PHASES

A good sunny Sunday in the city of Chicago, the church service was rounded up with beautiful hymns. John and Ella drove quietly back to the house, the trees in the compound were beautiful and ever green, it was a great mansion. He parked in the garage and beckoned on her to get down as he did same. He went into the bedroom they shared, packed his clothes into his luggage and was heading out when Ella stopped him. John! John!! Ella snapped, "you dare not walk out on me", "and if I do?" he snapped back.

He was tall with broad shoulders, large muscular arms, dark with an oblong face with pointed nose, eyes that were like the oceans deep blue, lips that were like the red berries and his voice made the ladies desire him without getting to see him. He was what they called the excellent handwork of God. Ella had met John in the hospital when she lost her father, he was working in the dry-cleaning services which the hospital used. Ella was in tears when John walked into the ward to take the sheets the nurse had told him to take from the ward. Expecting the sheets piled for him to pick up instead, he met Ella in tears holding the sheets her father had laid on. He didn't know how to tell her he needed to take the sheets. "Ma'am I was asked to get those" he said pointing to the sheets she was holding, like it was her dad. She looked up "oh forgive me, I didn't know when you got in, I would be leaving" she said wiping her eyes as she reluctantly dropped the sheets, she gave a last look and that was it, it was like the brakes in her eyes got broken, she broke down crying uncontrollably. He went and grasped her as she fell into his arms like it was her last resort to life. It was the warmest embrace ever, he caressed her hair "life comes in phases this will pass" he said so calmly. She didn't want to let go, neither did he. Their hearts connected and words were not needed.

"I just want to die, where do I go?" she didn't care about the stranger who held her it just felt right. Her father had incurred debts but his health never got better, the cancer ate deep. Ella was an orphan, a 21-year-old who had just graduated and wasn't having life rosy at all. He offered to help her get a job where he worked since his boss was kind and their relationship was tight. As he said that, it was like she snapped back to reality and released her grip on him. "I am sorry, I didn't realize I held you for so long", "its fine, I am John and you are?",

"Ella Mills" she replied. "I would be leaving now" she was wiping her eyes as he handed her a white face towel "no its fine, thank you" she said, "its perfectly okay, you can have it, I never use it anyway" he smiled at her. John was barely 26 years and had to train his younger ones as his father was already an angel. He was working at the laundry company for three years feeding his younger ones. He was an orphan just like Ella only made one earlier than she, so he could understand perfectly what she was going through. It has been a long rough year, before he could get a job and wouldn't want Ella to go through same. Their love was so pure and beautiful but it seems to wear out now, respect gone and what they shared seems to mean nothing anymore now, he was leaving and nothing could change his mind. He looked at her with so much disgust, "babe, I think we should calm down and talk please, I am ready to amend whatever wrong and pain I have caused you". She tried to reach for his arm, he looked at her and moved further away, "there is nothing more to discuss". She asked sternly, "what do you mean? What do you mean John? You have completely ignored me for two weeks only to want to move out saying there is nothing more to discuss, I deserve an explanation to what exactly is going on" she said amidst tears, she felt a sharp pain at the lower part of her abdomen, seems like nature felt her pain and almost immediately the rain started pouring heavily. She reached for the cushion closest to her and sat, "I am sorry, it's a phase, deal with it, we won't be the first couple going through this. You should see our family doctor he knows best" he said pointing to her stomach, "be safe Ella Mills" saying this he reached for his luggage.

"John please, I love you so much and I am ready to do anything to make this work" she said stammering in tears as the pain was severe.

He slammed the door, got into his car and started the engine, she ran after him "John! John!! John!!!", she stood still as the car zoomed off raising the dirty water on the ground to her face, oh how she wished time could stand still, death was sweeter than the pain she was going through, she stood still staring like he was going to come back running into her arms, she was completely soaked now "it's a phase he said to me, like I mean nothing" she muttered, she looked around her and couldn't believe she was here where she has no one to turn to.

She walked slowly back into the house. She shut the doors and windows, pulled off her clothes, the marks from the accident could be seen, she looked at her body with disgust and the pains were not helping. she went to the kitchen and cooked herself a good meal, she ate, watched tv and slept. Unknown to her John had gone to change the passwords of their accounts, Ella was artistic in nature, a good screen writer until the accident which affected her hands. She could not type or hold a pen for too long as she needs not stress her veins for them to heal.

Phone rings, she saw it was their account officer, she picked up

"Good Afternoon ma"

"Good afternoon" Ella replied

"Am I unto to Mrs. Ella Richie" the accountant asked"

"Yes please" she said.

"Would you like to make your husband the sole signatory to the accounts?"

"No, why?"

"I am asking as he asked not long ago to be the sole signatory and your signature seems to be on the document as approval, I am calling for clarification"

"Oh my, No please, I am on my way", she said. She got into her car in the rain, she couldn't concentrate with so much tears built up in her eyes, trying so much not to break down, she got to the bank and could not believe she signed such a document for John to be the sole signatory, he came into the office and could not believe she was there, "why would you call my wife?" he asked the account officer. "It's procedure sir, she is also a signatory to the account, we don't stamp such without clarification, I think you both should get back to me on this" she said realizing the decision wasn't mutual. They both left the office, Ella reached out for John's elbow in the reception "why are you doing this?", "I am tired of being with a fruitless partner".

"What do you mean by fruitless, the doctor said I am okay, we need to be patient"

"Patience" he chuckled

"You just called me your wife back there"

"That's because I don't want you acting up being pitiful, you know you have low self-esteem, I had pity on you"

Tears filled her eyes "John how" she couldn't finish her statement before she was interrupted

"We are done, face it!", he stormed out. All eyes were on Ella, she wished the ground could open yet her heart still yearned for John, she was about to run after him, "Please don't" she looked to see who spoke to her.