Chapter 3

"This is not the time to call the family doctor. Call 911!" Mr Edward Parker instructed Jean as his hands kept shaking, but she was reluctant. 

Mrs Briggs called 911 and while they waited for the arrival of the ambulance, she turned to Jean and gave her a piece of her mind.

"I don't know what Tracy did to you to warrant this level of hatred. You could hate her for whatever reason, but know that there are limits. This is a matter of life and death.  The lady is on the verge of losing her life and you don't think that should be a reason to rethink whatever fuels your hatred for her?" She queried and looked on to see if the ambulance was in sight. The sirens could be heard wailing in the distance.

"What is going on here?" Asked June, elder sister to Jean. She looked at Mrs Briggs and her father. Their mouths stretched, exposing their teeth. At this point her heart started to beat faster and she screamed "What is going on here?" 

Before she could get an answer the sirens wailed through the twilight air as the ambulance pulled up. Tracy, who was unconscious, was swiftly transferred onto a stretcher and secured by paramedics. 

The bed sheets in  the ambulance were blood-stained immediately she was put on. 

In an effort to save Tracy who had lost a lot of blood, the paramedics put a ventilator on her to provide respiratory support during transport. And put her on intravenous drip.

The ambulance door slammed shut and drove away. 

"Tracy?" What happened? June asked again as her father finally responded. "She got a cut from a broken glass and lost a lot of blood as a result. But this is no time for chit chat. Let's join her at the hospital.

Minutes later, the Parker's arrived at the hospital. Tracy was responding to treatment, but June was still not convinced of her father's claim so she dragged Mrs Briggs to one side of the hospital to get to the genesis of it all.

She learned that Charles had asked for a divorce and that left Tracy devastated and getting herself cut accidentally by a piece of broken glass. 

Later in the day, Tracy is discharged and back home. Mr Parker didn't take it lightly with Charles. 

"What has come over you?" He fumed and pushed Charles. "Your foolishness nearly killed Tracy." 

"Oh, she didn't die?" Mrs Briggs and June screamed his name simultaneously. "Charles!"

"What a terrible thing to say. I thought I knew you. I thought you were a gentleman. Granted, you can be bitter to an extent because Tracy and I have suffered your wrath a few times. But never did I ever think you could get this extreme and heartless. Over what exactly? " June shot at him. "So you wish her dead because of a divorce?" 

"Now you don't talk to me like that, you hear me? Don't you ever."  Charles fired back. "I don't care about that lady and that is it. Whatever happens to her - whether she lives or dies is none of my business. But before any of that happens, she should free me and give me a divorce first." 

"If someone told me that this is the same Charles I raised under this roof, I would have doubted. But guess what, she will not give you any divorce. You will stay married to her and that is final." His father screamed. 

"And for what exactly? Aside from the fact that I never loved her, you never gave me any tangible reason why you made me marry her. But.." Tracy walked in with the divorce papers in her left hands before he could finish his statement. 

She had overheard all his rant and tears rolled down her face. "You don't have to stress yourself Mr Parker, here you go Charles. I have signed the divorce papers. You are now a free man." She said in a trembling voice and handed the documents over to Charles.

"Tracy, you shouldn't be standing. You are not strong enough to move about." Mrs. Briggs cautioned and walked  her back to her room.

"I guess you are happy now." Said June as she stormed off. An awkward silence engulfed the living room  as Charles kept staring at a letter Tracy attached to the divorce papers.

She wrote it when she gained consciousness before walking in on Charles registering his disaffection for her in front of his dad.

[Dear Charles, 

Love is a beautiful thing. I grew up watching my late mother get all the love and attention any woman would wish for from my late father.

My mother was a decent and an exceptional woman who was married to a respectable school teacher. 

The decency of their marriage made me idolize it. Though I was just a child, I hoped that when I was of marrying age I would find someone to make me experience that. 

Then you came into the picture. 

You remember the times you fought some guys who made me uncomfortable while we were on campus? 

That was the day I liked you more. 

Your presence gave me an extra layer of security and I felt safe in your company. 

And that one time you swiftly saved me from that oncoming school bus that nearly run me over? That moment was the deal breaker.

I thought to myself, which lady in her right senses would say no to a gentleman like you? 

You checked all the boxes that made any man an ideal husband. 

So don't be too hard on me for accepting to marry you. I just thought you were the one. 

But reality has made the difference. I was wrong and today it's all over. 

Don't feel bad about your decision though. 

You only did what you thought was right and as a rational thinking human being I think I was selfish for wanting to keep you against your will. 

I will no longer be in your way.

I wish you all the best and forgive me for denying you of true happiness in the last three years. 

All the best in your endeavors and I hope you find the true happiness that you yearn for.

Goodbye, Charles.

Love, 

Tracy.]

Charles laughed. The type that was annoying as though teasing someone and then he walked out on his father. 

"Tracy, I know this is hard for you. But your health is equally important. I brought you some food. Please eat all of it and take your medicine." Mrs Briggs beseeched her. Mrs Briggs had ensured that her room was clean and sanitized after the earlier blood stains.

The day was one Tracy would never forget in a hurry. The only pleasant thing about it was that it marked her birthday. One she could not celebrate because of all the drama with Charles. 

But aside from that, she now has four unpleasant events that have happened on her birthday. Her parents' accident on that same day, her canceled wedding anniversary, the divorce and now she had a wound which was most likely to leave a scar when it heals. 

Tracy kept gazing at the ceiling while she laid in bed. Her mouth was parted open and tears soaking her pillow. But Mrs Briggs talked her out of it and encouraged her to think about her health. 

"You cannot continue like this my child," she said and wiped her face with a tissue she had taken from a drawer beside Tracy's bed. 

She did not leave, ensuring that she snapped out of her emotional state and ate the food before taking her medication. 

Tracy had managed to finish half of the food and couldn't take any more. She sat on the bed and looked at her bruised hand that was bandaged around her right hand. 

She felt a sharp pain and giggled. "Oh Mrs Briggs, what could I have done without you? Ever since I was a little girl you've taken care of me as if I were your own child. I'm eternally grateful for everything." She said, and looked her in the eyes.

Tears would not stop rolling down her face. S

She struggled with her words, "it is finished Mrs Briggs." She said finally. 

"In a bid to make Charles love me, the words I overheard him say in the living room clearly showed that I missed his love and earned his hatred instead. And I take the blame for that. Maybe we should have stayed friends like the old times. That way I would not have a reason to leave." She added. 

"Oh, my child. It hurts me to see you like this. But you see, what will be will be and there is nothing we can do to change that. If Charles is meant to be your husband, eventually he will come back, but if he doesn't come back then he was never destined to be your soulmate." Mrs Briggs said, caressing her forehead. 

Tracy smiled and grabbed Mrs Briggs hand with her left hand. "You do have a point. I was just blinded by love. I have seen many couples united by love. It is rather unfortunate that mine was unrequited." She mumbled.

Mrs Briggs had been the mother Tracy never had. She had been a caretaker of the Parker house for a very long time. She was around when Charles' father brought Tracy home and after hearing Tracy's story, she was drawn to her.

She never made her intentions known to Tracy, but her little gestures like reading and singing bedtime stories for Tracy when she was a little girl intensified her affection for the lady. 

And when Tracy got married to Charles, she was stoked and wished she would be happy. 

But today, she had to be clear and make Tracy know that she had always considered her her biological child and would do anything for her. 

Tracy was sad, but Mrs Briggs' confession warmed her heart and she laughed. It was so infectious that she got Mrs Briggs laughing.

"I don't know why I am laughing, but I think it's time to take your medication. Mrs Briggs said and reached out for the medicine Tracy had been prescribed by the doctor." She wished her goodnight and took her leave of Tracy assuring her that everything would be fine. 

A few minutes later, before Tracy would fall asleep, she opened the drawer next to her bed and there it was - a locket