A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth was more than surprised to see Thea at the doorstep of Florence. Ruth tried to recall if they had decided to meet today but they hadn't. Then what was she doing there?

"Thea? Your friend from the tailoring shop?" Florence asked Ruth but before she could answer Theat beat her to it.

"Yes. My name is Thea Green. Ruth's best friend!" She emphasized the last words tauntingly, her face bore not so friendly expressions.

"Hello, I am Flore-"

"I know." Thea didn't let her complete her sentence cutting her rudely.

Florence's eyes narrowed at the woman who was the same age as hers. She didn't like the way Thea acted arrogantly with her and Florence knew that it was because of her profession.

Sensing the tension between the two women, Ruth got up and walked in the direction of Thea.

"What are you doing here?"

She asked tentatively.

"What? I can't visit my friend? Or you were busy?"

Ruth couldn't understand why Thea was mad at her. It was very unlikely of her to react in this way. Not wanting to let Thea burst her reason of being upset in front of Florence, Ruth turned to face Florence.

"Florence, I think you should rest now. Tell me if you need anything." Ruth said politely.

Choosing not to say more, Florence just nodded her head and watched the two women walking out with narrowed eyes.

"What was that about?" Ruth asked as soon as they reached her room and then closed the door behind her.

"You tell me. What was that?"

Thea crossed her hands over her chest, a look of pure annoyance visible on her round face.

"W-what? I just went to give her those oranges, Thea. You know that." Ruth said while putting the two bags of the groceries in her kitchen area.

She brought a glass of water for Thea in hope that it would help her friend's hot head calm down a bit.

Without objecting, Thea took the glass and quenched the whole content in one go.

"Now will you tell me what was that about?" Ruth asked while making her friend sit on the bed then she also sat beside her.

"I heard some pieces of your conversation and I didn't like it, Ruth. I never liked that woman. Every person in Vincardine knows how deceiving and self-centred she is." Thea came straight to the point.

Ruth frowned upon hearing this. "People are not always how they look from outside." She murmured slowly.

Thea's eyes widened hearing that. She twisted her body to get a better look at Ruth. "Are you defending her, Ruth? We are talking about a woman who is a reason for numerous tainted marriages, for god's sake!

I understand that she helped you and all and I am grateful to her for that. But are you even listening to yourself right now?"

Thea's outburst made Ruth keep quiet as she couldn't exactly deny her words nor she could agree with them completely.

Thea sighed and then looked at Ruth with softened eyes. "I just don't want you to get under a bad influence, Ruth! Florence is not someone to be trusted.

She will use you for her benefit and if the time demands, she would not hesitate to sacrifice you. Just maintain some distance with her, ok?"

Not wanting to enter into a disagreement with Thea, Ruth just nodded and gave a faint smile. "Ok! But I don't think that you came here for this. So what braught you here?"

"Oh yes, that! Ruth, I need your help, please!"

Thea's demeanour changed instantly as she turned into a scared lamb from a roaring tigress in a blink of an eye.

Confused Ruth said, "Of course I will help you, Thea! But first, tell me the problem."

"My parents have invited Rees over a dinner tomorrow night." Thea said as if she was revealing news about an outbreak of war.

"Um.. Okay! But I don't see any problem with that."

"I... I actually..." Thea avoided meeting Ruth's eyes and she did that only when she had done something stupid.

"You what, Thea?" Now Ruth got worried.

"I had a fight with Rees last night. After we head back home, he came to meet me. And I... I confronted him about his strange behaviour. I asked him all those questions that we both want answers."

Ruth knew how much that thing troubled Thea and she advised Thea to talk with Rees before jumping to any conclusions. But she had no idea that they both would fight over it.

"What did he say?" Ruth asked curiously.

"As expected he brushed everything away saying it was just my and your brain playing tricks. He said he will talk with you but I told him to not drag you into this." Thea's eyes got misty.

"Then?"

"Then one thing led to another and in no time we were fighting like enemies."

"We?" Ruth asked sceptically.

Thea groaned at her clever friend. "Fine! It was me who was fighting and scolding him and he... he was trying to calm me down and pleaded to listen to him. But I didn't. And in a fit of rage, I... "

"Oh God, stop building the suspense and tell me already Thea. This does not sound good to my ears!" Ruth urged in annoyance.

"I told him that I don't want to marry him anymore."

Ruth's mouth opened ajar after hearing what blunder her stupid friend had created. Her eyeballs popped out of her skull and her body stilled for some moments.

"Thea! You didn't! Just tell me you are pulling my leg. Please!" Hoping against hope Ruth pleaded.

Thea shook her head as tears rolled down her face.

Ruth sprang up from her seat with a panicked face. "Oh my God! This is not right. This is so not right. You shouldn't have said that. What were you thinking?"

"I know, ok! I know, I messed it up." Thea stood also stood up and held Ruth's hands in hers.

"He was so hurt, Ruth. I can't forget how pained he looked when I said that. But he didn't try to amend things with me. He didn't even say another word or even scold me. He just said that my parents have already invited him for dinner and left.

I am so scared, Ruth! I am sure he will tell my parents that he doesn't want to marry me. What should I do? Please help me out! I don't want to lose him, Ruth! I love him so much!"

Thea covered her face in her palms and her body shook with every sob that left her lips.

Ruth was by her side, consoling her but her mind was in turmoil. She never expected this turn of events.

A part of her heart believed that Rees would not do such a thing. He loved Thea as much as she did to him. But what if he couldn't take that hurt and a feeling that his woman didn't trust him?

She blamed herself for it as she was the one who confirmed Thea's doubts. She shouldn't have said anything about Rees's strange behaviour and that his eyes changed their colour to her. But now the damage was already done and they needed to find a solution to this problem.

Ruth made Thea sat on the bed again. "Thea, please don't cry. I will go and talk with him." She rubbed her arm soothingly.

Thea shook her head vigorously. "No! I don't think that is a wise idea. He must be very upset." Thea clasped Ruth's hands in hers.

Both women fell into silence for a minute.

After failed attempts of coming with any solution, Ruth asked. "Then what do you suggest?"

But Thea, on the other hand, had something on her mind and that was why she came to meet Ruth as soon as she could.

"Will you... will you come for the dinner tomorrow night? I will need your support to face what the fate has decided for me."

Ruth's heart shattered looking at Thea's pleading eyes and she could only guess what pain she was going through.

"I...But..." She hesitated for a moment. She was not ready to face Rees neither she wanted to witness what was bound to happen if Rees decided to cancel the wedding.

"Please, Ruth! Please!" Thea was desperate.

Ruth bit the insides of her cheek then nodded her head in agreement. "I will be there with you!" She couldn't leave her friend in the middle of the crisis to face everything alone.

Also, Ruth felt a responsibility to amend the things between Rees and Thea because she considered that she was somewhere to be blamed for their differences.

Thea hugged Ruth tightly as she let her pain washed away through her tears.

But Ruth had decided to try one last time to save Rees and Thea's relationship. She decided to talk with Rees before he does something that the three of them regretted. She needed to tackle this problem with everything in her power.

It was a question of the lives of the people she loved.