Chapter 42 Slippery hill

Chapter 42 Slippery hill
Ursula watched her foot one by one as she walked back into the house.

Her hand was placed on her chest as she walked, trying to steady her fast heart beat.

Why do I feel this way whenever I see Ethan with Taylor? I hate him. I don't love him. He's not a good person. Taylor was hurt by him but why do I feel jealous?

She was headed upstairs and then the house phone began to ring.

She had never picked up the house phone before.

It was the servant's job.

Besides she didn't want to pick it in case it was a call that Ethan wouldn't want to pick.

It stopped.

Then, she continued to go upstairs.

Is it because I see a part of Jared in him? He cares one day and the next day he doesn't. Or is it because I'm seeing Shania in Taylor? Am I insecure?

The phone began to ring again.

She sighed.

And turned around, walking downstairs.

"What's the issue with this phone?" she muttered under her breath.

I hope Mr Knucklehead doesn't shout at me tonight.

"Hello?" she said

There was a silence interrupted with static sounds.

"Hello?...um I'm sorry, nobody's home and you'd have t-"

"Ursula, is that you?" a masculine voice said, interrupting her.

She furrowed her brows in curiousity and surprise.

"Who's th-"

"Ursula, please don't hang up. I know you're going to want to hang up but I need you to listen to me"

"Sorry..who is this?"

"It's Jared"

Think of the devil and he calls. What does he want from me? Why is he calling? What if someone knows that he's calling me? What if someone else had picked the call?

"Ursula, I need to talk to you...just once...listen, I know you still love me...you still ha-"

"Listen, I'm married. You made your choice. I don't want anything to do with you anymore " she said in a very low whisper, ashamed of herself for a reason she wasn't clear of.

"Ursula, if you don't want to listen to me, I'll kill myself. You have no idea how broken I am after everything. I am dying of guilt, Ursula, please. I don't want this life unless it's with you"

"What are you even-"

Ursula slammed the phone almost too hard back into the phone box as she caught a glimpse of Camilla walking downstairs.

Did she hear me?

Camilla's breath was fast paced and she walked fast.

Is she hurrying towards me? Did she hear anything? Is she hurrying to ask me questions?

Ursula immediately moved behind a wall and his away from Camilla.

She didn't even understand why she was hiding.

Maybe it was because she didn't think she knew what to tell Camilla if she saw her by the phone.

Maybe she didn't feel right about lying to Camilla.

She watched Camilla leave.

Maybe, she's gone to the hospital to check on Taylor. Shouldn't I be there too? Well, would they really want me there? I mean, Ethan didn't call me. He called Camilla. I don't want to feel out of place.

The phone began to ring again.

"Hello?"

"Ursula, please one chance. I want our childhood dream to come true. I really l-"

"What do you want?" Ursula said with drooping brows.

"You"

"You c-"

"Yes, you're married. But does he love you?"

Of course, he doesn't love me. But do you even?

"Okay...."

"Ok, thank you. Is he around right now?"

"You can't come to the house" Ursula said in a flat, lifeless tone like someone who was so disappointed with life.

"When will you be able to leave the house?"

Ursula sighed.

"Jared, I don't want to do this. You made your decision. It's over. I don't love you anymore and nothing you say or do can change it."

"Ursula w-"

She slammed the phone into the phone box..

Her eyes stung as a familiar pain spread in her chest.

It wasn't the asthma pain. It was the other type of pain that couldn't be detected medically.

The one she had to hide all through her childhood till now.

Tears began to pour down her cheek.
..............................................................................
At the hospital, Ethan embraced Camilla who tried to avoid the hug.

"I promise you, she'll be just fine" he whispered into her ears as she heabed her shoulders up and down, crying.

"Mr Ethan Blackwood"

They let each other go.

Camilla looked away, wiping her tears immediately.

"Yes, doctor. Tell me, what's the issue?" Ethan asked, swallowing the guilt.

"Did the patient ever go through anything.... traumatic, recently?"

"Um, I ...well, she. She actually w-"

"She was attacked and..." Camilla acted as though there was a lump in her throat.

Of course she knew that doing that act with a female doctor would definitely make her understand.

Or, be manipulated.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that...I now understand. It makes sense why she's reacting the way she is..." the doctor said.

"Please, tell ..us everything we need to know" Ethan added, feeling relieved that Camilla was always willing to cover for him.

"She's mentally unstable"

"What?!!" Camilla screamed.

"Please... calm down, ma'am. It's something we can control..."

Ethan rubbed Camilla's back.

"Let her finish. I promise everything will be alright " he said

"Doctor, please go ahead and explain the situation." He added.

"Due to the trauma she's been through, she is having a mental breakdown and ...this means that she's going to need special care before she can be herself again..."

"Special care? What sort of special care? Are they going to put her in an electric chair? What are they going to do to her?" Camilla claimed to panic.

"Please, calm down, ma'am "

"Okay, I'm listening"

Ethan rubbed her back again.

"She can't be around loud noises. She can't be around a lot of people. She needs to be cared for and loved by a male figure who she can feel safe around in order to trust the opposite sex again... otherwise, it'll detoriate" the doctor explained.

Ethan avoided Camilla's eyes.

What have I gotten myself into?