Fulfilling Wishes - Episode 23

 

“It’s okay baby, you are going to be fine.” Tracy said, pulling her daughter’s head to her chest as she kept sniffing.

“I can’t just believe that I have wasted all these years mum and he couldn’t even fight for me, he just went ahead with it. How could he be so cruel?” Reeva wept.

Her mother and KEMI were at her place. It was the second day after Andy had broken up with her.

KEMI sighed . “I just don’t understand how his father would make him hold on to something this huge. It is just so not fair. He is grown man, can’t he see that?”

“Really stange KEMI, you should have seen the way he kept on defending his father. I just can’t believe that I got engaged to a man who has no trust for me. What kind of life will that be?”

“To think that he wants you to wait till next year or in the next six months for a wedding!” KEMI shouted, “that is just preposterous! I am so disappointed in Andy. He is such a good guy and he just flopped.”

“The worse thing is, he was planning our housing with Maggie. He knows how much I hated that woman and he had to bring her up to spite me!” Reeva shook her head.

Tracy sighed, “I have always known that something like this might happen. That was why I kept reinforcing why you needed to talk to him before doing anything

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. Assuming we had planned things behind him like you had earlier suggested, else, we would have squandered lots of money in preparing for a wedding which might not even happen.”

“So he said everything happened because of his mother?” KEMI asked.

“Yes.” Reeva replied, “he said his mother stole his dad’s money and ran off with another man , I don’t even understand the whole story.”

“Wow,” replied Tracy, “I see reason why Ruthie told me that the story is embarrassing.”

“Ruthie?”  Reeva asked. “You spoke with her when?”

“It was during your engagement party.” Tracy explained, “you remember when you left us both?”

Reeva nodded, “when Andy called me?”

“Yes. I said something about wedding which I expected her to talk about or even joke about but she was just quiet, she only chuckled. Out of suspicion I asked what the whole issue was, why she didn’t say anything, why Andy wasn’t saying anything. “
“So what did she say?” KEMI asked.

“Well, she said he loves you very much but that I must make sure that you do nothing behind him.”

“As if she knew that something would happen.” Reeva explained.

Yes, I felt like she knew that something might happen.”

“Did you ask about the mother as well?” Reeva asked.

“Yes I did. She couldn’t talk about it.”

“Wow.”

“That is really some weird family.” KEMI stated.
“The father is clearly having trust issues because of whatever happened and he has laid this foundation in the son’s heart, but Andy should be mature that this right?” Tracy asked but the younger ladies were quiet, no one knew what to say.

“I feel bad for Ruthie.” Tracy concluded.

KEMI scoffed, “why would you feel bad for Ruthie, it’s not like she will be fired for giving you a heads-up.”

“No, that is not what I am saying.” Tracy explained, “She is in love with Michael.”

“What!” The other ladies gasped.

“Mum, are you serious?” Reeva asked, sitting upright.

“Yes.”
“And Michael?” KEMI asked, “I am sure that the man is cold hearted, his heart must be made of stone.”

Tracy chuckled, “funny enough, he is in love with her too but just to scared to admit it. “

“But mum, you never told me this.”

Tracy smiled, “it wasn’t really a big deal Reeva, besides, right now I’m only thinking of how Ruthie might get hurt in such a relationship when she realizes that he might not trust her.”

“Andy said that , they have been together since his childhood, I am so sure that he trusts her.” Reeva explained, “the only problem is that, he might find it difficult to tell her.”

The three sighed at the same time.

Everywhere was quiet until Tracy’s phone rang, at first she didn’t believe her eyes until she had to check the number again.

 “Hey girls, guess who’s calling?”

Reeva’s heart skipped a beat, “Andy?”

“No dear, it’s Ruthie.”

“Ruthie?” Both girls shouted.

“Yes.”

“Mum, you collected Ruthie’s number?”

“Yea, because of times like this.” Tracy replied and  picked the call.

“Hi, Ruthie, how are you?”

“I am good Tracy please I need you to listen to me carefully, I heard of everything that happened and I am so sorry about it. I really need to see Reeva, I think we need to talk, I am on my way to L.A right now. Can you please tell her of my coming? Plus, Andy doesn’t know and I will appreciate if you can send me her address. I need to make things right.”

“Sure, will send it now.” Tracy replied before the call ended.

“Ruthie is coming to here?” Reeva asked as her mother got off the phone.
“Yes, she wants to come and make things right.”

***

The cab pulled over in front of the mansion and Andy stepped out with his bag and paid his transport fare. If someone had told him that he would back to Abuja in a few days time, he would have called the person a joker but there he was.

He was too tired to be mopping around in the house with no one to talk tom not being able to talk to Reeva was driving him crazy and he was tired of it. she was everywhere, in his dreams, on his mind and all lover in his house especially since her pictures were everywhere. He knew that only his father could help him deal with his breakup, once his father made him realize that he had done the right thing, maybe he would finally feel better and not have the guilt weigh him down over and over. Besides, he needed Ruthie, he knew that Ruthie would not be happy with the decision he choose but with time, she would forgive him, she was like his mother and a mother wouldn’t push a son away.

He rang the door bell twice before the Butler opened.

“Oh, Master Andy, you are welcome, I am not sure that your father knew that you would be coming.”

Andy smiled as he got inside, “he has no idea, I just decided to come, where is he? How is he and where is Ruthie?”

Adams sighed, “Your father is well but Ruthie is not here.”

Andy frowned, “she went to the groceries?” He asked, heading towards her room. Whenever he comes home, he always sees Ruthie first before his father.

“No sir, I mean she is gone.”

Andy stopped and looked at Adams suspiciously, he was right in front of Ruthie’s room.  

“What do you mean she is gone?” He grunted, his brows deeply furrowed.

“I mean that she quitted two days ago.”

Andy felt like someone had just slapped him right across the cheek but he only hissed and pushed open the door. For a while, he thought he must have entered the wrong room when he saw how empty everything was. Not anything of hers was in sight, her embroideries, her picture frames...nothing!

Andy knew that something was wrong as he began to feel nauseous. He walked to her closer which were closed. shutting his eyes and saying a slient prayer, he swung the door opened and voila! It was empty as well.

He staggered back, this wasn’t happening. He turned to see Adams giving him that “I’m sorry” look, the type he remembered so well that Mark, their former butler had on his face when Andy had come in to his mother’s room and found everything gone as well.

“Why? When? Where to? How?” He asked, trying to steady his heart that was beating rapidly.

“She had a fight with your father and she packed, quitted and left.” Adams explained.

“This is insane, she doesn’t get angry. She can’t leave us, she can’t.” Andy stuttered, his lips were trembling, his eyes, bloodshot and he was sweating profusely.

Adams was quiet.

“Where is my father?” He demanded,

“In his room.” Adams replied and like lightening, Andy bolted out of the room.

**

Michael returned the empty bottle of vodka into the bottle in his collection. Then he lifted the cup to take a sip.

He had made a terrible mistake and Adams was right, now he knew that it was too late for him to make amends. He brought out his phone and tried Ruthie’s number again, it rang just as it had been ringing since morning, then it went directly to voicemail.  He was getting tired and frustrated. Even if she would accept his apologies, she still needed to hear him out first. One thing that was certain was that, if Andy hears of this, he knew that things would never be okay between them. Ruthie had been his mother for a long time and if he loses another mother again, he was certain that he would never forgive him.

He had thought of several places that she could go but he had no idea, Andy might have some ideas as they were pretty close but asking Andy would mean that he was ready to tell him the truth about her leaving. How would he tell him when his girlfriend had just left, he would become devastated, he would go insane.

Michael could still remember what Andy had gone through when he lost his mother, his teachers complained about him, they kept saying he was aloof, wouldn’t talk to anyone, wouldn’t play with anyone and anyone that dared t talk to him would be lucky if they went away with bruises. It was that bad.

 He had just taken a sip when the door burst opened and he saw his son and he looked...terrible!

“Andy! What are you doing here and why are you here? Geez! Are you okay son, what happened to you?”

“Where is Rosa dad?” Andy demanded.

Michael walked calmly to the bed and sat down.

Read " Second Chance " by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. This was the one thing that he had dreaded.

 “Didn’t Adams tell you??”

“Yes he did but where is she? I am asking you father.”

“I don’t know man, I keep asking same question. Didn’t she call you?”

Andy was getting angered by his father’s calmness and in frustration, he hit his hand against the wall. “Where is she Dad?”

“I don’t know!” The father shouted back.

“Did you make her go away?”

“No I didn’t.”

“So why was she angry? Why did she leave? Dad I swear if you don’t say something...”

Michael sighed. “She was angry with me, and I didn’t know what to do. I apologized but she just decided to leave.”

“Why was she angry?”

“She thought I kept sending her wrong signals and she was getting carried away but I needed to set her straight.”

“By lying to her? Dad, what is wrong with you?”              

“Mind your tone with me boy!” Michael warned.

“You made mum leave and now Ruthie left!”

His father winced in pain at that remark. Angrily he slammed the cup in his hand against the surface of the table.

“Now, I know that you are angry but I am still your father! Your mother was a thief and a selfish bitch who stole all my money....”

“And Rosa what did she steal? She stole all your money too? Or because she stole your heart and you are too much of a coward to reciprocate, you pushed her away? Isn’t that the truth? And now you are drinking yourself to stupor!”

Michael was quiet, his anger was boiling up, he had been trying to maintain his emotions all these days before Andy’s arrival but now, looking at his son say all those things was making him feel like punching him so hard.

“You are so confused Dad! You are really confused! Why did I ever listen to you! You trusted mum and she stole your money away, now Ruthie of all people, who has stayed with you all these years, she left and you couldn’t even do anything to stop her? What kind of a man are you?”

“Shut up Andy, I am warning you.” Michael groaned, his fist was rolled in a fist already but Andy stepped closer.

“I can see clearly what you have done to me, you have made me into your perfect image.” Andy gasped, “Ruthie was right. I am not a man. I have debating in my mind all these days what was so wrong in having a wedding  before moving in. “Absolutely nothing. I had pushed Reeva away and now you pushed Ruthie away! I can’t believe that I  didn’t see this all this while! You made me lose the most precious women in my life dad. You want me to end up old and miserable like you...” Before he could finish his statement, his father punched him across the cheek.

**

I GUESS WE CAN SAY THAT ANDY IS SEEING CLEARLY NOW