Duped

Down the stairs

Location: David's family house

Time: 12:48pm

Bella walks to the garden and sits on the wooden chair. David and Nat had left to visit a friend. Mrs omotola is taking a nap. She decided to make use of the time well. She knows he would be here. The garden was his favorite place in the mansion.

The only sound heard was the chirping of birds, the tall and broad-leaves trees gave it a shady and breezy feel. Bella took in deep breaths and relaxed. She missed them especially her. She wondered how she is feeling now. She made a mental note to call later.

She sighs and stands. She walks slowly around the garden taking in the environment and looking for him too.

She takes a turn on a sharp corner and there he was seated on a wooden chair, head bent towards the sky.

"Mr. Omotola" Bella calls out.

He is shocked to see another presence but nevertheless he adjusted on his seat and wipes his face with his hands. He had been crying.

"Oh.. Bella, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I hope you don't mind me being here, I decided to spend the afternoon with you" she takes a sit beside him.

Mr. Omotola chuckled and faced Bella. "To what do I owe this visit?". Off course he knew what she came for. He has been eager to know the results of yesterday dinner scene.

"Can't I come to say hello? You know you are hardly seen with the family" she said jokingly with a smile. She was going to present a delicate issue so she needs to bring it up slowly.

Mr.omotola laughed. "Not at all my child. You are always welcome. But you do know that David will not be happy seeing you talking to me. I don't want him being angry with you because of me"

"Oh No, Don't worry about that. He and Nat went to visit a friend"

"Is that so? Okay"

"So how are you sir?"

"Not good. I'm pretty sure you noticed me in tears when you walked in. Everything is just so messed up"

"How?"

"I miss my family" he said his face downcast.

"But you are with your family, aren't you?"

"Physically yes, emotionally No. I have failed them and serving my punishment for it" David's father explains everything to her.

Although Bella has been told before, she still wanted to hear Mr. Omotola side of the story.

He narrated calmly, his voice almost giving way at the end. When he was done.. silence ensued between them. Bella gave him time to relax his mind. After a few seconds. Bella speaks up.

"Families always fight but what makes them stronger is being able to forgive and settle, are you willing to settle this hate? It has been dragged on for far too long" she started.

"I can't blame him yunno, I can't blame my son or anyone for not wanting to call it truce. I hurt them..... Deeply... And this seems to be the perfect punishment for me... I deserve it" he said to Bella but you could tell he was reassuring himself

"Haven't you been punished enough? 10 years is enough.... It's time to reconcile with your family... Your wife misses you... She loves you so much and I know she has forgiven you long time ago... She wants both of you to grow old together... She wants a happy and complete family... that's her wish"

"I never saw her worth and I was a big fool for that. My wife is a woman with a big heart. After how I treated her, she still pleaded for me. She is the one giving me a roof over my head. And I owe her a lot. Too bad it's too late..."

"But it isn't too late....things can change but you can't do that when you still do the things that will push them further away from you. Why do you still do them? Stop the extramarital affairs, gambling and drinking. Turn a new leaf and try to make it up to them, you can't expect them to forgive you when you haven't shown you have changed"

"I have already quit that bad lifestyle years ago, I only drink once in a while cause it makes me forget the pain"

"What about the meeting with a lady at a restaurant? David said he saw you"

"It's a misunderstanding, She is my therapist.we met there for a session. I had been able to quit gambling and womanizing. But the drinking was hard because I was addicted. It's my way out from the pain and everything, so I went for sessions to help me out... It's working.. I haven't drank alcohol for over a week now.. anytime the feeling comes I come to the garden to clear my head"

Bella heaved a sigh of relief glad that things were going to be a bit easy. "You see why communication is good, David had had the thought that you haven't changed and not ready to...heck..the whole family thinks that way. I want you to apologise one more time at dinner today, don't stop apologizing and make them see you have changed"

"What if they don't forgive me?"

"They might not, and they might but you shouldn't stop trying"

"Alright my child. Thank you for your encouragement. God bless you, You really are perfect for my son" he gave a wide smile and gives her a hug. He was elated, he always thought he was alone in this fight to win back his family, he had given up all hope but God doing...he sent someone to help. He was very grateful for that. He couldn't wait to be with his sons and wife.

"See you at dinner" Bella said with a smile as she walks back to the house.

Time for the next plan...

★★★———————————————★★★

Mrs omotola wakes up from her nap and checks the time.... 1:46pm. She yawns and walks out of her room.

It was time for lunch, she was going to check what was been prepared.

Mrs omotola had married at a young age of 20 and been in her fifties, she aged beautifully. She could even be mistaken to be in her fourties. She walked gracefully into the hallway and made her way down the stairs.

Perhaps it was a lost in thought situation, a mis-step or something else...

It happened in a flash....

There she went...

Falling down the stairs at an alarming speed.

The only thing she could hear was the sound of people panicking before she slipped into unconsciousness.

★★★—————————————————————★★★

Location: Hospital

Time: 3:01pm

Time moved slowly as the omotola sons and Bella moved around the hospital waiting room. They couldn't even sit. Mrs omotola was in the ICU and it made them more anxious as time clocked away without any sign of the doctor.

Everyone was devastated. David was almost on the verge of tears and Bella was already crying. Nat was sad as well.

After the stairs accident, Bella had called David and they came without any delay. Bella was already shaking at the sight of Mrs omotola laying lifeless and a head wound.

"What happened? How did she fall?" David said with a cracked voice failing terribly at sounding smooth.

"I don't know, I was in the kitchen supervising the cooking for lunch when I heard someone fall. I rushed out only to find mummy on the floor, she just woke up from a nap and maybe missed her step" Bella said in-between sobs.

A tear slid down David's face. He just wish she was okay. He wouldn't be able to bear it if she....

Bella couldn't bear the atmosphere so she walks out of the hospital. She tries relaxing as fresh air hits her face. Then her phone beeped with a message. She reads it and head to the back to the hospital. She sees her and moves angrily to her..

"What are you doing here? Please I am not in the mood to talk" she said trying not to raise her voice, she felt angry with herself and maybe... guilty?.

"Jeez..calm down. Where is she?"

"ICU"

She smiled making Bella irritated. "Why are you here?" She asked again.

"You are needed. Get ready"

"Okay" Bella says and turns back into the hospital. Speaking to her might make her fume more in anger, so she walked back to the hospital.

She enters and gets bottled water. She goes to where David and Nat was and offered it to them.

"Drink some water"

David and Nat takes it weakly and took a gulp. The water tasted bitter and they discarded it immediately. Their eyes never stop checking the door to the ICU.

Steps were heard walking close to them. The trio turned to check and sees Mr.omotola with a worried face.

"Where is my wife? Where is she?" He asked frantically as he hurries towards them.

Nobody would speak even David. He couldn't send him back, he didn't have the strength to. His mom was all he cared about at the moment...

Bella weakly pointed to the ICU door. As he made to walk to it.

The door opened and the doctor came out....

★★★—————————————————★★★

Happy new year wonderful people.....

How do you feel entering the new year?

I feel wonderful, a lot of great things are in stall for us this year. I can just feel it.

Congratulations on making it.

So according to what they say..... New year new things.

My work ended the day before yesterday, so I have enough time to write now.... Yayyyyy.

The romance suspense competition ends on the 12th so I have a lot of work to do in other to reach 30,000 words before the deadline. I want to create a schedule for every update. I will be updating with a space of one day. Like for example....I updated today, next update will be the day after tomorrow. If I update today, I won't update tomorrow.... that's how it's going to be. Reason being that I am planning on participating in other contest so it gives me time to update my other books ( books will be announced soon). I want to give everything a try and see which works for me. It also means....more work ?.

Although depending on how free i am there might be surprise chapters the day I'm not going to update but just keep the main schedule in mind.

The contract has not yet been totally signed...still on the process.... I'll update you.

#1 Nigerian facts...

There are 300+ languages in Nigeria.

Much right?

I actually can't speak any dialect. I can only speak English and pigin (local English). My mum speaks ibibio and my dad although his main dialect is bini, he can also speak Yoruba and hausa. We ( my siblings and I) were majorly trained in just English. I tried learning my mom's later but it was too hard ?. She would teach us every evening but we just can't seem to grab. We know the basics but the complex is just too complex...so we abandoned it ?. My dad doesn't even have the time for that, I know basic bini from school cause it was taught as a subject.

The languages are much that in a small area, they are different languages.... it's hard to find one type of language in a particular place except villages maybe. But in all.... pigin is the common language for everyone followed my English. An average Nigerian knows how to speak and understand pigin. It's not that hard to learn because it's basically English but twisted somehow. Even though I can't speak any local dialect, I admire little kids who can speak theirs, and this is very common among the hausas and Yoruba.... They learn their local language even before learning English. And there's me struggling with it ??. Well....such is life.

That's all for today.... What's are your opinions? Can you speak you mother tongue fluently? How many languages can you speak?

Feel free to type in your thoughts.....

Any questions you need me asking, also type it in, I will answer them...

What do you think about this chapter? Critics? Reviews?, opinions? Type it in.... I need to read them.?

BTW I need a new book cover ??? please somebody helpppp!!!

Comment, follow and add... I promise to do same..

~precious~