Is she okay
Exhausted, Melissa sat leaning on the glass window as the plane took off, disappearing into the clouds.
“Melissa, are you okay?” Lisa knelt beside her when they let her into the office. Using her handkerchief, she wiped Melissa’s face. “Aunt, come with the lawyer. They can’t detain you here anymore. Get up.” Lisa helped her up and out of the office.
When they got home, she went straight to the bedroom.
Days passed, but Melissa stayed in the house. She stayed in bed, not responding to anything they said.
“How do we get her out of that bed?” Lisa asked, walking out with the untouched food plate. “She has not eaten for days since we got from the airport, aunt. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“The doctor said we should give her time. Be patient with her.” Betty walked into the room and sat beside Melissa, smoothing her hair. “When her parents died, she got depressed like this, but it was worse. For a moment, I thought she would die, but the news about her pregnancy gave her something to live for. We have to make her want to live again.” She said, looking at her niece, feeling helpless.
Day and night, Melissa looked outside the window. She didn’t blink her eyes. All she saw was Sasha taking her son away.
“That’s why we are here.” Nancy and Jenifer said, standing at the door.
“You came, come in.” Getting up from the bed, Betty welcomed them.
Lisa had informed them earlier of the situation, so they planned to take Melissa out of the house.
For days, they took her to every place they thought of, but there was no change.
From the park to the cinema and even to the city’s chapel for a Sunday sermon, yet nothing changed.
Melissa would walk, but she didn’t talk or seem to see anyone. She had turned into a zombie.
“What now?” Her hands on the steering wheel, Jenifer asked. Then glanced at the rearview mirror.
“We have done this many times and I don’t know how we can get to her.” Lisa sighed, glancing back at Melissa.
“We can’t give up on her. You need to come back, Melissa.” Nancy squeezed Melissa’s hand. “It’s extremely hot outside. I need ice cream. Maybe the cold feeling against her lips wakes her up. Coming?” Nancy asked, opening the car door.
“We can’t leave Melissa in the car.” Lisa’s words stopped her.
“Of course not. She is coming along. You hold her on one side, then I on the other.” Nancy suggested, sliding out of the car.
“Wait, why don’t you get the ice cream? I’ll stay in the car with her. The mall is crowded. We can’t carry her along.”
“Jenny, she can walk. She just needs a little support besides being in a crowded place, maybe what she needs.” Nancy helped Melissa out, leaving her friends no other choice.
After persuading Jenifer, they walked to the mall. “Remind me why I said this was a bad idea.” Jenifer looked around at the people walking in and out of the ice cream parlor.
“We will sit there, then Lisa will make our order.” Nancy supported Melissa to the table with Jenifer’s help as Lisa went for their order.
Two steps to the table, a five-year-old boy playing with his friends ran towards them. Before Nancy could stop him, he hit Melissa, smearing the ice cream on her clothes.
“Ah!” About to fall on his back, Melissa pulled her arms from Nancy and Jenifer’s hold and caught the boy in time.
“I’m so sorry for my son’s recklessness.” The little boy’s mother apologized, wiping the cream off Melissa’s dress.
“It’s okay.” Her eyes glued to the boy, Melissa held the lady’s hand, stopping her.
Nancy and Jenifer looked at Melissa, worried she might mistake the boy for Tommy. “Your son is very handsome. Don’t scold him, he’s just a child.” She touched his soft hand as filled her eyes.
“Thank you.” The lady said, taking her son away.
“Melissa, are you okay? Let’s sit here and wait for Lisa.” Jenifer held her hand, directing her to the table, but Melissa kept her eyes on the little boy.
“Tommy, they took my son from me.” She uttered before falling unconscious.
“What happened?” Rushing over, Lisa placed the bag on a nearby table, then knelt beside Melissa.
“Call an ambulance.”
A few minutes later, in the hospital, Melissa woke up.
She regained her sound mind and, after calling Robert, he informed her which country they took Mark to for treatment.
“I need to see them.” She told Lisa, that she left her traveling documents at the villa. No matter how hard she tried to get a plane ticket, she couldn’t leave.
…..
“They took Mark Johnson out of the country and no one is protecting her now. Shouldn’t we get her?” Diana’s assistant asked, handing her the video and pictures of Melissa making a scene at the airport. He also had pictures of her looking depressed at the mall.
“Ha ha ha!” Spreading them on the table, Diana laughed. “No! not yet. Let her lose everything she has first, then I can carry out my plans for her.” She sipped her drink sitting back on the chair.
“What do you plan to do to her?”
“All in due time. You will find out once I start. Call my father’s lawyer in.” Crossing her legs, she instructed him.
“Ma’am.” The middle-aged man acknowledged Diana as he walked in.
“Mr. Wakiri, as my father’s attorney, how do you plan on defending him?” She stared at him, going straight to the point.
“Miss I…”
“Sit.” She pointed at the sofa, inviting him in.
“Ma’am, your father’s embezzlement case is tough. The evidence presented against him is enough to send him to ten or twenty years in prison without fine.” He explained. “Also, Ms. White’s attorney demands your company’s ownership, which the judge may rule in their favor.”
“I need you to talk to the judge. Make sure the company does not end up in her hands, no matter how much I have to pay.”
“You want to bribe the judge?” He asked, sitting up straight.
“I’m sure you understood what I meant.”
“What of Mr. Stevens? Shouldn’t we bail him out?” With raised eyebrows, he stared at Diana.
“They can give him life in prison. I don’t care. He asked for it by going behind my back. Just make sure you do as I instructed. I’ll pay you handsomely.” Diana had seen the surveillance video when the police interrogated the newspaper vendor. And from there, she realized her father had sent the evidence to Melissa.
Now all she cared for was getting the company from him. Owning everything she had worked for.
….
On judgment day, Diana sat behind her dad’s legal team waiting for the proceedings to start.
“Dad, are you okay?” She hugged him as the police escorted him to his seat.
“I’m fine dear.” He smiled at Diana, then glanced at Melissa, who sat alone watching them.
She looked tired and worn out, worse than he was. Seeing her father’s concerned look, Diana bit her lower lip, cursing Melissa in her heart.
“How are your mother and sister?” Mr. Steven asked, looking around at the people present for the hearing.
“They are fine. They left the country as planned.” She confirmed, taking a sit behind him.
As the judge walked into the courtroom, Diana placed her hand on her father’s shoulder for comfort.
With a smile on her face, Diana leaned back in her chair.
The judge sentenced Mr. Stevens to ten years in prison or a thirty million fine and awarded sixty percent shares of Steel’s company to Melissa. With a frown on her face, Diana clenched her fists, glaring at Melissa.
“I asked you to talk to the judge. What the hell did you do?” She questioned the lawyer as people left the courtroom.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but the judge won’t take any bribe. Ms. White’s lawyers are very influential. They kept a close watch on the judge’s every movement.” He explained, glancing at the men beside Melissa. “Are you going to bail your father out?” He inquired, hoping she may change her mind.
“No, let him enjoy his stay in prison.” She watched Melissa closely.
“Thank you for still representing my case.” Melissa shook hands with Jason and his team as they walked out of the courtroom.
Though Mr. Johnson had sent her away, withdrawing all the resources Mark had provided for her, Jason still represented her in court.
“You don’t have to thank me, Melissa. Despite Mark not being around, the work he started must go on. Besides, I’m only doing my job here.” He said, smiling at her. “I’ll have my secretary send all the legal documents you need to sign. Should I drop you off?” He inquired as his driver brought the car.
“No, you don’t have to, I’ll manage.” She smiled, then walked down the stairs.
Across the road, Diana got into her car. Taking out her phone, she watched Melissa converse with Jason.
“Make sure you do a clean job. Call me once you’re out of the city.” She instructed on the phone as Melissa left in a taxi.
Feeling exhausted, she sat back, laying her head on the headrest. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep only to be woken up by the taxi’s abrupt stop. “What happened? Why did you stop?” She asked the driver, leaning forward.
The driver held his hands up as armed men with faces covered got out of the car parked before the taxi. Two men stood to watch as the third one got Melissa out of the car.
“Where are you taking me? Let me go.” She struggled to get out of the man’s stronghold. When she saw a car approaching from a distance, she stepped hard on the man’s foot and hit him on the stomach with her elbow running off when he let her go, wincing in pain.
“Stop or he dies.” They dragged the taxi driver out of the car to his knees, holding a gun on his head.
Melissa stopped. With her hands raised, she turned to look at them as the car turned, heading in the opposite direction. “Don’t hurt him, please. I’ll come with you.” She said, walking back.
“You b*tch, you think you can get away from me?” The man slapped her hard on the face. She could taste blood as he pushed her into the car. “Let go, man, finish him already.”