Mrs. Patrick

A middle aged woman was in her office on the thirty first floor of her company's building. She was sitting behind her desk on her swivel chair and in her hands was a magazine of the lastest fashion show that she would flip to the next page every few minutes.

The woman jumped in her sit, dropping the magazine in the process when her personal assistant burst into her office without knocking.

"Why in God's name are you running? Are you out of your damn mind, Gerald? " The woman yelled, her eyes wide in her beautifully made-up face.

Gerald did not pause to calm down, "Good news, good news, Mrs Patrick," he was gasping but he had a wide smile on his face.

Gladys' head tilted and her eyes took on a look of confusion, "What good news is this?"

"Remember that girl? The one Mr Kelvin spent the night with at the imperial hotel?" Gerald asked.

"Yeah, the one I ask you to keep an eye on but still no news of the both of them meeting again. What happened?" Gladys collapsed back on her seat.

She knew that one month ago her son had spent the night with a strange woman at the imperial hotel. She'd been so glad at first thinking that her son had decided to leave Hannah and find another woman but she was disappointed because after that day, her son never met the woman again.

She quickly found everything about the girl and asked someone to keep an eye on her. She even went as far as bribing a nurse in the hospital where her mother was to keep an eye on the girl. She did not know what news she was expecting but she just thought that it was the right thing to do; keep an eye on the girl.

Gladys did not care if this girl was her son’s girlfriend’s friend. As long as the girl was a good person, she liked her.

"There is news this time from the nurse, she called," Gerald paused and his eyes searched his boss's eyes as if waiting for any reaction from her.

Mrs Patrick thought that he was stalling and she frowned. "Spit it out, Gerald, stop trying to make me anxious," she glared at him.

"The girl; Ariella, she is pregnant," Gerald finally delivered the good news.

Gladys was on her feet almost immediately, "What did you just say?" Her eyes were like wide saucers in her face.

Gerald was nodding with a huge smile on his face, "It's true, Mrs Patrick. The girl is pregnant and it is for Mr. Kelvin because she has not been with any man after him and she has never had a man before your son," he has been with Mrs Patrick for so many years and knew just how much she craved for a grandchild.

She'd not been able to give birth after Kelvin and for someone who loved children it had been hard on her. Her husband died just when they were thinking about adopting another child.

She has always wanted Kelvin to settle down early because of this and get married so he could give her grandchildren, but she never liked Hannah so she has always been against her son's relationship.

"What are you waiting for? Prepare the car, we are going to the hospital to meet her now." Gladys walked round her desk and out of her office in quick steps

"The car is already on standby. I knew you would want to go to her immediately you get the news." Gerald followed after her

"You are definitely getting a huge bonus this time, Gerald,"

Gerald jumped behind her with glee while pumping his fist in the air; this was exactly why he blocked the bodyguard that was going to deliver the news and instead delivered it himself. A huge bonus.

**

Ariella sat beside her mother's bedside, her mother's hand in hers. Though, a month ago the surgery carried out on her mother was successful, she was still sick and was yet to fully recover hence the reason she was still at the hospital.

All the time she spent taking care of her mother, she tried to forget what happened that fateful day. She did not want to think of how nervous she was at first because of what she was going to do to make money: sell herself, and then how her nervousness had been quick to turn into guilt when she'd realized who she slept with: her friend's boyfriend.

She did not want to remember how the guilt of sleeping with her friend's boyfriend has turned into disgust when she realized it was all staged by Hannah and then lastly, the humiliation she felt when Kelvin had called her cheap and thrown money on the floor for her.

Ariella sighed as she adjusted her body on the chair, trying to get into a comfortable position which has been hard as of late.

She has been feeling sick since a week ago and even had to be replaced by someone in her last photoshoot for a small magazine. She thought she had the flu so she took some drugs but still she felt sick.

A day after she slept with Kelvin, she received an alert of the exact amount she needed for her mother's surgery in her account from Hannah and she realized there and then just how foolish she was.

Hannah had the money but refused to lend it to her. Hannah who knew just how much she valued her innocence had made her shred it when she could help. Not only was Hannah from a rich family, she was also a top model.

"Such a good friend she was," Ariella murmured. There was a bitter and self-deprecating smile on her face but she tried to console herself with the fact that she did it for her mother; the only family she has left.

Ariella grimaced when she felt her stomach churn. She had thrown up her breakfast not too long ago and she has not had anything else since then but still she felt like she was about to vomit again.

She jumped up and rushed to the toilet in her mother's hospital room to throw up but nothing came out except for the water she drank not long ago.

She sat on the cold hard floor of the bathroom after throwing up as she took in deep breaths. She did not know what the problem was with her.

After washing her mouth she stared at her face which was pale and wan in the bathroom's mirror before walking out. Her mother's doctor was in the room when she entered.

"Are you okay Ariella?" the older woman asked, her voice laced with concern

Ariella tried to smile but it was stiff and her face seem to hurt from the effort "Yes, I am fine," she nodded.