Silence crawled hung above them for a while. It wasn’t difficult for Suss to notice. She kept her eyes on him, and also kept waiting for him to say something.
Madone was reluctant to answer immediately; he thought for a while then finally changed his mind. “Nothing special Suss, just some document, we need to have full claim to Mike’s properties. It doesn’t matter, and I’ll handle it okay, let’s get busy now.” He stood up and started giving instructions to the men, who came with them.
Suss went upstairs and started trying out the remains of Stephnie's clothes and foot wares.
As she put it on, she laughed wildly. She felt on top of her world now. She was incredibly marveled at the sudden turn of things to their favor.
She smiled again as she got herself examined on the large beautiful mirror hung on the wall, impressive she thought.
The dress was very impressive with good fittings; her eyes could not stop taking snapshots in the mirror. And was surprised at how, she had changed in these modern, but gorgeous outfits.
Her thought crawled out of her again.
How come she left all these behind?
She smiled again as she remembered Madone's reckless action against her was enough to stop her from finishing her packing.
She looked around again and her eyes fell on many other beautiful things, if there was anything she was eager to do now was to pack all the leftovers.
She licked her dried lips with her tongue as she struggled hard to figure out how to go about it when suddenly; she heard a firm knock at the door. She spun around in shock to see—
************
The night had been very boring for Stephnie. She had missed the comfort of her house. It was morning already; she had passed the night in Paul’s house where she had gone in search of Terry.
Paul had a pretty large family all packed in two rooms. She had managed to sleep in the long armchair in one of the rooms that seem to be the sitting room with Terry sleeping closely beside her.
The room was stuffy, and this got her wondering what Paul had been doing with all the money, he had been getting as salaries. He would have gotten a better accommodation more befitting his kind of person.
She had never seen him smoke or date prostitutes—a habit of most city drivers. Perhaps, he got plans ahead, and doing some savings, she thought quietly. She quickly dropped her thoughts about Paul and started thinking hard about herself, and what will happen to Mike’s properties. She knew they can’t manage it, they will waste it all, she thought sadly.
The future seemed void to her now. She was surprised to hear that, the Jeep had been taken from Cardiff brutally. Madone and his men showed no mercy on him.
They beat the living daylight out of Cardiff. It was the timely intervention of Felix Caplor that saved the horrible situation.
Madone's quarrel was why he should use the Jeep he considered to be the most expensive car around to carry Landus, and got the Jeep mess up with his blood.
Cardiff had argued that he only had the keys to the Jeep at the time of the incident. He had received several punches in return for attempting to put up what, Madone had described as a vague defense.
Cardiff had managed to escape with a swollen eye, while Caplor was warned sternly never to intervene in matters, he knew nothing about. He was forced to leave immediately after he had rescued Cardiff from being killed.
He nodded his head sadly at the turn of things, he knew things had fallen apart, and now Mike’s household is completely been ruined by the insatiable greed of Madone.
Stephnie had been the talk of the neighborhood. Some argued she was the cause of Mike’s death; others had refused, calling her innocent.
Stephnie knew she had to go somewhere else, far from the area she once lived with Mike. Her thought swam to and fro as her eyeball revolved around Paul’s little sitting room.
Paul was very proud to have hosted his boss's wife, and ever since Mike’s death, he knew his future with the Dickson will soon be over. But then, the one thing he dreads most was what will become the fate of Madam.
She had lost Mike, and now his properties seem to be slipping out of her hands also. His mind was unsettled as he kept thinking about Stephnie. She is such a kind-hearted woman, who knew just how to place the horse before the cart.
He looked at Stephnie once more, who was prepared to leave, and this may perhaps be the last time he will set his eyes on her. “Thanks for putting up with me. I understand circumstances permitted this. Sincerely, my family is delighted to have you around,” he smiled, “I’m sorry it has to be in such a situation. It wasn’t your fault neither was it Mike’s, you know nobody wishes for bad days, but when it comes there must be some adjustments no matter how inconvenient it may be, bad days are inevitable.” Now looking around, he continued, “I’m sorry, I may not have satisfied your comfort.” He kept on looking around as he spoke. “I’m working hard to get a befitting accommodation elsewhere and attain some reasonable level of comfort soon. For now, life is undoubtedly tough, and it may perhaps get worse since I may have to manage without my late boss's well-paying job.” He looked sad.
He looked at Stephnie to react when he saw she wasn’t in the mood. He walked some distance away from her and turned around quietly. This time, he was very shy, “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you with so much talk. I guess I should just shut up.” His face looked pale now.
Stephnie could tell he was feeling bad now, and she knew she lacked the right word to pacify him. She took her tiny right hand from Terry while she held her big black leather bags in the other. She walked towards the exit door before turning her head slowly at him, “Paul don’t hit yourself so hard, Mike is gone so is your well-paid job. I appreciate your understanding of my position in this. I really cannot do anything about it. The ugly circumstance is the right word I believe, but you must put yourself together, remember beauty comes beauty goes. But don’t you ever forget beauty can be recreated? You will get another job someday. I feel your pains, but it won’t be long if you let all these pass you as though they never happened. Thanks for helping Terry; you saved his life, Paul!” She forced a smile as she walked past the exit door pulling Terry along. “So long Paul.” The moment the cool breeze outside touched her tender skin; she knew she was out, out of Paul’s home.
Paul heard her lingering lovely voice that reminded him of his working days with the Dickson, but now he understood her plight. He knew she got more in her hands now than ever before. Mike's sudden death was a shocker, and a devastating punch to the family he left behind. He thought sadly, watching her walk away quietly.
He hoped, she finds solace somewhere else. “God will see you through your trials.” He whispered as he looked on, and soon watched them disappear.
************
It was almost nightfall, and Jeffon had been waiting for Madone’s arrival.
He knew there was some sort of foul play somewhere. He couldn’t possibly figure it out.
How could Suss and Madone disappear at the same time? Something must be fishing, he thought.
He had come several times to see if Madone was at home. He is not home yet, has always been the reply from his wives. He had shouted his name just to make sure he wasn’t hiding inside, and that his wives weren’t telling lies.
His wives had no clue where he had gone to.
He had also checked on Suss severally. It was on his fourth visit, he got her husband to talk with her. “She had gone to the city to see her late brother’s wife and will be back today hopefully” he had said.
Jeffon was perplexed and wondered what Madone was up to in the city. He knew he had been completely cut off ever since the wrangle. He sincerely wished, he had not gone to trouble Stephnie.
Mike in his grave will not pardon him if he ventures such a callous act, he pondered bitterly.
The thought of setting out for the City immediately rushed into him, but the time was far spent. He changed his mind reluctantly with a loud hiss.
The farm work had completely exhausted him, and the sun had shown him no mercy either. He had managed through the farm work, and all he cares about, for now, was a cold bath.
He gazed at Suss’s husband for a while, who had spoken candidly. He turned around and walked away without uttering a word.
Madone is influencing Suss, and he is using her, and the bad part of it now, is that Suss had no idea.
Fatigue had started telling on his aching nerves now, and his spine screamed for rest. He walked home dragging his feet on the dust. He knew his going back to Madone’s house in a few hours was inevitable, and for him to find the strength to do that, he must rest. He walked on yawning as his shuffling feet pile up dust into his slippers. Madone is up to mischief, and when the evening comes, he will know for sure what he is up to, he thought.
************
Stephnie knew she had to go check on Donnie quickly to get some help from her. She had often wished to have a business of her own to reduce her total dependence on Mike, but for Terry, she had shelved the idea perhaps when Terry turns three years old, but now, things have changed.
Mike’s death remains a mystery to her. He was full of energy, and there was absolutely nothing that will give the slightest idea that he will disappear like candlelight blown out suddenly by the wind. It was still a dream to her.
She could not comprehend it.
The trauma was telling on her and had started taking its full toll on her already.
A few minutes later, the taxi she boarded parked in front of Donnie's home. She opened up her handbag and brought out the only money that was left. She paid her fare and collected her change. She quickly placed the change into her handbag carefully as she held onto her right hand of Terry.
Alighting with caution from the taxi, she knew a new dawn has begun, not just for her, but for Terry as well.
She walked towards Donnie’s home. It was an apartment well furnished with a small admirable garden at the side of the apartment. It must have cost Donnie a fortune to have put it in place, she thought with great admiration.
Most of the flower scents were like sprayed perfume, and it had given the surrounding a pleasant look her thought crawled. And as she drew closer to the front door, her mind started working again.
Is Donnie home?
It been quite a while since she saw her and now—
Will she be kind enough to accommodate us?
As she drew more closely, her thought stayed alive.
Donnie wasn’t her first choice to seek help from, and she knew it, but she knew she has no choice for all she cares; a little comfort for a while will help her think properly, and find a way out of this mess.
Will she get it here?
Her heart had never stopped pounding against her chest, and her lips had not stopped trembling either.
Many thoughts filled her mind, but she could not process all of them. She only hoped Donnie could be of help at this time of her ordeal.
If there was anything she had noticed about Donnie was that after Mike’s burial, she had distanced herself from her and their communication had been ridiculously poor, and she doesn’t like that and had often wondered why.