Hidden Bonds - Episode 2

 

Bethel awoke to the sound of happy humming in her room, she groaned and turned away but the humming only got louder and dangerously closer.
‘Don’t you dare’ she threatened, her eyes still closed and then groaned loudly as the blanket was pulled off her, she turned with sleepy angry eyes to the smiling face of Sharon.
‘Good morning beautiful’ Sharon chimed
‘Get out’ Bethel ordered pointing at the door
‘Oh please’ Sharon rolled her eyes ‘you are so dramatic, I trust you slept well’
‘As well enough as our hours of sleep could be’ Bethel replied tartly ‘I was begging you to let me sleep last night, I just knew you would do this’
‘We need to get to work early’ Sharon stood up and went over to the mirror to apply her makeup ‘if some people had come last week like I told them to, maybe we would not be so backward in arrangements’
‘And if some people had listened to me when I said I would be busy, maybe they would have chosen someone else as their bridesmaid and disaster would be avoided’ Bethel replied, grudgingly sitting up on the bed
Sharon turned to look at her ‘you would never have come’ she turned back and continued her makeup ‘I needed you here Bethel, can’t do this without you’
‘You obviously can’ Bethel stood up, stretching ‘you did find the groom without me’
‘He can’t wait to meet you’ Sharon thrilled ‘he has met all my friends except you and he is just thrilled to’
‘The excitement is definitely mutual’ Bethel smiled
‘have you heard the latest news in town?’ Sharon asked carefully, applying mascara
‘That Sharon has finally decided to leave the men for other ladies and settle down? Sure, I must have heard it once or twice’ Bethel teased with a devious smile
Sharon threw her mascara brush at her which landed nowhere close to her making Bethel laugh
‘I’m talking of Shade’s burial’ Sharon turned to face her fully
‘Which Shade?’ Bethel asked carefully
‘Shade Ajirotutu’ Shade answered slowly
Bethel went still, staring at Sharon ‘Shade came back?’ she whispered
‘Turns out she never left’ Sharon answered, gauging Bethel’s response
Bethel stared at her confused ‘I don’t understand’ she let out in a small voice ‘She never left?’
Sharon stood up and walked quickly to her ‘you should sit down’ she held her down to the bed firmly and Bethel let her, too weak to struggle
‘Shade’s body was discovered behind the school two weeks ago’ Sharon explained ‘You know the unused land behind the school?’ Bethel shook her head rapidly for her to continue ‘turns out she was buried there for the past eight years, the corpse or rather her carcass was found when they were trying to build an extension of the school, they did a dna test and somehow, it matched with hers’
By the end of the story, Bethel was hyperventilating and shaking, she took quick rapid breaths to calm herself down
‘Breathe, Bethel’ Sharon said calmly, scared for her friend ‘just breathe’
‘Oh my God! Oh my God! Shade is really dead’ Bethel said shakingly
‘Calm down Bethel, you need to calm down’ Sharon pleaded.
Bethel took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down, Sharon was right, she needed to calm down. She gripped the bed tightly till she felt calmer was no longer shaking
‘Ade’ she whispered
‘He’s in town’ Sharon supplied ‘for the burial’
‘When is the burial?’
‘On Saturday’
‘That’s in two days’ Bethel looked up at her abruptly
‘Yes, they wanted to keep it quiet’ Sharon chose her words carefully ‘do you want to go?’
‘I don’t know, Sharon’ the first tear slipped down quietly ‘Can I go? Can I actually stand there and watch that body go down knowing that’s Shade?’
Sharon hugged her closely ‘Anything you want, girl; I’m here for you

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/hidden-bonds

. If you want to go, I will go with you, if not, we’ll stay back together and listen to some shitty sad songs’
Bethel let out a short laugh and wiped the tears with the back of her hand ‘thanks’
‘I really feel bad about leaving you now’
‘Where are you going anyways?’ Bethel asked, trying to change the topic
‘I have to go see my chef, the dude is asking for extra, he obviously thinks I have a slush fund somewhere’ Sharon rolled her eyes dramatically
‘Don’t you have a wedding planner for that?’
‘I wanted to but you know how our parents can be na, mumsi wouldn’t hear of it, it was a waste of money to her’ Sharon chuckled nervously ‘but I do have someone helping me with the planning’
‘Yea? Who’s that?’ Bethel asked curiously ‘Someone I know?’
‘Sure’ Sharon stood up and went back to the table to apply powder on her face ‘I will tell you all about it later at lunch’ she turned back to Bethel ‘you are still going to make it for lunch right?’
‘Ofcourse I am not going to miss it for anything’ Bethel smiled
‘Good’ Sharon turned away and started dabbing at her face ‘Still going to meet the family this morning?’
‘Like I have a choice’ Bethel moaned
Sharon chuckled ‘It will be fine, If no one else has your back, you know mum does’
‘I’m counting on that’
‘Great’ Sharon picked up her bag and turned to face Bethel ‘How do I look?’
‘Like an beautiful lady who the single market is going to miss’
‘Crazy girl’ Sharon laughed ‘See ya later then’
Sharon left in a hurry leaving Bethel alone, minutes later, the anxiety hit Bethel again and she hugged herself tightly to keep from shaking, it didn’t help a bit and she wondered why now? Why did this have to be when she was around?
******************************
Bethel opened the door and stepped in slowly, she knew her mother wouldn’t lock the door, she never did, no matter how many times they complained, mummy never saw a reason to lock the door when she was in. She stepped into her home wondering why she felt like a stranger. She looked around realizing everything looked new to her. The curtains were now a bright yellow instead of the milk colour it had been, new pictures now hung on the wall, their graduation picture, new picture of her parents and Valerie, even the sofas were different. She figured Valerie had done the makeover on the house but somehow it made her feel shut out, like she had also been replaced and was no longer a part of the family. A picture of her hung on the wall too, a picture from her university graduation that she had sent home.
She stood staring at everything, feeling sucked in and was startled when she felt an arm on her shoulder. She let out a started cry and turned in fright into her mum’s face. She sucked in a breath quickly, and tried recollecting her thoughts. She stood staring at her mother’s smiling face, she noticed her mum had aged, she had a frozen picture of her mum’s crying face when she was leaving stuck in her head, she swallowed and tried to think of what to say but nothing came.
‘Mum?’ she asked in a small voice
Her mum drew her close and hugged her tightly, letting the tears come, her daughter was back and she was okay. Her mom went on holding her for a while longer then released her reluctantly.
‘Welcome home’ her mum said in a croaked voice, still sobbing
Bethel shook her head, trying to hold her own tears back
‘Common’ her mum held her hand and dragged her along to the kitchen ‘I’m cooking, you can help me’
‘Sure’ she whispered ‘How are you mum?’
‘Am good’ her mum turned to smile at her ‘Now that both my daughters are home, I am fine’
They got to the kitchen and her mum went to check the pot on the gas stove
‘How did you enjoy your night at the hotel’ her mum asked turning her soup
‘it was good, mummy’ Bethel replied slowly, already expecting the question
‘I don’t get why you would sleep in a hotel when your family is in the same town with you’
‘I told you, mummy, I just think it would be better for me’
‘but what about me?’ her mum turned to face her ‘you know I would never be okay with that arrangement, I will always wonder why, is it that this house is no longer good enough for you?’
‘Mum!’ Bethel sighed ‘You know it’s not like that’
‘I don’t, you are not telling me anything’ her mum face changed sadly ‘I don’t want to nag you, Beth but you have been gone for eight years, I just wish the few days you have come to spend, you should spend it with your family, is that too much for a mother to ask?’
‘Mum’ Bethel drawled, defeated ‘okay fine, I will move my thing home this evening’
Her mum smiled brightly, elated at the victory and turned back to her cooking ‘How is your job going?’
‘Very well, I think I am due for a promotion’
‘Good for you dear, you definitely deserve it’
‘Where’s dad?’ Bethel asked carefully, finally asking the question that has ailed her since she came in
‘He went out with Valerie, you know those two, they went to buy some things’
Bethel nodded but she did not know those two, it had always been she and her dad going to buy some things, Valerie was never interested’
She was jolted out of her thought by the banging of the front door, she turned in fright and chastised herself for being so frightened easily.
Valerie and her dad entered the kitchen laughing at a private joke, they stopped short at the sight of Bethel and an uncomfortable silence fell on the room.
‘Good morning Sir’ Bethel greeted in the traditional way, bending a knee
Her dad walked up to her, stared at her for a moment and then pulled her into his arms, he held her tightly and sighed in contentment. He then released her and held her back to study her.
‘you have changed so much’ he commented
She smiled, not knowing the right word to reply with. She turned to look at Valerie who stood at a distance staring daggers at her. She swallowed loudly and turned with a smile to her father
‘So have you daddy, you definitely look younger’ she replied teasingly
‘Me’ her dad scoffed ‘When these two’ he pointed at Valerie and their mother, then continued ‘want to kill me in this house, can’t you see the white hair on my head?’
‘I thought that was just signs of your wiseness’ Bethel mocked
Her parents laughed at the joke, Valerie turned at that moment and left the kitchen. Bethel stared after her, not surprised at the unwelcoming attitude of Valerie, she expected it but she didn’t think she would still feel disappointed. She turned to face her mum who motioned to her to follow Valerie. She inhaled loudly then left the kitchen in pursuit of Valerie, she climbed the stairs carefully, scared to make a noise that might annoy Valerie any more. She walked slowly to the room that was always Valerie’s, the door was open and Valerie was lying down pressing her phone. Bethel stood at the door wondering if Valerie would become violent with her if she entered.
‘Just enter or get the hell out’ Valerie said after a while, not looking up
Bethel, licked her lips and walked in, closing the door quietly behind her, she sat at the edge of Valerie’s bed while Valerie went on ignoring her.
‘Hi’ Bethel said finally
Valerie smiled and put her phone down, turning to Bethel ‘You could have said no’
Bethel stared at her confused ‘what?’
‘You could have said no to Sharon’
“I tried to, I repeatedly…” Bethel tried to explain
‘Not hard enough, obviously’ Valerie cut her off ‘Life has been good without you, Bethel and wherever you go, your demons follow’
Bethel flinched at the harsh words ‘I am here for my friend, I will be gone as soon as possible, and with me, my demons’
‘Which friend?’ Valerie smiled mockingly ‘Sharon or Shade’
Bethel went still, staring at Valerie’s mocking eyes ‘I see you haven’t changed’
‘I guess Sharon has filled you in on the details’
‘Did you do it Valerie?’ Bethel looked into her eyes ‘Did you bury Shade?’
Valerie laughed loudly without humor ‘Are you really asking me that question? Or yourself?’
‘Stop’ Bethel whispered
‘Ade’s around too’ Valerie picked up her phone ‘Ofcourse he would be, its his sister’s burial, looking forward to seeing him?’
Bethel stood up ‘I came here to say hi, it’s obviously a mistake’
‘Bethel’ Valerie called slowly as Bethel walked away and put away her phone as Bethel turned to face her ‘there’s a private detective in town and he’s going to be asking questions’ she looked into Bethel eyes ‘Be careful what you say’
‘I’m not stupid, Val, but thanks for the heads up’
‘Well, here’s another heads-up’ she smiled brightly ‘I am assisting Sharon in the planning of her wedding, thought you might want to know’
‘It’s you’ Bethel whispered in shock
‘That’s right, so I will be watching you’ she picked up her phone, dismissing Bethel again ‘Now get the hell out’