The Substitute Wife 1 1. I Owe Him One - Fixed & Edited

They didn't get married because they love each other. She chooses to marry him in order to have a place to return to since her father disowned her. He decides to marry her to convince his old lover that he has moved on and to satisfy his grandmother's wishes. By law, they're legally husband and wife; however, they sleep separate rooms. He has never lay a hand on her.

She's a nurse in a nursing home while he's a police officer. They both eat separately due to their work. However, when they both on their day offs, they barely say a word to one another until one day...where things start to change; John gets into a car accident. Mabel was informed by John's close friend, Jack that John was in the hospital due to a car accident.

Mabel asks, "Is he alright?"

Jack replies, "No need to worry, sister-in-law, it's just one of his legs. They given him a cast so he should be fine."

Mabel nods. As soon as the call ends, Mabel informs her in-laws about John's condition. Mabel couldn't take a leave since there's not enough employees, she decides to continue her s.h.i.+ft, once her s.h.i.+ft is over, she would go and check on him in the hospital. In the other hand, John got annoyed since his grandmother is being overdramatic. He glares at Jack who was laughing. Jack coughs and said, "Grandmother. John is alright. No need to lecture him. His leg should be fine in a couple weeks."

Jack looks around and said, "Where's sister-in-law? She's not coming?"

Mother said, "Ah. She's busy taking care of her patients since there's not enough employees. She said she'll come over once her s.h.i.+ft is done."

John sighs and said, "I don't need her here."

Grandmother told the others to leave so she could speak with John alone. She sits on the chair next to the bed. "Son, I know you're only married to her because of my silly request. Mabel is a good person. I hope you find good traits of her and treat her well."

John said, "It doesn't have to be me. It can be someone else."

Grandmother shakes her head. "No. It has to be you, John."

John asks, "Why?"

She places her hand over his. "Son, soon enough you will know why it has to be you. Right now, it's not the right time to tell you. Also, you shouldn't hear the answers from me, you should hear the answers from your wife."

"What do you mean? How does this have to do with her?"

"...Give her time. She's still healing and traumatized by the incident. When she's ready, I hope you can listen what she has to say."

After the long talk with his grandmother, she left the room and Jack returns to the room. He sees John is being frustrated by something. Jack asks, "What's wrong?"

John turns to his best friend. "Have you met her before?"

"Her?"

"Mabel."

Jack sits down on the chair. "Yeah. I told you before. She's very close to Mia." John leans against the pillows as he sighs.

Jack asks, "What is it? What's bothering you?"

"...Gram just wants me to treat her well."

Jack bluntly said, "You should. After what she's been through."

Jack gasps and covers his mouth. John looks at Jack. "What she's been through?"

Jack nervously chuckles. "Ahah...um I have to go. Mia wants me home." Jack stands up and head to the door.

"Jack!"

Jack ignores his best friend calling his name and left the room before he spills out the secret. Later that night, John couldn't sleep because he was curious what both his grandmother and Jack mean by what they said. Without knowing, he keeps on looking at the clock. He sighs again and kept toss and turning. (When will she come?) He sighs for the third time, "So uncomfortable."

Knock Knock. He hears a slight knock on the door. He immediately closes his eyes and pretend to be sleeping. (What the heck am I doing?) The door opens, someone walks into the room as the person closes the door behind. The person walks closer to the bed to check on him. (He's still sleeping.) The person puts the bag on the couch, taking off the jacket. He opens his eyes a little bit to check who the person was; it was Mabel, who was still wearing her work uniform.

She sighs and takes some doc.u.ments out of her work bag. She places the doc.u.ments on the table and looks over the doc.u.ment. He somehow got irritated that she hasn't pay any attention to him, so he pretends to kick the blanket off of him. The blanket falls to the floor. She looks up and sees the blanket on the floor. She puts the doc.u.ments on the table and stands up to pick the blanket. She dusts it off and place the blanket over him. She notices that he wasn't really sleeping on the pillows. She gently lifts his head so she could fix the pillows for him. He was touched how much he treated her poorly that she still cares for him.

She then returns to the table to look over the doc.u.ments. As hours have gone by, she was getting sleepy. She puts the doc.u.ments back into her work bag and sits on the chair next to the bed. She was fast asleep. John turns to his side to look at her. (She's not that bad.) He removes the blanket and gets out of the bed. He gently carries her in his arms and head back to the bed. She sleeps next to him. Without knowing himself, he smiles as he strokes her cheek.

Next morning, Mabel opens her eyes and was utterly shocked to find herself sleeping on the bed with John. She gets off the bed immediately. She tries to recall if she gets on the bed with him. She doesn't seem to remember because she was too tired last night. Her alarm turns on. She turns around to turn off her alarm. She then grabs her things and head out of the room to head to work.

She texts Jack to accompany John since she heading to work. Jack replies with an okay. Mabel thought to herself. (...That's weird. Usually he ticks off.) She shakes off her thoughts and continues to work.

Jack enters the room. John nags, "Why are you here?"

"Your wife texted me to accompany you."

John got irritated. "What?"

"What do you mean what?"

"Since when you have her number?"

"...After your guys' wedding day. Why?"

John got even more irritated. Jack said, "Why are you making a big deal? You should have her number in your cell?"

John remains quiet. Jack was shocked. "Bro, you don't know her number?"

Jack laughs his b.u.t.t off. John throws a pillow at Jack; however, he misses.

"Seriously? You don't? Man...that's sucks for you." Jack continues to laugh.

Hours later, there's a knock on the door. Jack said, "Ah. She's back."

The door opens and both John and Jack were quite disappointed. It wasn't Mabel who has enter. It was Sarah. John turns his head to look out of the window as Jack immediately sits down and puts his headphones on. Sarah walks up to John. "John, I brought your favorites."

John ignores her. Sarah lowers her head and said, "John...You must've been angry at my actions. But I did it because I love you."

John didn't even look at her once. Sarah continues to stay around until John looks at her; however, he didn't. As the time goes by, there's a knock at the door. The door opens and it was Mabel. Jack looks up and sees Mabel. "Sister-in-law, you're finally here."

"Yes."

Jack notices Mabel has a bag in her hands. He asks, "That's for John?"

"...Yes and some are for you too."

"Wow." John looks at Mabel. Mabel turns to John and she was shocked to see Sarah. Sarah said, "Oh my, you brought food for John. I apologize. I brought some too. I hope you don't mind."

Mabel feels out of place. She hands the bag to Jack. "Sister-in-law."

"Um...I was on break. You can reheat it for you and John to eat. I have to go."

John notices Mabel was feeling uncomfortable since what Sarah has done to her. John opens his mouth and said, "Honey, I want you to stay."

Mabel and Sarah are shocked to hear those words from John. John was only looking at Mabel. "Umm." Mabel looks at Sarah. Jack cuts in and gives the bag back to Mabel. "Actually, I am about to drop her off, (pointing at Sarah) so you can stay and feed John."

Sarah was shocked. "What? I'm not—"

John cuts in and said, "You should leave, Sarah." Sarah looks at John, but he still continues to look at Mabel only. Jack grabs Sarah's wrist and drags her out of the room so Mabel could stay with John.

John said, "I'm hungry."

Mabel snaps back and said, "I'll go and reheat the food." She heads to grabs Sarah's dish; however, John said, "I don't want hers; I want yours." She puts the dish down and she takes her dish out of the bag to head to the microwave that is outside of the room. John sighs and said, "d.a.m.n, I owe him one."