HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Chapter 19: No turning back

James was seated in the office going through some papers. The last few weeks had been tough for him. Avoiding his best friend whom he honestly felt nothing for and he was afraid of telling her he didn't. It could have crushed her on the other side was Anita. He loved her so much but sometimes he couldn't help but imagine how a future with her was going to be so messy and short. And also she was brought up without money. Poor people to him had a lot of perfidiousness. Perhaps he was just in denial. Afraid to face the reality or he cared more about his ego than anything. She was hardworking and obedient above all her resilience was beyond anything he had seen or experienced. Why then was he having second thoughts?

Opportunity. Why settle for less when you can have the best? Linda was into him there was no reason he couldn't learn to love her back. If he did it with Anita there was no reason it couldn't have worked out with Linda. She was smart with a good job. Rich too and her best friend. Linda was the only remaining one of the two women who understood him more than anyone else even his sisters and father did not. It could have been easier to live with Linda than Anita. He couldn't work anymore. He needed to apologize to her over a drink after work. It was the best thing to do. Anita was disposable it was his dad keeping her around but it was his life. He was old enough to choose who to spend the rest of his life with. James took his phone dialed Linda's number.

"Morning James wasn't expecting your call", She said before he said anything.

"Me too...we need to talk", He went straight to the point.

"Like right now am in the middle of something ATHEWI foundation offices were vandalized last night can we talk later", she said.

"Am so sorry any leads on who did it?" James asked

"None so far the forensics are working on it"

"Good so, Clove seveniish?"

"It's a date", Linda said and hung up.

He smiled at himself. It was that easy and yet he was afraid. Blinded by sprouting love to someone he had met for around five years over someone he had grown up with. He felt sorry for what happened at ATHEWI. James was in support of what Ruth was trying to do not just because Anita was also helping them part time. He had asked them to include him as one of the guest speakers In case they went to his former high school. To teach the boys the exact opposite of what he was doing. The theme he wanted was Gender based violence. None one knew it was to come out of the horse’s mouth. And Anita was willing to keep it a secret at work. She was the victim but the perpetrator was going to do the talk.

He was about to leave when Collins came in with the reverend. He pretended he wasn't going far. Collins was strict and James still revered him with outmost respect. The impromptu visit was not on his schedule of that day. Something was either wrong or very right. He welcomed them in and went for a bottle of water for both.

"To what do I owe this kind visit gentlemen? “ James started off.

"We have some good and bad news for you James", Tom said admiring his office.

"No news is good news reverend am listening", He said with his fingers intertwined. His elbows were resting on his desk.

Collins looked both happy and sad. The traces of sadness could have been unclear to anyone who didn't know him very well.

"Am dying James my doctor said I have a few weeks", Collins broke the silence.

"What! You told me the cancer was gone what is it this time?" He asked looking confused and terrified.

"We thought so too but it’s a rare type of colon cancer"

"You can fly out of the country dad and try some sophisticated medical doctors".

"No am tired son. Anyway am here to tell you I have one last wish" Collins said looking his son straight in the eyes.

"Anything for you dad name it", He said confidently.

"I want you to marry Anita before I die that’s all. I have already written my will it’s with the lawyers you already know how I want to be buried", He said.

It was a shocker. Even the reverend did not see that one coming. He thought the good news was that James was going to be become the head of the table and join the C_suite group of individuals. His target was being washed away with the currents. He could see it but do nothing about it. And so was James's plan. Anita was going to be his lawfully wedded wife after all.

"Your wish is granted dad", James said exhaling sharply.

"Now give us the date", Collins said to the reverend.

"This Saturday sounds good", the reverend said quickly.

The sign of a good soldier is knowing when to quit. The man of God had tried his best. Now it was time he married off the woman he wanted to be his second wife. But what did he expect? To him he thought people run away from danger. It was his way of thinking and expected way of conduct. He was expecting Anita to run away then he could have eloped with her. But was he not the one who told her to give James another chance? He was. The man of God regretted playing nice the day James and Anita came into his office. He regretted hoping Anita was going to read between the lines and ran away from her violent marriage. To condole himself he realized that even Jesus did not save everyone.

"Thank you son. Now if you excuse me I have to get a wedding gift and a nice suit", Collins said struggling to get up. He almost fell but the reverend supported him.

"Am okay", He assured breaking free.

Two steps away he collapsed. James and the reverend ran towards him. He was still breathing. The ambulance picked him up immediately. They had a monitoring device on his arm. It's was amazing what money and technology could do. As they send his father away in an ambulance they promised he was going go live. But he did not have enough time. Saturday was even far. James wanted to be married by his bedside. Anything to make his father happy. The man who had worked hard to ensure he never lacked anything. He was willing to do anything for him.

On the other side of his emotional turmoil he did not want to think about, Linda was now gone forever and Anita was his now. He looked around his office. Went to the window to admire the surrounding of their multimillion textile company. Everything his eyes landed on was going to be his and the catch was to marry Anita. Just to pave the way for himself he wanted to show her how much he cared and what better way than a call in the middle of the day. Pouring his heart out to her. It didn’t matter if they were lies he was telling or the truth or anything close to it. All that mattered to him the message was home. And the message was love.

"Hey babe", He said.

"Hello am sorry I haven't texted ATHEWI was attacked last night", She said.

"Ooh my God! By who?" James feigned surprise.

He couldn’t let her know he knew because he would have been forced to reveal his source and that moment his source was a landmine. A ticking bomb that could deny him all the desires of his heart.

"Unknown people the forensics are yet to give us a lead anyway how are you darling" she said in a sexy voice.

"Am fine and am carrying good news too" James said pacing up and down in his office.

At the back of his mind he could see her seated behind a desk with a warm smile. Looking beautiful as always.

"What is the good news?" "She asked curiously.

“Today at clove seveniish", He gave a clue and hang up.

James was planning to propose to her in style. He had no idea she got the wedding news before him. She had been waiting for him to propose. He couldn’t concentrate on work, the rest of the day was scrapped. The church weddings committee was already on their way to meet him and discuss the budget. There was little time and he wanted the wedding to be spectacular. Kyla was to perform her latest love song at the wedding. It was going to make headlines for sure.

************

"I had nothing to do with your foundation being attacked come one you know me", Ben argued.

"Then who did Ben? You were the last person to threaten me weren't you?" Ruth shouted angrily smashing her hand on her desk.

"It wasn’t me we might have our issues but deep down you still trust me and you know it when am telling the truth. I didn't do it", Ben assured.

"I don't know who you are anymore Ben. You know before you attacked me I was planning on giving in to your demands for the sake of our children...."

"You can still quit and we go back to being a happy family I didn't do it", Ben interrupted.

"But now I don't want to. I want a divorce Ben if you want to remain with the children well and good I can get other children but please divorce me, set me free am tired of being your slave", she started sobbing.

"That's not going to happen before you do anything stupid give me 24 hours I will have who did that", Ben said and hung up.

She had played her cards right. The sword pierced through his heart. It was hard to tell if she meant the divorce thing and getting other children but it shook Ben from his foundation. To hell with the dominion shenanigans he was not going to lose his wife for it. But first he wanted to find out who was after his precious gift. The Unknown one had just signed themselves a declaration of war and he was feeling it. No one brings a fight at another man’s door.

"Was that mum?" Mary asked.

"Yes don't worry we can see her after two weeks when she is out of quarantine", Ben assured.

"I wanna talk to mum", Jake came in happily.

"Me too", Mary concurred.

Even during war people compromise a little bit. They let the women and children live while they slay their fathers and husbands. Ben's and Ruth's war was no difference. He also missed her and he couldn't imagine how his children did miss their mother. He was being unfair to them and to her.

"Okay", He said and dialed Ruth’s number. He had deleted it just in case the children attempted to contact her while he was in the bathroom.

"Hello", she said politely.

"Hello mum", Mary and Jake said happily.

"Hey children what a surprise how are you doing I've missed you two so much", She said.

"We're fine mum did you get our get well soon cards?" Jake asked.

There was nothing Ben could do. He was just hoping Ruth was reasonable enough to play along with his lie. It could have been so embarrassing if it came out he faked her sickness.

"Which cards?" She asked confused.

Ben turned to stare at the ceiling.

"Dad said you're sick with the virus", Mary said sadly.

"Ooh! Yeah pffh! I almost forgot am so sick I haven't seen the cards but they are right here on my desk", Ruth said with remorse.

Ben exhaled with relief. She gave him even more reasons to feel the guilt. The kind of woman he didn’t want to lose. A woman who could not let his children see his true colors and the darkness that was in his heart.

"Okay mum get well soon bye", Mary said.

"Bye mum", Jake added on.

"Bye children see you soon when am well", She said.

"Now go and play", Ben ordered taking his phone back.

"You told them I caught the virus? Seriously Ben?" Ruth complained.

"I couldn't think of anything. Am not as smart as you", He said in his defense.

"You surely are not. Anyway thank you for letting me talk to my angels I really appreciate", Ruth said.

"Am sorry it had to be this way I will still keep my word_24 hours", Ben said and hung up before she could Say anything.

The more they talked the more he felt the guilt