Fading Star

9

"Look here mister, you are to leave here immediately or I will call the police to arrest you"
Richard reached for his phone in the car. The man only smiled and shook his head. I took pity on him.
"Uhh Richard I don't think that's necessary. He's obviously confused. Why not let him spend the night, then we can hear what he has to say tomorrow".
"He's leaving here now and that's final" Richard replied.
"This is no way to treat an elderly person! Have you no compassion in you? Atleast let him stay the night... please honey" I said pleadingly. Richard hissed and stormed off. "Bring in the car" he shouted at the driver. I summoned peter the gardener.
"Take this man to the chalet, give him food and water. Let him be comfortable but watch him closely. I want to know his every move, even if it means no sleep for you tonight. Understand?"
I spoke in a hushed tune so that the stranger cannot hear. "Yes ma". He replied.
"Follow him, he will take you to where you'll sleep" I said to the stranger. "Ah thank you madam... my son has indeed married a kind soul. May God bless your kind heart" I smiled and went inside the house.
I met Richard sitting by the side of the bed in our bedroom, lost in thought. I sat beside him. "Baby what's on your mind?" he turned and smiled and sat me on his lap. He started playing with my hair. "I'm just thinking about all we've been through. The accident mostly. I realised you're a very strong woman. I'm lucky to have you. However I want you to continue being strong, and promise me no matter what happens you'll always stand by me" I smiled. "Always baby. Always." we kissed passionately.
After a lot of fondling he sat up. "There's something we need to discuss. Infact I should have told you this before as delilah suggested. I just thought you can't handle it." I frowned. My mind was in motion again. He's about to tell me what they've been hiding from me since. Am I ready to hear it? Can I handle it?. "Go on"
"The thing is..." just then his phone rang. He frowned. "Sorry I'll be right back I have to take this call. Office stuff"
"Can't you call back when we're done? I mean we're in the middle of something important here"
"I'm sorry it can't wait" he stood up and left the room. I was furious. What was more important than us? I went to the bathroom and shut the door. I stripped off and filled the bath tub with hot steaming water. I added bubble bath to make the water foamy and lay down inside. The warmth was welcoming. I closed my eyes and thought. I didn't know I fell asleep until I heard loud banging on the door. I woke up with a start momentarily forgetting where I am. "Ally are you in there? Ally come on open up"
"Oh come on Richard you scared me! I'll be right out"
I took a robe, wrapped it around my body and opened the door. Richard was standing there. "What's gotten you so worked up... I was just enjoying a bath"
"You spent more than an hour in there. I thought something happened to you"
"I'm fine. I just fell asleep"
he moved forward and hugged me. "I'm sorry I had to interrupt our conversation. You smell nice by the way. Let's go to bed".
******************************************
I opened my eyes to bright sunshine and Richard's smiling face. "Good morning Gorgeous" I smiled. "Good morning. What's the time?"
"It's 9am."
"Oh.. You're not ready for work"
"Nope. I'm gonna spend the day with my lovely wife"
"Richard you shouldn't. There's no need. Unless Ofcourse you're gonna finish what you started last night" he sighed.
"We'll discuss that later. I asked delilah to come over. For now just go shower and we'll go down for breakfast." I nodded. Then I remembered the stranger from last night. "What about that man?"
"Oh we settled. Turns out he was a fraud just as I expected. Nothing to worry about. He just needed a little money. He must have left by now. Go freshen up." I sighed. I was glad the stranger had left. I showered with thoughts of the oncoming discussion on my mind.
We went downstairs to eat breakfast. The sight was shocking. The stranger from last night was sitting at the table, humming to himself. Richard froze beside me. The stranger grinned when our eyes met. "Ah good morning madam"
"Good morning" I mused. I wanted to say what the hell are you still doing in my house but I kept shut because I didn't want to be rude. Before I could say anything Richard flared up beside me.
"You wretched man! I thought I told you to leave my house! I thought I settled you! What the hell are you still doing here!" the stranger shook his head.
"You young people do things without thinking. You think you can come and talk to me in the middle of the night, give me your dirty money and I'll just take it and leave? Oh no son, God will not allow it. Your oyinbo wife here deserves to know the truth. I am not here for your money" I stood there looking like a fool, not knowing what to do or what to say. "Richard what's he talking about?"
"Go on, lie to her. It seems you're good at it" the stranger said.
Richard just stood there breathing heavily and sweating. "My name is Mr okon by the way. I am your husband's uncle. I practically raised him. I will be leaving for the village shortly and let you two settle things. I will be back in one week" he faced Richard and rose. "I hope you will reach a decision by then"
"Mr okon, I don't understand any of this. What decision? What's going on here?"
"Your husband will explain it to you, if he's man enough. You're a good woman"
with that he lifted his sack and left through the back door. I turned to Richard. he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and sighed. I could tell he was really angry. "Richard please calm down and explain everything to me"
He sighed and sat down. "Before I say anything I have to tell you this. You know we lost the baby in the accident... well... That wasn't the only baby we lost." I suddenly felt cold. I started shivering. "Richard w-what are you trying to say? I don't understand." he sighed and reached for me. He wrapped me in his arms. "I can't think of the easiest way to say this, but you won't be able to carry a baby in your womb anymore" that was the last thing I heard before I passed out.
I opened my eyes slowly. Someone was dabbing a wet towel on my forehead. Immediately I remembered what Richard told me, I felt a piercing pain in my heart. Like a knife was being driven straight through my chest. Hot tears began running down my cheeks. What did I do to deserve this? I wondered. Was God punishing me for something?. A hand wiped the tears running down my face.
"Don't cry it's okay... you'll be alright" it was Delilah. I was on the couch in the living room, my head resting on Delilah's lap while Richard held my hand beside her. The grief I felt was beyond expression.
A week after then, I was still dealing with the grief of not being able to bear a child. I went to see a doctor 2 days after Richard told me and I was told I shouldn't lose hope. There was always the option of adopting or surrogacy. Atleast that was something. I had totally forgotten the encounter with Mr okon which happened on monday. Richard booked a flight to dubai for us but he said something came up and he had to cancel, so Delilah replaced him. On the day we were supposed to leave, I remembered that I assigned peter to watch that stranger (Mr okon). I called him just before leaving for the airport. Delilah was there, I already told her about the man. "Peter did you do what I asked you to do last week?"
"Yes ma"
"And? What did you see or hear. Do I have to ask you?"
"Madam the man didn't do anything unusual. It's just that in the night I heard him and oga discussing" he put his head down and laced his fingers.
"Go on. tell me what they discussed"
I was getting impatient.
"I heard him telling oga that the mother and child he left in the village need him. I couldn't hear the rest clearly, then oga gave him money and begged him to leave the next day. The man did not say anything again after collecting the money. That's all." I stood there analysing what he told me. "I believe I did not just hear that!" Delilah exclaimed. She looked at me and looked at peter.
"Peter don't lie to me. Was that what you heard?" I asked.
"Yes ma. I swear to God"
I gave him a wad of notes.
"Thank you. You may go" he thanked me and left. I turned to Delilah. "Can you believe that? I don't know what to make of that"
"Well whatever it is, we'll dig into it when we're back. For now let's focus on getting you relaxed. That's the whole point of this vacation." she replied.
Richard was waiting for us at the airport. I pretended as if I didn't hear anything from peter. He kissed me. "I'll miss you honey, enjoy yourself"
"I'll miss you too. Take care. Don't overwork yourself". I hugged him and left.