MY HUSBAND AND I PART 9

...
Lara folded her arms round her
chest as she watched her mother
in-law pack some fruits into a
basket.
“You’re going out” she said
rather than asked.
“Yes, but I’ll be back soon.”
Amara replied covering the
basket with a table cloth.
“I’m coming with you…” Lara
began to say.
“No…”
“I’m coming with you!” she said
firmly.
“Lara, you can’t come with me,
okay?” Amara tried to soothe
her.
“Is there anything wrong? You’ve
been going out now for the past
one week, and…and… Or is there
anything you’re hiding from
me?” Lara said with a frown.
“Now, Lara relax your nerves,
okay. Stay back, I’l buy you
something when I’m coming
back.” Amara patted her.
“Okay then…I’l be going back to
my place.” Lara pouted.
“Lara! You can’t…”
“I can’t stay here all alone!” Lara
began to cry.
Amara sighed, she knew her
game is up. She need to tell Lara
the truth. But how would she
start? Tony would be discharged
that night.
“Errm..Lara, Tony had an
accident, he’ll be discharged
today.” she said slowly.
“Accident? Tony?” Lara held her
chest firmly.
“Yes, he’l be discharged today.”
Amara sighed again.
“I’m coming with you to see
him!” Lara said huskily.
“No…I’l drop you at your place
instead, you’l see him later in the
day, when he’s been
discharged.” Amara told her.
Lara felt her knee go weak, she
prayed the accident isn’t that
bad.
...
Lara toyed with her cornrows
out of boredom, her mother-in-
law had called to tell her they
were on their way.
She tried to imagine what Tony
would look like, maybe he would
wear a scowl, or perhaps bark at
her.
She heard the front door open,
she stood up sharply,
expectantly.
“Welco…” what she saw made
her Tongue stick to the roof of
her mouth…
Tony sat in a wheel chair, he
looked so pale. Chief Ifiora
pushed the wheel chair into the
room.
Lara looked on, she tried to
speak, but couldn’t. Tony looked
up at her, he held her gaze, his
eyes full of regrets, sorrow and
pains.
Lara looked away, tears stung
her eyelids, was it real? She
asked herself.
“Don’t cry.” Amara hugged her.
Lara wept on her shoulder, she
watched her father-in-law push
Tony in his wheel chair towards
his room.
Tears blurred her vision. Was this
the same Tony she saw few days
ago? Now he is in a wheel-chair?
She hugged her mother-inlaw
and they both wept holding each
other tightly.
“Breakfast is ready…” Lara cooed
as she helped Tony sit-up on his
bed.
He was watching her closely,
she’s been supportive ever since
he came back from the hospital.
He had always imagined her
paying him back his evils now
that he’s defenceless, but she
proved his imaginations wrong.
He wondered if she had forgiven
him, cos he’s not even asked for
her forgiveness yet.
“Hope you don’t mind me putting
too much milk in your tea…the
doctor said you should drink alot
of milk o.” Lara smiled as she
offered him a cup of tea in a
saucer.
“Thank you.” he said almost in a
whisper.
“Your toast is here, your boiled
eggs, your potato chips, your
fried plantains, your ….” Lara
listed as she pushed a tray full of
food towards him.
“for only me?” Tony’s eyes
widened.
“Yes o! The doctor said you need
a balanced diet!” Lara said
Tony laughed, he never knew she
had a sense of humour.
“Eat up, while I get your bath
water ready…” she quipped.
“Errrm..Lara?” he searched her
eyes.
“yes?” she turned to look at him.
“I…errm…I…just… wanted to say
I’m sorry..for..for ..all I did to
you…I’m…” he stammered.
“Oh please, don’t start! Stop
those I’m sorry stuff!” Lara
frowned.
“I don’t..know….It s..just that…
just that…I feel I’m not worth
your kindness….” he continued.
“Now, don’t talk like that, I hold
no grudges against you..okay?
Now eat up and take your bathe,
you know your father would be
here soon…remember you’re
seeing the doctor today…huh?”
she said sweetly.
Tony held her gaze for a while
before she looked away. She
walked gently towards his
bathroom.
...Watch out for Part 10...