The Echoes of a Secret

Mrs Martins went for shopping with her friend, Dr Mrs Maloney, they bought the best clothes, bags, ans shoes, it's been a while since they shopped together but it felt good.

The driver drove them into the Martins compound, Mrs. Maloney and Mrs. Martins stepped out of the car, and walked into the Martins' house together, the warm atmosphere enveloped them.

Ivy, still in her disguise as the househelp, greeted them with a bright smile. "Welcome, ma'ams! Please, come in. Can I get you something to drink? Juice, tea, or perhaps something else?"

Mrs. Maloney and Mrs. Martins exchanged a warm glance, and Mrs. Martins replied, "Just some water, dear. Thank you."

Ivy efficiently served them glasses of chilled water, her eyes observing their interaction with interest.

As she took the shopping bags from Mrs. Martins, Ivy asked, "Shall I take these upstairs for you, ma'am?" Mrs. Martins nodded, and Ivy discreetly disappeared, leaving the two friends to their conversation.

Settling into the plush couches, Mrs. Maloney turned to Mrs. Martins with a concerned expression. "Oh, dear, how's everything? I've been meaning to ask...where is Dorothy?"

Mrs. Martins' brow furrowed, her voice tinged with worry. "Actually, I have been trying to reach her. She resigned and left without a word. I've been trying to figure out what happened."

Mrs. Maloney's eyes widened in surprise. "Resigned without a word? That's unlike Dorothy. What did she mean by 'without a word'?"

Mrs. Martins sighed, her eyes clouding over. "I came home one day, and she had left a resignation letter on my table. No explanation, no goodbye. It was as if she vanished into thin air."

Ivy, listening from the hallway, her curiosity piqued. What had happened between Mrs. Martins and Dorothy? And why did Dorothy leave so abruptly?

Mrs. Maloney's eyes narrowed, her mind racing back to a memory. "I remember seeing Dorothy over a year ago...she was getting into a car, and she looked so saddened, so wearied. And...and I could swear she was pregnant."

Mrs. Martins quickly interjected, "Oh, no, no, no, she wasn't pregnant. She can't be, maybe she was just a bit under the weather, that's all."

But Mrs. Maloney held up a hand, her expression firm. I'm an ob/GYN doctor, remember? I can spot a pregnant woman from a distance. And Dorothy was definitely showing signs of pregnancy. I'm certain of it."

Mrs. Martins' eyes darted around the room, a faint flush rising to her cheeks. "Well, even if she was...it was probably just a coincidence. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her resignation."

Mrs. Maloney's gaze locked onto Mrs. Martins, her voice taking on a hint of suspicion. "Coincidence? How do you mean?what are you not telling me? There's something more to this story, isn't there?"

Ivy, still listening from the hallway, felt a thrill of excitement. It seemed like Mrs. Maloney was getting close to uncovering a secret. What could it be?

Mrs. Martins sighed, her eyes dropping in defeat. "Yes, Margaret, Dorothy was pregnant."

Mrs. Maloney's eyes widened in surprise. "Pregnant? How did that happen? Did she have a boyfriend? Was that why she resigned?"

Mrs. Martins hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was Raphael, my son. He...he got drunk one night and...and mistook Dorothy for his wife, Sophia. It was a terrible mistake, and we've tried to make it up to her ever since."

Mrs. Maloney's expression shifted from surprise to shock, her eyes fixed intently on Mrs. Martins. "Oh, dear Lord...I had no idea. How could this happen under your watch, Hannah, it's so unlike you, and ever since she left, you didn't bother to look for her?"

Mrs. Martins nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "We've been trying to make amends, but it's been hard. Dorothy left, and we've been trying to reach out to her, but she won't respond, her line has been switched off ever since."

Mrs. Maloney reached out, placing a comforting hand on Mrs. Martins' arm. "It must have been hard for you dear friend, but wherever she has gone to, I pray God keeps her safe."

As the friends continued chatting, Ivy listened intently, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just heard. The plot thickened, and she was determined to uncover more secrets lurking beneath the surface.

Just then, the cry of the baby, Matthew, echoed from the nursery, piercing the tension in the room. Mrs. Martins immediately rose from her seat, her expression worried. "Oh dear, something's wrong with Matthew! Ivy, dear, could you please check on him and see what's wrong? And call Nanny, she's usually the one who can calm him down."

Ivy hurried to the nursery, her heart racing with anticipation. She found Matthew red-faced and tearful, his tiny fists waving in the air. She quickly checked his diaper, temperature, and comfort, but couldn't find any obvious reason for his distress. She scooped him up in her arms, trying to soothe him with gentle rocking motions.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Martins turned to Mrs. Maloney, a proud smile spreading across her face. "Come, Margaret, let me show you my precious grandson. He's the light of our lives, even if he can be a handful sometimes."

As Ivy returned with Matthew, now slightly calmer, Mrs. Martins took him from her arms and presented him to Mrs. Maloney. "Isn't he just the most adorable thing? And so smart for his age!"

Mrs. Maloney cooed over the baby, her eyes shining with delight. "Oh, he's absolutely precious! I can see why you're so smitten with him."

The women fawned over Matthew, and Ivy watched with a warm smile, happy to see the tension in the room dissipate. But she knew that the secrets and lies were still simmering beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered.

As Mrs. Maloney gazed lovingly at Matthew, her eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed something familiar. "Ah, his eyes...they remind me of someone. And that birthmark on his neck...it's the same shape and color as Dorothy's."

Mrs. Martins' expression faltered for a moment before she recovered with a forced smile. "Oh, yes...well, if Dorothy had stayed, she would have borne Raphael's child, but she left, and...well, let's just say that Sophia took a while to conceive, but finally, after three years, she gave birth to this precious miracle."

Mrs. Maloney's eyes lingered on Matthew's face, her mind working overtime. Something didn't add up. Why did Mrs. Martins seem evasive when mentioning Dorothy and the baby's resemblance? And what did she mean by "if Dorothy had stayed"?

As the conversation continued, Mrs. Maloney's words seemed to hang in the air, leaving an unspoken tension that even the adorable baby Matthew couldn't dispel. Ivy, still observing from the sidelines, sensed a hidden truth lurking beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered.