LEGALIZED
#EPISODETHREE
His house looked five years older.
It was not even repainted.
Typical of Gretta, his house manager.
Gretta was his friend turned secret admirer who had developed the art gallery alongside him and helped him manage it while he was away.
She screamed immediately she sighted him and rushed to hug him.
He frowned slightly. “You did not keep it in mind that today was the day of my release?”.
She smiled. “I thought it was tomorrow. I am sorry”.
He squeezed at her cheek. “Thanks for the meal you were bringing to me while I was in prison. I won’t forget the kind gesture”.
“That was the least that I could do, Tony. Happy birthday to you”.
He gasped. That day was actually his birthday and he had completely forgotten about it.
“Do you remember Clara Thompson?”. Gretta asked him with a soft glint in her eyes.
“Yes, what about her?”. He asked impatiently in an unfriendly tone.
“She has a birthday gift for you”.
He fumed. “I don’t need any birthday gift from Clara Thompson”. He snarled.
“Of course you will need this one”. She smiled softly towards the door to the house.
Someone walked out of that door.
It was his supposedly crippled sister.
His crippled sister whom he had spent millions on her surgery in different hospitals in and out of Nigeria but none of the surgeries made her walk without a promise to amputate her legs and give her plastic legs.
But before his eyes that moment, his sister was walking.
He rushed towards her and touched her legs. It was her real legs, not plastic legs.
Tears filled his eyes. “Grace, how come you are walking? But the doctors said you would never be able to walk without getting your legs amputated. So, how come?”.
“Clara searched for doctor Pool who once worked at the ruptured and crippled hospital. Only Clara found out that he was still alive. For five months, he single-handedly performed on my legs and just like a miracle, I could feel my full weight on the floor without staggering”. She gave him a card. “Can you read this?”.
He sobbed as he opened the card
It read…’Tony, do you remember when you told me at the front of my house gate that your biggest wish was to see your sister walking? All my birthdays, I prayed that I will give you the greatest gift that you have ever received. Guess what? I met doctor Pool who had operated on William Coley. Happy birthday, Tony. I love you so much’. From Clara Thompson.
The chairman of Jordon soaps and cream was launching his new fishery project and Clara Thompson and her family were invited.
She walked elegantly into her father’s limousine and watched the driver drive them off to their destination.
Smith Thompson smiled at his daughter. “The first son of the chairman of Jordon soaps and cream will be arriving from Hong Kong today. I will showcase my beautiful elegant princess to him”.
“Our princess is not interested in any form of matchmaking. You matchmaked for her elder brother. You wouldn’t do that with her”. Her mother defended her in her usual courageous voice.
Smith scoffed. “I heard that golddigger is out of jail. Hope you don’t have any mind of going back to him because he will never even forgive you for what you did to him”.
“Whomever I love or choose is not your business father!”. She cried out.
“Of course it is my business! Till now, I still wonder what you used my two hundred million naira for and since you have not given any explanation for what you used that money to do, I know it is because of that golddigger!”. He snarled.
“…and I told you that I will repay you!!!”.
“The only way you can repay me is by not choosing a lowlife!!!”.
“Tony was like a son to you, stop calling him a lowlife!!!”.
“I have only one son in this world and his name is Brian Thompson!!!”.
Clara Thompson stood in her corner and observed the glamorous celebration.
She sipped wine and watched her parents exchange pleasantries while she remained on that spot, thinking about Anthony Francis.
Will he hate her more once he discover that she had spent her father’s two hundred million naira on his sister’s surgery?
She could give her life just to put a smile on his face.
Again…
“Do you care for more wine?”.
She was cut out of her thoughts by the waiter who was leaning towards her, holding out a tray.
She smiled softly and nodded as she watched him fill her cup with more red wine.
She gasped immediately she recognized him.
The person dressed as the waiter that just served her wine was Anthony Francis.
“Tony…”. She whispered in shock.
“Thank you so much for saving my sister. Thank you so much”.
She coughed uneasily. “I am sorry for denying you five years ago”.
“Your father was your blood. It would have been a tough decision for me too if I were to choose between you and my sister”.
Immediately they noticed that her parents were heading towards her way with Jordons family, he sneaked into the crowd with his tray.
She tried to comport herself as they approached her.
She observed the first son of Jordon CEO.
“Guess what, Clara!Jordon’s son is also a medical doctor”.
Clara feigned interest as she shook hands with the handsome young man. “It is a pleasure knowing that I have finally met someone that is of the same field with me”.
“Hi, I am Joshua and i must say that you are so beautiful”. He expressed heartily.
They broke into laughter.
The courageous young man turned to his father. “Is Clara Thompson engaged to anyone? Five years ago when I watched her defend her father in the court room, I told myself that I will return to Nigeria to find her and take her back with me”.
#fromyourfastfingers
Onyekachi Ikeh.
