WE BELONG TOGETHER

*Chapter Thirty One.*

The knock is persistent and Bob relents his hold on me to go and open it.

“well well well,” I hear a familiar voice calling with a very malicious clapping of hands

“Who are you and to what do I owe this unwelcome visit?” Bob asks and I move closer to see who the person is.

“You?”  We both ask in unison and the surprise written on our faces is priceless.

I know Bob would like to know how I know Toney, as well as Toney how I know Bob and I would like to know the same.

‘’You know each other?’’ Bob asks with a surprised voice and I nod.

“Yes, this fool has been blackmailing me to marry him.’’ I say and Bob raises an eyebrow. “His parents are always going home to persuade my parents to let him marry me. I know my mum is for that but I am never and I mean never marrying this fool. He could be having all the money in the world but that doesn’t mean he can buy me and make me his wife.’’ Bob moves closer to me when I say that and his long protective arm goes around my waist. I feel secure with that.

“Don’t touch her!’’ Toney shouts but that just earns him a very hard glare from Bob.

“I asked and I am going to ask again, who are you and to what do I owe this visit? How can I help you?’’

He looks at him as if he is sizing him. Foolish boy, he thinks can he take on Bob because he is huge? Nonsense! I say inwardly. I have seen this boy at work and I know what he is capable of!

‘’My name is Toney.’’

“So?’’

“Elias is my dad, he told me about you and I decided to find you.’’

“Which Elias are we talking about here?’’

“Jude Elias, you know him?’’  He asks and Bob ignores his question.

‘’Wow! So he asked you to come look for me?’’ Bob asks and I don’t have to be a genius to understand the sarcasm in his voice.

‘’No he didn’t.’’

‘’So? And please make it quick because as you can see, I was busy before you interrupted me.’’

‘’I am here on my own. I wanted to find out where this well praised son of a bitch lives.’’

“Now you know, what else do you want?’’

‘’To know why you are with my woman.’’ Bob laughs dryly.

‘’Your woman you say?’’

‘’Yes my woman.’’

‘’Since when?’’ I don’t know what Bob is aiming at but it seems he keeps engaging him for a reason.’’

‘’Since my parents paid the dowry.’’ He says and I swear if anything has ever shocked me, then it was a lie. This one is pure shock.

My legs are wobbling and if not for Bob’s secure hold, I would have fallen down thunderously

‘’My dowry has been paid for already?’’ I ask sadly and he nods with an evil grin.

“Forget it Toney or whatever you call your stupid self.  I will never marry you. Go get back your so called dowry or marry my mum. I don’t care.’’

When he hears that he acts like something has just charged him and he moves towards me with a very dangerous face.

Bob is quick enough to hold him, lift him mid-air and throws him towards the door. He falls with a very  big thud and fear creeps in me. I hope he won’t die.

He looks at me with this mean face.

‘’You are rejecting me to leave with this poor idiot?’’ I can trace fear in his voice as he says that and Bob tenses besides me.

‘’None of your business Toney. You can think whatever you want but whoever I live with is none of your business.’’ He looks at me once again trying to move but Bob moves quickly to block him.

‘’You can have all the money in the world as much as you want you spoilt brat! But don’t you ever come to threaten me in my house.’’ Bob says sternly. “I may not be in the list of a million people who are close to you and your riches but one thing I am sure about is I have dignity while you don’t have any. I work had for anything I have, no one is spoon-feeding me you know?’’

“What is it that you own?  Or is it abundance of poverty and I vouch lice too because those abound in poverty!’’  He asks with a sneer and I shake my head to understand what he is intending to do.

‘’Nothing but at least I have clean life.’’ When he hears that he tenses and it is very obvious that he is not up to any good.

He pushes Bob away and pulls a gun from his waist.

‘’If I will not have you then no one else. Will.’’ He points the gun at me but Bob signals me to lie down. Before I do Bob is too swift I am amazed at this son of a woman!  So mysteriously swift none of us so this coming.  He sweeps his legs and he falls down. His grip on the gun is very strong so the gun doesn’t fall.

He pulls the trigger but it misses Bob by a whisker shattering the speakers in the corner of the house. 

‘’I am not going to allow you to take what belongs to me. That foolish old man thinks he will look for you so that you inherit his property but that’s not going to happen.’’

He pulls the trigger again and this time, he shoots Bob on the arm and when I see blood dropping and hear a groan from him, I let out a shrilling cry at the same time that the door is kicked open.

Steve walks in and when he notices Toney, he has a log in his hand and he moves swiftly

He hits Toney on the head and he falls unconscious.

He takes his gun away using a piece of cloth and I move swiftly to go tie the wound up and stop its bleeding.

Steve takes his phone and calls for an ambulance, then he calls the police.

I hear the sirens and since I cannot tell whether it’s the police or the ambulance, I feel scared so much that I am shaking with fear, I don’t know what else to do but I have risked so many people’s lives.

Tears are welling in my eyes and I feel like I should just die, I am giving up on life, I have put so many people’s lives in danger. Everything I become close to meets a confusion that cannot be understood.

I feel the tears falling and I don’t do anything to stop them. I let it all out and when I lift my head, Steve is pacing the floor impatiently.

‘’Please don’t Leave me.’’ I tell Bob who is bleeding uncontrollably. I tried making it stop but it didn’t even work.

There is a knock and Job walks in without waiting, he is with Vin and she moves to give me a hug.

‘’It shall be well,’’  She says and I think that’s a big joke for now.

Job opens the door again and the medics come in to take them. Bob hasn’t said a word and I feel frustrated.

I am sure he wouldn’t want to see me again in his entire life.

He is carried away and taken to the ambulance. Job sits with him and the police car is here too.

Toney is taken away in a police car as Vin, Steve and I drive to the hospital.

I have never felt scared for human life, I know that guy would have killed him anyway because theirs is a family issue, but the fact that it was done in my presence is tormenting. More so am in the middle  of their rut!

Steve is driving and I know he hasn’t said a word but he is going to ask me for explanations soon.

Vin hasn’t left my side and I know when I have support.

We get to the hospital and Job is seated in the waiting bay with his head held in his hands.

‘’Any news brother?’’ Steve asks and Job shakes his head.

*Elsewhere.*

Toney is taken to the hospital by the police

“He is currently being under tight police watch and I hope he will not buy his freedom like George did.

Steve drives me to the police station to go write a statement.

‘’Hello officer,’’

‘’Hello sir how can I help you?’’ a short officer that we have found at the OB desk greets us.

‘’We are here to record a statement on that guy that just shot my brother. We would like to see the inspector first though.’’

After we record our statements Steve drives me home to go shower before we go back to the hospital.

We are done and he urges that I take a nap so we can go relief Vin and Job to go do the same in the morning.

I can’t sleep so Steve hold me tight as I lie to his chest and the next thing I hear is a phone conversation.

‘’We will be there shortly.’’ That is the last word I hear before he comes back to wake me up.

‘’Hello little sis, good morning?’’

“Good morning bro, how are you?’’

‘’I’m okay. How was your sleep?’’

“Great.’’ I know the sleep was short but I had a good one. ‘’ Any news on Bob?’’

I was on phone with Job a while ago and he is out of danger get up let’s go check on him as Vin and Job go to and fresh up.

We get to the hospital and the smile on Bob’s face when he sees us is priceless.

Vin and Job go home and in a few hours they are back.

The doctor informs us that the bullet tear up the vital parts on the arm and that he will be discharged in a couple of days.

We are still talking when someone knocks on his room.