A STOLEN KISS FROM THE CEO! - Season 2 Episode 58

Marissa’s curiosity antenna started beeping as she stared from mother to son. Although they were communicating in a plain language she quite understood, she couldn’t decode Nana Esther’s motive for making that statement.

“Rex, do you have something to tell me?” Marissa looked at Rex quizzically.

“Be patient, my sugar bun.” Nana Esther interjected. “Don’t you worry your pretty head? Everything will come to light in due time.”

“Okay, Miatisa,” Marissa shrugged and reluctantly stopped being inquisitive.

“Rex, dance with me.” Marissa tugged at Rex’s arm and pulled me to the middle of the party; where some old couples were waltzing to soft-playing background music.

Although Rex felt exhausted from the long hours of travel and needed to rest, he didn’t want to hurt his wife’s feelings by turning her down. So, he allowed her to do whatever she wanted with him.

A tear escaped Nana Esther’s eyes as she watched the couple dance and laugh heartily. She shook her head and quietly left the party in other to attend to some pressing needs.

Nana Esther walked into her cabin; which was at the far end of the bungalow and shut the door behind her. Her eyes were looking dull and her wrinkling face was fatigued from so many compressed emotions.

Being someone whose job was to prepare the sick and dying for the world beyond, it was much more difficult to prepare her son for his untimely departure.

…..

She leaned on the back of the door for a while, as more tears flowed down her cheek. The thought of losing Rex was stifling her entire being.

On so many occasions, she had wished that she could take away Rex’s pain by dying in his place. She even researched rare curing herbs that she grew in her garden. She prepared bottle after bottle of such herbs and sent them to Rex.

Unfortunately, all her herbs were of no use as Rex’s fate was already sealed. Hence, Nana Esther started preparing for the inevitable.

After a few minutes of shedding tears, she went over to a seat and sat down. She got together some rejuvenating flowers and started preparing a sweet-smelling mixture for her son.

Rex was still dancing with Marissa when he started picking up some blackout warning signs. His head started throbbing lightly while his eyes began to spin.

“My love, can we go inside now?” Rex gazed pleadingly into Marissa’s eyes.

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“You’re tired already! it’s just been five minutes of dancing!” Marissa pouted.

“Please! We can dance later in the evening when I’ve rested enough.”

“Okay!” Marissa frowned. “Let’s go!” She casually pulled Rex’s hand.

“Gently!” Rex cautioned as Marissa playfully pulled him toward the entrance of the building. He took calculated steps as all his muscles tensed up.

“Rex, are you alright?” Marissa’s eyes widened in panic. She stopped pulling his hand and closed up the distance between them. She was alarmed by his sudden heavy breathing and his tightened grip.

“No, but I’ll be fine!” Rex placed his right hand on her shoulder for support and urged her to move forward.

When they were finally inside the house and behind closed doors, a greatly troubled Marissa led Rex gently onto a seat and sat down beside him.

“Can I get you anything? Water, some juice…”

“Water!” Rex spoke weakly.

“Okay!”

Marissa quickly dashed towards the kitchen.

While she was briefly gone, Rex brought out a mini pill box from his side pant pocket and quickly threw two tablets into his mouth. He was chewing the tablets when Marissa came with a glass of water. He quickly gulped down the water and laid his head backward on the seat.

“Do you want me to call Nana?” Marissa’s asked in a trembling voice.

She placed her hand on his forehead to see if he was having a fever. However, aside from the little beads of sweat on his forehead and his weakness, he looked okay to Marissa.

“No, stay with me.” Rex took in a deep breath and pulled her into his arms. He made her rest her head on his chest and stroked her hair tenderly.

“You know I love you so much right?” Rex spoke in a serene tone

“Right!” Marissa couldn’t control her erratically beating heart. Her earlier suspicion and fear were staring at her right in the face. All her senses kept screaming the same thing; ‘Rex is very sick.’

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“Rex…”

“Shhhh!” Rex interrupted her. “I want to unburned my heart to you and I pray you to forgive me for keeping this away from you for a long time.”

“Oh Rex, please, let it not be what I’m thinking.” Marissa’s heartbeat quadrupled and her body started trembling in Rex’s arm.

“Calm down! Be strong and we’ll be fine.” Rex tightened his grip around her and kissed her head.

“I’m sick and dying. I have barely two weeks to live.”

BOOM!

It was as if an explosive was dropped on the center of Marissa’s head leaving behind a screeching reverberating sound in her ear. She froze in Rex’s arm and shut her eyes tight.

“I am dreaming! I am dreaming!! This isn’t real! It’s a nightmare!” Marissa kept shaking her head in denial.

Her behavior broke Rex’s weak heart and he held her more tightly until she started gasping for air.

“I’m so sorry M…” Rex released his hold on her when she started struggling to be set free. She stood up and turned on Rex.

“Damn you, Rex Treshvire! Damn you!” Marissa angrily slapped Rex on his cheek. She started crying and hyperventilating at the same time.

“Marissa…”

“Don’t you dare say my name! Don’t you dare!” Marissa threw herself on the floor, sobbing in muffled sounds.

Rex moved over to console her but she angrily pushed him away.

“What is your heart made of, huh? Stone!” Marissa’s watery and reddened eyes glared at him. “I thought you loved me? You promised to always be there for me! You promise to never leave me! Why Rex? Why are you doing this to me? Tell me because I…I… don’t understand! You can leave me! I can’t live without you!”

“Marissa, p… please!” Rex clenched his chest and squatted a few inches from her. “I am sorry. I… I..love…”

“Rex!” Marissa called out in panic when she observed that he was struggling with his breathing.

“Rex!” She sprang up to her feet and ran towards him.

“What should I do? Tell me what to do!” She tried lifting Rex to seat back on the couch.

“D…d…doc…” Rex heard Marissa’s screeching voice; which started to fade gently until there was complete silence.