Suspects: murder case

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

‘’What’s there to talk about? You have already made a decision.’’

‘’I know the kind of work you have put into this newspaper, you are a hard worker and every day we sell millions of copies because of the factual and objective stories your team puts up. You are the brain behind this newspaper, as a managing editor you do your job perfectly. Kenzie will not take anything from you, she will work with you, you will be a team.’’

‘’Right.’’

‘’Please!’’

Shaking my head, I walk away and strode to my office, walking past Calvin, I slam the door behind my back.

‘’Ahhhhh!’’ I scream.

I feel betrayed knowing I have spent the last couple of years building this business and now he will give it away to someone else just like that- once again my father has failed me, he has chosen another over me. It’s always been about Kenzie, it’s always been about her and her stupid mother, I hope they rot in hell, I will never forgive Mr. Msizi for this.

My office door swings open and Calvin walks in, startling me from my thoughts, I look up at him, ‘’what did I tell you about walking into my office without knocking?’’ I snap.

‘’I am sorry.’’

‘’What do you want?’’

‘’I wanted to update you on the ideas for today’s diary meeting.’’

‘’I don’t feel well, I don’t think I will have the energy to deal with that today, you are my P.A and I am sure you know what I would approve and what I wouldn’t, let the stories be forwarded to you, edit them and let them run.’’

‘’You want me to decide which stories will run today?’’

‘’I am sure you understand English and you are not deaf.’’

He stands there gawking at me.

‘’What?’’

‘’I don’t understand.’’

‘’What don’t you understand Calvin? Do what I have told you, this is the time to prove yourself.’’

‘’Okay.’’

‘’Cancel all my meetings for today, I will be going out shortly.’’

‘’Sure.’’

As soon as he walks out of the office, Kenzie walks in, closing the door behind her back.

‘’What do you want?’’ I eye her from head to toe.

‘’’Can we talk?’’

‘’You and I have nothing to talk about.’’

‘’You know what sister--,’’

‘’I am not your sister.’’

‘’You and I are sisters weather you like it or not and the sooner you realize it the better for the both of us.’’

‘’Get out of my office Kenzie.’’

‘’I am not leaving until we talk.’’

‘’We have nothing to talk about.’’

‘’You need to get rid of that bitterness or else it will be the death of you. So what if your parents divorced? So what if dad left your mother for mine? So what if I was born? Can’t you see that your behavior hurts dad?’’

‘’I have no father, I don’t know what you are talking about.’’

‘’Please Stella, let’s try to work together for the sake of dad.’’

I laugh, ‘’never! Both you and your father can go to hell for all I care,’’ with that I grab my bag and match out of the office, I rush out and head to my car, when I get in, I allow the tears to fall. For a few minutes I allow myself to cry and when I feel much better, I start the engine and drive off.

I drive straight to my mother’s house, when I walk into the house I find her lying on her boyfriend’s lap in the living room. The television is on, there is a pizza box on the table and some glasses of wine. I stare at them and my heart aches, they seem perfect for each other, it was not supposed to end like this, it should have been my father in Robert’s place. Robert is mum’s boyfriend, they have been together for two years now I hate him I just can’t get used to the idea of my mother being with another man who is not my father.

‘’Sweetheart!’’ Mum exclaims, sitting upright. I was obviously the last person she was expecting to see in her house. I rarely visit mum because my work keeps me very busy. I hardly have time for a personal life.

‘’Hey mum.’’

‘’Stella!’’ Robert says.

‘’Hello,’’ I say with a feigned smile.

‘’How are you? Long time no see.’’

‘’I have been busy.’’

‘’Aren’t you supposed to be at work? Are you okay?’’ Mum asks.

‘’I want to talk to you.’’

‘’Okay.’’

‘’In private,’’ I say staring at Robert.

‘’Can we talk from my room then?’’

‘’Yes.’’

She looks at Robert, ‘’Babe, give us a few minutes please, I will join you when we are done.’’

‘’Sure, don’t worry about me.’’

‘’Thank you,’’ she lightly kisses his lips before she leads me upstairs to her room.

We walk into her room and she closes the door behind her back then I sit on her bed and she sits on a stool in front of me.

‘’What happened? Your eyes are puffy, have you been crying?’’

I bite my lip and tears start falling down my face, I am a sensitive and emotional person, I am easily moved by things and I cry a lot.

‘’Baby girl, what is it?’’

‘’Da-da-da-daddy,’’ I stammer.

‘’What has he done?’’

‘’He made Kenzie Editor in chief at the newspaper, you know how hard I have worked for that man and this is how he chooses to repay me? That promotion was supposed to be mine, I was supposed to take over and not Kenzie.’’

‘’I am sorry my child,’’ she pulls me into her arms and holds me tight, speaking words into my hair about letting go and releasing.

‘’Maybe your father wants you and your sister to start getting along.’’

‘’She is not my sister mum and I have no father.’’

‘’You should forgive your father child, it’s not you he left when he walked out, it was me he left, your father loves you despite what happened between us please let go and forgive him, please,’’ she pleads.

‘’He left when I needed him the most and he had a child with another woman, how can I forgive him for the birthdays that he missed? For the nights that I needed him to tell me stories but he couldn’t come because he had another family.’’

‘’Shhhhh!’’ She soothes me and I cry even more.

‘’Let go child, let go.’’

‘’I will resign,’’ I say after a few minutes.

‘’Stella you can’t do that I know much you love and enjoy your job.’’

‘’I can’t stand it mum, I can’t allow Kenzie to be my boss.’’

‘’But you can find a way of working hand in hand with her, take it as an opportunity to get to know your sister.’’

‘’No mum I don’t want to know her.’’

‘’Okay so you want to resign, what will you do next? Stay at home? Travel? What exactly do you want to do? I will support you.’’

‘’I don’t know mum.’’

‘’Maybe you need to take some time off, go on a vacation with your boyfriend, what’s his name? Clive?’’

‘’Clive is not my boyfriend.’’

‘’Haven’t you been with him for almost a year?’’

‘’He is just my friend.’’

‘’A friend who sleeps in your bed?’’

‘’What are you driving at?’’

‘’Clive came to see me.’’

‘’He did what?’’

‘’He came to ask me to talk to you, that boy loves you and he is tired to playing these hide and seek games with you, he wants a real relationship, he is ready to commit if only you will say yes to him.’’

‘’Clive knows I am a busy man, he knows I can’t commit to a relationship at the moment.’’

‘’Stella? Let go of that fear, just because your father left me doesn’t mean Clive will leave you if you commit, you are not growing any younger, if you continue like this you end up being a bitter unhappy old woman.’’

I look up at her and frown, ‘’that’s mean mummy.’’

‘’I am your mother it’s my duty to tell you the truth, give that young man a chance, open your heart.’’

‘’I don’t want to talk about it.’’

‘’What do you want to talk about?’’

I am about to respond when her phone rings and she stares at it, ‘’your father is calling,’’ she says.

‘’what does he want?’’

‘’He obviously wants to ask about you.’’

‘’Don’t answer him.’’

She smiles before she picks up the phone and puts it on loud speaker, ‘’Mr. Msizi?’’

‘’Deborah, how are you?’’

‘’I am fine thanks, how are you?’’

‘’I am fine.’’

‘’How can I help you?’’

‘’I wanted to find out if Stella is there with you? She left the office angry and upset.’’

‘’Yes, she just got here.’’

‘’I bet she told you the news?’’