LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH (I)

 

The motion of the door grabbed attention of everyone as Marry opened it. Detective Conners and his assistant Jeremy was there at the door-step. They both were looking for someone. They came in the hall area and asked Marry, “Where is Mrs. Carricate?” Marry replied cautiously, “Mam is in her bedroom. Do you want me to call her? “. “Yes please!” both replied at a same time. Then Conner gave a sharp look at Jeremy and said, “May I know your name please?” A prompt reply from Marry came out, “Yes. I am Marry Stanfor and I work here as a maid and a helper of Miss…Mrs Carnotte.”

Conner exclaimed,” You better do move quick and bring her out. We need to take her with us to the police station. We need her to identify a dead body.” After listening to that Marry went to the bedroom over the first floor hastily. The night gown over her body was a proof that she just came from the bed. She came down and stood politely in front of the policemen. Conners started, “Madam, unfortunately we need you to come with us. We need you to identify a dead body. That body is quite matching with the description of you gave.” She sank into the chair promptly. Tears rolled down over her cheeks. Jemery quickly gave her tissues and helped her with water. She forced a smiled and told the officers, “I will be ready in next ten minutes”.

Conners and Jeremy were waiting at the gate of the bungalow with a car. Sydney quickly came out with a normal dress.

She sat into the car and waved Marry. The car left the Carricate premises and Sydney lost the huge house slowly behind and few minutes of the drive felt like thousand years rolling at a snail’s pace. All the possibilities from her mind of John being alive were fading away. The gate of the police station passed by and then she could feel her heart is beating heavily. Her breathing rate was rising. She came out of the car and found herself holding Jeremy’s hand. He could feel the cold hands….the fear.

They took her into the room filled with dead bodies.

She closed her eyes and held her breath. But the rotten smell was travelling into her nostrils as the keeper of the morgue opened the door. Her stomach was trying so hard not to throw up. The officials stopped and opened a drawer. She was counting in her mind with her eyes closed. She thought one—two—and–three….and then I will open my eyes. It was really a tremendous amount of stress. She opened her eyes suddenly and saw the body. She could not control her vomit but Jeremy gave her a firm support. He said, “You are the only person alive who can help us, well other than his father. Please take a look. It will help the case. Please…”

That actually gave her mind sufficient courage. She recalled her old life and drew strength from it. She said to her own self…this is only for you John….give me strength…. Then she opened her eyes and looked at the corpse. It was totally torn apart by an accident. She closed them in a moment…..whole blackout and silence groped her mind. She recalled what she saw by closing her eyes. She could recall the S that he tattooed on his arm. Yes…yes there it is….the one and only clue she needed. She opened them again and sigh of relief filled her surroundings as she saw his fore-arm. She exclaimed, “Sir! Sir!!!!! He is not John. He is surely not…beca–because he doesn’t have my initial on his arm!”

They were satisfied by her answer. But still the quandary stands there, where is John right now? Is he dead or alive?

Sydney didn’t realise that but she was happy at that moment. She went out of the morgue and then sat down over the chair. She closed her eyes and rested there for a while. The trauma caused due to the smell punched by the air was reducing lightly.   Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure from the 4th floor of the building. That was wearing a black hood and it was walking at a pace her eyes can recognise. It looked up at the building and saw her staring. It stood up there for a minute and then smiled a bit. Sydney was shocked by that….because he looked like John. All the strength she got, she ran into the elevator and got down quickly. From the gate she saw the same man again. She ran like hell and reached at the gate. Without even looking at the guards she ran….but she found it and managed to get close to the figure running away. With her naked eyes she was looking at it….

She called loudly, “John wait….please wait!!! Don’t run….!” But the figure kept running and stopped for nothing. Without looking at anything she ran behind it. She could recall the smile and the walking style…she ran behind it. Suddenly, she heard a hornnnnn….and bam! She was struck by a van…she couldn’t feel her legs and slowly any movements rather…it was all slow and silent….voices of pedestrians were coming…pick her up…call the ambulance…some more voices and noises.

Sudden silence…but her eyesight was locked at that figure on sidewalk…it walked away slowly…..

 

 

Sydney’s psychiatrist Kevin comes to her and starts talking to her. He used to do small sessions with her. Marry called him every day and gave him updates…..both Sydney and Marry were personally attached with him.  The place and time were also helping him in giving treatments. He is the only person after John she felt she could talk to openly. He actually had a little but amount of success to get also take getting some track of different locations where she might have visited. FBI teams went to those areas but not much of success they could achieve. The entire team was trying to get this thing sorted in a very proper and expertise manner; because his father was a very reputable person in the society. Sydney was getting cured due to Kevin’s session in fast manner. Now she started loving his presence around her. Doctor also promoted the methods of Kevin and helped him in every way possible.
When she came back to her place doctors had given some strict warnings about her health assessments, diet and exercises. For all these things Marry stood up behind her. She was there to take care of every small thing she needed and similar way she used to get plenty of love and monetary support from Sydney. But she never did anything for money. The humanity and love is something she wanted. She was doing things like Sydney’s mother would have done for her.

The FBI personnel also used to talk to Marry and ask about things that she shared with her. So one day she was thinking about an anomaly, John’s father. He did not even come to the hospital to check on her. She asked Sydney “Is it likely that Mr. Carnotte came to the hospital to visit you?” Sydney’s eyes filled with tears……She replied after swallowing the pain, “No…He did not and he will never ever….”. Marry thought it is so weird of him and now she wanted to tell this to detective Conners. Marry said, “This case he should have visited the hospital….but he was always like that. It is wise that John’s mother left him at the early stages of life. At least now she is happy….”

John’s mother was a crucial subject of discussion. Doctors told Martha not to open any of subjects like that. She suddenly realised the same and tried to switch to some different topic. Sydney continued what she said, “Both the kids had grown with the father and those things John used to tell. John told me how his younger brother turned like his father….both of them hated him. He used to recall the days when his mother was with him.  She never made him think that he is something different and he needs to do what his father doing. She always supported his writings. Appreciated the same. He told about the emptiness he felt after her……” Silence filled the room.

Suddenly Marry said, “Okay too much of those things. I will make your favourite cheese pudding for you and some pan cakes also. Then you will notice the amount of happiness you are feeling….” Sydney hugged Marry and said, “Thanks a ton. I can’t ever repay what you have done and what you are doing for me….” Marry gave her a hug back and time paused….