CHAPTER 2

“What is the point?” Vanessa asked quietly. “My husband could become infected and I am not sure I would be able to carry a child without getting it infected.”

The doctor smiled and passed some fliers to Vanessa. “There is a seminar coming up in few months, centered at enlightening PLWHA.”

“Make sure to attend this with your husband.” She added with a sad smile, “it will help you both in overcoming this challenge.”

Vanessa’s lips trembled as she tried to smile, a weak smile spreading out on her face.

“My husband—my husband,” She laughed. “What made you think I would tell him?”

The doctor stared at her in slight confusion, “Well that is between the both of you but you should inform him, silence is not the answer. Anyway, I will prescribe some medications for you, trust me Mrs. Compton if you adhere to my instructions, you can live longer than most normal people. I mean you are a doctor yourself, you know these things.”

“Medicine is advanced and I assure you if you do not give up on yourself and your drugs, you will carry a child to its full term and give birth without infecting your child. HIV isn’t the end of the world if it is adequately managed. And besides it would get to a stage when the percentage of the infection would be about a meager 0.97 percent and you would be able to have unprotected sex with your partner without fear of transmitting it to him. So please Vanessa, everything would be fine.” She further explained and Vanessa nodded not really soaking up the details.

The doctor scribbled on a note and handed it to Vanessa, who in turn kept it in her bag.

She murmured a gratitude to the doctor and this time without looking back she left the room, walking out of the hospital like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

She found her way to her car and turned the key in the ignition, putting her car in drive with no sense of destination. It was a miracle she didn’t get involved in an accident as she didn’t even see the road she was driving on. Her mind was playing tricks on her and all she saw was her husband leaving her, tears blurred her vision as she finally parked her Audi.

She finally forced herself to become conscious of her environment and she notes that she was at the beach.

‘Why the beach?’ she wondered.

She alighted from her car, shoving the keys into her jeans pocket and wandered aimlessly around the sandy shoreline. At last, she found herself sat and settled on rocky bed, throwing stones into the river.

‘This is so cliché.’ She murmured ludicrously at fate, as this was the exact same spot and manner she had met Henry, her ex.

Her first love

***she had failed some important courses and feeling disappointed in herself, she walked to the beach and sat on her favorite spot to get some fresh air also to decide on the path her life would take academically. She absently minded raised her hand to toss a stone in frustration into the rolling waves of the sea, then the deepest and sexiest voice she has ever heard at the time whispered close to her ears.

“Please hold that stance, you are so beautiful.” He had murmured into her ears.

Although the request was weird, she managed not to turn to look at the owner of the voice, holding the pose just as he had instructed. The man seemed to carry a color palette and canvas everywhere he went to, so he set up his materials and set to work. About three hours later, Vanessa’s poor neck that was craned protested and she gave up, dropping her hand and she cried out.

“Excuse me sir, I don’t know who you are but my neck hurts.” She whined, massaging the stiff neck.

“My bad, I was done painting you an hour after we started, I have this problem of forgetting my models are human and needs a break.” He chortled ruefully.

“Oh dear lord, forgive my manners, I am Henry Houston, a painter and you, my beautiful model?” He had said, smiling crookedly at her.

She laughed trying to dispel the awkwardness, “it’s fine, and I am Vanessa darego, a medical student at the Crawford University.”

He smiled widely with his eyes crinkling at the sides. Vanessa noticed his eyes were a rich warm amber color and his lips looked so soft and pink.

She wondered how it would feel like to press her lips against his, to feel his stubble run against her soft cheeks, his next words brought her out of her ogling, “I really do want to see more of you, do you mind giving me a mode of contacting you?”

His politeness made butterflies flutter in the pit of her belly and she blushed, asking for his mobile phone if he had one. He handed it to her.

She inputted her phone number and email address, also wanting to see more of this handsome stranger.

“Thank you”. He winked at her.

He made a little bow and packed up his tools, turning to leave but Vanessa stopped him, “can I see what you painted.” She had asked in a shy and quiet voice.

He smirked, his full lips lifting up at the left side and shook his head.

She made to protest and throw a hissy fit but he shushed her, “Why don’t you hold on so you’d have something to look forward to when next we meet”.

She shook her head but he ignored her with a smile and walked away from her, without turning once to look at her, all she could do was stare at his retreating back, till he faded into a thin nothingness and she was all alone. She wondered if she had imagined the whole encounter but was proved wrong as her eyes caught a glimpse of a small paintbrush in the soft sand. She decides to keep it as a souvenir for the services she rendered to him***.

A loud whistle in the far off distance brought Vanessa’s thought to the bleary present.

She had spent hours at the beach and it was already dark. She could hardly make out her fingers in front of her. She managed to fish out her cell phone from her pocket and switched on the led flash light, which illuminated her surroundings. She shuffled her feet exasperatedly in the soft beach sand, heading towards the spot she parked her Audi. She found her car and entered into it, buckling herself in tightly as she began the short drive home.