Chapter 1

Clinton sat in the laundromat, staring at nothing in particular. It was a Tuesday afternoon. It had been raining non stop since dawn.

Now it had reduced to drizzles. It made the atmosphere cool. It wasn’t surprising that just few people came to drop their laundry..

Clinton couldn’t wait to go home to his Wife, Marie and their Boerbull, Max, and have hot coffee in front of their fireplace.

He took his phone from the table beside him and pressed the power button. A picture of him and his wife on their wedding day came up.

He smiled a bit and saw the date, he realized his birthday was the next day. He was going to be 30.

It’s crazy how the years fly without your permission, it’s been 30 years he came into this cruel world, “he thought”. 

He had no plans of celebrating but he thought of going out with Marie and buying them the best meal he could afford.

“Someday, I’d be able to buy Marie anything she wants and take care of her like she truly deserves”.

“Hey Clinton,a customer just called now, she said she can’t come to the laundromat tonight to pick up her clothes, I need you to deliver them”; His boss yelled from the inner room.

Clinton sighed and stood up; “what a job”!, he exclaimed.

He went to the counter to pick up the clothes wrapped neatly and headed for the door.

“Clinton, you forgot to collect the address, why are you so absent minded today? “Ms Ann said”

“Sorry boss”, he said and went back to pick the paper on which the address was written.

He came out of the laundromat and went towards the parking lot, picked up the helmet on the delivery bike, got on it and rode off.

The rain had started to subside by now, he noticed, and sped along the road.

He was enjoying the cold air as it seeped into his body through his corduroy jacket.

Finally, he was in the street of the customer, he parked by the side of the road and checked the address.

“Oh my God!”, he exclaimed, on seeing the name on the address, it was Lucy Adams!. His beloved wife’s annoying sister.

Lucy hated Clinton and never hid it, she was spoilt and rude, this made Clinton avoid her like a plague.

She always thought he was a good for nothing, cheap man who was only after their family’s riches.

She felt Clinton didn’t deserve to be with Marie because to her, he was just not on Marie’s level and class.

She wonders what made her Sister fall for him, and Clinton always gave excuses to Marie whenever she mention family dinner or functions.

Because Clinton knows Lucy will always be there and will never miss an opportunity to cause a scene and embarrass him.

He felt like going back to his boss and telling him he didn’t meet the customer at home. But he decided against it.

He was here already, he might as well drop the clothes as quickly as possible before Lucy has a chance to say anything to ridicule him.

He switched on the ignition and rode to the 15th house on the street, it was a small, cute house, “the owner is the opposite”, he thought.

He parked the bike directly in front of the house and didn’t switch the ignition off because he had no plans of staying more than 30 seconds there.

He sighed and pressed the door bell, he waited for a while, when no one answered it, he decided to press it again.

He was about to when the door was opened suddenly, it revealed Lucy, Her smiled quickly faded when she saw who it was.

“Oh it is you, my beloved brother in law” “she said sarcastically”, “come in come in”.

“To whom do I owe this pleasant surprise”, Clinton was taken aback by her words, he felt suspicious. He felt Lucy was mocking him.

He wasn’t interested in partaking in whatever game she was trying to play. 

So he turned her offer down and said; “ I’m not here to see you Lucy, I’m just here to drop your laundry okay.

“Oh I forgot, you’re the delivery guy”; “she said mockingly. She collected the clothes from him and told him to come with her.

“If you don’t want to come in as my “brother inlaw”, then come and collect your money delivery man”

Without saying another word, she went inside, Clinton had no choice than to enter because he had to report back to his boss tonight.

Lucy went inside and came with one of the clothes angrily, then she suddenly threw the dress on him and started complaining.

“You fool, you can’t even handle a dress, look at my beautiful dress I bought for 30 thousand dollars from Gucci, you’ve ruined it.

“If you can’t be a good and wealthy man, then try and work harder on your mediocre job, you can’t even do laundry properly”; “ she said angrily.

“You’re just useless and good for nothing, I don’t even know what Marie saw in you, you’re just stupid” she continued.

Clinton wondered what could have gone wrong and checked the dress properly, he realized it was juice.

He checked it closer and realized it was still fresh, which means Lucy poured the juice on the dress when she took it inside. 

He was very annoyed and clenched his fists, but he decided not to say anything, he was too tired to argue.

Meanwhile, Lucy was still insulting him and threatening to call his boss and make sure he got fired for messing up her clothes.

He said to her gently; “ I’m very sorry ma’am, is there anyway I can fix this?”

Lucy looked at him for sometime and said. “ you can wash it right here, right now and make sure it’s clean.

Clinton looked at her and wondered why she despised him so much.

It was obvious she poured the juice intentionally so she could embarrass him again as usual.

She jolted him out of this thoughts by snapping her fingers in front of his face and said “follow me so I’ll show you where you can wash it”.

Clinton wanted to storm out of her house right there and then and put an end to this embarrassment.

But he thought of Marie and the dinner he wanted to treat her to, he needed the money.

So he decided to follow Lucy, she led him up the stairs and toward the rooms.

“Aren’t you supposed to take me to the laundry room Lucy?, why are you bringing me here?”, he said suspiciously.

“Just shut up and follow me” Lucy rolled her eyes and continued to lead him without looking back.

They got to the last room in the hallway, Lucy stood at the entrance and said with a sly smile; “enter the room and get to work laundry man”.

Clinton looked at her in frustration and opened the door, the room was dark, he heard strange sounds and groped for the light switch.

He finally located it and switched it on. His sight was blurred at first by the bright light.

“Alas!, he almost fainted at the sight in front of him, his Beloved wife, Marie! was in the arms of another man!