The Popes finally arrive home and they find their gate surrounded by Media guys all over just waiting fro them, minister pope wants to drive his car past and get inside but there is really no way to get through, none of the reporters is so satisfied with what they have witnessed, after a long struggle, they are able to get through “Close that gate and get those fools out of my property” the minister orders the gateman who closes the gate right away, he gets out his phone to call the police “Get these people out of my home or else I won’t be responsible for my next action” the minister screams over the phone and every time he gets angry, no one dare crosses him because he gets real mad and does the impossible, his wife runs towards him to try and calm him down but she’s met with a hot slap “If I ever find out you have something to do with this, I will not only divorce you but I shall leave you with nothing” Lillian really wasn’t expecting this, her husband walks in and she runs after him “You can’t talk to me like you’re talking to one of those your workers, I’m your wife” “Lillian, this has nothing to do with the fact that you’re my wife…. how did the story of Melanie’s pregnancy reach out Have you forgotten those guys are trained journalists” “Yes but someone has to give them news, feed them facts and this time around, non of my political opponents knew about this, there has to be a mole in this family and I shall find him or her out” “Calm down, you have just slapped me and now you’re continuing to accuse everyone of us in this house for being the possible suspects” “Well who else knew about this” “What if Melanie leaked the story just to attract sympathy maybe she was looking for fame” “That’s rubbish…. complete nonsense but pray to your God it isn’t you…. I won’t be able to change my mind about doing what I promised you” they were still shouting in the living room and now the minister heads to the bedroom with Lillian still after him “My son had the right to choose if he wanted to continue with this relationship or not” “Yes he had all the rights and no body forced him to marry Melanie, it was his choice and he had all the time in the world to cancel the wedding before embarrassing us and abandoning that poor girl at the alter….. he better have valid and clear reasons for doing what he did because it will not be well with him” “Please my love…he’s your son and you don’t have to overreact with this small issue” “I’m not denying that he’s my son but we can’t pretend that this issue is just something minor because it’s not….. you better pray he doesn’t come home today because I can’t even say what I will do to him if he ever surfaces” the argument continues in the bedroom but the workers in the house are just feeling so sorry for miss Melanie they have gotten to like so much…………. Ron finally arrives at imperial Royal where they had booked to have their after party and also have their first night as husband and wife before travelling for their honeymoon, he packs his car and comes out, he takes to his heels and passes the decorators without saying hello, the mood in the place is really a party mood but everyone is frozen on seeing a man who is supposed to be at his own wedding reception by now, and what’s more he looks wasted and something was wrong somewhere…….. Ron runs and gets to their booked room and finds the ladies have done a tremendous work……the floor of the room has botanicals and some petals with red roses scattered here and there with few white ones complementing them, the readily arranged candles waiting to be lit, but what really stands out is the beautiful design in the middle of the king size bed, it’s a pillow on it it’s written ‘you and I forever Melanie ‘…. this catches his attention and he walks over there clutching on to it like his life now depends on it, he tears up and bursts again “I’m so sorry Mel…. so sorry for being a total jerk please forgive me” he wonders how she must be doing now, where she might be, if she’s admitted in a hospital or she’s already committed suicide “I’m so sorry, so sorry Mel…. I hope one day you will be able to forgive me because I swear I love you with all my heart and my promise to find the man responsible for all this still stands” he wails and it continues until when his best man arrives and begs him to let him take him back home “I don’t want to go home….I just want to die” ” There is no one on this earth who wants to die, even when you go to these hospitals and find someone with the most painful sickness, who can not have a pain free day don’t think he will take the news that he might not live longer in good faith so don’t call for something that’s never going to happen much less something you don’t really mean” “I will take my life, I have to end it because I’m so useless and I don’t have a reason to live” the best man looks around and spots white bed sheets, he picks one and hands it over to him “Here take it, let me be your guest and let me watch it, I’m sure this is strong enough to finish your neck” he looks serious and Ron is shocked “Are you crazy?” “You see…..you never meant those words after all, if anyone should take her life it should be Melanie not you, no body forced you into doing whatever you did to her today” Ron is quiet “Let’s go, I need to sneak you out of here” “How is she….How shall we know if we are here” “Please Peter, I need to see her, take me to her….I can’t afford to be hated by Melanie…. not her please” “Relax…. I don’t think meeting her right now is the best thing to do, you both are still in shock and panic after this stress and it’s getting late…it’s already coming to six pm… let’s go before anyone here tips the hungry Media guys we’re here” Peter finally convinces Ron to return home………… Tobi arrives at the boutique to find a very lovely lady you surprisingly is Mel’s size she greets him with smiles “Welcome to my boutique Sir…. as you can see I only sell women stuff and I can tell you’re here to shop for a woman” “That was pretty sharp of you young Lady” “Hahaha I know these things, Nina is my name so how may I help you, do you know her size well because it’s always a big task for men here to shop for women in their absence” “That won’t be a problem” “Oh I see you know her pretty well in size, is she your sister” that question he wasn’t expecting “She’s my fiancé” her eyes glitter “Then come with me this side, let me be the one to do the picking…. which is her favourite color” “Huh…..” “Get off that look you’re too young for that hahaha…. I mean her favourite color” “She doesn’t have any” “Huh….she doesn’t???. .. kind of strange which woman does that” “Well, maybe she does and I have never really paid attention because she has almost every color Then in that case let me look for the best” “Excuse me miss” “Nina” “Sorry Nina…. actually I don’t only need one, the truth is she had come to pay me a visit and didn’t really plan on staying but something just came up and she’s forced to stay, I can’t tell for how long” “Don’t worry, maybe three dresses and two shorts plus two trousers and a few tops would do” “Won’t that be too many” “OK, sit still and let me help you, no one wants to put on the same thing forever” “But she’s just not any woman rather she’s my woman, I know her and for staying home just, I would say those are too many” “Fine….but size” “You” “Cool…” Nina helps Tobi pick out a few dresses and other things, he remembers she must need some underwears too because he’s sure she just has one that she’s putting on right now yet he’s not sure if he should pick a few, after debating within himself, he picks a dozen and two African foot wears and heads to the supermarket where he picks out some few things and then heads home, he calls his Mom on his way back saying he’s not coming back home but she shouldn’t worry………….. Tobi arrives home to find Melanie has uncovered everything in the living room and dusted all, he first drops the food stuff in the kitchen and them comes only to find her cuddled up at the foot of the couch, she sees him “You’re back” he nods and can tell she’s been crying “You’ve done a wonderful job here” “That’s not true Sir….. the room needed to be mopped and thoroughly cleaned””I will call the woman who normally does that to come do it first thing tomorrow morning” she smiles at him “Can I ask for a favour from you” “Sure…” “Can you lend me your cellphone, I need to call my mother” he didn’t say no, he just gets out the phone and goes to hand it to her….. all of a sudden, she feels his perfume and she freezes Tobi realises and steps away “Is there anything wrong” she looks at him and then shakes her head negatively saying no, she takes the phone and dials her mother who has even gotten tired of crying, she’s now seated at home with many gathered to comfort her, when she sees the unknown number she didn’t want to pick it but other people urge her to “Hello” she fearfully said “Mother…. it’s me” she says amid tears “Fina are you alright, are you safe baby… Tell me where you’re and I will come for you right away” “No mother, I’m fine and nothing has happened to me but I can’t tell you where I am because I don’t even know where I am…. I’m safe but I can’t come home just yet, take care and I love you” she ends the call her mother is relieved somehow……. she hands the phone back to him “Thank you” “Why didn’t you tell her where you’re” “Because you still have not told me where I am, and besides I didn’t think that was necessary I just don’t want to see her now” “It’s OK…..let me show you to your room so you can freshen up as I fix something for you to eat, you have been on empty stomach since morning” it hits her, she doesn’t even have a thing to change after showering, the last thing she wants to put on or even see is this gown , she’s going to get rid if it “Can I ask for another favour” he raises his eyebrows a bitI know you have already done enough for me but can I be the one to clean everywhere in this house and wash those curtains…. and….and you get me one dress, I don’t care what the price it is, but I have nothing else to change….. I swear I’m going to clean when I’m less tired probably tomorrow ” he smiles at her and hands her the bag in his hand “Don’t worry…. you don’t need to clean for this” “Thank you very much Sir” she tears up again but Tobi doesn’t want to see it, he leads her to the well furnished and beautifully painted room, it’s just something Mel never dreamt of sleeping in…this man really is richer than she ever thought “This is your room….and there is the bathroom, everything you need is in this bag, the bathing detergents and you shall find clean towels and bedsheets here in this wardrobe let me leave you to get started” he leaves her to get settled in the room but leans on the door after shutting it “Nothing I do or buy can come close to the damage I have caused you Melanie…. I Hope one day both you and God will be able to forgive me for all my sins because I can’t forgive myself”…… inside Mel opens the bag to find all the things she needed now including underwears, she feels a little embarrassed but she also can’t just ignore the strange feeling she had with this man….
To be continued…
