CHAPTER 101: HE NEVER LEARNS HUH?

"Haven’t I told you time without number not to go wandering on your own!" Samantha demanded of her younger brother making him tear up. Gabriel was strong will, and they hardly ever saw him in tears, but something about the harshness of his older sister’s tone made him succumb to tears, reminding the girls that he was all but just four years old.

"B-ut," he hiccupped as he tried to get his words across.

Samantha stood her ground, her eyes narrowed as she reprimanded Gabriel.

"And what have I told you about the nonsense you go talking about to everybody about things and people that are not there?"

"But he was!" This time, Gabriel wiped his tears and insisted loudly.

"The man was there. I talked to him, and he-"

"Then, are you saying that he vanished into thin air?"

"Yes! He did. I saw him do that! I even threatened that I will tell Mama Shelb-"

Samantha snapped. She had been tethered to a thin thread since the day Shelby had gone out with her two siblings. She did not want to hear that name at all.

’Who was she to come into our lives and just take my two siblings from me? We have only had each other since Mum died. I understand that Gabriel is too trusting, but how did she manage to get even Ingrid on her side? I will not standby for this!’

Samantha’s thoughts were all over as she sternly reprimanded her brother. Deep down, she was scared that their new stepmother would take her siblings away from her so that she would be left alone. Which would be worse because at least when her adopted mother had left, she felt needed and cherished because they were there and depended on her. They were a constant presence that made her feel loved and needed.

She kept feeling uneasy with each new day that passed.

She had literarily dragged Gabriel back to their room, from what she felt was out of prying eyes. However, for once she had not seen nor met any other worker on their short trip back to the room.

"Why is it always Mama Shelby with you! She is not your mum, and she will also leave!"

"No! She will not! Mama Shelby promised me that she would not leave me! You are mean, Sam! I want my Mama Shelby!"

Gabriel screamed out in a way that they had never heard before. He stomped his feet in a rare showcase of a tantrum.

Gabriel turned and started heading back towards their closed door with determined strides.

But Samantha was not done. She strode past him and turned the lock on their door.

"What has come over you, Gabriel!"

"Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" Gabriel screamed out loud as fresh tears ran down his face.

"Mama Shelby will never leave me! She said so! She promised!"

Ingrid, who had been looking on throughout the exchange, slipped off her bed and headed towards them.

She hated confrontations, but sometimes, it just seemed like the right thing to do or intervene to let peace reign.

Ingrid was very observant because she preferred to stay in the background of everything. This did not mean that she was not interested in the things that went on around her. She just did not like to be put on the spot.

Ingrid had seen the subtle changes in Samantha since their stepmother had come into their lives. As far as she could see, Shelby was only trying to get to know them better.

Even though she also wanted her mother back, Ingrid knew that Aliya was gone forever, and that would never be possible. In as much as it hurt her, she knew that her mother was gone. She was still on the fence about fully accepting their new mother, but she was not going to push the woman away just because she tried to get close to her.

She had observed, however, that Samantha had very strong sentiments about Shelby. However, when Samantha thought no one was looking, she usually picked up the things that Shelby had brought them.

Their meals had improved because their Mama Shelby was around and ensured they got the best if she could help it.

Ingrid twisted the corner of her top and pushed up her glasses.

"Sa-man-tha, le-t it g-o,"

She said it so quietly that it was lost in Gabriel’s cries.

"What!" Samantha snapped.

"Not you, too! What do you want?"

"Sam-anth-a, please let it go." She said a bit more strongly this time, effectively shutting Samantha up.

"What did you say?"

Ingrid lowered her head and knelt by Gabriel, clumsily using the tip of her top to clean his face.

"I-ngri-d, Mama Shelby won’t leave me, right?" The way Gabriel said it made it too pitiful to watch.

"No, she won’t. Stop crying before she sees you like this."

"You promise, Ingrid?"

Ingrid froze, and Samantha watched on.

"Remember that you promised Mama Shelby that you would be a good boy and a gentleman, too?"

"I am being a good boy now, Ingrid."

"... but you are n-ot being a ge-ntleman."

That stopped Gabriel short. The tears that had been coming out seemed to have hit a stop button.

"I am not?"

"O-f course not! I have never seen a gentleman cry like this! Neither have I seen one scream because his big sister didn’t want him to do something."

"But-"

"No buts, Gabriel."

He bowed his little head as if in contemplation.

"Good boys do not do that either. So, if Mama Shelby does hear of this, then she might not take you out again next time."

"I want to go see Aunt Ava again."

"Then you will have to apologize to Samantha."

Samantha watched on as Ingrid skillfully calmed Gabriel down and that made her feel even more useless. Gone were the days when she was the only one who could calm Gabriel down when he was upset. She also itched to know who the Ava person was, but she could not bring herself to ask or even look curious in any way. It was as if Ingrid, Gabriel and their new mother had a small world that she was not allowed to be a part of.

Gabriel approached her and apologized.

"I’m sorry, Sam... It won’t happen again."

Samantha looked at the two and turned, headed straight for the bathroom, banging the door behind her.

She was still so upset that she needed time to herself. However, with their peculiar living arrangement, the bathroom was the only place she could be really alone with no disturbances.

However, whatever wall or decision Samantha was seeing, it was all her doing as she pushed everyone at length.

***

The two men dropped James unceremoniously by his car. But they did not leave. They placed their hands on the small of their back and waited for him to get into his car. In all of James’ mind and in his life, he had never felt such humiliation.

The stance of the two men was clear; they were waiting for him to leave before they did. He was not welcome there, and that was obvious.

Trying to look calmer than he was, his shaky legs carried him to his car, and he drove off at the speed of light.

Just outside the estate’s premises, he stopped and then brought out his favourite snorting tools. He stepped out of the car and did not bother to look around as he knew that that area never had anyone there.

He was in desperate need of it, and he knew that smoke would do nothing to alleviate what he was feeling.

He poured out the contents of one of his small envelopes, spread out the white drug directly on his car bonnet and inhaled it in one sweep.

He did a second and a third before he felt his erratic heart calm down.

To James, that was home for him. All the emotions, humiliation and terror that had clouded his mind like a cobweb cleared off on the second inhale, and the third was just a boost for him. He stood up straight and used the back of his hand to clean up the residue, which he then licked clean.

"I feel human now.... and I can deal with them too!"

He pocketed the remnants of the drugs and pulled out his cigarette, lighting it up and puffing out a loud cloud of smoke as his mind wheels started turning.

He stood there close to an hour chain-smoking his way into what he assumed were his logical thoughts and then, as if he had decided, threw off the final butt of the cigarette. He swiftly entered his car and drove off leaving the box of the cigarette he had finished behind. Within that short time, he had managed to smoke a whole new box of fit.

However, instead of going home or to his office, James decided to do something else. He packed his car in the parking lot and brought out the simple contract that he had been given; the new bind that superseded the old one. The anger he had forgotten about flared up once again.

"She thinks she is now smart and can hide under his protection?" An evil looked gleaned across his face,

"She is sorely mistaken. I was not prepared for him today, but it doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t retaliate!"

He looked out of his car and smiled at the uniformed people milling in and out of the place he has just parked- The T-Vino Island Local Police Station!

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