The Substitute Bride

Sue stood holding the door in one hand, frowning at Charles and Charlie. "You've followed me?" Sue spoke angrily. She was surprised to see that Charles had followed her in spite of the rude and insulting words she had hurled on him. Despite all the care and caution she had taken to avoid them, they had managed to find out the whereabouts of Sheryl and Shirley. And here they were standing right in front of her outside the hospital room.

"Sher," Charlie greeted Sheryl. Charlie sneaked into the ward from under Sue's arm as she obstructed the way for them. Charles was still standing at the doorway waiting to enter.

Sue vented her anger at him and said,"Can you for once understand what I have said? I've told you to go away. Stay away from Sheryl. I mean it. Can't you take my words seriously?"

Charles frowned at her slightly and responded,"I'm here to visit Shirley."

The girl lying on the sickbed was his daughter, and he was in no mood to waste time quarrelling with Sue.

"To visit Shirley? Why?" Sue continued with the sarcasm in her voice,"What kind of relationship do you have with Shirley? Why do you care about her so much?"

"She's..." Charles nearly blurted out "she's my daughter", but finally he held his tongue.

"Mimi, let him come in." Sheryl's voice cut through the argument between them. It was really awkward to create a scene in a public place with so many people passing by. Besides, he visited Shirley out of kindness, so it would be impolite to stop him at the doorway.

"But..." Sue stood still and was unwilling to let him in. At last, Sheryl stepped in and pulled her aside. "Come in," she said to Charles.

Charles walked in and stepped ahead towards Shirley's sickbed. Charlie was already there. He bent over his sister and asked,"What happened to you?"

"Charlie, don't stand too close to Shirley," Sheryl cautioned Charlie, who was standing by the sickbed. "Doctor said she had a flu. You need to be careful," she continued.

Sheryl did not even look at Charles who was standing by Shirley's bed. She turned her face to Sue and said,"You need to go back home, remember? You've taken care of us all day. Go home right away and take a rest."

"But here..." Sue eyed towards Charles and looked back at Sheryl. She was worried about Sheryl because Charles was there.

"Don't worry. I can handle this." Sheryl continued calmly,"Besides, Amy will come here soon. Take it easy. I will be fine."

Hearing this, Sue heaved a sigh of relief. She looked at Charles with gla

aced ahead towards Sheryl, she kept stepping back unconsciously. Finally, there was no space for her to step back. She stood with her head lowered, her back against the wall and trapped between Charles's arms.

If she raised her head, she would see Charles's chin. She could smell the scent of his body which was very familiar to her. Again that dilema took over. She could feel a strong pull towards him. She didn't dare to look up. She blushed red and her heart paced faster. She could not understand how to conceal her feelings in front of him.

"Sheryl, do you know what is love?" She heard Charles's voice from above her head. His voice sounded deep. She shut her eyes tightly. She was scared to raise her head. With her head still lowered, she reached out her hand and tried to push Charles away. But as soon as her hand touched Charles's chest, his hands covered them. The warmth of his hands made her quiver.

Holding Sheryl in his arms, Charles had a strong urge to kiss her hard to punish her for disappearing for about three years. But finally he stopped himself. He stared at the vulnerable girl in his arms who was completely oblivious to the reality. How could she have forgotten everything? Absolutely nothing seemed to remind her of the past!

Sheryl blushed and finally gathered strength to push him away. "Release me. Let me go. Please," she said.

"Let you go?" Charles smiled bitterly. "Sheryl, I've been waiting for you for three years, more than a thousand of days and nights! Everybody believed that you were dead. But I had faith that you would come back. And now you have come back, but you ask me to let you go. What is your heart made of? Stone?"