Entangled

“Happy Anniversary sweetheart” Rob wished Lisa, while looking longingly into her eyes and kissing her hand. Lisa, the love of her life, genteel, tall, slim, blue-eyed and blonde haired woman. The epitome of conventional beauty, who he married after the death of his first wife Gwyneth. “Happy Anniversary, my darling” she replied while giving him a sensuous kiss on his neck before passionately kissing him. “You’re an absolute sweetheart” she said, Rob smiled and sensually stroked her arm and before taking out tickets to Paris from his jacket. “Your favourite hotel is reserved, delicious croissants, lots of wine and just me and you this weekend in Paris” he said with a hint of lust in his eyes.

Rob and Lisa met when Lisa started working as his secretary. Rob, a rich lonely man with no children and Lisa, young, beautiful, smart and mysterious. Although Rob is twenty years older than Lisa, their romance blossomed when Rob was mourning the death of his wife, and worked long hours to process his grief. Lisa came along and Rob found solace in how she made him feel. Their work relationship turned into friendship which blossomed into romance. Although Rob always found Lisa attractive, and intellectually there was mystery to her. There was also a familiarity. He always felt as though he seemed to have known her. Rob never thought too deeply about Lisa, she felt safe and he just cared about how she made him feel. After Gwyneth’s death Lisa taught him how to live and love again.

Paris looks divine in the summer, Lisa and Rob are standing on the balcony of their opulent hotel. Rob hugging Lisa from the back, watching the sunrise after a night of passionate love making. Lisa gives Rob a kiss while heading into the shower. “See you soon darling” she says provocatively, Rob resists the urge to follow her, he heads inside the room and orders breakfast. As he places the receiver down, he sees Lisa’s phone light up. It’s a call from a number that seems to be familiar. He answers the call, it’s from a clinic. “Hello” Rob said questions running through his mind along with concern for Lisa. “Can I speak to Mrs Brand” asked a female voice on the phone. “She is not available at the moment, I am her husband”, what’s the matter, is she okay?” “I am afraid, I am not authorised to disclose any information, but could you please ask her to give us a call?” she said. “Yes of course" Rob replied and she hung up. Rob wondered what was wrong, fear started creeping in, he did not want to go through what he had been through when losing Gweneth to cancer. He managed to console himself, Lisa came out of the shower, noticing the visible concern on Rob’s face. “What’s the matter love?” she asked. “Darling, is everything alright?” Rob asked, there was a sense of fear in his question “Ofcourse, why do you ask?” she asked with a bewildered look. “The clinic called for you” Lisa paused before answering hoping nothing was disclosed. “Oh, it’s just a routine blood test, they like to call to check whether I have received the results, nothing to worry about” She walked over and gave Rob a kiss to reassure him. Rob pulled her in for a hug, but he was not convinced. He noted the slight hesitation in her voice. “Shall we have a wonder around?” Lisa asked. Rob smiled “Sure darling, give me ten minutes”.

3 Years ago

“Robert, I am afraid it’s not good news, “Gwyneth does not have long left, I am afraid, we can make arrangements for end of life respite, I am sorry” said Dr Grant. “Thank you for trying your best doctor, " said Rob. The anticipatory grief of losing Gwyneth started consuming him. He was preparing himself for this statement, but one cannot prepare enough for such eventualities. Rob sat in the reception with tears rolling down his face, not sure how to face Gwyneth.

“All the arrangements have been made for Gwyneth’s end-of-life care. This is Tom, the nurse who will be looking after Gwyneth” Tom was a tall, soft spoken young man with striking blue eyes. He extended his hand to shake Rob’s hand, Rob shook his hand and noticed Tom looking in a strange way at him, it was as if Tom was trying to read his mind. “I’ll take care of Gwyenth and make sure she is comfortable,” he said reassuringly.

Tom was very attentive whenever Rob spoke, he also learned to anticipate Rob’s needs. He kept a watchful eye on Gwyneth and took over the household responsibility. Rob was too busy to notice. “You must be exhausted,” Tom said with sympathy, but startling Rob when he was in his office, it was late at night, Tom let himself into Rob’s office, “Yes, it has been a long day” Rob replied. “Would you like a drink?” Tom asked with mischief in his eyes. “Yes, please, actually, allow me, what do you prefer?” Rob said. “Whatever, you wish to offer?” Tom said in a coquettish manner, which Rob found strange but shrugged it off. Rob poured some whiskey in two glasses while Tom watched Rob intently. “Tell me about yourself, Tom?” How did you end up in this job?” Rob asked, trying to take his mind of Gywneth, not really interested in the answer. “My mother was a nurse and she was my biggest inspiration, and here I am,” Tom responded with a smile. Rob wondered what he was thinking. Tom’s gaze was fixed on Rob. Rob felt slightly giddy and fell back on his chair, his eyes closed, Tom walks over and gently massages Rob’s shoulders, and whispers, I can help you relax and seductively starts to unbutton Rob’s shirt. Rob, could not push Tom’s hands away, “Stop, what are you doing?” “Relax, just enjoy the moment”. Rob gathered the wherewithal to push Tom away, “GET THE FUCK OUT”, Tom calm and composed, said, “I will make you mine”. “I WANT YOU OUT OF HERE!” Tom left, there was a strange resolve in his eyes.

For months, Tom would wait outside Rob’s house. Rob would receive letters written in blood, Tom expressing his feelings for Rob. Until one night, Rob returned home to find, Gwyneth was dead and Tom was sitting beside her bed. “What the fuck are you doing here and who let you in?” Rob said in a panic. “Gwyneth, sweetheart, can you hear me?” Gwyneth lay on the bed unresponsive. “What did you do? You son of a bitch” “What, she was dying anyway, I put her out of her misery, she is gone, there is nobody between us” Tom responded nonchalantly. “I am calling the police” Rob said. Tom struck him on the head just as Rob was leaving the room. Tom dragged him into his office. “Not giving up on you Rob, you belong to me” Tom said. He left the room and Rob opened his eyes, grunting and holding his head. He got up and steadied himself and reached for his gun. Rob waited, he heard the door lock click. He hid behind the door with his finger on the trigger. As soon as Tom entered, Rob pulled the trigger and shot him in the back. Tom lay on the floor, with blood blotted on his shirt. Rob called the police and that chapter was closed with Rob being acquitted for self-defence. Tom survived and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and admitted to a high security psychiatric ward.

Two months later after the Paris Trip

Rob felt restless since returning from Paris, Lisa seemed to be cagey and had been avoiding him. “Why don’t we get some dinner tonight sweetheart?” Bob said. “I can't, darling, I am teaching a pilates class tonight. There was an awkward silence between them. Rob was waiting for her to reschedule, but Lisa continued to prepare breakfast. “Lisa, is everything alright?” Rob asked with concern visible on his face. “Why don’t you stop badgering me and grab yourself a plate” she retorted. Rob stood there aghast, wondering what had led to her hostile attitude towards him. Feeling guilty she turned around and apologised swiftly. “I am so sorry honey, it’s just that I have been stressed lately, Rita, is not well”. “What? Why didn’t you tell me Rita is not well?” he asked. “It’s just that, you have a lot on and Gwyneth’s anniversary is coming up, I didn’t want to burden you”. “Sweetheart, Rita is your sister, I want to support you and her in any way I can, she is family” Rob said, he gives her a hug but something is a miss, why would she hide about Rita? Rob decided to follow Lisa that evening, she drove for an hour to a house, which is not Rita’s. He waited in the car until she went inside, he tiptoed around the property to look for clues as to whose house it was. He crouched behind a bush close to the house and can see she is with a man in his living room, is she having an affair he thought. They left the room and he could no longer see them. She came out of the house after half an hour. Rob did not confront her, he went home and straight into his office, and pretended to be busy. Lisa came into the office “Are you coming to bed?” she asked, “No darling, you go ahead, I have a few things to finish” she gave him a kiss “don’t be too long”, she said. “I won't,” he said with a forced smile.

As soon as Lisa left the next morning, Rob searched her wardrobe, rummaged through the drawers but no luck, no clue as to what she was up to. He went to the house Lisa went to last night. He saw the man leave the house and followed him, he drove to a hospital and stealthily followed him inside. The man took the lift which was fairly crowded, which allowed Rob to blend in with the crowd. The man was clueless that he was being followed. He walked into his office, the name plate read Dr Jason Bradman gynecologist. Why would Lisa need to see a gynecologist? Rob drove to the office and decided to call Rita, but could not get through, so he left her a voicemail to call him back. Rob sat there, with his intuition getting louder, something is going on. He decided to follow Lisa again, this time to a safe storage. Rob managed to steal the key to the locker and returned the next day and was shocked to find a driving licence which was Tom’s. He stood there frozen. Why does Lisa have Tom’s driving licence? How is she linked to Tom? He googled Tom and numerous newspaper articles came up. “Tom Brandon, end of life nurse detained in a high security psychiatric ward” “Tom Brandon, the psycho nurse who killed a businessman’s dying wife”. One article caught his eye and sent chills down his spine. “Tom Brandon, absconds from a high security facility, the police are appealing to the public to contact the police and not approach him. It’s a year old article and there are no further articles. Was he ever caught? Rob hired a private detective, there is a link between Lisa and Tom. Why does she have his driving licence?

Lisa came into Rob’s office “Hey darling” Lisa greeted Rob. It was a cold dark evening. Rob was surprised to see her. “Hey” Rob replied flatly. “What’s going on?” she asked with a suspicious tone, “what do you mean?” Rob replied. “I see you have been following me and going through my things she said” Rob froze with surprise. “What do you mean?” Rob acted naive. He had kept his gun close this time in an easy access section under his desk. “Well then, why don’t you tell me who the fuck you really are Lisa” said Rob with anger rising in his chest. “The same blue eyes, the same psychotic face, you fucked up bastard”. “I did say you belonged to me right, just came back for you” said Lisa. “Should have let you bleed you to death that night” said Rob. “I fucking love you, look at me, I went through surgery just to be with you!” she said in an irate tone. “Well too fucking bad, I am not attracted to men not psychotic women”. Lisa moved closer to Rob and punched Rob in the face before attacking him with a knife “You motherfucking son of a bitch” she said. She was about to attack Rob again before the door burst open and it was the police. They swiftly arrested Lisa, she stood there in shock. Rob moved closer “Good luck motherfucker, rot in hell, you psychotic bitch”.

~THE END~