How I won Back My Wife Ch. 09

"It's a minor injury. Her left leg is fractured and her hip has taken some damage. But she will be fine," the doctor reported, as she flipped through the pages of the reports, which were handed to her by the nurse.

Kate and I sighed in relief. I turned to look at Sarah, who was still unconscious and breathing softly, her leg in a plaster cast. It dawned upon me that, in the fight between Kate and me, Sarah had to face the consequence. I had let my ego get the better of me and stayed away from her, denying her the love of a father. The poor girl had no idea what a roller coaster ride she was in for.

"Let us know if there is anything we can do. Our nurses will provide medication and dressing. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to tell us," the doctor said. Given her calm nature, I inferred that it was not the first time that she was dealing with such an accident.

The doctor and the nurse took their leave, leaving Kate, Sarah and me in the room. Kate went and sat on the edge of the bed facing Sarah and began to caress her head. I stood there, watching the mother and the daughter, who were once my family. I felt uncomfortable to stay in the room, and yet, there was a part of me that wanted to stay. I made my way towards the door when Kate got up from the bed and came near me.

"Noel, please stay. For Sarah's sake," she pleaded.

I looked at Kate's weary face. Her worn-out yet pleading eyes and her hair, pulled into a messy ponytail, gave me an idea that she was having a rough time. My heart melted. I nodded and sat on the chair near the bed.

Memory is a strange phenomenon. It not only brings to mind images of the past but evokes emotions and feelings too. No matter how hard you suppress them, the unconscious part of the brain stores them, only to bring them up in the circumstance you least expect. This was one of those circumstances.

I remembered the day Sarah was born, and how the nurse handed her over to me. I remembered teaching her to walk and talk. She was a smart and cheerful child. She preferred to spend more time with me than with Kate. Back then, she would leave Kate's side and sidle up to sleep next to me. I would cuddle her, and she often fell asleep in my arms. When she was sick, I spent sleepless nights beside her, making sure that she had all the things she needed. I became aware of a teardrop trickling down my cheek, as I pondered on these memories.

I saw Kate staring at Sarah the whole time. I had no intention of inflicting any pain on her, but I had to address a sensitive issue.

"Do you want to call Derry?" I asked.

She raised her eyes to meet mine and stared at me hopelessly. I could see tears welling up in her eyes, revealing the answer to the question I had posed. Oh, God. What have I done?

I excused myself and went out of the room. I called Bella and informed her about the situation. I asked her if it was possible to bring my mom to the hospital. She assured me that she would be there with my mom in thirty minutes. I ended the call and sat on the bench in the corridor, thinking about how to deal with the situation.

~~~~~~~~

It was at seven fifteen in the evening when my mom and Bella arrived. My mom headed to the bed and, sitting beside Sarah, began to weep. She grabbed her hand and began rubbing it before kissing it. Bella approached me and gave me a tight hug. My eyes fell on Kate, who was looking at Bella and trying to make sense of who she was. Bella, on noticing Kate, went towards her and began to say something in an inaudible voice. Bella hugged Kate and then came near me. She told me that she had some work to be taken care of. I hugged her again and thanked her for bringing Mom. Before leaving, she requested me to keep her informed about Sarah's situation.

"Kate. Let's go to the canteen. Mom will look after Sarah," I said.

She nodded and followed me. We went to the canteen and ordered a veg-sandwich and peach juice. We sat facing each other, eating our shares. The entire time, Kate did not dare to look at my face. She continued munching her sandwich and sipping her juice in silence. I decided to break the ice by speaking up first.

"Is everything right, Kate? Is the money sufficient?" I asked sounding a bit concerned.

"Yes. I work as a hostess in one of the restaurants. The money is enough to get the groceries and pay the bills," she replied.

There was silence. Such an awkward silence always made me uncomfortable. So after weighing the pros and the cons I finally decided to address the elephant in the room.

"I don't mean to interfere in your personal life, but how are things with Derry?"

She stopped eating the sandwich and looked up at me. "After our divorce, he stopped visiting me," Kate replied.

"So he left you alone?" I asked.

She shook her head and looking down, continued eating her sandwich.

Back when we were together, Kate was the most beautiful lady in the neighborhood. I was aware of the looks the other men gave her because of her beauty. But now, it had all vanished. The beauty had disappeared and there was no sign of any smile on her face. Her condition was pitiful.

We finished our snacks and returned to the room. My mom turned around to look at us. I saw her looking at Kate with pity. She approached us and said, "Noel, I am staying here tonight with Sarah. You two can take a rest and come back tomorrow morning."

"No, Mom... I mean... I... I will stay here..." Kate protested.

"Kate, Mom is right," I interjected. "You are exhausted. I will drop you home and pick you up early morning," I insisted.

She looked at me and nodded in agreement. I went and kissed Sarah on the forehead and hugged my mom. With that, we departed from the hospital and drove towards Kate's home.

~~~~~~~~

Over a period of time, my anger towards Kate had subsided. I knew we both wanted to talk about the past, but now was not the time. As I parked the vehicle inside the garage, I accompanied her to the door. She thanked me for all the support. As I gazed at her worn-out face, I became aware of the loneliness which I had seen in my own eyes a few months ago.

"Kate, do you mind if I spend the night in the house?"

A part of me wanted to console her and a part of me, to see her suffer. Yet a mere glance at her melted my heart. She had been my wife once upon a time, and she had fulfilled her duty as a spouse except for one thing: she had cheated on me. I had to push away the past and be a person to support her in the present.

I lay on the couch, fighting back the memories of the past and trying not to be haunted by them. It was the same house where I had lost my wife to another man. I closed my eyes trying to focus on the things which lay ahead. I had Bella, Cathy and my mom who loved me. I had a good job and a promising life ahead. Even though I had everything, I was not satisfied. I was surrounded by the people who loved me, and yet I felt lonely. What the fuck is wrong with me?

The sound of footsteps caught my attention. I saw Kate approaching in her nightgown. She came and sat on the chair opposite mine, wanting to speak to me.

"Are you all right, Kate? You need anything?" I enquired as sat up.

"Noel, can we talk?"

"Hmmm, okay." I knew that she wanted to bring up the past and tell me how sorry she felt. A part of me wanted to hear how sorry she was for cheating on me. I longed to hear that she was suffering, to fan my pride.

"First of all, thank you for all that you have done for Sarah and me. You are a wonderful person, Noel. I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done. You are a good man, Noel... you really are. In the near future, if it is possible to forgive me for what I have done, I will be grateful," she spoke in her tired voice.

She paused as if to recollect and chose her words. "I've seen you, Noel. I've seen you drive past this house often. I still believe that there is a little place for Sarah in your heart. I only wish you could visit her whenever possible. She misses you, Noel. She really does! I have given her all possible reasons, telling her that you were out for some work. Please, Noel... If it's possible... please..."

Tears came trickling down her cheeks as she spoke. She was speaking her heart while I listened to her patiently. She wiped her face and continued speaking.

"Okay, Noel. There is another thing I want you to know. It was always you. I have always loved you and I always will. There is not a single day I don't wake up lamenting for what I have done. You once asked me if you were not enough for me. Noel! You were my world. I never knew what true love was until I met you... But, I fell into Derry's trap. It's all my fault. It's all my fault."

I took my time to evaluate what Kate had just spoken. She said that she loved me and then she said that she fell into Derry's trap. This contradictory idea caused confusion in my mind. Was there something that I missed? Was there some mystery which was yet to be unravelled?

"Kate! I have spoken to Derry. He has told me that you two were lovers, right from the time of college. If you look at the big picture, it was I who interfered with your love life. It may hurt you, Kate, but I have moved on. It is better that you move on too," I said.

Without missing a moment Kate interjected, "Just one time, Noel. Listen to me, just one time. Did he tell you about the fact that he tried to blackmail me?"

I became curious. "What blackmail?" I asked.

"It is true that I loved Derry. But that asshole was a cheat. He cheated on me back in college. When I found out that he cheated on me I was shattered. He tried to reconcile, but I refused to buy it. I loved him, Noel... I loved him. He seduced me to sleep with him even after our marriage. I could not resist him. But when I decided to put my foot down, he threatened that he would expose my infidelity. Yes! I loved him and I desired to have you both as my lovers. But I was unaware that Derry was playing with our marriage. I had no idea that it would ruin it."

"And he managed to ruin it," I interjected. "Derry also told me that you married me to get back at him. Is that right?"

"Never. I married you because you made me feel special. That is why I told you that I was a virgin. I didn't want to lose you. Yes, Noel... the reason I lied to you was because I didn't want to lose you. I am not sure if it makes any sense, but I hope you understand it someday."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Kate's words hit me like bullets. Her confession that she still loved me, even after I abandoned her, made my heart ache even more.

"Do you still love him?" I asked her.

"I lost a husband and I was about to lose my daughter because of him!" she said controlling her sobs.

I was not in the mood to question her again. I stood up, approached her and lifting her up, hugged her. I felt her frail body touching mine and soft sobs escaping her lips.

"I'm sorry, Kate. As much as I want to, I will never be able to forget what has happened. I promise you that I will help you raise Sarah, but I cannot love you as I did before. I'm sorry!"

~~~~~~~~

The next day, Kate and I went to the hospital. We were greeted cheerfully by my mom. The smile on her face meant only one thing: Sarah had regained consciousness. After the regular examination, the doctor advised us to let Sarah remain in the hospital for two more days, after which we were free to take her home. I sighed in relief knowing that Sarah was fine and she would be discharged in a few days. I asked the doctor if it was necessary for Sarah to visit the hospital again. She shook her head and told us that it was okay to take her to our family doctor if we had one.

In three days' time, Sarah was brought back home. My mom insisted that she stay with her for a few days. I agreed to her request as I wanted to spend some time with Sarah myself. As for Sarah, she was confined to the bed. Even in pain, she maintained her cheerful look. She was glad that my mom and I were around to nurse her. I promised her that I would arrange a family dinner once she recovered and we would celebrate her birthday together.

~~~~~~~~

That evening, Kate and I decided to pay a visit to Dr Boyle, our family physician, to speak to him about Sarah's condition. He welcomed us and enquired about our lives. It was no surprise that my mom had told him about our divorce, so he didn't dwell much on the topic. We spoke to him about Sarah and handed him the reports.

"Reports shows that she has fractured her left leg, from which she'll recover, so don't worry... and her hip has taken some damage too. I suggest that she avoid any movement, as it may aggravate the damage. I will pay a visit tomorrow morning and see what we can do about it," Boyle said.

"Thank you so much, Dr Boyle. We are really grateful to you," I said trying to be as formal as possible.

As we were about to leave, Boyle called me once again. He stood up and put on his serious face as if he remembered something grave.

"Noel. I hope Bella is doing well."

"Yes, doctor. She is as cheerful as a bird," I replied ignoring the serious look.

"I don't think you are aware of her condition?"

"What condition, Doctor?"

Boyle paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "As her doctor, I cannot speak about that. Perhaps you should consider asking her yourself."

~~~~~~~~

I stood in front of Bella's house with my rucksack, waiting for her to respond. From within, I heard footsteps approaching and the clicking of the doorknob which eventually led to the door opening and a surprised look on Bella's face.

"Hey, big boy. What brings you here this afternoon?"

"I need a roof above my head, lady. Can I stay here for a while?"

The surprised look turned into a confused look. She noticed my rucksack and began to reason out my strange behaviour.

"Am I allowed to stay here, Bella?" I asked her again.

"Of course you can, Noel. But I am trying to figure out the meaning of this."

"We can talk about it later, can't we?"

Bella nodded and welcomed me. I grabbed my rucksack and walked in, and placed it on the couch. I sat down next to the bag as Bella sat opposite me. The confused look still persisted, but at the same time, she couldn't hide her excitement.

"How is Sarah doing?" Bella asked.

"She will be fine. Mom has decided to spend some days with her. I think she is in good hands now."

"Oh, that's a relief. So... will you tell me the reason for this strange behaviour? You have a house and you can stay with Kate if you want to. Oh! How did it go with, Kate? Are you two okay with meeting each other?"

I paused for a while to recollect what Kate had told me. I narrated the Kate-Derry story to Bella and how told her how Kate claimed to have been cheated on and manipulated by Derry. She listened patiently, nodding in understanding and maintaining an emotionless look on her face. After I finished narrating the tale Kate had revealed to me, I patiently waited for her to respond.

"So, are you getting back with Kate?" she asked.

"That's the problem... I cannot forget what Kate has done. As much as I want to, I cannot. And secondly, I have developed feelings for you, Bels. I don't care if you want to remain single or not, but I like you. You have been with me during my troubled times, and you have supported me till this day. You cannot imagine how grateful I am for all this."

Bella took her time to comprehend what I had just said. After giving it some thought she said, "Well, Noel. It is true that I had a crush on you during college. If you had proposed me back then, I am sure we would have been a couple by now. But our fate led us to meet different people. You married Kate, and I married Mel. After Mel passed away, I got a taste for having an independent lifestyle. I cannot stay committed to men for long. So please understand when I tell you I refuse to marry you."

There was nothing new in what Bella said. She was a strong and independent woman after all, and she managed things pretty well. The doctor had hinted out that there was something serious and I wanted to be there for her. She hated sympathy and I was definitely not going to give her that. My intention was to spend time with her and assure her of my support. But first, I had to find out what was wrong with her.

"I know that. Treat me as your fuck buddy. I have been a faithful husband, and what did I get? An unfaithful wife and a child who is not even my daughter. My moral compass has gone haywire."

With that, we both laughed. I got up, hugged her and whispered, "Thanks for everything. I can never thank you enough." With that, I kissed her cheek and continued, "I have a surprise for you..."

~~~~~~~~

I brought Bella to a private beach which was owned by Samuel, my boss. He was quite happy with my performance over these years and so I requested him to allow me to spend an evening on the beach, along with my family. I had planned to bring Kate here, back when we were a couple. But now, I had made up my mind to surprise Bella with an evening at the beach.

I took her to the spot where I had spread a blanket. She carried the picnic basket while I gathered some firewood. We made a bonfire and began to lay out the food items: grapes, cheese, crackers, chocolate and her favourite Rosé. The menu was light, as my intention was to spend more time with her.

As we watched the sun setting, sipping the wine, I saw Bella's face which was glowing in the setting sun. There were tears in her eyes as she saw the sun disappearing from the horizon.

"Bella, are you all right?" I asked with a smile.

"Yes... It's nothing... I am fine. I wish I had found you long ago," she said wiping her tears.

I knew exactly what she meant, yet I remained silent. She looked at me passionately and coming closer kissed my lips. Standing up, she unzipped her shorts and dropped them on the ground. She then unbuttoned her shirt, removed it and threw it on the sand. Without wasting a moment I removed my jeans and removed my shirt. Once we were semi-naked, she stood in front of me with her watery eyes and, clinging to my shoulders, straddled me.

I grabbed hold of her hair and brought her face close to mine. I saw a teardrop run down her soft cheek and I gently kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin to meet my lips. With that, we shared a long passionate kiss and my hands undid her bra. As our tongues continued to duel, I felt her grinding herself on my shaft. I moved my hands down to her waist and grabbing her, I began to control her movement.

"Noel... Please. Please let me do this," she said as she removed her panties.

I removed my boxers and grabbing hold of her waist, I let her straddle me again. As I pulled her close to my naked body, I could feel her hard nipples touching mine. Kissing her lips again, I began to play with her diamond-hard nipples, twisting and massaging them slowly. Lifting herself up, she grabbed my shaft and guided it into her slippery folds. Clinging to my shoulder again, she slowly lowered herself onto my shaft until her soft ass rested on my lap.

This was not the first time that Bella and I had had sex. But this time, we did it after having confessed our hearts to each other. I didn't care if she didn't want to marry me or desire to grow old with me. All I knew was, that I would be there for her, whenever she needed me.

She cupped her hand around my neck and began to ride me. She began lifting and gently sliding herself up and down my shaft. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer, pressing her voluptuous breasts against my chest, as she rested her chin on my shoulder. Her warm breath accompanied by her soft moans got me even more excited.

"Bels. Please allow me..." I said before I gently laid her on the warm sand. She wrapped her legs around me and cupped my neck. I moved my hand under her arms and grabbing her shoulders, I began to push my shaft deeper.