Flashback
17th of May 2025.
In the morning before The wedding. Nicholas is walking by a hallway in the Mansion with brown doors both left and right, then knocked on a very wooden door.
DIANNA:- come in!
NICOLAS:- ( standing by the door) Dianna, we are waiting for you.
DIANNA:- ok. I'm done already. by the way, have you seen our father? we haven't seen him this morning.
NICOLAS:- that's strange. ok, don't worry. I will look around for him.
DIANNA:- Thank you
NICHOLAS:- ( he exit the room and walked around as he greets the guests and searched everywhere for Mr.Martin, then finally walked into Mr. Martin's home office) Mr. Martin we have been looking everywhere for you sir.
MR. MARTIN:- ( standing and facing the window while putting one hand in his Versace robe pocket and the other hand holding a cup of whiskey) we?
NICHOLAS:- yes. I mean Dianna asked of you. you know, so you Could walk her down the aisle.
MR. MARTIN:- (he laughed as he seeps his whiskey) I'm a thousand percent sure she doesn't want me to walk her down the aisle
NICHOLAS:- but still sir. she is your daughter and time is running out. you should get dressed sir.
MR. MARTIN:- ( he laughed) there is no need for me to get dressed. I'm not feeling like going to the wedding. I rather just stay here and...( he face Nicholas at the door) drink.
NICHOLAS:- (he looked confused but still managed to compose ) well as you wish sir. ( he opened the door and was about to leave )
MR. MARTIN:- Nicholas come sit with me. (he then pour some whiskey in another cup as Nicholas sat at the front desk ) how is your son and his new husband? ( smiling as he handed the cup over to him) hope they are enjoying their honeymoon?
NICHOLAS:- ( he seeps the whiskey ) yes they are sir. And I never got the chance to thank you for paying for their honeymoon trip.
MR. MARTIN:- (he sat on his office chair ) no need to thank me Nicholas. if anything I should be the one thanking you. you have been by my side all these years. so just take it as a symbol of appreciation.
NICHOLAS:- well, appreciation received.
MR. MARTIN:- you know Nicholas, I envy you. ( Nicholas looked confused ) ...you have such a simple life. ( he stood up and walked back to the window ) you do not have too many things to be bothered about. and you have a good relationship with your children.
NICHOLAS:- but sir. you too have those things.
MR. MARTIN:- hm...I don't think so. I got my brother in prison, my daughters hate me to the point of pointing a gun to my head because I am an awful father and I was a bad husband to their mother. ( he sighs deeply and laughed ). I'm sooo going to burn in hell. ( he walked over to Nicholas and sat on a chair next to him.) my life became upside down when me and my brother were 10 years old. My father was a brutal man, so brutal that our mother ran away and to make matters worse he was in the army. when me and my brother turned 12, he sent us to military school in Zaria. There, I met Joshua. People called him Jojo. ( he smiled ) we did everything together. The other boys just assumed we were best friends but we knew it was more than just friendship. Then after six years in NMS, the following week was going to be our Passing out Parade. Our other course mates went to party with senior officers to celebrate while me and Jojo stayed in the hostel alone. ( he went silent and smiled)
NICHOLAS:- then what happened, sir?
MR. MARTIN:- In my 54 years of living in this world. That was the only time I tasted love. I can give everything away in a heartbeat just to go back to that moment. but unfortunately, the hostel master caught us. we were then beaten and punished by the drill committee and then sent to the commandant where were expelled or rather Dismissed.
NICHOLAS:- I'm sorry about that Sir.
MR. MARTIN:- are you kidding me? ( he laughed ) it was all worth it. ( he seeps his whiskey ) when I went home my father almost killed me with beating but I didn't care. my brother graduated without me and became an Ex-boy and then joined the academy in central Kaduna. I then went to another secondary school then went to university and graduated. After that, I started looking for Jojo. I even went all the way to his hometown in Kogi state. then finally the search ended , I found his family house and came in contact with his sister I think. they had a striking resemblance. ( he seeps his whiskey and laughed as a tear fell from his eye) Then she told me that Joshua had died 6 years ago.
NICHOLAS:- ( sympathy written all over his face and speechless as he tries to say something ) Mr. Martin... you have been through a lot. I honestly don't know what to say.
MR. MARTIN:-( he smiled ) you don't have to say anything. you are doing a lot by just listening.
NICHOLAS:- If I may ask sir, how did he die?
MR. MARTIN:- I didn't even ask because I started crying and I know she would have asked me questions probably about who I was to him. so I left.
NICHOLAS:- you mentioned earlier that you got your brother into prison. how?
MR. MARTIN:- Well. after I found out about Jojo our father died and left nothing for us. He wasted all his money on beer and women. so when my brother became a captain in the army I advised him to embezzled some huge amount of money from the army funds. It's was a clean job but we left a little stain. his signature was on the acceptance receipt . which proves that the money was received by him.
NICHOLAS:- then what happened?
MR. MARTIN:- he was caught by the military police almost sentenced to death but he denied the whole thing and they had no other proof but the signature. but someone has to be punished for the missing money. My brother has been in prison for the last 25 years. all of this ( he looked round ) wouldn't have been if not for his sacrifice. ( he then laughed )I don't even know how to face him next week.
NICHOLAS:- next week?
MR. MARTIN:- yes. I already have my private helicopter ready to pick him and bring him here in New York. ( he seeps his whiskey )
NICHOLAS:- I have one more question to ask if you don't mind?
MR. MARTIN:- go ahead.
NICHOLAS:- what about your ex-wife?
MR. MARTIN:- I have nothing to say about that.
NICHOLAS:- oh. I'm sorry.
MR. MARTIN:- don't apologize. at first when we were dating there was love but getting married was a mistake. if I had known I would have just stayed single.
NICHOLAS:- why? was she bad to you?
MR. MARTIN:- at first No but after a year of marriage, I told her about my past. My mother running away from My brutal father, My brother in prison, and Jojo. I knew from that day I had lost her. she began to see me differently. she would have been the perfect wife if she hadn't married a screw-up like me. I was an awful husband. I poured all my self-hate by being heartless to her and our daughters.
NICHOLAS:- Mr. Martin. whatever have happened in the past has already happened. your two daughters are here with you now. why not at least try?
MR. MARTIN:- ( he laughed) whatever father and daughter relationship I'm supposed to have had with them is long gone. And you know I don't have enough time left.
NICHOLAS:- ( he stretch forth his hand and held Mr. Martin's hand) Don't give up yet Mr. Martin. I'm sure there is a good doctor out there we haven't heard of that is specialized in your case. so please hang on.
MR. MARTIN:- even though there was an army of doctors who could help me. what exactly am I hanging on too? (Nicholas went silent) The memories of my hands beating and heating My daughters is what hunts me every day. The memories I wish this sickness can get rid off. ( he seeps his whiskey, stood up, and walked towards the window with one hand in his pocket)
NICHOLAS:- Well for starters today is your daughter's wedding.
MR. MARTIN:- oh!. I almost forgot about that. ( then he laughed) you go ahead. I will show up as soon as I get dressed. ( he faced Nicholas and smiled as Nicholas stood up from the chair and walked out of the office. As soon as the door shot closed, Mr. Martin removed his hand from his pocket, holding in his hand a 2005 Super Redhawk Alaskan revolver (A gun) as he took a very deep breath. Nicholas is walking towards the living room as the mantion echoed by the sound of a single gunshot. He immediately ran back to Mr. Martin's home office only to see Mr. Martin on the floor, his eyes opened and blood pour out from his mouth and the right side of his head)
29th of May 2025.
Dianna, Lea, Mrs. Martin, and Nicholas are sitting in the living room facing an over shaped man who is wearing a black suit . He appears to be Mr. Martin's lawyer.
LAWYER:- Is everyone here?
NICHOLAS:- No. not yet. There is one more person yet to come.
DIANNA:- what?!
LEA:- who?.
MRS MARTIN:- how?
NICHOLAS:- it's...( The house bell rang) oh. I think he is here already. ( He walked towards the main door and opened it) welcome sir. please do come in. ( as he closed the door, he escorted a man who is wearing all black including a black face cap to the living room . The man then took off his cap revealing he's face)
BOTH DIANNA & LEA:- Dad?!