#THE_SACRIFICE
EPISODE 79
©Sir Zach
“Offended your friend again?” Grandfather Beau asked, his gaze closely observing Jake.
Jake turned to look at him and he sighed. “No, I think I might have done something worse” He leaned his head back on the chair, his gaze focused ahead.
“Like what?”
“Like falling in love with her”
Grandfather was shocked when he heard Jake. He stared at this grandson of his as he blinked to ensure he was seeing the right person. Hope he wasn’t beginning to hear things?
When grandfather Beau was certain that it was indeed his grandson sitted next to him, and from the grim and frustrated look on his face he was certain he had not heard wrong.
Jake has actually fallen in love! A happy and satisfied smile broke on his face and he could feel immense joy in his heart. This was the best news he has received in a long time. Jake falling in love with a woman and settling down was something he had always wished for even for the other rascal, Blake , who was a gynophobic and extremely lazy. He hissed in his heart at the thought of Blake.
“Finally son, that’s great news. I’m happy for you. I guess she just be a good girl for have to have tied you down and made you fall in love” Grandfather Beau said happily.
“Of course she is” Jake sighed and a slight frown appeared on his face. Grandfather brows crea-sed when he observed Jake’s countenance.
“So do you look unhappy about it?” He asked with concern. Jake turned to look at his grandfather. He hesitated for a while like he was pondering about what to say, or rather how to express how he was feeling.
“It’s not that I’m unhappy. No I’m not” He paused briefly.
“I’ve never for once being happy since I met Jade. She has brou-ght so much light and color to my world, and I’ve never been happier since I met her. She has thought me to be happy even with the slightest of things and I don’t even think I can spend a day without her” He paused again, before he letting out a scoff as he leaned back on the driver’s seat, his head leaning on the head rest as he wiped his face with his hand.
“I can’t believe you’re the one saying this” He said with a tone of disbelief.
“Grandfather I’m not unhappy, I’m just scared” He admitted. Grandfather Beau who was paying ra-pt attention to Jake asked, “Why?” ma-king Jake snap his head to him.
“Because I don’t think I’ll be good for her. I haven’t been sle-pt with same woman twice…I’m sorry i said that” He apologized when he realized what he just said. He shouldn’t have blurted that out in front of his grandfather.
Grandfather Beau chuckled, “That’s a fact which everyb©dy knows.” Jake cast a mock glare at him.
“What I’m trying to say is that, I haven’t been in a relationsh!pbefore, I haven’t felt this thing called ….”
“Love” His grandfather chirped in when he saw Jake’s hesitation.
“Yes”Jake nodded. He turned his b©dy to look at his grandfather, his eyes were filled with so much fear, hesitation and desperation.
“What if she doesn’t like me? What if my past life scares her and she wants nothing to do with me? What if I tell her about this feeling, this love that I feel for her and she wants none of it and leaves me, but wanting anything to do with? I don’t know what I’ll do grandfather” Jake hissed out heavily.
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell her and just keep it to myself, that way I’ll still have a p@rt of her” Jake continued his ranting. Grandfather Beau sighed in his mind while he shook his head.
“Jake st©p!” Grandfather said halting Jake from all his ranting. “You’re overthinking son”
“So what if she also likes you, and she’s scared you won’t like her back because she has so many flaws which makes her think she might also be good enough for you? So what if she’s also madly in love with you, but she can’t tell you and she’s secretly waiting for you to say something. Or what if you’re that one person she nee-ds to complete her world and help get past a shady and hurtful past and which unfortunately might never happen, because my grandson is being a coward and overthinking the next best thing that’s about to happen in his life. Jake st©p thinking too much, it’ll ruin everything and take away whatsoever courage you have”
Jake paid his undivided attention to his grandfather. He could see s-en-se in what his grandfather was saying. Maybe he was really thinking too much…
“But…” Jake tried speaking up but his grandfather cut him short.
“There should be no buts when it comes to love. If you love her just tell her and accept whatever comes out of it, don’t overthink it. Just have one thing in mind, and that is, there are no perfect humans out there, and also there are no perfect relationsh!ps too. Great and beautiful relationsh!ps are made up of two imperfect people who are re-ady to compromise, love one another even with all their flaws and imperfection. If you say you do love her, let your love speak for you and chase after the woman like she’s all you got. So st©p thinking if you won’t be good enough for her or vice versa.” Grandfather Beau adviced, counting his words slowly.
Jake kept quiet even after his grandfather had finished his speaking. His countenance looked more settled than it were minutes ago.
“Thank you grandfather”
“You don’t have to thank me. It’s my duty to give all the guidance I can give” Grandfather smiled at him.
“Still, I say thank you” Jake insisted.
“If you wish son. So when am I going to see my granddaughter in-law?” Grandfather asked, excitement dancing in his eyes.
Jake’s eyes slightly wi-de-ned, “Grandfather I haven’t even asked her out yet..”
“Then do it soon. I want my grandchildren as soon as possible” Jake’s eyes popped with disbelief. Wasn’t his grandfather thinking too far?
“Grandfather, you’ve got to take things easy. I still have a long way to go. Just hold in those thoughts of grandchildren”
“Who’s having grandchildren?” Blake asked again in his full gossipy mood and a sunny smile plastered across his face as he hopped into the back seat and slammed the door close, startling Jake and their grandfather. They both peered at him, as he leaned forward, his hands resting on both their headrest with his eyes moving from Jake to his grandfather. He had seen them from his window and had decided to join the fun.
“What? Who’s having a grandchild?”
“You!” They echoed simultaneously as they turned towards the door to step out of the car.
“Blood gossip” Jake hissed leaving Blake with a stormy look on his face as he retorted.
“I’m not a gossip, you are”
***********
Lair was still p@n-ting after running a flight of stairs with Amy in his hands. He was relieved it wasn’t a case of catatonia. Her expression and clinical pres£ntations few minutes ago had scared the hell of him.
He moved as swiftly as he could while attending to her. Checking her blood pressure, he discovered her blood pressure was a bit high and he did an instant glucose test and he discovered she had hypoglycemia (reduced blood sugar).
From his medical kit, he gr@bb£d a dextrose infusion which he set up, while he administered other drugs. He sighed as she la-id so helplessly and pale on the be-d. One of his hand rested on his w@!st while the other rested on his hair. He was feeling angry at himself for not taking good care of her at a time like this.
His eyes narrowed when he saw his mother lowering herself to sit beside Amy.
“I’d advise you to refrain yourself from what you’re about to do” Lair said in a dour and cold manner, pausing Mrs Walker halfway.
“Lair, I just…”
“You just what?! Tell me what you’re about to do?” Lair asked angrily. “Sit with her and take care of her like a good parent. News flash, Mrs Walker you’re not a good parent. You’re the worst specie of a mother.” He paused and raked his hand throu-gh his hair, pu-lling ha-rd ly on the root with frustration.
“You robbe-d us of our childhood, pushing us to the wall, increasing your God damned expectations every step of the way. You tortured us both physically and mentally but did we complain? No! You kept telling us what to do and not for once did you ever ask us what we wanted. We were kids who just nee-ded a little bit of care and attention, but you treated us like we were in the military, living by your every command. Ruling over us like we were your subjects and not your kids. Mrs Walker, I have had enough of your cruelty. Even animals know how to care and love their own children. And you can’t even live up to their standard!” Lair roared angrily.
“I agree” Mrs Walker snapped. “I’m the worst mother on earth. But whatever I did, I did for you guys, for the image of this family, for our family name!. So don’t you judge me. If other mothers don’t have the ba-lls to groom their children well, that’s on them. All I know is I trained you guys like a right mother should” Mrs Walker lashed out, staring daggers at Lair.
“Keep telling yourself that if that’s what makes you sleep comfortable at night.. But listen to me carefully, you better go bring back that boy from wherever hole you’ve locked him up or else that perfect image you’ve built all this years, I promise to bring it down to the ground till there’s nothing left of it” He threatened.
_______
Amy had not opened her eyes since she coll@psed last night. Mr Walker has asked his secretary to contact her office and inform about her condition. Mr Walker and Lair were both sitting in her room as they looked at their once bubbly princess, who was always smiling and spre-ading joy and love wherever she goes.
Mr Walker was full of regrets as he sat there and watched his daughter. His eyes also peered at his son who had all his attention fixed on his sister.
He de-eply regretted the fact that he has always kept quiet while he let his wife do all the things she had done. He threw a blind eye at all her wrong doings because he loved his wife and he didn’t want his children to grow up in a conflicted home. Several times when he wasn’t comfortable with her decisions or methods at which she used on the children, he’d convince himself that she was doing it for the betterment of the family, and that she meant no wrong.
He had encouraged her and this has turned his family upside down. When Vivian admitted to s£nding Michael to jail, he couldn’t believe it.
He was more than shocked, because never had he thought that his wife would be so cruel. How could she have abused her power as a legal practictioner and wrongly s£nd someone’s innocent child to jail. What was even the boy’s crime? Loving their daughter? Parents prayed for p@rtners who’d love and cherish their children, so why did she do this?
Mr Walker jo-lted out of his thought when he heard a low gr0@nand saw Lair moving in closer at Amy, and he also approached the be-d.
“Amy? Are you awake?” Lair called out softly, as he leaned closer to her. Amy slowly fli-ckered her eyes open. She instantly squinted them when the bright light as-saulted her eyes.
“Princess, are you okay” Mr Walker asked with concern. She slowly opened her eyes again and she saw Lair and her father standing there.
“Lair? Dad?” She called out in a hoarse voice and Lair noticed how hoarse her voice was. Lair gr@bb£d a bottle of water laying on the be-dside table. He as-sisted to sit up with her back rested on the headboard.
“Here” He uncapped the bottle and raised it to herl-ips. Amy took a sip from the bottle and Lair took it away.
“What happened?” Amy asked turning from her father to Lair.
Mr Walker s£nt a paniced look to Lair when Amy asked that question. He thought something might have happened to her head.
“Honey you don’t remember?” He asked with concern.
“Dad I’m sure she’ll remember. She’ll nee-d sometime for her to come around, just give her some mintues okay” Lair was the one who was medically inclined in the family. His father simply replied with a nod before sitting beside Amy.
“Amy I think you should eat something. What would you like to eat?” Lair asked.
“I’m not feeling hungry” Amy replied.
“But you have to. Lair said you’ve not been eating lately. Why would you do that? You should know how important food is to ones health” Mr Walker spoke in a calm and soft tone.
“I didn’t mean to. I’ve just been so worried and occu-pied looking for my friend. But I have not been able to find him. Maybe mo…” Amy froze. She snapped her head to Lair and then to her father. The look in her eyes suddenly bec@m£ murderous.
“Where is mom?” Amy suddenly asked. From the look in her eyes it was obvious her neurons were finally up and running.
“She’s…”
“Baby I’m here” c@m£ Mrs Walker voice from the door. She pushed her head further into the room and looked at the faces which were staring at her. She couldn’t believe that this murderous intent look was coming from her own family.
Amy didn’t know what to feel when she saw her mother. She didn’t know if she should be angry or if she should hate her. Amy felt her blood boil just at the mere sight of her mother.
“Amy are you better now?” Mrs Walker said as she approached Amy’s be-d.
“I’d appreciate it if you remain where you are” Amy said in a deadpan tone. She didn’t know what she do if her mother c@m£ to close.
“Amy…” Mrs Walker was surprised by Amy’s tone and words.
“I’ll ask you just one question and I want you to tell me the truth” Amy said. She looked at her mother intensely, when she didn’t reply took that as a cue to continue.
“What you said about Michael is it true?” Amy asked anxiously. She waited for her mother to give her a reply.
“Yes” Mrs Walker replied firmly and without remorse. Amy fell quiet again gaining her father’s and Lair attention.
“Amy, you should…” Mr Walker tried to talk to her, he didn’t want a repeat of last night, but Amy interjected him.
“Why?” c@m£ Amy’s next question.
Mrs Walker didn’t expect Amy to ask her that question. Didn’t they know why that unruly boy had to go to jail?
“Baby it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he isn’t in your life anymore. You should focus on your health and your future. A good one at that” Mrs Walker told her. Amy was greatly irritated by her mother’s fake show of concern.
“Why mother? Why?” Amy snapped. She raised her voice startling both her parents.
Mrs Walker who was mostly startled by Amy’s outbur-st, got angry. “I don’t nee-d a reason to s£nd someone like him away from my child. Who does he think he is? Coming into my office and threatening me? His stupid family can’t even feed well and he dare threaten me to someday take my daughter away from me. To get back at me for ruining his so called love. That was the kind of boy you wanted to be with?” She paused, took a de-ep breath and calmed herself.
“Honey don’t you see I saved you from a vicious criminal who could have maybe someday kidnapped you or killed you? Who knows what he might do in the nearest future, so I decided to handle it like a good mother should. I protected you from an impending doom” She said shamelessly, her voice filled with pride and arrogance.
Lair scoffed in derision, “You should hear yourself talk” Lair looked at her with so much contempt, and Mrs Walker wouldn’t lie, she felt bad seeing the disgusted look which her son was casting at her.
“So you framed and jailed him?” Amy asked in disbelief. “What’s that reason enough to jail an innocent young man with a bright future?” Amy asked angrily.
“From where I sat I didn’t see that future” She snickered. The veins in Amy’s head was about to b!ow, but she piped herself down. She wasn’t throu-gh with her questions. She had promised to ask one, but now she now had many more.
“Where is he now?” Amy asked the most important question not just on her mind but on everyb©dy’s mind.
“Amy I don’t know. I s£ntenced him to a correction center. That’s all I know, and i don’t keep track of the criminals I s£nd to jail” She replied in a dour tone.
“criminal?” Lair couldn’t hold himself anymore. “You s£ntenced an innocent man to jail and you tag him a criminal? Don’t you know who the criminal here is?” Lair roared angrily.
“Shut up” Mrs Walker thun-dered.
“No you shut up!” Mr Walker spoke, bringing a wave of silence into the room. Everyone was shocked. This was the first time they were all hearing him raise his voice so loudly.
“Jacob?” Mrs Walker was stunned by her husbands uproar.
“That’s enough!” He said authoritatively. “Vivian you’ll return that boy and I’m giving you a week to do that”
“I will not” Mrs Walker outrightly declined.
“You will and you must, or get re-ady to get divorced” Mr Walker added with a tone of finality.
“Take good care of her” He turned to Lair, who nodded in response, before standing up to his feet to leave.
“Jacob, You can’t do that. You can’t threaten me with a divorce, you hear me , you ca…” Her voice got studied when Mr Walker st©pped by the door and turned to her.
“I won’t repeat myself Vivian. You can make your choice. The boy or our marriage” He said emotionlessly before walking out of Amy’s room.
Mrs Walker was shocked beyond words. She didn’t expect her husband to involve himself in this. He had always turned a blind eye to everything she does, so Why has changed now.
“And just so you know, Amy and I are moving out” Lair dropped another bomb on her. Amy turned to look at Lair, she didn’t know that. Fine, she had wanted to move out or rather threatened to move out, but she didn’t know Lair would do the same.
Mrs Walker looked at her son in utmost surprise. They are all ganging up against her? They all want to leave her because of a nob©dy?
Why? Why was her own family turning against her?
This was unfair!
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 80