❃ I don’t wish for my time to stop ❃

Recalling Lottie’s words about how she had stopped being into ladies, her love confession for him and then the video sent to him by Desdemona, coupled with the fact that the lady he called their maid was actually a lady she has been having an affair secretly with wouldn’t just stop pissing him off. He chugged down the third glass of Cognac and ordered for more.

Hie phone began ringing and he took a glance at it. It was an unknown number calling, he ignored it. It stopped ringing few moments later but then starts again getting on his nerves.

“The heck!” With hardened jaw, he picked up the call and a solemn voice spoke out.

“Hello Sir” Recognizing the voice he made to end the immediately but the caller next words made him stop on that, with his eyes widening.

“What?!”

~HOSPITAL~

After typing some things in the system, the doctor motioned to the monitor where Rooney’s eyes directed to also.

“It’s Acute Lymphoblastic leukemia known as ALL. It begins in the bone marrow and affects the lymphocytes which is the white blood cells, the main cells that comprise lymph nodes, a critical part of the immune system” The doctor explains while Rooney just stares as if the doctor just spoke in a language he doesn’t understand.

“Doctor…what..are you trying to say?” He asks slowly, his expression blank.

“Because it has been left untreated for months, it has actually progresses quickly and becomes fatal…so in her situation, nothing else can be done” The doctor replied. Rooney brought his palm forward rubbing his forehead.

“So, you mean… Lottie, no my wife has leukemia and she can’t be treated?” He asked carefully.

“Yes Mr Rooney” The doctor replied. Rooney couldn’t help scoffing, then slowly the scoffs turns into a laughter. The doctor quirk his brow.

“Wait…is this the tactic she could come up with? Really?? Where is she?” He stood up.

“Mr Rooney. I know it’s hard to accept but your wife…a terminal cancer of the blood. It’s critical and doesn’t have much time left. I’m sorry” The doctor said emphatically, while Rooney shook his head.

“If she gets hospitalized now, she could still make it for two months the longest but if she doesn’t, I’m afraid she only has less than a month to live. I think your wife already knows of this, cause she must have been seeing the symptoms already.” He stood up also and walk up to him.

“Mr Rooney, at times like this you have to be strong for your wife, she needs you the most right now” The doctor pats his shoulder.

Rooney just stood, staring at the doctor unbelievably as if he had grown two heads.

*. *. *.

Walking out of the doctor’s office discomposed, Pamela who had been waiting for him quickly rushes over to him.

“Mr Rooney…” She calls slowly. She had actually been the one who brought Lottie to the hospital after finding her passed out in the room while finding to talk to her.

“What did the doctor say?” She asked, Rooney said nothing but only stares blankly at her. He possibly couldn’t get through the bombshell the doctor dropped on him yet.

Pamela sighs out when he wouldn’t say anything.

“Wh@ťěver it is, I’m sure she’ll be fine” She mumbles.

“Actually there’s something you don’t know…” She took in her lower lip and look down.

“Lottie and I had been together in the past back in Finland before she flew over here to marry you. She ended things with me but because I couldn’t get over here, I flew over also and disguised as a maid to get closer to her. However she rejected all my advances saying she loves her husband and whatnot. Earlier today, I saw her weeping outside and it broke my heart you know. Finding out it was because of you the man she loves i felt so angry and sad also. I couldn’t control myself and I kissed her, however she pushed me away right at that second i did that waking me up with a sound slap as well. I ain’t telling you all this just to cause misunderstanding between you two or ask for your forgiveness, I just want to clear my mind off the guilt I felt after doing that to her. I realized how much I’ve been hurting and stressing her. So I reflected. So Mr Rooney, I just have a request to ask of you, even without her telling me million times I can feel it that Lottie really do loves you like she had said. I pretended not to know but while she was still in Finland, she’d stalk your social Media, stares at your pictures secretly and do all sort of things. She had always anticipated for the wedding ever since she heard of it, she really do love you so I hope you could at least treat her well…so she doesn’t cry because of you all the time so. I know what it feels like to be heartbroken, please… don’t make her feel that way always. She may act strong and tough but Lottie is just a fragile, vulnerable lady who wants nothing but just to be happy with the one she loves. I waited for you here to tell you that. I’ll take my leave now, sends my regards when she awakes” She gave him a slight bow then walk away from him.

Rooney slowly ball his fists, with his face hardening. He was trying so hard to hold it in but seems that would be impossible cause his eyes are red already and watery at the same time.

“If she gets hospitalized now, she could still make it for two months the longest but if she doesn’t, I’m afraid she only has less than a month to live. I think your wife already knows of this, cause she must have been seeing the symptoms already”

“I can feel it that Lottie really do loves you like she had said. I pretended not to know but while she was still in Finland, she’d stalk your social Media, stares at your pictures secretly and do all sort of things.”

“I love you…Rooney. I really do…”

The doctor’s, Pamela’s and Lottie’s words herself came back replaying in his head.

Her pale face, her loss of appetite, her weight loss, her sudden illness which he counted as nothing, it was all actually something.

It was all because she was dying.

She was dying right under his nose and he knew nothing about it. He knew absolutely nothing.

“Arggh…” He slumps on the floor covering his mouth with his palm. His misty eyes already producing tears which he can’t withheld any longer.

“I think your wife already knows of this, cause she must have been seeing the symptoms already.” The doctor’s words rang in his head again and he broke down totally.

“What should I do… Lottie…what should I…” Without being able to control himself, he began crying out in obvious pain.

~LATER~

Rooney walks into the ward she was put in and gently walk over to where she lays on the bed.

“Lottie…” He calls softly, stroking her hair, her tired eyelids flutters opens and she groans softly.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Rooney…” She calls.

“What… happened?” She asked looking around.

“You fainted. Pamela brought you here” He said.

“Pam… Rooney Pamela and i_”

“Shh… it’s okay. She explained everything to me already, and she left. I’m sorry for getting so worked up without listening to you first” He apologized tenderly. She sighs out in relief.

“It’s okay…I should have told you when she arrived. It’s my fault…”

“Do you need me to get the doctor, do you feel any discomfort?” He asks her.

“Rooney?”

“Uh?”

“I want to go home” She says getting his brows up.

“You_”

“Please take me home, I don’t like it here. Take me home… Rooney” Her eyes stares pleadingly into his.

*. *. *.

Even though he doesn’t want to, he ended up getting her discharged and brought her home due to her adamancy.

“You must be hungry, I’ll find something for you to eat” He said as they got to the living room.

“But the maid isn’t here” She says.

“I can just make something. Don’t worry okay?” He smiles at her.

“Hmm…okay. then I’ll go upstairs and get my laptop I need to_”

“I’ll get it for you. Just take a sit” He sat her down in the couch before she could finish and dashed upstairs swiftly.

“What’s with him…” Lottie thought.

Minutes later he came back with the laptop, gave it to her then went to the kitchen to make something.

Lottie also began walking on her laptop in the living room.

“Hmm…dice the onions, wash the vegetables first.. spice… it’s can actually be quite easy…” Rooney mutters as he browse through the internet.

“Okay.. let’s do this” He drops his phone, then start making the dish.

~FEW MINUTES LATER~

Rooney stares at the oil currently frying hot in the frying pan.

“Ooff! Okay…it should be okay for me to pour it now?”

“Or should I wait more?”

“Is the temperature okay?”

“It seems like the oil is drying up…?”

“I should just pour this in now, right?” He soliloquies, staring from the sliced tomatoes , Onions and green pepper6 in the plate he’s currently holding to the frying pan.

“Ah! Wh@ťěver I’ve waited enough… let’s just do it” He decided and pour the content in the plate into the frying pan but…

BOOM!!

Fire boomed out of the frying pan and he flinches back in fright.

“OH MY!” Even Lottie who was sitting in the living room jumps up in fright.

“What was…ohhh fire… Rooney fire!”

She stood running towards him.

“Don’t come closer! I’ve got this” He shout back stopping her, then he began blowing air with his mouth and fanning air with his palms also to the blazing fire coming out of the frying pan.

“I’ll protect you Lottie! Don’t fret! I’ve got you!!” He shouts as he continues in his deed. Instead of going to him, Lottie branch and went to the storage then came back with the fire extinguisher.

“I’ll never let any harm come to_”

“Rooney!” She called interrupting him. Looking back to her, what he was met with instead was the rush gas from the fire extinguisher.

“Ahhhh!!.”Lottie screams as she release it everywhere in the kitchen.

*. *. *.

A wide grin spread on Lottie’s lips when she finally puts out the fire. She drops the fire extinguisher and runs over to Rooney who stood stagnant on his spot covered in the gas.

“Rooney..are you okay?” She asks worriedly and he turns his head slowly to her. Lottie look at him from head to toe, with an amusing expression on.

“Don’t!” He said to her.

“Rooney you_”

“Don’t you dare_”

“Hahaha!!” She burst out laughing before he could finish his statement.

“You look like a f-__-king snowman! No, more like a ghost! A real ghost! HAHAHA” She taunted laughing hard.

“Then why don’t you let this ghost CATCH YA!” He advances towards her while she instantly ran away from him.

“Come here!”

“Go away!!”

“Wait for your ghosty husband, Lottie!!”

“I have no such!”

“I’m gonna take you with me once I catch you!!” He chased hotly after her as she ran around the house giggling and within some moments, he caught her.

“Ah!”

“GOT YA!!” He scoops her in his arms, carrying her like a bride.

“Please let me go Mr ghostie, I don’t wanna go with you??” She blinks her eyes cutely.

“Let’s cross the bridge together… Wifey” He smirks carrying her up the stairs.

“Let me down Rooney!” Her tiny voice echoes out.

BATHROOM.

Rooney drops her gently on getting to the bathroom. He made to take off her clothes but she stops him.

“I can do this myself…” She mutters while he only smiles.

“Okay…” He backed away while she reluctantly took off her top, leaving her only in her bra with his eyes peering intently at it. She squirms back on her feet, a little uncomfortable.

“Getting shy?” He smirks at her while she scoffs.

“As if” She proceeded to taking off the remaining clothes till she was stark naked then raised a brow at him daringly.

He smirks and go ahead taking off his also feeling no shame.

Lottie clears her throat then steps into the bathtub filled with warm water already while he steps in also.

He made to bath her but she stops him.

“I can_”

“Don’t say a thing… I’ve got you.” He impeded her.

She kept quiet and he began rubbing his palm gently on her body. Silence filled the air as he did this until his eyes landed on a particular bruise at the back of her neck. Instantly, he remembers the bruise he saw on her the other day they had s€x also. He checks it and it was still there.

“Persistent fatigue, weakness, frequent or severe infections, losing weight, easy bleeding or bruising, nosebleeds, tiny red spots… would certainly be the symptoms she would be having….” He remembers the doctors words to him.

“Rooney?” She calls out gently jerking him back from his reverie.

“Yes… Lottie” He replied gently with a soft smile.

“I…I am_” His lips suddenly colliding on hers makes the remaining words got stuck in her throat.

She opens up immediately, giving into the kiss and gently, making sure not to hurt her or touch her bruise, he held her in his arms, kissing her tenderly.

LATER.

Lottie sat on the chair in front of her desk, staring at herself and Rooney’s reflection from the large mirror attached to the wall above her desk. A merry smile, plastered on her face.

Rooney stood behind her brushing her hair gently, once in a while, she would make eye contacts with Rooney’s from the mirror and both will chortle. They have been doing this, for some minutes now.

“Rooney?” She calls.

“Hmm” He replied.

“Nothing…” She says.

After a while, she calls him again and when he replied, she says it’s nothing, probing him to crave a brow.

“What is it? Tell me…” He prompt.

“It’s nothing, it’s just that… I’m happy” She mumbles and chuckles to herself. Rooney smiles and concentrated back on brushing her hair but then something happened, getting his expression to turn to a sour bitter one.

On the brush he’s using to brush her hair are some strands of hair, not little but many. He looks over to her head to see a part of it totally bald, her hair was literally scrapped off.

His hand holding the brush literally began shaking that moment, with his eyes glued to the bald part of her head.

“I’m really happy…I wish I could continue living like this with you. I wish I wouldn’t go anywhere and just live peacefully like this with you. I just love this feeling, I’m having right now, I don’t want it to stop” She smiles out sadly.

“I don’t wish for my time…to stop so soon” She mutters only to herself but even as low as it was, Rooney heard it.

“Lottie…” A tear escapes his eyes.

~T.B.C~