KISS OF BETRAYAL

CHAPTER-6

Lily thought she would go crazy with panic. She prodded the nurse to quit dulling and do something quick. She held Flora's hands, struggling to fight back the fit of tears that attacked her. Flora kept muttering incoherent words and writhing in pain.
What happened to her? What the hell happened to her baby? The last time she had seen Flora in such a state was about five years ago, along a bushy path. She had stopped to ease herself when she noticed a slight figure, frantically clawing her way out of the bush, dragging a rusted metal case along. Lily couldn't bring herself to leave the poor girl there, so she chattered a cab to take them home. She had initially been living alone in a big bungalow in some fairly developed part of the state, since her father died of heart failure. Her mother had already died while giving birth to her, so her home was open to the poor girl.
The issue was just that Flora had narrated everything about herself, except the incident at the bush. She always started crying hysterically, so Lily had to dismiss the issue. She couldn't help but notice that they had a lot in common, their meeting was fate.
Flora's parents were not dead of course, but were more useless than the dead. Flora had a dipsomaniac father who always beat her and told her she was good for nothing. A typical case of the kettle calling the pot black. Her mother always brought her numerous boyfriends home and locked her out each time they came. She slept in their neighbor's place most of the time, until the other family discovered what was going on and barred her from coming to sleep in their house. So, she slept in the common kitchen. Quite a lot for a child to go through. She had to leave home after her secondary school education in a public school in their area, in search of green pastures.
The rest was history, but what was more important now was that Flora found her niche, someone who would die protecting her if need be. Lily's heart ached as she watched the delicate doll on the bed. Flora had that kind of fragile looks that could illicit a strong maternal instinct from any woman. Her mother must be a Jezebel, Lily fumed, for the umpteenth time.

They had become best friends, sisters, everything to each other. Lily had an insurance set up by her father to cater for her education and they rigidly maintained it was only for her education and nothing more. So, she worked on a part-time job to support herself.
When she found Flora, she rented out the bungalow to a young couple and moved to a small apartment in their year one, since she also had to pay Flora's school fees. She was a class ahead of Flora, but couldn't gain admission immediately after secondary school. Thankfully, they both made it into the University the same year. Wasn't this fate? Flora was the best friend anyone could ask for and was very hardworking. They studied together, prayed together, worked together, shared secrets. They did fall out with each other a few times, but always settled their differences without much friction. They could best be described as soulmates. Lily grinned in spite of herself, swiping at the tear drop on an eyelash.

"She's asleep now," the nurse said, intruding into her thoughts. "Would be nice if you drop her hand and let her get some rest. She's traumatized."
She gathered her materials into a tray, then giving Lily a comforting pat on the back, left the room. Lily slowly obliged and collapsed into a nearby armchair. Why were all these things happening to her? What did she do to deserve all these? Just what? First, Chris suddenly stopped talking to her. She thought he needed space and let him be. But he also had the temerity to ignore all her frantic texts and then her number was blocked. Why?
His secretary vehemently refused her entrance whenever she came. Last time she went there, they alerted security to throw her out and she didn't know his home. Now, Flora was badly battered by God knows whom and left unconscious. A sob escaped her lips, she rejected it. She never gave in to tears, she considered it a sign of weakness. It was never easy growing up without a mother; and after her father died, she thought nothing could break her again. She had seen the very worst life had to offer. Another sob came, then another and she collapsed into a mass of crying puddle.