Wedding for Revenge

Chapter 6 – Wiseman family

Alice Walker's POV

The car drove for around 30 minutes and still, it’s on the main road. Both Alinda and Toby are still sleeping. I wondered why it’s taking so long to reach Jacob’s house. I decided to ask the driver.

“I am sorry for asking, but are you sure you are going through the correct path?”

“Yes madam. The address you gave me is on the outskirts of the town. There is another half an hour drive to reach there. It’s actually like a village and there are not many houses in that area. I know the place because I used to live there when I was a kid. Please take a rest, madam.” The driver said, looking at me through the mirror. I smiled at him and asked.

“So, do you know Jacob Wiseman?” I asked.

“Well, I haven’t been there for the last few years. I visited my family house three years back on a Christmas vacation. After that my mother passed away and since then I haven’t been there. I think the man you are talking to would be a new resident of the place.” He said. I wondered why Jacob chose such a remote place to live with a pregnant wife. The car drove for another fifteen minutes and entered a side road. I saw a signboard of a hospital at the beginning of the road.

“There is a hospital on this road,” I asked myself but didn’t realize that I said it loudly until the driver answered.

“Yes madam, there is a small government hospital on this way. There are around three villages if we go further on this road. First comes the village where we are heading right now. You can actually call it a mini-city. Almost all the facilities are available there and that too with natural beauty. People who live here actually love nature. Most of them are farmers and own a lot of land. We too own 3 acres of land which we have given for lease. By ‘we’ I mean, me, my sister and my brother. My sister lives in California and my brother lives in New York itself. The other two villages are further away from the first one and mostly tribal people live there. A few years back, a pandemic occurred in this area and a lot of people died due to a lack of medical facilities. That’s when the government started a hospital in this area. It’s near the village we are going to.” The driver gave a detailed description.

On the way, I saw the hospital. It was just a small two-storied building. I wondered whether there would be any doctors at the hospital or not. The car moved further and after five minutes I could see some buildings. It was like the car was moving through a small city.

“When I was a child there were just 15 families in this village. Each house was located in the middle of large farmland. We used to walk miles to get to our school. It was just a primary school then. At that time most of the people in the village were either illiterate or just had primary education. I was in my third grade when a catholic church was built here. After that, the missionaries built schools and health centers and gradually this village got developed. You won’t believe that there is even a mall in this city.” He said and pointed towards a three-floor building on the right side.

The car moved further and that’s when Alinda woke up and said that she was hungry. I didn’t know that Jacob’s place is this far from the city. I just have 100 dollars and I wonder what the fare of the cab will be. I am feeling hungry as I haven’t had anything except for the soup from the shelter home. Will it be nice to go to Jacob without having food? I felt really awkward to meet them. I hushed Alinda saying that we will reach our destination soon. The car passed all the shops and stopped after moving a few more kilometers. The car pulled over a wooden gate and I saw the name board of Jacob Wiseman on the gate. The driver got down and opened the gate and took the car through the gate. Amused will be a short word if I say the view in front of me actually took my breath. A beautiful garden with a variety of flowers smiled at us from both sides. I could see a two-storied villa built as a combination of both modern and medieval architecture coming closer as the car moved towards it.

The car stopped in front of the house and there stood Jacob with a smile at the door. I smiled back at him. The driver got down and unloaded my bags from the trunk. I waited for him to get back inside the car to give him the money. But suddenly the door at my side opened and the smiling figure of Jacob appeared.

“Mrs. Walker, welcome to my home. Please come inside.” He welcomed me.

That’s when I saw the driver opening the door and sitting in his seat. I asked him what the cab fare was and his reply really surprised me.

“He had already paid the charge, madam.” I looked at Jacob with surprise. I didn’t see him approaching the driver.

“Jacob, you really didn’t have to pay. I have the money.” I said.

“Don’t worry about Mrs. Walker. Please come in. Julia is waiting for you.” Jacob said and I looked at him puzzled but he didn’t say anything. I got down and carried Toby in my arms. He squirmed with the sudden movement and opened his eyes. Jacob helped Alinda to get out of the cab. The driver said his farewell and drove away. Jacob led me to his house.

The interiors didn’t scream any luxuries. It was just a simple living room which made me feel at home. I looked around and found two doors and a staircase. I saw a woman hurrying towards us. She has a big belly and wears an apron.

“I am sorry; I couldn’t come to receive you, Mrs. Walker. I was a little bit busy in the kitchen.” She said with a smile.

“Meet my beautiful wife Julia, Mrs. Walker.” Jacob introduced me.

“Hello, Julia. Nice to meet you.” I greeted her.

“Hello, Mrs. Walker, welcome to our sweet home.” Julia smiled.

“Please call me Alice,” I said.

“Okay, Mrs. Wal. I mean Alice, please freshen up and come to the dining table. Breakfast is ready. I will just go and prepare the table.” She said to me and turned to her husband.

“Show her the guest room, Jacob.” She said and pecked on his cheeks and went back to the kitchen. Jacob took the bags and walked up the stairs. I followed him silently with my kids. The stairs ended in the corridor which had four doors. He walked straight to the second door on the left and opened it. He put the bags in the room and said.

“Please be comfortable and don’t hesitate to ask for anything,” Jacob said and left us alone. I helped Alinda and Toby to do all their morning necessities and then freshened up myself. Then I went down with the kids and heard Jacob’s and Julia’s voices from the kitchen. I walked to the kitchen and saw Jacob hugging his wife from the back while she was arranging the plates on the table. Julia looked up hearing Toby’s noise and smiled at us. I went inside and sat on a chair and helped Alinda to sit on the chair beside me. I kept Toby on my lap itself.

“I will hold your son and you can have your breakfast peacefully.” Julia offered to help.

“Thank you Julia but I am fine like this,” I said.

Julia went to her husband and whispered something. Jacob got up and went out and came back after a few minutes. He was holding a baby feeding chair which he carefully placed beside me after removing the chair that was there. I wondered why they were having a baby chair when they are just going to have a baby. Maybe they have an older kid but I haven’t seen anyone since I came here. Julia said as if she read my mind.

“That chair was of our son.” I saw tears forming in her eyes when she said that.

“We can talk about that later, Julia. For now, let them have their food.” Jacob said and helped his wife to serve the food. Julia had prepared a complete breakfast. There were pancakes, English bread and scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh juice. Alinda and Toby started to eat as soon as Julia placed pancakes on their plates. My heart really felt happy seeing them eating.

After breakfast, I tried to help Julia with the dishes but she refused. She said that the maid will do the dishes when she comes. We walked back to the living room and Jacob took the kids to the back door. Julia motioned me to follow them. The door opened to the backyard. The backyard too had a beautiful garden. My eyes followed Jacob who took my kids to one side of the garden and that’s when I saw a seesaw, a slide, and a swing there. Jacob helped Toby to get on the slide and Alinda followed. Both of them seemed really happy. I looked back when Julia pulled my hand and made me walk to a bench on the other side. I walked and sat beside her. We sat there silently watching the kids play. The silence was killing me. I haven’t seen Jacob’s son yet.

“You have a beautiful garden,” I said to start a conversation.

“Thank you, Alice. Well, we also have a barley and vegetable farm.” Julia said, pointing towards the back gate. I could only see all the green from here.

“I will take you there afterward,” Julia said, seeing me looking at the farms.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I just have to flee as soon as possible.” I said.

“I am sorry that you have to go through all this. Jacob told me about what happened to your husband and how you had to escape with your kids. Everything will be alright.” Julia assured me and we fell silent for a few more moments. Out of my curiosity, I finally asked.

“Well, where is your son?” Julia seemed shocked for a few moments and then said.

“He only comes at night.” I looked at her puzzled.

“He is a star now. It’s been a year since we lost him.” Julia’s words made me speechless.