Ben Chamberlain's Inheritance

Chapter Four

After the burial of Sofia, Ben's mother, Ben and his sister continued to stay in the one room apartment. The apartment was part of the Farmhouse owned by Mrs. Palsy's.

Ben's mum was a housemaid in the farmhouse working for Mrs. Palsy. Mrs. Palsy agreed to allow them to stay on due to the persuation of people from the church Sofia attended.

But it was also on the condition that they did farm chores and not loaf around for doing nothing.

In spite of Betsy's condition, she assited her brother. Ben was feeding the pigs while Betsy was feeding poultry birds. While he was working he paused to rest.

His hands found its way into his pocket; he picked something out of it. It was a piece of paper that had an address on it.

The paper reminded him of the events of the day his mother kicked the bucket.

................................................................................

Flashback begins

"I am your brother," the boy in the hood said.

"That can not be." Ben said.

"Its true Ben." The boy in the hood said.

"What proof do you have and how do you know

 my name?" Ben asked.

"My father is proof".

"Does it mean that ..?" Ben had a shocked expression.

"No! We don't share the same father", the boy in the hood said as he removed the hood. His face was visible now.

He threw a piece of paper at Ben,"find me."

Ben opened the paper. There was an address

On it.

Ben was looking at the piece of paper when the 

boy in the hood vanished into the darkness.

Flashback ends

.....................................................................

"Ben, Ben, Ben....", Betsy called

"Oh! I am sorry B. What is it?"

"Where did you drift off to?"She asked concerned.

"Hmm. Something is actually bothering me."

"What is that?" Betsy asked.

"You recall I told you about how a certain boy returned the drugs".

Betsy did not respond. She waited for him to

continue.

"I didn't tell you everything." Ben was hesitant.

"What do you mean by everything?"

"That, it is possible that the boy is our brother".

"How is that possible?"

"I was also shocked but he sounded quite sure

about it." Ben said and handed the piece of paper to Betsy.

"That is the paper he gave me. There is an address on it."

Betsy scrutinized it, "so are you going to go?"

"I have not decided yet but I am curious.What do you think?" He asked Betsy.

"I think you should find out who he is and confirm his claim. He had no reason to bring the drug back to you, if he had no idea who you were." Besty said.

"So are you saying that.....," Ben paused when he noticed that Betsy was bleeding from the nose.

"Its been coming more frequently now. " Betsy said.

"When did this start?" Ben asked perplexed.

"Way long, before mom's death."

"You mean this has been happening and you said nothing." Ben said.

"I said nothing because it was nothing." Betsy replied

Ben gave her a hard stare, "I am alright Ben; it's really nothing." Betsy said but Ben was bothered.

"You have to go see him and find out who he

really is." Betsy said.

"I will go and find him later on, this evening."

Ben was anxious about the new mystery that

he had to solve but there was an eerie feeling 

that he had about his sister's bleeding nose.

..........................................................................

Ben went to Wigston some few kilometers from

Leicester. He got to the address of the street 

that was on the piece of paper. There he found a cottage.

He looked around to be sure where he was.

He went to the front of the cottage and knocked.

A woman answered and came to the door.

"Good afternoon ma'am." Ben greeted.

The woman scanned Ben from the top of his 

head to the sole of his feet.

"I am looking for.....hmmm... huh, I don't know his...."She cut in,"come in." She said and left the door open.

Ben was skeptical and unsure.

"Are you coming in or not?" The woman at the door asked.

Ben went in and looked around the cottage. The woman the sat down coughing.

"You asked me to come in as if you were expecting me?" Ben said.

"Henry told me you would be coming." he said.

"I see. So where is Henry?"

She ignored his question.

"I am sorry for the death of your mother".

Ben said nothing. "When will he be coming back?", Ben asked again." Ignoring her statement.

As if on cue, Henry came in with his hood on.

"So you came." Henry said, expressionless.

"I had no choice, after what you told me." Ben said. Henry did not respond. He just found himself a seat.

"So please, start talking." Ben said impatiently.

"Ben, I know this is awkward but what we wiill tell you today is nothing but the truth." the woman said.

Ben sat down facing Henry.

"Ben, Sofia was my sister and it pained me that she died an unhappy woman." The woman said.

"What are you saying; Are you saying you are my aunt?". Shock was written all over Ben's face.

"Yes! I am your aunt."

"I wish I could believe that."

"The sickness finally got her", the woman said.

"You knew she was sick." Ben asked perplexed.

"Of course. We were living together." The woman said.

"Well, it was my fault she died." Ben said.

"It wasn't your fault. It was those Big Bo's boys." Henry said.

"But wait a minute, why are you all toying with

me?" Ben asked with a bit of anger in his voice.

"No one is toying with you. It is the truth." Henry said.

"So where have you all been all this while?" Ben asked.

"We have been here all this while." Henry replied.

"While my mom was dying, you were all here?"

"I am sorry, I wasn't a good sister to your mom.

"Ben, there are things your mom didn't tell you

that you will get to know today." Henry assured him.

................................................................................

Ben got home some minutes to 7:00pm and luckily for him Mrs. Palsy had gone to church. She was a very religious person.

Ben found Betsy in the barn feeding the horses.

"You should be resting B.' Ben scolded Betsy and looked at her with so much affection.

"I was bored; so I decided to come here." She replied.

"Its okay. I understand sis." Ben said.

"So how did it go?" She asked.

"He is our brother and his name is Henry and you also have an aunt."

"Really!" Betsy said excitedly.

"Aunt Mary, told me how mom traveled to the 

United States with the help of Mrs. May, to work as a maid for his son." Ben said and continued.

"After a year, mom came back pregnant."

"Why did she come back?" Betsy asked as she wiped away blood from her nose.

"Is that blood Besty?"

"Yea it is. You can continue, I have cleaned it"

Ben gave her curious looked and continued.

"She said, Mrs. May's son was having an affair

with mom and the lady that was engaged to Mrs. May's son found out about it."

"Oh!" Betsy exclaimed.

"The lady threathened mum and after Mrs. May

died, she chased mum away with threats of killing mom."

"And our dad, whoever he is, didn't know that mom was pregnant when she left The United States?" Betsy asked.

"Yes. He had no idea." Ben replied.

"This is quite much for me to take in." Betsy said.

"Yea, it is for me to also take in, especially after

mom's death."

"I am suprised she kept all this away from us", Betsy remarked.

"I guess all this caused her to be depressed," Ben said.

"So how is Henry our brother?" Betsy asked as one of the horses she stopped feeding neighed.

"I am sorry boy." She gave it some hay.

Ben continued, "there's another sad story.

Aunt May's boyfriend raped mom a year after she gave birth to us; the act resulted to the birth of Henry some months later."

"Oh my God!" Betsy exclaimed.

"Mom couldn't stand living there any more so she left the house and left Henry."

"Where is Henry's father now?" Betsy asked.

"He is in prison for what he did." Ben said.

"Serves him right." Betsy said.

"Our family is really a weird one." Ben remarked.

"I wish mom was alive right now." Betsy said 

reflectively. 

"Betsy, what this means is that our father is

alive somewhere in America." Ben said.

"Yea he is."  Betsy replied and started coughing.

"Are you alright B?", Ben went closer to her.

"I-I-I am Ben."  Betsy gave a laboured response. The coughing intensified and the bleeding from the nose did not stop.

"Help! Help! Help! Ben yelled and few minutes

later, Betsy collapsed.