Knock!!
Knock knock knock!!!
Sophia turns on her side, waking up to the sound of silence knocking on her door. She realised that she was on the floor, sprawled with her cloths on as though she had drank and having a hangover.
Knock !!!
“Am coming” she calls out, but her voice didn’t seem to have left her mouth. Last thing she remembered was leaving the office after she spoke to Adams and he had asked her to go home and rest and he would come pick her up. She remembered entering her car and putting her head to the wheels, wanting to rest for a brief few minutes but that’s it. Every other thing was blank. A blurt. . Like nothing ever happened. But how did she get here. How did she get home? And where was Adams? It was almost 4.., they had a doctor’s appointment. But yet…
She was worried that she was really sick, having amnesia and headaches that could render her worse than the way she was. She hoped by the time Adams got home, both of them could go see the doctor. He needed to proffer solutions for her. The tapping on the door shook her out of her wandering thoughts.
She quickly went to find out who was knocking, on opening the door she found Rebecca staring right at her, she manages a weak smile her way. Rebecca had told her she was coming by. And then she remembered why she was coming by, her heart caught in her chest but she had to be strong. Maybe by a sheer work of miracle this might be a big misunderstanding and the man they saw wasn’t her Adams.
She opened the door wider and saw another person, a man standing beside her, his back just turned to her as he turned to look at a car that just pulled up behind them and a man all too familiar alights and takes purposeful strides towards them.
Adams.
Rebecca was speaking. Why did this stranger stare at her with shock in his eyes? Have they met before? Why does he keep staring at me and what is Rebecca saying? Her headache hadn’t gone. She turns when Adams speaks again. Rebecca shoved a big brown envelop into her hands, she was confused and the man wouldn’t stop staring at her. It was creepily uncomfortable and why does Adams sound as though his heart is going to fall out.
Gosh my head. She blinked ..sulked in air and expelled.
“Open it Sophia!” Rebecca continues
” Y- y-you..” Peter Holmes trails off, suddenly becoming speechless as he continued to stare at Sophia and pointing back and forth
“What are you doing here Rebecca? Who is he and what’s in that envelop you are giving to my wife?” Adams asked through gritted teeth.
Oh lord, please let it not be what I think. He prayed.
“Well, I know that you already know but just for emphasis I would explain. I am here because I have found proof of your sneaking-around-feeling-touchiness of you and your M.I.S.T.R.E.S.S”… she spelt it out while using her fingers to do the cliché. She was excited. He could see it in her eyes.
The Bitch. The devil.
“You lie Rebecca because like I said before and I would say again. I have never cheated on my wife and I never will. So I think you and your.. “he turns to the guy who seemed more interested in staring at his wife, his fist closed
“And your bodyguard or whoever the fxxk he is should leave now and take whatever you brought with you. Sophia won’t be interested in listening to another made up lie. Thank you”.
Rebecca scoffs. Shaking her head, and she laughed. Those deep throated laughter that you would think one had gone completely insane with her head thrown back, scattering her hair a little.
“Can you believe this guy Peter? Can anyone believe this guy? You see us with evidence and you still have the balls to act cool. Peter can you believe this?” She laughs turning to Peter but he looked as though he couldn’t say anything. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Sophia.
A little anger boiled inside her. She knew Sophia was a beautiful woman. She made heads turn in school, everyone wanted to be her friend. The girls always wanted to be with her and the guys wanted to have her But only one did. The only one she, Rebecca, wanted for herself, but Adams just like the rest, fell for the innocent blue eyes, long black hair and killer body features and a beautiful face and that made her angry as hell. Jealous too.
Now Peter was staring at her like a love sick puppy. She jabs him.
‘Ouch! What the hell Rebecca?” He exclaims rubbing his side. But he went back to staring at the lady standing in front of them.
“This can’t be, their resem-” he breaks off as Rebecca’s words pierces into his
“Focus Peter, we are here to clarify this and you are here to explain the genuineness of what’s inside the envelop.” Rebecca stated
“B-but Rebecca the woman, her… they..” he began to point at the envelop and to Sophia, blabbing
“LEAVE NOW REBECCA BEFORE I DO SOMETHING THAT I WOULD REGRET” Adams threatens as his voice echoes
Rebecca gets distracted. She shakes her head.
“No sir. No can’t do. I promised my friend I would find proof of your cheating ass and here I am with It.” she turns to Sophia who hadn’t said a word. She was staring at the envelop in her hands. Her hands shook slightly…
“Open it Sophia and end this once and for all. You are my friend and I love you and I want to see you be happy, Open it! And know the truth about your sweet saint of a husband. He isn’t such a saint. Right Peter? “… She beckons to Peter to speak and back her up. Open the damn envelop woman. Rebecca willed.
“Erm.. Rebecca, you not listening to me. She.. her. They. They…” Peter stutters
“Oh not now Peter. Open the damn envelope Sophia” Rebecca states again, a little more firmly this time.
If you don’t I will. Stop stalling Bitch. Rebecca mutters under her breath.
You could literally hear Adams heart beat really fast. He could snatch the envelope from her hands and make a quick dash and tear it up. But he was a little distance away from her. But who is to say the fxxker standing beside him didn’t have another copy.
Fxxk!!!
Think Adams think!
If Sophia opens that envelop she was opening Pandora’s box and he knew what would happen afterwards. He couldn’t go through it again. He needed to do something. Anything.
“Baby… look at me” he moved closer
“Baby, Sophia please look at me” he pleaded. Just look at me Sophia, please. He willed. Then she stared up at him. OK. Adams, hold her gaze, keep holding her gaze. He moved closer.
“Please, for the love that we both share just trust me. If you have always trusted me before, I need you to give me the benefit of the doubt and trust me just once again. Listen to me carefully Sophia, my wife. My baby. The love of my life that I have never cheated on you and I will never do it. Not in this life or the next so I need you to trust me and don’t listen to Rebecca and please don’t open that envelop. Trust me, it’s just a bunch of lies and a means to break what we have. Rebecca doesn’t care about anyone but herself and she wants your life, your place, she wants me and she made that pretty clear when she was at my office this morning forcing herself on me”..
Sophia’s eyes darted quickly to Rebecca. Peter tugs at Rebecca’s sleeve. .
“Listen to me. The lady in the picture, its h-
“Shut up Peter” she nudges him. The fxxker Adams is trying to turn the tables on her. No not yet. Like hell is she going to let that happen.
“You liar Adams!!! Sophia open the damn envelop and let’s get this over with. You know what, let me. My nails are really sharp”
She reaches for the envelope. Adams blocks her reaching for it himself and Sophia steps back taking it out of reach from the both of them. She keeps stepping back until she was in the middle of her living room.
They followed her in.
Her head was pounding. But she couldn’t avoid the scene unfolding in front of her. She was scared to open it but she needed to. Or she could fxxk it, tear the envelope with whatever evidence they have found and give her husband the benefit of the doubt.
But vivid visions of lipstick nails on his shirt, nail marks on his back and those messages she saw a couple of months ago played back in her mind and scenes of lovemaking she could envision of her husband entwined between the legs of another woman, moving in rhythm and echoing each other’s intense desire and passion. And her heart broke because she couldn’t erase it even if she wanted to, and her heart broke a thousand more pieces when she remembered asking him and he had lied.
Yes. Adams had lied to her face. Her sweet sweet Adams, her first love lied to her.
No. She needed to open it.
“Sophia please don’t”
His voice cracked, he stepped forward
“Please don’t. Okay let’s talk about it. It’s not what you think but I need to explain something’s to you so you understand. You have to trust me Sophia for your own good as well as for us. Please, let’s talk then you can open it please.”
“Don’t listen to him Sophia” Rebecca moved closer. Like a devil’s angel encouraging you to do evil. …
Open it. Open it..!!! She chanted mentally
“Listen to me Rebecca, you don’t understand. She is – “ Peter tries to make Rebecca listen to him but she was more interested in watching the unveiling of the evidence.
“Leave my house. You both leave NOW. Give me and my wife some space please. Haven’t you both done enough damage for one day?”
Adam screams at them. He could punch the man in the gut. It was obvious that he was a private investigator, maybe Rebecca had hired him to follow him and he had dug and gotten pictures of him and Bella. If he could beat him up now he would feel better. If he could deal with them both in fact but that would be for later. For now, he needed to make sure Sophia doesn’t open up that envelop.
“Am sorry but I will not. Sophia, you going to let him keep lying to your face? I went back to the hotel, castle waters, showing them his picture. Can you believe that he and his mistress where in the opposite room, room 109 and I thought it was 106? ” she laughs shaking her head
“We missed them just by a tiny breath but now we got you Adams and there is no sneaking and lying your way out of it. ”
“You are pure evil Rebecca. We both know why you are doing this.” He hisses.
“Yes. For my friend. That’s why”.
“No. For you and that’s what Sophia needs to understand”
“Rebecca, why the fxxk won’t you shut up and listen to me” Peter tries again. If only she would listen to him she would realise what he has been trying to say ever since he got here and laid eyes on Sophia It’s uncanny and it’s obvious. If only Rebecca would shut up.
Rebecca ignores Peter. ..
“Keep at it Adams. We aren’t leaving here until your ass get found out”
Her head hasn’t stopped hurting. Their constant banter back and forth wasn’t helping and he, the stranger kept trying to get Rebecca’s attention. But why won’t they just…
‘SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP!! Both of you just shut up!!!” Sophia screams
She held up the envelope, waving it over their eyes.
“I will open this Adams and I hope to God that it isn’t you but someone who looks exactly like you because am done with this shit of hoping it isn’t you. I have loved you and given you my all. So you better hope to God that this isn’t you else I would make you pay for hurting me so much.” She states.
“Sophia, please “… Adams sounded broken,
“Do it Sophia, do it” Rebecca encourages but inwardly she was holding the banter and chanting. Open the damn envelop bitch!! Open it. Open it… ruin your marriage open it. Bye bye… and am stepping in. She smiles.
“Erm… ” Peter scratches his head, but he also wanted to see her reaction, he looks at her again trying to understand the situation.
Rebecca’s face had already begun to form a wide winning smile.
Adams looked death stricken, he takes off his coat, undid his tie , he felt like a man uncertain of his fate.
Sophia carefully tears the envelope. It was quiet so you could hear the sound of paper being torn, and every heartbeats that waited for the outcome.
“Please” Adams steps forward, with his hands stretched forward telling her to stop. To wait. Anything.
“If you take one more step towards me Mr Adams Wellington I would use that vase of flower you got me the last time and smash it over your handsome head. One more step Adams…” she threatened moving closer to the table that had the vase and flowers. Lilies and red roses.
Adams stops. There was no need. It’s done. No need to hide it anymore. As soon as she takes a look at the pictures, he is done. No more lies. No more pretends. He closes his eyes just before she dips her hands inside and pulls out the first picture. He takes a seat and buries his head on his arms. A tear drops from his eyes.
Sophia stares at the picture, one after the other. And as she takes the other one and the other one, her brows furrows, she looks shocked and then confused and then she starts all over again. And then left with the same expression and she starts all over again… Her hands shaking, her head turning from side to side in disbelieve, lips moving but words were not coming out. She staggers.
“Wha… what is this. What’s this supposed to mean. What’s this? ”
Rebecca’s face which had previously had a plastered smile on it waiting for the fire and brimstone showdown and hurling of shoes and glasses and then the get out of my house you cheating bastard chant but all she was getting was Sophia staring at the pictures and no actions.
“What’s what Sophia?” she asked. Where is the thunder Sophia. Rain down some. Shout, scream, break or throw something Sophia, anything. Why isn’t she raining down thunder?
“Can someone please explain this to me, Adams, What’s this? Who is this? Why,why does she- ” she trails off. Adams hadn’t raised up his head.
“What is she saying? Isn’t she supposed to turn Madea up his ass around this moment?” she turns to Peter who kept staring at Sophia. He was no use. He was more interested in her looks and she wanted blood. She walks up to Sophia and grabs the pictures
“Let me take a look at that slut who dared to hook up with my friend’s husb- ” Rebecca’s eyes popped open as she too staggered, blinking once or twice and then a couple of times as she repeatedly went through the pictures as Sophia did, shock and confusion registered on her face. Then anger
No.
What in the world? Rebecca didn’t understand what she was seeing.
“Adams, why aren’t you saying anything. She.. she ..”
Now it was Sophia’s turn to stutter as she blinked a couple of times, taking a step back and points at the pictures, shocked
“Peter, I don’t get. I asked you to get me proof and you go and get me pictures of this… this??” Rebecca flings it at him.
“What the actual fxxk!!!” She exclaims
Adams raises up his head and stares at his wife who bent down and picks up the pictures looking at them again, more confused than the first time.
“That’s what I have been trying to tell you Rebecca, she, the mistress looks just like…” Peter didn’t finish it
“Me!!” Sophia finishes as her hands flew to her chest. Shock. Confusion. She touches her face. Her lips, her eyes and hairs and looks at the pictures again.
“She looks just like me” she states again.
“No Peter, you took pictures of her and Adams. You bloody took negatives pictures of the wrong people, of Adams and his wife sophia. Not of Adams and his mistress, that’s what this is. An incompetent work and I need you to give me back my money. How dare you trick me? I asked for him and his mistress and you give me him and her, his wife.” Rebecca fumes
“She looks just like me. Her features bolder, confident. Dark, different but she looks like me” she repeated as her headache intensified.
“Look at the damn picture Rebecca and look at the days and times. From the information you gave me. Check the dates and times. I went to the hotel at castle waters and got those. I got to the new hotel he checked in, the Enclave too. And I do a thorough job. So I believe your friend here has a twin or some doppelganger shit going on. Someone who definitely looks like her. “… He tells Rebecca who began shaking her head in disbelief. But he kept staring at Sophia. The resemblance was striking. While Sophia looked simple, beautiful and innocent in looks.
The other woman who looked like her was darker, in fierceness and character. But there was no mistaking. The resemblance was un-canning.
Rebecca shakes her head, staring at the picture conforming the dates and times. No. This can’t be.
Does Sophia have a twin sister? And Adams had been sleeping with the other woman who is the twin. Does she have to share him with another woman who looked like Sophia too? She remembered what the worker, the girl said at the castle waters hotel…
“That’s her!! The lady, his mistress. That’s her”… and she had not listened .
Damn!!!
“Why does she look so much like me Adams? Why aren’t you saying anything. Why does she look so much like me? Tell me, why the fxxk does she look like me.?” Sophia’s voice hits the roof.
“I- I can’t believe this ” Rebecca says, she looks at the pictures again.
Yes. The time matches the time Adams and this… this woman who looks just Sophia were at the hotel. The Bastard. Who cheats with someone that looks like their wife? What ever happened to me Adams… why didn’t you just cheat with me? She boiled.
This woman. Who the hell is she and why does she look like Sophia? She wondered.
“I believe she is your twin. I mean look at those pictures and the lady standing in front of us. The resemblance is uncannily the same. So I think she is your twin because those pictures shows the other woman looking fierce and more sophisticated and confident and you… you look calm, carefree and simple but alluringly beautiful too. So it’s safe to say you have a twin or some really $3xy fox for a doppelganger and your husband has been banging you both like a god” Peter points out laughing…
The next minute he was holding his jaw on the ground as his vision blurs to reveal Adams towelling over him.
“Oh fxxk!” Rebecca rushes to Peter’s side
“I said I have never cheated on my wife and you asshole after ruining my life now with this shit think you can still keep talking… huh?” Adam clenches his fist again to land him another one, maybe punch his face in to channel his anger and helplessness
“Asshole! You gonna pay for that” the bloodied lipped Peter speaks as Rebecca handed him her hanky.
“Stay away from him Adams. If you had kept you dxxk in your trousers we wouldn’t be here. So suck it up and face the music”
“I will sue you.” Peter continues
“Go ahead and I would state violation of privacy and let’s see who gets to face the music. Now get out. Both of you. Out Now”… he points at the door. Rebecca gets up folding her hands forgetting the bloodied lipped Peter.
“No! Unless you wanna hit me and I need you to dare. I ain’t going nowhere. Sophia needs me and am staying.” she knew that he never laid hands on any woman because all through school he was a gentleman, and Sophia never complained of any abuse and she knew that despite how angry he could get, the law always comes in and if he dares to hit her he was going to really see the inside of a cell for abusing a woman physically
Adams stares at her
“Who is she?” it came like a whisper breaking them from their trance as they turn
“Adams Wellington who is she?” She asked again.
“I know I don’t have a twin sister. I, I was an only child or did my parents lie to me? Or she is some relative or what… or just someone that looks like me… and you you… You and her. You both having an affair behind my back.” she spat, tears falling down her eyes.
“How dare you Adams?”
“Look baby” he went to her, close to her and touches her shoulders
“Listen to me please. I have never lied to you. I never cheated on you. This…” he indicates the pictures
“I can explain. It’s not what you think. I am not cheating on you. This pictures only tell a side of the story. Let me please explain the whole story please listen to me Sophia… I am not chea—
The slap took the words away.
“Now that’s what am talking about” Rebecca mutters, Peter gets up
“Shit just got real” she folded her hands smirking.
“You are happy about this. You happy about people hurting. You really are a bitch you know that?” He points out
“Hell yeah am happy and Yes I am a bitch at least it’s good to admit something about yourself and look at who is talking, you investigate this kinda stuffs for a living and you don’t think it hurts people? Don’t bring out the conscience card and wave it like an achievement. You are just as fxxked up as I am. I think your job is done you and get going. I need to play a role as a supportive friend ”
She dismisses him. Peter looks at the couple… Sophia screaming at him and Adams standing staring at her, his whole heart hanging down by his sleeve. For some reason he felt pity for him and he felt whatever was going on was much deeper than what it seems and if only she could listen… just maybe he had a good explanation of who the woman is..
But then again, he was asked to do a job and he has, money in the bank, there was no time for pity party.
He touched his cut lip.
One of those necessary collateral damage. He mused. One last look at them, a disapproving look at the smiling Rebecca and he was gone. Rebecca steps closer to them.
“Sophia” she calls her name
“You lying cheat. You still lying to my face. My face Adams.” she points her right index finger to her face
“Please Sophia listen to me please “… his voice broke.
Whamp!!!
Whamp! !!!
Whamp!!! Whamp!!! Whamp!!!!