SHADOWS OF BETRAYAL

Chapter 4

Demetrius

I was on my third shot of Tequila and a bit tipsy when my phone rang.

"Hi, Jane.

"She is back."

"Jasmine?"

"Yes. She left my house some minutes ago."

"Any idea where she is heading?"

"Deadwood orphanage home. She is going there to pick up her son."

"Did you put her son in the orphanage home?"

"Yes."

"Oh! Is that not too extreme?"

"No. He is only alive because I will be penalized for taking his life."

"Why did you hate her so much?"

"I already told you the reason, Demetrius. Stop asking me unnecessary questions."

I scratched my beard and tried to remember the reason why a mother would hate her daughter and grandson so much.

"You told me she is not your real daughter, but I can't remember if you adopted her or-."

"Silly, you. Have you been drinking again, Demetrius?"

"I just had a few shots."

"Alcohol is not good for you. It always erases your memory,"

"You are right. Maybe we should talk when I become sober."

I heard her hiss and then disconnected the call, and at that moment, I remembered her reason for hating Jasmine.

Jane was a maid at the Orleans house and then got pregnant with her mistress's husband. When Janet found out of her husband's promiscuous lifestyle, she got angry and threatened to inform the authorities of his misdeeds. They were legally married, and his actions could result in him being jailed. Considering the repercussions and her love for her husband, Janet forgives him and accepts Jane as her co-wife. A few months later, when the two wives gave birth to a female child, Jane, with the help of a nurse, they swapped the babies. She went home with Janet's baby and Janet ended up with her baby. She did this so that her daughter could inherit the family wealth.

'What a cunning and deceptive woman,' I mumbled to myself, yawned louder, picked up my cap, stood up, and staggered out of the bar in search of Jasmine.

Jasmine.

The driver stopped in front of Deadwood orphanage home and gaped at me through the inside mirror.

"Are you okay, ma'am?"

I nodded back. Even though I was far from being okay, a smile appeared on my scowling face as I stepped down from the taxi.

"Should I wait for you?"

"Yes, please."

The reason why I wanted him to drive me to my various locations was because he knew how to mind his business. As if realizing my need for silence, he only drives and never bothers to engage me in any conversation.

Deadwood orphanage home was built on a hectare of land. It consists of the management building, cafeteria, kitchen, infirmary, lecture hall, locker room, and classrooms. I was here to represent my dad when it was commissioned.

"Hello. Where is the management's building?" I asked a kid sitting alone under the shade of an apple tree in front of the cafeteria.

She looked at me with gloomy eyes, pointed her finger at a white-painted building beside the cafeteria, and then forced a smile.

"Thanks, cutie. But why are you here alone?"

"I don't want to eat bagels."

"So what did you want to eat, sweetie?"

"Pizza."

"Let's make a deal. Eat the bagel for lunch, and you can have the pizza for dinner."

"But they don't serve us pizza here."

"Trust me, dear."

She nodded her head, forced a smile, and ran into the cafeteria.

"I will order some boxes of pizza immediately after I leave here," I muttered to myself.

I found a skinny, bald, short man with extra large eyeglasses inside the management building, and after presenting my documents to him, he agreed to release Jonny for me.

"He is a kind and gentle young man, and we will miss him here," he let out as he led me back to the cafeteria. "Who are you to him?"

"I'm his mother."

"His mother?" He asked back and then fixed his eyes on me. "I heard you were sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. How come you are freed earlier?"

"Who told you that I was sentenced?"

"His grandmother. She said he lost his father and his mother was sentenced to a long year behind the bar. She claimed that she cannot take care of him because she is old and sick."

"Damn you, mom," I muttered out loud.

The priest gazes hotly at me, making me feel uncomfortable. "Please bridle your tongue, this is a house of God, and we have kids around.

"So sorry, Papa."

"Call me, John. "If you have a confession to make, feel free to follow me down to the parish."

"Thank you, John. Oh, yeah. I have some confession, but I will have to come back to do that."

"Do it today. Tomatoes may be too late."

"I'm so sorry, John..I am in a hurry but will definitely come back for it..

He nodded, his mouth curving into a smile as he said, "The Lord still loves you and will welcome you back like a prodigal son. I want you to always remember this."

"I will."

Inside the cafeteria, Jonny was seen in the company of a young boy of his age. He stood up immediately, raced towards me, and then burst into tears as I scooped him up and held him tight.

"Where have you been, Mom? Grandma said you would never come back for me."

"I'm so sorry, Jonny. Mummy made some stupid mistake and had to pay for five years. I'm free now, son. I'm free and will never leave you again."

He nestled tightly, tears rolling down his face and soaking my shirt. And for the second time in a few hours, I used the back of my left hand to clean my tears. It was a long moment of emotional display, until John grunted to pull us out of the bliss.

After collecting his belongings, we both bade John goodbye at the gate.

"Is that man waiting for you?"

I raised my gaze up and without being told, I knew the man staring from a black-painted jeep was here for me.