The SUBSTITUTE WIFE RETURNS

I walked to the bathroom. I had to take a hot bath to get myself calmed. My body was weak and my chest was sore whenever I inhaled. I switched on the shower and got into the shower gradually. The hot water flowed along my skin, but it did not soothe me. It just made me remember that I had turned so weak. I bathed, dried myself and wore my nightgown. I was trembling and opened the small metal box on my table where I had my medication. I already knew what would be there, yet I was still searching the empty pack hoping that a miracle pill would be found. Nothing. I had swallowed the final pill the day before. I sat on the side of my bed looking at the empty pill pack. My chest tightened again. Without the drug, things would be worse. The physician had already alerted me in the morning. My vision would begin to deteriorate. My hearing would decline. My bleeding would get more frequent. I was expected to have two pills daily, and I did not even have one. I put the empty pack on the table and rubbed my face with both hands. I suddenly felt like my body was responding to the stress and I tasted something metallic. My lips felt wet. I wiped them with my thumb and there was blood. Here we go again. I got on my feet and went to the mirror. My nose was already bleeding. After a few seconds I heard the old warm trickle on my left side. It did not surprise me any longer; it just made me weary. I took a clean towel and pressed it against my nose and ear cleaning up the blood on my chin. The bleeding was more to-night, perhaps because I had not taken the pills. I sat down on the floor in the bathroom waiting until it subsided. It did come back, later on, I was aware it would. It always did. At the moment of everything being over, I rinsed my face and washed my hands. I wiped the sink off, disposed of the bloody tissues, and went back to bed. My head hurt. My eyes were stiff and hot, as though there was something trying to push at the inside. I went to sleep and covered myself with the blanket. I hated nights like this. I despised the fact that I felt like my time was passing faster than others. I recalled what my father say to me earlier: I will not spend money on a person who has less than three years to live. He made it sound so bad, as though I were a bad investment that he should have regretted making. I kept my eyes closed and wished that I would fall asleep and close the rest of the world. I eventually fell asleep after a long time. But sleep didn't last. I was rudely awakened by a bang on my door. Bang. Bang. Bang. I sat up with a jump, and my heart leaped in my chest. "Ariana!" my father shouted. "Open this door right now!" My hands shook as I rose out of bed. I opened the door slowly. There was Richard Hale, flushed and angry, in his evening clothes. His tie was loose at his neck, and his eyes were wild as he had been seeking everywhere. "Where is your sister?" he yelled. My voice was low and coarse. "I don't know." He stepped closer. "Do not play games with me to-night. Where is Alina?" "I said I don't know." My throat felt tight." I have not seen her since morning when she had breakfast before i went to the hospital!" He banged his hand on the frame of the door, and I jumped. "It is not the moment to be stupid, Ariana! It is tomorrow morning, the wedding! Is! Tomorrow!" He was pointing a finger at me." Your sister is missing , her phone is switched off, her location is switched off, and even her man does not know where she is. So tell me the truth. Where the hell did you go hide your sister! Where is she?" "I am telling you the truth," I said hastily. "I don't know where she is. I had no idea that she was missing. I was in my room." He shook his head as though he did not believe a word. "You expect me to believe that? Huh? You? The same Ariana who is ever in her defence? He made a step toward me, and I retreated. "You two think I'm a fool? You two better stop playing games and you! You had better stop lying to me before I lost my cool!" My eyes widened. "I swear I don't know anything. Why would I lie about this?" "Since you are seeking revenge," he said. "Because you want to piss me off. You know we had a busy day to-day, and nobody thought where you were. You are doing all of this so the attention comes back to you right? Fine, now you have my attention, tell me! What do you want! Where is your sister!" "No, that is not so," I said to him, although I knew there was no use arguing with him. He caught my wrist and squeezed it. "Where. Is. Alina?" "I don't know!" I cried out. He set me free and walked in front of my door breathing hard whilst he paced. . "Her location is switched off. No message, nothing! And the wedding is hours away! Have you any idea what that is? Do you have any idea what would happen if a bride goes missing hours before her wedding! Do you!" He screamed, the veins on his forehead popping out. "I do," I said, in a soothing manner, in an attempt to quiet him. "But I really do not know where she is." He ceased pacing, and looked at me, as though he had finally made a decision. "You think this is funny? This is a joke? Let me tell you somet my," , he said, and pointed at my chest. "If you do not find your sister," he paused and took a good look at me, i I felt my stomach tighten. "If you do not bring Alina to me..." "-you'll be the bride."