"Ruby!"
Derek froze the instant he saw her, his hand slipping guiltily out of Bailey's grip as if her fingers had suddenly turned into live wires. "What are you doing here?"
Ruby said nothing as anger coursed through her veins like an angry viper. She turned her face away, her fingers curled on her lap, and her knuckles turning white as she fought to keep her calm.
Seeing Derek with Bailey still stung, no matter how much she told herself she'd moved on. But she couldn't risk them suspecting a thing. At least not for the moment.
Bailey blinked twice, her expression shifting from shock to forced delight.
"Cousin?! What a surprise!" She exclaimed, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Elena didn't waste any seconds as she stood up shielding Ruby from the shameless couple.
"Well, well... If it isn't the shameless he-goat and his two-timing mistress." She sneered, anger seeping through her veins.
Derek's gaze narrowed dangerously at Elena while Bailey gasped, pressing a hand to her chest in mock offence.
"Elena! How could you say such nasty things to us? That is uncalled for and immature of you."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I touch a sensitive nerve, Miss opportunistic viper?" Elena fired back.
"You know what, I'm not going to waste my breath on you." Bailey hissed, shifting her sly gaze to Ruby, her tone dripping with fake concern.
"Ruby, I'm sorry I didn't tell you Derek and I were coming to the hospital for my antenatal checkup today. We weren't expecting to run into you here. But are you alright because you look pale. Did you also come to see the gynaecologist?" Her sharp eyes lowered to Ruby's tummy, scrutinising her with her X-ray vision.
Ruby's gaze narrowed, but her composure didn't falter. "And since when did you become a certified doctor? Because the last time I checked, gossiping doesn't qualify you as one."
"Gossiping!" Bailey exclaimed dramatically. "Is that what you call looking out for my own sister?"
"Sister!" Elena let out a short, humourless laugh, her eyes shooting lasers "Please, Bailey, don't embarrass yourself. The last time I checked, snakes don't do sisterhood. They just hiss, strike, and slither away with whatever doesn't belong to them."
"Elena, that is enough." Derek rebuked her calmly. "Bailey is just concerned about her cousin's presence in the hospital. You don't have to ridicule her out of spite."
"And how is our presence here any of your goddam business? Elena retorted sharply, her eyes blazing with fury. "Shouldn't you be more focused on your shameless mistress? Or shouldn't the bitch be more concerned about keeping her legs crossed long enough to remember who the father of her unfortunate child is?"
The waiting room suddenly went still as both Derek's and Bailey's faces flushed scarlet.
Ruby chuckled softly but didn't interrupt.
"How dare you?!" Bailey snapped, struggling to keep her voice calm under the weight of the stares now turning her way. "You have no right to speak to me like that."
"What stupid right are you referring to exactly?" Elena sneered, stepping closer, her hands itching by her side. "Or do you think carrying stolen goods makes you a saint?"
"Enough Elena!" Derek hissed, glancing around as some people, who had just arrived at the antenatal waiting room, quietly exchanged silent glances at one another. "We're in a hospital, for goodness sake. We were just asking a simple question. There is no need for this level of hostility."
"You have no right to ask Ruby any stupid question, while you parade your infidelity through the hallway like a soap opera?" Elena snapped at him, her inflamed eyes almost choking the life out of him. "If I were you, I would simply lower my head in shame and walk away."
"Elena?!" Derek growled in a repressed voice.
"Careful Elena." Bailey stepped forward in front of Derek, unable to stand Elena's insult anymore. "Recent research has proven that anger can significantly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. You don't want to end up a vegetable taking aspirin over someone else's headache."
"You're right, Bailey." Elena smiled wickedly. "Anger really kills but not as fast as hypocrisy. You might want to get your heart checked too… It's been borrowed one too many times, especially with four abortions."
"Ah!" Silent gasps erupted in the room.
"Watch your mouth, Elena." Derek barked.
"Or else what?!" Elena mirrored his rage, the fleeting thought of smacking him in the face crossing her mind.
Just then, a nurse in crisp white stepped out of Consultation Room Two, holding a green folder. "Mrs Zina Parker, the doctor will see you now," she announced politely.
"Right now?!" Mrs Parker hesitated, reluctant to miss out on the live drama unfolding before her.
"Yes, madam. Right now," the nurse said firmly, then turned to the squabbling trio. "Mr and Mrs Bishop, is there a problem here?"
Derek almost had a seizure at the nurse's words. Bailey had twisted his arms into using that title whenever they came for her antenatal check-up, and he had done this without the foreknowledge of ever bumping into Ruby. How was he going to clear this mess right now?
"Of course not," Bailey chirped excitedly before Derek could answer, flashing her most angelic smile. "Just a family misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about."
"Family?" Elena snorted. "If this snake is family, then I'm the Pope."
The nurse blinked twice, unsure of what to say. She returned her attention to the heavily pregnant woman. "Mrs Parker...."
"I'm coming." Zina turned to Ruby and patted her on the arm. "I admire your silence, dear. Don't let them ruffle you."
Ruby gave a small nod, "Thank you."
When the nurse and Zina disappeared out of sight, Ruby stood up and walked out of the waiting room followed closely by Elena, Derek and Bailey.
"I feel so sorry for her?" A young pregnant woman in a patterned maternity gown shook her head.
"Which one of them?" Her equally pregnant friend asked. "The pregnant wife or the pretty quiet lady?"
"The quiet one. I think she was treated unfairly based on her friend's hostile reaction."
"I feel the same way too. Probably she was cheated on by the man from the way he was acting."
"But why is the quiet lady here? Is she pregnant too?" A third pregnant woman joined in the gossip.
"I don't know. But from the way her friend was acting, like someone on steroids, I think that is her hormones talking."
"Tell me about it."
All three women burst out laughing.