Afraid To Love – Episode 26

“What are you going to do to me?” Purity asked with a shaking voice.
“Nothing, yet my love,” Ernest replied. “You have a very smooth skin despite the fact that you’ve been here for days.”
“Days?” Purity repeated. He had drugged her, but how could she be unconscious for days. Did he keep drugging me? “What did you give to me?”
“Something strong, my love,” he couldn’t take his hands off her smooth skin. It was so alluring, he loved it. His desire intensified, but he was able to keep it in check. He’d patiently wait till she was ready. That was how much she loved her.
His touch was beginning to upset her. It was so irritating as his kiss. She never wanted him to even lay a finger on her, still he was doing more than that. “Get your filthy hand off me! Do not touch me!”
“Sweetie,” Ernest called calmly, “Don’t raise your voice. Jeremy might hear you,” he taunted, receiving dagger looks from Purity.
“And he’s gonna come. He’ll rescue me. You’ll go to jail!”
He laughed out loudly to her amazement. “That’s never going to happen. Jeremy Broderick, lost his memory and doesn’t even remember you. I’m sure Tricia Cayson is by his side, taking your place, filling his heart with love and good cheer.”
Those words stabbed her heart. It pierced into her soul. Jeremy, lost his memory? How could that have happened? No, it was another of his lies. It wasn’t true. “You are not going to scare me with your lies. It won’t have any effect of me.”
“It will soon. Your Jeremy has another woman by his side. Please forget about him, you’ll just cause yourself more harm because he has already forgotten all about you. You don’t exist to him.”
Purity refused to believe him. “Its not true. No matter how convincing you sound, I’ll never believe you. I’m not scared of you, I’m not scared of anything!”
“We shall see,” Ernest turned his back on her and began walking out of the room. His footprints ere left behind on the the dust found everywhere in the room.
Purity called after him, “We’ll definitely see! I’m not scared of you or anyone!”
He stopped. “But you are scared of loving anyone. You haven’t fully given your heart to him. I still have a chance.”
Before she could open her mouth, he disappeared from the room. She could hear his footsteps echoing. He left her to ponder over his last remarks. What he meant, it took a while for her to get to it. He was right, though. No matter how she wished he was wrong, he remained right.
She’d been afraid of ever loving anyone because of the way she’d known the opposite s-x from her childhood. It was different this time. Jeremy was different from all the men she had met. Yet, she was not sure if she should love him or not. She was still afraid to love him or not. She was still afraid to love. On several occasions, she’d told him she cares about him and by her actions, she indicated feelings for him. Could it be love? Was he going to love her forever? Being hurt badly was what she could not bear to pass through. She doubted she’d ever survive the pains.
Tears streaked down her cheeks as she thought of Jeremy. He was probably hospitalized. His memory was gone? She suspected it had something to do with Ernest. Jeremy was ill because of her. She recalled the pains she put him through and that even made her weep more. “I’m sorry, Jeremy,” she whispered, in between tears.
She raised her face and for the first time, she got a clearer view of her environment and surroundings. Dust law over every surface like dirty snow, pristine dust layer. There was not a footprint anywhere except the ones left behind by Ernest. Dust bunnies, the size of bowling balls tumbled across the floor boards, towards unseen settles. Free papers piled up to the letter box and cascaded all the way to the foot of the rough wooden stairs. Old bed cups lay on a coffee table thickly entrusted with dried up mould. Dust covered mirrors. Smell of mildew, stale air filled the entire room. Air thick with dust, shafts of light bursting through gaps in the boarded up window. Light steaming through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains. There was absolute silence, not even the hum of a refrigerator. She couldn’t even make a sound.
The only occupants in the house waved their webs between the spindles of the stair banisters and from the ceiling to the wall, she was now one of the occupants. Old cobwebs billowed in the draft.
She was certainly in an abandoned house. The entire room was scary and got her terrified. A shiver ran down her spine.
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“Ernest really is a devil. He hates me,” she resumed crying. “Oh God. Someone should please save me. I feel so helpless and empty. God, please keep Jeremy safe for me. I need your help more than ever,” she shut her eyes and poured her her to God fervently with quivering lips.
*
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“Sir, someone’s here to see you,” a young maid of about twenty interrupted the gentle men.
Jeremy’s head tilted towards he direction of the maid. “Let him in.”
“Its a woman, sir,” the maid replied, bowing.
Darren and Jeremy exchanged quick glanced. Through their facial expressions, they already knew who it was.
“Quick, Darren hide,” Jeremy said to the detective.
“What are you about to do?” Darren shot at him.
“Just hide, quickly,” he repeated.
Darren reluctantly obeyed and went into Jeremy’s room.
“Go get her, Rosa.”
The maid nodded and briskly walked to get the unexpected visitor.
Jeremy hurriedly composed himself. He smiled to himself as an evil idea ran across his mind.
“Jeremy Broderick!” Tricia exclaimed on seeing Jeremy seated on a sofa. She was so mad at him, especially after being embarrassed by the doctor. She had sworn he’d pay for what he did.
Jeremy’s head shot up as he heard his name from his guest. He took a deep breath, getting ready to start his evil plan. He got up and turned to face her. A smile touched the corners of his mouth. “Tricia, what a pleasant surprise, please come and sit,” he gestured.
She ran a hand through her hair. Why is he being so nice to me? she thought to herself. “Why did you do what you did? Why did you not inform me that you’ve been discharged?”
“Please, take it easy. I was going to call you but I lost my cell. I haven’t got the time to get a new one,” he truthfully explained, with a tone of sincerity.
His reply came as a surprise to her. She had expected him to shout back at her and even throw her out. But he acted differently. She regretted shouting at him. “Um, and your memory? You know everything,” she accused, in a rather, calm manner.
“Come and sit,” he took her by the hand and led her to a couch. He watched as she settled in. When she was done, she turned to face with with curious eyes. He knew he had to explain things further. “Are you really here to fight about that? You should be happy I am okay.”
Tricia sighed deeply, “I am glad you are alright. I know it must have been terrible at the hospital.”
“Yes,” Jeremy replied, nodding. “It was bad.”
“I’m sorry I yelled at you when I came. I wasn’t happy you hid the fact that you are now home from me,” she wholeheartedly apologised.
“You don’t have to apologise,” he whispered into her ears. “Its understandable.”
Tricia was utterly taken aback by Jeremy’s nice words. It ws soothing as well as comforting. His face drawn to her’s and feeling his breath on her ear caused her to tingle with emotions. Jeremy was being nice to her, she fought back the urge to scream with joy. He was gradually getting back to her. “But she still occupies your mind,” she jealously admitted.
“Are you referring to Purity?” he asked.
“Who else? She’s the only one you think about. You never even spare a moment for me,” she sighed sadly.
“Its exactly what I’m doing now. Making time for you,” he said desperately.
She scoffed. “I’m not buying that. What happened to ‘she has my heart, I love her so much, she’s my choice,’ huh?”
He looked remorseful. He hung his head, “Yes, you are right. I’m sorry, I don’t even deserve to look at your face.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. Its just that a day ago, you wanted me out of your life. I’m curious, what made you change your mind, if you’ve really changed it?”
Jeremy grasped her hand tightly, “She hasn’t come for me. I waited and waited. I don’t want to, I think I’m starting to give up on her. Just be with me for now. If she doesn’t appear, I’ll have to be with you.”
Not a bad idea, she thought. “I’ll just be your Purity. Let me into your heart,” she purred.
“I’m sorry for the way I have treated you. I don’t really deserve the kindness you’re showing to me,” he sent her a contrite look.
She grinned. Her heart was pounding, she was simply excited. “Its good to hear you talk to me that way once again. I’ve dreamt and waited for this moment, its finally here. It was worth the wait,” she concluded and threw herself into his arms. “I love you, Jeremy.”
He only chuckled
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“The doctor, the doctor,” Tricia kept pacing in her bedroom repeating those two words – the doctor. She could not easily forget the conversation she had with him earlier that day. His voice kept echoing in her head – ‘I’m watching you. Purity’s watching you too. You won’t get away.’ Whatever does he mean by that? The thought of that made her shudder.
That doctor was with Jeremy. They’re close friends. If the doctor was aware, Jeremy must be aware too. Jeremy, was he playing with her emotions? She didn’t know what to think anymore. Getting the doctor out of her way was more important. Jeremy comes later, she just had to enjoy the attention he decided to show her. She smiled at the thought of that.
She laid on her bed and closed her eyes, reminiscising the time she spent with Jeremy – in his arms. A pleasant smile touched her face. The only man that had found a way into her heart and have refused to leave. The only man she has ever loved and will only love. Jeremy meant the whole world to her. She was ready to do anything just to get him and to keep him to herself. She wasn’t going to spare any who would come between them.
Her cellphone buzzed, jolting her out of her deep thinking. She sat up with a jerk. It was Ernest calling.
“How’d it go?” he asked over the phone.
She rubbed her head hard. “We have a problem.”
“State it,” he replied hastily.
“The doctor. Doctor Allan, he got to know that she was kidnapped. He warned me, especially with his eyes. He’s dangerous.”
“Dammit! How did he get to know?”
“How am I supposed to know?” she retorted.
There was silence for a few seconds.
“It’s Jeremy,” he breathed out.
She tried laughing it off. “You must be joking. It can’t be my baby. It just can’t be.”
“I have to disagree with you.”
“Its not true.”
“Lets meet up and talk about this. You know where.” He hung up.
“It can’t be true,” she kept muttering as the phone fell from her hand.
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Purity reluctantly opened her eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. She couldn’t see a thing, nor fathom what was around her. She’d always been scared of the dark and this was a frightening experience for her. Her heartbeat was faster than normal. She saw shadows moving here and there. One seemed to be coming close to her, but when it reached her, it vanished into thin air. She heard creepy sounds. It was all weird and terrifying. She was too scared to even scream. Tears only ran down from her eyes.
The wind began blowing violently. She heard the faint whispers of the grasses outside the room. A window creaked open in response to the breeze. Moments later, that same window was jammed against the shutters. The loud sound caught her attention. She shivered and tightly closed her eyes.
A calm set in. The weird sounds were no more heard. The breeze stilled and the window did not make any more noise. The calmness was beginning to get to her. She was feeling calm and tried to force herself back to sleep. She was aching all over and her stomach rumbled. It reminded her that she had not eaten in days. The pain kept her awake. Her eyes were shut, but sleep went farther and farther away from her. She silently begged sleep to come. She needed it to remain sane.
All of a sudden, the wind rushed over that area which sent the window creaking and jamming against shutters. She could hear the curtains billowing in the breeze. The sounds pierced her ears that she began to weep bitterly. She was afraid. She wished to become unconscious than to have such unpleasant feelings. She tightly shut her eyes.
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“What did you say, Allan?” Jeremy questioned after emptying his glass of white wine. He wasn’t sure he had heard right.
Allan rolled his eyes. He was certain that Jeremy heard all the words he had spoken. He just wanted him to repeat it. It was his way of being certain that he heard what he had said. “This place is filthy. I want us out of it.”
Jeremy had heard him right. He had a special reason bringing them to that bar. He wasn’t going to reveal it to anyone yet. His plan must first be achieved. “What’s going on here that you haven’t seen before? And besides, we’re gonna be here for only a few minutes. Lets just focus on what we’re here for.”
“I support Allan,” Darren informed them. “We have to get to another place, an eatery to discuss this,” he proposed.
“We can as well got to Jeremy’s home,” Allan suggested too.
Jeremy shot him a warning look. “Have you forgotten my day’s in there?”