Victory via Deceit

Chapter One

Friday, 4: 00 a.m.

Blair and Matt were the most inseparable: with him she had a new world, in her he found an angel--an adorable angel. This fresh morning he slowly crept to the kitchen. Blair was still in bed; Matt was doing the dishes. He was a man who knew to charm her through all the surprises he had. The bottom line was that they loved each other in a massive unexplained way. Matt knew marriage was a gift, Blair knew marriage was more than a gift, and they both maintained to keep it concrete in all secret--and open actions--to each other.

He was done doing the dishes, and other household errands. He selected the best new dress for her to wear that day. The dress he neatly hung on the hanger next to where she was sleeping.

Hello there beautiful. Rise and shine, waky waky, he tenderly called. He placed the buttered bread, sliced apples and omelette from the tray he was carrying them on, to the small glass table.

Blair weakly turned, rubbed her eyes, and then yawned.

Hey, handsome, she managed to deliver a hoarse whisper.

Hey, you will be late for work, Matt moved in and kissed her.

Wow, I smell coffee. She was smiling.

He poured a steaming coffee in a mug.

Breakfast in bed? Oh Matt. You never stop amazing me. Come here.

The next second her left hand was on Matt’s nape. She kissed him deeply.

A morning medicine, remarked Matt. They laughed.

You know how to manage the little things that keep us going in a big way, darling.

Matt interrupted her "Shshshshs. Save your energy for me, baby doll. I will need them more. We are in this together, okay?

Okay, she nodded lightly. She believed in him. With a continuous smile: Now take your coffee before it gets cold. Don’t get late for work. I will be right back. Okay?

Okay, she whispered.

Hey, don’t say okay. Okay?

Okay, she said. They both laughed.

A black sedan car screeched in front of the massive cool building. It was to become his car soon. After closing a couple of property deals, Matt was going to own it, but for now it was not his. He feared lying that it was his car. So anytime he was in the field prospecting for clients, and asked by a client how much the car was worth, he would ignore the question or just switch to a different subject immediately. In front of the building was written in sky blue letters: HOSPITAL.

Doll, I will pick you up in the evening; let me know when you are done.

Thanks, I am full of thoughts to how to thank you. I lack words to thank you, Matt darling. I chiefly adore you. Thank you. She then began to feel something strange within her. This was the third time she was feeling nausea and she wanted to run a test. Her body felt strange.

After a long French kiss, Got to go baby, I love you. She felt like not leaving, she held his hand long, then another kiss.

How I pray this is not a last kiss, doll.

She had no choice but to leave. Matt watched her walk in through the wide glass door. She took a short look over her shoulder, waved, then mixed in with the crowd along the hallway.

He reversed the car in an L-turn from the front parking lot, then he drove away.

An accident has occurred. The traffic soon comes to a crawl. Matt was second-last in the long traffic. Oh my Goodness I am going to miss the first client! Damn! What a Friday! A day too many to travel. Thank goodness she is safe to work. He then took a long hoot. He was not the only one tooting his horn. Soon a rescue chopper was hovering overhead. Curious persons lowered their windows to take a look, as they passed by.

On the accident scene, yellow tape was around the place with a warning: Do Not Cross." The government was in charge, so the traffic had to wait less than thirty minutes for the road to be clear. He was tempted to call her, but he brushed away the thought.

***

Having attended to seven patients, she used her break time in a private room, alone. The door was locked. She had thought it would be, but she wanted to confirm it, to have no doubt. She took the strip, then inserted it at her groin. Then she waited.

***

Approaching loud sirens could be heard from all directions. A team of nurses moved in haste to get to the emergency main entrance, as an ambulance was at the entrance and a chopper was lowering to the ground. Nurses were armed with water bags, blood bags and stretchers. With unity they pushed the stretchers with care along the hallway to different rooms. Blair was among the nurses who were fixing a gas mask to one on a speeding stretcher. You will be all right, it is just a glass scratch, was the last word the lady on the moving stretcher heard from Nurse Blair before she passed out.

Another nurse was giving quick first aid to the deep glass cut to the woman on the stretcher.

***

At half past noon, Blair made a call.

Don’t tell me you are eating me for lunch, was the response after Matt picked up the call.

They both smiled. Well I guess you guessed right, but I will eat half of you, then preserve the rest to finish you in the evening. That was another laugh for both. She wanted to tell him, but diverted the idea.

Are you there, doll face?

She gave a deep sigh. Yep, am here. Just called to say I love you and I am thinking about you.

Doll, I miss you so much, and I love you a dozen folds. I will pick you up this evening.

Thanks, how about we have a late lunch together and you are buying?

She was smiling on the other end Hahahaha. you got me this time.

Hahaha, Matt, lunch it is.

Deal. Just give me half an hour to get a client’s approval for the next meeting, then I will be with you shortly. I heard that Teddy’s serve the best fish in town. Deal?

Hey, I am not your client, I am your wife. Deal.

Smiling: That is now my line, you got me this time hands down. A tall man in a brown Italian suit was approaching Matt at the waiting bay, I got to go, doll. The line went dead.

On that evening when they were in bed she was now ready to tell him. She had not said it through the phone, not on their lunch date. I have to let him know and I will because this is the right time for this. I hope he will not be unhappy about it because I have the power to do what I want.

Thanks for the flowers you sent me.

Oh, almost forgot. So they reached you? I thought the florist wouldn’t make the delivery when you had left early. If I ever thought the flowers were not fresh, then I must have been dead wrong, and if I said they were not beautiful then I was grave wrong. They just reflect the you in you and me in me. He stroked her hair, her head was on his chest.

And thanks for the chocolates you sent me and the love note. I adore them. Your mom taught you well! She sat up. Honey we need to talk.

Matt was shocked. Tell me you didn’t make a mistake at the job. Better keep it till tomorrow.

No...no…no…relax, it is not what you think. She calmed him. She looked him in the eye. Matt remained thirsty with expectations, staring back.

I...I am…am pregnant, Matt

Woah! Woah! Wow! Tell me it is true and not one of those lines of yours.

It is true, Matt. I mean it.

I am going to be a father! he screamed. His arms wide stretched, he moved closer and kissed her passionately. How far along are you?

A week or more.

Matt kissed her tummy. I love you, my Blair. Tonight you are going to like the reward I have for you." They then proceeded to take each other’s clothes off.

****

Chapter Two

Seven years later

Rachel was the best additional gift God rewarded them with, and they had no doubt about it. She made them smile, she worked extra hard to make them feel committed. She had Blair’s attention. Rachel was all Blair had in this whole universe, other than Matt. She resembled Blair’s beauty to the contrary of what friends and family were saying that she had some features of her father. However hard the economy was dwindling Rachel was the hope of the family. She was the pilot of their hard work and now they and to work double and extra hard. At this time she thought of how Rachel encouraged Matt to beat all odds and meet the ends to fulfil the desires of their plans. Rachel now was six years old, and she was the glow of their constant joy. Matt would call Blair more than ten times a day to know how they were and if Rachel was still in school. He had arranged with a taxi driver who would, at times, drop Rachel off at school, when Matt was in another city, travelling for work.

Time was calling and each moment spent together was not enough, the demand of the family was soaring high. Blair noticed that giving birth is not the main thing; the main thing is the upbringing of this gift of life. Rachel was constantly bringing up new things for them to hear. At times, Blair and Matt quarrelled about the constant attention Blair paid to Rachel.

Matt carried Rachel in his arms and tickled her on their way to the house.

Sweetheart, please select your snacks from the fridge, and make sure it is not something from the freezer, as I prepared some ice cream for your birthday.

Rachel hurled her bag on the couch, making small skips to the kitchen.

Matt’s cell phone was ringing on the table, and minutes later the land line was ringing with a shouting sound.

From the kitchen, Rachel shouted: Daddy! The phone is ringing. I mean, both phones are ringing, she said in her small sweet shrill voice.

Pick one up, sweetheart, I am coming. He was now descending the stairs.

Rachel had the cell phone lightly pressed to her left ear.

Hey, Mom, when are you coming home?

From behind her, she heard: Hey there beautiful, where is Dad? Are you home? Blair was smiling.

Matt was on the other phone.

Sir, I will still make it up for you in a big way. The pictures I did send were just exterior samples. I have some interior photos, sir. I can bring them.

It is already twelve-forty-six. Make it in the next twenty minutes or this deal is off.

Yes, I can try.

Don’t try. Be here. You should be starting the ignition now, Mr Matthew. The line went dead.

Rachel was staring at the water flowing from the upper room down the stairs. Matt turned, stared at his face in the mirror, then headed for the stairway.

Oh my gosh! Damn me! Stay here, sweetheart, I will be back."

He almost slid on the wet stairs. When he got to the bathroom, he turned off the faucet on the bathtub.

In the kitchen Rachel was eating cookies and a milkshake. She swung her head on every chewing motion.

Matt was back downstairs. Sweetheart, we need to leave now. Come change out of your uniform and put on some cool play clothes, okay?

Holding up her milkshake, she said: Can I finish this in the car?

He managed to smile even though his mistake of letting the bathtub water spill made him angry

Yes, sweetheart.

Daddy, where are we going? I smell sweat and I am tired.

Sweat can wait, but there is someone we must see.

Who is this someone?

Ah, a client dear.

Are we going to come back with that client, daddy ?

Ah, you got me there, Rachel. I will answer that when we get back.

The talking was speeding up the dressing..

Okay. They were done, ready to leave. He picked up his cell phone, then made a call.

Sorry, the person you tried to call is unavailable. Please leave a voice message.

They left to the car in a hurry.

Matt was on the phone taking to Colleen. Hey, how have you been?

"I amfine my, son. When are you visiting us with Rachel?

I will have to plan that, which will be very soon. I have been trying to reach Blair, but her phone is on voicemail. Will you kindly give her a message for me?

Sure.

Tell her I am off to see a client and I will be right back.

Colleen interrupted: And where is Rachel? You need to take care of her.

She is right here with me.

Isn’t it late, Matt?

I have no choice.

Yes, you have a choice of calling me to come there, Matt.

Can we talk later? I am driving.

Nice avoidance tactics you have there. Tell Rachel I said hello.

I will. Thanks. Take care of yourselves.

The road was clear with not much traffic. Once again, driving against the traffic, he was glad he wasn’t going the other way, as the other lane was hardly moving.

Sweetheart, Grandma said hi.

Rachel smiled.

***

It was roughly seventeen minutes before seven in the evening. Blair paid the taxi driver and he handed her change. She walked down the pathway. The lights were on, but there was a deafening silence. She had once come home late, being held up at work and found them playing in the house, running, and then she joined the game. Today, something bothered her more. She pushed open the door and—silence.

Hello! Rachel! Matt! No response.

She saw the water on the floor. She was reaching for her cell phone from her purse. Damn, she had it turned off! As she turned it on, she saw the battery was dead. She plugged it into the charger and into the socket on the wall.

She was rushing to the kitchen when she was startled by the loud ringing of the land line.

***

He wanted to leave her in the car but she is a valuable asset for now, she might help win the