For Better And For Worse
Chapter 106

DOTTAN International Airport.

Madame Clémence and her daughter Charité have been at the airport since 11:30 a.m. to await the arrival of their husband and father. A few minutes later, the plane lands at the airport and the passengers get off. Roger gets off the plane and having seen him, they run towards him. He hugs them very tightly. Roger wasn’t feeling very well. They arrive at the car.

Clémence: welcome, darling!

Charity: welcome dad.

Roger: thank you, thank you. Honey, please let’s go to the hospital, I don’t feel well.

Charity: in the hospital? We have a surprise for you at home, Dad.

Clémence: but what did you cherish?

Roger: I don’t know, I feel very strange. Take me to the hospital.

Clémence: okay darling, let’s go immediately!

From the airport, Roger was taken directly to the Renaissance Hospital.

Renaissance hospital.

Clémence and her daughter bring Roger into the consultation room.

Doctor: how do you feel, doctor?

Roger: I don’t know exactly, I hurt everywhere, I have a fever, I’m tired, etc.

Doctor: follow me, I’m going to do some tests.

They go to a room and the doctor draws b***d to do some tests while Roger waits in a room with his family.

Charity: Dad, since when have you been feeling bad?

Roger: a few days.

A few moments later, the doctor returns.

Doctor: I’m sorry to tell you this but you suffer from lymphoma, doctor.

Roger: what, lymphoma?

Doctor: yes.

Clémence: doctor, what is lymphoma?

Doctor: Lymphoma is one of the most common b***d diseases. It is a cancer that develops when certain lymphocytes begin to proliferate uncontrollably. Lymphocytes are a variety of white b***d cells that help our body defend itself against foreign organisms. Lymphoma is not a single disease in itself, but rather a group made up of several more or less serious diseases.

Charity: It seems to be very serious, will daddy get through this?

Roger: what stage is the disease, doctor?

Doctor: for this you first need a diagnosis which will involve a biological assessment, also a viral serology, a radiological examination, an immunological, cytogenetic and molecular biology examination and also an osteomedullary biopsy. It will cost you a lot of money.

Clémence: doctor, I don’t understand any of this. All I want to know is can you cure my husband?

Charity: yes doctor, is he going to make it?

Doctor: of course. But treatment depends on several elements including the type of lymphoma and also its stage. This can only be determined by diagnostic tests. Once we know the type of lymphoma and its stage and a few other elements, we can administer treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy can also intervene depending on the severity of the disease.

Clémence: doctor, keep your what, what therapy for you, all I want to know is can my husband be saved from this disease?

Doctor: yes, we can treat him.

Clémence: Thank God so get on with it!

The doctor writes a prescription and gives it to Clémence.

Doctor: go to the Modern Laboratory to do diagnostic tests before returning.

Clémence: okay doctor.

They return to the car.

Roger: honey, I have a total of 2 million left in my account, you can use that to treat me.

Clémence: okay darling.

Charity: you’re going to get through this, dad.

So they go to the modern laboratory to take the exams.

Modern laboratory.

Doctor: all these tests will cost you a lot of money.

Clémence: how much doctor?

Doctor: 950,000.

The laboratory technicians carry out the examinations indicated on Doctor Roger, it took a few hours. The chief doctor joins them a little later.

Doctor: we have some results but the remains will only be available in three days. But I can tell you that you do indeed have lymphoma.

Roger: can I go home doctor?

Doctor: unfortunately no, you must return to the hospital and be interned. We don’t know what might happen.

Roger: okay doctor.

They take the available results and leave.

Clémence: we’ll go to the hospital afterwards but for now, we’re going home.

This is how Clémence leads her husband home.

Roger’s home.

Roger’s two children at home were very impatient waiting for their father to return. It’s been a while since their mother and big sister left to look for him. They should be back by now.

Fabrice: maybe something happened to them?

Gracia: don’t think negatively about big brother, maybe he’s still flying.

Fabrice: it’s impossible! Airlines always respect flight schedules.

They finally hear the car horn.

Gracia: here they are finally!

They run to open the gate and let them in. The children asked the cause of their delay and Clémence promised to tell them the truth later. Furthermore, she had decorated the house with some flowers for her husband’s return. The atmosphere was pleasant, which relieved Roger’s worries during this moment when he realized how important it is to be attached to his family. His three children and his wife surround him and fill him with love and happiness. A delicious meal was served and they all shared it together. It is only afterwards that Clémence informs her children that their father is a little unwell and that he must go back to the hospital for treatment. Clémence speaks to her daughter.

Clémence: my daughter, while you are here, you will manage my jewelry store and my wick shop. I’m going to ask for time off from work and take care of your father.

Charity: okay mom.

So a few minutes later, the whole family brought their father back to the hospital.

Bruno’s home.

This evening, Séverin visits his in-laws after he gets home from work. Florence welcomes him properly and installs him in the living room where Roger is watching TV. She brings them a drink and they talk.

Bruno: so my son, is everything okay?

Séverin: no dad, nothing is wrong.

Florence listens to them discreetly.

Bruno: What’s wrong?

Séverin: I’m going to divorce Isabelle.

Florence smiles.

Bruno: divorce, but why?

Séverin: I should never have married your daughter, Mr. Bruno. Do you know that during all this time of our marriage, she has not fulfilled any of her marital duties? She doesn’t cook me food, she doesn’t greet me when I come home from work, she doesn’t even wish me a good day, she categorically refuses to let me touch her at night and she keeps threatening me to file a complaint if I ever I touch her and since she gave birth, she doesn’t even let me touch my daughter.

Bruno: Gosh, I thought everything was fine in your household.

Séverin: well no dad, I thought things could get better but no, they’re getting worse and now I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to divorce.

Charity: you’re going to get through this, dad.

So they go to the modern laboratory to take the exams.

Bruno: you know my son, in marriage, there are ups and downs but you have to endure.

Séverin: there were never any highs, dad, only lows and lowest ones. She decided to make me suffer and she succeeded with great honors. I’m going to free her.

Bruno: I hope this won’t affect our agreement?

Séverin: of course yes. No more marriage, no more agreement.

Bruno knowing that he already got his drugs back didn’t put up too much opposition.

Bruno: but our collaboration is really beneficial for us even without this marriage?

Séverin: I know, but our agreement is based on this marriage and when the foundation of a house is destroyed, the house also collapses. You understand ?

Bruno: of course, I understand.

Séverin: tomorrow, I will call my lawyer who will initiate the procedure.

Bruno: okay, I’m really sorry.

Séverin: no, it’s me who’s sorry.

Florence comes to tell them that dinner is ready but Séverin says he has no appetite and leaves. After his departure, Florence discreetly calls Isabelle to inform her of Séverin’s divorce plans.

Claire’s home.

Séverin goes to Claire’s house to eat and tell her the news.

Séverin: darling, I have good news for you.

Claire: I can’t wait to hear it.

Séverin: tomorrow I’m going to meet my lawyer and he’s going to initiate divorce proceedings with Isabelle. I can’t divorce anymore.

Claire: wow, what great news, I’m so happy to hear it.

They hug and k**s.

Bruno’s home.

Around 9 p.m., Bruno leaves the living room to call outside. He calls Mexico, specifically Gordjo. Gordjo’s phone rings at the drug cartel unit and Samuel picks it up.

Samuel: hello!

Bruno: good evening Mr. Gordjo, how are you and business?

Samuel: everything is fine, thank you. What’s new ?

Bruno: I’m calling to tell you that my shipment will soon end so you’ll have to think about sending me another one in a few days.

Samuel: sorry but Mr. Gordjo is not here!

Bruno (surprised): who is on the phone?

Samuel: Mr. Samuel, director of the cell fighting the Mexican drug cartel. As you can see, Mr. Gordjo is no longer in the circuit, he was arrested and his drugs seized. There are no more drug cases. It’s over.

He hangs up. His heart is beating so fast. He doesn’t even know that his wife was spying on him. She approached him.

Bruno: holy shit!

Florence: darling!

He jumps.

Bruno: Honey, you gave me one of these fears.

Florence: what’s happening to you?

Bruno: no, nothing, everything is fine.

Florence: no, nothing is wrong, you’re sweating.

Bruno: It’s okay, I’m just hot.

Florence: I heard you talk about cargo, what is the cargo?

Bruno: something I ordered for my business but had an accident, everything was lost.

Florence: that’s not the answer to my question.

Bruno: It’s about computers.

Florence: It’s going to be okay, my darling. Come on, come and rest. You can fix this problem tomorrow morning.

Bruno: okay, thank you my love.

This is how he returns but he cannot sleep. There are no more drugs and soon no more collaboration with Séverin. He feels like his world is falling apart.