For Better And For Worse
Chapter 30

Prison.

In the infirmary, Krist wakes up after a few good hours of sleep.

Claire: ah, you’re finally awake!

Krist: Claire, are you still here?

Claire: of course, where do you want me to be? This is my place of duty here.

Claire: You still haven’t told me why you work here.

Claire: It was my father who imposed this on me but I had to accept it and today I’m quite happy to be here. I learned that not all people who are locked up are bad or criminals. Besides, the majority are innocent like you. This is what pushed me to stay and help them.

Krist: that’s very noble of you. You must have a big heart to do this.

Claire: Thank you.

Krist: Forgive me for being so curious, but why did your father force you to work here?

Claire: quite simply because he is the director of this prison and he wants to have me close to him.

Krist: ah, it’s because he likes you a lot.

Claire: I know, but loving someone means letting them make their choices too.

Krist: yes, you are absolutely right. If not, do my friends know that I’m better now?

Claire: no, not yet.

The prison director arrives.

Claire: here’s my father coming.

Krist pretends to be asleep.

Claire: hi dad!

Director Hector: hello sweetie, are you okay?

Claire: yes dad.

Hector: ok, beware of these people, don’t get attached to them, they could hurt you and I won’t like it.

Claire: I know dad. And they don’t hurt me.

Hector: Okay, A+.

He leaves.

Claire: ah, he really annoys me! He’s the one who forced me to work here and he’s afraid someone will hurt me. If he’s not busy, that’s every hour he spends here.

Krist: It’s because you are very dear to him. Look, for example, my father disowned me just because I married a woman he didn’t want.

Claire: what, are you married?

Krist: Yes.

Claire: Oh! Your wife must be very lucky.

Krist: no, I was the one who was very lucky to have him.

Claire: ok, and things still aren’t going well with your father?

Krist: We finally made up a day before I was brought here.

Claire: then that’s good.

Krist’s home.

Stella arrives with a Bangkok bag in hand. She greets everyone and Isabelle gets up to take the bag with her. Stella stays with the guests while Isabelle gets to work cooking.

Stella: how are you gentlemen?

Bruno: we are fine, young lady. Do you live in this house?

Stella: Yes.

Bruno: who or what are you to my daughter and her husband?

Stella: well, I’m nothing and no one to them, but they consider me their daughter. Mr. Krist and Ms. Isabelle are angels on earth. They don’t deserve all the suffering that happens to them. When I had nowhere to go, no food to eat, no place to sleep, they took me in and treated me like their daughter. I found a wonderful family with them.

Bruno: yes, my daughter still has a big heart and Krist is a good man. Please call me my daughter.

Stella: immediately sir.

Stella goes to call Isabelle who joins her father.

Bruno: my daughter, we have to leave.

Isabelle: what, again? I’m getting ready for dad.

Bruno: oh, thank you very much but I have to leave, another time?

Isabelle (sad): I thought you were trying to make up for lost time, Dad? You will never change.

Bruno: okay, I’ll stay but hurry up a little.

Isabelle (smile): thank you dad, I’ll get started.

She joins Stella and they cook together. Bruno and Séverin discuss.

Séverin: Hey, even married, your daughter is still very beautiful.

Bruno: it’s true, she has a unique beauty. You can’t imagine how many boys I kicked out of my house.

Séverin: anyway! But tell me, why are you so angry with her husband, yet I have never heard any negative testimonies about him?

Bruno: I just blame him because my daughter fell in love with him. He made me lose a good deal. At that time, I was friends with the director of customs and we had reached an agreement. If I agree to give my daughter in marriage to his son, 1, he will not control my products going out or coming in and 2, customs clearance will be cheaper, it was really a great deal for me. It was the perfect opportunity to import certain products, let’s say a little illegal, but because of him, I missed this opportunity.

Séverin: ah, now I understand why you hate him so much.

Bruno: When I disowned my daughter, I thought she was going to renounce him but I was surprised to replace that she had accepted being disowned. I was so angry with this idiot who ripped out my daughter’s heart. I looked for opportunities to make him pay but I didn’t replace until one day I met him in a restaurant where he was I gave him my card promising him a better job. One day, he called me and that’s when his ordeal began.

Séverin: hum, as they say, revenge is a food best eaten cold.

Bruno: now I need you to seduce my daughter. Her husband is in prison and what’s more, I stopped her from seeing him. She is all alone so she will need a shoulder to collect herself.

Séverin: you can count on me. For such a beautiful woman, I am ready for anything.

Bruno: great!

A moment later, Isabelle and Stella serve the meal in the dining room and they all eat together.

Isabelle: enjoy your meal, everyone.

Bruno: you made my favorite dish, you really impress me.

Isabelle: I am very happy to see you again, Dad.

Bruno: me too.

Isabelle: I have something to tell you.

Bruno: go ahead!

Isabelle: no, I prefer to wait until we finish the meal first.

Bruno: ok, it’s whatever you want.

After lunch.

Bruno: your meal was really appetizing, I loved it!

Séverin: yes, it was really very delicious!

Isabelle: thank you.

They return to the living room.

Bruno: so, what is this news that you wanted to tell me?

Isabelle: well I’m pregnant!

Bruno: what, oh my God, are you really serious?

Isabelle: yes dad.

Bruno: Am I really going to have a grandson?

Isabelle: yes!

She was really happy to see her father again. He hugs her and congratulates her.

Bruno: really, thank you for everything my daughter, now we will have to leave.

Isabelle: okay dad, I’ll take you home. Stella!

She arrives and says goodbye to Mr. Bruno then Isabelle walks them to the door. They get in their car to leave. Isabelle returns inside with full of joy. They chat on the way.

Bruno: she’s pregnant! It’s really perfect. You must make this child yours, I want him to consider you as his father. Besides, you must succeed in winning my daughter’s heart, you have one year for that.

Séverin: count on me sir!

Inside.

Stella: wow, your father’s presence is really wonderful for you.

Isabelle: but yes, you don’t know how much I needed him to be there for me.

Stella: yes I know, we all need fatherly love. My grandmother told me one day that only your husband’s love could somewhat replace your father’s but since both were not there, I don’t even dare to imagine the pain you feel. Fortunately, today your father comes back into your life.

Isabelle: yes, it’s a great happiness for me.

Stella: I’m glad to know that. We can’t stay like this until tomorrow, how about we go to the living room and you tell me a little about your childhood with your father?

Isabelle: well, tomorrow I have to go back to work so…

Stella: precisely, that’s why you need to completely relax. You’re not a beginner to need to revise or whatever.

Isabelle: I think you’re right, let’s go.

So they go to the living room to work.

Prison.

When the inmates should be going to eat, Aristide sneaks off to go to the infirmary.

Aristide: can I come in?

Claire: yes of course.

He enters and approaches Krist.

Krist: Aristide, how did you manage to be there?

Aristide: It doesn’t matter. How are you feeling ?

Krist: I feel a little better.

Aristide: Thank God, thank you very much Claire.

Claire: That’s okay, it’s my job.

Krist: When can I get out of here?

Claire: After at least a week. You need to recover completely. I promise to take very good care of you

Krist: Thank you Claire.

Aristide: I was so anxious not to know how you were. Now I have to go back.

Krist: thank you very much Aristide.

Aristide leaves and meets a guard.

Guard: Hey you! Where do you come from ?

Aristide: I was seeing a friend in the infirmary.

Guard: go, join the others!

This is how he joins his friends and takes his share of food to eat. Claire also serves food to Krist. On the other side, Isabelle and Stella replace enough customers and return at 9 p.m.