SUSAN 11
THE CLOUD AT NOON
Stanley becomes the first prime suspect to the death of Bolu. The lawyer to Bolu who facilitated the agreement between the two is bent to make a case against Stanley. Some forces who are against the Boudahas pitch behind the lawyer and this becomes a cash cow for the lawyer. Within the shortest time millions roll into his account.
Since the death of the President, Chief Pelensiri and other political juggernaut during the unrest, the Boudahas become the strongest politically inclined family. All fingers point to either Boudaha Senior or the junior, Stanley as the anointed president after the interim government is ready to hand over power.
For lack of strong evidence, Stanley is granted bail yet he has to keep appearing at the court until the case has substantial evidence against him. Dr Boudaha, the wife and Stanley drive to the father’s home after being granted bail.
Stanley sits before his parents.
“Stanley, I thought every affair between you and Susan is over some eight years ago?” Boudaha speaks in frustration but Stanley would not answer him a hoot. “Talk and let me not go crazy at this time. This should not be happening at this auspicious season of our lives.”
“My dear, let us be patient as we hear him out.” Brenda speaks for the son. “Stanley, what happens again? It is like this Susan has become a nightmare to the Boudahas. We all love her, but let her be in the past please.”
“Not at this time again when everything is set for our political preeminence.” Boudaha is visibly seen to be frantic.
“Dad,” Stanley sounds depressed, “For once, you should think of my happiness and joy. Pelensiri is dead and this is my best moment to realize my dream again. I want Susan.”
“Stanley,” Brenda replies, “Everything your father is doing is for your sake. We are getting old and we are making everything come in play for you. This season requires tact and wisdom.”
“The nation is bleeding,” Boudaha talks to the distant, “The people need a savior, somebody to assuage the depressions of many years. They look to the Boudahas and they trust us. Let our love go beyond our own need my son. Even if you want Susan, the event surrounding her husband’s death has cast smear on your intention. Susan may be your best friend from God for other purposes; she doesn’t have to be your wife. There’s a supreme hand that guide the path of man, and he uses us as he will. The same God knows about Susan and Kate.
“I agree I have wronged you for not following your heart earlier when you wanted Susan for a wife. Even your mother keeps nagging on the matter whenever she sees you not happy on account of Kate. If what everyone wants is that I kneel to beg you all, I am sorry from the depth of my heart.
“Brenda my love, please do forgive me. Stanley, please I need your love; forgive me too. I want us to be a strong family and force; especially now. Posterity counts on us.”
Brenda and Stanley walk to Dr Boudaha and hold one another firmly. They wouldn’t allow him to knee for forgiveness.
“Together, we would forge ahead,” Brenda talks to support her husband.
“Let us see what good God would bring out of the present rubbles,” Boudaha continues. “About Kate, let us be careful how we treat her this period of her life. She is not altogether a bad girl with what I see of her recently. Her problem is majorly that of bad parenting. They indulged her excesses and she does things as they seem good to her. She cannot be better than the examples around her.
“Since she is married to you, she has improved to an extent. The changes in her have become significant; especially now when she has no unreasonable father to lean upon. Stanley, let us be patient. Patient is the gift of God.”
“Dad,” Stanley interjects, “I as the husband haven’t seen significant changes. You married her to me so it is possible you will see the changes first; at least to support her. All the same, I will respect your advice of handling things with tact.”
“Thank you my son,” Brenda sighs with relief.
Stanley steps out and drives back to his home where waiting is Kate and Daniel his first son. Daniel runs to meet his dad and he picks him up into the air.
“Dad, I missed you so much,” Daniel is excited, “mom said you have a little problem. Hope you wouldn’t leave us again?”
“No, no, my boy,” his dad answers, “I am fully home and with you boy.”
“Thank God,” he jumps down as his father lifts him down.
Kate steps forward hugs him and with tears on her face.
“Daniel, go to your room. Your dad needs some rest please.”
“Thank you Kate,” he eased himself forward towards his inner room.
“Why would you get yourself into this big trouble because of that useless husband snatcher?” Kate talks unsavoury to him while Daniel is out of earshot. Stanley enters the room, and before he could lock his door she enters to join him.
“Kate, I need to rest please.”
“Stanley, as your wife I am a human being. I feel jealous and I feel unsecured; especially now. I need explanation.”
“Explanation for what Kate?”
“How did you get into this mess? Are you into extramarital affairs? What has Susan given you that I have not?”
“You would need to know how I got into this mess. You deserve to know. I will tell you everything after a whole day’s rest. I am blank now.”
“Ok, are you into extramarital affairs with Susan?”
“That is included in the first question, I will answer everything together.”
“No, Stanley,” she cries, “Tell me this now.”
“If Susan happens to be cheap I would have jumped at the offer of extramarital affairs with her. Kate, if it is possible I would have Susan; and I would prefer her to you a thousand times. Susan is not available to me in spite of my pressing demand. She is an angel. It is as simple as that.
“Stanley, you are mad.”
“Okay, get out of the room. I don’t want Kate’s trouble this afternoon. You have answered the third question with that dirty outburst of yours so I don’t have to answer you on that. Susan is as gentle as a dove. For all the years I have moved with Susan, she has never been harsh with words not to talk of action; I want that feel in my home even for just twenty four hours. She has a gentle way of helping me even when I wronged her.
“Even when I jilted her, she would not curse me. But Kate would wake up from morning to evening to abuse and curse the daylight out of me. You throw tantrum with the slightest provocation. You are like the erupting and unceasing volcano that gives the people in a neighbourhood nightmare. You are so terrible in your outburst, yet, you expect me to love you.”
“Are you comparing me to Susan?”
“Sure, I want something better from you if you will remain relevant in my life. What is wrong is to have negative comparison; I am telling you the good thing I want. But to attain unto better standard, there must be a model and an example for you to learn from. Susan is the model of wife I want. That supposed wife snatcher is the only reason why you would remain my wife. Go learn from her.”
“Something must be wrong with you. Do you ask me, daughter of Chief Pelensiri to stoop so low to be taught be the daughter of ‘a nobody’?”
“That is the problem. Now you reminded me of something: The Pelensiris are prideful rattle snakes so poisonous that they attack anything that comes on their ways. Let me warn you, don’t hurt Susan or you will pay for it dearly.
“Now I know; you are the killer of Bolu. Because Bolu hurt your obsession, Susan, you eliminated him. It seem obvious, Kate may be the next target. You have become so obsessed with Susan that you have began to eliminate whatever affects the joy of your idol.”
“Men don’t chatter endlessly. I don’t have your time.” He hisses. “Kate, upgrade or fizzle out of my life. But take my word, if you hurt innocent Susan I will deal with you. She has suffered enough blows in life. She shouldn’t bear anymore pain.”
“You are mad. What arrant nonsense. You are stupid.” She rants to no end as she prides herself out of the room.
Stanley for lack of sleep for days due to the murder indictment sleeps off for the entire day into the far night.
Susan in her world has become a widow suddenly; all these happening to her because she married a man who fails to be a pillar and support.
She remembers the day Bolu’s death was announced and she got home to inform Samuel, Eniola and Lucy.
“Your dad is late,” Susan break the news.
“My father?” Samuel talks without deep thought. “Is that why you are crying mom? Sorry.” The boy takes it like a pinch of salt without any attachment.
“Wouldn’t you miss him?”
“Why miss him?” Eniola laughs innocently. The children have no feelings they have father for once, so when he died, it was like a chicken lost to the family except Susan.
She realizes that Bolu has never been part of their lives; so his loss made no difference to them as children. She thinks about the fate of many absentees fathers of the world whose presence and absence make no difference in the lives of their children. Fatherhood should go beyond giving birth to children.
Few days later, she receives some police to her home for inquest.
“We are sorry for what happened?”
“Thank you,” she replies.
“By reasons of what happened, we have to comb every corner to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. Do you know anything about his death?” the second policeman asks her.
“No, no, no,” she responds succinctly.
“Ok madam. Who is Stanley to you?” The third policeman asks.
“Former school mate…” she tells them all that have been between her and Stanley.
“It doesn’t make sense that a man will be ready to trade his wife for some millions. The story didn’t add up please.”
“I have no other story then.”
“We will get back to you again if there is the need.” The policemen get out and are on their way.
“If the woman is saying the truth, then she must be a wife in a million.” One of the policemen speaks to the rest.
“Few women can stand seeing raw money and refuse love,” another adds. By simple estimation, Stanley is very rich.
“If she is saying the truth then Stanley may have a valid reason for seeking all means to gain her attention. I heard that Pelensiri’s daughter is hard and brash like the dad. Then I think Bolu must be stupid leaving a good wife at home and going after a harlot.” The third policeman says.
“People often finally settle down with their kinds,” another adds to the discussion. “You cannot wash a pig and clean it and not expect it go back to back to the filth. Bolu died in the filth of his riotous living.”
The cloud seems unsettling on who killed the young man. Some believe the story that it has to be Stanley, as the secret lover of Susan. Others believed that his death is natural. Finally, the result of the post mortem is out. Bolu died of food poisoning. Some persons from the political world are building a strong narrative that he hired his assassin in order not to draw attention to himself.
We need more evidence.
“I didn’t kill your husband.”
“Who is on the line?”
“It is me Stanley; some may be trailing my line so I have to call you through another phone number.”
“You need not have called; you are giving them more ground and evidences to nail the two of us. Let us not give the devil ground to work against us.”
“I have feelings for you and what you are going through alone at the death of your husband. I have to find means of speaking some comforting words to your heart. I feel I can help you unburden the yoke on you.”
“Thank you Stanley. You have always been the big brother in my life.” She smiles faintly and she is relieved for his care at such a moment. “I trust the Stanley I know so much. You cannot hurt a fly. It is not you that killed Bolu, I know that too well. His lifestyle led to his untimely death; that I know deep within me.”
“Thank you Susan, I am happy to hear that.” He feels restful. “But do you know that Kate do not believe me as much as you do?”
“Don’t go there again, she is hurt at this period,” Susan answers, “Go and make Kate happy.”
“You too like my dad is making case for Kate.”
“After all I have been through, I would not want another woman have that experience. I cannot break her heart to satisfy my own lust.”
“Susan, I have been praying that God will comfort you and strengthen you to handle this moment and come out stronger in Jesus name.”
“Amen. Stanley, you have made my day. I am grateful.”
“If you need anything always let me know.”
“Stanley, go hide until the cloud is over. Don’t call me again until the storm is over. I too care for your safety. Goodbye.” She ends the call before Stanley could add another word.
Watchout for next part, as the killer is unveiled!
