HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Chapter 17: Sacrifice for the greater good

"They humiliated me Noah can you believe that I spend a night in jail", Henry complained.

"But you got out Hen what were you thinking r****g your own niece anyway?" Noah asked.

"You know they are lying...."

"They have medical evidence hen I can't help you", Noah said with finality.

"Come on you got to do something we go way back", Henry begged.

He swung on his chair tapping on his head. Henry was not part of his C-suite team but he was his closest friend. He needed help to get out of it. Noah knew how unyielding Ben’s wife could be. Even Ben himself did not know how powerful she was if she wanted to be. As much as he respected what she was doing seated there was his hopeless friend he owed big. Noah could not have been a powerful man in the police service if it were not for Henry. He had to ask for Urdinofs help. The team didn't have to know even Ben. He knew he still loved her very much and the scuffle was going to subside soon.

"This is the last time am getting you off the hook", He said banging on his table.

"What are you going to do?"

"Let's just say we going to send them a massage", Noah said leading the way outside.

Henry didn't ask any more questions. He drove off happily. Noah could handle it. They were friends they knew how far any of them could have gone to protect each other. To the ends of the world. The ATHEWI people had hidden Lisa away from him. They were smart. Doing a medical analysis and tipping off the Criminal investigation department police was a move he respected. He didn't expect it from a rookie organization. On his way home he couldn't help but wonder. Who was the woman Ruth anyway? What made her think she could save everyone? No one could save everyone according to him.

Even God in the Old Testament turned on his own people killed them in droves they didn't do like he wanted. And man was made in Gods Image. Tapping into his power and influence to have s*x with a young girl was not that of a big deal. God couldn't save Jesus from his fate and he was his only son. Henry smiled blasphemously. Jesus to him had died for nothing. People were still sinning even more than they did back then when he was young. At least then there was respect in dress code. Lisa attracted his attention in the first place. If anything he was the one harassed by her. A young girl and his niece was growing first. He believed Ruth was also doing nothing the same way God offered Jesus to murderers on silver plate.

"The girl does not have a future without me", He said out loud to himself.

Whatever his friend was going to do did not concern him. Henry was planning to skip town. He wanted the call or news on TV to find him somewhere very far from town probably on beach while ATHEWI and their confused leader kept twisting in the wind with a girl whose future he had already foretold. Then it hit him. The Ruth woman was Ben’s wife. The CEO of zalika group of companies and close friend of Noah's. It was a tough spot he had put his friend. Just to be sure he called again when he got home.

"Isn't she Ben’s wife?" Henry asked

"I said I will take care of it it's not like I will kill her. Even Ben doesn't want her there we will be doing him a favor"

"Sounds good let me know when it's done"

"Don’t worry my friend" assured Noah before he hang up.

*******

That evening when they left the office they were all tired. It was a day we'll spend. Anita was picked by James who had to unwillingly meet Linda briefly before he left quicker than he came. They only exchanged formal greetings like they were meeting for the first time. Close to two decades of friendship smoldered in thin air due to poor communication. None of them had the guts to call the other and solve their issues over drink or even lunch. But if there is something so inevitable and certain apart from death is change. It is slow but sure. Linda was hoping James was going to move on like nothing had happened. It was not strange for a girl to fall in love with a best friend from childhood. To justify her theory she found a line from reverend Tom Whites preaching that said the best marriage partner was a best friend. She had to drop off Ruth at her place before going back to her lonely house with everything in it but not love. It didn't visit or check on her. Nick took care of Dave and Tania.

"Call him renegotiate", Linda said when she discovered Ruth was lost in a globe of her own.

"Just drive Linda", Ruth said showing lack of interest.

"If you ever want to talk about it I just want you to know am here for you", she said keeping her eyes on the road.

"That's so nice of you thanks", Ruth said.

The rest of the drive was quiet. They spend some time stuck in the traffic that was moving slower than usual. Ruth was staring at the pictures of her children and it was killing Linda to see a woman who had dedicated her life to help others being helpless. She so knew everyone had a breaking point. Ruth couldn't hold on any longer even though she was still hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Now that she couldn't get James she was planning to dedicate her life to service of others full time.

What she had in mind sounded like a bad idea even to her. But it was the only way she thought if saving both Ruth and the organization that was so promising. It acted like a sanctuary to those who were betrayed by those that was supposed to protect them. Those who couldn't afford expensive lawyers to stand up for them. Even the men who were afraid of stigmatization if a word got out that their wives were indeed beating them up were welcomed at ATHEWI. The society had related it to weakness and they had nowhere to run to. She wanted Ruth to take up Ben's deal. Be a good obedient wife and do as her husband asked. It felt like she wanted to replace her. But she wanted her to multi-task. Work on her daily job and help ATHEWI from outside in incognito. Linda needed a perfect time to share it with her.

"Am good from here you can go", Ruth said when they pulled over at her gate.

"What if I wanted to sleepover?" She asked driving in the beautiful compound with well-trimmed hedges.

Their house was painted white with a swimming pool in front. Sprinklers watering the green grass that made outside look like a carpet. Well-trimmed hedges and a flower garden with all kinds of exotic and Indigenous flowers. A basketball court and a small grass thatched house where they rested on weekends. And a complete playground for their children which was now deserted. It was quiet except for the sound of the birds and the guard closing the big metallic gate. The security lights were on and Maya the housekeeper them at the entrance.

"Welcome home Mrs. Chestnut", She said.

"Thank you Maya meet Linda my colleague and go prepare her a room she is sleeping over", Ruth said smiling at Linda.

"I didn't see that one coming", Linda said happily.

She was still nervous. Asking someone to leave a house they have built one that has cost them Close to everything was tough. It needed a lot of courage. Way too much. They both went to take a shower in their respective rooms. Her house was magnificent. The rooms had large windows a hit shower and comfy beds that could only be compared to those of a five star hotel. She lived her room already. It was something close to what her parents had for her except it didn't have a balcony overlooking the forest and its own small kitchen. A TV and a dress section. Maya brought her some clothes and took the ones she had away in the laundry basket. When they emerged they were both feeling fresh. A delicious meal of rice mashed potatoes and chicken was waiting in the dining room. A basket of fruits in the middle, well arranged cutlery and a jug of homemade pineapple juice.

"Smells nice in here", Linda complimented inhaling the pleasant smell of roasted chicken.

"All Maya sometimes she makes me eat beyond my fill. I get knocked out”, Ruth said taking her usual seat at the far end of the table.

"If that's the case am moving in", Linda teased.

"There’s plenty of space... Get the others", she said to Maya.

Linda was surprised what the others went until she saw the servants come in. She admired her. Ruth had a big heart. It was true indeed bad things happened to good people. That what was what she was trying to teach her parents over the years. Respecting the staff. Making them feel at home in order to boost their morale to work and take care of everything especially if they dealt with children. Her parents never listened. They paid them meager salaries and segregated them when they finally learnt their lesson it was too late. They once woke up robbed. No door had been broken and their servant’s quarter was empty. Till then they were looking for them without any trace. They didn't know any of their relatives thanks to their Ignorance of attending funerals even when the servants informed them personally. All her dad did was give them some little money and an ultimatum of days they were supposed to be back. He either threw money at problems or used money to avoid them instead of solving them. And she was a good example of that. Maids and good schools instead of being around. She felt like a problem itself that her parents were trying to get rid of.

"Thank you Maya... Everyone good night remember to pray before you sleep", Ruth said to her employees as they left one by one.

"You treat them right it’s good", Linda said.

"The results are good. So will you tell me what's on your mind before I go to sleep??" Ruth changed the topic of discussion.

"What? You read Minds now full of surprises I see", Linda hesitated buying hers more time. She felt like a transparent glass.

"Not really you're so predictable let's go talk in the bar maybe some wine will infiltrate your subconscious", she said walking away.

"A bar Jesus Christ! You got to give me a tour I can't continue feeling like a stranger in hours I've been in twice", She said following her.

They poured themselves a bottle of wine. The TV was on playing new school jams. Ruth was good at blending in. She was a few years older than Linda but they looked like age mates with a lot in common from the dress code to Hobbies and even facial resemblance and some bodily features. But Linda from the start took Ruth like an elder sister she never had.

"Is that Kayla this jam is hot", Linda Said shaking her head to the rhythm.

"I saw Dave on her i********: are they a thing now"

"Yeah kind of"

"They form a good team how about you? Thinking of putting yourself out there?"

She wanted to say no but it could have spoiled her talk. Ruth was not going to back down. The truth was she wasn’t going to put herself out there only to be ignored like a fool anymore. She was so done with men.

"Yeah am on the market"

"Good now tell me about what you've been longing to say"