Chapter 30

The night before!...

After she was done with relieving herself, that night Jason carried her back meticulously to her side of the bed and made sure she was covered from cold.

Sophia was astounded still for the fact that he didn't run off in embarrassment as he did before. rather he hopped on the other side and joined her while keeping his distance.

"Why didn't you run off like before? I thought it repulsed you?" She asked facing the ceiling.

Jason frowned, obviously she had misinterpreted his actions then.

"I was never embarrassed, I was rather hurt and hated myself for putting you in this painful situation, I mean does this happen often?" He sat upon his elbow.

She shook her head, and silence followed. When Jason thought she wasn't going to explain further she started.

"Only on few occasions, when Zara forgets or I forget to relieve myself before bedtime. It's embarrassing I know, I just... I just have to adjust to never using my legs again but it hurts so much that I almost give up. Some nights I would dream of walking and running you know? But reality would hit me once I wake, then I get depressed" she moved her face towards the window not wanting to show her fears so much to him. What's done is done.

But he already crawled closer to her and engulfed her in his warm embrace, Sophia wasn't expecting such proximity but she didn't refuse him either.

They stayed that way for a while, His expensive cologne engulfing her olfactory lobe, sweeping its effect up to her brains in sheer hypnosis. While he hid his face in the crook of her neck and his warm breath tickled her. Sophia was mesmerized.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know..." He cried.

They stayed like that in each other's arms, till they both slept off.

Early the next morning, they were both woken by voices from outside her door. People arguing, but Sophia recognized one voice as her stepmother's Maureen.

"Who is that?" Jason asked wiping his face.

"Maureen, I think she's here and the last person I want to see."

Jason rolled off the bed "I'll talk to her don't worry."

"Sure, please tell Sabina to come to help me."

He nodded and walked off.

"Oh thank goodness Jason I need to see Sophia, I don't understand why she hasn't been picking my calls and took all the cheque booklets from me, what have I done?" Maureen cried, whipping her expensive braids to the side.

"She doesn't want to see you, she needs rest."

"What?! When did Sophia become so insolent to the people who care for her? Sophia!!!!" She called atop her voice.

Jason turned to Sabina "You are Sabina right? You're needed inside" he gestured with his head.

She scampered off inside.

He focused on the intruder.

"May I remind you that this is as much my house as it is hers too, so please quit with the noise, or I won't hesitate to throw you out."

Maureen sneered at him in disgust.

"I have done nothing wrong but pick that... that ungrateful idiot from the trash when her parents left her and took her as my own, now she wants to pay me back with evil!! Sophia, I know you can hear me from wherever you are!!!! I don't deserve any of this, no!!!" She paced about.

"I sold my house to get her medical treatments and... Oh, God! Then what? she throws me out to the streets. Damn you all."

"Tantrums are for kids Maureen, I suggest you take it somewhere else. Sophia needs the best rest she can get. I won't tell you twice" Jason barked in defense.

Sophia rolled out in her wheelchair at that time and faced Maureen.

"Sophia?..." Maureen croaked.

"What is all this about? Have you forgotten how I suffered for you?."

"I remember everything... From how you made me do your heavy laundries to throwing me out in the rain and you sold my father's home and ran off with the money! You and your sister Monica, you both put me here!!!" She gestured to herself.

Maureen shook her head in dismay. "That's not true Sophia, who told you all those lies? I can never. Maybe you're mixing up your dreams for reality. Remember you had a brain injury when the accident happened. It might be side effects of it, please listen_"

"Really? So you're claiming am deranged now?... Don't lie to me Maureen you never wanted me as your daughter, you said Bernard left you a burden and that was me!!!" She yelled almost limping off her seat.

"I remember so vividly, you and your sister Monica?... Where is she now? Eh? With her wayward husband Tony right?" Sophia smirked at Maureen's shocked expression.

"I remember every damn thing... I don't want to see you ever again, at least am old enough to look after myself now. Thanks for everything you've done so please leave."

Maureen fell on her knees and cried. "Please, don't do this to me am very sorry Sophia, it... It was my sister who put me to all of it. I never wanted to throw you out, she... She is the devil. I'm very sorry please I have nowhere to go to Sophia" she moved on her knees towards Sophia and clutched Sophia's knee in a plea.

It was embarrassing seeing how Maureen pleaded for her future before her stepdaughter. But little did she know that Sophia had long written her off her heart.

Jason watched in fear how his supposed soft and caring wife ignored her stepmother's wailing and rolled inside without showing the tiniest bit of emotion.

That same day during the afternoons when Jason was sure Sophia was napping, he took off to see his friend Sean who has been ceaselessly calling his line.

"Look who finally decided to show some love, Jason!! Come join me in my indoor party" he laughed dryly.

Jason observed him like a predator to its prey.

"C'mon don't hesitate like am someone else it's still the same me, your bestie Sean. Sit and have some drink it's your best brand am sure." Sean filled the empty glass and pushed it towards his friend and adjusted on his stool.

"What happened?."

Sean perked his left brow at his question.

"What?."

"You hardly get drunk unless you are... The only time I've seen you drunk was... Miriam!" Jason finally sorted out the puzzle in his head. "What happened between you two Sean?."

Sean puffed off-air and faced his drink while Jason sat beside him.

"Sean! What is going on?."

"It's nothing Jay just leave it" he sighed "At least am free as fuck and can get laid anytime and with anyone right?" He chuckled bitterly.

Jason snatched the bottle from him. "Tell me what she did to you Sean, I know you to be the toughest person I've ever met, and to see you like this is... I don't know... Is terrifying."

After a while of silence, Sean spoke up.

"She's married Jason" he whispered that Jason almost didn't hear him.

"What?! When? I thought you engaged her?."

"I did, but unfortunately I was late. She was already engaged before I stupidly engaged her. She said her fiancé was outside the country and she wasn't sure he'd still want to marry her once he returns" Sean said mockingly. “So! she saw no reason to tell me or even wear her ring!!" Tears fell from his eyes and he immediately wiped them. "Shit!!! am fucking crying for a fool who doesn't deserve even my worst. Damn!!!" He smacked the table before him.

"Funny right? I look like shit I know" he smiled at Jason who sat astounded.

"I told myself that I'd never love any woman,  that they were just for fun and leisure, and kept to my promise. All those whores, gold-diggers, and baby mamas. I made sure to never get entangled with any of them, but what happened? Eh?" He turned to Jason in wonder and the pain in his teary eyes.

"I ended up getting hurt by the very unexpected ones! Pretenders!! Coy and innocent-looking, Jason for God's sake I thought for once that not all women were peasants!!! Miriam was so naive and quiet. but then... Those are the worst. They are the green serpents people talk about. She was fuckin engaged and let me engage her once more in public!!...  and for complete two months, she said nothing. Pretending to love me? Jason, tell her if you ever see her that I said I won't wait for karma to visit her, I’ll do the job for karma since it almost strikes late!!!." He yelled atop his voice in pain,  pushing himself off his stool, Jason assisted his unstable legs.

"Hey!!! Sean calm down, you're drunk and sputtering gibberish. It will be alright just rest okay?" Helped him to the nearest couch.

Sean sat and wiped the remainder of his tears while Jason stood in pity and watched. It was his turn to play the consoler after Sean had been his refuge in his time of troubles.

"How is your pretty innocent wife Jay?" Sean spoke after some moments of silence and him sniffling.

Jason smiled and nodded "She's fine and getting better."

Sean sat up immediately "Are you in love with her?."

"What?!"

"You act like you are man, Haven't you been listening to all I've been telling you about those serpents that pretend to be innocent but dangerous?...  Jay, I don't trust your wife either, she can be worse than Miriam am certain. They all act nice to get your attention than once they have it. The wreck you and your entire being. Let her go, Jason, besides you abhorred the thought of marrying a cripple."

Jason wiped his face with an unsettling feeling in his deepest heart.

"Look Sean, I understand where you're coming from but Sophia isn't like that at all, I know. But this isn't about my marriage you need to rest we'll talk tomorrow then."

Sean shook his head in pity at his friend was already on his way out.

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