?ENDLESS
TEARS ?
EPISODE 7
If eyes could kill, I was pretty sure i should be dead already. I swallowed heavily as I thought I might have gone too far in my little melodramatic displays. Alex seemed to be boiling with rage as he marched to the place I was standing, seizing me by the shoulder.
“Are you crazy woman?” he roared. “Was I not clear enough when I told you expressly to shut your stinking mouth? Do you have any idea as to the tenacity of what your stupidity has just caused?”
“Alex” the Senator bellowed. “How dare you constitute a nuisance of yourself in my presence? And when in the history of your life have you seen me rou-ghhandle your mother the way you are doing currently? Let go of her this instant”
The Senator was on his feet in anger. I had trouble determining whose anger seemed greater as they both glared; Alex glared at me, the senator glared at Alex. The equation became balanced when the senator’s wife turned to glare at her husband.
“Mark, you should be in support of your son instead of scolding him because of this piece of trash here. I don’t blame Alex for treating her like a maid, she certainly looks like one.”
“Will you shut up woman” he barked at her as he faced her. “Do I blame Alex? I wonder what devil transformed him into this, and I would wager that the devil looks very much like you” she gasped and her face turned red.
Alex’s fingers dug into my shoulder painfully. I had definitely done everything wrongly, I thought sternly. As much as I disliked my evil looking mother-in-law, I did not want everyone to get insulted because of me.
I opened my mouth to speak but before I could jump in, the senator proceeded. “Why do I have the strange feeling that the whole ‘maid’ thing was your idea?” he glared at her.
“Are you insulting my mum because of this thing dad?” Alex rasped and his anger seemed to have increa-sed several degrees.
“This ‘thing’ is the woman you impregnated, and as long as you remain my son, you would have to accept her. If you don’t love her, learn to.” He said with a dead serious look on his face.
“I am a grown up man dad. As much as I respect you as my father, you cannot teach me how to run my family. I am capable to do whatever I damn well please in my own home, irrespective of your opinions. You know me well enough to know that I don’t take orders from anyone” he took his hands off me and stood taller, like an immovable pillar.
I knew without a doubt that he was dead serious. I could not imagine anyone making Alex do what he did not want to do. Even though he was coerced into marrying me, I wondered how he had been pressured into the messy arrangement.
The Senator smiled dangerously, making my heart skip in fear as I anticipated what he was about to say. Alex was so much like his dad in so many ways, I noted, as they faced each other.
I wondered within splits of seconds why Alex took everything from his dad, except his dad’s character; although the charming character had been evident in the village.
It was probably just deceptive pretense, with the sole aim of getting into my pa-nts, I thought. My thoughts came back to the sitting room when the Senator paced gently, circling Alex and I.
“You, my son, are probably the most stubborn man on earth, I agree, but you should know that every stubborn man has a father. If I remember correctly, Amara’s father threatened to disown her if she did not get married to you.” My heart raced as my eyes wide-ned at the direction his words were going.
“Sir” I called, pleading.
“Be quiet, Amara, I am talking to my son” he scolded and my li-ps slammed shut.
He continued. “I would not threaten to disown you, because, apparently, you are my only child. However, the child in Amara’s wo-mb in most definitely my grandchild and I would not have you subjecting her into unpleasant duties. If you refuse to treat Amara, your wife, with the respect she deserves, I would withdraw you from your position as the head of ‘The Bellos Crow’”
“What?” Alex gasped out as the words sank in. I was pretty sure I was as pale as a plain sheet. What have I done?
“You can’t be serious honey?” The senator’s wife said in horror.
“You can’t do that dad; I have spent several years of my life serving the company. You surely would not take it from me now.” He gasped out. I vaguely wondered how that was even possible since he just finished his service but that was the least of my worries.
“I can, and I will do just that Alex. Not only that, you would no longer be a member of the board at Belzinc. I say what I mean Alex, you know that”
“Oh my God” I gasped. “There is no nee-d for all these sir. It is really not necessary. Please don’t fight your family on my behalf sir, I am sure I can’t bear that”
I choked slightly at the thought. I had definitely done everything wrong. “As you can all see” I pointed to the sack of clothes on the floor.
“I was about to leave this house. I can’t possibly stay in this house. I as-sure you that I was not pressured into that decision. Being a maid was a good thing because it kept me busy; I really am not used to having people do things for me. I am a village girl. Please don’t withdraw the company from him or anything for that matter. I have caused too many problems and it would be good if I just leave”
The senator smiled. “Like Alex rightly said, I can’t run his family for him.” He turned to Alex. “Son, the mother of my unborn grandchild wants to leave your house; it is for the both of you to decide. You either find a way to make her stay, or let her leave. Chris has been eyeing your position for years, I am sure he has the managerial abilities I look out for” he said with silent threats which nonetheless were loud enough for the deaf to hear.
He turned to his wife and said sternly. “I believe we should be heading home. We have a lot to talk about” he murmured. For the first time, the senator’s wife seemed agitated.
They both swept out of the sitting room and within seconds, I was stunned to find myself alone with the man who was supposed to be my husband.
*****
*****
My knees started going weak from all the tension I had just experienced, but staring at Alex as he paced, I discovered that facing his wrath would be much more sapping that what I had just witnessed. I was exhausted though, and was not in the mood to get into any meaningless arguments with Alex.
Watching him pace was exhausting enough. I walked silently towards my sack with a heavy heart. I could not believe that I was being separated from my husband, ba-rely a week into the marriage.
Normal couples would still be on their blissful honeymoon by now, but we are definitely not the picture of a perfect couple. It felt like a heavy weight had just landed on my shoulders as I thought of leaving.
Why does it hurt so much to leave Alex despite all he has done? I wondered. I surely should not still love him after all these! I swallowed painfully as I cleared my throat.
“So I guess it is goodbye Corper” I said. It had felt so good to call him Alex in the presence of everyone. But now that everyone was gone, I decided it best to call him Corper.
Calling him Alex now would create a picture of intimacy and I did not want that because it would make my exit more unbearable.
“And where the hell do you think you are going to?” he growled, coming to a stop at my front, making me shiver. Whether from fear or reaction to his nearness, I could not tell.
I swallowed. “To wherever I can find peace. I want a divorce, or an annulment since the marriage was not consummated after the wedding” I said with a raise of my head.
“Oh, so you can rejoice in the fact that you left me destroyed right?” he asked in anger and chills went throu-ghmy spine. He glared at me then paced again. “In case you don’t know, let me tell you. ‘The Bellos Crow’ is my life. After my secondary school, I spent four years learning the managerial tactics from my father until I became an expert, even much better than my father.
After gaining admission, I partly managed the company from school by giving orders of what should be done, even without being there. The company grew tremendously until it became as big as it is today. I would be damned if someone else would take over what I have toiled for all my life.”
“I still don’t see why you are telling me this” I said to him and his face softened slowly, with embarras-sment creeping in slightly.
“You can’t leave this house, you have to stay.”
TBc…