ANCHOR (New York / Nigeria Story) [Screenplay]

Episode Six:- "Burn in hell..." Part 2

Flashback
17th of May 2025.
In the morning before The wedding. Nicholas is walking by a hallway in the Mansion with brown doors both left and right, then knocked on a very wooden door.

DIANNA:- come in!

NICOLAS:- ( standing by the door) Dianna, we are waiting for you.

DIANNA:- ok. I'm done already. by the way, have you seen our father? we haven't seen him this morning.

NICOLAS:- that's strange. ok, don't worry. I will look around for him.

DIANNA:- Thank you

NICHOLAS:- ( he exit the room and walked around as he greets the guests and searched everywhere for Mr.Martin, then finally walked into Mr. Martin's home office) Mr. Martin we have been looking everywhere for you sir.

MR. MARTIN:- ( standing and facing the window while putting one hand in his Versace robe pocket and the other hand holding a cup of whiskey) we?

NICHOLAS:- yes. I mean Dianna asked of you. you know, so you Could walk her down the aisle.

MR. MARTIN:- (he laughed as he seeps his whiskey) I'm a thousand percent sure she doesn't want me to walk her down the aisle

NICHOLAS:- but still sir. she is your daughter and time is running out. you should get dressed sir.

MR. MARTIN:- ( he laughed) there is no need for me to get dressed. I'm not feeling like going to the wedding. I rather just stay here and...( he face Nicholas at the door) drink.

NICHOLAS:- (he looked confused but still managed to compose ) well as you wish sir. ( he opened the door and was about to leave )

MR. MARTIN:- Nicholas come sit with me. (he then pour some whiskey in another cup as Nicholas sat at the front desk ) how is your son and his new husband? ( smiling as he handed the cup over to him) hope they are enjoying their honeymoon?

NICHOLAS:- ( he seeps the whiskey ) yes they are sir. And I never got the chance to thank you for paying for their honeymoon trip.

MR. MARTIN:- (he sat on his office chair ) no need to thank me Nicholas. if anything I should be the one thanking you. you have been by my side all these years. so just take it as a symbol of appreciation.

NICHOLAS:- well, appreciation received.

MR. MARTIN:- you know Nicholas, I envy you. ( Nicholas looked confused ) ...you have such a simple life. ( he stood up and walked back to the window ) you do not have too many things to be bothered about. and you have a good relationship with your children.

NICHOLAS:- but sir. you too have those things.

MR. MARTIN:- hm...I don't think so. I got my brother in prison, my daughters hate me to the point of pointing a gun to my head because I am an awful father and I was a bad husband to their mother. ( he sighs deeply and laughed ). I'm sooo going to burn in hell. ( he walked over to Nicholas and sat on a chair next to him.) my life became upside down when me and my brother were 10 years old. My father was a brutal man, so brutal that our mother ran away and to make matters worse he was in the army. when me and my brother turned 12, he sent us to military school. There, I met Joshua. We called him Jojo. ( he smiled ) we did everything together. The other boys just assumed we were best friends but we knew it was more than just friendship. Then after six years in NMS, the following week was going to be our Passing out Parade. Our other course mates went to party with senior officers to celebrate while me and Jojo stayed in the hostel alone. ( he went silent and smiled)