TROUBLES NEVER END“Uncle Patrick?” I called him out the moment I saw him. I knew I was going to lose my peace for the day until I left the office.“Good morning, Uncle Patrick." She managed to greet him first.“What is good about the morning, Maven?” He asked me, staring daggers at her.“Well. I don’t know. I am alive; I do not know about you." Maven answered.Patrick snickered a little, and with shrouding square shoulders, he walked into the office like he owned her life.“I can see that you have decided to prove how strong you are and how foolishly you want to end your life, just like your father. You are late today, and that is one of the things I have planned to tell Ma Clara today.” Patrick informed her with a with look in his eyes.“Ma Clara knows I will be late; besides, she asked me to stop by her house before coming to work this morning. You can call her and confirm." Maven spoke with so much confidence.“We shall see about that,” Patrick said, bringing out his phone from h
DISCHARGEDThe moment Thomas saw Maven at the door, he began to smile. She returned his smile with a wink, and when she got into the room, she gave him a shy and quick hug.“I didn’t’ think you would show up gain." He said this to her in a more excited tone than she had when she came in.“Of course not. I mean, I had a couple of things to do at work, so I had to stay back to finish so I will not get into Grandma’s trap again." She answered.“Grandma’s trap? Is there any trouble?’ Thomas asked as he adjusted himself on the bed.“Not exactly, but she has asked that twenty percent be deducted from my paycheck this month." Maven complained with her hands lacing on each other, her eyes facing down on her feet.“Twenty percent is outrageous; what was your crime?” Thomas asked the question with suspicion in his eyes.“You think I am at fault too, really?” She questioned me with surprise in her eyes."No, Maven, listen! I didn’t mean it in a bad way. As a matter of fact, I am upset with her
GOING HOMEMaven sighed in relief as she helped Thomas out of the hospital. On his head and arm was a cast to help hold the bruises and fractured bone till they're healed. She helped him pick up the medications from the pharmacy department and led him down through the elevator. Her car was parked not too far from the entrance, and she held his hand and led him into the car like a toddler.“Thank you, Maven; I don’t know what I would have done without you." Thomas began his speech in a very solemn tone. Maven looked at him with one hand on the hand brakes and the other hand on the steering.“Why? I had to do what wives do." She answered with a smile on her face as she focused on the road. She drove through the express and then remembered that she hadn’t come with food for him to eat, at least.“You must be famished by now. I totally forgot to get food on my way to the hospital.”“It’s not a problem; we can always get food in the house." Thomas reminded her.“No! I won’t let you wait t
THE SLAPIt’s been four days since Thomas was discharged from the hospital. Maven was in her room when the call came in for her to go see Grandma.She rolled her eyes, knowing that it was going to be another section of insults and talking down, and she wasn’t just ready for all the drama at whatever family meeting they wanted to have. When he walked into the room with his cast and bandages taken off, Maven was amazed to see him stand and walk properly without groaning.“What? Its only been four days; how did the miracle happen?” She asked as she held his face in her hands.“I guess a miracle happened. I don’t know,” Thomas answered. Meanwhile, the neck piece he was wearing illuminated the moment he stepped into the bathroom to ease himself. He flashed back on how he fell on the ground in the bathroom. By then, Maven had gone downstairs to make food for them. He didn’t bother to scream because he knew no one would hear him, and even if Lady Victoria did, she would prefer he died than
CHAPTER 35GRANDMA IS NO MOREThomas pulled her out of the building so she could take her mind off what Lady Victoria had done.“Come on, Maven, you have to give her space, at least for now. It's for your own good,” Thomas advised.“She hit me, Thomas.”And what are you going to do about it?Hit her? Come on, it’s a mother-daughter misunderstanding. I believe she will come around, so be calm. Come, grandma is waiting." He said he was stretching his palm out for her. She need not think twice that he is asking for the keys. She threw it to him, and he grabbed it. He pushed the open button on the key, and when the car clicked open, he opened the door for Maven to enter.You need to be calm. Remember, you are going to meet Grandma, and right there is a whole bunch of anger you would have to carry." Thomas advised.“It’s fine”. Maven said and smiled.They drove to Grandma’s house, having fun with songs and discussion. The moment Thomas pulled up in front of Grandma’s house, her countenanc
SHE IS GONE Grandma Clara lay on the bed, breathing slowly. They all looked at her, and a great fear gripped them. Dr. Ambrose quickly called the hospital so they could bring the oxygen, and in no time, the ambulance came bearing the oxygen cylinder. “Doctor Ambrose, don’t you think we should take her to the hospital at once?” one of the nurses asked with concern in her eyes. “We can’t take her away from here. The minute we try to lift her form here, she might not recover from the attack. So it’s best to leave her and administer the medications until she is stable enough to move the distance. “Okay doctor. If you say so." The nurse stood aside and rolled the little first-aid box to the side. Maven watched their every move. She is fully aware that Grandma never really likes her, but letting grandma die a sudden death is something she cannot stand. Her uncles were going to kick her out of the company and leave her with nothing. She clasped her hands together and said a little pra
GRANDMA IS HEALEDGrandma looked at them for a second and frowned. “You mean Thomas helped me back to life, and all you could do was lock him up?”‘We thought…”"Oh, shut your trap.” Grandma lashed at Patrick for the first time. “That’s a very foolish and ungrateful thing to do. I could have been dead and gone forever, and the young man did his little magic. Release him fast." She ordered him, and that instant, Patrick called the cops to release Thomas. "Grandma, are you alright?” Maven asked her. She was sitting upright on her bed, and David had curled up beside Grandma like he was going to give her a spare life if this didn’t last.“I am fine, Maven, thanks to that husband of yours for bringing me back to life." Grandma said with a scowl, That is the typical grandma; she never really appreciates anything that comes from Maven with her heart. In about twenty minutes, Thomas showed up."Hey, thank you for your help; they told me everything." Grandma said this the moment she saw Thoma
A DAY AT THE GYMThe alarm clock rang so loudly in Thomas’ ears that he woke up jumping out of bed. Maven was already tired of having him around her space, so she secretly moved him to the guest room. Mom would only wonder why the duo stopped sharing the same room, and once she had asked, Maven told her that she needed some space for herself to think, and besides, the room was almost too small to accommodate both of them. He sprang to his feet and rushed into the bathroom. He had totally forgotten that he had an appointment with Sir Larry. Today was the first day of the fight, and he had to be there quite early. Sir Larry was already upset about the last time they had met when Thomas arrived late. It doesn’t matter if Victoria dies of hunger this time; he doesn’t truly care because what he has waiting for him in a few months is way bigger than Victoria and her entire family out together. And even as rich as the Taylors are, they are poor compared to the kind of wealth Grandpa Al Th