Solution
Sunabh answered on
Jul 19 2021
Running Head: THE ACCIDENTAL WIFE 1
THE ACCIDENTAL WIFE 21
THE ACCIDENTAL WIFE
Contents
CHAPTER 1: The Pilot 3
CHAPTER 2: THE PROPOSAL 8
CHAPTER 3: MAYBE YES OR NO 12
CHAPTER 4: THE MOVE 17
CHAPTER 5: THE IRREVERSIBLE TRUTH 22
CHAPTER 6: THE LETTER 27
CHAPTER 7: THE VOLKSWAGEN 32
CHAPTER 8: THE PROM OR THE LAST WISH 37
CHAPTER 9: BECAUSE I LOVE HIM 43
CHAPTER 10: THE SECRET 48
CHAPTER 1: The Pilot
27 July 2001
It is a warm sunny day in Wisconsin, streets are empty during day and everyone is at home enjoying football finals. Breezing hot winds striking against the small bells hanging on the door. Distu
ing noise of running water coming from Mr. Baker’s house.
Television reporter: “The weather today would be around 82°F throughout day and it may fall to 74°F at night.”
Adria: “It’s been more than 2 days since; I have been asking you to call the plumber. I want this tap fixed right now. Are you even listening to me Keith?”
Keith: “Hmmmmm. Yea you are right. So why do not you call the plumber by yourself?”
Adria: “If I will do everything, then what will you do? You do not move from this couch until you have to pee so hard that you cannot take it anymore.” “I don’t think this is what you planned after serving in Afghanistan. I thought you had big plans Keith, so where are they?”
Keith: Staring out from the window in search of someone “Hmmmmm.”
Adria: “I am done with you Keith, it’s been more than 10 years since I have been holding on to you. I cannot take it anymore.”
Keith: “What do you mean that you cannot take it anymore? Holding on to me for past 10 years? I do not know what you are talking about Adria?”
Adria: (How do I confront him, he is the love of my life but I am fed-up of living here like a puppet) “Keith, its……” I do not know how to tell you this, but I will have to.
“I want divorce.”
13 years ago
27 May 1988
Issac: “Hey man! How are you, it has been so long? Where were you?
Keith: “I am good man, or I should say just trying to cope with, you know it already.”
Issac: “Is it the same as before? I thought you were saying that the situation was much better after therapy.”
Keith: “Yea man, I wished for the same and I did observe some improvement initially but past week there were some triggering moments, which bought back the panic attacks and anxiety.”
Issac: “Dude, this family stuff is eating you up. You need to do something about your mother’s situation soon or this is going to hamper your career.”
Keith: “I do not know what do to Issac, therapy was the last option and suggestion that everybody including you gave me. But my father has been drinking even more now a days and he this is even more triggering for my mom leading to more intense panic attacks.”
Issac: “I wish your mom gets well soon. What do you say I visit her after college may be she would feel good after seeing me?”
Keith: “Yes! Sure, why not man. I appreciate your concern.
Issac: “Cool! Anyways, hop on man we are getting late and you know Mrs. Lilly won’t allow us to enter if the clock ticks 9:02 a.m.”
Keith: “Yea, you are right. I do not want to be late on the first day after summer
eak. After all we are high school seniors now, so let’s go.”
School bell rings. Everyone rushing to his or her class. Opening and closing of lockers could be heard everywhere on the floor from where Issac and Keith were passing by.
James (standing by locker number 42): “Hey Keith! How are you man? Hey Issac! Oh god! These 2 months felt like a whole year and the time just passed by” “Can you even imagine, that 2 months ago we three were standing right here or is it just me? Facing the Déjà vu.”
Keith: “Hi James. Yeah man I totally remember standing here 2 months ago giving you a wedge and here it comes again”
Issac and Keith were giving James a wedge in the co
idor when Adria, Shey and Fiona pass by
Issac: “Did you see her. This was the third time today when Adria passed you a smile Keith. I am telling you, she totally wants to be with you. Ask her out man, I heard that Mash is also interested in her and was going to propose her. You got to do something Keith.”
Keith: “I don’t know dude. What can I do? I mean I like her but she is like, out of my league.”
“She is smart, beautiful, and very good at academics and on the other hand I am only good at academics. I don’t even play football and I know she likes guys that play football”.
Issac: “Then we are in a pickle man, if you know what I mean!”
Keith: “Yes Issac, I know exactly what you are trying to say. Mash is really good at sports, he is smart, tall, rich and everybody remembers the final touchdown at last year’s ‘interschool football competition’.”
Issac: “Yeaaaaa….hh. That touchdown was superhuman. Did you know 3 top colleges offered Mash 100% scholarship based on his football skills?”
Keith: “See! This is what I am talking about, I stand nowhere near him or around him or even in the top 3 candidates in list of ‘guys comparable to Mash”.”
Issac: “But I am telling you Keith, Adria is totally into you. Just give it a try, wouldn’t hurt if you try, right?”
James: “I think Keith is right here Issac. Adria is like the complete package of what an ideal girl should be, but for Mash not for Keith. I mean he drives a ‘V12 300 bhp Fe
ari 250 GTO’ and did you know they only made 36 of them?”
Issac: “Woah! Since when, did you know so much about cars James?”
James: “Since my childhood. I am a huge automobile fan and what you heard was just a flash, I can tell you all about its motor, engine, price and everything.”
Keith: “I think you made your point James. Now you get what I have been trying to say. I don’t want to make a fool out of myself by proposing Adria.”
Issac: “Whatever you say man. All I wanted to say was…”
Keith: “Enough of this. Let’s head to the class we are already late by 15 minutes.”
‘10:56 a.m. Announcement: Mr. Keith Adelman, please report to the reception. I repeat, Mr. Keith Adelman please report to the reception.’
Issac: “Dude, that was for you.”
James: “I think it was for Keith.”
Issac: “That’s what I just said. What’s wrong with you James?’
James: “What did I do? It’s not my fault that you are faster than me.”
Keith: “I hope it isn’t for what I think it could be. Fingers crossed.” “Miss, I think it was for me, I will have to confirm it.”
Receptionist: “Yes, how may I help you?”
Keith: (Huffing) “Hi, I am Keith Adelman.”
Receptionist: “Oh, Okay. We received a call from your home and they said it’s very urgent.”
Keith: “Did they say what was it about?”
Receptionist: “I am afraid they didn’t. Here (passing the phone).”
Keith: (Dialing) “Hello, It’s me.”
“Whatttt???” (receiver fell from his hand)
Keith’s footsteps could be heard throughout the co
idor.
James: “Dude, what do you think about Miss Lilly?”
Issac: What do you mean?
James: “She is hot man. I mean, do you think I should ask her out?”
Issac: “You are sick man. She is like twice your age.”
James: “So was Miss Hasel but I asked her out anyway”
Issac: “And how did it end?”
James: “So what, if I had to pick polybags from the whole playground for 1 week and failed math. It was her loss, not mine.”
Issac: “Dude! You are sick! You need to visit a therapist.”
James: “yeah, I guess you are right. The new counsellor is hot and I wouldn’t even have to figure out a pick up line.”
Issac: “Duddeee!”
James: “What? I….”
Miss Lilly: “The two gentleman at the back, do you have something more important to say than water conservation? If not, than shut up.”
James: (Whispering) “ It is hard for some people to think of an ice
eaker, you know that I am not a thinker.”
Issac: “Would you just shut up?”
James: “No! Listen to me..”
Issac: “Miss Lilly?” (Pointing towards James) “James has something to say.”
James: “What the hell man, you rat me out.”
Mrs. Lilly: “Yes Mr. James? Although we aren’t quite eager to hear your thought but go on.”
James: “Umm.. Yeah…” (Grunting at Issac) “Actually,…I just wanted to say that…..”
“Keith is here”
Miss Lilly: “That’s quite a prediction Mr. James. Anyways, you can sit down.” “Come in Mr.
Keith.”
Keith: (Huffing and panting) “I gotta go.”
Issac: “What? Why? What happened Keith?”
James: “Yea, Ditto.”
Keith: (Panicked and huffing) “My Mom…”
CHAPTER 2: THE PROPOSAL
Adria: “Hey Elios! Please call if you get this message.” “I am so done with Keith. I had a very intense argument and I confronted him as we discussed. But I am having a cold feet, I mean, I love him.”
27 May 1988
Elios: “He is staring at you, again.”
Tessa: “That Jerk. I don’t know what he wants but I have heard Nancy dumped him because she found him in bed with Kayla.”
Elios: “What?” “Well, if that’s true, I don’t think you should even consider him”
Adria: “I don’t know why you two are so jealous of him.” “He has always been nice to him and he proposes to me, I think I am goanna say yes.”
Elios: (Winking and pointing victory sign towards Mash) “Are you sure? I mean, don’t you think…”
Tessa: “Oh Elios! Would you just shut up and let Adria decided whatever she wants for herself?”
Elios: “Yea, whatever.”
Adria: “Before making any perceptions, did you two even consider that I could also like someone else?”
Elios & Tessa (together): “What? Someone else??”
Elios: “So, you weren’t refe
ing to Mash when you were talking about him being nice to you and you were goanna say yes?”
Adria: (grunting) Oh Goddd!! “What is it with both of you?” “Why are you so obsessed with Mash?” “I mean, Elios I can understand that you are his sister but Tessa?”
Elios: “Woah! Woah! Woah!” “Hold on there. You think I was trying to set you up with Mash?”
Adria: “Oh, common Elios! Do you really think that I didn’t see that?” “And Tessa, if you are so much leaned towards Mash then why don’t you ask him out for yourself.”
Tessa: “God! Jeezzz…..”
Adria: “Enough of this. Now shut up both of you.” “I’ll do whatever I want; I don’t want any of you pushing me.”
Tessa & Elios: “Yea, whatever”.
Ringing school bell. Students rushing out of the school. The bullies were stealing sandwich from Alan, a group of students practicing their chorus for the upcoming high school musical because it is a warm pleasant evening in Wisconsin.
Adria: “Is it?” “Was that him?” “I might be hallucinating. I need to sleep; it’s been more than 2 days.”
Adria is an addicted reader. She likes reading fictional and romantic novels so much that sometimes she even forgets to sleep. From past 2 days, she had been trying to sleep but this new reading is highly addictive and she cannot leave. Her mother and father works at a multinational company, out of town, which leaves her alone at the house, sometimes even during weekends.
Adria: “Woah! This was the best I ever had.” “I mean this was so good. No one match your skills.” “She took my heart away, wait oh god! Its 3 a.m. again. I got to wake up at 7, it’s a big day for me.”
“I have never proposed to anyone, I don’t know how I will propose him, but I will have to. But what if he said no (frowned) , but what if he said (giggles).” “Well, there is only one way to decipher this mystery.”
7 a.m. Alarm ringing. Switches off and goes back to sleep
Adria: “Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……”
“Its past 10. I had to reach school by 9 a.m.” “Oh god, what should I do now?” “First I need to get dressed and rush to school; it was a big day for me. I can’t ruin this.”
“Mom! Dad!”
Mrs. & Mr. Pinciotti: “Hey Adria! We though we will surprise you. So, surprise.”
Adria: (stunned) “Yes, I am. But you didn’t inform that you were coming.”
Mr. Pinciotti: “Well, we are your parents.” “It’s like; this house belongs to us also” (chuckles)
Adria: (mumbles) “Yea, yea. That’s why you are here once a month”
Mrs. Pinciotti: (holding a crumbled bed sheet) “Did you just woke up? That means you missed the school?”
Mr. Pinciotti: “Oh, C’mon honey. You know Adria, she might be sick (Winks at Adria) otherwise she wouldn’t have missed the school.”
Adria: (Fake Cough) “Yeah mom. I was (coughs), I mean I am sick (fake cough)”
Mrs. Pinciotti: (hugging Adria) “O darling, come here. Let’s go out and have some
eakfast and then we will take you to Dr Smith.”
Adria: “But mom…”
Mr. Pinciotti: (inte
upting Adria) “Aaahhaan, Listen to your mom honey, (winks at Adria) go and get dressed. We are going out!”
Adria: (sighs) “Ohkk.”
(Talking in a low tone) Mrs. Pinciotti: “Why do you always take her side? It is not good for her as well as us. She is a teenager, she hides stuff and we have to get that stuff out of her”
(Talking in a low tone) Mr. Pinciotti: “Honey, why do you always think that she hides stuff? She is growing up, growing up also means that she is maturing. I think we should leave her on her own. Getting on her nerves every time will only drift her away from us and that won’t be good.”
(Talking in a low tone) Mrs. Pinciotti: “Oh yeah? Then how do you explain this (holding a proposal card)?”
Adria: (Shouting) “Mom? What are you doing? Were you searching my stuff? Why are you holding that? Oh my god! You were checking on me, weren’t you?”
Mrs. Pinciotti: (angry tone) “Lower down your voice lady. I am your mother and I have every right to check on you.”
“Now you tell me one thing, how do you explain this?” (Holding a proposal card)
Adria: “Why should I explain anything to you? You just came around after a month and suddenly you want answers about what I am doing in my life?”
Mrs. Pinciotti: (In an angry tone and shouting) “What? How dare you talk to me like that?”
Mr. Pinciotti: “Alright ladies, it’s getting hot in here. What do you say, we discuss this over
eakfast?”
CHAPTER 3: MAYBE YES OR NO
29th May 1988
Adria: “What’s it going to be? A yes or a no?” “Oh my god, I am so scared. What should I do?”
Mr Pinciotti: (Sneaking behind her door) “Don’t wo
y honey, go ahead with your instincts.”
Adria: (Astounded) “Who was that? Jesus? Was that you?”
Mr Pinciotti: (Sneaking behind her door) “Yes! And I am standing right behind you”
Adria: (Gasping) “Dad! Did you hear everything?”
Mr Pinciotti: (gra
ing her hand) “Well let’s see, you are going to propose someone, and you are scared whether he will say yes or no. If that’s everything then, yes I heard everything.”
Adria: “Oh dad, please don’t tell mom. I really like this guy, I mean he is a nerd, doesn’t play sports, doesn’t have many friends and is scared of asking me out.”
Mr Pinciotti: “Well honey, you just described your dad.”
Adria: “What? What are you talking about dad?”
Mr Pinciotti: “Yes honey. When I was in high school I was just like the person, you described.”
Adria: “But you never seem like him to me. I mean you are so jolly, confident, not at all scared and don’t even get me started on your friend list.”
Mr Pinciotti: “Look Adria, I changed ok. After I met your mother, she taught me many things and one of them was to be confident enough upon your decisions.” “I used to be scared regarding my choices and decision making, sometimes even after ma
iage. When you were born, I was frightened just by the thought of being a father.”
“Not because I didn’t want to be a father, rather I was scared of other things like, what if I could not provide her with required resources? What if she fell ill? But your mother made it so easy for me to believe in myself and I can proudly say that I am a good father and a good husband. Although, your mother still considers me as an ass, but that’s how she is.”
Adria: “I don’t know what to say dad. I mean, seeing you since, I grew up, I cannot believe that you were once that person.”
Mr Pinciotti: “Well, there is a very famous saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover’ and this applies to every human being. You never know what the person might be feeling or going through, you might not know their past, their strengths, weaknesses and many other aspects.”
“Therefore, you should always be nice and kind to everyone i
espective of their financial status, social status, physical abilities or mental abilities.”
Adria: “Wow dad! You never talked to me like this , I mean you never explained life like this.”
Mr Pinciotti: “Honey, you are growing up. There would be times when your mother or I might not be around and you will have to make your own decisions. You will have to evaluate the goods or bad, pros or cons of that decision. I don’t want that when the time comes, you imbibe self-doubts rather, I want you to stay strong, confident and follow your decisions.”
Adria: “I guess you are right dad. I love you dad!”
Mrs Pinciotti: (Sneaking from the door) “Well, isn’t it great. Ok, so now am I the villain here for scolding her?”
Adria and Mr Pinciotti: (together) “No. We love you too mom.”
Mrs Pinciotti: (sarcastically) “Yeah! Right!” “Anyways, we are getting late honey. Let’s go.”
Adria: (Astonished) “What? You guys are leaving?” “I thought you were here for long this time.”
Mr Pinciotti: “We thought that too honey but there is an urgent meet with our shareholders from Korea and it’s compulsory for board members to attend the meeting.”
Adria: (frowned) “Alright. But promise me that you will be back soon.”
Mr Pinciotti: “Yes. We wouldn’t miss it for the world and this time we will cele
ate your birthday like never before.”
Mrs and Mr Pinciotti leaving the house from main entrance. Adria, waving goodbye from her window.
Mr Pinciotti: (Pointing a finger towards his
ain to generate the expression of thinking”
Adria: (Nodding her head as yes, while tears flow from her cheeks to the corner of window)
Adria: “Well I guess I better start running or I will be late.”
Adria: (Shocked) “Hey!”
Keith: “Oh! HI.”
Adria: “Since, when do you take the bus from here?”
Keith: “No, I am not regular. I had to do a thing around in the neighborhood yesterday, so I decided to take the bus to school.”
Adria: (suspicious) “Alright. No, I mean it is good, I got company so I won’t have to hear the bitching Mrs. Foreman.”
Keith: (chuckles) “I am honored. By the way, can I ask why your eyes are so red because I could think of only two things; it’s either ‘pot’ or a hell lot of pot.”
Adria: (chuckles and gasping) “No. I couldn’t sleep last night and my parents left today to the city, so you know (wipes tear from left eye)”
Keith: (frowned) “Oh no, I am so
y. Please don’t cry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Adria: (in a nasal voice) “No, it’s not because of you. I just remembered something.”
Keith: “May I ask what? I mean only if you want to tell, no pressure.”
Adria: “Yea, not a big deal. Just had a really deep conversation with my father. (Staring at Keith) His words changed the way I used to judge and think about people.”
Keith: “I wonder what his words might be most probably like ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.”
Adria: (gasping and shocked) “How do you know? It’s like you were already there.”
Keith: “Well, I am a mind reader.” “No, just kidding. That is exactly what my father told me. So, I thought it would be like a staple thing that fathers say. You know like, ‘get out of this bed’ ‘when will you grow up?’ ‘Be a man and stop crying’.”
Adria: (laughing) “Oh my god, you are too much.” “Listen, can I ask you something? If you don’t mind?”
Keith: “That depends,”
Adria: “On what?”
Keith: “Are you gonna ask if I cried like a girl?”
Adria: (laughing) “No, god no.”
Keith: “Because let me tell you, it was a really big bird that took away my sandwich.”
Adria: (laughing harder) “Oh god! My stomach hurts.”
Keith: “Well, that’s a little dose of Keith for you.”
Adria: “Thank you. I needed that.”
Keith: “So? You were saying?”
Adria: (blushing) “Nothing. Maybe some other time.”
Keith: “Hey! Look the bus is coming. Let’s go, we got to get you away from Mrs. Foreman.”
Adria: “Oh god. Stop it. I am dying of laughing already.”
Keith: (passing a blushing smile) “Ok, if you say so. Your smile is beautiful. Keep smiling.”
Bus driver: “Please do not push each other. Enter in a queue and stay away from the doors. I am so
y sir this bus is full. Please wait for the next bus; it would reach within 20 minutes.”
Keith: “But we are late for school. Miss Lilly will not allow us to enter the class.”
Bus driver: “So whose problem is that? Not mine sir. I cannot accommodate you in this trip. Please step outside.”
Adria: “Please sir. We have an urgent test today. We would really appreciate your support.”
Bus driver: “oh, okay. Alright. Please adjust and make room for the children.”
Keith: “How did you do that?”
Adria: (sarcastically) “Well, being an adult doesn’t work every time. Sometimes you have got to be a child and make use of your pretty and innocent smile.”
Keith: “Well, I don’t think I could have pulled that off. I mean my smile, see (smiling...