For Better And For Worse
Chapter 33

Krist’s home.

While Isabelle and Stella were talking, she received a message from Doctor Roger.

Roger: good evening, the most beautiful woman in the world. How are you doing ? I hope you had a nice day? I can’t stop thinking about you so I’m sending you this message to tell you that you haunt my nights so much, you drive me crazy.

She looks at the message.

Isabelle: tsrupm!

Stella: what is it?

Isabelle: a message from Doctor Roger. Look what a married man writes to another woman.

Stella picks up the phone to read the message.

Stella: um, really! May God spare me from such men!

Isabelle: I hope that Master Célestin will be the right one.

Stella: hey, there’s nothing serious between us yet. We’re just friends.

Isabelle: um, that’s it, friends. And you know how far there is between friendship and love. 0cm.

Stella: you’re exaggerating, there are people who are friends without being in love.

Isabelle: that’s different my dear because some friendships can very quickly turn into love.

Stella: you’re right.

She receives a message from Célestin.

Isabelle: speaking of the Wolf…

She smiles and opens the message.

Célestin: so, how did it go with Isabelle’s mother?

Stella (to Isabelle): he asks how things went with your mother.

Isabelle: how does he know?

Stella: Well, we had a date but I had to cancel it.

Isabelle: oh, I’m sorry.

Stella: no, no reason to be. Let me answer him.

Isabelle: go ahead!

Stella (to Célestin): everything went well. She waited until Isabelle arrived and the reunion was… emotional.

Célestin: cool! I think his presence would have really comforted Mrs. Krist.

Stella: absolutely. Otherwise, how was your evening?

Célestin: good, except that there was nothing interesting.

Stella: Once again, sorry.

Célestin: no, we’ll do that another time.

Stella: yes, that’s it.

Celestin; Well, k**s me Isabelle and good night to you.

Stella: Thank you. I wish you the same.

Célestin: that’s nice!

The discussion thus ends.

Stella: he k****s you.

Isabelle (teasing her): I know that smile.

Stella: what else are you going to imagine?

Isabelle: I can’t imagine anything, I see and it’s clear that you are in love.

Stella: you may be right but I reserve my reservations. You never know with men.

Isabelle: you are right. You know, I discovered love when I was in 6th grade, I thought it was just a puberty crisis but this love has lasted until today and I married the most wonderful of all men, Well, for me.

Stella: ah, there at least.

Anyway, they keep chatting the whole time they were awake. Tomorrow morning, Isabelle goes to work and Stella to university.

Prison.

This morning, Claire arrives at work and goes to open her infirmary. Krist was already awake.

Claire: hello Krist, awake this morning?

Krist: hello Claire, yes wide awake and you?

Claire: very good on my side. How are you feeling ?

Krist: getting better and better.

Claire: I’m delighted. I brought you your breakfast, accompanied by fruit and also milk.

Krist: thank you very much, that’s very kind.

Claire: Please. Do you want to eat now or a little later.

Krist: Later will be better, when the sun comes up.

Claire: okay, it’s up to you.

An hour later, Claire’s father arrives.

Director: hello again my daughter.

Claire: hi dad.

Director: I just stopped by to see you before starting work. Wait, is this patient still here?

Krist pretends to be asleep.

Claire: yes dad, he was really damaged, he still has to stay a few days to recover.

Director: I hope he doesn’t hurt you?

Claire: Dad, look at him, he’s almost dying.

Director: that reassures me. Well, I have to leave you and don’t forget, as soon as you get into trouble, press the alarm button.

Claire: Understood dad.

The director returns to his office.

Claire: phew!

Krist: is everything okay?

Claire: ah, I’ve had worse. A protective father is so annoying! Okay, it’s time for breakfast. Come on, wash your face.

Krist: okay mom.

She smiles and gives him something to eat. A little later, in the afternoon, Isabelle, her mother and Stella arrive at the prison to see Krist again but unfortunately for them, like last time, they were not given permission to see him. They insisted in vain and ended up distributing it without being able to see it. Isabelle was very shocked and dejected at the same time. She kept crying and wondering why she was being refused to see her husband but no one knew the reason. A few days later, Krist has recovered sufficiently and must return to his cell.

Claire: I have to say goodbye to you, today you will have to return to your cell.

Krist: thank you for everything Claire, you are a good person.

Claire: That’s okay. If only I could do something to stop you from going back to that cell.

Krist: that’s nice but don’t worry about me, it’ll be fine.

Claire: I hope so too.

So Krist was released this morning while everyone was eating. Since he has already eaten Claire’s breakfast, he decides to be taken directly to the cell. So he stays there alone and takes out the photo of his wife to look at it. He thinks of her, he misses her very much.

Krist: why haven’t you come to see me yet my love? You have no idea how much I miss you. I love you so much you know and I will love you all my life. You are my reason for living, you give meaning to my life. But today, my life no longer has any meaning because you are not near me. I need to see you in real life my love, please come see me.

He was deep in thought when the inmates returned to their cells. Aristide arrives and sees him. A great joy invaded his heart.

Aristide: Krist, finally here you are, I missed you so much!

Krist: I missed you too my friend.

They hug each other.

Krist: ouch!

Aristide: sorry, tell me how you feel?

Krist: the physical wound is nothing Aristide, but the one in my heart is slowly destroying me. Why didn’t she come to see me?

Aristide: I’m sorry Krist, courage!

To the hospital.

Isabelle had nothing to do, so she stayed alone in her office and started thinking about Krist. She starts to cry and Alice arrives.

Alice: oh Isabelle, what’s happening to you, are you crying? Sorry, what a stupid question! You think of your husband of course.

Isabelle: I don’t know why they’re stopping me from seeing him Alice, his absence hurts me so much. Without him, I’m totally lost, I feel like I’ve never lived without him before and now that he’s not here, everything is black around me.

Alice: I can imagine how hard that must be. If only I could do something to help you Isabelle.

Isabelle: there is nothing you can do Alice, I have to live with it.

His phone rings, it’s Doctor Roger. She picks up.

Isabelle: leave me alone, doctor!

She hangs up immediately.

Alice: Take courage my darling!

She takes her in her arms to console her.

Isabelle: I have to go see him again, excuse me.

Alice: Go!

She still goes to the prison but she is still forbidden from seeing her husband. She was disconcerted and upset, so much so that on her return, she experienced a traffic accident, hit by a car on her husband’s motorcycle. At this moment, Krist who was resting suddenly gets up as if an invisible force pushed him to get up. The beating sound becomes more intense as if his heart wants to burst out of his chest. He was in pain.

Aristide: Krist, what’s wrong?

Krist: I don’t know what’s happening to me. I feel like my soul has left my body, as if I faced a grave danger that caused it to flee.

Aristide: has this ever happened to you once?

Krist: no, it’s the first time. I think something bad is happening, something very bad.