Anita
A beautiful Friday evening. The sun rays were giving the earth a yellow tinge. James and his friends were playing from a distance. One hell of an interesting football game in which so far, if I was keeping count he had scored ten goals...he should have earned a spot in the GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo.That aside. I was feeling grateful as always. My stock was depleting and profits were abundant. Finally something was going great in my life. It was until I saw one of the Wallace manor cars coming from far. A black Cadillac."He has a lot of nerve" I said boiling with anger.It was not going to be easier to get over him if he kept showing up like that. The car glided on the carpet green grass, James and his friends stopped playing and admired a car the closet they had seen was on TV. To my surprise it was not Blake who walked out of it, the butler got the door and out came Gerald Wallace in a white shirt black half coat, a hut on his head."Kids, gBlakeSeated in the Butlers office, a huge smile on my face. Before me was a bunch of papers with information that I really needed, though not much but it was enough to get the detective off my back. My prayer being it was also incriminating enough to distract the mighty Gerald Wallace. I mean it had to. After what I went through to get it, Tessa almost caught me creeping in her parents’ bedroom were it not for that call that she received things would have gotten out of hand.After going through the papers I put them in a brown envelope and sealed it. One last thing remained. To get it to the detective. I got out my secret phone and dialed his number."Good evening""Yes Blake, I was almost giving up on you. Have something for me dude?""Yes, can we meet up?""Today, eight behind the old market and come alone""Of course. See you then"One problem. Slipping out of the compound. They were definitely going to ask questions about my activity and then hop
BlakeThe roads were clear, no sign of life. On the dashboard the clock was ticking at a quarter past nine, I was alone in the car singing on top of my lungs, along some old school jams mostly RNB's. Life was good, really good. The detective didn't say much, moments after going through the stash of papers I gave him. His words were transcribed into melodies in my middle ear. He said and in verbatim "We've made one bold step" too bad I was not going to be available to help him further with the case, he had to do the rest of the digging on his own.Blake was a free bird, free to roam far and wide in peace unlike in that weird dream I had in the state of coma. No one was going to come after me...us, almost forgot about my lovely wife, the apple of my eye. I was really convinced she was going to tag along. It was the only way out from the tight grip of her annoying mother, that witch couldn't stand even her own children, her own blood and flesh."To hell with her" I shouted
Immediately after breakfast, Maria's personal guard-initially paid to make sure she couldn't run- led her to the parking lot. Don had approved the two of them to use the silvery Toyota land cruiser TX for the hunt, it had the conspicuous logo of the Red Crescent mafia family. That's what he called the search for Mafia Heir, a hunt to revive a tinge of his legacy. The two women who initially didn’t see eye to eye were forced to co-exist for what the Don called "the greater good" until the heir was found the two were friends whether they liked it or not.While one was doing it for the money, the other was doing it because finally her wildest dreams were going to come true. A dream once snatched from her a couple of decades back. Being the queen, having some power and it she was feeling it, the urge to do whatever it would have taken, and almost some kind of greed was leaking in her actions and judgment.At half past eight, they had been driving for half an hour without exchang
Despite the raging war, some parts of the rubble city had signs of life with small business open, seated in the back seat of the car Maria could see women and children, poverty stricken indeed from their protruding pot bellies and countable ribs, standing by their doors. A swarm of flies buzzing over them, others crying, beautiful but dirty children hoping for a well-wisher to throw them something to eat.Food at the time was more important than money. Inflation had hit the entire country. A few rich gang members and mafia groups like the Red Crescent family had all the money that had lost value to the poor law class majority. They went past robbed banks, whose walls were left with graffiti, broken windows, and birds coming in and out of them. They also went past a church, the bells were ringing and a group of rowdy youth were using it as a smoking joint. Their hair unkempt, smoke emanating from their nostrils like an exhaust of an un-roadworthy vehicles, the look of death and d
In the home office that evening, Gerald Wallace was lying on a couch with his head on Bailey's lap. On the table a bottle of Hennessy. It was not a secret the two were celebrating. But what were they really celebrating?Let's go through their situation shall we? Bailey and Tessa were yet to have that truce, for a gazillion time in their life. The situation was the same or even worse between her and Gabriel. None of that called for a celebration. What about Gerald? Well, the king was feeling good. An eased conscience after finally paying off that debate with Anita, coming clean and asking for forgiveness. Hopefully the nightmares were going to stop. Did I just say nightmares? I didn't. At least you didn't hear it from me because he was yet to tell anyone why the ghost of Anita's old man was haunting him. His relationship with his son wasn't great but it was good, no one was plotting against him and he wasn't sick so...There was something these two were celebrating. I can sme
When the head chef walked in the three gentlemen were relieved. You could feel them take a sigh of relief that seeped through their sweat pores, the likes of Blake could be seen wiping sweat from his neck and face. If it were Gerald then things would have been a little bit different in a not so good way. Apart from the fact that they were all not working, they were talking about him and you don't talk about your boss at the work place don't you? That’s unless you want to get fired."You scared the living hell out of us man" the chief butler said, "How long have you been standing there?""Not long enough, Gerald is asking about you guys. He is almost convinced that all his three butlers have quit""We are coming, just taking a breather after a whole day of standing" Gabriel said authoritatively.Despite being counted as a butler he was still a Wallace, the next Wallace after his father. That fact earned him a lot of respect from employees. He was only free with Blake,
The search party of two returned home feeling tired and devastated. An entire day of hitting dead ends was not something to brag about and the Don was waiting for an update in his office. A positive one in this case. It was no secret his health was deteriorating by the day and he could have really used some good news to enable him take the next breath."What on earth are we going to tell him?" Maria asked exhaling sharply.None of them was ready to leave the car in the parking lot. But what could they do? They had no idea what the boy looked like and finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Being their first day some hope was necessary, just one problem though they just didn't have anyone to give it to them."You're the boss here, am just the muscle" said Shayna."That's true" she said leaning on her back."You do realize that we can't sleep in the car""Just give me a minute to think""Well, we don't have a minute because here comes
***Flashback***BlakeBy seven that evening I was already at the newly opened five star hotel Quills. Dressed in a red jacket, white shirt black trousers, and red loafers on my feet. Constantly checking my Rolex. Fear was starting to set in when the clock hit a quarter to eight with no sign of her. Had she decided not to have a formal date with me? Changed her mind perhaps? After hanging out at her place while delivering that blender we had agreed to go on a formal date. One that I had looked forward to with much enthusiasm.It was not every day an upcoming business man like me got to date the daughter of one of the richest men in fort canon. A marriage with Tessa was not only for my own benefit but that of my business. And that was the goal, show her love and when the time was right, marry her. I could imagine how many business deals would have gone through easily simply because by my side was Tessa Wallace."Someone looks scared" she said holding my shoulder f
BlakeIt was another beautiful morning at the Red crescent manor. In my silk robes with a cup of coffee I was standing at the balcony, watching over my family estates, employees moving from one direction to another going on with their duties, their children happily playing in the field waiting for school time. Mum and Lilian had dedicated much of their time to doing that, teaching and donating foodstuffs, rescuing colts from dangerous gangs. It was the good I could do.After messing up the first time when God showered me with blessings I wasn't going to repeat the same mistake. This time I was going to use my influence to make sure that nature wasn't going to raise another Blake. No kid was going to be a pauper and mistreated under my watch and what better way to start doing that than in my own home? Anita and her sister Beatrice helped with the teaching, her younger brother James was there too among the students. My family had become big when her sister and brother moved in. Her moth
Within two weeks, Gerald Wallace had lost the trust of his family, his friends and all his lands he acquired illegally. Beginning with the one in the outskirts of the war tone city, that used to be a children's home that he mercilessly grabbed and sent the kids to the streets. Fate was back to bite him in the ass because one of the kids he threw on the streets was Blake. He reclaimed the land using the manpower he had, a new building was being erected as the war continued. No one dared stand in his way days after he left a trail of bodies when he visited a rival mafia gang that for long had perfected the unholy act of human trafficking. As a result, all the other gangs that were doing illegal businesses were keeping their heads down and others were now even reaching out to be friends. And once again, the red crescent Mafia family was on everyone's radar and the name Blake send shivers down the spines of those who didn't not stand for what he believed. In a matter of days, he had acquir
BlakeTheir eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I got up with the gun at hand. Their guards rushed to the scene but they were just a handful of them. Forming a barrier between me and their bosses. It felt good to taunt them, but I had no intention of killing any of them I just wanted to see the family suffer and not feel safe, feel like everything they had could be taken from them anytime, feel afraid like I used to every time Bailey called out my name or when she slapped the taste out of my mouth."Let's see, you're ten and I have fourteen armed another three dozen just waiting for my call, plus myself and Carlos and Johnson we're seventeen bad asses here right now""What about me?" Anita asked feigning disappointment. She knew how to taunt people, our common goal, to make Gerald pay. She wanted him dead more than I did."You'll sit back and watch me slaughter all these bastards, then I'll bring you the head of the man who had your father killed"Now that was one way to send
A couple of days after Anita's controversial visit peace and cohesion had not been a regular visitor at the Wallace manor. It all started with Gideon and Tessa, that same day over dinner Gideon seemed to be in a foul mood, he avoided conversations and when Tessa became too inquisitive he blew up in anger. Asked for some air, got in his car and drove out of the compound. That was new, but there was something he wasn't telling them and they were yet to find out, too late though and the one carrying that news was a not so welcoming person.Anyway, Gideon left Tessa under a cloud of sadness that no one seemed to have a solution to and perhaps that was because each of them had problems of their own. Bailey had to divide her attention and look out for her family or watch them perish. Gerald had lost his smile and control of the home. He spent most of his time drinking in his office and conversing with the butler, Tessa was in her room doing whatever it was she was doing and Gabriel. He was
Anita was seated in the most hostile of environments she had ever been. All the Wallace's including the new one who was glued to Gabriel like a monkey on a tree were glaring through her and ironically it was only Gerald who seemed to want her there, he was the calm and relaxed, patient as Anita took her time to taunt them with her silence and tension. The problem is she didn't care much about Gerald's show of concern and mercy. I was all fake, had she known why he was too nice to offer her a job in the first place she wouldn't have taken it. He was a murderer and thank God he had no idea what was coming.Those couple of minutes she sat there, dozens of ways she could have strangled him to death had crossed her mind. It was surely taking every ounce of self-control for her not to jump on him and try it."Are you going to keep us waiting forever. Unlike you we have some things to do" Tessa was not a fan of waiting."Okay, I'll go straight to the point. Blake sends his rega
At eight in the evening, everyone in the Red crescent manor was gathered at the ceremonial grounds. Circular in shape with seats made of mortar almost like an ancient Roman arena, there was a podium decorate with high end seats where the elders and the family priest sat. No one from the family had arrived yet and there was confusion everywhere with rumors circulating among the employees."I think we're being sent packing, I don't even know where to start from my whole life is in this beautiful place" one said sounding disturbed."Who said we're being send packing?" Asked another."It's just a rumor. We don't have proof" argued someone from behind, they were all whispering as though it was a crime to talk. But generally, it was all quiet and the whole place was lit up with traditional lamps."Something else we don't have is a leader and we're going to be scattered all over"The banter would have continued were it not for the sight of the r
One Week laterIt's said that, you never know when your time will come, we all hope he'll delay. So, what are you doing with the little time you have left on this vast ticking time bomb called earth? Have you Imagined how you want your Eulogy to look like? Most of us haven't. The brutal angel of death paid the Red crescent Mafia family a visit again. It was Saturday afternoon, a gloomy day for real even the weather could attest, the sun was too afraid to come out, hidden behind the dark clouds and the rain was now ruling, beating the ground into a wet submission, all the family members were dressed in black with the servants holding umbrellas for them leaning on each other's shoulders their eyes bloodshot from prolonged crying. After an all-inclusive funeral service with the few invited guests and the world at large it was the turn of close family Members to say goodbye to one of their own, one last walk to the grave for a fabric that had woven them together, a pillar that had
The whole family swarmed in on Blake as they carefully forced him out of the venue without causing much alarm, the crowd was already alarmed but those who knew Wallace and his family so we were both surprised. What was a Wallace party without some drama?"I just want to talk to Tessa then we can see if this joke of a party goes on""You don't get to insult me" Growled Gideon, he even wanted to punch him lights out but Gabriel held his hand. No one was really in the mood for violence that day for Christ sake they were dressed to party and have fun, dance, drink and those who could even have sex!"Calm down Gideon" Bailey said rather politely, "what do you want?""To talk to Tessa nothing else""Okay go ahead, but not here and we're not leaving her sight for as much as I care you might have goons out there planning to take her" that was the condition and it was good for him to have an audience so that they could all hear him convince her to be his again.Funny
BlakeAfter a sleepless night of tossing on my bed, wishing morning would come and the doctor would do the checkup, allow me to go home and see the love of my life...it finally came and the energy in the air was stupendous, the birds singing and the whistling of the wind, my own heartbeat and some beeping of machines all connected to make a perfect rhythm. I lay in my bed my arms tucked, staring blankly in the white ceiling, a smile cracked on my face, mother nature had been kind to me and the supreme being had given us another chance to suffer, love, regret and make our stay on this borrowed planet worthwhile.That morning like all days I closed my eyes."Father lord, thank for another day in my life. A few days back I was in a comma beaten to a pulp but you turned my enemies into my friends and now the protect me. Father, today I don't want to stress you with much, please see me through the day and give me back the love of my life, you know her more than I do and you h