Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 4

Episode 4 years ago

Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 4

Deolu stared, unable to meet Laura’s eyes. “Yes”

Laura gasped. Her eyes were as large as doughnuts as she gaped incredulously at the man she had loved for nine years. The man whose name she had answered for six years. She had given up everything for him; given up her family, given up her freedom, given up everything she held dear. She had fought even against his mother’s fury and fawns for him. She had endured critiques, disgrace, pain and pressures; sent it all to hell, just for the love she shared with Deolu. And all for what? For this? To be made a fool of when all she had ever done was love Deolu so completely? To be made a laughing stock by the one she had risked it all for? To be betrayed by her own husband? “You claimed she is your best friend…” Laura mouthed miserably, “…but all along, you were making jest of my stupidity behind my back”
“No” Deolu choked. “Please Laura… please let me explain”


Laura turned her lifeless feet and stumbled slightly. Deolu jumped to help her and Laura’s fist swung speedily, connecting with his cheek in a resounding slap, shocking everyone, including she herself. Gasps went round followed by deafening silence as Laura glared at Deolu through her tears. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare touch me” Tears of humiliation travelled down her face. She shook her head vigorously as her chest heaved from holding back her sobs, her knees were going weak under her. “I’ve never hit you before” she muttered in a low shallow voice, staring down at her hand. “I never thought I could” Tears slipped down her cheeks and dropped onto the top of her anniversary attire. “Just like I never thought you could cheat on me” she swallowed and raised her watery eyes to Deolu. “You can hit me back; it is not going to make me feel any worse than I already do”
Deolu swallowed hard, “I’d never do that”he choked out.


Laura smiled mirthlessly. “You already have…” she turned to look at Teju’s guilt stricken face. “…and the bruises you left… can’t be healed with time, because…” she cracked and covered her mouth against the sob that threatened to break free as her eyes landed on Teju’s stomach. “… because it grows in size with every passing second” she stared in lifeless wonder at Teju’s stomach.


Laura’s head ached, she wasn’t sure she could see beyond the sea of tears that hindered her vision, but she turned her eyes one last time to look at the face of the man she had left all for. The happy family she had once envisaged flashed before her eyes, leaving a blank space in its wake. Pain sliced through her as everything swam before her. One step after another, she made her way like a zombie into the house as everyone faded out of focus, leaving her stuck in misery. She pushed open the door to the guests’ room and entered, closing the door lifelessly behind her.


She stood at the middle of the room, staring into space as the incident of the last few minutes slammed into her with full force. Unable to hold back any longer, she crumbled to the ground, giving in to the sobs she held at bay as her tears came rushing down in full velocity.


**^**

Clicks of cutlery against plate rang out in the moderate sized dining room. Mr Johnson dug into his food with vigor, oblivious to the moody state of his wife.