Nathaniel walk into his home. He saw his daughter sitting beside his mother talking happily to her. Her guitar was laying on the other side of her on the sofa.
He smile just looking at her. He was so proud of her. His mother had once told him how lucky they were to have her in their life.
He never regrets accepting the child. She was everything he ever hope for and if she was the only child he will ever have, he was more than satisfied and happy with it.
He walk up to them. "What are the women in my life talking about?"
"Hi dad." Anna said standing to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hi. How was your day?" He asked.
"Great." She replied.
"I see." He said with a broad smile. "Good evening mom."
"Good evening. How was work today?" She asked.
He nodded and took a seat opposite them. "Fine." He pull off his blazer and Anna took it from him.
"Do you go out after work?" Anna asked her father narrowing her eyes at him.
"Yes." He won't lie to his family except it was important but such a thing have never happen and he hope it would never happen.
"I went on a date with Julia."
Anna smile down at him. "That's wonderful dad."
"And who is this Julia? I think i should know her too. Have you seen her before?" Mrs Allyson asked her granddaughter.
She replied with a nod. "A couple of time. Yes. She is a beautiful woman and very fashionable."
"Uhm!" Mrs Allyson nodded. "Then i will be happy to meet her. Why don't she join us for dinner on Friday."
Anna smile in support nodding at her father. He look surprise that his mother want Julia to come over.
"Are you sure mom?"
"More than sure" She answered.
"I heard she have a son." Anna said more of a question than statement.
"A son?" Mrs Allyson asked.
"Yes. Julia have an eighteen year old son." Nathaniel said.
"That's not a problem. She can bring her son along."
"Yes." Anna said.
"Alright. I will tell her."
"So that is settled. Anna, go set the table for your father." She nodded and she stood and walk to the direction of the kitchen. "Now, it me and you." Mrs Allyson said to her son. " Let's talk."
*****
Its been a month since Toun and her family move back to Nigeria. And in the few days that they arrived, the family saw a different side of Toun. The part they have never witness.
She became her usual self. The part of her before her father take her as hostage for marrying Nathaniel. The side of her non of them knew about her.
She became free, laugh much than before. She doesn't seem to be lost in thought or sat on her reading table writing sad poems and stories.
She hadn't write since she returned. She was happy to return to a house where all that she does was not been monitored. She felt free in her house because no one was watching her or want her to sit idle and never want her to work in the house. because back in Australia in her father mansion, there was maids and keepers that do all the works and they always refuse to let her do any work which could have make her busy and forget her worries because that was what they are been paid to do. And her father would have discipline them hardly if he had found out.
She doesn't feel choke up in a place or feel dread about her own home.
When they arrived, they move into Japheth parents home so that she could help take care of her mother in law who was more than happy to have her and the kids around.
"Don't you think mom has been different since we arrive here?" Dammy asked his siblings.
"You are right about that. Mom is happy and free. All those strains and stress on her had reduce." Isabella agreed.
"I guess it is a good thing we are here. I was wanted her to be happy. She had been lock up in the house for so long." Hope said to his siblings.
"It's all granpa fault. He had been so demanding." Dammy said with disgust. He never like the man. His grandfather.
"Yeah." Isabella agreed.
"He had been so selfish. I wish i had defend mom." Hope said regretfully.
He knew without doubt that his grandfather doesn't like him. He don't know why but he had stop thinking why he hated him. And he wasn't going to live trying to please him anymore. He had done it for a long time and it didn't change how he felt about him. So he had stop trying to make his grandfather like him.
He was angry with him for making his mother live a sad life. For taking away the best part of their mother.
He would do anything for her. He wish he had done something earlier.
"He won't ever do anything to her again. He won't make any decision for this family ever again." He said with so much determination. And his siblings nodded in agreement.
****
Toun was combing her hair in front of her dressing mirror and she saw Japheth looking at her. She smile and she turn to face him.
" What is it? "She asked.
" Nothing. You look different." He answered.
" In what way? "She asked curious. Her children even her in laws had said the same thing.
"I can't really explain it but i like this new you."
She smile. It was nice to have your freedom after so long. And she was no longer under the watchful eyes of her father.
"I don't what you mean" She lied smiling. "but thank you."
There was a long silence as they both stare at each other. Then Japheth asked breaking the awkward silence.
"It's been a month now Toun. Aren't you going to do anything?" He asked slowly.
"Do you want me to start working?" She asked.
"I don't mean work. I mean... you were taken away from your life here and they are people you will want to see again. What do you plan on doing?"
She look at him sadly. She knew he hate to talk about her past because he feels he was competing with a person he never met and it was a constant reminder that she have greater feelings for someone else. But like he was, he always want her to be happy.
"I just get here and i want to enjoy every moment of my freedom with my children. As for my past, i don't know what to do yet." She pause. "To be honest Japheth, I'm scared. I'm scared of what i might know. It's been seventeen years and Seventeen years is a very long time and anything might have happened in that period of time. And i am also curious and at the same time, i don't want to hurt you and the kids. "
He was glad in his heart that she consider how he felt.
"If you want to do it, just do it. Don't worry about me or the kids. when it is time, you tell them and I will be there to support you."
"Thank you Japh. Sometimes i don't know what i would have done without you." His mouth curve into a thin line smiling broadly.
"I trust you. Just promise you will let me know whatever you are planning."
"I will. But for now, let just be us and forget about my past." He nodded. "When i am ready to look for them, i will tell you. I want us to go out as a family." She suggested.
"That's a good idea. I will tell the kids while you dress." He said and she smile. He kiss her forehead and he left the room.
She turn back to the mirror and smile. She don't want to think about anything now just her family, the one that are with her now. It's been Seventeenth years and she don't know what had happened to Nathaniel. Even if she still loves him, she don't know about him, how he feels and who he was now.
She will worry about him and their daughter later. She still have the time in the world to meet them again.
She stood up and immediately felt a pain below her chest. She sat back on the chair.
She had been feeling the pain for some time now and sometimes she find it hard to breathe. It look like it wasn't getting better as she expected and she plan to go for a Medical check up.
She slowly stood up and she walk to her closet to find what to where for the family outing.
*******
Annabella sat on her bed going through the paper work from office. She had been given a job to find a woman who left ten years ago with three months pregnancy of her child with her school lover.
The man had been curious after all the years and decides to find her and their child which she took away from him without telling him.
It was a tough job because he didn't know anything about her except her name, her age, the color of her skin and hair, her rented apartment, and her course of study while she was in the university.
They had always been a lover and she barely talk about herself and she have few friends.
She had to visit the owner of the apartment she rented while in the college and ask of her record from ten years ago. And she will also have to visit the school to see her records in the school to know more about her.
She was still looking at the papers given to her by the old man that own the rented apartment which the woman had rented while still a student of the university of Texas that contain all the records of the students that rented the apartment in the last twelve years, when her phone ring.
She stretched her arms and legs and she answered the phone when she saw it was her best friend.
"Hi bes." She said still looking at the papers laid before her.
"Are you going to the club tonight?" She asked without exchanging pleasantries. It was typical Mia. She had no time for pleasantries.
"I don't think so. I have a lot of work to do." She answered. "Moreover Andre is not going to be singing for a while."
"Lover girl." She chuckles. "Are you missing him already? That's sad." Anna roll her eyes.
"He call me every now and then so i don't."
"Liar." Mia said and they both laughed. "but we could still have fun and enjoy the other bands."
"That will be great but i have an huge assignment right now. So later bes. Take Rick with you."
"Fine then." She said giving up on convincing her friend. She knows Annabella will never change her mind. She loves her work. And she don't joke with it.
"So why will the hot Adys not sing for a while?" She asked.
"Bill and Dave are on concert and Andre got a big case he have to win so he is busy." She answered.
"Okay. Although I'll miss the group. I will call you later Bes. Bye."
"Bye." She said and she hung up.
She smile and continued with her work.
*****
A/N: Hi everyone, here is another chapter. I hope you love this chapter. This is my longest chapter so far. I'm kind of proud of it. Lol.
But thanks for reading. It's means a lot. And don't forget to vote and tell me what you think by commenting. So comment. I'm glad to hear what you think.
Love you all ð ð ð ð