When Love is not enough

56; Dad slapped me

She didn't get a shoulder to lean on but she did get a tomb to rest her head on. She felt bullied. Dad had bullied her and it's because her mom was dead. If she wasn't, he never would have insisted on her, being married to that dude.

“I didn't do anything to deserve a slap mom. I didn't want him to force me to marry Jack Johnson simply because he is a son of his friend. I don't love him and he has some questionable behaviours that do not go down well with me.

I don't love him and he lied against me just to get dad on his side to hasten the marriage. How can I marry a man who was already framing me to get his way with what he wants, how can I ever trust that person as a husband?

And for that, he slapped me mom ... .dad slapped me,” Camella explained, speaking to an imaginary mother standing before her. How can her dad raise his hand on her, how?

She remained there and sobbed until she felt relieved. The security calmly came over to her and informed her that it was really getting dark and it would soon turn pitch dark. They would like to shut the gate to the cemetery.

She wiped her tears and walked back. Her feet pained her, it seemed it was sore after walking all the way from the parking lot to her mom's tomb. But just before stepping out, she turned back and said:

“Help me out somehow mom, I don't want to be married to Jack. I love Andre Torello instead” she requested silently in her heart and walked away.

It was all her fault. Always trying to please her dad. She'd never for once had a voice of her own, she's only doing things her dad wants her to do. She doesn't have a chance to choose her things or make a decision of her own.

But now, she would fight and resist whatever she doesn't want. It's her life anyways, not anyone else's.

She was hitting the express when she saw Jack drive past her without knowing. He was heading in a direction to a remote area of the city. She glanced at her wristwatch.

She shoved it aside and drove away in another direction. But she suddenly became restless. She should follow him. He is into drugs and might just be going to a hide out to sniff some in.

She made a U-turn and went in the direction he took. But at this time, Jack was not within her view anymore. She doesn't know where to turn to, nor the direction he went. She drove slowly and aimlessly, darting her gaze around to get a sight of his car.

She kept going when she saw his car parked in front of an apartment. She passed it and parked her car. She really doesn't know what she wants, but she wants to be sure that he wasn't still doing drugs, contrary to his promise to her.

She was going to step out when she remembered that her feet were sore and she had only her heel in the car. She hissed and cursed herself a million times why she didn't at least have flat sandals or slippers in her car.

Then a sight caught her attention, she saw Jack stepped out, not knowing which of the apartments he stepped out from and held hands with a woman, romantically.

Behind them, was an older woman carrying a baby girl. She squinted, from her car rear mirror she saw them and bowed herself, praying silently that he didn't glance in her direction. He knows her car and would easily identify it.

The older woman opened the back door and slid in while Jack held the door for the woman, whose hand he was holding and kissed her chin softly before doing that. She got in and he walked over to get behind the steering.

Camella's eyes were wide open in disbelief. He did kiss that woman, she saw him. She felt like getting out of the car and going to howl words at him. Her heart was beating fast but suddenly, a realisation descended on her.

If she doesn't have evidence to prove her claim, he would deny it and her dad would agree with him. He would say she was seeking an excuse to refuse the marriage and hence, hatched a plot to accuse him.

She quickly came upon an idea, she would try to get evidence against him. She waited until he left. She then trailed the car afar off, ensuring she gave him no reasons to be suspicious.

She followed him until they arrived at a restaurant. Going in was going to be risky, hence she beckoned on a security and requested a word with the manager. That settles it.

Camella, rather than being sad, was overjoyed. Is mom helping her out? She only requested that she help her escape this unhappy marriage she was going to get into, and it was coming to pass.

The manager has told her that Jack Johnson was a regular customer to their guest home, alongside his fiancée. And sometimes, they come along with their daughter if it's not a date between them both alone.

She just nodded and handed him a bunch of money and informed him that he would be getting a managerial position in her company if this ever gets leaked and he was discovered. He needs not to worry.

Knowing Camella's status and how powerful she was in N.Y, the manager had fear for nothing. He nodded and went about his normal activities. Camella stepped out and sat in a quiet corner of the restaurant and sipped from the glass of juice in front of her.

It took hours and eventually, she got what she wanted, a video clip and pictures taken secretly. She got into her car and drove off. She checked into a hotel and ordered new night wear.

She got her laptop from her car and uploaded the video. She was taken aback. It was shameful and disgusting. The manager really did a great job there. She shut her laptop down and stayed awake all night.

She felt like calling Andre and telling him the good news, but she cautioned herself. It's best to break the news to him rather than telling him ahead of time. She closed her eyes, she was only seeing Andre in her mind and thoughts.

Her phone rang, she checked the caller ID and saw it was her dad. She ignored it. He called her a few more times, and it was silenced. She doesn't want to talk to him at all at the moment.

She'd reported him to mom. This is the first time she did it and things are definitely not going to be the same henceforth between them. They are now, World's apart.

Soon, her phone vibrated. It was a text from her dad “I was wrong honey. Dad is sorry. Come back honey, please” she read the text and put off her phone. She doesn't want to hear anything else.

Meanwhile, I'm Andre's apartment, Alice had sobbed until Andre couldn't take it anymore. He'd arrived home and met her crying. He tried to ask her what happened, what was capable of making her feel so despondent.

Rather than say exactly what happened, Alice said “Promise me Andre, that you won't leave me. You are my son, mine alone. I am, your mother right and you love me”

“Of course mom. I love you and you're the only family I have. How can you even think that I would leave you? If I could do that, I would have been in England already and taken up the job I was offered back then.

So tell me, what made you cry so much that you could only think of me leaving you? Did anyone harass you again, Regina Logan and her daughter? Did you come across that pair of mother and daughter?...” He asked.