Chapter 18 : The Abandon Child
She was eight months along. Her legs were swallowed and she couldn't wear her shoe. She was bare foot in the house and she barely leave the house because her husband wouldn't allow that. It was two weeks ago since she went to the Cairo Museum. They had a fight for this matter. "Rick, I'm fine. I'm pregnant not having some serious decease!" she said. "Evy, I know you are pregnant and that's why you have to rest. Why can't you listen to the doctor?" he said. "The doctor said I can continue with my daily activities" she said. "I don't think climbing up the book shelves is a daily activity he mentioned" he said. "Ohhhhh... I don't climb!" she said. "You don't?! Remember what you have done in the past two weeks?" he said. "I know what I am capable of Mr. O'Connell" she said. "You were climbing up the shelve to put back the goddamn books!" he said. "Don't you swear at me, Mr. O'Connell" she said and narrowed her eyes at him. "Ok, sorry but you can't blame me for not allowing you to go to the museum. You just don't listen!" he said. "I'm not a kid. And I'm not your appendant. Why should I listen to you?" she said. "I'm your husband and that's why you have to" he said but he didn't mean what he said. He was worrying about her condition. She didn't say a word and went back to her bedroom.
"Ohhhhh... you just had a fight with him and you can't hold yourself from thinking about him. Stop it!" she said as she was wandering in the bedroom. Knock... Knock... 'Is he who knocking at the door? Of course he is, who else in the house. I'm not going to give in that easy this time' she thought. 'Head's up Evelyn' she talked to herself and took a breath. "Who's there?" she asked and mentally kicked herself for asking it. "It's me Evy. Can I come in?" Rick said. "No, I'm changing clothes" she lied. But he opened the door anyway. "I said I'm changing clothes!" she said. "Well, it is obvious that you have done changing clothes. Besides, it's not that I haven't seen you without any clothes on" he blurted and she could feel her cheeks were getting warm. "Okay, I'm not coming here to start a fight. Evy, I'm worried" he said. "I'm pregnant. Not having some decease" she said. "What if you die from giving birth?" he said and his sound was cracked. She walked toward him and found that he was upset. "Rick? Are you alright?" she asked and it was her turn to worry because she had never seen he upset before. "My mother died when she gave birth to me. Dad told me that she hadn't have much rest during her pregnancy. I was the cause of her death. He blamed me for that and that's why he left me at Cairo orphanage" he said. "Oh... Rick" she didn't know much about his parent because he never talked about them to his wife. She did asked how he ended up in orphanage before they got married but he lied to her by saying that he was too small to remember his parent. "Why don't we have a seat on the bed and you tell me everything" she said as she stroking his arms and he nodded. "I was born in America. My mother died when she gave birth to me. The midwife did what she could and save my life. In my memory, my dad wasn't a happy man. Of course, his wife died while gave birth to his son, how could he be happy?" he said after they were sat on the bed against the headboard. "How did you end up in Cairo orphanage?" she asked. "One day when I was 5, my dad met an Arabian from Egypt, the Arabian told my dad there was a myth in Egypt that a book could bring the dead one alive" he said. "So, he brought me to Egypt. He sold all the things we had in America and used the money for the trip to Egypt. When we got there, no one knew the book. Everyone thought he was crazy" he said.
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"Dad, maybe the guy lied to us" the young Rick said. "Shut up, Richard!" his father yelled. "You caused this. She died because of you. I love her so much. She wouldn't die if she didn't have you" his father said. "Mummy died because I'm naughty?" the young Rick said. "Yes, Richard because of you. Now, will you just keep quiet and leave me alone?!" his father said and down a drink. The young Rick went back to his bedroom but he didn't cry. He knew daddy was upset because of him. "I wish you were here, mum" the young Rick said to the empty room.
'Don't be upset my good boy. Mummy will be always beside you. I'm guarding you and keeping you safe. Richard my good boy, daddy loves you. You will be a brave man and one day you will meet a girl that you love and she loves you back. By the time you will understand why daddy is always upset without me beside him'
"Mum!" young Rick yelled and sat upright. He looked around and saw dark. It was only a dream but somehow he knew it was real that his mother was talking to him. He went to find his dad and he found his dad was passed out on the bed. The next morning he woke up and found that his dad was missing. "Dad!" he searched the room and found nothing. He panicked. "Richard!" his father yelled as he opened the door. "Dad" young Rick ran to his father and hugged him tight. "Come on Richard, pack your bag" his father said. "Are we going back?" he asked. "Yes we are" his father said. "Yes, I miss home" he said and went to pack his stuffs. After his father paid the rent, they walked to the market. "Richard, here. This is for you" his father bought him a pocket knife. "It's cool. Thanks dad" he said. They walked a place where the young Rick had no idea where it was. "Richard, I want you to stay here for a while" his father said. "Dad, aren't we going back?" he asked. "Yes, we are. After I found that book. When I'm not around, you have to stay here" his father said. "No dad, I'm going with you" he said. "No, I want you to be here" his father said. "Dad I don't want to leave you" he said and cried. "Stay here Richard. I can't bring you together. I promise I will be back" his father said. "No, daddy. No" he cried and cried. "Richard, you are naughty. Could you listen to me?! I have to find that book, don't you understand? She died and I'm dying everyday" his father said. "Stay here. I don't want to see you. I don't like you Richard" his father said and gone. He didn't chase for him. He sat on the floor and cried. A sister from the orphanage came out and saw a crying boy. "Hello little one, why are you crying?" she asked. "Dad is gone. He hates me" he said. "Poor little boy. Come inside" she said and brought him into the place where he grown up in all these years.
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"He never came back. He lied to me" Rick said. "I'm sorry. Is that the reason you don't like to be called Richard?" she said as she felt pity to her husband. "Yeah... It reminds me of him. I always tell people to call me Rick" he said. She never thought Rick had such bad memories. "So, you stayed in the orphanage ever since?" she asked. "I tried to run away when I was 10. But they got me back" he said as he smiled. "I bum into a Englishman. He asked me where I from and treated me a meal. A nice meal I hadn't have since I left America. He was here with his family. Never had a chance to know his name. His daughter was cute. And you remind me a lot about her" he said. "He sent you back to orphanage?" she asked. "I lied to him that I was stayed at the nearby house but he insisted to sent me back to my house. I had no choice to tell him the truth that I was running out from the orphanage" he said. "Do you still remember him?" she asked. "No, I met him once and it was years ago. Couldn't remember. Why?" he asked. "Oh... nothing. Just curious" she said. They went silence for few minutes until he started talking again.
"Part of me is happy that you are pregnant but part of me is worry about your condition" he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry about me. I'm selfish" she said. "No, you aren't. I wasn't angry at you. I was angry at myself that I can't do anything to help you. I know you don't like to be ordered" he said and smiled. "But promised me you will be careful. If anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself. You mean a lot to me. I was alone until I met you" he said. She kissed him. "You are not alone anymore. I won't leave you. I promise" she said after their lips broke apart. They stayed in the room for the rest of the day.
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