What Was I Thinking? LVI

His tall slender legs carried him swiftly through the corridors of the hospital. Adrenaline pumping, his mind racing, heart racing, and voices in his head screaming: EMILY’S ALIVE! How was that even possible? Karen said it was a long story. Was she mistaken for dead after her childbirth and later found alive in the morgue? Something was wrong.

A nurse led him to the ward and pointed to the bed. Seated next to her was the ever loyal, always-and-forever best friend, Karen. Emily was blessed to have a friend like her. Everyone needed a friend like her. He didn’t know how to approach them; whether to wear a smile of joy or of unbelief. Karen suddenly looked up and their eyes met. She smiled and that eased his anxiety a little bit. She saw the smile on her friend’s smile and followed her gaze.

My heart missed a beat. He was here. A smile crept up my face as he quickened his steps towards me. He got to his knees, took my hand in his and kissed it passionately. My heart gave a satisfied sigh. Adam was here. I turned to look at Karen and she gave me a knowing smile.
“I knew you’d feel much better if you saw him.”
“I do already; thanks, Karen.” I turned my gaze back at Adam whose eyes were filled with tears.
“I can’t believe this.” “I know.” “How…?” “Fitz was tired of sharing her with you so devised a master plan to have her all to himself,” Karen surmised. Karen was always so good at wrapping issues up with just one statement. Don’t I miss her?
“Did he hurt you?” I shook my head, too emotional to speak.
“What she means is not physically but emotionally, well we can see for ourselves,” Karen interpreted. Adam bit his lower lip.
“I’m so sorry for not being able to see through Mr. Daniels’ ruse. We shouldn’t have given up on you just like that.” “It’s not your fault. It’s entirely mine.”
“Called home?” “No. I don’t want my parents to see me like this.”
“How else do you expect them to see for themselves the hell your husband put you through?” Karen countered.
“I agree with Karen,” Adam said. I sighed.
“If I’m going to get my daughter back without any drama, I shouldn’t paint him black to everyone,” I said reasonably. Karen shook her head in opposition but said no more.
“When are you going to be discharged?” “Hopefully tomorrow.” He squeezed my hands and touched my face.
“My muse is back.” I smiled.

Nothing prepared me for the drama at my parents’ house. From the shock of seeing me come back from the dead to the joy displayed, it was almost theatrical. Karen found it difficult restraining herself from bursting out with all the gory details. And I made sure to let her know how grateful I was for her efforts. Then from nowhere, Fitz appeared. Karen almost jumped at him. I had to hold her from doing anything regrettable.
My parents looked confused; not knowing how to receive him. Was he a psycho or just an overly loving husband?
Fitz apologized profusely for the deceit blaming it on his obsessive nature to have me all to himself. And surprisingly, it seemed my parents were buying his story. Wow, he really must have been sorting them out well for them not to act as they should be. Karen was utterly shocked. I gave her the typical I-told-you-so look. He asked to speak with me alone and with a glance at my parents’ faces, agreed to.
“How are you feeling?” he asked in a note of concern when we were outside the house. He handed me my phone.
“What do you think?” I shot back.
“You tried to take your life? Why? Wasn’t I making you comfortable?”
“Are you kidding me? You kept me locked away at God-knows-where and you call that comfortable? It was the only option I had to get away from that hole.”
“I’m sorry I went too far. If you would come home with me, I promise to make things right.”
“Go home with you?” I chuckled. “I don’t know what bubble you live in but what makes you possibly think I’d jump at the idea of going home with you and much more sleep on the same bed with you?” “I know you’d want some space and I’m willing to give you as much as you want but we are a family, Emily. What I did was for you to see me as the only one who should matter to you; it wasn’t my intention to drive you to commit suicide.” “Well, it’s rather unfortunate that your experiment didn’t yield the expected results, isn’t it? Where’s Karen?”
“She’s home.”
“I want her.”
“You can come home and have her all you want.”
“Meaning?” He sighed.
“You’re not going to keep her away from me, are you?”
“I’m saying, if you want to see our daughter, then come home and see her,” he said finally. He walked back inside the house. Was he serious?

After handing my parents a fat envelope, he asked to leave.
“Won’t you take your wife along?” my mum asked.
“She wants to spend some time with her friend,” he said, referring to the almost-exploding Karen.
“Don’t you want to spend some time with your daughter?” my dad asked. I glanced at him and then at Fitz. There was so much I wanted to say but thought to bite my cheek instead.
“Whenever she’s ready, she will come,” Fitz said confidently. The driver came in and whispered something to him and handed him a car key. He walked over to me and handed it over.
“I figured you’d need it,” he said. I stared back, not taking the key dangling in front of me. Karen got up and took it.
“Thank you. I hope the tank is filled,” Karen said.
“It is. If you need anything else, let me know.
“I want my baby,” I said, almost breaking down into tears.
“You know where to find her.” He walked out.
“Don’t be stubborn, Emily. Marriage is difficult. It has its ups and downs. You’re lucky to have such a rich man going all crazy over you. Go with him already!” My mum’s harsh voice rang. I couldn’t hold my tears any more.
“Let’s go,” Karen urged. My parents looked on oddly as we walked out of the house.
“I can’t believe they are not bothered about being kidnapped for 6 months!”
“Money kills reasoning, it seems.” Karen unlocked the car doors and we hopped in.
She started the engine.
“The tank is filled. Sweet,” Karen said.
“Do you think I should go home?” I asked. She stared at me as if I had just spoken Swahili.
“I have to if I want to see my baby.”
“Are you implying this sham of a marriage is back on play?”
“Were you thinking we were going to get a divorce?”
“Weren’t you?”
“I don’t know…I haven’t really thought about it. If I pursue that, I’ll end up with nothing!” “Okay; maybe we need to talk about it with cooler heads. Fitz is a monster and going back to him is another way of telling the world that you really want to die.”
I sighed. I was out of the frying pan and I didn’t want to end up in the fire. But what other choice did I have?