For Better And For Worse
Chapter 84

Carlos’ home.

Sébastien, Mélanie’s husband is visiting his in-laws this evening. Yvette, Carlos’ wife, came to open the door and was surprised.

Sébastien: good evening mom.

Yvette: my son, what a surprise to see you here, please come in.

They k**s and he enters. They go inside where Carlos is. He gets up when he sees his stepson.

Carlos: hey, stepson, what a surprise! How are you ?

Sébastien: I’m not doing very well, Dad.

Carlos: oh yes, what’s wrong?

Sébastien: I’m not happy with you.

Yvette brings him a drink and sits down.

Carlos: oh yes, what did we do my son?

Sébastien: if my wife came home, you can’t send her back immediately to join me?

Yvette: is your wife home? But, Mélanie didn’t come here.

Carlos: oh no, Mélanie has not set foot here.

Sébastien: what, that’s not possible!

Carlos: Tell us what happened.

Sébastien: Mélanie disappeared with my child.

Yvette: what, since when, and why?

Sébastien: for a month and a half.

Carlos: What happened?

Sébastien: I went on a mission abroad for a month. I left her two million for her ration and her needs for a month but when I call her, she doesn’t pick up until I get home. And once I return, I realize that the house is completely empty, none of my wife’s belongings were in the house. I looked at her friends and acquaintances there in vain and I thought she would have returned. That’s why I’m here.

Carlos: well, I’m sincerely sorry my son, but Melanie didn’t come to our house.

Sébastien: where did she go in this case?

Yvette: my son, is there a problem between you?

Sébastien: no, no problem, mom, I don’t know why she left with my daughter.

Carlos: Do you know what we’re going to do, my son? We’re going to put out a search notice all over the city. In the media, television and radio, in the written press and through posters. If she came here, we’ll find her.

Carlos: okay dad.

They therefore begin to write the wanted notice so that they can send it everywhere for distribution. They will print it and give it to the media and the press for distribution.

Célestin’s home.

Stella visits Célestin this evening. She knocks and he comes to open.

Célestin: Stella, what a pleasure to see you, it’s been a while.

Stella: Yes. Is your wife there?

Célestin: I don’t have a wife and if you’re talking about Mélanie, she’s not here. Please come in.

She comes in and he gives her a seat and serves her a drink.

Célestin: I’m so happy to see you Stella, what good wind brings you to my place?

She stares at him and gives him her test result.

Célestin: are you pregnant?

Stella: Yes.

Célestin: from me?

Stella: Who else do you want me to be pregnant with?

Célestin: your type, Yves?

Stella: I didn’t sleep with him.

Célestin: oh my God, what good news, I’m going to be a father, oh my God, thank you Stella.

He carries her in his arms and turns around.

Stella: stop with that, put me down!

He puts her on the ground.

Stella: are you forgetting that you are already a father?

Célestin: that’s different, I was presented with a child to say that I’m a father, it’s different.

Stella: how do you plan to handle this situation?

He calms down and becomes serene.

Célestin: I don’t know… I really don’t know how I’m going to do it.

Stella: Well, I advise you to find a solution. When you find it, you know where to find me.

She gets up and leaves despite Célestin trying to hold her back. After he leaves, Mélanie comes home. Célestin chats with her.

Célestin: Mélanie, we need to talk.

Mélanie: ok, what do you want to talk about?

Célestin: of both of us.

Mélanie (smile): hum, do you want to formalize our relationship?

Célestin: no, I want you to leave?

Mélanie: that I leave, and why?

Célestin: because my wife is pregnant and I have to marry her.

Mélanie: your wife? I’m your darling wife. Are you forgetting our child?

Célestin: of course not, you leave the child with us and you go away.

Mélanie: I can’t leave my daughter with a stranger.

Célestin: Stella is a good girl, she will know how to take care of herself.

Melanie: never!

Célestin: either you leave the child and go, or you go with her. You have a week to think and make the right decision.

He gets up and returns to the room.

Mélanie: what is this story, this girl will hear me.

Mélanie leaves the child and goes to Stella. The baby doesn’t stop crying so Célestin goes out and doesn’t see his mother. He calls to him in vain and takes the child who calms down.

Stella’s home.

There is a loud knock on the door and Stella comes to open it.

Stella: what’s that, who doesn’t know how to hit like that?

She opens the door and Melanie attacks her directly and they fall inside. Melanie was on top of her, hitting her.

Mélanie: you are going to leave my husband alone!

She knocks her down and starts hitting her too.

Stella: You come to attack me at home, why?

Melanie: I won’t let you steal my husband. I advise you to stay away from him.

She knocks down Stella but she knees her butt twice and she falls. They finally get up.

Stella: what if we talked first?

Mélanie: you went and invented to my husband that you are pregnant and he wants to chase me away but I won’t let you do it.

Stella: open your eyes stupid, Célestin doesn’t like you. Don’t forget it was you who dumped him, why are you coming back now? If we dig hard, maybe this child isn’t even his. You bitch.

Mélanie: I won’t allow you to insult me.

She rushes at her but Stella dodges and hits her back with her slipper and she falls, hitting her lips against the ground and hurting herself.

Stella: if you come looking for me at my house, you will find me.

Stella rushes at her and hits her like never before. She runs away from home with bruises and pain all over her body. She looks for a taxi to go.

Célestin’s home.

Mélanie arrives home and goes to lie down on the living room floor. Célestin comes out of the kitchen and finds her.

Célestin: Mélanie, what happened to you?

She gets up.

Mélanie: isn’t that your bitch who did this to me?

Célestin: what, you went to Stella, but what happened to you?

Célestin hastens to put the baby in his baby chair and goes to take his car.

Melanie: what are you doing? Instead of taking me to the hospital, are you running to this bitch?

Célestin doesn’t listen and goes to Stella.

Stella’s home.

Célestin knocks and she comes to open the door thinking it was her again.

Stella: you don’t have…

She shuts up when she sees Célestin.

Stella: you came to his aid, right?

Without saying a word, he walks in and takes her in his arms.

Célestin: I came to see how you were, are you okay, hasn’t she hurt you?

Stella: I’m fine, I’m fine, you should ask her this question.

Célestin: and the baby, how is he?

Stella: There is no baby yet, it’s not even an embryo yet.

Célestin: are you sure you’re okay?

Stella: I’m fine, I tell you.

Célestin: I’m sorry my love.

Stella: It’s okay, you can leave now.

Célestin: I missed you so much Stella, I suffered so much during all this time, please don’t send me away.

Stella: Come in!

He enters.

Stella: I’m ready to eat, will you come with me?

Célestin: with pleasure.

So they will eat while talking.

Stella: what happened to cause her to make this scandal?

This is where Célestin tells him what he had told him.

Stella: are you really serious?

Célestin: I should have sent her away from the start, I don’t want to lose you again. I want to be there for our baby, from start to finish.

After the meal, they make love before Célestin comes home.

Célestin’s home.

Back at home, Mélanie attacks Célestin.

Mélanie: why are you doing this to me, so I mean nothing to you? I will file a complaint against her.

Célestin: try it and you’ll see, I’ll be his lawyer. Don’t forget that you attacked her at her home, it’s an assault at home. She is the one who can sue you if she wants. Besides, you have three days to decide.