Jude’s side of the story continues
On 27th December, my dad’s lawyer paid me an early morning visit. To be candid, I wasn’t really enjoying my stay in US anymore, I desperately wanted to round up things with him and return home to settle with Tracy before it gets late.
‘’I’m sorry for taking much time before coming. I travelled to California for xmas. I just got home last night’’ the young lawyer explained softly as if I asked him.
‘’I went through the documents you gave me but unfortunately there wasn’t anything substantial in it to prove that a lady killed your father. But with the documents we can only establish a little prove that your dad actually had a business deal with a lady in Nigeria. As your late dad’s lawyer, I was really the person that made all the money transfer’s he sent to the lady in question and the money was wired directly into a Nigerian bank account with the name Jessica Simon. I have a friend working with the EFCC; he can help us with the case. By January we will be in Nigeria to get to the root of this matter. I promise to get back your dad’s properties for you but I’m also not overlooking the fact that the lady could have bewitched or tricked your father into making her the owner of everything he owned. This could be a long legal case, especially if the lady decides to fight back and you know how bad and slow the justice system in Nigeria is?. Let’s just keep our fingerers crossed’’ he said seriously while I nodded with great attention.
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Kelvin’s side of the story continues
We had a wonderful xmas at home. Jessica really bought my parents heart with her pretence and calm calculative behavior. Everyone ended up falling in love with her. As for me, I had lots of other things to worry about.
9:25pm, 31st of December, Jessica walked into my room with a sweet smile on her face. She climbed over me, staring deep into my eyes.
‘’in few hours we will be entering a new year with new hopes and expectations. Tell me, how soon you will want us to get married. Next Saturday or in few weeks?’’ she asked curiously.
‘’I think we should leave that topic for now. We have a whole lot of time to talk about it. My head is not yet clear my dear’’ I breathed while she drew back, staring at me suspiciously.
‘’I hope you know it’s very much on your best interest for us to get married as soon as possible?’’ she asked.
‘’yes I know but let’s not rush it anymore’’ I stammered.
‘’but I’m pregnant. We have to do this as quickly as possible’’ she pushed on.
‘’we are leaving for the city in two days. When we get there we will make plans for it’’ I muttered, forcing out a smile. She nodded, even though the look on her face clearly showed that she really wasn’t sure of my intentions and yes I really wasn’t sure of myself equally. I kind of was strangely having a cold feet about the marriage thing perhaps it was because the experience I had the last time we tried to get married was still very much in my head.
The New Year celebrations soon came and went by with the speed of lightening. Jessica and I got back to the city on 2nd January to continue with our lives and plan for the future. Of course my future was damned; I only was trying to survive in the best possible way.
On 3rd of January, Joe invited me to his house for a little chat. I went to see him innocently without knowing that there was a reason to his invitation and so was my shock on seeing Cynthia in his house. For some seconds I just didn’t know how to react because I wasn’t expecting to see her there.
Joe quickly came to my defense by cracking a quick joke which lowered the tension in his sitting room.
I couldn’t even look at Cynthia. I couldn’t even say hello to her.
‘’you know you and I and Cynthia have come a long way as friends. We have been friends during the good and bad times of our lives and things that happened last year between you guys needs to be settled once and for all. Kelvin you are my friend, likewise Cynthia and I’m not asking you guys to go back to each other but to reach a compromise and stop fighting. Believe me Cynthia, Kelvin hasn’t been himself ever since you showed up at his wedding. He wasn’t the only one you embarrassed that day. You embarrassed me as well and I just want everything to be settled today’’ Joe demanded, facing Cynthia who shook her head and scoffed.
‘’I only came here because of the respect I have for you and not because I want to settle issues with Kelvin. I really don’t know what he told you, but your friend here tried to kill me and his baby. He connived with his Jessica, set me up, knocked me out and dumped me in a refuse dump. How on earth do you expect me to forgive him? No I can’t and I’m leaving right now’’ she poured out angrily, leaving Joe extremely surprised and shocked with her outburst. It really was the first time he was hearing such story.
‘’Cynthia that really wasn’t exactly what happened that night. I equally was a victim just as you were’’ I quickly stammered, looking into her eyes.
‘’just shut up’’ she breathed, standing up to leave but I quickly grabbed her hand, stopping her with my grasp as we exchanged glances.
The tension in the room became high once again.
To be continued.
