Forgetting You - Episode 22

*** JASON'S POV 

I sit on my bed staring at the older version of me towering over me and fuming badly.

I wasn't going to indulge him.

No, not tonight.

I had too much on my plate to argue with him about unnecessary things.

"I'm talking you Jason Attah Michaels!!!"

His angry voice booms making my headache worse.

I groan.

"Dad please. Not now. I already told you, Hailey is just a friend and she needs my help"

I explain but I know very well he's having none of that.

"So you think my home is now a foster home? Where you think you can bring in stray dogs anytime? First that little brat and now this!"

"Greg please!!!!"

My mother gasps at my father's harsh words.

"It's okay mother. Dad, I was just helping out a friend. It's not as if she's going to stay here forever. And that little brat as you call her has a name. She's Olivia, my daughter. And I won't have you insult her especially in my presence. And you don't need to worry because I've already contacted a real estate agent who's finding me a suitable home in a suitable environment for Olivia to grow up in. I'll soon be out of your house and your life"

I say as calmly as I can as storm past him.

The cold breeze of the night washes over my skin as I walk along the lonely path, my hands tucked away in my pocket.

Thinking back to what happened today, i can't help but shudder.

To be honest, I don't know what went through my mind to have made such a deal with Hailey's boss.

It all happened in a blur.

Starting from wanting to disguise Hailey with my painting skills to those men barging into the room to my stupid deal.

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/forgetting-you

. I was just trying to stall them, distract them just to buy some time to think of a better plan so I could take Hailey away but I ended up making a deal with the devil himself.

I might as well die now. Or maybe not.

The men had told me I could take Hailey with me until the day of the duel which is on saturday.

Just two days away.

I can't help but smell something fishy.

***

It was quarter to eight pm when I arrived back home.

My mother was seated on the couch, fidgeting the hem of her skirt, her gaze darting around.

I'm sure she's hella worried about my whereabout.

Of course I'm the only one she worries about since my sister travelled to the states for her tertiary education.

Yep, I have a younger sister, precisely two years younger than me and my everly sweet mother decided to shift her attention to me after she left.

"Stop worrying mother. I'm fine" 

I say and she immediately turns to me, her facial expression relaxing.

"Oh son. How could I not be worried"

she moves towards me.

"I'm twenty six mother. I can take take care of myself"

I smile at her.

Why can't my dad be considerate like her?.

"You're still a child. My child"

she snorts and I chuckle.

"Oh mother. I love you but you need to sleep now"

"Don't order me around boy. I know when I'm sleepy"

she turns up her nose.

"Sure mom. Where's Hailey?" 

I ask and she instantly gives me that look.

Ah. I groan...

"She's in your room. With Olivia."

She grins micheviously.

"She's just a friend mother!"

I scream in exasperation.

"Sure sure. I've noticed how you stare at her like she's the only cherry on your ice cream"

"Mother!"

She laughs and nudges me away

"Go to your woman, she's waiting. And you and I have an impending talk"

she says and I nod as I walk away, understanding what she meant.

I push the door to my bedroom and instantly marvel at the sight before me.

On my bed lay Hailey and Olivia both clad in white towels, their hands resting under their heads with dried green color-ish substance on their face, I presumed to be facial mask.

And two large round cut cucumbers over their eyes.

"Nice view. Can I have some of that facial mask on my face too?"

I comment and they both spring up from the bed, their cucumbers falling off their face.

"Daddy!"

Olivia squeals and crawls to the other side of the bed where I'm standing and grins up at me..

"You look cute honey. Who did it for you?"

I ask obviously knowing the answer

"Aunty!"

She points to Hailey who gets off the bed and pulls down her towel to cover the rest of her thighs but it's not working.

Olivia begins to jump, bouncing on the mattress and I frown at her.

"Livy don't do that. You just got back from the hospital. Stop it"

I carry and set her on the floor.

"Wanna sleep with grandma today?"

I ask and she grins nodding.

This girl grins too much.

I walk towards the wardrobe and pull out her pajamas and hand it to her. "Go to grandma. And no running!" 

I scold her.

She gives me a pitiful look when I hand her the clothes but it soon turns into a mischievous grin and she runs off outrightly disobeying me.

I hear Hailey chuckle and I turn to her.

"She's stubborn. Hot headed"

she says.

I shake my head and round the bed,stopping in front of her.

"Just like you"

"Jason?"

"Hmm?"

I answer wordlessly staring at her, wondering what's beneath that towel. Jesus! Get a grip.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing? I mean by being closer to Olivia as a friend of course before I tell her everything?"

"Of course Olivia's very little and it'll take time for her to adjust. Just give it time" 

I tell her and she nods biting her lip as if in deep thought.

I know she wants to bring up the topic about the duel but she's just..well I don't know.. I continue to stare down at her and she does the same without blinking.

I could sense the s-xual tension rising between us.

Dammit! If Hailey didn't put on clothes right now I might as well go ahead and devour her.

Sh-t! That's not me talking.

It's my little Jason talking.

Read " The Last Virgin " by the same author ( eliza )

. With great difficulty I step away from her and walk to the wardrobe, grab my favourite white shirt and a pair of briefs and give it to her.

"Here wear this. I'll just go take a shower while you dress up"

I pick up a towel and make my way towards the bathroom.

I need to cool down and think.

"Jason?"

Hailey calls out and i turn to her.

She's biting her lips looking unsure of herself..

"Umm. Can I.. Can.. May I spend the night here? I.. I mean if it's okay.. I.."

"Hey, sure you can. All you had to do was ask"

I answer and she stops rambling immediately and smiles at me.

"Thank you"

she says and i nod.

****

Hours later, in the deep night,as dreadful silence and darkness overtook the brightness of the day and many were asleep, three figures lurking around the compound finally let themselves in, leaving an unconscious gateman in their wake.

The fourth shadow who was already inside the mansion gestures to his fellow men and they stroll into the house confidently knowing the alarm was turned off.

Three of them wait downstairs as the fourth figure briskly walks past the first and second bedroom and into the third, where Jason's mother and Olivia were asleep.

The man stares at the little girl and picks up a pillow lying on the bed and squeezes it,sp smiling cynically.

This was his job.

Kill without mercy.

Be it a child or not.

"Sorry princess. I've got no grudge against you. It's just your father dearest doesn't know how to keep his nose on his face so he sticks it into other people's business. Sorry"

he says with no remorse, tapping the gun that was tucked away in it's holster just in case Jason's mother dared wake up.

Without blinking, the man presses the pillow to Olivia's face and she begins to thrash and kick her legs about as the pillow gave her no space to breath.

He presses the pillow harder to Olivia's face.

* The door suddenly burst open.