The departure was. Well like I hadn't expected.
Okay based on the tension that had been floating in this mansion of doom I had honestly expected a full blown war to start. Some rusty picture of men in cow boy hats and guns that smoked after a shot.
So this scene was disappointing.
I mean why Alex is dragging his bag towards his car like he is leaving the place of a long beloved vacation. It's the wrong look on a serial killer.
And why did he almost give me a heart attack by bidding me farewell as if he is really going to miss me. And oh it gets worse
He called me sister. I mean just shoot me and get it over with.
And then there is Charli and Luther. Why the hell did they hang out together like freaking kindred spirits? Both dark and seemed to drag a foreboding essence with then wherever they set foot.
They could have at least bid me farewell one by one. I felt like I was about to meet my maker back there.
So after all is said and done. These men still scare the crap out of me. Maybe I should have ran off with my brother.
And Taylor would have gotten himself and a few others killed in the stupid process of coming after me.
Speaking of which where the hell is he?
I scowl around me and when my eyes land at my right he is right there leaning against a pillar looking at me.
I peel my feet off from where there had been glued and walk up to him. He immediately opens his arms for me and I plant mine on my hips.
"Why did you let me deal with that on my own?"
A small smile that still drives me crazy.
"I wanted to have an excuse to bash one of the great uncles."
"So childish!" I mutter under my breath while fighting a smile.
"You feeling okay?"
And the national anthem has started. Don't get me wrong, the attention is much needed and appreciated but Taylor overdose everything he touches and well..... Get the picture?
"Splendid!" I reply with a different adjective from last time and that was thirty minutes ago. Because yeah kicking the uncles and everyone else out of the house in one piece and alive took that long for the pyscho father of the house.
"You look tired, let's go sit and relax, you will still see them at the wedding."
I scoff as he begin to lead me back inside the house, "and why on earth would I miss them?"
"Because you have developed an irrevocable soft spot for all these psychos except me."
I scoff again. "Cry baby much!"
"Haven't I gotten back into your good graces yet?”
I cast him a side glance, “well there is the meeting room ....
"Out of my control."
I wait until he has made sure that I am comfortable on the couch and he sits beside me before I say,
"What would you have done if I had chosen to leave with my brother?"
“You wouldn't have." He answers confidently.
I narrow my eyes at him as my brain companions do the nuh-uh you do not head shake.
"I considered it for that moment." I confess. "It was the less heavy option. I can at least provide a clean future for her..." I rub my tummy where the precious little one rests and only a few days to coming face to face with her ticking time bomb dynasty.
"And then?"
I take his hand, "I pictured you getting yourself killed."
Okay maybe not that horrendous but that concludes it.
He almost rolls his eyes. Almost
"Heather I wouldn't have let you go anywhere away from me. I won't let you walk out of me for as long as I want you and for me that's the rest of my life so it's never going to happen."
And after all is said so confidently it takes me seconds to finally start doubting whether it makes sense at all ..., The man lays his head back on the couch and closes his eyes shifting such that half my body is lying on top of him.
JUDITH
I take a deep breath as I walk into the living room. Away from Lawyer the defender of his own twisted laws.
It’s suffocating and exciting, and does many things to me at the same time. I like and hate his caveman nature.
I feel like I am the devil's next project whereby he is on the mission to unleash my darkest desires and bring them to me like a well-served temptation on a golden platter.
See I wasn't raised for men like Lawyer. I was raised and trained and mentored against everything about the man. But the moment the man settled his gaze on me and made me his target I was forever screwed.
Rules and codes of behavior? Who am I kidding? I have broken them a million times without looking back.
And now I was in deeper crap. My father is still getting over the shock of all this. It would have been less of a blow if I had simply walked in and announced my wedding date. (Which I did by the way)
But no, the son of a motherless goat had to come up with the we-are-having-a-baby issue. What the hell?
So yeah I really needed some air. And oh not to mention that I had been held hostage in this damn house for, I don't know the whole damn Christmas holiday
So I am infuriated when I march into the living room and I jump when Heather let's out a scream.
"Heather!" Taylor is holding her shoulders as she brings her hands on her belly. She breathes in and out through her mouth as she calms herself, (a therapy Heather believes never worked)
"Are you okay?" Taylor asks worry masking his face.
Heather nods and gives him a beautiful smile, "I think it's time."
My heart screeches to a halt while Taylor makes a sound I want to believe is his joyous cry but makes my heart freeze with incoming panic.
"Okay I got you." He tells her as he bends to scoop her into his arms and plants a firm kiss on her lips before he makes a beeline go the door.
It takes me a few seconds to collect myself before my reasoning kicks in.
Lawyer, I have to get him and Julian. Taylor will be concentrated on Heather and his coming daughter he will need people he will trust to get around.
I rush back to the room where I had left Lawyer with my last word statement.
His eyes settle on me steadily the moment I enter the room. The power that he has over me cascades its presence and make me shiver.
I shake my head, "the baby is here."
His eyes widen, "shit, oh where is she?"
"Taylor got her ... where is ..."
"I'll send him a text. Let's go." He is already poking on his phone as he strides across the room towards me and takes my hand.
I barely have time to blink before we are marching out of the room.
At least I am sure that weird doctor Focus won't be there. He is too close with ... What does Heather call Mr. Abiwu again? Psycho devil father of the house- I snicker at the thought.
Within moments we are already outside and getting into the car the same moment that the back of Taylor's car is leaving the compound.
Lawyer removes my hand from the from seat door, eyes glued on his phone and pulls me towards the back door.
When I see Julian purposefully open the driver's door I stop my protest mid-way.
"Where is the big boss?" Julian asks as the car eases out of the yard.
"Somewhere in the village trying to blackmail the Jesuits." Lawyer replies without taking his eyes off the phone.
Julian lets out a scoff, "he's still obsessed about that area?"
"Abiwu wouldn't feel alright if he didn't run half the damn country. That why we are all in the mess we are in."
"You think? Things have never been the same ever since Taylor met Heather.... But it's never boring with Heather around."
The fond smile I see on Julian's face matches Lawyer's. If there is one thing that these Abiwu men had in common is that they are all irrevocably fond of Heather. Of course it's almost unbelievable but it was an unspoken truth now that none of them will ever hurt her.
"Where's Hannah?" The words leave my mouth as soon as the thought comes to mind.
Julian only flashes a small smile at me through the review mirror and it takes all my will power to not smack my face with my palm. Which is imprisoned in Lawyer's by the way.
I take a deep breath and try to think about anything else. I know too much such that it takes me seconds to put together what is going on.
An heir is being born, and in their world they take the whole damn thing seriously. You'd think it was a monarchy or something.
Well maybe in a way. It really was. It fascinates me. While it seems to vex some people to be caught up in such a world so fit for Hollywood you wake up each morning wondering whether it isn't all just a dream ......I am euphoric to be a part of it.
It feels like a deep dark evil side within me has been unleashed and I can't wait to grasp its full potentiality.
Except right now of course. Right now I have so many things charging around my every vessel and artery it's a wonder I am not shaking.
"Can you believe the bastard wants to send one of his own doctors to a private hospital, is someone dying?" Lawyer drops his phone on the car seat and glares at Julian as though he is the culprit.
Julian sighs, "uh damn that Charli."
Ah so Mr. Abiwu has heard the news already. I still can't figure out the reason behind Luther and Charlie's undeniable loyalty towards the crazy man.
"Someone will die for sure if we let any stranger near Heather and the baby."
Julian groans in agreement, "like I said, it's never boring."
I so want to roll my eyes. Can't we all just have a normal birth like all normal people? Well not that anyone in this car is normal. It's obvious these two men are not. As for me, well I can only say every girl have a dark secret and mine has to do with newborn babies.
How am I ever going to survive this day? I have no idea. But I intend to keep my dark secret in a dark corner so I just have to find a way.
And the memory comes in slides just as it does every time it decides to make an appearance, picture after picture of thick undiluted regrets and shameful half-truths
But that's a story for another time. At the moment I was beginning to think that I have something else to worry about. The Abiwu clan have overtaken the entire maternity hall.
It's been four hours since we got here and it took one hour for the hospital staff to start avoiding coming this way...because dearly beloved Uncle Lawyer and Julian just don't get what is taking so long for the baby to pop out.
'Let the people do their job, sit down." Gertrude who had arrived thirty minutes ago with the necessary items we had left behind in our rush gave the two a frown I have never seen grace her ever-patient features before
"Should it take this long?" Julian asks Lawyer like he would know the answer to that
"I don't think so ... something is wrong and they won't tell us." Lawyer fisted his hands.
I scoff because I can't help it, it's been four hours, I am apprehensive and these two lunatics are not helping
"Why would they, your presence here is a large lit sign board for 'incoming gangster baby' I understand your anxiety but why the body guards?"
Julian ignores me and turns to Lawyer again, "if nothing happened within the next fifteen minutes I am going in."
Lawyer nods, "ten minutes."
Julian nods.
"Nothing is wrong," Gertrude tries again.
"And you would know?" Julian finally pays her attention.
Gertrude rolls her eyes, "I have three kids."
"Three times you've done this and you still didn't ask for your money back,"
Gertrude gives Lawyer a dirty look, "I'm not the one who scared half the hospital staff away” I say out of embarrassment, I mean if I ever show my face here again this is all they will remember me for.
If I ever show my face that is...
Lawyer narrows his eyes down at me, “and why on earth are you so worried about your appearance at this hospital!"
"Being here with you would make anyone worry about their appearance like all normal people would."
But of course that is not the road lawyer is headed and I am not going to catch up with him even if it's the last thing I do
But leave it to Julian to stir the boiling pot, "I'm positive church boy doesn't work here.... not that you find the church here often”
I am about to say a few dirty words to Julian when the typical hospital double doors that separate anxious waiting room residents from where the real deal is taking place fly open.
Four pairs of eyes swing to the panting nurse or doctor, whatever
"What the hell is going on in there?" Julian is almost on the poor tired nurse's face
The man sighs, "What is going on is that we have a new cute girl in the building." He transforms from wary to giddy in two seconds flat
Okay maybe that isn't as slow-blink mouth agape worthy as Julian throwing his arms around the nurse...
The nurse freezes and can't stop his eyes from escaping his sockets. Conclusion; the man is aware of who these lunatics are and well I wouldn't want to hug any of them either.
Unaware of the bruised ribs he has just caused to the poor informant Julian turns to Lawyer who mirrors his giddy expression.
I turn to Gertrude and return her smile.
"Can we see her now?" I ask the nurse.
He smiles, "that's why I'm here,"
I beam at him getting the unsaid joke. No normal person would walk past those guards.
"Let's go then" Lawyer grabs my arm and marches past the man and bumps his shoulder against him.
The nurse staggers back and raises his hands in surrender.
"What is wrong with you?" I whisper-growl at him.
"Why are you smiling with the nurse do you know him?"
What?
"When has it become a crime to smile at another human being?" I respond sassily
"You just try it Judith, just try it”
I roll my eyes at him but he doesn't see me because he continues marching down the hall dragging me along with him.
As we come close to the rescue room, I am overcome with excitement and curiosity to see the little one. And my best friend Heather