For Better And For Worse
Chapter 12

Once they get home, Isabelle places her handbag on the table and leans back on the sofa. Stella goes to her room to change before going to get a drink. She also brings water to Isabelle and replaces her drowsy or almost asleep.

Stella: Isabelle, are you okay?

Isabelle: yes it’s okay, I’m just a little tired. With everything that’s going on, I’m really not at peace.

Stella: I understand but you have to be strong. I brought you some water.

Isabelle: thank you.

She takes some water to drink then she dozes off for a while longer. Stella looks at her.

Stella: I would like to replace a man who loves me and respects me like Mr. Krist. And I would love him the same. Oh Lord, if you could give me this grace.

She comes to her senses.

Stella: No, it’s selfish to worry about myself right now. I really hope that Mr. Krist will get through this because Mrs. Isabelle is really devastated by what is happening to her. I imagine how she might feel. Hey Lord, why are you doing all this to them? You don’t give them children and you confront them with harsh trials. Have pity anyway. It gives you pleasure to see her humiliated because she has no children, who else but her deserves to have the status of mother my God, don’t you think she’s put up with the mockery enough and the humiliations of people, they have always done your will so why don’t you give them a child? It’s been five years already, act Lord, get Mr. Krist out of this situation but hey, may your will be done. Madame must be unwell.

She wakes her up.

Stella: Isabelle!

Isabelle: yes Stella.

Stella: are you feeling well?

Isabelle: yes it’s okay, I’m just tired. Give me my bag, I have to call my husband.

Stella gives her her bag and she takes her phone from it to call her husband but unfortunately Krist’s phone is in her bag.

Isabelle: oh, I didn’t give him his phone. Okay, I’m going to rest, call me when he’s here.

Stella: okay ma’am. But it looks like you have the beginnings of an illness, why don’t you go for tests at the hospital?

Isabelle: no, it’s okay, don’t worry.

Stella: Okay.

Isabelle is going to rest in the bedroom and Stella is going to prepare.

Meanwhile at the anti-drug squad, the commander and the inspector bring Krist under the gaze of the other agents to have him undergo interrogation.

Boris: Mr. Krist, let’s keep it simple, you tell me who your supplier is, who you sell your drugs to and where you hide them.

Krist: I can’t answer you, Commander,

Boris: There is no point in denying, all the evidence is against you.

Krist: ah the evidence, yes that’s it, the evidence. Listen Commander, I don’t need to be a police officer to understand that there is evidence that can be fabricated. I’ve been set up, Commander.

Boris: who?

Krist: How would I know?

Boris: listen, it’s better that you collaborate, your collaboration could be taken into account during your trial. So I’m going to ask my question again, who are your suppliers, who do you sell your drugs to and where do you hide them.

Krist: and I tell you again that I am innocent.

Boris grabs his head and bangs it on the table. Krist is bleeding.

Boris: don’t take me for a fool.

Krist: Do with me what you want, Commander, I can’t tell you what I don’t know.

The commander wanted to hit him again but the inspector stopped him.

Kevin: Commander!… Can we talk for a moment?

They go out.

Kevin: I believe he is innocent, Commander.

Boris: what are you basing your statement on?

Kevin: my intuition.

Boris (laughing): your intuition, your intuition is worthless, I base it on evidence and until proven otherwise, he is guilty. They are still talking when Marlène arrives.

Marlene: Commander, I analyzed the video on the key you gave me, it is authentic. If this video is fake, then this person must be really strong, stronger than me.

Boris: that’s enough, I think he takes us for idiots.

Kevin: Commander, you must not act in anger.

Boris: do you know what drugs can do to a human? We catch the person who sells this filth and you would like us to be lenient with them? He’ll tell me what I want to know and by the way, you can stay away.

Boris goes back inside and moves Krist to another room, the torture room. He ties both his hands with a rope fixed at the top and suspends him from the ground, in such a way that his feet do not touch the ground, then he starts hitting him with punches.

Boris: tell me what I want to know.

Krist: I can’t tell you what I don’t know Commander, I’m innocent.

Boris: don’t push me to be even more violent Kristian.

Krist: I already told you, Commander, do with me what you want, but I can’t tell you what I don’t know.

Boris: very good, you would have wanted it.

He takes some water and pours it on himself then he takes a stick. He asks his question again but Krist doesn’t answer it so he starts beating him up. He was peeing b***d so he stops to question him again but still nothing so he moves on to more offensive means. He pours water on him again then takes electric current. Not having obtained the answer he wanted, he touches him with the current which plunges him into a violent state of spasm. At one point he stops to ask his question again and continues until Krist loses consciousness. At the same time, Isabelle suddenly wakes up as if she had just experienced a horrible nightmare. That’s it, it’s starting again, her heart is beating so hard and so fast, her husband must surely be unwell. She gets up from her bed and goes to the living room. She replaces Stella eating her meal.

Isabelle: Stella, my husband, has my husband come home?

Stella: no, not yet ma’am.

Isabelle: I… I have to go to the brigade, something happened to him.

Stella: but, you are not in great shape Isabelle.

Isabelle: I will be even more so if I don’t see my husband. Let’s go!

Stella: okay let’s go.

Stella takes her on her motorbike and heads to the anti-drug squad. Meanwhile, Krist has been taken to the infirmary where he is being taken care of. The inspector talks with his commander.

Kevin: what, you really went too hard, it’s illegitimate revenge that you’re doing, it’s not him who killed your son.

Boris: no but it was drugs that killed him so everyone who sells or uses drugs is responsible. I will make sure he gets at least 10 years in prison.

Kevin: You are too personally involved in this matter, you should step aside.

Boris: don’t forget that I am the commander of this unit, it is only me who decides who participates or not in an investigation. As for Krist, I’m not done with him yet.

He leaves in front of him. Kevin looks at Krist through the glass door. A few moments later, Isabelle and Stella arrive. She asks to see the commander and they are shown his office to which they go.

Isabelle: hello commander, I want to see my husband.

Boris: You can’t see it yet.

Stella: why?

Boris: because I decided so.

Isabelle: I want to see my husband immediately as commander.

Boris: No one is allowed to see him right now, not even his wife.

Isabelle (furious): you have no right to forbid me from seeing my husband, even though you have arrested him unjustly.

Boris: we have proof ma’am.

Isabelle: I don’t care, I know my husband is innocent so release him immediately.

Boris: well here we don’t care about the evidence ma’am, now leave my office and come back tomorrow if you want to see your husband.

Isabelle: my husband hasn’t done anything, I won’t go anywhere without seeing him.

Boris: Get out immediately.

Stella: please commander, it’s her husband.

Boris: maybe you even helped him in his activity.

Isabelle: what are you insinuating, Commander? Boris: that you are complicit.

Isabelle: I think you have a serious problem, Commander, but hey, that’s not my problem. I want to see my husband.

Boris: and I tell you again that you will not see him today. Come on, get out of my office.

Isabelle: I don’t go out except to see my husband.

Boris gets up and tries to force her out. That’s when she faints and falls to the ground. Stella approaches her crying.

Stella: no, ma’am, wake up, wake up Isabelle. Why are you so mean Commander, you have no heart? Help me if you are human.

The commander takes his phone and calls the doctors who came to take Isabelle to take her to the infirmary. Stella follows them but cannot enter with them. She therefore stays outside and sees through the window of a door Krist who is still unconscious.

Stella: oh my God, what did they do to her!

She sits with her back against the wall and begins to cry. Meanwhile, the nurses take care of Isabelle by doing some tests on her. After a few minutes she wakes up so the doctor gives her some sedatives.

Isabelle: doctor, what am I suffering from?

Doctor: you are not suffering from anything madam, you are in perfect health and so is your baby.

Isabelle: what, my baby?

Doctor: yes ma’am, you are pregnant.

At this news, Isabelle was completely stunned, the emotion that overwhelmed her was very strong. The doctor gives her the pregnancy test which she consults and it is positive, she cried bitterly, while smiling. His emotions were mixed. She couldn’t contain her joy or her tears so it all came out, she cried tears of joy.

Isabelle: thank you very much doctor, I have been waiting for this moment for five years, let me see my husband.

Doctor: I’ll talk to the commander.

Impatience burned his heart, the doctor leaves to see the commander. Stella stops him.

Stella: how is she, doctor?

Doctor: She’s doing well, don’t worry.

Stella: what is she suffering from, doctor?

Doctor: she is not suffering from anything at all.

Stella: what do you mean, she hasn’t been well since the morning.

Doctor: Well, it’s because she’s pregnant.

Incredible, this news left Stella speechless. After so many years of marriage without children, God finally thought of them. But how does God do his things? When everything seems to be going very badly for the couple, he decides to give them a child. Stella’s heart was full of joy. She asks the doctor for permission to go see Isabelle, permission which was granted, and she goes into the room with a magnificent smile that chases away all worries. Isabelle gives him the same. They hug each other with joy in their hearts and a smile on their lips without forgetting tears in their eyes.