Like Father, Like Son
Chapter One
Disclaimer: The story and characters belong to W. Somerset Maugham. I only write from where he left off, which I clearly noted in this chapter. Please, reviews and comments are what encourage me to continue writing. Thank you and enjoy the story!
In times of war, togetherness can be obtained with patience, which is exactly what Mr and Mrs Walter Fane experienced before reaching the peak of their marriage and relationship. After a rough start, both fell hopelessly in love with one another for reasons no one else would ever understand. But that's what made them such a remarkable couple. Their relationship began on the wrong foot, but the event of their marriage was most likely the best thing that ever happened to them.
After tying the knot as quick as light, Kitty and Walter Fane made their way to Shanghai, China, the home of Walter's laboratory during the 1920s. Walter was a bacteriologist, while Kitty enjoyed parties, dancing and theatre. While in Shanghai, Kitty was quickly acquainted with a charming young fellow by the name of Charlie Townsend, who was married to Dorothy Townsend, one of Kitty's least favourite people. He was the vice-president post in China for Britain, or something of the sort. Not particularly interesting but Kitty found it quite. After spending one night at the Chinese opera together, they were committed to a relationship behind closed doors, which no one knew about.
One afternoon, while Kitty was 'sleeping' in her bedroom, Charlie privately made his way into her bedroom and they were reunited again in, yes, you guessed it, Kitty and Walter's bed. In their helpless love affair, a sound suddenly came from outside the bedroom door, which both Charlie and Kitty noticed. Just as someone was about to turned the knob open, the door remained shut and steps travelled off into the distance with the unknown character. They didn't speak the matter after that.
Both Kitty and Walter didn't notice it at the time, but Walter knew of the relationship after that afternoon. It was Walter who had come to the door that day and left after realising who was with Kitty at the time. While Walter was off in the city studying his microbes, Kitty remained at home so the two of them never spoke much, which was exactly why Kitty was so taken aback when Walter chose not to go into the country one day and instead chose to speak with Kitty privately. He confronted her with the problem of course and agreed to have her divorce him quietly if Charlie would agree to have Dorothy divorce him, and in conclusion, have Charlie and Kitty married in the ultimate end. In confusion, Kitty quickly took a carriage (which was pulled by slaves) into the city to tell Charlie of the matter. Charlie turned away from the helpless Kitty and she returned home, only to find out that Walter was planning to take her to a small city in the root of China, where a cholera epidemic has broken out. Walter has agreed to help find the source of the disease and help restore happiness in the small village.
And from this point on in their marriage, Walter and Kitty Fane were complete strangers to one another. Walter still loved Kitty deep inside but chose not to speak, look or be with her at the time. He spent his days at hospitals and in the city, testing the local water supplies for the disease that was so quickly eating at the towns massive population. Kitty remained at home and quickly befriended their neighbour named Mr Wadington. He was a British Commissioner posted in China for the time begin and was quite friendly.
As time slowly crawls on by, Kitty, who hadn't loved Walter at the time of their marriage, was slowly discovering the good and noble man that he was. As odd as it sounds, the cholera epidemic is what brought the two of them together. Walter was beginning to clean the water supply of the disease and Kitty spent her time at the children's convent in the city, teaching the girls of music and dancing.
One day while Walter was working in the city and Kitty was teaching the girls, she was overwhelmed and after vomiting uncontrollably, faints. The girls call for the nuns and Kitty was soon awaken by smiling faces in white and black dresses.
"You are pregnant, Mrs Fane."
Even though the nuns were crying tears of joy at such news, Kitty felt a lump in her throat at the very thought. She had been throwing up routinely for over two months now and Walter and herself only brought their marriage to their bed recently. The baby was obviously not Walter's and Kitty understood that. But would Walter?
As quickly as he could, Walter rushed from his point at study to the convent where Kitty was beginning treated. He had just been informed that Kitty had been taken ill and fainted at the convent. Too many negative thoughts were passing through his mind as he rushed through the halls of the busy convent, but was soon set at ease when he entered the office and saw Kitty sitting up on the patient's bed. He was greeted by her warm smile but with teary red eyes, as well. Kitty was quickly overthrown with questions regarding her condition from Walter and quickly told him of her pregnancy. But Walter didn't care if the child was Walter's or not. They were going to have a child and that was all that mattered.
Just as their love for each other was beginning to blossom into the full lotus flower it was intended to be, Walter was taken ill at a Chinese refugee camp outside of the city. Kitty was hastily woken in the middle of the night by Mr Wadington and was taken to the camp. Nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to come face to face with: a cholera infected hospital tent. A piece of fabric was pushed into Kitty's hand before she entered the disease infested area. She pressed the fabric against her nose and mouth and made her way to the very back, where Walter was being treated by two doctors. At the very sight of her, Walter asked for her to leave and that she needn't be taking such risks on his account. Before commanding everyone out of the tent, Walter flung himself over the edge of the tent and vomited, fluids falling from his mouth and into the overflowing bucket beside him. Holding her quickly welling tears back, Kitty took a seat beside Walter and helped him through the night of pain and dehydration.
As the two spent their night together in the tent, Mr Wadington was informed that the tent was running out of saline, which is a water and salt solution that is drained into the patient to prevent further dehydration. Wadington refused to tell the couple of the matter and allowed the two to spend their last hours together in silence.
Kitty watched in horror as Walter clutched her hand and vomited continuously beside her. If she had been in the same position two years ago, Kitty would run for her dear life. But now she had one priority in her life and that was Walter. She never left his side and continued to sit with him until she couldn't hold it back any longer. Before she could even notice, Kitty had fallen asleep.
My story begins here.
"Mrs Fane? Mrs Fane?" A voice came to her in her sleep. It was so close, yet so far away. Kitty opened her eyes slowly and came to the horrifying shock that she was no longer in the tent alongside her husband but outside the tent near a bathing river. Her bright blue eyes sprang open and she began to cry.
"Why didn't anyone tell me? Where is he? WALTER?" Kitty shouted as she pulled herself up from the grass-braided mat she was resting upon. Mr Wadington had woken her and was now clutching at Kitty's wrists.
"You needn't worry, Mrs Fane. He's in good hands now. Please, lower your voice. There are patients mourning right now." Mr Wadington whispered into Kitty's ear as he pulled her down back onto the mat. Kitty's legs buckled under her and she fell into Mr Wadington's lap in defeat. He's in good hands now. Kitty muffled a cry of horror and threw her face into her hands.
"Why didn't anyone wake me? I never even said goodbye." Ann cried between sobs of both uncontrolled sadness and anger. Kitty took hold of Mr Wadington's collared vest and pulled at both sides in insanity. "YOU, OF ALL PEOPLE, SHOULD HAVE WAKEN ME! DAMN IT!" Kitty screamed in anger. The villagers of the next village over must've heard Kitty's terrifying cries for help.
Mr Wadington took hold of Kitty's shoulders and pulled her into the forest, away from the patients and doctors, who were throwing her confused glances. He handed her a glass of cold water and quickly pulled a piece of fabric from his pocket and drag along his sweat streaked forehead. "What the bloody hell are you on about? You're disturbing the patients!" Mr Wadington said in a low voice. Kitty began to laugh in between sobs. "And now you're laughing. Honestly Mrs Fane, you wouldn't want Doctor Fane to see you in this state, would you? He's already been woken by the doctors. You'll be able to see him any moment. "
Kitty immediately stopped laughing, and crying. She stopped everything. The wooden cup fell from her firm grasp and rolled down the hills of forest below her. All that was heard from the both of them were the faint cries of pain from the hospital tents below and the occasional chirping of birds above them.
A single tear dropped from Kitty's eyes before the hard rock beneath her met with the front of her porcelain white skin and all that was heard after that were the distant cries for help from the panic stricken Mr Wadington.