The Imperfect Daughter – Episode 7
Episode 07
.
.
Tia
I woke up at 5am, seeing the beautiful man wrapped around me.
I slowly pushed him off and and quickly got dressed.
I can’t stay with him.
I don’t want to be a burden like i am to my parents.
I wore my previous clothes and fold his shirt neatly on the bed.
I took my medicine approved by the doctor and decided to leave but then I wrote a letter.
I closed the door behind me slowly and tiptoed to the sitting room, taking my bag with me.
There were no guards here. Maybe there were given a day off or something.
“Miss Johnson, where are you going?”,I nearly fainted but i tried to relax.
It was Elvis.
I turned staring at me, “I need to leave”
“But why? You are still not well”
“It’s okay. I will be fine.”
“Stay Miss Johnson”
“No, let me go. I can take care of myself. I don’t want to depend on Mr Alessandro.”
“Okay, kid… take this”,his hands moved to his pocket giving me a bundle of money.
“No, I’m okay”
“You are not”,he pressed the money in my palm.
“Thank you Mr Elvis”
“Take care of yourself, kid. If you want I could drop you at your destination”
“It’s okay, i will be fine”
He nodded, “Goodbye kid”
“Goodbye”,I respond.
.
“I will drop right here”,I said to the driver.
He packed and I paid him and got out of the car.
I’m outside the city of New York, in a rice farm.
An abandoned hacres of rice farm and a cottage owned by my aunt.
She died a year ago..
She was the only one who love me.
Aunt Charlotte
This was her secret place.
From the roadside, there was a path leading to the cottage.
On my left was a river and on my right was hacres of rice farm.
I just reached the cottage.
Her keys were under the doormat. I slowly took it and open the door.
I felt stings on my skin making me realise the beatings I had yesterday.
Everywhere was dusty. I took and brush and swept the rooms.
The tap wasn’t flowing so I had to fetch water from the river to mob the whole house.
Then I washed the plates … there were light but no water.
After the house chores, I went to the market and bought some groceries with the money Mr Elvis gave me then bought some books I will be needing for school.
I was so hungry when I reached home so i prepared my favourite fast food, sphagetti.
After eating I went to my room resting seeing my aunt’s pics everywhere.
Then I heard a knock on the door. I slowly opened seeing 15 men and 10 women.
The oldest one among them was in his 40s.
He smiled at me, “Good day, Miss”
“Good day sir. How may i help you?”
“Actually we have waiting for this to come”.
“What do you mean?”
“You are Miss Johnson right?”
“Yes”
“Here”,he hand me the documents of my aunt’s inheritance.
I read and realise this property… I mean the rice farm is mine.
God, I don’t know anything about rice and how am i even going to pay them at the end of the month.
“How long had this been with you”,I asked.
“Over a year. Your aunt asked me to personally hand it to you”
“Thank you very much but honestly I don’t know anything about rice and how to cultivate”
“It’s okay … As the right hand man, I will teach you”
I smiled, “So are this all the workers”
“We have over 500 workers ”
My eyes widen and my heart pounded.
Over 500 workers. Oh my God, I think I’m rich.
“Thank you so much for everything… I’m really tired today but tomorrow I come around.. I want to know everything”
“Okay.. ”
“Thank you so much once again”
They all nodded and I held the documents reading it again.
Am i really going to be rich.
I rest on the bed.
God please help me. This is too huge for me. Please give me knowledge so I can take incharge.
I slowly turn feeling pains all over.
.
Alessandro
I woke in the morning. I slowly opened my eyes before realising she wasn’t in bed.
I checked the bathroom. She wasn’t there.
I went to the kitchen and saw the maid who was preparing my morning breakfast.
“Good morning sir”,she said smiling at me.
“Good morning, Jana”,I answered, “Have you seen Athena?”
“You mean the young lady”
“Yes her. Where is she?”
“I thought she was with you sir”
“No, she isn’t”
I went upstairs to see if she had left anything but i got nothing till finally i looked on the paper and saw a paper.
“Oh, Athena. Don’t tell me you left”, I said before i started reading.
Don’t look for me please.
Thanks for your hospitality. I will always be grateful.
Right now I need to heal in this peaceful place.
Thanks once again.
Tia.
xx
She left.
She left.
But I wanted her here.
I just wanted to spend time with her and know her more.
Tia..
Or does she think i will see her as a burden.
No.
I’m sure she will be in school today.
I wore my casual jeans and t-shirt. I have to find her even if i had to die.
I saw Elvis outside who was patiently waiting for me.
“Good morning boss”
“Good morning Elvis. Have you see Athena”
He quiet for moment then he answered, “Yes sir”
“When did she leave?”
“At dawn, boss”
“Shit!! And you made her leave. What if something bad happens to her”
“Nothing will happen to her boss”
“How sure are you?”
“I don’t know but i gave her some money and I’m sure she took a cab”
“I don’t know what to do? Have you got her parents abd neighbours arrested.”
“Yes..”
I rubbed my jaw, “Then let’s go to the Police quarters. I want to see my friend officer Ben. He has to give me information on what the her family and neighbours has to say and I will make sure they feel her wrath ”
Elvis nodded opening the door for me.
I entered and he started the engine.
Tia.
Who God sake where is she?
Is she okay?
She was weak last night.
I can’t get her out of my mind.
I knocked on the door entering Officer Ben’s office.
Elvis was waiting outside.
“Good morning”
“Oh hey, Alessandro. Hope everything is cool”
“Yes.. everything is cool”
“I’m glad”
“Hope Mr and Mrs Johnson had confessed about their daughter”
“Yea they did and man,it was pathetic”
I felt comfortable in my seat crossing my legs.
“Tell me what happened?”
“Actually, according to my investigation, you personally sent to see to Athena Johnson and out of jealous Perpertual Benson who was next door, neighbour got jealous and had to report to Athena’s dad… Well the second neighbour told the young girl had been maltreated by her parents and Pepertual Benson’s Parents but anytime she tries to help the poor girl, all gets was insults”
Perpertual Benson.
That name sounds familiar.
“I want you to released the second neighbour and her parents and Mr and Mrs Benson, make them suffer… let them feel how it’s feels to be punished”
“I will Sandro”.
“Thank you so much ”
“You are welcome friend”
.
We reached the school.. I came at the same just the first day I arrived at this school.
Students were in the dinning.
Reporters and photographers followed me.
We used the back gate of the school. I just don’t want to sign autograph at the moment.
I reached the principal’s office.
“Mr Anthony, what a surprise?”,he said shaking my hands.
I closed the door behind me shutting out the photographers and reporters.
“Have a seat Mr Anthony?”,he said and i sat down.
“How may i help you?”,he fold his arms sitting down..
“Has Athena Johnson been in school today?”
“No…”
I felt the dissapointed at the words.
“Mr principal, tell me something,does Tia have enemies here in the school?”
“Well no but she had a fight with Miss Perpertual Johnson two days ago”
“Hmm… thank you very much”,I stood up moving to the dinning.
Reporters were trying so hard to talk to me but Elvis was backing them off.
The moment i reach the entrance of the dinning hall..
All the students gathered around.
I saw Miss Benson wiping her tears. I was so angry.
I sat on the desk beside her clenching my jaw.
“Excuse us”,I said to her ugly friends.
Everyone was still around taking photos.
Perpertual’s cheeks turn red and I knew she was blushing.
“I came to see you Miss Benson”
“Me?”
“Yes you… I have something for you Miss Benson”
“Really? What is it?”
“You see Miss Benson, sometimes jealousy get the worse of us but you made me lose something precious in this school and I’m giving 24 fucking hours to find her or else you be arrested. Disobey me and you will rot in jail like your fucking parents!!”,I yelled making everyone gasp.
“Do you understand!!!”,I said but it was a command.
“Yes…”,her hair covered her face.
“Now, listen to me everyone, Anyone who finds Athena Johnson, will receive a reward from me. And you Miss Benson, you have 24hours. Your time starts now”
I wore my glasses leaving the hall.
.
5 days without her was hell.
Her news were all over the media.
Like i promised. Perpertual was arrested too.
Everyday I get new calls but never found her.
Last night, I got drunk thinking of her.
Thanks to Elvis, he took me to bed.
This morning, I have received 50 calls already but none could show me where Tia was.
I sipped my hot coffee while my phone vibrates.
“Hello”,I said.
“Hello.. I know where Miss Johnson is?”
I sat up, “Who are you?”
“I’m a driver. I took her to her home seven days ago”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes sir”
“Okay… text me your address”
“Okay sir”
.
“We are here “,he said. I decided to come alone.
I wrote a cheque of $3000 to him.
He gasped thanking me.
“No problem”
I got out of the car and he drove off.
She stays in a cottage.
I walked on the path leading to cottage.
I saw workers cultivating some rice.
Some of the workers raised their heads staring at me.
I knocked on the door.
Then a man in his forties stood beside me.
“Hello, are you looking for the young missy?”
“Yes…”
“Come”,he said as we moved to the rice farm.
It was waterlogged area.
“Boss, a young man is looking for you”
Did he say boss.
“Mr Romeo, I told you, just call me Tia”, she touched his cheeks.
She wore baggy clothes and safety boots.
She was beautiful.
She stared at me.
I stared at her.
She moved closed and I had no choice but to hugged her tight …
“I missed you Tia..Don’t leave me again”
.
.
TBC
The Imperfect Daughter
.
.
