Everyone in church finally comes out asking so many questions that no one could answer, Ofelia can’t still understand what happened has really happened, she had rushed out to see how she could help her baby but she’s gone, neither Mel nor Ron were in sight and no one knew where they were, the minister comes out and the few reporters who still have their gadgets still want him to talk, but luckily his PA comes to his rescue shielding him with her body saying he can not talk, Lillian and her daughter patience are the next to come out and the reporters are ready for them “Mrs Pope, would you throw more light into this, everyone is still lost in the middle of all this not knowing what really happened….. do you know what must have made your son to develop cold feet” she is trying her best not to show her happy face “I can’t tell why my son did what he did and it would be best if he be the one to answer all of this when he finally returns” she walks away but they run after her “Is it true Melanie is pregnant for another man” “That innocent child has nothing to do with all of this……this is all I can say” “So you’re finally admitting that the rumor is true after all” the camera could not miss her sarcastic and smiley face, her husband comes and whisks her away and patience too, they leave for home leaving behind Perry who says she has to find Mel at her brother and also help Ofelia reach home……… Every attempt to reach either Mel or Ron could not yield any result so Ofelia finally bursts into tears “I want my daughter back….I want Melanie back, she’s going to harm herself I’m sure and I will not be able to withstand it” she melts into Perry’s arms and cries “It’s OK mum…..let’s go home now maybe she’s there already and waiting for you” Ofelia doesn’t want to so Perry has to real convince her more “Soon the reporters are going to swift their attention on you and what will you say….you might end up saying something that might end up hurting Melanie more I’m so sure, let’s go and I promise I won’t leave you alone till when we find her” she leads her to the car where the stranded bridesmaids are waiting, they leave together and drop all of them off and then the three of them with the third being the maid of honor drive off to start their search not knowing from where to even start looking………….. The last thing Melanie ever said to the stranger who was now driving to where she doesn’t know was agreeing to come with him just because she really didn’t know what she wanted, she closes her eyes as the equally quiet man continues to drive, a million dolor questions continue to run in her head about why Ron did what he did, she tries to understand but it’s not making any sense, she is not blaming him for the decision he made but she doesn’t think she deserved his cruelty and insensitivity, she had asked him so many times if he was sure he wanted to go on with this and he continued to assure him he was and yet today she got to know how he truly felt in the most painful way possible, she wonders if she’s ever going get out if this alive…. she continues to thinkand even in her closed eye lids, tears continue to fall and run freely………. Tobi is so heartbroken seeing Melanie wail in pain, he continues to steal glances at her pretty face without her noticing, he can see why Ronald fell in love with the damsel, she’s truly beautiful and innocent, every tear that fell from her eyes got him thinking whether she’s remembering what he did to her or what Ron did today, he can’t tell but whatever the reason he knows there is only one person to blame and he’s the person, ……… at first he had no idea where he was driving her to and wanted to drive her home but then he realizes home is not the best place to take her to, he’s sure people must be home waiting with questions and that’s not going to be good for her so he knows just the right place to take her, he continues to drive for the next twenty minutes until when they arrive, the gateman opens the gate so wide for the car and Tobi drives in, he packs the car in the compound and this was when Mel finally opened her eyes, she can clearly see this is equally a rich man by just looking at the mansion…. right now her mind is not really into all the luxury around, the man comes out of the car and opens the door for her, she reluctantly gets out and the gateman comes to welcome his boss, he’s surprised to see a woman in her wedding dress by his side but it’s clear she’s been crying, one more look at her, he got to realise she was putting nothing on her feet, he wonders if his boss stole someone’s bride because both of them look messy…. he doesn’t let it show in his face though “Boss your welcome, i didn’t know you were coming” “How are you Job” “I’m very fine boss…..everything here is very fine” he excuses himself and returns to the gate but Tobi calls him, he goes to meet him “No one should know I’m here, not even my mum” “But what if she calls” “Simple, tell her you haven’t seen me in a very long time understood” he nods and Tobi goes back to Melanie who is still looking suspicious “Shall we” he leads the way to the house and she follows, Tobi opens the door that leads to the beautiful living room, every furniture and every other thing in the house is covered to avoid dust since no one lives in there”I’m so sorry, you will have to excuse me, I need to do some small arrangement and cleaning” he says and gets to work “Does no one leave here” she couldn’t help asking but what really surprises her is the fact that this young man is the owner of this mansion “No one stays here yet….but in the near future it might get occupied” “How about your family, do they live far away from here” “It’s a thirty minutes drive from here….that’s where they live and we have a family House” “Why don’t you rent this place out” “I would love to but look around, how much do you think one would pay every month in order to live in here….. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to accept renting this, this is better left unoccupied” “You talk like a business man” he smiles “Maybe I am” “Need some helping hand” she asks when she saw him fidgeting with the covers and dusting, she can tell he’s not really trained to do this and just trying” “Can I help” she asks again “Won’t it be a big bother to you then” “Not at all…..” she walks over and joins him “Let me do it alone and show you how it’s done….it’s clear you have never done this” he stands and watches her do all the dusting, he can tell this Melanie truly has a strong spirit, anyone in her shoes would be wailing and so unconsolable by now yet here she is, acting like nothing happened, he realises she’s still in her wedding gown but she has nothing to change, he remembers there is a boutique in the next street “Can you continue with this, I will be back” Melanie doesn’t understand “Please I need you to trust me and wait for me here, I won’t take longDon’t worry, I don’t even know where I am neither do I wish to go back home” he collects the car keys and leaves……… Melanie looks around the breathtaking living room, she spots a picture of the man on the wall, she walks over to the picture and he’s name is written on it……’ Tobias Akankwasa’ this name sounded familiar but she just can’t remember where she heard it from but she’s sure she has heard it before, she puts back the picture and the events of the day comes back, she sits down and remembers her poor mother, how she must be doing at this time because she ran away without final words to her “I need to call her” she looks around but realises she doesn’t even have a phone, she doesn’t even know what she’s going to do but she needs to talk to her mother……
To be continued…
