Chapter 4
1141 Words
Brian and his father sat down on the lounge chairs placed just outside of Ella's room.
Henry's gaze never seemed to leave Ella's room door while Brian kept staring taking in the activities going on around him as well as the sterile smell of the hospital.
Time steadily went by as they waited for Ella to wake up.
Henry was the first to break the silence between them "Brian" He called out.
"Yes dad" Brian answered.
"Did your mom really say you could choose a wife for yourself? Don't lie to me" He quietly asked.
"I have no reason to lie to you, dad. Mom really did permit me"
"Have you ever asked why, I've been insisting on choosing a wife for you?" Henry asked him.
"To be honest dad, I've never considered marriage in my nearest future so thinking about why you've been insisting has been totally lost on me" Brian replied.
"You spend money and behave recklessly, you move around with recalcitrants, you generally don't care about your life or your future so I took that decision believing that my reasons were valid.Your mom knew about it and even supported my plan all along. So you can imagine how surprised I was to find out what your mom did without discussing with me first"
"So dad, are you furious with mom or are you saying you don't believe me?"
Henry replied wearily "I'm not angry at her. I believe I know why she did it and even if I didn't know; I would have asked her. So since things are now like this, we should come to a compromise"
"What compromise?" Brian cautiously asked.
"When mom wakes up and confirms what you told me, then I shall also permit it on the premise that you must date Katrina Jones first for a few weeks to enable you determine for yourself if she's wife material or not"
"And if I don't find her a wife material?" Brian asked.
"Then you can choose any other person. Did your mum set down the criteria for the type of person you will marry?"
"Yes, she said I must choose a girl from a good background. She mustn't necessarily come from a wealthy family but she must be of good character"
Henry's smile portrayed sadness "That's my Ella alright"
Then he looked up at Brian and said "Then it's settled. If after a month of dating Katrina, you don't find her a wife material, you can go choose a wife for yourself"
"Really, dad?"
"Yes really. You are not to tell anyone especially your friend, Williams about this new development"
"But why dad" A surprised Brian asked.
"I can't put a finger on it but trust me, Williams is not a friend. I know you'll tell me you've been friends from childhood but I can only advice you as your father; Williams is bad news"
"You have never spoken bad about Will before, dad. Why now. Did he offend you?"
"I don't have any personal grudge against him but If you have sincerely decided to fulfill your mother's wish, then this is the right time for you to know that not everyone who comes around you have your best interests at heart"
For once, Henry's words made Brian sober.
The Henry he knew always barked out commands or orders.
Never had his father talked to him even for once with such high regard or consideration before.
But Brian found himself at crossroads; Williams had always been a good friend since childhood. To him, every other person was dispensable not Williams.
While they sat down still waiting to hear further news of Ella, Henry's phone rang disturbing the comfortable silence between father and son.
Henry answered the phone; it was Ella's mom who called. She was furious at Henry for not informing her about her child's health.
After calming her down with much difficulty, other persons related to Ella as well as one journalist also called to ask about Ella's health condition.
Henry was very perplexed about the calls because he hadn't informed anybody that his wife was sick or had been taken to the hospital.
He looked at Brian with blood shot eyes, "Was it you who went telling everyone of your mom's ill health and her been brought to the hospital?"
"I didn't dad. I came here straight from The Hotel Bel-Air. I was too worried about mom to remember calling anyone" Brian replied looking confused.
"So who must have done this?" Henry asked angrily
A baritone voice sounded from behind them "It was me, uncle"
They both turned to see Williams; Brian's childhood friend.
Williams Anderson also grew up in a wealthy family like Brian but unlike Brian, he was an adopted son.
His parents had adopted him as a baby. His mother later gave birth to his twin siblings when he became four years old.
After the birth of the twins, all the love of his parents went to his twin brothers.
No one cared for him or showed him love any longer. He was treated just like one of the servants in the house and he didn't understand why.
Even the servants themselves couldn't understand why the first son of the house was treated like a servant but they kept quiet and also gave him equal treatment.
It was just recently, that his father revealed his true status to him.
The man said, he was feeling guilty towards Williams and so he had to tell him as it was only right that Williams should know the truth.
He revealed that Williams wasn't a beneficiary in his will and he will be forced to leave the estate when the twins claimed their inheritance.
He said that now that there was still time, Williams should man up and take care of himself.
His mother did not only confirm what his father told him, she even showed him his adoption documents proving he was really adopted by them.
He was desperately hoping she would not support his father leaving him penniless and homeless but to his total disbelief, she did.
She also advised him to do something useful for himself but promised she would support him with an initial capital for business only.
That was the darkest day of his life.
He had made friends with Brian when they were kids believing they were of the same status.
After the revelation, he became ashamed of himself, dissatisfied, bitter and angry with his birth parents that he would never know, his adopted parents who were more wicked to him than his birth parents and the whole world in general.
He couldn't let anyone know the truth not even Brian because he didn't need his or any other person's pity.
He grew increasingly envious of Brian and his heart grew dark with each passing day.
- Writer
