HYBRID TIMBER 18

Eva and Susan stalked Ruthie entering a building that looked nothing like a doctor's office. They had followed her in Susan's father's car. The friends looked at each other, frowning.

“This doesn't look like a clinic. Susan exclaimed.

- Not even. Eva felt her heart pounding with an almost uncontrollable anxiety.

She was in the middle of an internal impasse, she wanted to find something wrong that could save her from marrying Bruce and she only had half a day to do it, however, she didn't want to think that her mother would be capable of lying about something so serious just to arrange this marriage.

Overall, she was feeling silly for not having noticed these strange things earlier, in fact, before, she didn't have a strong motivation, like a big, muscular body, sharp teeth, and snarling.

- Come on. - Eva said and got out of the car, her friend was right behind her.

"I wonder what Aunt Ruthie is hiding, huh?" Susan murmured.

“No idea, but we'll find out today. Eve declared.

The two approached the place and looked around, the reception seemed easy to enter, there was a young man sitting in front of a computer who looked up and smiled when he saw them entering.

- Good afternoon! How can I help them? — the boy with a badge that says Tommy greets them.

- Hello good afternoon. My mother is undergoing treatment here. She has cancer, I'd like to talk to her doctor. - Eva said and Tommy made a strange expression.

“I'm sorry but I think you've come to the wrong place. Here is a hotel.

- Serious? Eve gasped.

- Yea.

"That woman who just came in is my mother... Do you know which floor she went to?" — at that moment his hands were already sweating.

“I can't pass on that information.

“Oh, fuck. Susan murmured and pushed Eva to the back of the attendant's desk and they ducked down. "Take it normally." he whispered to Tommy.

- What's it? Who was coming? Eve whispered back.

"Pastor Teddy!" Eva's eyes widened, her mouth gaping in shock.

“Bruce's father? I'm going to throw up…” She sat on the floor as Susan covered her mouth with her hand.

"Do you know another one?" Try to hold. he whispered through clenched teeth.

- Good afternoon. She's already upstairs. the receptionist said before Pastor Teddy uttered a word.

- Good afternoon. Thanks. - Eva was sure it was her father-in-law when she heard the man's voice.

A few minutes later, Tommy turned to them under the counter.

— He's already gone, are you crazy? Who are you? the boy questioned.

"That's her father-in-law going to meet her mother!" - Susan almost screamed, but she stopped herself, she was as indignant as her best friend.

— I am not believing what my eyes have seen and my ears have heard. Could it be a coincidence? What if they are dealing with important matters? — the girl was in denial.

"Stop being silly, Eva!" It's very clear what's going on here. You are in shock, denial is normal too, but you need to wake up, we have little time to undo this farce! Susan grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

“Since they found out, they come here every week. Tommy revealed.

"How long has it been?" Eva asked.

“A little over four months.

- Damn it. It's been a little over two months since my mother told me about her illness and Bruce's parents offered me the proposal. Before that they were already...

Eva was in shock, still in disbelief.

"Shit, what's all this for?" Illness, marriage to Bruce in a hurry? Where did I get into this? — she just wanted to understand.

“They wanted to force her to marry so the families could stay together. Can be it. Susan guessed.

— My mother said she would live with us, in fact I insisted to be closer to her and to be able to take care of her! It makes sense. Initially we would live in the back house of the Turners.

“Yes, then the pastor would have access to his house with excuses that he was going to visit his son.

"But all this to be together?" It still doesn't make sense to me. Why didn't Bruce try to win me over instead of signing a deal and my mother inventing an illness?

“You would never go out with him, nor would any sane woman. That was the quickest way to arrange this marriage, otherwise it would take a long time for it to be won, if it worked at all. Susan smiled.

— I don't know what's going on here but from what I've heard, have you thought about the possibility that Bruce had some special reason for getting into this too? Or is he so good that he would simply do anything just for his father to be with his mistress?

- It is clear! Susan exclaimed. “Boy, you're smart.

The receptionist shrugged, smiling.

— Pastor Teddy Turner's secret with my mother, we already found out, now we need to find out what Bruce is hiding.

- Exactly! Your marriage would somehow cover up the mistake of the father and son.

— We don't have much time, the wedding is scheduled for five in the afternoon. — She took her cell phone out of her pocket and checked the time — It's almost eight. We need to follow in Bruce's footsteps today.

- Come on! Susan pulled her friend by the hand, but before they left, she turned to Tommy. "Thanks."

“Thanks, Tommy. Eva said thank you too.

The two ran back to the car and Susan started the vehicle. She still couldn't believe that her mother was capable of such a feat, but reality was flashing before her eyes and instead of shock and disbelief, an immense anger began to take hold of her.