Chapter 10
D
It was late at night and I was on my fifth consecutive shift at the hospital when a neighbor’s call shook me to the core.
She criticized me, “Doctor Scott, can you and your wife keep you’re your voice done when you are doing the deed with your wife? My children are still living in our house.”
“This has been going on for five straight nights!” She continued, “When I knock on your door, you both act like you’re not home. Are you doing this on purpose?“>
Then she added, “Your wife is paralyzed but you’re still having sex? Are you a beast?“}
The hand that had been writing the medical record froze and my whole body turned cold.
Five days? I hadn’t been home at all during these five days!!
–8
As soon as my colleague arrived to take over, I rushed to change into my civilian clothes and then headed home. While driving, I called Jill Ackmand, my wife, but no matter how many times I dialed, she didn’t answer.
Even more strangely, our housekeeper, Margaret Lockwood, who usually never missed a call, was unreachable too.
An uncontrollable sense of unease gnawed at me and subconsciously, my foot pressed harder on the gas.
Jill and I had always had a strong, loving relationship. She would never betray me. Besides, she was paralyzed from the waist down, so it was impossible she did that.”
However, Margaret was different. Jill mentioned that she had been taking personal calls with the person she had an ambiguous relationship with during work hours. She repeatedly refused to listen to my advice.}
I had considered replacing her for a long time, but I hadn’t found a suitable alternative.}
How dare she bring a man to my house??
The more I thought about it, the angrier I was. I sped up at one hundred and twenty–eight kilometers per hour all the way home. When I entered the password, my hand trembled so much that I had to do it three times, before I could finally open the door.”
The house was pitch–black, save for the sound of heavy breathing.”
“Jill? Margaret?” I called out repeatedly but no one answered.
An ominous feeling settled in my chest as I fumbled to turn on the lights. However, all I saw was Jill lying on the floor! While Margaret was nowhere to be seen.
Jill’s hair and face were wet and there was a red mark circling her wrists.)
Rage overtook me and I almost lost my mind. How dare Margaret kidnap Jill just to satisfy her own selfish reason? She was too
much!?
Jill raised her head and her tear–filled eyes locked onto mine.”
“Honey, why are you home?” Her voice was hoarse and it broke my heart. How long had she been crying?”
I lifted her gently and carried her to the bed. Then I held her close while stroking her hair.
“I’m sorry, my love. I came back too late. You’ve suffered so much….” I said.}
Then I added, “If the neighbors hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known what’s been happening here!“}
Hearing my words, Jill stiffened. She pulled away from my arms.
“What… what did the neighbors say?” she asked.}
Her nervous gaze made my heart ache even more.}
“Dearest, Margaret has been bringing a man here for five days. Has she been holding you captive like this the whole time? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Did she threaten you?” I asked.”
Jill exhaled a sigh of relief and leaned back into my arms.
“Honey, you’re so busy saving lives at the hospital. I didn’t want to burden you …” she said.”
Then she added, “Moreover, the man she brought with her is tall, strong and fierce, I’m afraid that something will happen if you have a
conflict….”
As I listened to her soft sobbing, I blamed myself even more.
My wife had to endure so much hardship alone at home to avoid disrupting my work.
At the same time, my hatred toward Margaret became even stronger.
I grabbed my phone and dialed nine–one–one, but before I could press the call button, Jill snatched it from my hand.”
She gripped my hand tightly. She looked pleadingly at me. “Hubby, don’t do this if you call the police, it’s going to be known by everyone ….“%
When I looked at her begging me, my heart became even more uncomfortable.
Jill’s lower body had been paralyzed for years and despite the specialized medication and the rehabilitation sessions I supervised, her condition had shown no improvement.”
To cover her expensive treatments, I had to work tirelessly, leaving less and less time to spend with her.”
I had watched her grow more withdrawn and sensitive. To escape being stared judgmentally by others, she was not willing to enter the outside world for several months and even refused to go to the hospital for checkups.
3/3 12.53
10:12 AM
I was so useless. I could not make a lot of money or make her better.
Suddenly, there was a bang downstairs, a car alarm blared outside, followed by angry shouts from several men outside. I instinctively moved toward the window, but Jill grabbed my hand and pulled me back.
“Don’t go,” she whispered, burying her face in my chest. “I’m scared. Just stay here with me.”
I immediately went back and wrapped her in my arms once again. Nothing mattered more than Jill.”
I hugged her and lay on the bed. Jill tilted her head up and kissed me gently.”
The time passed by and eventually, she fell asleep in my arms.”
Quietly, I slipped out of bed and into the bathroom, filling a basin with cold water. I submerged myself in it.”