"Why can't I see my daughter?" I queried the doctor that was put in charge of my children. I had been discharged this morning, the doctor had certified my health better and my blood pressure was now back to normal.It had taken a lot of will from me to achieve that. I knew if I kept being sick, I would not be allowed to see my children and care for them as I should.Also, if I needed to stand up for myself and my kids, I needed to do that while standing on my feet with my head held high. It was obvious the likes of Catherine would not rest nor wanted to see me happy so I'd pay her back. No peace for her as well.But currently, this doctor was annoying me. Why was she refusing me from seeing my daughter?"Because you can not, ma'am." She insisted."I am her mother, I have every right." I was tempted to raise my voice but I didn't.This was the pediatric wing. For the sake of the sick children, I wouldn't.But I was this close to losing it. Uncle Pete was not here with me. He had gone
PETER"I never knew you'd want to see me again." The man I'd been waiting for finally made an appearance after sitting idly and nursing a bottle of beer in this local bar far away from the upscale life and activities."It's been a long time, Derek." Derek Kellers.The man I used to know but never associated with. Even in highschool, he'd always been a truant and a rebellious person. With his love for trouble and everything illegal, I stayed away. Percy, my late twin brother, had been the one he was close to. "Yes. Imagine my surprise when the Almighty CEO of Astra-Z called. Never even knew you had my number." He removed his sunglasses and placed them on the table."I didn't." I told him."How did you get my number then?"Without permission, he grabbed my bottle and downed its contents. "Poor beer sat there looking eager to be chugged."He belched and sniffed. His hair was held in a loose ponytail and an eyebrow ring glinted.I wasn't happy sitting down with him. His presence could
CHRISTIAN I pulled up into the compound hidden amongst bushes and forest, wondering why my friend had chosen to have his home built outside of civilization.Two of his men were outside to lead me into the building."Long time, my friend." Jerome's lips spread a bit in a welcoming smile.I smiled back. "Long time indeed, Jerome." I hastened my steps to go meet him. He met me halfway and we shook hands then hugged each other, clapping each other on the back.Jerome and I had known each other in the strangest of ways. He used to stay in the neighborhood where I did my illegal activities.We were young and would go shoplifting together. The first time our paths cross, I'd decided to go shoplifting in a big supermarket situated in the upscale city.Growing up poor and less privileged, my family and I had to survive somehow. I would visit the town for the rich to steal from them. I met Jerome who had come into the store to carry out the same shoplifting. I used to think he was poor like
"Where's Jared?" Uncle Pete questioned as soon as he stepped into the hospital's cafeteria.It was getting late and I was yet to see Zaya or be told anything about her health. These people were getting on my nerves.Zion's health was improving, said the pediatric doctor attending to my kids. They could share with me Zion's progress but not Zaya's.He should be fully fine in few days. They were giving him medications that induced unconsciousness so his body system would be able to regain strength and energy.Once they saw his system was fully clean, they would stop the sleep-inducing medication and allow his body do the rest naturally.That was good news. Now it was left with Zaya."What's wrong with Zaya?" I asked in return, disregarding his own question."Hailey, where's Jared?" He probed, also ignoring my question.Impatience tugged but I maintained a calm exterior. "I don't know."He made a face. "What do you mean you don't know? I asked him to come be with you and now he's not pi
I literally felt the room spin and my temples throbbed. Apprehension gripped my heart tight when I raised my face to see Jared walking into the room. "I...I thought you were gone." I licked my dry lips and gulped nervously."Zion and Zaya are my children?" He kept his gaze on mine.I filed away apprehensive thoughts and conjured calmness and quick thinking. "Where did you hear that?""You just said it. I heard you clearly." He looked ready to argue and was that hope and excitement I saw in his eyes?Oh no! He was not getting his hands on my children. "You heard wrong." I replied, folding my arms in defiance."Uncle Pete." He faced his uncle who was still seated and quiet. "Tell me the truth."He met my gaze, I silently pleaded with him not to reveal anything. Damn my big mouth!But then in my defense, I thought he was gone. How would I have known he was lurking and eavesdropping."Why were you not picking my calls?" Uncle Pete asked him instead."Uncle Pete...""Answer my question,
"If anything should happen to my kids Jared, trust me, I'll make sure you and your wife sleep in jail for years." I threatened as he drove me to God-knows-where."What do you mean by that?" He passed me an angry glance. "Your wife now knows where my kids are, thanks to you. I do not trust her. If any more harm comes to them, I'm having you both thrown in jail and the keys forgotten at the bottom of the Pacific." I continued with my threat.My phone rang.It was in the back pocket of the denim I wore. I brought it out, thinking it was probably uncle Pete.I frowned when I saw it was an unknown number. Should I pick or not? I pondered."Pick your call." Jared said from my side."Mind your business." I shunned him.Then for the sole reason of hating his opinion of picking, I rejected the call. My phone rang again. This person didn't seem like they would stop calling so I had to pick finally and put it on loudspeaker and waited for them to spea
"You're wasting your time." I began, ready to pour my anger more on him.All the punches did little to affect him. Fuck! I should have gone to that fighting class when I was in Florence.The elevator dinged and slid open, signalling the end of our destination.When he saw I was not moving an inch, he grabbed me by my arm and pulled me along. I tried to sink my teeth into his own arm but to my ire, it didn't work.I soon found myself in a very elegant suite that uninhibitedly exhibited luxury and comfort but because of my mood, I was in no state to admire whatever."Start talking." He moved to a small bar to pour us some drinks.He brought a flute to me, I took and splashed it on his face. "Go to hell!"I headed for the door but he dragged me back. It turned to a full struggle, both flutes ended up as shards on the gleaming floor. He pushed me to the bed, eyes blazing, wine dripping from his face and the few straying strands.Not to mention the front of his shirt was stained as well.
"Uncle Pete, I want you to tell me what is wrong with my daughter." I stormed into the living room, determined to get the truth.It was almost dusk. Jared has wasted my time in that suite of his. Arguing back and forth but I had stood my ground and with a lot of profanities aimed at him, also I would not stop breaking things, he finally took me out of there and brought me back home promising to ensure his presence in the lives of Zaya and Zion.I had no time to reply him because I didn't want to think of what length he could go to do just that.Not that I was scared of him but I didn't want my children exposed to that.Now I was home and ready to make sure uncle Pete told me the truth. Hands akimbo, I stood before him. "I've been trying to reach you all afternoon, what happened?" His worried expression roamed my face."Answer the question." I was mad at him too for hiding something so important to me. This was my daughter's life on the line!"Why, you look like you have been in a
THREE YEARS LATER...I stood outside in front the prison's huge gate, Zion and Zaya, still having their sibling rivalry, stood beside me. I paid them no mind. The day they would not argue, I would be genuinely worried. Jared stood beside me as I held a cardboard paper in view, waiting for her. "Where is she?" I questioned impatiently.Uncle Pete and Miss Nancy were home, they couldn't come because Miss Nancy had just put to bed a beautiful set of twin boys. The twin gene was really strong in the Johnson family. Celine was due at any moment. Funny right? Dylan had proposed a year after my wedding. Celine was expecting her first child but was advised to stay home and to stress as little as possible. That was what happened when your husband was a big shot doctor.The gates opened and there she was. I beamed.Zion and Zaya, now eight years of age, ran forward in unison, forgetting their meaningless squabble. "Aunt Denise!""Hey!" She opened her arms, stooping to hug them only they wer
When I finally came to, the first thing I heard was the steady beeping of the heart's monitor. I blinked reflexively as the bulb overhead hurt my eyes some. I tried to raise myself to a sitting position but a groan escaped my lips."Hailey." Someone rushed to the bed, helping me to sit up.It was Jared. "W-what happened? I had a dream. A weird dream." I told him, looking quite disoriented. "Really? What kind of dream was that?" He asked, tucking hair behind my ears. "I saw Zaya. Zion was holding her hand and they...they..." Emotions swamped me, making it difficult for me to continue speaking.I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge tears suck in my throat. He heaved a sigh. "It was not a dream, baby. Zaya is alive. I'm as shocked as you are but after uncle Pete and Miss Nancy explained all that happened, I am just thankful she's alive." Emotions rose to his throat. "No." I shook my head, not wanting to believe. "No, no. Zaya died. I saw her body. She...she laid there unconscious an
"Thank you Brenda, you did a superb job." I shook hands with the very pretty bartender dressed in revealing clothes as the cops threw handcuffs around the wrists of drugged, oblivious Philip and Derek.Finally, I did it. Actually, to be fair, I had help. Jared and me had tracked them to the location Denise had provided and it was true. I realized they frequented a rundown bar at this remote area and they were smart to because no one would have ever traced them here."It's my pleasure. Plus, the money was too good to pass up." She seemed pleased with herself. "Just a second." I left her to go get my checkbook and pen from my bag sitting in the car. I returned to her with these, wrote a figure and extended it to her. "This is thank you for a job well done."She took the check, her eyes bulged in both excitement and shock. "This is freaking much! What the hell do I do with so much money?"My eyes did a quick sweep of her work environment, then moved back to her. "You can pursue your dr
"I don't know why you brought me here. You could have come alone." I folded my arms, staring with a displeased expression at the entrance of the police station. "You need this." Jared said, turning off the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt. "Aren't you getting out?""I told you I'm not ready. I don't know what to tell her. I'm not even sure I want to talk to her, I can't forget the fact that she had a hand in my father's death.""Fine. Then don't talk, let me do the talking. I just want you to be available so you can hear the information she has. You want Philip and Derek to pay for what they have done to you, don't you?" He shifted to face me. "I guess." My tone was reluctant."Good, because I want Philip to pay for killing my father." His jaw tightened.I frowned a little. "You've never been this upset ever since...I don't know, he was your father-in-law.""A big mistake. My father's death ruined my family with my mother as an accomplice." His words were bitter to the ears. I pl
I was dressed for the event — a simple tank top and distressed denim shorts. It was time to pluck off another adversary.I opened the door and turned on the lights. "There you are." My smile was anything but welcoming or friendly. "And I thought I smelled a rotten fish." She spat, looking unkempt and dirty. And she was tied to a chair. "Oh, that'll be you seeing as you haven't had your bath in like...well, weeks." I drew a chair from the wall, placed it few feet from hers and sat. "Forgive my lack of hospitality, I've been busy.""It's been a while. What do you want?" Her once shiny red hair was now a matted mess. "Revenge." I simply said. As though on cue, I heard a rap on the door. I opened it to allow Celine and Jared walk in. Jared was carrying a box of things I'd asked for. "You bitch! You think I'm scared of you?" She was trying to act strong but the little quiver in her voice gave her away. "I think you already are." I emptied the contents in the box.I heard her gasp. "
"Room 48." I mumbled, blowing nerves away. I was here and there was no turning back. Uncle Pete and Jared had no idea where I was going. I'd lied about picking some things for Zion from the store. This should be over in no time. I raised a fist and rapped gently but firmly on the door. "Who's that?"Two of the cops had followed me upstairs but were hiding from view. That sounded like the President's voice. I knocked again, cleared my tone in a bit to disguise it and said. "Room service."There was seconds of silence, then the padding of feet coming towards the door. The door opened. "We didn't order any..." The rest of his words were drowned by shock."Hello, Mr. President." I plastered on a smile. "Can I come in?" He was yet to see the cops."Get out." Fear and anger had him growl out those words. He tried to shut the door in my face but before he succeeded, I had a foot stuck between the door and used all of my power to push it open, making him lose balance and fall to the gro
"Uncle Pete!" I dashed into the room to envelope him into a hug, not minding the presence of Miss Nancy and a nurse. He hugged me back, his chuckle a bit weak. "I missed you too."I blinked my eyes, struggling back tears and swallowing emotions lodged stubbornly in my throat. "I'm so glad you're okay, uncle Pete. I...I... thought..." I couldn't even say the words out loud. "You thought what? I'm going nowhere for a long, long time, babygirl."My heart swelled with both gratitude and love for the man. It was the first time he would be using such an endearing term in that soft, affectionate tone. "You'd better not.""Can't...breathe." He said, still hugging me. "Thank you for saving my life. Thank you." I sniffled. "I owe you everything, my life included." "I did what I'm supposed to do, Hailey. You don't have to thank me for that." He rubbed my back. I held onto him for a few more moment. "Save some for us, Hailey." Celine who had come with me chuckled. I let go, finally paying
Jared unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled me onto his laps, I could not stop sobbing. "Shh. It's okay.""I...I..." I hiccuped, words failing me. "You don't have to say anything now." His hand on my back, comforting and soothing was a bit helpful."But...oh God. I don't want to believe her, but..." I trailed off as more tears interrupted my speech."Me too. I thought she just being her sly self but when I heard her talk, I knew she wasn't lying."I sniffled back snot, raising my head to look at him. "You heard her talk? When?""When we worked together. See, everyone makes mistakes, including your father. And that mistake led to his untimely, unfortunate demise. Denise too and we both know where the mistake landed her.""I can't imagine being poor and having a rich father who didn't want you. I know my dad was wrong to have pretended Denise didn't exist but killing him didn't solve anything. She only killed the man I've loved all my life till the day he died.""And I'm sorry for that. I
"He's not our son." Was the only argument I could come up with. Disappointment and disbelief darkened his eyes. "So you're prepared to let that young boy who left his country to provide a life for himself and his family to die in a fight that doesn't concern him? Coming from you, a mother?"Guilty speared, so I kept mute, partly to reflect. "Look, babe, I know you've been through a lot and Kazim was giving every information to bring every injustice to an end and the people responsible to book and he has done a wonderful job so far, but it was getting too heated. He was digging in too deep and I feared it was only a matter of time before he would wound up dead probably in some remote location. I know you're a good person and would never want to put his life at risk, you just wanted to fight back the only way you knew how."I hated that the anger was no longer aimed at him. I felt ashamed that he'd considered the risks while I was only interested in what Kazim had to offer. "Where is