Ben Chamberlain's Inheritance

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Two days later Aunt Mary came out of coma. At first

It took her sometime to remember the events of the 

past few days that she was in a coma.

But after some few hours she was able to recall what 

happened some few days ago.

"Your aunt is awake." Detective Chad told them.

They were glad. They hoped that the four days they had

spent in the police station was going to end soon but they

both knew things would never be the same with Besty gone.

"Can we go to see her?" Henry asked.

He thought about it then nodded his head in the positive.

They were transported there to the hospital, closely 

guarded and watched.

When Aunt Mary saw the boys she was elated and glad.

"How are you boys?"She managed to say.

Henry and Ben just looked at each other and said nothing.

"You ought not to have drove in the night especially with 

the bad weather." Ben said.

If you both had listened to me, I wouldn't have done that"

"I am sorry Mary." Ben said.

"I can see the policemen outside." She said

"Yes, they brought us." Henry replied.

"So what do we do now?" Ben asked

"I don't know boys." Mary said

Then suddenly, Mary asked, "How is Betsy?" 

She asked.

Ben left her bedside and walked to the window.

"Talk to me boys. What happened?" She asked anxiously.

"We-we-we lost her." Henry said.

Mary couldn't hold he tears. She began to cry.

 

Ben looked at her with a teary eyes and he felt pity for her.

She had not known Betsy for than a week but she was already

attached to her.

"Why did she have to die like that?" Mary asked.

"No one knows.." Ben replied.

"And the sad part was that she died alone." Henry said.

"I wish you boys had not left the house." Mary said shaking

her with regrets that she didn't do enough to stop the boys from

going out to carry out the heist.

"I am sorry we didn't listen to you aunty." Henry said.

"I am sorry." Ben said sincerely

Mary called them to herself and she gave them a warm hug.

In spite of the bandage on her head and right fore-arm.

The policemen came in and told the boys it was time to go.

"So when will you be discharged?" Henry asked her.

"I am not sure. Maybe a day or two?" She said.

"It's going to be alright boys. Just hang in there." She said.

"We will." Ben replied.

As they left, Ben gave her a wide grin and Mary was glad that

Ben was handling the situation better than she imagined.

The next day a lawyer was gotten for Ben and Henry.

In three days time, they would be put on trial.

In the police cell, Ben kept wondering what life would be

like if his father was with them. He wondered if Betsy 

would have died. Would his mom be alive right now.

He kept wondering what life would be like having both his

mom and father together as one big family. He couldn't blame

fate. Fate was acting out its own role.

"I am sure, there is reason for everything right." He said looking

up to the ceiling. Henry just looked at him briefly and resumed back 

to his own thought.

"How long do you think they will give us for the act.?" Ben asked.

"I guess two to three years because we are minors; although it might 

be less for you because you are a first offender." He said.

"What about you?" Ben asked.

"Maybe more or less, I am not sure mate." Henry said.

"Hmmmmm.....I guess this is not the first for you?" Ben asked.

"Yea. When you have a father like the one I have, then you are bound

to almost live the street and criminal life that he lived before he went to 

prison." Henry said.

"What was he like?" Ben asked.

"How do you mean?" Henry replied with a question.

"Was he ever a father to you?" Ben said.

"Well I guess he was; after all teaching your son how

 to survive on the street should count for something, 

right?" Henry said with a smile.

The smile was infectious and Ben smiled.

Ben wondered how Henry could still muster a smile

in spite of the situation they found themselves.

"My dad was never at home because he actually had

no home." Henry said.

"So you were looked after by Aunt Mary?"

"Yea I was. Initially I thought she was my mother until

last year." Henry said.

"Hmmmm. I know the feeling mate." Be said.

"She told me how I was given birth to when I asked her

of my mother." Henry said.

There was a brief silence and then Henry broke it.

"I was sick to the stomach that, I was conceived in that 

manner." Henry said.

"Yea, I felt the same when I heard about it." Ben said.

"That knowledge gave me a different outlook on how I 

saw him." Henry said.

"Did he ever try to explain why he did what he did?" Ben asked

"No he didn't."

"I know I came to be conceived through a dispicable act and it's

sad to justify that, I won't be here if it had not happened. I-I-I....."

"I know what you are trying to say mate but you don't need to apologised."

"I feel I have to because my he really did you and your

mother wrong."

"Let it go mate.We can't control the actions of our parents."

"Just like we can't also choose our moms and dads." Henry said.

"The fact is I am glad I met you Henry." Ben said.

"I feel the same way too." Henry replied.

"Regardless of what happens after we are given 

our sentence, Scrawny will have to pay for all the 

pain he has caused us." Ben said.

"Yea he has to." Henry added.

Since Ben and Henry had been in detention they had not had anything to eat for about two days. Also they had not had a change of clothes.

But that all changed when Mrs. Rice came to visit them. Mrs. Rice is a friend to Aunt May and she came because Aunt Mary asked her to come pay her boys a visit since she was still in the hospital.

"How are you boys doing?" She asked.

"We are doing okay." They both replied at the same time.

She gave them the food she brought and the clothes she brought.

Later in the evening, a lawyer that looked like a sales officer and a moustache that looked like the tail of a beaver.

"Boys here it is, you will get a year in custody and do four months in the community under strict supervision.

"Hmmm. That is fair enough." Ben said.

"Yes, it is fair enough because you were not caught with the stolen jewelries." The lawyer said.

Henry said nothing. He was not new to detention and custody.

"If you behave well during all that time in custody you might be let out early." He paused waiting to get a reaction from the boys.

"But the case might be different if you get into fisty cuffs with anyone in there." The lawyer said.

The boys both looked at each other and they spoke with an expression that no one could decipher.

"We hear you. We will take what they give us." Ben said.

"We don't have a choice right now." Henry said.

The lawyer left. Two days later they were arraigned in the child court and given their sentences.

Aunt Mary was there to witness it after leaving the hospital a day before that day.

"Keep your head down boys and don't do anything stupid." Aunt Mary told them both.

"We will listen to you aunty." Henry said.

"You have our word. We wiill be good." Ben said.

As they were been led to detention Ben knew he won't remain the same by the time he was going to leave here.