Chapter 12: Chapter 12

"Doctor Darrell, Doctor Darrell!" Victoria called loudly rushing over to him. She was wet with the rain pouring all over her and she was shivering.

She plastered herself to his side like a leech and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry, I called for a taxi earlier but it didn't arrive. I don't have an umbrella, can you give me a ride home?" she asked shivering.

Darrell was used to this now, for the past two weeks it's been one thing or the other. "Fine, I'll drop you off" he said. Darrell lived at Victoria Island while Victoria lived at Dolphin estate, he'd dropped her off at home a couple of times. And he'd also turned down her invitation a couple of times, she wanted him. It was obvious, something everyone in the hospital was aware of.

He remembered his conversation with Felicity during their lunch date. 'You know, Victoria is pushy but she isn't so bad. I've known her for a while now, I think she suits you' Felicity had teased.

Darrell had groaned frustrated 'you too, did she put you up to this? The girl is a pest" Darrell had complained causing Felicity to laugh.

'Well that's what happens when you're single and hot. Just give the girl what she wants, I'm sure she'll get bored and move on' Felicity had suggested.

He looked at Victoria now as she fastened her seat belt, why was he such a prize to her that she kept on bothering him. Through out this week, she'd insisted on buying him lunch despite his refusal. Victoria smiled up at him, "I'm sorry, I'm going to mess up your car seat" she said.

"It's fine" Darrell said dismissively as he turned on the ignition. "Thanks a lot, I hate to bother you but you're so irresistible. And you're always there when I need you, I like a man who is always available" Victoria said taking his free hand.

Darrell pulled away out of instinct and refrained from telling her that she was the one who was always available. "Don't you find me attractive?" she asked her concentration on him.

Darrell turned to her "I'm not looking for a relationship Victoria, you're attractive but I don't want you to build castles in the air. I'm not looking for a permanent fixture in my life" Darrell said harshly.

"So you don't want a wife, I'm not looking for a husband either. I'm just twenty three, I don't want a serious relationship either" Victoria winked.

Darrell turned to her now, irritated by her advances. Couldn't she get that he wasn't interested? Christ, was she so dense?

"I have a fiancee" he lied irritated. Victoria's eyes widened. "What?" she looked surprised. "She's finishing up her education in the states, I'm not going to cheat on her. When she gets here, we'll be getting married" Darrell said meeting her surprised gaze.

"I...I'm sorry. You didn't tell anyone" she stuttered. "It's no one's business, I'd like you to keep it between us" Darrell mentally patted himself at the back.

Victoria nodded looking out the window, Darell sighed at least she had the sense to stay away from a man who was already tied down.

He called Daria when he got home but she ignored his call. He wondered what Halal had told her two weeks ago, ever since that appointment, Daria had made it a point to ignore him.

He made up his mind, to go over to her house in the morning to find out what the matter was. If it was Halal related or it was something else.

He hated that Halal's problem was coming in between his relationship with his sister. He and Halal were done, why couldn't she just stay away from his sister?

He'd told her to stay away from his sister, why was she back into their lives again? He wanted her gone.

The next morning around eleven o'clock, Darrell had gone to his sister's residence. He knew Femi would be at work and the kids at school, princess would probably be asleep which was just fine. He wanted some alone time with his sister, maybe he would finally tell her what had happened years ago. Why he was no longer with Halal and why she was married to another man.

He rang the doorbell but it wasn't Daria who came to the door, it was Halal. She was carrying his niece, trying to get her to fall asleep.

She was surprised to see him and gasped loudly. "What are you doing here?" they asked each other at the same time.

Darrell cleared his throat, composing himself. "It's you who should answer that, I thought I told you to stay away from Daria" he replied.

Her face fell "She's not home, she rushed out to get something" she replied him before leaving the door.

Darrell followed her into the living room. "How long ago was that?" he asked. Halal sat on the couch before replying him "About thirty minutes ago" Halal said trying to keep princess from crying.

Darrell went to the duo and picked up his niece since Halal didn't know what to do with her. "And she wants a child...." he muttered to himself but Halal heard him.

She clenched her fists angrily but refrained from responding to his cruel statement. "Did she mention where she was going to?" Darrell asked.

"Why are you speaking to me, I thought we weren't supposed to speak outside your office?" Halal remarked a little irritated.

Darrell made a funny face for the benefit of his niece, it worked because instead of crying she began to giggle . He tickled her causing more giggles, her palm reached up to play with his trimmed goatee.

Halal felt a stab of envy, she got up and walked over to the kitchen. His entire presence pricked her skin, she hadn't known him to be so cold. This whole new Darrell, she couldn't stand.

She couldn't wait for Daria to get back so she could just go home. She was getting uncomfortable already.

"I was hoping we could talk" Darrell appeared at the doorway of the kitchen. Halal stiffened at the intrusion, but didn't bother to look at him.

"What's there to take about?" she asked adopting his cold voice. "What did you tell Daria after you left my office?" Darrell asked.

"Nothing" Halal said quietly. Actually she'd ignored all of Daria's calls both mobile calls and visits at her house even texts till today.

Daria had sent her a text this morning that said 'Why do you two keep punishing me?' Halal just had to call back, it was her and Darrell that had a problem not her and Daria.

"I did offer to help you, you're the one who ran out of the office as if you were seeing ghosts. One of the nurses told me you were a patient of doctor Femi, and you were the first person to see his corpse in that office. You should have just said so" Darrell said.

"Would you have cared?" Halal turned to look at him now and saw he was no longer carrying princess.

"No, but I would have suggested we moved somewhere else to talk about your problem" Darrell said. Halal winced at the word 'problem', at least he wasn't using the word 'curse'.

"Let's talk in the living room, I've put princess in her cot already. She was drowsy" Darrell informed her, walking back to the living room. Halal followed at a slower pace.

"All I wanted right after I graduated from the University was a family. A husband who would love me and a lot of kids" Halal said taking a deep breath as she looked at Daria's wedding picture  in a frame hung on the wall. She couldn't even remember where she'd disposed hers in a fit of rage.

Darrell sat cross legged on the chair watching her lithe frame as she walked about the living room.  "You got your wish didn't you?" he asked emotionless.

Halal turned to look at him now,  a sad look on her pretty face "Did i? It's been eight years,  no children, my husband....you should see the way he looks at me.  Like I'm a curse,  I am a curse. I can't even give him children" Halal said, her voice was shaky.

His gaze softened, he didn't like seeing her this way. He hated that he felt anything other than hatred for her. "You're still young, you will have children. You will get your wish" he said comfortingly.

Halal clutched her belly looking at him square in the face now "Soon I'll be thirty, then after that I'll be forty, fifty later on.  When will children come?" she asked him tiredly she didn't want his reply and he guessed as much so he said nothing.

"Maybe I shouldn't have married him, Maybe I should have waited for you. Some times I think this is karma for what I did to you" Halal said sitting on a chair opposite him.

Darrell scoffed "It's not karma, I wouldn't have made you happy, you said it yourself. You made the right decision, our breakup has nothing to do with your childless state. Karma has no business there" Darrell replied her ridiculous statement.

Halal shook her head "Maybe I was wrong, I don't know. Maybe marriage wasn't meant for me,  maybe I do not deserve a family. Maybe I should have chased a career, I was young and naive. I thought marriage was the answer to everything, I should have listened to you" Halal said looking remorseful.

Darrell hated where the conversation was heading, he didn't want to discuss their past or their break up.  "Enough about the maybes, enough about the past. Let's talk about the present, what do you want now?" Darrell asked. He knew what she wanted, but did she need that now?

Halal thought about her reply for a long time before replying him. "Happiness, I want to be happy"

Darrell scoffed, here's the woman who broke up with him because he couldn't make her happy. Now she was back to him asking for happiness like he manufactured it or something.

"And you think I can help you, how? I can't make you happy, don't you remember that?" Darrell asked.

Halal met his questioning eyes "I don't know, I just want you to try something. Please, anything."  she said a plea in her voice.

Darrell hardened his heart now "I can't help you Halal.  I think you should leave, I think it would be best if you saw somebody else" Darrell suggested.

He hardened his heart but not for long because the tears that ran down her eyes broke his heart. Why did she still have that effect on him? She looked so pitiful, like a child denied love and affection, how could he say no to her?

Tears continued to stream down Halal's face as she continued "I just want a child, just one. One to love me,  one to comfort me, to stop Valentino from running away from me everytime, to stop Valentino from treating me like a disease, to make us the couple we used to be" she sobbed harder, her voice breaking as she opened up.

"I'm going to help you Halal,  but on my own terms. If you break any rule,  we're going to have problems" Darrell said.

Halal wiped her tears and nodded looking a little drained.

"Rule number one, be optimistic about your condition. I don't want more talks about karma or curses and I can't have you crying in my face every time.

Rule number two, never bring your husband to our sessions. Our sessions will be limited to twice a week, every Monday. And compulsory check ups on Friday" Darrell stated.

Halal said nothing because it was obvious he wasn't done. "You have to be open with me,  if you're doing anything spiritual or traditional I will cancel our arrangement. Our arrangement will automatically stop the moment you conceive" Darrell spoke in a strong voice that required nothing but strict adherence.

Halal shook her head "Conceiving has never been the problem Darell, the problem are the deaths of the children. I've had two babies, both carried long term. They died the minute they had their first breath out of my body, the last one however was miscarried"  Halal said painfully.

Darrell nodded thoughtfully "Fine,  then our arrangement will be terminated a month after the birth of a healthy child. I'm sure the other doctors must have missed something. Anyways did you ever consult an obstetrician instead? If the babies die when they are out of your womb then the problem probably isn't from you" Darrell said.

Halal shook her head "How about the miscarriage then, Doctor Femi did say he'd discovered the problem. He didn't live to discuss it with me anyway" Halal said shaking her head.

"I'm not Doctor Femi" Darrell glared at her. Halal nodded, but she was worried for him also. She still believed something spiritual was happening.

"I will help you Halal, just comply with my rules. Last but not the least, I want you to cut off all contact with Daria after our arrangement is terminated" Darrell said harshly looking her in the eyes.

Halal held her breath "I think you should discuss that with Daria,  even if I wanted to stay away, she wouldn't" Halal shrugged.

Darrell nodded thoughtfully, that would be after Halal's baby.  "I'll need your husband to come in for a test also" Darrell said.

Halal sighed shaking her head "He's not the problem, he's been tested.  I'm the problem" Halal said.

Darrell frowned "Let me be the one to decide that, your husband will have to come in for a test before I make any conclusions." Darrell decided.

Halal nodded. "Thank you Darrell, even after everything I've done to you. You still choose to help me" Halal said gratefully.

"I'm doing it for my sister, she asked me to and because it's my job to help women like you" Darrell maintained.

"You could have chosen to kick me to the curb, but you didn't. I don't know why you didn't but I'm grateful for your help" Halal said smiling faintly.

He nodded because there was nothing in this world he wouldn't do for her, whether or not his sister had asked. His feelings for Halal were still present, despite this facade.

She was his first love after all, but he wasn't hers. Her husband was, that's what she'd told him.

And he could never forget that.