I thought the Fanny’s weren’t going to locate our current location based on the hidden sight of the mountain. Hours had dragged by and despite giving them direction through phone calls, they were yet to locate us in the ocean of vegetations that gathered at the Rio Hondo border.After so long a time, I could hear a help in the form of a hovering over my head. When I cast my expectant gaze overhead, I could see their hands waving and heads peeping down to us. A private jet was hovering over us. Amidst their clamor, I could see fingers and heads staring down to us in clear exactitude.The Fanny’s were here.Before their arrival I had exhausted my tone in singing those lyrics. By this time Brian had been lulled to sleep on my shoulders, leaving me with no option than to sit on the mountain, so that he could enjoy his sleep on my shoulders.I didn’t know the force controlling me now. I was supposed to be on my way to Ohio; what could have instigated me to yell at a train operator and forc
My countenance was devoid of blithe at the time. I stepped backward to give them the limited attention I had. Once I gazed upon that blue document the horrible moments I had with the Fanny’s relived in me and hit me with hurt. I wouldn’t want us to talk about a contract marriage again. I was going to tell them my purpose of traveling to Ohio was to hustle, make enough money that could sort out the half a million dollars they gave me as exchange for agreeing to marry their son.I knew they were fascinated by the stunt I pulled to save Brian. But in the natural sense, I could barely climb a tree perfectly well let alone a mountain. Perhaps the evil spirit that often possessed me whenever I saw Brian was back, and it was the evil spirit that gave me guts to climb a mountain, meant for professional mountain climbers.“And what about it? If I can remember, I was divorced and mandated to refund back the half a million dollars, else I stand to be jailed. Please I am out to hustle and pay yo
I wept because my fate was getting maddening and to think of the fact that I was fated to be with an insane man installed in me the virtue of conquering obstacles that ordinarily would have worn me out. Right now taking a decision to walk out of this marriage and return to Ohio was even a stronger obstacle; one that was stronger than me. And the only way to conquer it was to stay back.“Stay back!” my thought snapped.Oh my God, I couldn’t believe I was about okaying a contract marriage that left me worse than it met me. I had a life ahead of me. Trust me I had moved on and this shouldn’t be what I should be dealing with right now. I wanted to give them a disapproval but Eva had entrapped my heart like golf ball in its hall.No words had crushed my heart than that of Eva; perhaps it was because Brian was mentioned. But I could see myself being pulled back to reconsider my decision. I was practically about to devote myself to my vomit. I thought I agreed within myself never to get into
These days Brian had formed the habit of being lulled to sleep on my shoulders, usually after dinner. His typical shouting had reduced which informed me that, of a truth, he wasn’t healthy. The healthy Brian whom I knew so well was supposed to be ravaging the entire villa with his shrill voice and ranting, not forgetting his usual stamping of feet on the door. He was indeed sickIt was evident in his fallen, sluggish eyes, cold feeble palms and skinny neck which gave him the looks of one suffering from malnutrition. Whenever I gazed upon him, I had this burning desire that he was acutely sick and needed urgent medical attention; I looked forward to his usual yell which I was missing so much now. Some days ago he had only shouted once and the other night he never shouted at all, rather he channeled his energy to blushing and tittering within himself.When I wanted to bask in the euphoria of this new development, I was stunned when it dawned on me it was only a signal of ill health. Wh
Ever since I became Brian’s contracted wife, I hadn’t seen him chant and pummel against the walls and door in such manner. I was yet to believe he was the same person that was sick the other day. Had it been I gave him the green tea the other night I would have accused Salsa of drugging the tea. But it was far from it; my husband’s ranting had doubled and although I was excited that it was evidence of quick recovery yet I couldn’t stand the mind-seizing rant that sounded from him.At dawn, Brian woke up with a strange kind of violence that stirred everyone to panic and peep from their chambers; wondering if it was another Brian or the one that was sick.I was yet in my state of confusion when I got a call from Fanny asking me what was happening. Fanny feared that Brian was out to either pull down the entire mansion or to cause havoc because the vibration if the walls and the door whenever he pummeled on them. I was only peeping from my chamber and strategizing effectively.I told Fann
“It gets me batty to wonder how Brian got hold of cleaver knife. I perceive you don’t know what cleaver knife is. That piece is a damn weapon; I mean one of the most dangerous tools for butchers. Who gave that shit to him? How did he get hold of such devilish weapon?” Doctor Emma queried, stared at the both of us and narrowed his gaze in an inspective manner.Fanny gave a questionable stare at me, expecting some satisfactory, implicating reply that would put an end to everything or open a new page of war.I lowered my gaze, fondled with my fingers, processing within me; all that Salsa told me about Kate and Frank being the people sneaking weapons into our chamber. I was yet to verify her assertion and although I had lost trust in Salsa yet I found unverified truth in what she revealed; I wish I had evidence. I wish I could call names with evidence. The Fanny’s were powerful people I wouldn’t want to toil with at the moment.“What do you have to say Melissa?” Fanny’s husky voice came a
The entire Fanny’s gathered at the dining when I peeped out through the window. All the while I had been in my chamber, wailing silently as I beheld the large frame picture of Brian. Upon gazing on that picture I began to relive moments with him; his shrill shouting; his unrest and constant violence on the his life and those around; his countless escape to the street; and finally the striking moment he stood at the summit of a mountain, stared down from it and about to fall over.I shook my head, “Why kidney failure now. How did it happen?” I queried within myself and returned my gaze on the picture, wondering what could have led to it; since they had been sneaking weapons into his chambers, they could have as well poison his kidney. My thought was just running and daring to proffer solution to my ailing husband.When I came out and wanted to take a seat Opula barked at me.“No!” she shot her dark, gloomy eyes at me I flinched and questioned her with my stares, I wanted to speak but
“Medical diagnosis according to the medical ethics had always been a thing of privacy and whenever organ donation was to be considered the parties involved are handled privately and not to be bought over with money or by pleading traceable to emotional blackmail,” that was the voice of Doctor Emma which ended up installing fear in me than I had thought about.Just then I lowered my gaze to stare at the sizeable picture of Brian which had been in my hold from the moment I stepped into the limo to drive down to the hospital. Gently I sniffed at good memories and it was as though I had lost him; as though I was just seeing the last of him. at such thought my heart had skipped and I began to administer life into him. And Firmly I rebuked thought of losing Brian; such thought had panged at me more often these days.Doctor Emma went on to tell us although we were family and wanted the wellbeing of Brian, any donor found eligible would only agree to donate his or her kidney based on willful
Whenever I stopped by the hospital to check up on Brian, hope of seeing Brian again often increased in me. His coma was indeed repulsive. When I touched his warm palms, my fear dissipated only for a while; at least he still had an ounce of life in him.The moment I stepped into the ward, I began humming his favorite song, with the absolute intention of making him rise from the coma. I had done this several times in the past weeks, and it seemed I wasn’t making headway.But my instinct had often told me Brian would wake up, soon at a time no one would expect. I only wondered where I would be when it would happen.Would I still be in marriage, or would I be with someone else? Would this love I harbor for Brian tarnish someday? Or would it become increasingly stronger?“No, Brian, please, this is the time I need you most,” I mumbled as I grabbed his palms and went on my knees, “A lot has happened and more are yet to happen…” I paused to stamp a chaste kiss on his palms, “Your father is g
Fanny and James Benson were ascending the elevator to the penthouse when James intoned, “Wow, I guess I love what I saw. She is pretty for my son and if you can convince her to marry my son I will give you the two billion dollars diary contract in California.”Even before now Fanny had been full of contagious smile; the truth was out. Fanny didn’t want to offer his son, Brian as potential husband to the billionaire old daughter who came visiting his office the other day.And the only way he could escape it was by paying up his debt of eight hundred million dollars. And now James Benson had baited him with the two billion dollars contract, he would have to give me to Rod as wife so that he could clench on the contract and pay up his debt.Everything fell on me now. And I wondered how he was going to do it.On another note, James Benson was hiding my pregnancy from Fanny since Fanny had not known of it, it was a plus to him, so he would forever keep it a as secret while Rod fathered the
Salsa had nicknamed Fanny a time bomb that was about to happen. And indeed Fanny was. If not for Salsa, who made that revelation to me, some day Fanny would take me unawares and demand a divorce.I was midway putting my inner chamber in order when a servant approached my door, knocked shortly and said, “Melissa Fanny demands you share the table with him.”With my eyes shut, a wave of irritation swept over me and I wondered if I could keep low and not question his intention of getting Brian an older lady once he woke from a coma.“I will be with him in a jiffy,” I said, and swallowed hard to contemplate the audacity I would use to share a table with him.“If Brian wakes from a coma and Fanny threatens to deprive him of being the heir unless he marries this old lady be rest assured that Brian may divorce you.”Those words of Salsa resounded in my head as I got ready to go to Fanny. “Brian would never do that,” I said to myself, “He can never divorce me,” I said yet again as I shook my h
Shortly after mom had disgraced me, Opula and Kate hissed and walked into the villa. I knew they felt disappointed at my decision. They thought mom would have been the only person who would have convinced me to accept the annulment of my marriage. But my mind for Brian had gone rocky and not even my late father resurrecting from the dead, could convince me.“Pet Melissa and ensure she is well taken care of in her chamber, “Fanny ordered the maidens who had been part of the onlookers.Frankly speaking, I had gone soft in the head, my countenance displayed shame. Salsa and Eva surrounded me and I could hear Eva telling the maidens to disperse. As usual, she had taken my dilemma personally and wished she could save me from my fears.I didn’t expect this to happen; into the night I wailed bitterly and felt dejected. To an extent, Salsa and Eva grew wary of petting me.“Hence forth you cease to be my daughter. If you hear that I am dead tomorrow, please don’t come to my funeral …”Those la
With jerking hands, I wiped my cheeks, daring to comprehend what mom meant by one last decision. Everyone’s face dragged in frown as they stared at mom in one moment of bated breath.“Melissa,” mom called and said, “You are going to accept divorce this minute and join me home or you reject divorce and remain disowned forever,” she said through clenched teeth and impatiently waited for my reply.Opula and Kate shook their heads in approval as if, in a subtle way they would give me a warm handshake for finally agreeing to accept divorce.Fanny dimmed his watery eyes at mom and threatened her with his thunderous face. It was not only he that settled his gaze on my lips waiting for my reply, also Eva, Opula, Kate and Salsa wondered what my reply would sound like.I stood to my feet in one moment of payback. Mom had really bitten more than she could chew; what stopped her from inviting me home so we could figure this out. She shouldn’t have embarrassed me in this way. This was absurd.Thro
She had barely uttered out a word when mom’s voice shrieked at her, “May thunder strike that mouth with which you called me an in-law to a shameless billionaire who does nothing than lure naïve girls into unwanted marriage…”Fanny’s brow had knitted immediately as he surged closer to mom, with folded arms, “What is the problem, mom? Do you realize who you are insulting, huh? You can’t come to my villa and blurt out rubbish. Do I need to remind you that this is my compound and you have no right to insult me?”Mom couldn’t listen to me; my molded arms were still pleading with her but there was no stopping her. She hollered at a disheartening manner, which pulled out Eva and their husbands from where they had been in the villa.I couldn’t withstand this anymore; I lowered my gaze in shame and wailed uneasily like a child.“Even if I am in your toilet I will talk sense into your dumb head. You evil billionaire!” mom cursed, “So it is you that charmed my daughter into a marriage of no retu
A mountain of frown crept into my face as I shot an investigative gaze at Salsa. “What is happening, Salsa? My mom is here?” I asked, stood to my jerking feet and advanced to the window.I could hear voices at the third gate, and it was obvious the security had restricted her from barging in and they were yelling at one another now.“I should be asking you that?” Salsa snapped and shot crimson gaze at me. “How did your mom know that you are here? Did you tell her the last time you visited?” Salsa queried as she joined me at the window.A sudden rain of sweat descended on my body; nervousness enveloped me as my lips shook with anxiety. I stroked my French hair confusedly and paced up and down. I was locked in utter confusion.“I never did,” I replied at a breath, “Why would I reveal my destination to my mom, knowing how furious she would be? After I lied to her that I have reaccepted the divorce, I told her I had relocated to Ohio where I worked as janitor.” I paused as suspicion jumpe
Having waited for Salsa to show up in my chamber, but to no avail, I decided to check her up in the kitchen where I knew she could be found. I needed to appreciate her for saving me from being implicated the other day.Salsa gave me a second chance to stay at the Fanny villa; of course, she had saved my marriage the moment she told a lie about the gift.“Hey, I have come to say thank you for saving my marriage,” I said softly , standing at the door as she got startled under the sound of my voice.“You startled the hell out of me,” Salsa said calmly, her lopsided smile dragging from ear to ear as she turned on the gas cooker, “What are you doing here, Melissa? I hope you know I will be punished drastically if you are found in the kitchen.”I was all smiles too, as I glanced around for any onlookers, “I know family members are restricted from the kitchen. But it is taking you too long to take breakfast in my chamber,” I whispered and glanced around.Salsa seemed to be scared; it was evi
On this day, mom was in her garden harvesting some bunches of flower which had posed as weed to her vegetables, when a Ferrari sped and halted at her compound.She never expected a visitor and since she wasn’t expecting any, she busied herself with the weeding and didn’t consider checking who it was.“My mother-in-law! Where are you? I am here!” a voice called and my mom raised her gaze from the ground. Suddenly, she had familiarized herself with such name because she was certain I would get married to Rod Benson, whether I like it or not.And emphatically, no one called her by this name except Rod Benson. When she raised her gaze she saw a young man in a T-shirt and jeans, having dark shades on his eyes, with luxury hanging around him.Indeed, mom was aging; she couldn’t recognize who it was until Rod took off his dark shades and lit his face with a smile.“Rod Benson,” mom called, and tossed her hoe to the ground before dusting her hand on her wrapper to go forth to him. “My son-in-