[Story] AFRAID TO LOVE (Episodes 51 – END)

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Episode 66
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He couldn’t see anything. Darkness overwhelmed him. His entire body was weak. He could feel pain all over, especially in his head. It was throbbing badly. He groaned in pain. His eye lids fluttered and opened. They bright light that greeted his eyes made him close them immediately. Seconds later, he gradually opened them, he saw the ceiling clearly and noticed he was lying down on a bed covered in white cloth. That was his room, the smell was unfamiliar. As his eyes roved around the room, he concluded that he was in a ward in the hospital.

His brain couldn’t function yet as he had no idea what he was doing there. He suddenly felt the urge to get up. His body wasn’t ready to carry out any activity cause he ached all over, but he stubbornly tried sitting up. In the process, he flinched and let out a scream of pain.

His scream attracted the person in the ward to him. Edwin Broderick quickly ran to him. Edwin had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed his son trying to lift himyself off the bed. “Are you alright son?” Without waiting for an answer, he quickly added, “Please, relax. You are weak.” He held on to Jeremy and made him lie back on the bed. “I’ll go get the doctor.”

Jeremy fastened his hand to his father’s, preventing him from leaving. “What,” it took him a great deal of energy to utter that word. And the voice he heard didn’t sound like his, it was rough and sounded more like an old man’s. “What happened? What am I doing here? How did I get here?”

Edwin squeezed his hand softly. “My boy, please relax. You need to rest now.”

He stubbornly shook his head. “I’m fine. Its just my head. Its aching. Where is Purity? I need to see her.” His memory was still blank. He couldn’t recollect anything. The headache was so severe that his thought his head was going to split into two.

“Jeremy, listen to me. You need to worry about yourself,” he left his hand. “I’m going to get Doctor Allan.” Before Jeremy could protest any further, he was already out of the ward.

“How is he?” Aaron Theodore inquired. He stood up abruptly on sighting his dear friend. He was very worried.

“My friend, he just regained consciousness, he’s in pains, I want to get the doctor,” Edwin calmly explained.

Aaron heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s great news. Let me go see him.”

Edwin nodded in agreement. He was relieved that his son had woken up. “Thank you, my friend.”

Aaron patted his shoulder, “Be careful.”
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“How are you feeling?”

Jeremy’s was already seated on the bed. He slowly raised his to confirm the whose voice he just heard. He was right. “I’m okay, sir,” his voice was back to normal, but slightly cracked. “Did Purity come with you? I want to see her,” he requested politely.

“I was hoping you’d tell me that. You were with her yesterday, nobody’s seen her since then,” Aaron replied amiably.

“I was?” Jeremy rhetorically asked. He tried to recall what happened, but he could not. The headache just seemed to get worse. He held his head and groaned in pain.

“Careful,” Aaron moved to his side and brought his hands down, “Your head is bandaged. You don’t need to touch it.”

“I don’t remember anything. I feel as if my head is going to tear apart. What happened to me? How did I get here? Why can’t I remember anything?” he questioned Aaron, looking devastated.

“That’s because you have temporary amnesia,” a voice whom he recognized to be Dr. Allan’s answered him. He shifted his gaze and saw him with his dad. “You were brought in here unconscious and had several injuries on your head. You need to rest now, I’ll give you medications. Within a day or two, you’ll fully remember everything.” he concluded, assuring him with a smile.

Jeremy exhaled deeply, “I want to be with Purity, let me come,” he demanded, again.

“You were the last person to see Purity before you had this accident. Only you can tell us where she is. Calm down and don’t force it,” Dr. Allan explained.

He nodded and laid back on the bed. He was troubled. He didn’t feel good. It had to do with Purity, where was she?

Aaron and Edwin stared at him with pity in their eyes. They were both concerned about their children.
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He was covered with perspiration. Panting and tossing on the bed. The nightmare was really horrible. He wished it’d come to an end. Purity, he couldn’t find her. Darkness had taken her away from him. He forced his eyes open. “Purity!”

Episode 67

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“Ah, papa,” Tricia excitedly called her father, “he’s awake. He has opened his eyes,” Tricia tugged her father’s shirt and ran over to the bed. She smiled widely, as his eyes ran over her.

David frowned and yawned. He was very tired. His daughter had made him spend the night in the hospital all because her fiance had an accident. The same fiance who had failed to honour his invitation. He wasn’t impressed. “That’s great,” he responded getting up from the chair he was sitting on, “I should get going.”

“Say hello to him first,” Tricia said to her dad. “Jeremy darling, I’ve missed you so much. I was so worried about you when I heard what happened. I’ve been here since last night. How do you do?” She grinned.

Jeremy just lay speechless, staring at the pretty woman who was full of smiles. She was gorgeous and attractive, but her face was different. She wasn’t the one he had dreamt of, he didn’t want to see her. He had no feelings for her. He just wanted his Purity.

“Jeremy Broderick,” David called, dragging Jeremy out of his reverie, “My soon-to-be son-in-law. Its nice meeting you.” He smiled faintly.

Jeremy only gazed at him with wide eyes. Soon-to-be son-in-law? That really shocked him. “What did you say?” Jeremy managed to ask.

David was taken aback by that statement. “You are my daughter’s fiance, right?”

He shook his head, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Before the scene got ugly, Tricia had to do something. Her father was bad tempered when it had anything to do with her. She could feel his anger rising as he stared with Jeremy with blazing and confusing eyes. What was going to save Jeremy was the face that he was lying in a hospital bed. She was going to help out too. “Papa, its not like that. I heard from the doctor that he has temporary amnesia, so he’s not able to remember me as his fiancee,” she smiled reassuringly as her father, giving him a signal to calm down, then she smiled at Jeremy. “By the time he’s okay, he’ll definitely remember me, not so honey?”

Jeremy only scoffed and threw his face away from hers. Someone else occupied his heart and mind. Someone else was his fiancee. Someone else he needed. That person, he wanted to be by his side, lying close to him and clinging to him. That was his pretty witch, as he had earlier called her, but now she was his princess and not the lying devil smiling devilishly at him.

His daughter’s soothing words managed to drain away the anger he felt towards Jeremy. He unclenched his fists and breathed. His only daughter, his favourite child meant the whole world to him. Noting was going to hurt her while he was still alive and no one was going to make her cry. This Jeremy better be serious with his daughter or he’d regret it. He glanced at his wrist watch. It was fifteen minutes past eight. “I have to get going. Please, Jeremy recover your memory quickly and don’t break my daughter’s heart. Bye, my love.”

“I love you too, dad.” Tricia replied.

That was all he needed to hear and he walked out of the room with an air of confidence. His daughter better be taken care of.

“Does your head still hurt?” Tricia inquired, trying to sound concerned.

Jeremy did not make a sound. Purity clouded his brain and nothing seemed to be real, he couldn’t even hear what was being said. All he wanted was to be with Purity and not lying on a hospital bed. If she wasn’t coming to him, he had to make the first move, he was the man after all.

“You don’t want to talk to me?” Tricia cooed. “Alright, I get it. You are too tired to talk. I’m sorry for coming unannounced and bothering you, its just that,” she played with his fingers and had an innocent look on her face, “I couldn’t sleep after I heard you were brought here. I was not really happy. I felt all your pains, I was worried and had to come see you. I spent the night here, but not in your ward. They wouldn’t allow me. You see how much I love you?” Playing with his fingers was what she really missed. It was what she always did over the years when they dated. Playing with them always seemed to do a trick for her, luring him into getting what she always wanted. Recently, he had forbidden her from even seeing his face, now that she had the opportunity, she had to make wise use of it. She smiled to herself in satisfaction. She still wasn’t sure if he’d fall for it, but she had to think positively. Her hopes were up.

Jeremy felt it was time for him to pay attention to the devil who had been bugging him. He had to make her leave, she had been distracting him and what he needed was privacy and a time to think. “You’ve seen me, I’m okay now. Don’t you think you should leave?”

The smile on her face disappeared and was soon replaced with a frown. That wasn’t the reply she was expecting.

Episode 68

“Even on your sick bed, you are being unkind to me.”

He scoffed. “I am not sick. I am doing just fine. I want to be alone.” he emphasized on the last word.

She let his hand drop to the bed. “I don’t trust you, I’m not leaving you alone. I am sure you are expecting your so-called virgin. I won’t give you that chance.” She stood her ground.

Jeremy sighed and faced the other side of the bed. How was he going to dismiss her? His vitality and strength was all gone. Thanks to whatever happened to him. Now he was confined to a bed in the hospital with a woman he’d made the mistake of ever dating.

“You want to be with her, don’t you?” Tricia broke into his thoughts.

She was talking about Purity. She could know something. She had even threatened to do a terrible thing just to have him for herself. He could vividly remember that. Could she have a hand in Purity’s not coming to visit him? Did she threaten her or do something terrible to her? Now that this idea had struck him, he noticed that he hadn’t set his eyes on his cell phone. Gosh! He could have called her. He sighed sadly. His gaze met Tricia’s, there was concern, worry and sadness in her eyes. Were those feelings genuine? “Tricia, I’m sorry I treat you this way. I am not happy,” he confessed, “I’m here, unable to do anything. I really need to see Purity, she could help me heal. Do you know where she could be?”

“You are asking the impossible,” she replied mockingly, “Your virgin and I aren’t friends. How could I know why she has not come visiting?”

He instantly looked sorry. “I’m sorry. I thought you cared about me.”

Gradually, he was going to fall for her, again. “Baby, please don’t say that. I really do care about you.” She pushed herself closer to him. Taking his right hand, she placed it on her chest, “Can you feel my heartbeat? It really beats for you.”

“If you really care about me, tell me where she is.”

Tricia rolled her eyes. “Honestly, I have no idea where she is. I have not even caught a glimpse of her after your engagement night.” She smiled to herself, recalling the events of that night.

“You must be very happy. She has disappeared. You think you’ve got me now?”

She smiled triumphantly, “I don’t need her to disappear into thin air to have you. You were always mine and would continue to be mine. She must have figured that out and let us be. We are now alone, we’re meant to be.”

Jeremy managed a smile. “She has my heart. I love her very much. More than any woman I’ve dated or even slept with. She’s my choice.”

Pain. Anger Jealousy. Tricia got off the bed, dropping his hand. “And does she know you love her?”

“Of course she does.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. The jealousy had seeped into her. He hatred towards Purity intensified. How could Jeremy do this to her? Even when she was nowhere to be found, she was still hurting her. Her anger almost drove her crazy. She had to get a hold of herself. “Jeremy, you don’t have a heart. For the years we dated, for once, you never mentioned that word ‘love’ to me. When did you meet this girl? You’re really a b—–d.”

“Tricia never cared about love,” he retorted calmly. “All you cared about was sleeping with me and having a companion. I regret falling for you and being your victim.”

“I can’t believe this. That’s not true. You knew my feelings, you knew I loved you.”

Jeremy tried sitting up and succeeded in doing so. He felt slight pains, though. “I thought I knew, I was wrong.”

Jealousy and bitterness engulfed her like wildfire. “Well, I hope she dies wherever she is. I hope she is never found and rots in hell!” She was panting heavily. She knew those words would hurt Jeremy just as it hurts when a bee stings someone.

“You b—h-”

“Hold it!” Allan reprimanded Jeremy. He boldly moved towards the two parties, fiercely getting ready to draw the battle line. He smiled on seeing their angry faces. Watching people fight, yell at eachother was what he loved doing and all that amused him. Yet, he wasn’t going to allow it this time. The victim was his patient and a very close friend, he wouldn’t let his hobby make him lose this one friend in a fight. “Jeremy, you are not ready for all this fuss,” he looked at Tricia, “How did you get in here?”

She rolled her eyes and hissed.

Dr. Allan soon his head pitiably, “Please leave, you are already causing my patient enough trouble and discomfort. Use the door,” he was firm.

“I’ll be back.” She walked out of the room.

“Jeremy, I’m disappointed in you. What sort of argument is that? You’re supposed to be resting and trying to get your memory back.”

Jeremy nodded sadly. “She just got me worked up.”

“Its okay,” Allan replied with a grin.

“I can remember everything. I swear, I can.”

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Episode 69

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Tricia angrily stomped out of the ward. She was pacing here and there. Unpleasant feelings ran through her bl0*d. d–n this Purity! Why did she have to come? If she had not showed her sorry face into their lives, Jeremy would have been hers. Jeremy had never called her names before, but he did – all because of a so-called fiancee.
“No, no,” she said to herself, “I must take her place. I must take her place in Jeremy’s heart. I am to be his wife. I hope she never comes back,” she concluded, dialling a number on her cell.

“Do you have any idea where Purity is?” Tricia asked as soon as her cell beeped.

“I don’t,” Ernest replied over the phone.

“Not with me. I know you have her,” Tricia replied, getting upset.

“So? Why did you ask if I already did?”

She smiled evily. “Want to confirm that. Well, thanks for smashing whatever you smashed on his head; it did me a lot of good. He lost part of his memory. Don’t hurt him, next time.”

“Its good to hear that. You want to see her?” Ernest asked, less concerned.

“I don’t want to. I won’t be able to stop myself from tearing her into pieces if I ever set my eyes on her,” she maliciously replied.

“Its my love we’re talking about here,” he replied, upset.

“Whatever, just get out with her to a very far away place. Be with her, I want to be with Jeremy.” She disconnected the call.

She heaved a sigh of relief. That call made her come alive again. It felt really good to know that Purity was with Ernest and was never coming back. No matter how Jeremy searched, he’d never find her. She was long gone, gone forever. She’d play the role of Purity and make him have eyes only for her. She chuckled wickedly.
“Please, excuse me,” she said to a nurse passing, “Where is the bathroom? I really want to freshmen up. I spent the night here, my fiance’s admitted.”
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“I can remember everything. I swear I can,” Jeremy opened up to Allan, his trusted friend and doctor. He had to tell someone. He couldn’t hide the excitement he felt in getting his memory back. Just one thing hurt him – her disappearance.

“Are you being serious?” Allan questioned. “You haven’t gotten enough rest, neither have you completed your medication and your memory just pops out like that? Or you didn’t lose it all?”

Jeremy laughed on hearing his last statement. “She has been on my mind. I’ve been asking after her since I became conscious.”

Allan grabbed a seat and pulled it closer to Jeremy’s bed. He was keen on hearing what happened to Purity – Jeremy’s wife-to-be. He dropped his weight on the chair, comfortably. “That should be the reason why. How are you feeling now?” He was trying to ask the necessary things a doctor should. He never wanted Jeremy to find out that he was really interested in his story.

Jeremy sighed. “I still hurt, but better than yesterday.”

“That’s good. I’ll send the n-”

“Please, listen to what I have to say as a friend, ” Jeremy caught him off, “You can do your job as a doctor later.” Jeremy pleaded.

Allan’s eye danced with excitement. This was what he’d been waiting for. He smiled, “Let’s hear it.”

“We had an argument. I think she has been abducted.”

“Ab-” the word got stuck in his throat, “Abducted? How do you mean? I don’t understand you.”

“Shh…. Keep your voice down,” Jeremy cautioned. “It was at her father’s country house. Something was up, we fought over it till she mentioned that my mother’s last wish was that we get married. I was stunned hearing that and left her to herself. As I was outside,” he paused and took a very deep breath. This was the painful side of the incident, “I heard her scream loudly. I ran inside, but I couldn’t find her there. I could her hear cry softly, but she was nowhere to be found. I searched, then tried dialling 911, then I felt something break in pieces on my head, I fell to the ground and drifted to being unconscious. I woke up here.”

Allan took a deep breath. He didn’t think for a second that Jeremy’s story would be a sad one. He was hoping to hear something romantic, what would make Jeremy happy and heal faster. Sadness crept into him. He got up and held Jeremy by the shoulder, “I’m sorry man. Its an unpleasant story, indeed. Are sure this is all that happened?”

Jeremy nodded, already getting comfort from his friend. “That’s it. Was my cell brought here with me here?”

Allan shook his head. “It wasn’t. Just you. Blood oozing out of your head and you know…”

Episode 70

“Who found me? How did they get me here?” He still couldn’t lay his fingers on it.

“I think it was Aaron Theodore. I don’t know the full detail.” The fact that his fiancee had been kidnapped had not fully registered on his brain. “She really was kidnapped? Its hard to believe.”

“I don’t know how to tell her parents and brothers. I just don’t know how to. Its so confusing.”

“We’d do something about it. I will help you out.” Allan resumed his seat and kept thinking on how to find Purity and get Jeremy out of the mess he was in now. “Why don’t we inform the cops? They’ll start investigating soon.”

“No, no, no.” Jeremy protested. “I have a better idea. Please hand me your cell.”

Allan willingly gave it to him. Jeremy collected it happily and scrolled through the contact list. In no time, the cell was on his left ear. He waited for the call to be answered and for a response.

“Doctor Allan,” a masculine voice called excitedly over the phone. “Its so nice of you to call.”

Jeremy smiled on hearing his voice. The voice of his childhood buddy. He was still the same, he could tell from the voice. “Detective Darren, its been a long time. How are you faring over there?”

Allan grinned widely on hearing the name – Darren. Now, he knew Jeremy’s idea.

“No. This isn’t my doctor’s voice,” there was silence for a while. “Oh, yeah! Its my boss, the only heir to the Broderick’s. Jeremy Broderick, how are you?”

He smiled gleefully. It seemed his problems where starting to disappear. “Well, I’m kinda okay. I’ll get straight to the point. I need your help-”

Allan snatched the phone from Jeremy, taking him by surprise. “We need your help. Get to New York as fast as you can. We really need you man.” He tapped the red button when he finished pleading. He had gotten his friend’s attention. He knew he’d return to New York in a day or two. He smiled to himself.

Jeremy stared at him, visibly upset, “What was that for?”

“He’ll be here soon. His curiosity and concern will drive him down here.”

“Oh,” It was Jeremy’s turn to smile. “Smart doc.”
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She nodded, showing gratitude to the nurse that had directed her to the bathroom. She turned and swiftly walked to Jeremy’s room. After having a refreshing bath, she was going to dress seductively and have Jeremy drool all over her. The time in the world belonged to her to get him, but she was going to use them wisely and make him need and only want her for the rest of his life. She smiled to herself as she continued walking to meet him. She was so much enjoying her plans being played in her mind. She felt she had won, she had succeeded. She hadn’t smiled this much, neither had she felt this happy in days.

As the door neared her, she saw Jeremy and the doctor discussing. He was still here?, she wondered. What were they talking about? Her interest was aroused. She tiptoed to the door and positioned her right ear to the door, to catch everything being said by the duo.
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“Doc, I think there’s a surveillance camera at that house,” Jeremy blurted out with a look of uncertainty.

“What?” Allan responded. He was taken unawares by jeremy’s sudden outburst.

Jeremy tried to think harder, “Did I say one? There should be lots of them.”

“Jeremy, calm down. Let it out, one at a time. Breathe, breathe.”

He took a deep a deep breath in and out. “That was my third time of being there. I noticed that there are cameras placed for observation. They are very tiny and not easily seen. I doubt Purity would know of them. But I had caught a glimpse of them once or twice.”

“Hmm. If the cameras are really there, we need to get the tapes and see who is behind this whole scheme,” Allan replied, thoughtfully.

“Yes, real fast. I need to find my princess, I really need to save her.”
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“b——s!” Tricia was enraged. She was vitrolic. “He remembers, he knows everything, but he pretended not to. He’s a betrayer. He had been deceiving me.”

Unable to control her emotions, she pushed the door open, violently and made her presence known by not the doctor and patient. She walked with heavy steps.

“What are you doing here?” Allan questioned.
Both he and Jeremy were startled by her rude entry.

She glared at Allan. “I came to get my things,” she threw a cold look at Jeremy and proceeded to pick up her things.

They watched her in silence.

“Have a great day,” she wished them halfheartedly and made to leave. She slammed the door behind her.

“I don’t trust her one bit.”Allan muttered.

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