The Mystery of the Missing Bride

Chapter 3 : 2 Months

Chapter 3 :  2 Months

2 MONTHS LATER

Keith sauntered into the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hands and picked up the newspaper lying on the table and his eyes fell on the little box at the bottom of the page with the captions “STILL M.I.A. KIM JONES OR WARREN?” 

Sipping his coffee, Keith shook his head annoyed by the fact that the story of his wife had still not died down. This particular article still looked safe with the simple heading. He involuntarily smirked as he reminisced the wild yet extremely plausible (note the sarcasm) the reporters had managed to cook up. 

“KIM : THE UNDERCOVER AGENT”

“LEADER OF THE MAFIA”

“DRUG ADDICT FORCED TO LAY LOW”

“DECEASED FOR SPREADING FBI SECRETS?”

“MARRIED TO AN ASSASSIN”

“A SCHEME OF REVENGE FROM THE MAN HIMSELF, KEITH WARREN!”

It was beyond his capacity how the journalists came up with the most absurd and creative ideas. For the first week after the mishap, he would read the article and dissolve into mirth giggling like a fifteen year old girl, much to the dismayed surprise of his parents. Their first reaction of shock when Keith moved back with them increased manifold with his tactics. He did not report to the police, hire an investigator or even mope around the house like they expected him to. It seemed a though he had forgotten that a Kim had existed. While the rest of the world thought that he had given up looking for a needle in the haystack, his parents knew otherwise. Though they were oblivious to the existence of a letter, they had faith in Keith and his love.

The only time Keith would scoff with distaste were the headlines stating that she cheated on him and ran away because she was too cowardly to face him. He was shaken out of his reverie as a hand waved into his face. His eyes focused onto the face in front of him and capping his emotions, in his most genuine fake voice said, “Hi Mom. Good morning.”

“Morning,” his Mom replied internally telling herself that she knew her son too well and he should drop his facade.

 “Just glancing through the sports section featuring my last game,” he added cockily sensing his mother’s thinking mode.

“Yes son, very well played-“ his fathers voice was cut of abruptly cut off by the shrill ringing of the bell. 

Keith got up to open the door. He had not even taken a step when the bell sounded loudly in the now silent room. It rang incessantly. This got on his nerves. Voicing his thoughts aloud he said,”I swear I am about to report you to the police if you are another irritating reporter!” He roughly swung the door open ready to pounce at the person who had no regard for manners and politeness. 

“YOU IDIOT, ARE -“ and he trailed off as he drank the situation that presented itself before his eyes. He stood there mouth hanging open, the anger on his face slowly morphing blankness as though his mind as trouble processing what his eyes were seeing.

Mr. and Mrs. Warren came to the for to see what the hold up was. They too froze as they saw Keith’s best friend Adam holding up a very real Kim against him.

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It was a rather funny scene if you push all the negative feelings to the back of the mind. The three Warrens stood inside the house, saucers replacing their eyes as they looked from Kim to Adam and then back to Kim, a plethora of emotions, colourful designs on the saucers and too numb to understand anything. On the other hand, Adam and Kim stood at the threshold gazing at the family, aliens at the look of them, a face whose emotion was unrecognisable. At that particular moment something passed between Kim and Keith as they held their gazes; and they didn't know who initiated it, but the next instant they were in each others arms.

Keith pulled her towards him into the house as Kim entangled herself from Adam’s arms. He crushed her to his chest revelling in the feeling. He suddenly noticed a cold liquid touch his skin through his shirt. But even that could not keep him from loosening his hold on her. Only when she gasped softly he let go of her only to gauge at her from an arms length. 

She was looking as beautiful as ever. Just the same as he saw her two months ago. She was still clad in her white wedding gown with the matching pair of white sneakers. There was only one addition. Her spotless white dress now sported a blob of bright red right above her stomach. A red blob that was growing bigger by the second. Kim sagged in his arms and almost fell at the same time Keith realised that she was hurt. His arms immediately caught hold of her and his eyes which were already as wide as saucers shot up to the size of planets horror and anger flashing through them.

“Kim,” he choked, “What-what happened to you?”

“Doesn’t Leader of the Mafia or Undercover Agent seem plausible now?” Kim whispered, her voice as brittle as glass but laced with obvious relief and love. The room spun uncontrollably in front of her and she fought the temptation of succumbing to the darkness to escape the pain. She had to fight for Keith, Adam and his family.

“Shhh Kim. I have got you. You don't need to say anything, just keep your eyes open. For me,” Keith replied softly. Then turning to Adam he ordered, “Get the car out now! We are going to the hospital. NOW!” 

A sound made him turn his head to Kim and he heard a faint “No please, no hospitals!”

The parents overcame the shock and disbelief to listen to Kim utter these words. 

“Keith take her up to your room now. Mary, clean up her wounds. Adam come with me. Kim dear, just-just keep your eyes open,” Mr. Warren took control of the situation. 

“We shall be back soon with the doctor!”

They were out of the door before the sentence was complete. 

Wasting no time at all, Keith scooped Kim in his arms and carried her bridal style to their room and laid her gently in the bed and cringed when she winced as the movement sent a bout of uncontrollable pain through her system. She would not be able to hold out anymore. The pain was too much. She just had to say one thing. She turned her head to look into his eye.

She said, “Just so you know, we ARE married and have been for two months in case you forgot.”

And then she drifted off to sleep. 

Keith managed a ghost of a smile at his ‘wife’s’ words. Somehow, she always had had the capability to do that even in the most dire of situations .

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A/N : Sorry guys for the delay... was brainstorming to come up with the most fabulous idea.

Hope you'll liked this chapter.

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