Episode 40
I stared at her in disbelief, marveled by her guts and outspokenness. I wasn’t in the mood to trade words with a total stranger, so I swallowed my pride, took a deep breath and started all over again. “Okay. I’m sorry about my manner of approach. Forgive me.”
“Apology accepted.” She muttered and continued with what she was doing on her phone.
“What’s your name, please?”
“I’m Tonia.” She answered, looking over her phone’s screen. “And you?”
“You probably heard my name before, when those people were still here.” I said, making eye contact with her. “I’m Francesca.”
“Good.” Antonia remarked and made a gesture with her head at the direction of the sickbed. “Is that your daughter and your husband?”
“My daughter? No, but she’s like a daughter to me. Her mother is late.” I responded, and I noticed a certain look of what seemed to be an expression of genuine empathy spreading across her face. So I continued speaking: “As for him,” I pointed at Tunde’s direction, smiling, “he’s my fiancé. So I guess I can as well call him my husband. Don’t you think so?”
“Yeah. If you wish to.” Antonia rolled her eyes in a rather envious manner, and I could see the pitiful look of disappointment that registered a spot upon her face. “Whatever.”
I’d been watching her closely from the get-go because I didn’t trust her at all. When I saw the effect of my words upon her feelings, I knew I had to take advantage of the momentum so I could make her stay in the ward a living hell.
“Come to think of it,” I said so sweetly, “you still haven’t told me how you’re affiliated with my man.”
Antonia sighed a sigh that was nearly a groan. “How many times do I have to explain that I’m his friend?”
“His what? Friend?” I pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “Honey, he met you just one night in a mall. He’s not your friend!”
“But he gave me a lift in his car.” Tonia argued, shrugging a shoulder. “And we talked at length, cracked jokes and almost ate pancakes together. So how do you explain that?”
“Darling, if I were you I wouldn’t get ahead of myself.” I laughed loudly, attracting Alice’s attention. She gave Tonia and I a brief glance, reinjected her attention to the phone and continued with the game she was playing. I could tell she was playing Candy Crush because of the nice sound effects it had.
There was silence in the atmosphere for a while, until I broke it for the round two of my verbal torture on Antonia’s feelings.
“See, I don’t know what game you’re trying to play here, but I just want you to know that there’s no way you could possibly get this man on that sickbed to yourself, because he’s mine and mine alone.”
“Francesca, you’re so insecure, and sadly immature if I must say.” Tonia said, shaking her head pitifully. “One thing you should know is that you can’t fight for somebody’s love. You can’t force love. If he’s meant to be yours then he’ll be yours, no matter what happens. We don’t find love. Love finds us. Stop acting childish. You’re a grownup lady for Pete’s sake!”
“So you’ve resorted to throwing insults now, huh?”
“I didn’t insult you, madam.”
“You just did.” I said, frowning. “You insulted me indirectly.”
“If that’s how you see it, then that’s fine by me.” Antonia shrugged a shoulder again, acting unconcerned. “Somebody has to talk some senses into you.”
“And you feel you are in the right position to do that?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” She said, making an annoying grimace that made me wish I could just punch her right in the face. “All I know is that somebody has to tell you the truth. You’re so full of yourself, and that’s too bad for a young woman like you. I’m sure you don’t honor your man’s words or even respect him the way he deserves to be, because if you did, you wouldn’t have kept him waiting on you at the VIP section of the mall where we first talked. You would’ve been–”
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