WHEN I FALL ? ?
BY RUTHIE LEE ? ?
EPISODE 32
The next morning, I woke up to see myself alone on the bed, I turned to Mary’s crib only to see she’s not there.
I smiled. Kathleen. I checked the time and gasped when I saw it was twelve in the afternoon. Why do I wake up so late these days.
I got down from the bed and head straight to the bathroom, after brushing my teeth, I walked out of the bathroom and head straight to the kitchen cause I could hear sizzling sounds.
I met Mary in the living room and she happily crawled up to me seeing me. She tugged the right leg of my pants and lets out a happy squeak.
I took her in my arms and she starts to play with my, for me it seems like ages since I’ve held Mary. Cause Kathleen doesn’t let Mary down at all.
I walked into the kitchen with Mary in my arms and found Kathleen making breakfast, or should I say brunch.
“Oh, you’re awake.” Kathleen smiled.
“Yeah, surprisingly I’m waking so late, nowadays, it’s kind of like a bother, but anyways, you’re preparing breakfast right?” I asked enduring the pain Mary was causing for me by pulling my hair.
“Oh, no, this isn’t breakfast, I mean, it is, for you, cause Mary and I had breakfast like hours ago.” Kathleen smiled.
Always so happy.
“Thank you!” I smiled at her, she turned away shyly.
I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. I put Mary on the floor and sat down beside her. She didn’t let me rest, I mean what was I expecting.
My phone starts to ring and looked down to see my mom calling. How surprising.
My mom doesn’t really call me, cause she believes I’m always busy. Doing fine and all I won’t pick her call. My mom’s super funny how can you not call your only child it’s been a month since she called last.
“Look Mary, grandma’s calling.” I showed Mary the phone and regretted my action when she tried to pull the phone and my hand inside her mouth.
I picked the call and heard my mom’s sharp “hello Joseph.” from the other side of the line.
“Mom.” I smiled to myself. “How are you doing?”
“Oh, you know, I’m always fine, just like you.” she laughed.
“classic” I scoffed.
Mary starts to gaggle some baby words and my mom gasped. “Is that Mary? How is my little pumpkin.?” my mom asked with excitement in her voice.
“Oh well you know Mary, she’s like a bundle of love and happiness.” I smiled.
“It’s sad don’t you think, why don’t you let Mary live with me for a while” my mom stated.
“What is sad? And why would I let Mary live with you!” my tone was a bit sharp.
“Suzanne left okay! And how is Mary coping without a mother huh? I know you must be all sad about Suzanne and what she did, so why don’t you leave Mary with me and when you’re over Suzanne you can get her back.” my mother explained.
“Mom!” I called angrily. “Are you doubting my parenting as a father? What are you trying to say, that I’m not good enough for Mary, now that Suzanne is gone? You should see Mary now mom, she’s doing way better than when Suzanne was still around.”
“Why are you suddenly getting angry.” my mom scoffed. “Okay fine, I understand if you want to keep Mary, but still, your father and I thinks you should get re-married.”
“You both thinks?” I laughed. “Mom, I’m not crying over my ex wife. Neither do I want a new one. Getting married again is by choice not by force, just because you and dad suddenly thinks about it doesn’t mean I’ll obey your thoughts, I’m a grown man, I can decide for myself.”
“I know you’re not the twelve Years old Joseph I can boss around anymore. But one day, the word re-marriage is going to pop into your head and you’re going to do it, and I’m not deciding you get remarried for your self, I’m deciding that For the sake of Mary” My mother expound and I sighed.
“Okay, fine, whatever maybe one day I’ll get remarried.” I stated not wanting to argue with my mother.
“Not one day, soon!” she yelled.
“Fine, Soon enough i will get remarried, there you happy with that?” I asked.
“That’s convincing Enough!” my mom said and I could feel her smiles.
“I have to go!” I said and hang up.
Remarried my b.utt.
I turned to see Kathleen standing and looking at me with a tray of food in her hand. She realised my stare and suddenly walked up to the floor table to put the tray of food.
“Your break fast is ready!” she smiled sadly.
“Thank you, and it’s not breakfast anymore, we’ve passed morning so it should be called brunch.” I expound and she nodded.
I start to eat and seriously the food tasted great, but I felt uncomfortable as she watched me. Not uncomfortable that she’s watching me, cause we’ve eaten together like a dozen times, but the look on her face.
I finally raised my head up.
“What’s wrong?” i asked.
“Huh? Nothing!” she shook her head Negatively.
“Nothing? Then how come I can see sadness written all over your face.” I stated and she touched her face.
“You’re going to get remarried?” she asked.
Oh. She heard my conversation with my mom.
“No!” I replied.
“But you said, soon enough, I will get married.” she blurted out very lowly.
“On the phone was my mother, she thinking I’m still grieving over Suzanne becoming my ex wife. She thinks my grievance will cause me lack of attention to Mary, she also thinks Mary needs a mother by her side.” I explained.
“Oh” Kathleen bent her head sadly.
“So are you going to get married again?” she asked raising her head up.
“I don’t know, should I?” I asked.
“You shouldn’t.” she shook her head.
I held my laugh. “And give me your reason why I shouldn’t get Married.” I smiled taking a sip out of my water.
“Well, I don’t think Mary will get to like uour new wife.” she explained.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “She’s a baby Kath, babies tend to get familiar with you if you stay with them for even a week, so she and my new wife will be fine.” I joked.
“But then what about me. If you get remarried, don’t you know I’ll get angry”
“Well your opinion or emotion doesn’t really matter.” I joked, but she didn’t know it was a joke.
She started sulking and I noticed she was holding back her tears.
I dropped my spoon “I was only joking!” I quickly said. “your opinion does matter and, no I’m not getting married, not in a hundred Years!”
Kathleen raised her head up and glared at me.
I smiled seeing her wet eyes.
“Do you cry at everything?” I laughed.
“I cry when necessary!”.
“You cry when necessary!” I repeated and she glared at me. “don’t cry all the time, in front of me or other people, it will show how weak you are even though you’re not.” I reached for her face and dried the tear at the corner of her eye with my finger.
“I’m not weak! And you’re the only one who has made me cry this much.” she sniffed and grabbed my glass of water diluting everything.
“I am the only one who makes you cry?” I asked.
“The only one who has made me cry this much.” she corrected.
“So does that mean I’m a bad person to you?” I asked.
“No, you’re nicest, and I cry this much around nice people.” she said and gave a small smile.
Glad to see her smiling again.
Mary crawled up to Kathleen and started to whine. She wanted Kathleen to hold her and Kathleen did so immediately and she kept quiet as soon as Kathleen cuddled her.
“Seems like Mary’s more of your daughter than more of mine.” I mumbled as I stood up.
Kathleen laughed hearing that. “You think so?”
“I’m not thinking so, I’m seeing so!” I scoffed and glanced at me Mary staring at me with those big glossy eyes of hers.
“Your favouritism over Kathleen is way over the line.” I snarled at Mary and she let’s out a happy giggle that turned into cackle.
“Where are you going sir, Joseph?” Kathleen asked as I was about walking away.
“I’m done eating!” I replied.
“But you didn’t eat much!” she stated.
“Yeah which is weird cause I strangely feel full.” I said.
“Really? Cause it’s the opposite for me even though I’ve had breakfast!” Kathleen grinned.
“You’re always so hungry, anyways suit yourself” I smiled and walked away.
I didn’t forget about Suzanne and her sudden DNA test, for i went to shower and changed into one of my work clothes.
I walked out of my room with my car keys to see Kathleen watching Mary as she was fast asleep on her thighs.
She always do that.
“Kath!” I called and she looked up at me.
“About Suzanne!” I started.
“I know, you’re going for the DNA stuff.” she sighed.
“Don’t worry I’m going to be back in no time.” I said assuringly.
“Okay.” she gave a slight nod. “just make sure the baby isn’t yours!” she mumbled and I almost laughed. “Okay.” I nodded.
“Come home quick, cause I’ll be bored and Mary’s asleep!” she sighed.
I looked around the quiet house and slipped my phone out from my pocket.
“Here, you can use this to keep yourself company and note it is not a toy I’m just being generous!” I stated.
Kathleen took the phone with a smile, since she was a fast learner I briefed her on how to do some things with the phone, like how to surf the internet or play online games or so.
I left the house without an ounce of worry on me.
I walked to my car and drove away from the house immediately I got in.
*
*
After minutes of driving, I finally reached my destination which was Domile hospital. Just like I expected I saw Henry and Suzanne talking to a lady in front of the exit door.
I walked out of the car and the first glance I received was from Suzanne. She told Henry of my presence and they quickly end conversation with and I turned to her.
“Good to see you again Suzanne, looks like your bruise is not planning to leave anytime soon, I guess Henry has a way of beautifying faces.” I finally smiled. Suzanne looked away without saying anything.
“Anyways why are we all out here.? Shouldn’t Suzanne be going in for the test?” I asked.
“What test? We already took the test few days ago we are just here for the results.” Henry stated.
“Results?” I turned to Suzanne. “But you said, I was coming here for you to take the DNA test, so you already took it?” I scoffed.
“Okay, fine I lied to you, let’s just wait for the results.” Suzanne sighed.
“But wait, how did you get my DNA samples?”
What if is this is a set up. What if they took the test without me just to pin the baby on me.
“The day we met at the super mart, was the day I took your hair samples without you knowing!” Suzanne explained and I scoffed angrily. “That is rude.”
“Well what’s taken is taken there’s no going back, now it’s just for my doctor to come and give the samples and we can also go wait inside.” Suzanne said and started to walk inside the hospital, Henry and I glared at each other before trailing behind her.
–
The three of us sat down together at the waiting room for ‘doctor George’ to attend to us, who seemed like Suzanne’s private doctor, who’s also in charge of her pregn@ncy treatment.
An old but very strong looking doctor walked up to us with some papers in his hand.
“Do you happen to be Suza–
” Yes that is me! ” Suzanne stood up immediately interrupting the man.
“Doctor George couldn’t make it in person so he called me and asked me to attend to you, that you needed the DNA results” the man explained and Suzanne’s expression went blank. “What happened to George, is he sick. Why wouldn’t he be here!”
“It’s okay ma’am George Is fine, he was sent on quest and will be back in a few days or so, but don’t worry we both walked on the DNA test so everything is fine.” the old man handed Suzanne the result, though some papers were still in his hand and seeing the result, Suzanne gave a relieved breath.
She passed the paper to Henry and then me. I looked down at the paper and paused, I turned to her.
“Suzanne, the baby you’re carrying is not my child.”
“But it says in the paper that it is hundred percent your child.” Suzanne yelled.
“There is no need to yell that baby is not mine.” I added.
“Well I’ll leave you all to attend to uour family matters. You can have the remaining copies of the result.” the doctor said and placed the remaining copies on Henry’s arm and walked away.
Henry looked down at the paper in front of his eyes and turned to Suzanne and I.
“Why does this result say differently, it Says the baby belongs to each of us by zero percent!” Henry blurted and Suzanne’s face went blank.
.
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