Marrying Her Husband

Thirty-Eight

He looks around as if taking in the scenery while he tries to recall what's landed him in hospital. All he remembers is being happy, waiting for his father to come and walk his sister down the aisle and something about trying to convince Rachel to a quickie. How could he have ended there?
“ You're awake," she says nervously, scared to step further into the room because of their last parting. Banele looks at Thuso confused, wondering how she's even in his room.
" What...do...you...want?" His voice comes out in raspy, breathless pants. He's not strong enough to breathe by himself yet. Ignoring his question, Thuso quickly steps out and calls for a doctor, screaming in the hallway. She comes and stands at her initial position again; which is with her back to the wall right next to the door frame. " I asked...you...a...q-question"
" The uh...the doctor's coming then we'll talk," she replies in an almost whisper, eyes looking anywhere but at him. She's nervous; practically shaking in her boots which isn't like her. She's dreading the flashbacks which will attack her if she'd as much catch a glimpse of his face. The doctor arrives swiftly and proceeds to check up on her patient. " Glad to see you awake Mr Boyce but you shouldn't have removed your oxygen mask. Your lungs aren't as strong yet," she scolds. "You're fine overall, just waiting to see an improvement in your lungs and breathing. You must be out of here in three days or so, provided you recoup as expected."
"Fine but give us space," Banele says with his eyes fixed on the talk light skinned woman who has her back against the wall. He hardly heard his doctor except for when she said he'll be out in three days or so. The middle-aged woman looks between the two as she senses the tension which she'd previously missed. It's screaming for her to get out and so she does, just before her pager alerts her. Thuso closes the door instinctively to avoid disturbances before looking down at her feet. " Come...water"
She looks up at him briefly before strutting towards him to heed his request. She grabs the jar that's on the cabinet next to his bed, pours contents to fill the glass next to it and helps the man drink. Her focus is only on his mouth, dark orbs not meeting Brown ones. She does this until he's drank the entire glass and even burps. He grabs her wrist before she takes a step away.
"Sit," Banele says, referring her to a chair nearby. The woman does as she's told with her heart beating out of her chest. He wants answers and she knows that. " Tell me everything"
"You...hate me and I-I don't blame you. I know tha-that I shouldn't be here but I...couldn't stay away. The baby was an excuse and-"
Her eyes widen when she realises what she's let out while he knows she's nervous because of the blabbering. Her voice is trembling and he can almost feel her rapid heartbeat from where he's sleeping.
" Hope you've taken care of my child," the man nonchalantly says which shocks her. She expected wrath; anger, something but he surprises her. " You should be mad"
"I should," he says, voice still hoarse and raspy which she finds herself almost melting at. How could he sound and look so damn good on a hospital bed? " I want everything."
And so she sings; from how she found out she's pregnant, the wedding and how she got to know he's here. She also lets him in on their investigation so far and how far they are with finding his sister. She completely leaves out Bonnie and her shameful acts with the man and how her eyes were opened. Deep down, she hopes it's not too Late.
" And Rachel? Is...is she in on this?" He asks and she doesn't reply but that's enough for him. How much bad luck can a man have when it comes to love? " Then they say we're trash. Y'all are...argh, not worth it."
He can't believe that he liked her and never suspected anything shady from her. She seemed innocent so who would have thought? Thinking of it seems to infuriate him so he dismisses the thought. " Look at me."
The woman does, still wiping tears cascading down her cheeks. Even after everything, he still can't bear seeing her crying so he reaches for her face and wipes the tears with his hand. He has to put back the oxygen every time after saying something because of his breathing difficulties and she hates seeing him like this.
" I don't like you right now," he says after about two minutes of catching his breath. " You did me dirty but I still hate seeing you cry."
" I was a fool," the woman says with more tears falling. " Blind"
He only squeezes her hand then lets go. There's a lot he needs to process. His sister's kidnapping, the Rachel thing and confirmation that he's going to be a father. It's a lot but top on that follows Lisa and whether she's safe where she is and the kids too.
" I'm glad you're awake. I have to go." Thuso says after ten minutes of silence. Banele only nods, watching her with his mind on what he's learned. He tries to think of why Rachel is involved in this and how but it only gives him a headache so he stops trying. All he wants is to get out and help find his sister with the hopes that there's something he learned from being with Rachel that might help.

*****

" Wakey, wakey" he says then blows a trumpet obnoxiously which has the woman's eyes popping open. A gruesome headache hits her, making her dizzy and also has her grimacing with her eyes now closed. She's in pain, can feel it all over her body which has her begging to go back to whatever sleep she was in. It had no pain.
" Hi dear," the man says again which makes her open her eyes, squinting them for a clearer vision.
" Who...you" she asks in a gruff voice. She's dehydrated with her throat sore and painful.
" I'm just a messenger," the man answers with a shrug. He has his face covered in a ski mask and wears all black with white knee caps and a red reflecting bulletproof vest. There isn't much for her to see and she doesn't recall ever hearing her voice.
"Why?" She asks, not really as emotional as he thought she'll be. She's just woken up in a foreign place, hands tied while on a hospital bed so why is she so calm?
" You know the verse in the bible that says money is the root of all evil? That's why. You're our ticket to the big randelas and so are those little midgets you have in there."
"You know it's...twins?" She asks while still nonchalant. "My research comes from a trustworthy source. Your brother was fucking her, right? Thank God that dick wasn't a distraction," the captor says then chuckles, voice echoing through the small room. It has only one high window, Lisa's bed and the chair the man is sitting on.
"Rachel?" It's not much of a wild guess because she knows Thuso well enough to know she wouldn't do something like this but she can't say the same about her. The blonde woman hasn't been that long in her life anyway and she didn't fully trust her. She also wouldn't say she really knew her or much of her history anyway. "How did you get to know that easy? You're good," the man says with feigned amusement.
"How much?" Lisa only asks and she can almost feel his smirk. She remembers her husband saying they have a lot of enemies but she sure didn't see this coming.
"You're smart. I have to give it to you girl. And to answer your question, that's up to my wife to decide." He says and her eyebrow raises at that announcement. Wife? She knows it's Rachel but how desperate were they that she'd agree to her matching her with her brother while she's married? "Not any soon though. You have to give birth first then we'll reach out to dear Ethan"
“And you think I won't be found then?"
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Where would they start looking? This plan was perfectly orchestrated for two years. We were patient, waiting for a gap that'll allow us in and boy, did it pay off. Rach fucked Nathan but that didn't take us anywhere but you...You're like a gold ticket."
"You're evil" she says which has him laughing obnoxiously. "That doesn't even begin to explain it."

*****

"We have to be patient and I understand that you can't but it's the only way we won't mess up," Thuso says to a restless Ethan. The man has hardly slept in two weeks, only managing when he blackouts from exhaustion which only lasts for a maximum of three hours. "It's been two weeks and the longer we don't find them, the slimmer the chances we have." He states which is true.
Jessica walks in with a tray that has tea for the three. Ethan and Thuso temporarily moved in so they can all be in one place. It's a tough time and during that, Jessica has even let go of the anger she held towards Ethan for doing her best friend like this.
"Ethan, can I talk to you for a second?" Jessica says and her husband looks at her wondering what it could be about. "It's important "
"I'm busy Jessica. What's it about?" Ethan snaps, hating that she's disrupting them.
"Amo. She's filed for divorce and uhm...We have to meet with her lawyer today." Jessica says.
"We?" Nathan asks Ethan who only has a blank expression.
"Why are you only telling me this now? I have important matters that require my attention" Ethan says, completely ignoring his replica.
"You have an hour to get ready." Jessica says then walks out to check on Nathaniel. She also took time off work to support his husband and brother, rather being here than getting money they don't need. After all, family comes first.
"She has to pay for shooting my pregnant wife, lets do this."
Little does Amo know that kicking a man while he's down will come back to bite her.