Ofelia settles in a cool restaurant Early morning, she had no idea it’s a secret business opened by Tobi for Mel without their notice, Tobi only called her to meet him there but she was shocked when all the employees there come to welcome and greet her with a lot of respect….she sits down at a table but she can tell the workers there are trying so much to impress her which she doesn’t understand why….. it was after like five minutes of being there her breakfast is brought, she doesn’t remember ordering one but it’s matooke served hot just the way she wants it
“Did Tobi call them or what” she wonders as she quietly takes her breakfast….. ten minutes exactly after being there… she heard the two girls who were standing by the door address Someone as boss, she turns and she’s confused when she saw Tobi…. the very tall and giant handsome son in-law…. he has some eye glass but the moment their eyes meet, he takes it off….he walks towards her
“Good morning mother…. sorry I kept you waiting for too long”
“It’s OK but are you sure we can talk here” he looks around and sees point in what she is saying
“Come with me” she didn’t protest but follows him to the office
“I can see this place is also yours”
“Actually it’s not mine….it belongs to Melanie….. it’s a surprise birthday gift I had planned for her……please sit down” she sits and looks around, the place is really beautiful…… she turns to look at the wall her back is facing, there is Mel’s portrait…she’s impressed but she will not let This distract her from the matter at hand…she faces him
“I don’t know why I decided to meet up with you, I know it’s not really me you should be explaining these things to, but I just want to know why…… I have always seen you as my son, how could you be capable of something as grave as this”
“Mother….I appreciate the fact that you have always seen me as a son because I see you as my mother too…..but would you believe me mother if I tell you I never wanted to hurt Melanie or any other woman”
“But you did”
“Yes….yes I did and I suffer everyday knowing that I did”
“Tell me everything, I want to hear…..how did it start….how did it all happen”
“It’s a painful but rather long story…..being my mother’s only child and growing up without a father has always been the most difficult part of my life…… I was always a very good and disciplined child who has been upright almost all my life….. I had achieved everything I wanted at an Early age, good job, nice family, everything but I had one problem….a problem I didn’t see really as a problem….. I have never been drawn to a woman that much, I had one girlfriend from my university days but things didn’t work out and we broke up…… problem then came when mum came into the picture, she was always after my case always reminding me I should settle already because I was matured enough……. I tried to pay deaf ears to her but it because unbearable……. time came when my 30th birthday was approaching…….. I decided to celebrate it outside home for a change and maybe I would meet a good and nice lady out there I could fall for, so I shared the idea with Jane my PA….. I needed her to make reservations somewhere for a few friends and we would celebrate together, she was so excited about it and she got to planning everything…… the biggest mistake I then made was to share it with my best friends too…..David, Eddy and Clement were the people i saw as my best friends…. when they got to know about this plan, they got excited too and asked me to let them take over the organization because they have been doing so…..I didn’t say no because they seemed harmless and they were my friends after all……….” Tobi continues to tell his story to his mother in-law without blinking an eye and as he finishes…….all Ofelia could do is stare at him with mouth wide open, she’s so lost for words….she sees sincerity in his eyes and knows there is no lie in all that he has told her….Tobi on his part feels a bit lighter, but he’s scared of the way she’s just starring at him without saying anything
“Did you tell anyone about it”
“No….I mean not right away, that day I was in mess, I was not thinking well and I wanted nothing but to die yet I couldn’t, I had never taken alcohol but I did because I felt like the worst human being ever alive……… after following Melanie home and seeing the state in which I had left her, I felt so horrible…. I hit a bar and drunk myself off, I reached home a total mess, I couldn’t tell my mother what happened but she knew something was terribly wrong with me……I locked myself up for days in my room, when I finally opened, I had promised to correct my terrible mistake though I had no idea how and that’s when I started following Mel, I became her shadow almost everywhere she was I would be there but without her knowing it”
“So it’s true all the love and affection and everything you showered her was are nothing but all lies….pretenses in order to make up for all you did” he looks at her sharply shaking his head
“No mother….. no, at first I got close to her with no intention of making her my girlfriend or even my wife…..I just wanted to know how she was doing and fairing because that was where my source of happiness was bounded….. indeed I got to realize she was happy, and what’s more, she was set to wed her then boyfriend….. I had no idea she was pregnant as the result of the rape, I felt somehow OK……. even after wanting so much to turn myself over to the police but I always thought of my poor mother, her reputation… I just couldn’t break her heart…I wanted to be the perfect son she had ever known…… I was still looking for the best way to do it amid so many excuses when the unthinkable happened….the day of the wedding, I was not invited but I couldn’t miss it for anything in the world, my heart leaped for joy when I saw her walk down the isle all smiles but when Ronald did what he did which I never saw coming, I felt more guilty, I felt responsible and I felt obliged to help save her honour and dignity from those hungry Media people….”
“So that day, you took her to your home and…..”
“Yes I took her there because I wanted her to trust me, I wanted her to build confidence in me , I wanted her to trust me like a friend and I wanted to get to know her more so as to find the best way to help her, and then come clean with my sin…..she did and she trusted me, she told me her deepest secretes and fears ……that was when I had shared my secret with Mac the only one and true friend I have… He’s more like a brother…. he advised me to get a counselor for Mel so she could heal….then I could come clean with her that way she would feel less hurt again, she would be hurt but she would heal in no time”
“Were you going to find that kind of help for her had he not mention it”
“To be honest mother…..my head wasn’t working well, all I wanted was for Mel to be alright but I just didn’t know how….I didn’t know the best thing for Mel or the best thing to do, I followed Mac’s advice and I began to see a different Melanie….. a Melanie like never before, so full of life and energy, so positive and so gentle and happy….I got so comfortable around her and for a moment it felt as if her smile was all that I needed to live so before I knew it, I was already in love and suddenly she meant the whole world yo me and she was my life….I became so afraid of loosing her” Ofelia has listened enough, she has never seen someone this sincere , she believes him but it’s her daughter involved here, Tobi looks at her with pleading eyes thinking she doesn’t believe him, she takes his hands both and looks at him
“Look here son….I believe you but the problem is I can’t say the same thing about your wife…. Melanie has to decide on what she wants”
“Thank you mother….you have no idea what you believing me means to me….thank you very much” he gets up to hug her and Ofelia gets teary….she leaves the restaurant, she gets out after refusing Tobi’s lift back home, she looks back
“You have to forgive him daughter…. he has done so much for you and he deserves your forgiveness” she looks at her phone…. Thank God she had decided to record his confession just in case the stubborn Mel still refuses to see or meet up with him……….
After his bitter exchange with Melanie last night, Ron had arrived Home very drunk and he has taken so long to get out of bed, his mother having waiting for so long has no choice but to go talk to him in his room
“Good morning son” she greets Ron who sits by the nightstand trying to apply ice on his left eye, he is having some pounding headache caused by the hangover
“Mother….what are you doing here”
“I came to find out how your meeting with Melanie went but I can already see how it went”
“How did you know”
“I’m your mother….in know everything”
“Just go….I don’t want to talk about it” Lilian ignores at sits down
“Let me do it” she takes away the cold ice from her son
“You can’t loose focus now son…. if you want I can be of help to you”
“What do you even know mother….what do you care anyways”
“Look, I was unable to support your relationship with that woman five years ago but I can assure you this time I’m very ready to do whatever it takes just say yes and trust me……tell me what happened”
“I don’t trust you mother….I should rather wait for my sister and I shall share with her”
“Who Perry?…. That naive little idiot…remember all this happened when you started listening to her advice” Ron softens a bit
“She doesn’t want anything to do with me mother” he looks sad
“Have you tried seeking her out”
“I did but it’s as if she Hates me, she won’t hear reasons”
“Have you tried hinting her that her little perfect husband is the one who rapes her”
“Like she doesn’t know?” he stops his mother’s hand and looks at her
“Is it true that day you and Mel had agreed you would meet at that junction…. did you really call her”
“What are you talking about…. I have not even set my eyes on that woman for the last five years” she acts offended
“No mother… I don’t mean now, I meant five years ago, the day she was raped
” No….I can see she hasn’t dropped that baseless accusation”
“It’s fine mother so what do you suggest we do…I can’t let that boy win, I can’t let Melanie forgive him, she’s mine and that’s how it should be”
“Good question….. why not stir up a little scandal… how about waking up in the morning and reading a very juicy headline about a young billionaire being accused of rape that happened five years ago”
“Mother…..” he so shocked
“Believe me….it’s the best revenge for both Melanie and that husband of hers, you know Melanie very well, she will need a man in her life, by her side as her strength since it seem she can’t do that by herself…. you will be her hero and you have my full support you will win her over and she will be all yours…. all yours alone” Ron is confused about this for now………
Ofelia gets back home and finds Jessy and Mira watching cartoon in the living room
“Grandma welcome back” Mira runs to her
“Thank you princess”
“Where is Daddy…. Mummy said he’s coming”
“Yes….I just talked to him and he says he’s a bit busy but will come see you….”
“But why can’t we go back home” Ofelia now realises Mira will not stop until she gets a satisfying answer so she kneels down and scoops her in her arms
“Mira, Daddy can’t because he and Mummy are having a small problem they first need to solve”
“Is it the lies he told her” Ofelia is shocked
“Yes….but Daddy is not a liar….you will talk to him, I will call him but first let me go see Mummy” she turns to Jessy
“Is she in”
“Yeah she hasn’t left that room and Jane has brought our stuffs”…… Ofelia hurries over to Mel’s room and finds her standing by the window just looking outside
” Good morning daughter “
“Where are you coming from” Mel asks and moves away from the window
“I don’t want to lie to you, I went to meet Tobi”
“Whaaat?”
“Yes Melanie…. Someone had to listen to his side of the story”
“I can see you obviously fell for his lies”
“I wasn’t wrong about you after all…. it’s clear to me you wouldn’t go see him”
“I don’t want to see him or hear his pathetic lies”
“You don’t need to see him….I have all that you need to hear”
“Excuse me…..are you his spokesperson or what”
“Nope…. I was only acting journalist for today…. here, take your time and listen, it’s quite long”
“I’m not interested” Ofelia puts the phone down on the bed
“Just in case you change your mind” she leaves without another word and closes the door behind…….to Mel comes over to the bed and picks up the phone in her hand looking at it like she’s changing her mind……
To be continued…
