After the recovery period suggested by the doctors, Matt took an indefinite leave from work and being the CEO, he had no one to answer to for his absence. He took his wife after she was discharged from the hospital and were accompanied by Vanny, Fatmah's sister. The four headed to a healing holiday in one of the very secluded villas in the upcountry area of the state.
"How loving is my sister's husband!," Vanny wondered thoughtfully. She was seated in the rear seat carrying the baby, taking on the babysitting role momentarily, with Matt and Fatmah in the front seats, of course Matt was driving.
The more she thought about it, tears started forming in her eyes though she didn't realize it.
"Vanny..., what's wrong? Are you okay?," Fatmah called out at the sight of seeing her sister tearing.
Matt stopped the car suddenly and asked, "Vanny, is everything good with you?" She wiped the tears hurried but they had already taken notice of them. So they insisted that she tells them if she was not feeling well before they went any further.
"Fatmah, Matt, I am doing well!," she replied, smiling faintly. "Then why are you crying?!," Fatmah demanded with a serious concerned look.
"It's nothing, I am just emotional!," she replied, staring at Matt. She the continued, "the way Matt cares about my sister is from another realm. I have never seen this kind of treatment to anyone; the love, the care, the passion; they all made me emotional."
"Oh c'mon Vanny! Thank God you are well. I thought something was up!," Matt said reigniting the engine.
"Matt.., it's not something small!," Vanny snapped. "Do you know what it means to me?, to her? She can tell you how our past was shaped like; it was one of the most bitter lives!"
"Vanny stop!," Fatmah interrupted with teary eyes.
"No...! He must know how appreciative I am. Mom would do the same thing. Consider how we grew up! In a place of utter hopelessness, and now here we are with one of the greatest men in the state heading to a place which I bet looks like heaven on earth just because of a baby born to him. Do you know any men that do that for their wives?," Vanny spoke out rapidly, not giving anyone a chance to interrupt her.
There was dead silence in the car for a moment and was broken by Matt who asked Fatmah, "is she telling the truth?"
She was caught unawares and she panicked for a moment before replying, "it's true! Our life wasn't the best. In fact our childhood gave us the worst experience of life ever, I presume!," sobbing.
Matt touched her lightly for comfort and said, "it's fine! Gone are those days now!," assuring her.
He then posed for a moment and asked her, "but the time I found you, weren't you working with Penny logistics? I mean we met at a dinner and we fell in love at first sight and we didn't do much of this courtship thing."
"It's a bit embarrassing but I was wasn't working there, I was brought by my then-friend who was an escort to the VIPs and wanted me to find some opportunities," she replied and there was an awkward silence in the car before she realized what she had said.
"Noooo..., Matt, I wasn't an escort! I was brought to be introduced to business men that could offer me some job opportunities! C'mon Vanny! Were you also thinking that? Oh God!," she said defensively.
Vanny chuckled and said, "I was starting to wonder where the shy girl in you went, to be replaced by a whore!"
"That's rude, Vanny!," Matt said to her.
"No Matt!, that's what it literally is. Let's not sugar-coat some things," Fatmah defended her sister.
"As you speak with passion, any problem with that topic?," Matt asked Fatmah, surprised at the sudden change in her tone and the seriousness on her face.
Fatmah was silent for a moment, and then replied, "when I was still looking for what to do, I applied to a certain company and I was shortlisted for the job. We did the interviews and I was among the best three candidates. Then the officer in charge of recruiting new employees asked us to do a carpet interview if we wanted the job. I went to almost five companies and that was the last interview I was asked to do. I felt violated and disrespected. So I decided to at least starve to death, but never to be a slut. I know my value, Matt!" She spoke with such seriousness that Matt was shocked at her passion.
"Matt, among all people, you would know that I was pure!," she continued.
Matt was caught by surprise, and said, "what? Yeah, you were pure; in your love, intentions, everything! So yeah, you're pure even to this day!"
"No Matt! I meant, I was sexually pure! How could an escort be virgin at the time you got me if I were one?," she explained, with questions.
"I didn't say you're one! I swear I didn't even think about it!," Matt raised his hands swearing.
"She was still a virgin by the time of their bonding?!! No wonder he treats her like a gem. She's a queen to him. He has a great deal of respect for her!," Vanny thought for a moment.
She was overcome with her emotions again and wielded more tears. This time, she spoke out and said to her sister, "I am proud of you my sister! Mom is proud of you! You're a true daughter of my mother's!"
They continued in silence after that and the four reached their destination.
A house, secluded form the noise of the city, with cool pure air that refreshes the soul, was before them. It was established on almost a mile and the place was a palace in its caliber.
The gate opened on its own and the car entered into the palace and they drove for about five minutes before making a stop at a great villa, a mansion in description, furnished with every precious stone in the state, art worked with mastery.
They opened the car-doors and the climbed out of the car.
Everyone's jaws dropped at the sight of this magnificent structure. The art, stones, springs, its closeness to the lake, the jungle near it, made it a tourist site of its own. Yet, Matt had stopped there, telling them, it was their destination!
"Matt..! Did you hire this place?," Fatmah asked m, not sure if they were the best words to say.
"Do I look like someone who hires things to please my family?," he questioned her.
The two women looked at each other speechless, and they felt the urge to scream for joy. Their whole journey had been emotional, even to their destination.
"Someone is waiting for us, let's go!," Matt called out to the two ladies.