CHAPTER 2 THE DIVORCE
1079 Words
“What is the meaning of this?” Michael asked in bewilderment as he flung the divorce papers in Rachel's face.
“Michael, I'm sorry, but we have to end this marriage”. Richel answered with her head bowed to avoid his gaze.
“Wh-why? Did I do anything wrong, my love?” Michael stammered in reply.
Rachel was shattered. Tears began to gather up in her eyes. She tried to blink them back, but they were unrelenting.
How could she tell her husband, the man who treated her like gold, that she was HIV positive? How would she explain that she does not know how she contracted the virus? Who would believe her?
“Rachel,” Michael called in a saddened tone.
She remained silent. Rachel knew that one more word from her and she would break down. Crying was the last thing she wanted to do at that moment, it would only end up ripping her of the little composure she was feigning.
Michael's voice came again, this time, with more intensity.
“Why exactly are you doing this?”
Rachel mustered all the courage she could and replied;
“Michael, please, you just need to cooperate with me. This decision I am making is a hard one for me, but I have to do it for the good of both of us. Just do us a favor by signing these divorce papers before it is too late.”
“You have not answered my question,” Michael replied coldly.
Richel felt shivers run down her spine at his tone.
“Why does he keep insisting on knowing the reason for the divorce, please just let it go.”
“I can not disclose it,” Richel replied, shutting her eyes with clenched fists.
“Very well then, I think you must be high or something because that is the only logical reason behind this rubbish.”
Michael yelled as he picked up the divorce papers from the floor and shredded it. He grabbed his car keys from the table and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Rachel broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. This was inhumane; abruptly proposing to end a five-month-old marriage with the most perfect husband in the world.
She shut her eyes tight as the memories of three days ago at the hospital flashed in her head.
“I hate to say it Mrs Michael, but you're HIV positive.” Those were Dr Ryan's words to her.
“No, this is impossible. It cannot be!” Rachel argued in reply as she stared at the test results in her hands.
“There must be some kind of mistake, doctor; I will head to another hospital for confirmation,” Rachel said as she attempted to stand up.
“What would I gain by giving you a fake report? Your father was my childhood friend. We are too close for me to deceive you. Well, if you want to go to another hospital, then you can, but you will only end up spreading the news; you know that this will always remain between the both of us, only if you don't involve a third party.” Dr. Ryan recited as if he had memorized the lines.
Rachel sank back into the chair as hot tears began to flow down her cheeks. She opened her eyes again and wailed noisily.
“I don't know how this happened to me, but one thing is sure:I will never let Michael be a part of this misfortune. We just have to part ways; since we got married, all he does is love me unconditionally; it would be cruel of me to pay him back with a deadly disease”.
Later that evening, Michael returned home with uneasiness written all over him. Rachel tried as much as possible to ignore him and he took notice of it.
When it was bedtime, she lay at the edge of the bed and refused to cuddle with her husband as usual.
Michael was perplexed at his wife's sudden change. He racked his brain for a justifiable reason for her actions, but he found none.
He made an effort to pull her to himself but she resisted. He tried again and the outcome was the same. Three more trials and Rachel rose, grabbed her pillow, and left the room, shutting the door behind her with a thud that resonated through the house.
As she exited the room, she gave one last glance to the shut door behind her before trudging to the guest room that was right next to their room. She wanted to be close to Micjeal without feeling guilty and thought of this as the next best option.
Immediately she stepped into the room, she shut the door, leaning against it with tears in her eyes.
“God, why me? What have I done to deserve this?” She cried silently as she dragged herself to the floor.
She thought about Micheal, separated from her by the thick, soundproof walls.
She wondered how confused and rejected he might have been feeling.
Rachel had wanted so badly to lean into his touch, but she was filled with too much guilt and shame to do so.
“What if I just - no I cannot do that.” She considered confessing the truth to him to rid herself of the guilt and end the secrecy, but she could not bring herself to.
“It would break his heart if he found out, and what if he decides to go after the criminal and it becomes a whole case? Everybody will know what has happened to me, and I will not be able to live with myself.”
Rachel was painfully aware of the stigma that was carried along with r**e victims, the judgment gazes, pitiful eyes, ingenuine sympathy, the blame game; she knew it all, and she would not allow herself to be exposed to any of those even if it meant dying in silence.
She knew that not only she but even Michael would be faced with the judgment; she did not want to involve him and could not continue in the marriage, knowing fully well that he was at risk of contracting the disease.
Rachel wiped her eyes with a sniffle, making her way to the cold bed.
“I have no other choice, I have to do this for him.” She had made up her mind.
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