A SECOND CHANCE TO YOUR HEART - CHAPTER 9&10
[ Chased out ]
“No! Father! Don’t take him! Father!”she cried, trying to free herself.
**
JOELLE’S PLACE, WEEKS LATER.
The death of her father made her forget about Jeffrey a little, though Lydia still treats her the way she does, even worse.
“I’m done with everything, can I take a nap?”Joelle asked for the tenth time. She has been standing in front of Lydia who’s getting her toenails done by Erica.
“Mom…..”
“Stop talking! Don’t you know what to do, uhn! Make work available for yourself. You can’t have even the slightest rest till night!”Lydia shouted and she nodded and turned to leave.
The feeling of one wanting to faint in a situation is what she has been wishing for, at least if she faints, it’d lessen her work and at least have a nap.
Just four steps, she took just four steps and fell on the ground.
“Elle!”Erica dropped what she’s with and ran to her.
“Elle!”she called, shaking her but Joelle made no movement.
“I think she fainted mom”she said.
“She’ll get up when she wants, at least she wanted a nap and there, she got it”Lydia said heartlessly.
“Mom!!”Erica yelled.
“What!”
“Can we get her to the hospital at least! I don’t wanna watch her die also!”she said.
“Why do you even care! Not like her useless father was ready to do what you’re doing now”Lydia shouted.
“Really mom! I watched father die in your……. and you really think I’ll want her dead too!”she shouted and a slap landed on her face.
“I did everything for you! I did it so you’ll be someone at least, if he was still alive, you think he’ll ever take care of you like her! You think he’ll ever care for you! You think he’ll ever think about you while thinking about her”Lydia screamed.
“If you’re feeling too pitiful, then go! Go tell the cops I’d it, go tell them!”Lydia screamed and she started crying.
“You better stop that tears or I’m leaving her like this!”Lydia thr_@tened.
*
HOSPITAL.
“Who are you to her?”the doctor asked as they settled down in his office, Lydia and Erica. Joelle is in a ward.
“What do you think, her mother off course”Lydia said.
“She stresses herself a lot and hardly eat which might affect the child”the doctor said.
“What child?”
“She’s pregnant”he said.
“What!”they both screamed.
“Didn’t you know? She’s two weeks gone and…..”
“And what! Joelle is pregnant! For who?”she stood up.
“You should calm…”
“Calm down! You better shut it doctor!”she shouted and walked out. Erica stood up slowly as she began walking out.
Did she do it with Jeffery? Oh my! She did it, off course that’s why she’s pregnant. Oh Elle……
Different thoughts kept coming as she walked but began running as she heard voices from the ward Joelle is in.
“You foolish child! You think I’m ready to feed for a bastard, uhn!”she screamed, dragging her off the bed.
“Mom…..”
“That stupid boy obviously has the thing in you!”
“Mom!”Joelle cried.
“Mom? You should get ready to hear that soon, that thing in you would call you Mom . Seventeen and you’re pregnant!”she screamed and let go of her, going to Erica.
“Don’t tell me you’re also pregnant?”she asked.
“Mom……”
“Good!”she sighed and faced Joelle again..”What do I expect from you if not this, uhn!”
“Ma’am, this is an hospital you can’t be shouting…..”
“I won’t shout if you’ll take care of her and the child, you can have her, would you!”she screamed.
The doctor only sighed, looking at Joelle who’s crying confusedly.
“Start leaving! Foolish child!”she shouted and Joelle ran out.
“Ma’am……”
“You should be glad you’re putting that white shirt, I would have slapped the living light out of you!!”she shouted and walked out, dragging Erica along.
Joelle kept crying as she walked on the road.
Pregnant? Pregnant! Pregnant!
The voice kept screaming that in her head as she walked.
“Jeff, you have to come back cause I can’t do this alone”she muttered as her tears poured continuously, and as if the heavens was against her, rain started pouring heavily. There was no place like a shade to stay till it stops, so she had to keep running.
An hour later, she got home all drenched.
“Mom! Elle is here!”Erica shouted from the living room where she’s counting some money.
“Where did you get that?”Joelle asked, recognizing the piggy bank as hers.
“Your room”Erica said, not caring.
“What! Why would you touch my money! Give it back!”she shouted as she tried taking the money from her but Erica succeed in pushing her off and she fell.
“You think mom would pay for your hospital bills for free?”Erica scoffed.
“What happened?”Lydia asked as she walked in, holding a packed bag which she dropped on the ground.
“She wants back the money!”Erica said.
“Money? Your father left and I had to pay for his funeral and now, you think I’ll pay for your hospital bills when there’s a thing inside you!”Lydia shouted and she swallowed nothing.
“You and your useless father, you should be glad I haven’t ki||ed you!”
“I’m sorry mom”Joelle muttered.
“You shouldn’t be, you just acted like your silly mother, you both are same and I regret ever having anything to do with this family. Now listen, you take this bag and leave the house, I can’t take care of that thing in you!”she said.
“No no no mother…..”
“You better don’t lay that hand on me! What were you thinking when you were spreading your legs for him, uhn! You brought it upon yourself foolish child!”Lydia shouted.
“I’m sorry….. Erica please talk to her, I’m sorry, I’ll do all the chores without complaining, you can use me as you like but please don’t send me out”she cried.
“Keep on using you?”Lydia laughed and continued “I’m done using you, you should be really glad you aren’t dead and just leave!”Lydia said.
“Mom! Erica!”she cried, grabbing Lydia’s leg.
“Please…. please don’t do this…..”she cried but Lydia kicked her on the face which made Joelle release her. She picked the bag and threw it out.
“Erica, please, say something….. I’m sorry…. please!”she held Erica’s hand, but she didn’t look at her.
“Erica please!”
Erica took her hand from her grip forcefully. “I never liked you and to think your father always place you above me hurts the most! I always look inferior whenever you’re around and I’m glad you would leave, you might try to take my mother and maybe ki|| her, do you know why?”she smirked. “Cause everyone who truly loves you either dies or leave, I don’t want to die neither want my mom dead!”she spat and walked to the thrown bag outside.
“I should check if mom didn’t put my stuff as a mistake”she said and started searching, secretly, she hide half the amount that belongs to Joelle in a jean pocket.
“There’s nothing, you can go!”she said and without looking at her, she walked away.
Lydia grabbed Joelle by her hand out.
“The new owner of the house would be here by tomorrow and I and Erica would be gone, so don’t stay out”Lydia laughed and shut the door.
Joelle bent down as she cried. Regretting nothing but meeting Jeffery. She cried till there were no more tears left and eventually, she slept off on the cold ground.
**
CALIFORNIA, AN HOSPITAL.
Jeffrey was admitted to the hospital after the accident and though he survived but he hasn’t woken up.
“What’s his condition doctor?”Genevieve asked the doctor.
“A little damage on his brain but we just have to wait till he’s awake”the doctor said.
“Till he’s awake? When?”
“Anytime”the doctor replied.
“Jeffrey just opened his eyes!”her husband rushed in and she rushed out while the doctor followed.
They got to the ward he’s in, he’s already seated but just staring at them.
“Jeffrey!”Genevieve hugged him with relieve but his question made her pull away.
“Who are you?”
“Uhn? What’s he saying?”she asked no one in particular.
“Why am I here?”he asked again.
“What’s wrong with him doc?”she faced the doctor.
“He has amnesia, he lost his memories…..”
“What!”
**
7PM.
Joelle woke up, feeling really cold as she stood up sluggishly. She went to the door and knocked. Only if one is close to the door would one hear the knock.
She knocked again but no reply. She sat down back on the floor as she brought out a cardigan from her bag, putting it on, shaking in the process.
She haven’t had anything since morning, hungry and also feeling cold but all she could pray for inwardly is to stay alive.
Taking thirty minutes to regain little strength, she stood up and began dragging the bag as she walked out. Chased from her father’s house like she’s a nobody. Everything just happened in a blink and it’s just unbelievable.
Her tummy kicked and she stopped walking, holding her stomach in pain. It hurts badly.
A taxi stopped next to her.
“Going?”the driver asked and without thinking, she got in and the driver drove off.
It took an hour and the taxi finally stopped. By now, everywhere was already dark.
“Miss, I keep asking where you would stop but you wouldn’t say a thing”the driver said but she still didn’t talk.
“This is my destination, you should get down”he said but still, no response came from her.
“Miss!”he shouted which eventually git her.
“I’ve gotten to my destination”he repeated and she came down.
“You haven’t paid”he said.
“Hmm?”
“You haven’t paid me”he repeated.
“I….I…. don’t have any money on me”she muttered.
“What! An hour drive and you don’t have any money!”he shouted, getting off the car.
“I’m sorry but I don’t”she said.
“Are you insane or what! You entered yourself, u didn’t force you so don’t make me force you to pay”he said.
“You can take my bag, I really don’t have any money”she said.
“What! You better pay me!”he shouted. They’re in front of a store, people already watching.
“You think you can play that on me? You better pay me or I show you the other side of me!”
“What’s going on?”someone asked from behind and he turned to see a girl, same age as Joelle obviously.
“Do you intend paying, don’t waste my time if you wouldn’t”he scoffed.
“The amount”she said and he told her which she paid. He got in his car, not without glancing on Joelle.
“You’re alright?”the girl asked and she nodded.
“I’m Veronica, you?”she asked.
“Joelle”she said.
“You can stay at my place if you don’t have anywhere to go”Veronica said.
“I can?”
“Yes, my grandmother wouldn’t mind. I live alone with her”she said.
“Thanks”Joelle muttered.
“Let’s go”Veronica helped her with the bag as they both crossed the road.
TBC