Chapter 26 A dream
Linda's POV
I was sitting outside receiving the fresh breeze that danced gloriously spreading warmness all over my body. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and relaxed on the deck chair.
I heard some footsteps approaching and I opened my eyes slightly to see mum and Nikki.
Nikki held my mum's hands in a loop, placing her head on mum's shoulders.
The latter bore a huge smile on her lips that even surprised me the most.
“What's going on here?” I asked myself as I suddenly felt sick.
I sat up quickly and watched the duo giggling childishly as they walked towards me.
When did they become so close like this?? Isn't this the same Nikki that treated mum like trash?
Nikki saw her as a godforsaken pauper that can easily transmit a virus called poverty by a mere stare.
I clenched my fists and hung my upper lip in disgust.
I just wanted to know what's happening.
“Linda, guess what!” Nikki told me excitedly as she reached where I sat
Surprisingly to me, my face lit up immediately and I motioned for them to sit down.
“Come on, you know I'm not good at guessing!” I sulked
“Mum spill the news” Nikki replied still with excitement
But I paused inside.
Who did she just call mum? My own mother or who?
What happened to Jessica?
I was still reasoning the whole stuff when my mouth spoke. I swear on Charles' life it wasn't me that spoke.
I didn't even know it was speaking until after a while.
“Mum, why are y’all keeping me in silence?! I'm dying to hear the news” my mouth begged
My spirit was stunned.
“Okay fine, I'll speak.” Mum started and I shifted closer and listened with rapt attention.
“Your sister is getting married!” She finally spilled it and with an instantaneous effect, my body stood up and screamed.
“Nikki my love!!” I rushed to her and hugged her tightly as if I had waited for this moment a long time ago
“I can't believe that my twin sister is finally getting married. Who'd stay with me?” I cried teasingly as we both stood up holding each other compassionately in a circular form.
I saw a very unfamiliar look in Nikki's eyes. It was one of love and care.
“When you left me and got married to Charles. You didn't even care how lonely I'd become” she replied pouting her lips
“Come on! I didn't fully leave you. I visit from time to time”
“Ofcourse and I won't leave you too. I'll visit from time to time. How would I leave my own sister?”
“Awwn, that why I love you”
“I love you more Linda” she said and the real me choked.
This can't be happening.
Nikki's my twin sister?? And the worst part is she loves me?
Nikki that hated me with all the bone in her body loves me?
I couldn't take it anymore, I coughed and suddenly jerked up from the bed.
Then it clicked..
It was all a dream.
“This is a nightmare, a very terrible one” I muttered to myself
I sat up gently and rubbed my eyes. When I opened them fully, everywhere was strange but kinda familiar. Like I've been here before.
This is not my room, that I know for sure.
“Where am I?” I asked myself
I was the only one in this big, luxurious room.
I stretched my head and found my phone on the table beside the bed. I moved closer to the edge and reached out for my phone.
Godd!!
I was at Charles' house!
I remember dozing off in his car, and he obviously brought me home.
This is supposed to be the wedding night where I have to make love to Charles rather than sleeping as though I was his real wife.
“Have you forgotten your place Linda? You are just the substitute” I scolded myself as I jumped out of the bed posthastely
“You have to do what you're here for. Nothing would stop you” I mumbled beneath my breath as I rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
I slipped out quickly hoping that Charles wouldn't enter the room till I was prepared.
I opened my tote bag and wore my white lace lingerie.
Staring at the mirror, I painted my lips bright red and dressed my hair into curls. Then I wore a light perfume and sat on the bed waiting for my groom.
A few minutes later, he still didn't arrive and I was bored sitting staring at the ceiling.
So I stood up for a tour round the room. I tried looking for anything fun to read or maybe look at but there was nothing, no book, no nothing.
It was just a room with expensive decorations.
Frustrated, I opened the drawer and I saw his pictures.
Pictures of when he was little till now.
One picture caught my eye.
He looked ten in that picture tugging at a beautiful tall woman's gown.
The woman looked at him with so much love and her hand was on his black hair.
The picture was so beautiful. It depicted a young child addicted to his mom. He looked like those kids that would follow their mum literally everywhere she went.
I turned the picture back and I saw a scrambled writing
“I love you mum”
A smile crept up my face
This woman was his mother. But I wondered why he never spoke of her.
I held the picture dearly and admired his mother.
Now I know where he got all this handsomeness from.
His mother was so beautiful.
She was tall and her hair was long and black.
I kept going through the pictures then another one caught my eye.
His mum in the hospital, she looked so pale with closed eyes as Charles clutched her fingers, tears rolling down his eyes.
I flipped the picture back immediately and I saw the handwriting again
“Cancer is a bastard” my heart flew into my stomach
Charles lost his mum to cancer??
I glanced at the picture again and he looked so young there.
At most, he was clocking 16.
He lost his mum at a very young age so how did he survive?
I've never seen him mention a dad before nor did I see any man's picture in the drawer. It was all him and his mother.
Looking at the young boy clutching his mum's hands at the hospital bed, I felt nostalgia.
When I held mum's hands at the hospital begging her to live for me. It must have been really hard for him.
I wonder what he did to save her, perhaps he risked everything only to lose her.
Looking at her, her face diffused into my mum's own and I flung it away.
“It can't be mum, never” I muttered
After some contemplation, I stood up from the bed and picked it up. Stacking it back with other pictures, I slowly put them back into the drawer.
I don't want to unravel more.
Just as I laid on the bed,a knock came at the door.
Slow and steady.
“I'm coming” I said and went to get the door.
Charles stepped in with a tray containing sandwiches and soft beverages.
I stepped back immediately.
I don't know whether I was feeling shy or scared.
He stopped and his mouth fell open as he stared at me from head to toe. His eyes rested on my breasts (As usual).
He wore black trousers and a white shirt that was not fully buttoned revealing a tattoo on his right breast.
I swallowed the lump that hooked me on my throat
He dropped the tray on the table and walked towards me immediately.
I stand frozen in front of him, my heart racing so loudly that I can barely think straight. I had imagined this moment differently in my head, calmer, softer, easier but now that he’s standing inches away from her, everything feels overwhelming.
Yet, a part of me yearned to step closer and trust the connection. Grab his lips and place them in mine, oh god.
Everything else faded and the room felt smaller. I could only feel him standing right there in front.