Shouldn't Have Kissed You
Chapter 48

Maya turned herself away from the sun rays that were so much penetrating the curtains in the room that had become hers for the past one week. Another night of her not sleeping at all. To even think that it was one week and still she didn't get any sleep at all.

She drew the duvet on the over her head and tried to close her eyes. She did try and she had been doing that for those past days but the image of the Kimberly and her husband didn't let her close them for that long.

They were there. In front of her. Shouting at each other on things that she didn't even understand herself and then the revolution. The truth coming into light. That's when her world turned upside down. When she realized that she, she had not been the only victim in this relationship alone.

Maya pushed the covers away and walked to the bathroom. Her tears wouldn't let her be for the past one week. She thought that maybe she would cry for a day or two but they never stopped running down her cheeks.

She turned the shower on and stripped naked. Maybe the shower would help her in calming down. Help her understand why things had taken that direction. Why she wasn't the one who was pregnant. Instead, it was her ex husband lover who was.

Those were the answers she was seeking. The answers to why she couldn't never be happy with in her life. It's like the universe was against her happiness since the day she was born. Like she was never born to be happy but watch others get their happiness.

It hurt. It hurt that every single time that she got just a little bit of happiness something came her way. And how could it not hurt? She had a bother before who was her happiness but he walked away. He left he to pursue his dreams of becoming a soldier.

Then she met Chris. Her teenager crush who loved her for only few months. Maya had dreams and hopes. She had planned their future together. Their ups and downs and yet, her happiness was taken away from her by an innocent child. A child that knew no mistake of its parents. And who was she supposed to blame for her misfortune? Who?

She had no one. No one to blame but her bad lack. She was a bad omen as her father had grown calling her. She was even a murder as he used to call her. Wait, used to? He still called her that and now, if she used to wonder why, she had the answers now. She had them and it still hurt her. Wasn't she supposed to be happy to finally understand why her dad called her a murder? She was right?

But she was not. Instead it brought more sorrows to her than it did before. The cold water run down her body and the tears did. They still flowed despite the cold water that run down her. How could they stop if she still kept on thinking about her misfortune.

It wasn't fair that she had so many of them. But again the world itself isn't fair. Just as they say if you want fairness in these life, then you've to make it yourself. Like if you don't want to be poor, work hard for you not to be. That's how life is. You need to be a shark in the ocean and not a fish.

But how could she be shark when she was always the fish. The one that was eaten by the sharks. Kimberly was the shark. She had come back to survive and her survival was swallowing the fish which was her. Then how can a fish turn into being a shark? Her happy time was over and it was hard to believe it. Very hard.

Hard as it was with the night that everything changed. How do you accept that the man that you love was raped and he never told you that. Not even once did he see that you could handle such news. He didn' believe in her. Chris didn't trust her that much as to tell her shit.

And could she blame him? Of course not. Maybe she hadn't given him the reason to. She had not given him a chance to prove that he could trust her and that's why he suffered in silence. He made love to her pretending it didn't bring bad memories to him.

He fulfilled all her happiness and not ones did she think of asking if he was okay. She was selfish. Selfish enough to think of only herself and no one else. Selfish to let her husband down in such a way. And how does one make it up to that? How does one correct such mistakes? How?

Maya walked out of the bathroom with her shaking body. She didn't know if it's because of the cold shower or her crying body. Yes, her body was crying in more than one way. Maya pulled a grey sweatpants and a black sweater on her body before sitting on her bed.

She had nothing to do or she wasn't allowed to do anything in this house. Maya pulled her knees up and laid her chin on them. Her thoughts weren't giving her a chance to stop thinking. Her mind just wanted to run wild on its on and she had no energy in stopping it. How she she anyway when it was her reality. Or it's what had become of her. For crying out loud, she hadn't even showed herself in the hospital or even bothered to call.

It's like she even didn't care about her responsibility. Those patience were her responsibility and she didn't bother to as someone to take care of them? Again who was going to be her responsibility? Who was going to go about her anyway?

Was Chris even looking for her? Of course she didn't leave home for her to be searched. She didn't want to get attention of any one by leaving. She just wanted to think. To digest what had translated that evening. The revelation to sink in and she even didn't know she had left the mansion until a cab stood before her.

She was still dressed in her booty shorts. And when the cab stood of the big gate, she realized that she had asked the driver to bring her here. She was still crying and the cab driver being so kind enough he run the door bell and waited till it was opened.

He helped her out of his cab and when he was asked to wait for his cash, he said he helped a person in need and that was more than enough to him. Maya remembered him telling that everything will be alright and all she did was nod her head. And that night she explained her situation to her....

Maya's thoughts were cut short by the knock on the door.

"May I come in?" Bernice asked as her head came to view at the door.

Maya smiled at her and sat up well as she told her mother in law to come in. Yes, she had come to her when ever thing went to south. She run to her or her mind knew she was the only one who would understand her pain. And it was right.

Bernice had treated more than she was supposed to. I mean, what kinda mother in law would chose to heal her daughter in law's pain instead of her hurting son? Apparently it was Bernice. And all she had to do was be there for Maya. Show her love and affection that Maya had failed to show Chris.

"I'll not get tired of telling you this dear," Bernice said to Maya as she took her hands into hers. "Let God fight your battles dear. He has a reason why somethings have to happen the way they do."

Of course He had plans for every reason and that's why He took her happiness away from her when she got one. He never wanted her happy. That's even why He never gave her a chance to meet her mother. To experience motherly love. And He had plans for her? He had His reasons for putting her in such a spot? He sure did have plans for her. He sure did. And they weren't happy ones. But miserable once. But she wasn't going to say that to her mother in law. She wasn't going to say, 'hey mother, guess what, I stopped believing in Him a week a go,' she wasn't going to do that.

"I think this battle I'll fight on my own." Maya said smiling sadly at her mother in law. That was better than saying I no longer believe. "I think He has fought so many of mine that I think its time I fought this one." Bernice rubbed her daughter in law's back. "He never gets tired of fighting for us Maya. He will never do that. God is faithful and I think you've learned or seen His faithfulness in your patience. He never forsakes and He won't start now, dear." She said looking into those swollen green eyes that no longer had life in them. It's like they're giving up when they weren't supposed to do that.

"The reasons why we face more challenges in our lives is because we fight our on battles. We never let God fight for us. And I think it's time we gave God His battles back. God wants His battle Maya. He wants to fight for you and not you to fight for yourself. Do you get me?"

She did but how to do that she had no idea do she just nodded her head. Bernice was a mother that Maya never got to meet. She was always there for her from the word go. And Maya would never regret ever meeting her. She has regretted so much in her life but Bernice will never be one of them.

Bernice pulled Maya into a hug and rubbed her back as Maya took deep breaths.

"Someone came in late yesterday to see you but I didn't let disturb your sleep." Bernice said when she pulled away from the embrace. "That's why I came to fetch you."

Maya thought it was Alma but Alma never waited downstairs for her. In fact when she came, she came with a tray of food to her to room just to force it down her throat. So who would be looking for her? She turned away from Bernice to think of the possible someone but none came in the picture.

It wasn't Chris. He must be mad a her for being selfish. For her not seeing his pain for all those months. For months and she saw nothing. What does that make of her? What does that tell of her? He must hate her so much. Hate her for sharing three good intimate months together yet she saw nothing at all. She didn't even have a hint of anything.

And yet she had the guts to fight with him over him firing Kimberly? Hell she was so stupid and stupid people like her didn't deserve anyone's love. They didn't even deserve to leave because what's the reason when you see no shit around you? She didn't deserve his love and it was good that he didn't come looking for her.

Maya looked at Bernice and smiled her but she was sure it never reached her eyes. It didn't matter how hard she wanted it to reach because it didn't. She got up and walked after Bernice down the corridors of her long hallway.

Maybe one of her friends had figured it out of her where about and they were her to see if she was okay.

"Momma, can I see her now?" Chris asked turning around to look at them only then did he realise that she was there with his mother.

Maya swallowed hard. Why did he come to her? Why was he there? Yes it was his house but still. She had hoped, she had prayed that it wasn't him. Wait a minute, did she just pray? The last time she prayed was in an operation room. That's when she prayed. And that was eight days ago. Yes, that long.

Maya didn't move from where she had stopped. It's funny that her legs didn't move when she wanted them to. Few days ago they moved when she didn't want them to and now when she wants them to they aren't. What do we call that? She also had no idea.

With her legs glued on the ground, her eyes scanned her husband. He had changed in a week. She could notice his loose of weight but not that much. He hadn't shaved also. And his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that she loved to watch while they united were swollen.

They looked like they has not slept for the past few days and it hurt her. Her heart was bleeding for him. It was beating for him also. And in a way she was happy to see that he was okay. That he still breathed despite everything.

Chris smiled at her and unlike her, his smiled reached his swollen eyes. It was genuine and if her heart didn't bleed before, it sure did now.

"Cupcake." He called taking slow measurable steps towards her.

"I'll leave you two to talk." Bernice said walking away from the room. She didn't miss the pleading eyes of Maya but they had to whatever they had gotten themselves in. Alone. "Cupcake." Chris called again drawing Maya away from her pleading eyes which looked where Bernice had disappeared into. He was now in front of her.

And before Maya could do anything, Chris pulled her into his embrace. God, he smelled good as always. A smell that she had missed for those eight days. She missed the warmth that even radiated from his body to hers. She missed her husband so much. She missed her fiancee more than she thought she could ever miss anyone. She missed him more than anything in this world.

"Kitten." Chris called pulling away from her. "Are you okay? Why did you leave me like that. I was going crazy without you. I couldn't even sleep worrying to death about your where abouts. I went to hospitals and police stations to even check you there in more than five time a day. Please never do that because I know I won't survive without you. Okay?"

Maya pulled away letting his hands fall on his side. "What are you doing here Chris?"

That's not what she wanted to ask. It was never going to be a question when she thought of the day she will meet with him. She wanted to tell his not to worry about her. Not to ever give up in leaving for his unborn kid. To never worry about her safety but his. That's what she wanted to tell him. That's all she did want to say all this past days.

"What do you mean, Maya?" Chris asked with hurt. "I came to take me wife home with me Maya and don't think for a second that I'm leaving without you."

"Wife?" Again her mouth was the one talking and not her. You know, like it had its own mind. "What kinda wife do you think you've Chris? The one who doesn't see her husband's pain? The one who doesn't even..."

"Maya, what are you talking about? I never told you no shit." He took her hand into his. "I'm sorry Maya. I'm really sorry."

"You shouldn't be Chris. I am so selfish that I only thought of myself and myself alone. I should have seen your pain. I should have done something to help you."

"Maya, how could you've known that I was raped when I never told you anything. I mean, it happened four months ago and I had those months to tell you. One month earlier we're friends and I chose to keep it to myself. That even proves that I never trusted you enough to tell you my pain."

"That maybe true Chris but I still failed you. You didn't trust me enough to tell me what happened to you because I never made you feel like you can trust me. I mean we're a couple. We should fight this pain together and yet you fought on your own."

"I never fought on my own Maya. I had a psychologist whom I visited every Wednesday afternoon." He let go of her hand and comped his hair with his hands. "Maya, I had your love to keep me going and never once did I remember of that horrible day with you. I admit that I did remember it but not with you. Please believe. You're always there for me in more ways than you think you've Maya. So please let's go home."

"I can't Chris. I'm sorry."

Chris looked at her and she saw the shock on his face. How could she explain it to him? Explain that there life's will never be the same. That she had failed him in more ways than one. That it wasn't him who called the shots anymore and neither was she.

"What do you mean you can't, cupcake." He asked his slowly trying so hard not to shout and she could tell that because it was almost a year since she began to leave with him. "I'm not mad at you and I hope you're not."

"You should hate me, Chris."

"And what right do I've got that?"

"Aren't you listening to me? I'm your wife for crying out loud. I'm supposed to feel your pain and I didn't. You're supposed to hate me."

"I thought we're passed that Maya?" He was now mad.

"Well, we're not Chris. We can't move on from where we left from." She tried to reason. "We can't pretend nothing happened."

"I'm not saying we should pretend. You said that we're man and wife and we should fight together. And yes nothing will be the same again but we've to stick together. I love you Maya. You're my life and I can't leave without you. Or don't you love me anymore?"

"Chris." Maya called him. "I love you but..."

"But what Maya?" He couldn't hold it anymore. He was shouting at her. "I'm a lesser man for you? I'm a weakling who got raped? I mean what kinda strong man gets raped, right? Is that why you no longer want me as your husband? Do I disgust you now? Tell me Maya. Do I mak..."

Slap. And another. That's what stopped him from going on. He was shooting red when he looked up at her but she didn't care. He was talking nonsense and she wasn't going to stand there and listen. If hitting him was what was going to keep him quite, then she will do it again and again.

"What right do you've to judge me? Uhh..." If he could get mad she also could get mad. "How selfish of you to think of yourself Mr. Just a wake up call, the world doesn't revolve around anymore and neither does it revolve around us. I don't even know if there is anymore Chris. Do you think that it's easy.

"Easy for me to always know at the back of my mind that your have an innocent child out of wedlock? That that kid may grow up thinking that I'm the reason it grew up without a complete family? Do you think I'll just follow you because you came looking for me? It's high time you thinking of your child first before anything else."

"What are you talking about Maya? I never planned for this to happen. Hell I'm not even sure if that kid is mine and if it is why did Kim take four months to show up? Why did she show at our door step shaking like a leaf the way she did? I won't thing of that kid until I'm sure it's mine."

"Don't be ridiculous Chris, she even can with the prove herself. Remember the pregnant results which show that the baby is yours, remember? Don't tell me you need DNA test to be sure."

The look in his face told her the answer before he even spoke up.

"Maya don't be so naive. A woman capable of rape is also capable of passing her pregnancy to someone else."

She wasn't being naive. Or maybe she was but she saw the true in Kimberly that night. She saw it and her shaking at there door step was because it was called that night. What else would make her shiver if not coldness. Right?

"I can't do this Chris, I'm so sorry." She moved to walk away but he pulled her right back to him.

Chris held her close that they breathed the same air. No space was left between the two of them and he missed the closeness between them.

"I won't let you walk away Maya." Their lips were brushing each other when he spoke and the softness in his lips had her thanking her mother in law for the privacy. She held felt the back door close when Bernice walked away meaning she wasn't around any more.

"Don't do this to me Maya." He pecked her lips and she missed that. "You can't take my happiness away from me because I'll die. I love you Maya. I love you very much to let you go."

"I also love you Chris but..."

They were swallowed by the warm lips on hers. She even didn't waste anytime in kissing him back. The kiss was pleading. Pleading for her to go back with him and it hurt. And when he slide his tongue with hers, it was too much for her.

It felt like good by yet a promising one. It felt like it was going to be the last time they kissed and her heart bleed with the kiss. She allowed her hands to run through his hair and he held he tight like they were saying goodbye which scared the hell out of her.

Before Maya knew it, they were in the room that she had so much grown used to and Chris's hands where everywhere on her body. This was his room when he came to stay with his mother and that was before they got married because not ones did he come over when they were married.

Instead it was Bernice who visited them but the last she did was even her first when Maya had just gotten married to her son. Chris pulled her sweater Over her head and looked at her. She missed those hazel eyes which were now turning blue dusting over her. He whispered beautiful before taking her lips in his and kissing her like there was no

tomorrow.

And they loved each other before they fell asleep in each others arms.

*******

"Are you ready?" Bernice asked when Maya took the last step of the stairs.

She was dressed in blue sweatpants and a black sweater. It was past two days since Chris came to the house and she had told him that she would think about it before he left. She didn't know why but it felt

like he didn't believe her.

But she had to keep her promise to him and for the past two days she had been thinking. Thinking of what was best for them and she had come up with the answers. And that's why she was going to see him

today.

Maya nodded her head and took the car keys that Bernice had offered her when she had borrowed her phone to call uber.

"Whatever you decide Maya, I'm always here for you."

"Thank you, mother." She walked over and embraced her as tight as she could. "I won't forget this. I promise."

Bernice pulled away and smiled at her. "You better get moving before we start crying or think we're not seeing each other again. I'm sure we've many years of being emotional. Right, just go and see that boy of

mine. And please, go easy on him."

"I'll mother. Goodbye."

"Not goodbye Maya, it's see you later."

"Sure thing." She pecked her forehead before she left.

Maya stood in front of the mansion door. She was confused as to whether walk in or just walk away. And just when she was about to walk away because she couldn't do it, the door opened reviling Kimberly.

She wore a long maternity dress which had Maya regret coming here. She wasn't supposed to be here at all.

"Maya? I was just about to leave." She said moving out of the door way. "Chris is in, I think I'll give you guys space."

"Actually I want you to be there." Maya saw the shock in Kimberly's face but she chose to go on. "It's about us and you're now part of us."

"Maya, I'm so sorry for everything that I did to you and Chris. I just hope that you guys..."

"Can we go in Kim. To be honest I'm not ready for this."

And they did. Kimberly walked before Maya as if understanding what she meant. Something had changed about her but it wasn't time to know what. Maya stood at the sitting room and let her memories of the house flow on her mind.

Both the good and the bad ones. The last time she was here she was watching The Society and never even got the chance to finish it. It wasn't fair. One moment you're happy and the next you're in hell burning

in it.

Kimberly disappeared upstairs which Maya assumed was to call Chris. This was her house and she was supposed to be the one calling her husband and not Kimberly. But allot of things were going to change when she said what she had decided.

Maya didn't know how long she waited but when next she knew where she was she was in her husband's arms. He embraced her tight and kept saying he missed her.

Maya wrapped her arms around him. She watched as Kimberly smile at her. That wasn't the Kimberly that she knew. The Kimberly she knew would be fuming at them and spitting bitter words on her. But as she thought, something had changed with Kim.

"How are you?" Chris asked taking her hands into his. "please have a seat. Did you chose to come back? Do you still want us to fight for our love?"

"Chris, I'm fine and please go easy on me. I might die with your questions before I even get a chance to answer them."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Please sit. I'm just anxious I guess."

"I can understand." She watched as Chris sat on the opposite side from her and Kim sat at the other side.

"I made a decision." Maya said after a long time of silence. None of the two looked away. "I think you should ask your lawyer to meet mine."

It wasn't easy saying that but she

did and her eyes were filled with tears when she finished saying those word. She loved Chris. More

than life itself but at times it's good to let go the people that you love no matter how hard it is. For the sake of the child she sacrificed her love for him. She gave up on their love just for that kid to have a father.

Yes, Chris could be still married to her and still be dad to that kid but she didn't chose that. She wasn't going to be selfish anymore. She was going to do the right thing and the right thing at that moment was for

her to let go. For her to let her husband be a free man.

"What are you talking about Maya?" Chris asked not wanting to believe what she wanted to mean.

"I want a divorce Chris."

Chris got up from his seat. All he could say was no.

"Chris, stop being selfish."

"I'm being selfish? It's you Maya who is the selfish one and not me. You're the one who is thinking of yourself here and not me Maya."

"I'm thinking of myself. I'm not thinking of myself here. I'm thinking of your unborn child."

"And you think that will make me happy?" Chris rubbed the back of his neck looking at his soon to be ex wife if he allowed it.

Maya looked away from him. "It's no longer about what makes us happy anymore."

"Is that so? Then I would rather die that loose you when I just got you."

"Chris..."

"Maya, I think Chris is right. You're what makes him happy and I just wanted him to know that we've a kid together. Not for him to bring the kid up or give up his life but for him to only be aware.'

"What do you mean?"

"Chris loves you and you love him back." Kimberly tried to explain. "I was on my way to take my renewed Visa when you came. I'm leaving the state."

"What?" It was from both of them.

"I'm leaving the state to start a new life. Motherhood life. And I wanted to tell you that before I left and for your forgiveness. Then you left and it contradicted things. But my flight leaves on Thursday."

"And when were you planning to tell me this?" Chris asked.

"Today after I took my Visa."

"You can't take the kid away Kim, I'll divorce Chris."

Kimberly laughed at Maya's statement. "Maya, you're his happiness. Chris has loved you since he first kissed you. He didn't know that but I knew. I mean he had kissed so many people before and nothing has changed but when he kissed you everything changed. I was so much in love with him that I refused to let him go. And my obsession led to rape.

"I regret what I did every single day

and my punishment is Chris not reporting me to the authorities. And I'm sorry Sorry for ever slapping, you, insulting you and baring the bad news. He loves you and you won't

sacrifice his happiness for his pain. I'm his pain and you won't give him that and I won't allow that."

everything she thought.

Maya didn't know who was more shocked between the two of them. Chris or her. But Kimberly's speech had them speechless for all she knew. Kimberly was apologizing and letting Chris go. This changed

When Maya was about to speak up, the door bell went off. Such a bad timing when she wanted to say something to both of them. Chris looked at them and they did the same. Again the door bell went off and

this time Chris moved.

He walked to the door and opened it. Chris walked back to them with two police officer behind him.

"Officer how may I help you?" Maya asked once they had come to stand.

"Their was a man who was hit ten days ago and the car was caught on the street CCTV footage."

The officer in her left tried to explain. Maya saw Kimberly take a step behind and that's when she realized it. It was her who did it. She hit a man and run away and the only place she could go was there. That

explained why she was at their door step shaking.

That's even why she was leaving the state and it's not for motherhood but to escape law. It all made sense to even her saying she didn't even plan on telling Chris she was pregnant. But that night forced her to

say it so that she could stay at the mansion as she worked on her Visa.

"The registration matched the car registered under your name, Mr. Rollins." The other cop went on to explain to them.

"What registration?" Chris asked looking at them. "I was at home. What time did this accident happen?"

"It wasn't an accident since the one who did that run away instead of helping." The left cop answered. "And it took place at around 10p.m.

"I was at home that time."

Maya could tell Chris had not yet put two into two to get one her so she spoke up.

"What's the registration number?"

And they showed it to Chris and it's like it registered something in him since he looked up to explain.

"It's registered under me but..."

"You're under arrested Mr. Rollins and you've to remain silence of whatever you say will be used against you in the court of law." The cop on the right said. "You also have a right to the lawyer and if you can't

afford the state will provide one for you."

"I wasn't the one driving that car."

Chris again tried to explain. Maya saw the fear in Kimberly as she held her belly and felt sorry for her. At times we've to sacrifice our happiness for others. Maybe her mother in law was right the other day to say

everything happens for a reason.

There was a reason why she came her to day. At that hour in fact. It's really true that something happen for a reason.

"Please don't waste our time here sir." The cop on the left went on to say. "Who was driving the car?"

"It was..."

"Me."

And they all turned to Maya.