Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Jerlina tried to squeeze out a smile, but her eyes burnt and she stopped trying to smile.

"I'm fine, doctor." She looked at Dr. Kruger. "I want to leave. I can pay the bills-"

"This is a charity hospital, Jerlina. You don't have to pay the bills. And you're not well enough to be discharged. I'm not advising you to leave now. " Dr. Kruger said as she scribbled something on her notepad.

"And, you know how the streets here are like at night, dear," Daisy added in a very caring tone.

Yes, the streets would be dangerous. I would rather take my chance there than being trapped here.

"My baby?" Jerlina wanted to get her baby and find a way to leave.

"We can provide you options on what to do with-"

"Give me my baby!" Jerlina interjected Dr. Kruger and raised her voice.

Are they seriously holding my dead baby as a hostage for keeping me here?

"I will keep your baby boy safe and comfortable until you become well enough to get discharged. Do you want to take a look at your baby?" Dr. Kruger asked and Jerlina froze.

It was a boy? Was that really my baby in the dream? If he grew up, he would have looked like his father? Why did he leave me?

"My baby boy? Safe and comfortable?" Jerlina mumbled as she felt her heart beating erratically.

My baby should be inside me where he'd be safe.

Why did this happen? Was it my fault? Did I put my baby in danger by escaping? If I had stayed put, would someone have searched for me and found me? Would my baby be safe then?

But no one searched for me in a month! I had to escape!

She felt her head spinning and she curled up on the bed. Soon the bright white room, darkened for her as she fell asleep.

-----

The next morning, Dr. Kruger was surprised when TJ came to her room. He had changed, but the bags under his eyes and his unkempt looks gave away his insomnia.

"Here, for her..." he gulped as his throat felt heavy and gave her a little wooden box.

Dr Kruger took a good look at the palm size box made with the finest black walnut wood. There were a couple of flying baby angels carved at the top of the box and the inner part of the box was lined with velvet.

Dr. Kruger knew at a single glace that this meticulously carved box is personally made by Jeremy himself. She looked at his hand and she saw small wounds.

He made this box last night?

"Let me apply some ointment on the wounds." She tried to grab his hand, but he pulled away.

"I'm fine, mom. It will heal on its own."

It hurt her seeing how he is hurting. Last night Daisy told her everything Jerlina told her about her escape and the accident caused by Jeremy.

Although she didn't quite understand why Jeremy would do that to Jerlina, her experience as an OB/GYN for almost forty years made her lean towards the conclusion that the accident is not the reason for Jerlina's miscarriage.

But still, nothing can be said with absolute certainty.

Jerlina thinks Jeremy caused her miscarriage and Jeremy is thinking the same too.

She is filled with anger and he is filled with guilt thinking that way.

But what is the truth?

As she was pondering, a cheerful voice interrupted her train of thoughts and her lips curled out of disgust reflexively. A strong scent of a branded perfume almost made her retch.

"Aunt Maddy!"

Before she could fix her face and turn to look at the source of disgust *cough* Emma Harrison, she cringed as the pair of hands slithered around her waist and a kiss was placed on her cheek.

"I expected you at my wedding, Aunt Maddy. I almost stopped the wedding because I didn't want to marry without you blessing me. But you know my mom... she insisted that we start the wedding on time for all the important guests who won't wait. I was looking for you the whole time and..."

Emma kept on talking and Dr. Madeline Kruger wanted to roll her eyes.

Yeah, like she wanted to stop the wedding for me... If so, I am the Queen of England and I have a Palace to sell.

She saw her son who looked like a dead person some time before, now looking all lively with a bright smile seeing his sister and took in a deep breath.

"Mom wanted to attend the wedding, but she couldn't leave the clinic in case someone with emergency-"

"Is that your husband? When are you going to introduce me? You got married so suddenly, I never got to meet him." Dr. Kruger interrupted Jeremy and walked towards the man standing outside the door. He seemed anxious for some reason and was looking at the hallway.

Emma walked to the man and hooked her arms in his. The diamonds in her finger shimmered in the bright lights of the hallways as she positioned it in a way that everyone's eyes would be drawn to it.

How petty! So he is her husband?

Dr. Kruger noticed Emma clenching her jaws for a brief moment as that man still didn't look at her, but then she had plastered on her usual plastic smile. The smile in Jeremy's face disappeared as he glanced at that man and she saw his face going pale as a sheet.

"Gerry-"

Emma called him looking all sweet, but then she gulped seeing his glare.

She subconsciously took a step back. In her eyes were shame and anger, as she looked around to see anyone noticed him glaring at her.

His angry look towards Emma made Dr. Kruger think that they aren't a couple in their honeymoon phase and she averted her eyes not wanting to let Emma know she had noticed his angry glare.

So why did she marry him in a hurry? She doesn't look pregnant either.

"Gerard," Emma corrected and only then the anger in Gerard's face subsided. "Meet-"

Before she could finish, Gerard extended his hand for a shake while reading the name-board next to the door.

"Hello, Dr. Kruger... nice to meet you. I am Gerard Cooper." He gave a pleasant business smile.

"Hello, I am Madeline Kruger, Jeremy's mother." Dr. Kruger shook his hand.

The moment she mentioned Jeremy, Gerard let go of her hand and in his emerald green eyes, she saw a mixture of emotions.

"I heard Jer is-" he cleared his throat coughing into his fisted hand.

At the same time, Emma's hands around his arm tightened and he forcefully freed his arm from her claws. Not minding Emma he asked, "Jerlina Hopkins – Is she admitted here, doctor? Is she seriously ill? What is her condition?"

Gerard seemed very worried for Dr. Kruger saw Jeremy drenched in cold sweat and Emma's face looked like she shat in her pants and trying to hide it.

So Emma's husband is Jerlina's cousin or friend? He is really worried for her...

Dr. Kruger still cannot talk about her patient's medical conditions with others as per the law.

"I'm sorry, are you related to her? I have to keep the medical records of my patients confidential-"

"She's my girlfriend and I'm worried about her."

The rims of Gerard's eyes got red and Dr. Kruger was stunned.

Did he say girlfriend? Did a newly married man call another married woman his girlfriend in front of his wife and her husband?

What is this drama? Or did I mishear?