??THE GARDENER’S DAUGHTER??
?{NO GREATER LOVE}?
Written by Sylvia Adaobi Peter ??
? EPISODE SIXTEEN ?
? JOANA ?
I pushed the door opened and came into the little house I once shared with my sisters and father.
I held my little Ethan’s hand as we walked in. “Is anyone home?” I asked and just then, Rosetta showed up.
” Look who we have here!” She said happily and carried Ethan.
I smiled and sat down looking around. “Where’s dad?” I asked.
“You know where he is ” Rosetta asked, rolling her eyes as she played with Ethan.
I stood up and walked back outside then went into the back garden to see dad watering the flowers. I sighed and walked up to him, giving him a hug.
“You came.” Dad beamed. “Where isn’t grandson?”
“He’s inside. ” I replied, looking at dad. Ever since Sarah went missing,dad has never been the same. He was shattered. Everyone was.
“Dad ..why not quit being a gardener? You are no longer a kid. Romeo and I can take care of you.” I said. I got married to Romeo after schooling three years ago and had my son.
Dad smiled at my statement. ” I sworn to work for Mr McDonald till I’m way too old to lift my watering can.
I can’t possibly be a burden to you and your husband. I will be fine here.” Dad said stubbornly.
I sighed. ” I was just coming from the hospital with Ethan. He has cough.” I said.
” Have you got him some drugs?” Dad replied, looking so concerned already.
” Yeah,he’s gonna be fine. You don’t have to worry. ” I said with a smile.
Dad and I returned into the house.
*********
” Sarah can’t be dead. She’s gonna come back.” Rosetta said with tears.
I cuddled Ethan to my chest and felt my own tears gathering.
Anytime I remember what we had done to our little sister when she was sightless,I couldn’t just bear it.
I find it hard to forgive myself and it had made me so sad.
“There is something fishy about Mrs McDonald.” Dad suddenly said.
We turned to look at him. ” What? Mrs McDonald? What happened?” I asked.
“She’s always just too sure Sarah is dead. She’s always saying it whenever Sarah’s matter is being brought up.
I don’t know why I feel like she knows what happened to her.” Dad said quietly but clear.
That caught my attention. ” Oh my God. And that witch hated Sarah all because of Vicker. What if this is true dad? What are you gonna do?” I asked.
Dad had a far away look in his eyes as he shook his head. “I don’t know Joana. Get husband has been an angel to us.
I don’t know what I’m going to do to her if this later turns out to be true.” Dad said and everyone fell into silence.
Can this be true? Does Mrs McDonald knows what really happened to Sarah?
?SARAH?
“Hold on!” I whispered at Avia as we hide behind a wall.
The hallway was dark and no one was in sight.
I looked up and saw the description “conference room” and smiled. “We are here.” I told Avia.
” Remember our plan. Once we get in there, you will pretend as a waitress who has come to serve drinks or anything.
When you are busy with them,I’m gonna sneak in and knock the other person out of breath then we are gonna kill the main target.” I said I and Avia looked at me with disapproval.
“Hold on a sec. That’s gonna take time. Let’s just kill the both of them and flee. Knocking breath out of the person he’s meeting doesn’t sound intelligent.”
I cursed before looking at her.” Just do as I say. What’s fcking wrong with you?” I whispered furiously.
Avia looked away angrily and I started walking into the darkened hall.
The conference room was dimly lit. That would make things more easier for us. “Get ready,Avia. You are going in.”
“Don’t even think of commanding me!” Avia voices out.
Shocked I looked at her. “Stop shouting! You want us to get caught?”
” Look enough of trying to sound so superior! You are nothing but a baby!” Avia bursted out again.
So mad,I slapped her. ” You have no right to talk to me that way!” I yelled at her.
Shocked,Avia looked at me and pointed her gun at me.
“You know what….we don’t have to kill anyone here tonight. If we should kill someone…that person should be you!” She yelled at me.
Furiously,I pointed my gun at her too.
? VICKER ?
I pulled out my pen and sign the deal agreement and turned to Doris who gave me another file. I collected it and placed it in front of Mr Roosevelt.
He signed in the document as well and looked at me. “I must confess,you have your father’s smart brain.” He said and I smiled.
” Thanks Mr Roosevelt but naturally a man had got to be smart in everything. So we have a deal now.
The project is gonna commence with the said prize, twenty thousand dollars.”
I said and watched him pull out some dollar bills from the suit case his body guard threw open on the table.
The suit case was filled to the brim with money.
I glared at Mr Roosevelt as he handed me the money in an envelope.
I collected it and handed it over to Doris who put the envelope in my suitcase.
Mr Roosevelt smiled at me. ” I think that will be all for now. ” He said.
And just then,I started hearing people arguing from a distance. “What’s that noise?”
Mr Roosevelt turned to look at his body guard. “Check outside ” he ordered.
He left and I watched him open the door and walkout.
Almost immediately,the sound of gun shot was heard and Mr Roosevelt’s bodyguard cried out.
He’s been shot!
Alarmed,we all jumped to our feet. What just happened!! We rushed out to see him dead on the floor!
? SARAH ?
“You btch!” She gasped when she pulled the trigger.
I ducked and suddenly someone screamed behind me.
I turned around to see a guy dead on the ground. “Sht!” I cursed and we fled before we would be caught at the spot.
I jumped off a low window and found myself on a ceiling.
“You are leaving me behind!” Avia yelled from the window. She couldn’t jump.
“Goodbye btch! You caused this!” I yelled back and rolled on my back then jumped down from the ceiling.
I met myself outside the hotel and ran for as long as I could.
When I was safely far away,I glanced back and saw lots if securities parading the whole place.
I sighed with relieve and collapsed on the floor.
? VICKER ?
The next morning,I still woke up shocked at what happened last night.
Is someone after me? Or Mr Roosevelt?
Who were they? Why did they shot the body guard?
I was still tensed up and had refused to leave my room for anything. I called Doris on phone and she knocked minutes later.
“We are staying here till weekend,Doris. Let this cool off first. We don’t know if they are still out there.” I told her and she nodded.
” Mr Roosevelt left very early this morning. He’s still so terrified. I think someone is after him sir.” Doris said and I shook my head.
” You can’t be sure who they are after. Let’s stay here for now. ” I said again and watched her leave the room.
? SARAH ?
The next morning, feeling so disappointed I failed my first mission all because of that btch,I changed back into my normal self but didn’t take off the short wig on my hair.
I decided to go back to the hotel and check things out. I just hope Avia wasn’t caught. Even if she gets caught and I get caught too,I really don’t care anymore cos already,I was fed up with life.
The security was already tight cos of the incident last night.
But I was allowed in. I smiled at their stupidity. Who would know I came here last night disguised as a boy?
Innocently,I sat on one of the chairs in the restaurant.
Sht! What am I gonna do now? I possibly can’t go back to Sweden with a failed mission.
I thought about home and tears dropped off my eyes. Where would be better? Home or Sweden?
I thought about Mrs McDonald. I can’t go back without having plans on how to deal with her.
Then I thought about Vicker. I looked around the quiet restaurant as people talked in low tones about last night’s incident.
I sighed and rest my head on the table.
? VICKER ?
It was late in the morning when I decided to go out to eat. I refused to call a room server and went to the restaurant myself.
I got in and looked around. I sighted a table with just one person on it and started walking towards it.
I sat opposite the next person who was sleeping. I looked at her and knocked on the table. “Hi. You can use a room if you want to sleep.” I said smiling.
She stirred and started raising her head with an amazed look on her face.
I blinked twice when our eyes met. She had a short hair on but…oh my God!
That eyes…..they looked…
She rushed up and was about moving away when I caught her left wrist and pulled her short hair.
It came off in my hand and dumbfounded,I watched her long hair loosen up and came down in a rush, falling all over her shoulders.
Gasping,I watched her turn to look at me shocked as her beautiful dark hair covered half of her face.
I reached my hand forward towards her face and wiped the hair and tucked it behind her ear…just to be sure of what I’m seeing.
Shocked as well,I let my eyes roam all over that beautiful familiar face I will never forget.
My mouth quivered as I finally call out her name. “Sarah?”
?SARAH ?
This guy from last night! He just removed my wig….he held my hand too….and it felt strangely familiar.
When he called my name,I gasped and stared harder into his eyes. “Who …who are you?”
?????
Finally!! They met…..??
What happens next???
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