CHAPTER FIVE: ALL NEW AND MYSTERIOUS.

Her heart raced so fast that her vision got blurred. She hadn't a drop of courage to face whatever was beside her. Her body was almost paralyzed as she breathed the cold dusty air from the floor. Just at that moment, Fred appeared. He picked her up. She had never felt safer before. Still having not seen what her feet stumbled upon. The scariest of imaginations got her holding Fred so firmly, he was probably suffocating in silence. 

" Did you decide to clear every bottle at the party or what exactly got you this wasted? Get up now, let me take you to your room," Fred's statement came as a relief to Jean, she was at least sure that it was a person and a drunk one at that. She now turned and saw Winnie on the floor, fully intoxicated. Her makeup was ruined and only tiny patches were left. She looked like a possessed clown. Jean then dashed quickly back to her room as Fred placed his sister to sleep. 

Her room felt extra huge that night. It was as if she had been abandoned in a vast scary cave. She was terrified, too terrified to sleep alone. 

As loudly as she could, Jean raised her voice calling out for Fred who came running. He needed no words, the frightened look on her face said it all. He calmly cuddled her while uttering comforting words into her ears. In no time, she fell asleep.

He looked up blunkly unable to explain the situation he found Jean and Winnie in. " Is it that they both  tripped and fell? If so, why was Jean so terrified?" Fred stormed over the issue and got himself walking down the path where the too were. There was nothing strange except for the door that ,ironically,he too had never entered before and didn't even realise it until now.

He remembered one instance when Winnie fell badly ill, her parents went in and left him to look after his sister. Fred wasn't a curious kid at all. He always let things be. However, on this day, he felt a certain urge to enter the room. 

The only person who still had access to the room was his sister. Fred was just about to enter Winnie's room when he heard his parents coming in. He dashed back to Jean's and locked it since he couldn't run up the stairs to his, it would have rung unnecessary alarms.

Early the next morning, Fred bumped into Winnie as he left Jean's room. " Ooh wow! It must be really nice, isn't it?" she said sarcastically. He was used to her mockery and it certainly had a great contribution to his dislike for women, at least before he met Jean. 

The table was all set for breakfast and they sat calmly for the morning meal. Winnie kept on throwing weird glances at Jean. 

" What is this now? Ooh please don't tell me she remembers yesternight's incident. I have to make up a story just in case she asks. But what if she was pretending to be drunk? No, why would she?" Jean got into an intense dialogue with her conscience as her eyes crossed paths with Winnie's fierce eyes which had in a way turned red probably from hangover. 

On the other hand, Fred saw the cold  stare at Jean from his sister. He could tell that the two knew something he didn't and swore to seek answers. 

After breakfast, the father and son tagged along while Jean and Mrs Martin headed out to the restaurant. Winnie, who complained of a throbbing headache, stayed behind nursing her hangover. Before leaving, Jean went back to her room to pick her work gadgets, a camera and a phone. She put on some more spray and gloss as she admired her beautiful self in the mirror.

Looking at the door's reflection she noticed a dark little thing peeping. It was Winnie. Jean almost collapsed from panic. What could be more creepy? No one was coming to her rescue and so she took a deep breath and muscled up. She boldly walked to the door with her inner self  trembling with fear. " Is there something you are looking for, Winnie?" She asked with a suddening frown on her face. "No, not at all. Pardon me for intruding," she shamefully responded and dashed into the mysterious room. 

The restaurant was a beehive of activity as people flogged in. Jean's job was to make interesting videos of people eating and the food preparation process in the kitchen. She then posted it on her socials. This attracted people from far and home and as well added to her fame. She was now heading to almost a million followers. Mrs Martin's restaurant had already gained more fame than most restaurants which had been in operation from long. 

Later in the day, the family had lunch at the restaurant as a way of showing support. Jean was unable to eat. She felt very tired and nauseous and had a slight headache too. "It must be the smell of food that has had an effect on you as well as the tedious work you have been doing, after this, let Fred take you for a check up and later drop you home for some sleep," Mrs Martin said while compassionately holding Jean's hand. As usual, Winnie didn't like it. 

There had been an accident along the road which led to the nearest medical facility and the cars were in a halt. It would have taken quite a long time before the jam easen. Jean therefore suggested a chemist she had seen at the shore the day she and Twinkle arrived at the mainland. 

The sea tides were big and vicious. It reminded her of the sweet memories she created with her humanoid robot friend. Oh how she missed her! The two walked into the chemist. A quick eye diagnosis led to a prescription. They were exiting the pharmacy when a lady who had passed out was brought in. She seemed very familiar  to Jean even from a far. She took a deeper look and realised that it was Miss Magdalena. 

After Jean's sudden disappearance, the poor lady had it tough. She claimed to have experienced nightmares where Jean's parents appeared in her dream blaming her for not keeping an eye on their kid. From then, she had battled with constant migraines and high blood pressure . Jean felt so guilty. She really wanted to explain how and why she made an impromptu journey to the mainland but knew that it would be too much or even impossible for Miss Magdalena to understand. How was she supposed to make her understand that she swam across the sea in a beautiful adventure with a humanoid robot? It all sounded like a fairy tale and besides Fred was standing right next to her, she couldn't utter a word.

Instead Jean took Miss Magdalena for a huge shopping trip for her store as a way of making it up to her.

It was five o'clock in the evening and the ferry was just about to take off. Miss Magdalena thanked Jean for her kind gesture. All this while, she had not inquired about the handsome guy Jean was with. Jean saw how she scrutinised him. "He is my friend and I stay with him and his family, they are really nice people. Please be safe and worry no more," Jean uttered, feeling bad that she wasn't bold enough to claim Fred as his boyfriend, it felt too soon to have fallen in love already. 

Before departing, Miss Magdalena held her chin as she stared deeply into her eyes. She then pressed on her belly smiling as she walked away. Jean and Fred were left staring at each other uncertain of what the lady implied. Back when Jean's parents were still alive, Miss Magdalena used to run a clinic with her mother. Was she trying to imply that Jean could be pregnant? Just the thought of it got her shivering. 

Night came and behold a new day. The headache and fatigue had seized while the nausea got even worse." Is Miss Magdalena's suspicion correct? It was a one time thing, I mean how could I have gotten pregnant?" She sat on her bed contemplating with her hands on her belly. Unable to figure it out on her own, she asked Google and it took the honour of serving her with the only information that she didn't want to hear at the moment. Just then, she sprinted to the bathroom and vomited. Paranoia kicked in.

She would have won the Guinness world records for the shortest time to dress up. The rest of the family had gathered for breakfast when Jean quickly walked past them as if she didn't see them at all. Her head was racing.

"Who gets pregnant at eighteen while on a mission and worse, having lost her partner. Oh heavens spare me this ordeal! How am I supposed  to face the family that took me in and gave me nothing but care. Is this how I repay them? I mustn't be pregnant," Jean engaged her inner self in an intense dialogue. She almost  fell at the door as she didn't even notice the tiny mat, her brain was way far.

Fred followed her. "She can't hold it in any more, I know it's the secret between her and Winnie," he thought. The wheels had started rolling. Her worried state was worsening. Her hands knocked vigorously on her thigh. "What seems to be the matter? Walking out on the family just like that wasn't nice. Come on, share your troubles," Fred asked his hands on her thigh which had now turned pink. 

Not even a word. She probably didn't hear anything Fred said. It was too much on her already. She faced the window and wept bitterly. The Martin's treated her so nicely ,except their creepy daughter, that she had forgotten  her origin and most importantly her cherished desire to meet her parents once more. Now she was on the verge of losing it all. "They will see me as a lady of no substance. I have lost my parents, my friend Twinkle, my chance to reunite with my parents and now I am about to lose the only thing remaining, my respect," these thoughts got her knocking her head on the window. 

" Hey, do you smell that?" Fred asked. She moved her nose and took a deep breath. She didn't smell anything. Another symptom?

Looking at Fred who was now smiling at her, perhaps  because there was really no smell, he just wanted her to breathe deeply and relax, Jean realised just how fine the guy was. His blue eyes dazzled with a pair of long black lashes slowly gracing the sparkly crystals. His lips were sizable and must be the softest she had ever seen. If the two were to have a child, it would be a Rihanna replica. Not so bad afterall. 

The car stopped at the hospital. She did not wait for the driver to get the door for her as she hopped off like an antelope. Fred was confused. He couldn't fathom why she would be so stressed while coming to the hospital. It was now getting a bit clearer. He held his head upon the thought. 

Tests were conducted on her, certainly every test and later the two were asked to wait for the results at the waiting bay. 

The hospital stood higher than every building in the town. From the corridor she could see her island. It was unclear if she missed her past life or the fact that she felt overwhelmed and needed to escape her current situation. "If the pregnancy results come out positive I will woman up and take responsibility for my child. It will never have to experience an inch of what life has served me," Jean said, squeezing her belly so tightly. 

A lady's voice is heard directing Jean and Fred to a certain room. Her panic was gone and she was ready for whatever the outcome was. Fred on the other hand seemed neutral. Was he ready to own his recklessness? Only he knew that. 

The doctor came in with good news. She wasn't pregnant. It was rather an allergic reaction and some amoeba infection. Very strange indeed. Jean had never had any allergies since childhood and the amoeba infection gave the whole situation a bitter twist. She was then prescribed a dietary change and a set of pills. 

"Did you think that you were pregnant? Was that why you looked so worried and couldn't face my family? I tell you that you would have been the happiest lady alive if you were. But you ought to have shared your worries, my love," Fred said with a teaser's look and a wink. She smiled. She must have liked the pet name. The two stared at each other as their lips pulled closer like a magnet and behold a nasty exchange of divine sweetness. 

They came to a junction near Fred's place of work and he alighted. Before going home, she asked the driver to drop her at the mall. Her previous notebook had too many sad memories that reading it felt like a burial tribute. She needed a new one, on which she would include every tiny happy memory she has. While on the shelf she spotted a palm-size book. It was written in Greek. She perused through the pages. The book contained pictures of famous witches and wizards. Jean picked it and walked to the counter.  Surprisingly, she wasn't charged for the book, the cashier must have thought that she came in with it. 

She couldn't wait to get home and translate it. Is the universe trying to tell her something?

The house was quiet. She walked down the tiled floors her eyes cast on the book. She was two steps past the mystery room when she heard some noise, it was as if someone was talking, a man at that. She moved closer and placed her ear on the door. She wasn't wrong after all, a man's voice chatted loudly. Was that Mr Martin?

Just then, the two heads of the family arrived. It was Mrs Martin's mother death anniversary.