THE COLD WAR

DEFEATED

"Be careful." Derenle said as he led his wife into the house. She placed her arm on his shoulder for stability, and limped into the house.
      "Be careful not to hurt your legs again, please."  He said as he helped her sit on the couch, placing her plastered leg on stool.
     She had an accident in the hospital while preparing to come home after she was discharged. Her eagerness to leave the sickbed made her stumble over the stairs. Dan pleaded with her to stay one more day even though the fall didn't cause any fracture, he only wanted to monitor her health well, but Lola insisted on going home; the hospital was making her more sick.

         Derenle left for the kitchen to prepare what his wife was going to eat, but by the time he was done, she was fast asleep.
     "Pretty doll." He smiled and tickled her chin.
     "Wake up, don't leave me in this boredom." He tickled her till she opened her eyes.
     "What's the Greek god of sleep again?" He teased.
      She rolled her eyes.
  "Won't you let me rest again? I wish Dan could read my mind when he was telling you to make sure I get enough sleep."
     "Whatever." He laughed.
    "You can sleep for days, but eat first." He handed over to her the tray containing the food he prepared.
     "Or let me feed you." He smiled, but she gave a scorn look.
      "Lola." He stammered.
    "I've sought for help, and I've found another therapist; the best as Dan portrayed him."
      "Oh, really?" She dropped the tray and moved closer to him.
      "Talk to me."
   "Well, I... I don't even know how to book an appointment with this therapist. I need your help with this since you know him better."
      "What do you mean?" She asked with a baffled look on her face.
       "I am talking about...." He got disrupted by a phone call that requested his attention urgently.
    "Lola, please eat and sleep well. I need to be at the office soonest. I don't know what it's all about, but I sense an urgency." He said as he dropped the call and hurried out of the house.

      ****************************
         Derenle returned home very late when his wife was fast asleep, there was no way he could continue the discussion with her as his utmost presence would be very much needed afterwards to solve a problem at the office; he would leave the house before his wife wakes up, and return after she sleeps. Lola complained, but he promised it was just for a week.

         On one of the days Derenle was away from home, one of Lola's distant cousins came visiting. He had heard about her miscarriage, and saw it thoughtful of him to pay her a visit since he had not seen her since the family neglected her because of her choice of marriage. Lola knew he was there for trouble, but she remained calm thinking Derenle would be away for a long time like he had been doing recently.
      "I love this your castle Lola." He scoffed.
      "Where is your prince, Cinderella?"
      "Why have you come, Mister?"
    "That is very rude of you Lola, you didn't even offer me a seat and what to drink. You are loosing it. Well, I've come to pay my little cousin a visit, it's been ages and I really do miss her."
      "Oh, that's so thoughtful of you." She forced a smile.
     "But you are not welcome here." She frowned.
      "In my cousin's house? That is a fat lie." He walked to the table, picked up the television's remote, set it to his favourite channel and crossed his legs gallantly on the stool.
      "I need a cup of chilled orange juice Lola."
       "Really? I love your temerity." she sneered.
      "I see what the jerk you call a husband is doing to you." He turned off the television and turned to her.
       "It's a pity that wretched guy has blindfolded you."
       "I knew it." she smirked.
     "Only fools leave their territory to poke nose in other territories' matters."
    "Are you calling me a fool?" He raged.
     "I wasn't directly calling you a fool, but you are a fool for bringing your filthy legs into my house to insult my husband." she pointed her fingers at him.
      "You must be nut." He slapped her.
     "Don't you ever point your finger at me." He gave her the second slap.

       Derenle who had been heard the noise from the compound hurried into the house. As he opened the door, he heard the second slap and found his wife on the floor wailing. Lola stood up in fear when she saw that the door knob was turned, she knew it was her husband. She tried to act like all was well, but it was too late as Derenle had gone wild.
      Derenle tore the man's clothes apart, and fiercely hit his back against the wall.
       "Derenle, please stop, this guy is my cousin." Lara cried.
       "That doesn't give him the licence to treat you like an animal." He roared back.
     Lola kept pleading on his behalf, and when Derenle saw that her pleas were irritating to him, he left her cousin, and faced her.
     "Shut up Lola, Just keep your mouth shut. I'm doing all of these to keep you safe from the snares of the wicked, but you always choose to be an ingrate."
      Lola's cousin, seeing that he has been freed from Derenle's hands creeped out of the house.
       "I don't need your help Aderenle, do you want me dead?" She threw herself on him crying.
     He tried to walk away, but shockingly she fell down instantly and hit her head against the edge of the stairs.
      Lola's cousin came in with police to arrest Derenle for bullying him, only for him to find his sister in pool of blood struggling for life.

          *************************
      "This is my story, Barrister Davies." Derenle weeped.
     "My dear Lola couldn't survive it, she died on her way to the hospital, and her parents have vouched to watch me die a painful death like their daughter. I didn't expect less from them, I deserve even more than death. I killed the one who saved me Mr Davies, I'm ready to die too. I wouldn't have gotten a lawyer to defend me in the court because I know I deserve to die, but Dan insisted I must. Even if I get vindicated, that I know it's never possible, I will still die of guilt. Barrister, let me just die here." He sniffed.
            "This is my story!"