TOXIC ATTRACTION

TOXIC ATTRACTION EPISODE TWENTY ONE

The place was quiet after the waiters showed up, everyone was still raging with anger as we made the headlines that morning with a few people recording what had just happened. Nerea and Diana both went their separate ways when we left the restaurant. My mother had taken my hand and walked me out leaving my father and Richard behind. We saw Nerea and Diana finally get in their car and drive off with Diana still throwing hands and cursing as we waited for my father in his car. I must say that I had not expected things to go south that first and I wondered what would happen if everyone got to learn the truth about me and Mark.

Mum was still shaking from the fight, I kept telling her to come down but with every word I spoke, she got even angrier.

Cleopatra: unbelievable, who do they think they are accusing my child and expecting me to fold my arms and listen? That toxic woman better watches her back. She and that good for nothing daughter of hers. And your father...your father will not bring disgrace to our house and put us in such situations where we have to be humiliated in public.

I listened to her rant as if she could stand up and face my father but I did not say a word. I had seen a side of my mum's I had not seen in a long time and I bet if my father was not there to play the referee, it would have ended in a bloodbath.

Richard wheeled away his wheelchair and Robert followed him close behind and there bore the walk of shame. Everyone in the restaurant was taken aback by the drama and they were left gossiping even though they had no details of what had transpired...

Robert: I will talk with Robina and make sure she comes back to you.

They both stopped and faced each other. Richard looked cool like he was not really bothered by the fact that Robina had left. He ought to have gone after her but he was reluctant because he knew however far she ran, as long as Richard's and Nerea's debt had not been paid, she would still go back.

Richard: do what you have to do Robert and you better tell her what's at stake.. tell her the consequences of her running away and also let her know that she can't see anyone as long as she is still married to me.

Robert: is she really seeing someone?

Richard: I don't know, but rumors had it that some boy. Davis I guess is still roaming around her. Now I could be easy to deal with but you saw how explosive my mother and sister were. Keep your end of the bargain for everyone's peace of mind if you don't want to go to prison Robert.

Robert: it will not get to that. You have my word.

They parted ways as Robert joined his family in the car. He got in, put on his seatbelt, and drove off without a word to Robina or his wife.

Davis that morning had camped outside Robina's home after calling her severally without response.. he had thought that she was avoiding him so decided to go and check on her thinking she would be in a good mood yet again and talk to him. He checked the time on his phone and it was a few minutes past 11: 00 am. He took a deep breath then pulled out a small box from the glove compartment and checked it out. The small box had a ring in it, a ring he had kept for a long time after the thoughts of proposing to Robina had crossed his mind. He loved her but he thought that if he proposed to her, he was never going to remain committed to her, something he was afraid of because of his playboy nature.

He closed the box and put it back and almost immediately he got a call from Julia. Julia was the last person he wanted to speak with and especially after the conversation they had the previous day. He watched the phone ring for a second but eventually decided to pick it up.

Davis: Julia...

Julia: hey.. can I see you?.

Davis: not at the moment, I'm busy.

Julia: I know you are but it is urgent.

Davis: what is it this time Julia?

Julia: I can't talk about it over the phone but I think I know how you can get Robina back. Meet up with me.

Davis: fine. I will see you in a hit.

Davis waited for a few more minutes and when he didn't see Robina, he drove off and left.

On our drive back home it was all silence from both mum and my father. All I could hear was my thoughts screaming that I needed to get rid of the baby and do it immediately before it became a complicated situation. Nerea had no right to demean me before everyone made me feel so cheap and like a burden, they would have to put up with Diana, Diana stated that I was a gold digger, and truth be told, I wanted nothing to do with that family. Maybe I needed to find a job so that I could help my father pay the debt and that way I could buy my freedom.

I got my phone from my purse and when I checked, I saw several missed calls from Davis which I ignored and there was also another missed call from Susan. I didn't want to talk to any of them but even after the humiliation I faced at her place, I wanted to see Julia. She had mentioned that she knew someone who could terminate the pregnancy and maybe, I could make plans for it. Julia badly wanted this and even though I did not know her reasons she could get me a connection to what I wanted and we didn't have to talk after that.

"Hey Julia, let us meet up. I could use the help of the guy you said could terminate this pregnancy "

She replied with a smiling emoji and told me she would let me know when she was available to take me there. I stuffed the phone back in my bag and mum looked at me like she was still suspicious but that didn't stop me from fishing for my phone again from my bag after it vibrated. It was a text from Mark asking how the meeting went.

"Chaotic "

I responded and he asked if I was okay and I assured him I was. Texting with Mark was fun, we kept going and the vibration of my phone plus the smile on my face might have gotten to mum's last nerve.

Cleopatra: who are you talking to that is making you smile like that?

Me: no one important.

I could see my father's eyes on me from the rare view mirror.

Robert: we are getting home, you are packing everything that belongs to you and you are going back to your husband.

Cleopatra: she is doing no such thing. Did you hear how those two foolish women talked about our daughter?

Robert: Robina is married to Richard and not the two women.

Me: I will go back there when I'm ready to go back. You saw Richard, he just sat there and did nothing when his mother and sisters were throwing all manner of insults. It is his legs that are not functioning not his mouth or brain.

Robert: watch your mouth young lady. As long as you are living under my roof you will do as I say and that's final. That goes for you too, if we can't agree then you better start packing too.

Mark was in his house that morning when he was chatting with Robina. He had watched her drink wine and a lot of it but didn't stop her despite knowing that she was pregnant for Richard. Robina didn't know that he knew because she didn't mention it and she didn't act like it. A pregnant woman should know that drinking is not good for her or the unborn or was she lying about the pregnancy? He thought taking a good look that had Robina's almost finished wine. He was not worried because if it were up to him, he would be happy if Robina lost that baby, the only thing that tied her to Richard. Mark didn't care anymore about Richard and his feeling's towards Robina, that day Robina left, Mark tried to talk to both of them but Richard made it clear that he was not going to beg someone who was forced to be with him to stay. As much as he thought that by Robina leaving Richard she would disappear from his sight too, he didn't really want her for Richard but he had to try and act like Richard's best man that he was. He put the glass in the sink and served himself some coffee. He liked Robina a lot and he knew that by having s*x with her, he had given her a reason to make her think of him and him having her sleep and wake up in his arms, it was only going to be a matter of time before she fell madly and completely in love with him and that was going to be Richard's fault.

Davis picked up Julia at a junction that led to her place. She got in the co-drivers seat and Davis drove off after they exchanged greetings. It was an awkward ride with a lot of silence but Julia always knew how to break the ice and level up any situation, she was hated and loved in equal measures because she knew how to play mind games and she knew how to make fun and entertain just about anyone. She tilted her head and looked at Davis until he noticed her.

Julia: you are not going to talk to me at all are you?

She asked sitting back and Davis focused on the road yet again tapping on his steering wheel.

Julia: where are we going though?

Davis: I realized that you are hell-bent on spending time with me so we are riding until the car stops on its own.

Julia: huh! At least you are trying to be funny. Look, I'm really sorry about yesterday. Everything I said about Robina was inappropriate. I know you love her and I'm her friend... I should not have been the one to tell you all that.

Davis: then why did you?

Julia: I don't know...maybe because I do like you and I hate to see you waste yourself on someone who no longer cares about you when I'm here and we can have so much fun together.

He looked at her briefly and felt her light touch on his arm. She rested her head on his shoulder and caressed his chest after undoing a few buttons.

Davis: Julia stop...

Julia: why, aren't you feeling me, Davis? You know I've always wanted you...

She planted a kiss on his sleeveless arm then on his cheek but he didn't stop her. Davis and Julia were friends before Robina came into the picture but they never had any s****l attraction toward each other. When Davis and Robina became lovers, he treated her so well. Bought her gifts and took her on multiple dates, he had the right words to say when Robina got upset and the way he would kiss her and treat her like she was the only woman on the face of the earth, he was a gentleman around her despite him being a cheater. Julia wanted that for herself, she didn't stop imagining how it would feel like Davis making love to her and treating her the same way he did Robina. All Julia had been sugar daddies to sort her out financially, and have s*x with her but no love, no commitment whatsoever because most of the men were married with families.

She didn't stop kissing his neck and caressing his chest down to his belly. He turned and kissed her still trying to focus on the road and when the kissing enhanced his s****l prowess, he turned left to a junction and parked his car to give Julia the attention she needed. They jumped in the back of the car and she hurriedly unbuckled his belt and pulled her on top of him as she laid on her back in the back seat. The car had tainted windows and not many people were going that way anyway.

When we got home, my father got out of the car and hurriedly walked into the compound. My mother and I also got put and rushed in behind him. We saw him enter my room, grab my suitcase and throw it out in the living room. He said no one was going to make him feel less of a man in his own house and that if I wanted to buy my freedom from Richard, I had to pay him the three million myself otherwise if I didn't want to go be his wife, then I was going to be his slave but he was not going to go to prison because I was selfish.

My mother tried to stop him but he grew so wild that she stood back and watched as my stuff was being thrown out. I looked at how terrified my mother was and I realized the reason she never stood up to him. I got down and packed all my clothes that had been thrown on top of my suitcase and even though my mother tried to stop me, I left, with tears in my eyes and she cried too. I understood then why she couldn't stop the wedding and why she was really eager to find and talk to me after that. My father was a beast, a man who could traffic young helpless girls to men for money was a beast. This deal my father made with Richard's father and Richard was a thorn in my flesh and as long as it was there, I was going to be a slave to both of them. I wanted my freedom back and for that, I made a decision never to go back home or to Richards's house. I called Susan and asked if she could accommodate me for a few days and she told me I was welcome at her place any day. I sat by my friend's shop waiting for her to come for me because she said she was not so far away from my neighborhood.

Nerea and Richard met at Diana's place after the meeting that turned out to be a wrestling match. Diana gave them some food from the previous night and they sat down to have their own little meeting where Diana was forced to apologize to Richard for being the one that stirred up all the trouble and brought embarrassment to their family. She was now sober enough to see the damage she had done.

Richard: apart from the comparison thing mum has been doing, is there another reason you hate Robina?..

She took her head and then buried her face in her hands.

Richard: I think Robina deserves an apology too and especially for calling her a gold digger and some other nasty names.

Nerea: you are not serious...

Richard: oh yes I am. Robina is my wife, you made sure of it. Now both of you will accord her the respect she deserves or I will disown both of you because there is nothing you have done for me that I cannot do for myself.

Nerea: you can't disown us for that low life..you know that if it was not for her father's greed we or she would not be in this situation.

Diana: what did her father do?

She asked looking at Richard and then at her mother.. she was in the dark about a lot of family secrets that were never let out of the box. Not with her running mouth that could bring about world war three.

Diana: is there something I'm missing?

Richard: I expect you to apologize to my wife and the same way you drove her out of my house is the same way you should make sure she comes back. I'm a cripple but if you dare me, I will freeze your bank account and make sure you are the one who ends up in the street where low lives dwell. You have 24 hours Diana...

He put his plate on the table, wiped his mouth with a serviette and rolled his wheelchair to the door, and left the two in a completely shocking state...