begging could be disturbing. Is that what you are thinking about?

Me: no. I'm fine...

Susan knew I was lying but the last thing I wanted to answer was her questions. She had shown me what I needed to see and maybe, just maybe I needed to go back to my husband and be the wife that I was expected to be.

Richard signaled Tosh and he went to where he was. Tosh was chilling in a posh black SUV that was parked not so far away from where Richard was begging. Tosh helped with the wheelchair and after they both got in the car Tosh drove off...

Tosh: I don't think anyone will give you any money after people see you get in this car.

Richard: I've already achieved what I wanted to achieve. I saw the car. The car one of my guys sent me. He said it's one of Robina's friends who is living with her.. the friends were also at the wedding so they should know me...

Tosh: all these to prove what exactly?.. don't you think of she finds out about this she might never return?..

Richard: the more reason I will believe she is not for me.

Tosh shook his head and continued driving. He thought Richard was crazy but his craziness was now getting out of hand.

We got to Susan's house but it all over felt uncomfortable. On my wedding day, I made a for better or worse vows and this could be one of those tests in the marriage that was supposed to prove my loyalty to my husband that I did not love. I paced in my room, scratching my head and trying to find a solution to my problem but it was a hard choice to make. Susan had welcomed me into her house and she seemed better than Julia but how long before she started acting the same?

She walked into my room and found me in a state of confusion. She stood there watching me for a while and I immediately got my suitcase and started packing my stuff.

Susan: And now?..

Me: I'm going back to my husband.

Susan: you can't be serious.

Me: I am.

I packed everything that was mine and dragged my suitcase out and Susan was right behind me.

Susan: is it something I said?

Me: no. I just remembered that I'm a married woman and my husband needs me. Thanks for everything, I will never forget your kindness.

Susan: of cause. You can come here anytime you feel like it...

I called a cab and it arrived in less than ten minutes. Susan packed up everything she had bought me and saw me off with a hug and tears in her eyes. I knew I was going to miss her but Richard needed me more...