WHAT WILL BE

CHAPTER 3

Pearl's POV

"Babe I asked you a question" he reminded me. I then raised my face, and looked him in the eyes. I didn't know what to say, I was now at a crossroad, anything I say right now would either make or mar the future. I couldn't even imagine what his expression would look like if I told him I was HIV positive.

"No...nothing" I stammered, giving him a half hearted smile

"You can talk to me" he insisted

"Its nothing really" I replied. I was sure my reply didn't convince him

"Then why did you stop me from kissing you?" he questioned

"Ermm..." I murmured scratching the back of my head, I was seriously racking my brain searching for what to tell him

"You... you know, erm, our wedding... yes, our wedding. Ju...Just wait for two more weeks... and you can kiss me as much as you want" I blurted out, not knowing if it made any sense, it certainly didn't because I've always allowed him to kiss me before now.

"But you've always allowed me kiss you before now" he said, as if reading my minds.

"Umm...yeah, that was before now. I'd be a bride and your wife in the next two weeks, then I'm all yours... so just wait a little while" I said

"But...". I interrupted him, "Don't stretch this conversation please. I've told you my reasons and I believe you should respect that".

After my last sentence, everywhere went cold and extremely quiet. Ken didn't utter another word, and I felt maybe what I said hurt him, but then again, I said nothing wrong, I had a right to say no, and he also should respect my decisions, but again, on second thoughts, maybe what I said also didn't go really well with him...

Cindy's POV

Mom had been crying ever since Pearl left the house.

"My daughter isn't promiscuous and Ken isn't HIV positive either, so how did she get infected with this disease?" she cried.

I have tried all within my possible best to console mom, but she just wouldn't stop crying. I too felt bad for Pearl, but I had to stay strong, if mom cried, Pearl cried, and I cried also, then who was going to be there for Pearl?. My phone rang, it was Ken.

"Mom, Ken's calling" I said. Mom instantly wiped her tears

"Answer the call, place it on speaker and do not tell him about Pearl's disease" she instructed which I obliged to.

"Hello Ken"

"Hi Cindy. Pearl's at my place, and uhmmm... I don't know, but she's not her usual self. I just wanted to find out if there's any issue at home, or maybe anything is wrong with her? I really don't know, that's the reason for my call. Please be plain and honest with me, what's really going on?"

"Oh... Free your mind Ken, Pearl's fine and as fit as a fiddle, and we're doing well over here too. She's probably just stressed up, if there's anything going on, she'd tell you herself don't you think so?"

"Yeah... but I just feel she's hiding something from me"

"She's hiding nothing Ken. Don't you trust your sister in law?"

"I... I do"

"Good, but nonetheless, if anything comes up, I'd definitely let you know"

"Alright, thanks and have a good day. Extend my greetings to mother in law" Ken replied, ending the call.

Mother sighed. "For how long are we going to keep up with this? If Ken finds out, he'd definitely call off the wedding, and we both know that we have nothing. If the wedding is called off, we'd lose all connections with the Martinos, and if that happens, we'd fall back to abject poverty. How do we feed?, how do we pay the rents? And how will we get money for Pearl's treatment, and will Pearl ever get another husband if the marriage gets called off? I can imagine the disgrace, the news will be all over the media that Pearl Brighwoods marriage to the Martino sons, Ken was called off because Pearl had HIV, our reputation would be tarnished" Mother cried.

I too felt equally awful because all what she was saying was nothing but the plain truth...