When A Man Wants - Episode 13

Even though I sought desperately for what to write yesterday, I got none so I just slept on it. Well, now I still don’t know what to write, sincerely. Let’s just hope it falls in line….by the way, those comments are like chocolate cake on my mouth and I love chocolate cake…thanks people, keep ‘em coming.

Anika

“School starts tomorrow Freddie, you know that right?”

The boy didn’t answer me, he was busy with his drawing on my dressing table. So I stood up from my bed and went to meet him.

“Freddie honey, what are you drawing, let mummy see it.”

“No, not until it’s done.” He replied, covering the page with his other hand.

I smiled as I remembered that was what Fred used to say.

“Would you like to know something about your father?” I asked, rubbing his back affectionately and he looked up, there was no interest in his eyes.

“What did Tommy do?” He asked but I laughed.

“I mean your real father.”

“yaaay!” He quickly packed his paper and pencils away, then sat uprightly, looking at me with all attentiveness.

“When I met your father, he used to stalk me. Then I was working in a restaurant

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. He used to come inside and he was broke that he couldn’t pay for his food. Do you know the first thing he used to pay for his meal?”

The boy shook his head.

“Well, he drew my picture when I wasn’t even looking.”

“Hahahah! That ‘s so dope! Do you have the picture mummy? “

I smiled, kissing him on the cheek. ‘No darling, that was like ten years ago, I don’t have it anymore.”

“So did you collect it?”

“I had to. It was so beautiful and no one has ever done that for me before so  it was so touching I just collected it.”

“Hope you didn’t lose your job that day?”

I laughed. “No dear. I didn’t because he asked me to pay for the drawing while he used the money to pay for his meal. Your father was a chicken.”

Freddie laughed more. “Ooh! I wish I had met him. So, why did you marry Tommy mum?”

I leaned against the table with arms akimbo and began to think about it.  I couldn’t believe my son is asking me all these grown-up questions.

“Well, I married him because he shared the same passion as your father, also because he loved me and he was comfortable enough to take care of us.Don’t you like him?”

“I do. He’s a wonderful man..but…I wish you could have married someone like Vincent.”

I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that.

“You like Vincent that much?”

He nodded.

“Why?”

He smiled, covering his face…” I don’t know mum. I just would have loved it if he is always around. He makes me happy somehow.”

Okay, this is getting somehow….

“Make you happy? This man doesn’t talk, how would he talk to you?”

“Well, I dunno mum , but maybe if Tommy is mute I would love him more….I gotta go.”

With that he jumped down from the chair with his materials and dashed out of the room.

Wow! That kid is really having lots in his mind for sure….

I walked back to the bed ….

If Fed hadn’t died, all these wouldn’t be happening.

I was lying on the bed now, resting my head against the pillow and looking at the beautiful chandelier in my magnificent room.

It’s been two weeks since Vincent came here, worse, I didn’t collect his email address to chat with. I haven’t been able to apologise for the last encounter. I wouldn’t blame him if he doesn’t want to keep in touch. I wouldn’t want to. I was sure Lisa finally got her wish of keeping him away….I just hoped he was okay...

My phone rang and I picked it....

“Hello Tommy”

“Hi love, are you awake?”

“Yes I am.”

“What of Fred?”

“He is all excited about tomorrow.”

“Good. Well, you know the portrait I told you I was working on for Freddie’s Ist birthday?”

I nodded.”hmm..mm.” He wanted to design a full blown-out portrait of Freddie’s one-year old picture…reason of which I knew not.

“Check the album, I couldn’t find the one where he was sitting alone.”

“Really?”

“Yea, I didn’t want to wake you up , so please check and call me back.”

The call ended.

“Maimunat!” I called out to one of my new maids and she quickly responded, opening the door.

“Bring me, Freddie’s album, Everything.”

She nodded politely and was gone.

I still have no idea why Tommy wanted to draw a portrait of one year old but I didn’t ask him. I didn’t want him to feel somehow …

The lady opened the door and I collected the one where he clocked one year.  Going through the pictures, I realized two pictures were missing.

Read " Broken-Broken " by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. The one I had taken in the hospital with Fred’s mother when I just gave birth, and the one where Freddie clocked one and he was alone on the seat. Others had me and some of the people that were invited.

I didn’t understand.

I saw the pictures recently…

I began to think about the last time I saw it and my mind went back to Freddie’s birthday party and I had seen it with Lisa.

Could Lisa have taken it and why would she take it without telling me…..?

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NARRATOR’S POV

It was dark except for the street-lights. A  Lady stood by the side of road while a car drove and packed beside her. She got inside hurriedly and slammed the door behind her…

“What do you mean you can’t find out anything about Fred Benson’s past life?”

“It’s not like I can’t find out anything. It’s like, there was nothing spectacular. He wasn’t married, he only had a mother and he died on the 17th of August 2017. It was just as if the important part of his life was probably deleted or something.”

“Okay, take these two pictures, find out anything you can about the day this picture was taken and the women in the picture. Also , that baby is very important. Do what you can to find out about them.”

“Why are you doing these anyway?”

“That Is none of your business. Your business is to do well and get paid.”

“Okay. Fair enough.”
 

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Okay! Thank God I came up with something! So, Lisa is really taking this far ......and Anika has no address or number she could reach her on to question her for taking her pictures....wow..this is getting serious...kids can be so funny,you will think they don't know anything and just like that, what they will say will even shock the grown-ups, imagine that little boy o...