The Whispers

2

"Rebecca..."

"Becca."

"Becca. Why is this happening?" Beatrice was in Rebecca's ward, panicking at the flickering of lights.

Rebecca slowly approached her. "I thought you knew by now what that means, Bea. You don't mind me calling you Bea, right?"

"Then why is she doing it? Haven't I done what she asked?" Beatrice was exasperated as much as she was scared.

"Oh, doctor! Didn't I tell you that more was yet to come? There's a whole lot that Beth left behind and she wants you to fix it."

"But, why me?"

"Whose hospital did she die at?"

"This is not my hospital!"

"But you're the head of this hospital, aren't you?" She tilted her head to the side.

Sigh. "What does she want?"

Rebecca walked back to her bed, sat on it facing the window, her back at Beatrice. She took a long time to answer.

"Beth wants you to marry her baby daddy and bear him children."

What? No fucking way am I doing that.

"Why would I do that? I'm already engaged!" She exploded. "You know what? Tell Beth to shove her ghosting soul where the sun doesn't shone."

She stalked to the door and heard Rebecca's faint "I sure will" before slamming the door behind her and headed for the parking lot.

The drive back to her penthouse was long, silent, dark and...dreadful. There was something foreboding about the silence combined with darkness. Every shadow creeped her out.

The radio suddenly played a hard metal rock music so loud that the windows rattled.

What the hell?

She quickly turned the radio off. And focused on the road, humming to herself in an attempt to control the fear coursing through her.

Again, the radio burst into a rock music tune.

No, no, no, no. This. Can't. Be. Happening.

She was busy trying to turn off the radio when a loud honk sounded from the lorry speeding towards her car. What is going on? The bright headlights from the lorry blinded her and with a loud screech, she swivelled back to her lane and parked beside the road to catch a breath. Her heart pounded rapidly in her tight chest, her breath laboured.

"What do you want from me, Beth? Haven't you done enough? Leave me alone!" She screamed.

Tears streamed down her face as she slumped on the steering wheel.

No! I won't give in. In fact, I won't even show any weakness!

Taking a deep shaky breath, she pulled the car onto the road and drove home.

"Hey, darling!" Ken, her fiancé, called out to her as soon as she walked through the front door. "I've prepared your favourite. Mac and cheese!"

At least here she didn't have to worry about Beth and her insane demands. The voice of her lovely soon-to-be husband instantly soothed her, calming her down a bit.

She'd been with Kenneth for over six years now. They'd met in college when she was studying cardiology and Ken was studying to be a nurse. Their love had since grown and now they were planning on getting married in three weeks. With Ken, she felt safe. Always has. She had never had anyone to care for her because her mom had fallen into a depression after her father was diagnosed with lung cancer, and got hospitalised numerous times during treatment, leading to his death.

She'd been hurting too, but apparently her mother had taken it pretty hard. She started drinking heavily and having multiple relationships, maybe trying to replace her husband. Every failed relationship made her more angry and she started getting violent. She'd snap at her for nothing and slap her for small mistakes.

Applying for college had been her only escape and when she got admitted, she'd juggled two jobs to take her mother to a rehab facility - which her mother despised her even more for - for alcohol abuse.

When Ken showed care, she'd been smitten and she'd fallen hard for him.

Kenneth Rowdy had been a sought-after trust fund kid who played quarterback in college. A heartthrob. His family was very rich and they never failed to point it out that he would have been better off with someone 'like him'. Even though this didn't bide well with her, Ken always told him he loved her and she shouldn't mind his parents and that they're just being overprotective.

She hated that Ken always took his parents' side but, she who had endured her abusive mother's couldn't judge.

Right now she shrugged out of her coat and hugged Ken fondly. "What's the occasion?"

"Do I need a reason to spoil my wife?" Ken was trailing kisses from her mouth, down her neck to her collarbone.

"Wife-to-be," she corrected. "And I know every time you cook, there's something you want to tell me. Something not good, for that matter. What is it this time?"

Dropping his hands from her waist, Ken went about setting the table. "Well, okay. You know me."

"Six years, remember?" She arched her thick brow.

He indicated for her to sit and brought the food. "It's been that long? Time sure flies when you're having fun."

"So, what's up?" She helped herself to the food.

Ken took a long time to chew and swallow, and Beatrice felt the dread that always came with his hesitation.

"I'm going away for a conference to Australia," Ken kept his gaze trained to his plate.

"What? That's like across the globe, Ken!"

"I know, darling. I'm sorry," his voice was low and pained.

"When? When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. I have a jet scheduled for departure at four."

"That's too soon! Way too soon!" She exploded.

This couldn't be happening! How can Ken leave just when her life was gradually turning on it's axis?

"It's work, Beatrice! What am I supposed to do?"

He was right and she knew it. If Ken wanted to live independently without living off of his parents' money, he had to work his ass off.