For Better And For Worse
Chapter 48

Krist’s home.

In the afternoon, Arsène decides to go to Krist’s address that his brother had given him. He knocks and Stella comes to open the door.

Stella: hello sir.

Arsène: hello miss. Is this Mr. Kristian’s home?

Stella: yes, you are in the right place.

Arsène: I am Pastor Arsène, I have to speak to his wife.

Stella: Please come in.

She brings him in and leads him to the living room where Isabelle is. She gets up to greet him and give him a place. Stella brings him a drink and sits down to talk.

Arsène: how are you ladies?

Isabelle: we are fine and you?

Arsene: It’s okay by the grace of God. I am Pastor Arsène and I have my brother in prison. He is incarcerated in the same prison as your husband and it is he who sent me to you on his behalf.

Isabelle’s heart beats fast when she hears these words. They want to know more and quite quickly.

Isabelle: oh good! Has he told you how he is?

Arsène: yes. Your husband is doing well, except that he missed you very much.

Isabelle: I also miss him a lot.

Arsène: he asks how you and the baby are?

Isabelle: if I tell you that I’m fine, I’ll be lying to you pastor. It’s been more than three months since I last saw him because every time I visit him, I am told that he is not allowed to have visitors. I just want to die but if I’m still standing looking like I’m getting better, it’s only for our baby, so that my condition can’t affect him because unlike me, he’s doing very well. GOOD.

Arsène: oh, I’m so sorry for you ma’am. Lots of courage and pray a lot, one day it will be okay.

Isabelle: if there was a God somewhere, he would not allow us to experience such injustice and suffering.

Arsène: let me tell you something, my sister. No matter how much you suffer, do not deny God or lose your faith. God sees everything you are going through and he will lift you up one day. Remember Job, despite everything he suffered, he never denied God and you saw how God raised him. The story of Job is there to show us that in life, we cannot only live better days, the worst of the worst can also happen to us but we must hold on and we will have a better life after these hard trials. Our biggest mistake is that we believe in God only in better days and we think that since he is a good God, he only exists in happiness but no, even in misfortune and in the worst, God is there and he would also like to be remembered in these moments as Job always remembered him. You may ask yourself, why does God put you through so many trials? Well, I’ll ask you another question: Did Job do anything wrong to go through all this suffering? No. God does nothing without reason and I would also tell you that God tests his children because he loves them, he probes those who are dear to him so my sister, believe in God, in happiness as in misfortune, in the best as in in the worst. And one day he will act, he will completely transform your life as he transformed Job’s.

Isabelle was in tears as she listened to these words from the pastor. She wipes them.

Isabel: thank you very much pastor, you gave me back my faith, thank you very much.

Arsène: nothing wrong. If you wish, I will come by from time to time to see you if you wish.

Isabelle: okay pastor, no problem. Thank you again and let my husband know that we are doing our best not to get depressed and that our baby is doing well.

Arsène: okay, courage to you.

She thanks him. He asks to leave and she walks him to the door. On the way back, she hasn’t taken more than 10 steps when someone honks behind him. She comes back to open. It’s Master Célestin. He brings her car in and exchanges k****s with her before they enter. He chats with the two and tells them all about Krist. He also tells them that they could visit him and they thank him very much. After a few minutes, he leaves. Isabelle and Stella were burning with impatience to go see Krist, so much so that they wish tomorrow would be in a few minutes. Shortly after the departure of Master Célestin, Doctor Roger arrives. Stella comes to open the door and without responding to his greeting, she tells him to come in. She takes him to the living room and leaves him with Isabelle.

Roger: how are you Isabelle?

Isabelle: how do you want me to go, my husband is in prison?

Roger: I’m sorry but you shouldn’t be alone, you need someone by your side. It will finally take five years!

Isabelle: where is your problem at this level, doctor?

Roger: I really care about you Isabelle, I just want you to be happy.

Isabelle: in that case leave me alone otherwise I won’t stop until your wife knows the truth. I don’t know what lies you made up for her but if you continue, she will know the truth one day.

Roger: Isabelle, I want to make you my second wife.

Isabelle: not even in a dream. What if you left now?

Roger: ok, see you later sweetie.

He wanted to k**s her on the cheek but she refuses so he leaves. Stella, who had been listening to them from the kitchen, joined her, laughing.

Stella: you really put him in his place. He’s not even ashamed. Isabelle I want to make you my second wife. Trshipp.

Isabelle: This one is seriously starting to annoy me!

Stella: leave him, he’ll regret it when he realizes you weren’t playing.

Prison.

Early in the morning, Séverin goes to the prison where Krist is being held. He waits not far from the entrance waiting for Claire to arrive. A car drops her off a little later. Séverin rushes to approach her before she can enter.

Séverin: excuse me, madam, please.

She stops and he joins her.

Séverin: hello, are you Ms. Claire?

Claire: yes it’s me and it’s miss.

Séverin: oh, excuse me. You are a very beautiful girl.

Claire: Thank you. Who are you and what do you want from me?

Séverin: My name is Séverin, we don’t know each other but I think we have interests, let’s say that converge.

Claire: I don’t understand you there.

Séverin: you and I both want the same thing if we can say that. It’s about Krist.

Claire: Krist, what do you know about Krist?

Séverin: I know that he is incarcerated here, leaving a woman at home who is all alone and pregnant. I also know that you are in love with him.

Claire: You don’t know anything about me.

Séverin: your name is Claire, you live with your father who is the director of this prison where you work as a nurse. Do you want me to continue?

Claire: Did you investigate me?

Séverin: I just want us to get along and help each other

Claire: who tells you I need your help?

Severin: listen! You want to have Krist, I want to have his wife so we can work together to achieve our goals.

Claire: I’m not interested. Bye !

Severin: wait! Take my card, if you change your mind, call me!

She takes the card and leaves. Séverin also returns to his car and leaves.

Inside, in Krist and Aristide’s cell, after morning prayer, Krist remains thoughtful.

Aristide: what are you thinking?

Krist: I have to find a way to talk to the director.

Aristide: what, it’s almost impossible?

Krist: nothing is impossible for a man driven by will and determination. I need to know why he banned me from visiting and why he wanted to kill me.

Aristide: how do you plan to get there?

Krist: I’m looking and I’ll find it eventually.

They go to the gym and Krist joins Bayoko. His men are also approaching.

Krist: Hello!

Bayoko: you again, you’re starting to annoy me.

Krist: I still need your service.

Bayoko: who tells you that I want to help you?

Krist: I never had anything against you but you wanted to kill me so you owe a lot of debt to me, don’t you think?

Bayoko: what do you want this time?

Krist: I still need access to the infirmary, I have a little matter to settle with the nurse.

Bayoko: tell me, were you having s*x?

Krist: It’s none of your business.

Bayoko: very good, but if I have to help you, I’m going to need something in return this time.

Krist: What do you want?

Bayoko: I need two things: 1, agree to participate in the tournament and 2, you need to get rid of this guardian, Harold. He seems to be ignoring the rules here.

Krist: These are two things I couldn’t do.

Bayoko: in this case we have nothing more to say to each other.

Krist leaves. He’s still thinking of other ways to get to the infirmary. A few hours later, a guard shows up.

Guard: 8747, you have visitors.

Krist gets up and follows him. Arriving in the visiting room, his heart skipped a beat when he saw his wife on the other side of the glass. What he wouldn’t give to be able to hold her in his arms? But it’s impossible. He couldn’t do anything but just look at her and die to k**s her really hard. His heart was beating fast as if he had just met this magnificent creature for the first time. Isabelle, for her part, was filled with emotions, she shed tears. She was sitting impatiently waiting for her husband to come pick up the phone for a chat. Krist walks over and sits down, staring into her eyes. He finally picks up the phone.

Krist: Hello!

Isabelle: hello!