Broken vows(completed)

New start

" Mom, I- I don't know what you are talking about?" Linda stuttered.

" Oh please. Don't lie to me. Okay, let me remind you. Do you remember when you and Martina went to that restaurant and met Fred for the first time? You spoke of Fred that day like he was some sort of angel. You even said he had dreamy eyes and looked so perfect. And I remember vividly well how you felt when Fred asked you to help him get to Martina. You were totally devastated. You tried to hide your pain from me, but I saw right through you", her mother said and put the magazine on her laps.

" That does not mean I was or am still in love with him, mom", Linda tried to deny.

" Oh come on. Stop denying it. Why are you lying to yourself? You love him. You always have and will always do. I am your mother. And I know a lot about you more than others do", Her mother said.

Linda was quiet. She was in love with Fred. She had always loved him from the first time she met him. When Fred told her he liked Martina, she was broken hearted. She cried for many nights. But, in the end, she decided to step aside and help Fred win Martina's love.

" Yes, you are right, mother. I have always loved Fred. That is why I gave him up so that he can be happy with Martina. I did not expect Martina to hurt him like this. It killed me inside, when I held him while he cried, mother. I was...i felt...", Linda began to sob.

Her mother got up from her chair and sat by her daughter. She consoled Linda while she cried. 

Two days later, Fred decided to go back to work. He was dressing up, when his phone began to ring on his dressing table. He looked at the caller ID and picked up the call.

" Hey, Fred! How are you?" Linda asked.

" I am fine, Lin. How about you?" Fred replied.

" I'm good. Are you home?" Linda asked again.

" Yes, but I will be leaving for work, soon", Fred said.

" I thought you wanted to have some time to yourself before you returned back to work. What made you change your mind?" Linda asked.

" I was tired of staying at home. I don't want to be sitting at home doing nothing. Everything here reminds me of her. I need to get out of the house and get some air before I get choked with memories of her. That is why I want to go back to work and get my mind off things", Fred said.

" I understand. Enjoy your day, then, Fred", Linda said.

" Thank you, Lin. You too", he said and hanged up.

Fred rushed to his office after he had dropped Junior in school. He sat down and look through the pack of files on his desk. He was going through them when his secretary announced that there was someone looking for him. When the man was led in by his secretary, he asked him to sit. The man was dressed like an attorney.

" Good morning, Mr Mensah. My name is Tony Yeboah. I am the lawyer of your wife, Martina Mensah", the man introduced himself.

" I see. So how can I help you?" Fred folded his arms on his chest and laid back on his chair.

" Well, my client asked me to bring this to you", Tony said and took a file from the bag he was carrying. He handed the file to Fred.

Fred opened the file and realised that he had been handed divorce papers.

" Martina sent you to hand this to me?" Fred asked, with a serious look.

" Yes. She hopes you sign the papers as soon as possible to avoid taking this matter to court", Tony explained.

Fred read through the file and looked back at the lawyer.

" What does she want from this? What does she want in return?" Fred asked again.

" She does not want anything. She only wants to maintain her supermarket. Even though I believe she deserves more", Tony sneered.

" I will give her whatever she wants. I opened that shop for her. I put it in her name so it belongs to her. I will not take that away from her", Fred said and picked his pen. He quickly signed the papers and handed it to the lawyer.

" Good choice. Well, my work is done here. So, I will leave now. Thank you, Mr Mensah", Tony said, nodded at Fred and walked out of the office.

Fred did not realise he was holding his breath till breathed out. He had been trying to remain strong in front of the lawyer. When he left, a single tear fell from his eyes. Martina was really serious about leaving him. He thought he was strong enough to face this. But, he was wrong. He breath in again, deeply and tried to go on with his work.

Later that evening, after he had come home from work, he called Linda to meet him at his home. Linda obliged and quickly drove to Fred's house.

" Fred, are you okay? You sounded very disturbed on the phone. What happened?" Linda asked, when she sat down on the chair.

" Martina has decided to make our divorce official. She has decided to leave me for good", Fred said, looking sad.

" What? What did she do, now? What happened?" Linda asked again.

" Her lawyer was at the office today. He brought the divorce papers that Martina had filed for. She wanted me to sign them as quickly as possible so that she would be free of me", Fred said.

" Oh Fred, I am so sorry to hear that. So, what did you do? Did you sign them?" Linda asked, sympathetically.

" What else could I have done? I signed them. I now realise that, Martina did not really love me. She was just interested in me because I became an option for her", Fred said.

" Oh, Fred. I am really sorry about this".

Fred rubbed his hands on his face. He was very sad about what had happened. Linda rubbed his back, while she comforted him.

" You know, Junior asked about her yesterday. And I could not even tell him the truth. I had to lie to Junior, Lin. I lied to him. I could not tell him the truth. I did not want him to end up hating his mother. That will break my heart more", Fred lamented.

Linda hugged him, and continued rubbing his back as he also buried his face on her shoulder.