Adams pulls up at his house a little over 10pm. His house was quiet, like the dead of the night save for a tiny flicker of light that shone through his bedroom window.
He leaves his cap and jacket in the car, takes the flowers and heads inside.
After he booked Bella in, he had taken a ittle drive and ended up in a bridge, He needed to think of what to do.
About what Bella asked, He needed to think about his marriage, to know what he was going to do with Sophia.
Sweet calm spirited Sophia, lover of his youth. The woman he had promised to spend his life with but of recent, her withdrawal, her recent lapses was a thing to worry. She had pulled away from him, shutting him out, making him open to another… Bella, who whisked in and made her bed, slowly crawling up into his heart and taking her place like one who owned it.
His addiction. His weakness.
Possibly his downfall if he didn’t play this right, he might loss her and Sophia too.
But call him selfish… he wanted both of them in his life. It was one and the other and not one for the other he has to keep stalling Bella… for as long as he could.
He couldn’t bare to break Sophia’s heart because she was too fragile . Too.. too fragile, ever since.. ever since..
No!! He shook his head.
He wouldn’t ever leave her. He promised her and that was a promise he meant to keep.
But he wouldn’t lose Bella too, He just had to find a way around it to keep the two women in his life without suspicion, without chaos and Without drama.
Yes.
Think Adams. Think..!!!
He walks in, dropping his bag and heads to the room. There she laid on the bed, peacefully sleeping.
He goes there, sitting, denting the bed a little with his weight, he ran his hands over her exposed shoulders, she smelled of lavender and rose scented bath. She loved the rose scented waters. He touches her palm, turning it. The plaster still remained where she injured herself, then He bends and places a kiss on her right shoulders, one on her chicks… she stirred, waking up
“Adams”
She whispers, startled. She turns sitting up
“Yes baby, it’s me…”
She looks around her, slightly confused
“How … how did I get here?” she askes
Perplexed he chuckled
“Like the way you always do. You drove home from work, possibly showered and got into your bed. Are you okay baby?” he says, searching her eyes
She holds her head the last thing she remembered was driving to the supermarket to get groceries … and and…
She winces as a migraine forces its way, as though her head was about to split into a million thousand tiny pieces
“Really, Adams. I – I don’t remember how I got home. I was at the supermarket, got groceries and… that was it. I don’t remember getting home.”
He looks at her, worry crossing his brows
“I saw bags of groceries lying on the table. Baby, maybe you are just stressed just go back to sleep, I would arrange them in the morning”
“But…” then she pauses, looking at the time
“It’s late. You just getting home?”
He stares at her for a minute, thinking. He should tap into the situation and she would never notice.
“No. Being here… watching you sleep. You were peaceful and I didn’t want to wake you up But I couldn’t stop the urge from kissing you” he smiles into her eyes.
Liar!!
The voice in her head screamed
She smiles. I can see through your facade Adams even if I have this lapses in one time too often, I am not blind. Not anymore. . You were with your mistress because I can smell her all over you. You disgust me Adams, You do. But I won’t react. Not today. Not now. Not until I have proof.
She smiles again. “Aww Mr W ”
She hugs him
“Am sorry, must have passed out as soon as I got home. But ..” She became serious
“I have to book an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. I really don’t feel good with all this time lapses. This headaches. It’s scary”
“Ssshhh darling. You are fine. The last Time we went there he told you..you were stressed and Nothing more. So you have to cut back on work hours, take more time for you. And get back your refreshed look. And I can help you do that by pampering you silly. …starting with your favourite flowers
He smiles picking them up and giving it to her
She smiles taking the white lilies mixed with red roses and sniffs it, Yes , she loved to smell lilies and the smell of red rose because ever since she was a child she has being surrounded by nature and ambience of beauty and they appealed to her. She smiles genuinely. . Adams knew her all too well.
“Thank you Mr W”
“Now, I would just go take a shower and join you and put you back to sleep. No excuses Mrs S.B .W” he rises
“Let me put this in ajar” she gets up walking to the kitchen and looks for a flower vase and places it on the table, with the flowers in it.
She notices his bag on the ground, she tiptoes to the room, when she hears the shower come on. She goes back out and fishes through his bag. Hoping to find something, anything, to give him away.
Nothing. She bites her lower lips, pinching the inside of her palm.
His phone.
She searches for it and realises it wasn’t there. She went to the room and looks for his suit jacket. Empty.
1. That’s strange. Where did he keep his phone Or did he carry it into the bathroom? He never carries it into the bathroom.
Well of course, now he has to be extra careful right?
“Damn you Adams!!! Damn you!!”
She goes back to the bed and flings herself on it. Then abruptly sits up. Okay, where was her bag??
She looks around, and finds it thrown to one corner of the room. She fishes for her phone. . Hoping to dial his and noticed Rebecca’s message was beeping. She opens it and reads.
“Crap. How come I didn’t see this? I hope she found something, I hope she did”
“Baby?” He calls out to her and she turns and finds him staring
“Told you, you were supposed to be in bed. Come here, drop your phone and get to resting. Chap-chap!!!” He gives her his hand, waits till she clasps it with hers and pulls her to himself,
“From today, you take care of you. I take extra care for you too. Okay??” she nods, laying down beside him as he wraps her up while nuzzling her neck
“I love you Sophia” he whispers into her ears
She hesitated for a second. A brief shy second. ..
“I love you too Adams.”
An hour later he snored beside her but she was still awake…
Thinking…
Thinking of what to do!!
*********
“Where was his phone??” He looked for it but couldn’t find it. It wasn’t in his bag neither was it in his suit jacket, they were on their way out to work.
“I am meeting the doctor by 4pm today. If you can, can you come with me… please?? ”
“Sure baby. Why not” he seemed distracted. They were standing by his car
“What’s wrong babe??” She asked.
“I just can’t seem to find my phone. Don’t know if I dropped it in the office or at the florist or …I don’t know”
“Let me dial it, maybe someone could pick.” Sophia brings out her phone and maybe he forgot it at his lover’s. Maybe she would pick. Maybe she might just have the proof she needs…
“No Sophia…”
Adams thoughts began to travel. Did he leave it at Bella’s in the hotel?
“No…Let’s try, Maybe someone found it and would be nice enough to give it back. ”
She didn’t listen and dialled, moving away from him so he couldn’t take the phone from her
Buzz buzz..
Ring.. Ring…Ring…
They turn. It was coming from the car. Adams breathed. Sophia’s lips thinned.
Damn!!. Lucky motherfxxker! !
“Oh, must have forgotten it in the car. Silly me”… He grabs the jacket and collects his phone.
“That’s new, I haven’t seen that before” Sophia observes. She notices the face cap beside it. Oh he disguises himself to go out now and buying things to hide his identity huh?
“Oh yeah! I saw it at a shop yesterday and I liked it”
He stated. Shit. He forgot all about that.
“You have tons of suit jackets, classier jackets and yet you went out to get this kind of jacket and a face cap. You don’t use face caps not since college and tennis” Sophia pointed.
He shrugs
“It was just a thing and it’s no bigger. Guess I felt like indulging and it did look good on the mannequin. But… hell!! I have to run. .” He kisses her and enters into his car. Stopping all questions. She didn’t push. She didn’t need to.
“See you later”
She waves, turning away to her car texting
“Tell me you have some freaking proof!” To Rebecca.
She waited a few minutes and follows behind her husband, making sure to stay at a safe distance so he couldn’t see her. When he drives into his office complex and disappears… she takes the next bend, parks, gets down and heads to the security ..
She needed to ask some questions then leaves.
After being sure he wasn’t going anywhere apart from his office.
A couple of minutes later she leaves.
No one could tell her any thing . She heads to her office, and on the way she decides to call his office.
*********
Adams looks through his phone, Scrolls through his call log and deletes. Went to his inbox, scrolls to messages …sees Bella, he deletes. He didn’t want nothing, absolutely anything to give him away this time.
He strolls into his office, nods to his PA and goes into his office.
She follows him, handing him his schedule for today.
“Good morning sir”…
“Good morning Rose… Any pending contracts, clients etc??”
“No sir. Just need to sign some documents. Your staff meeting is by 3pm for the budget review. And a few conference calls to potential investors and that’s it. ”
He nods. Settling in. But she didn’t leave.
“Anything thing else Rose?”
“Erm… you have a visitor” She stated.
He raises up his head and stares at her
“A visitor. Isn’t it too early?”
“Yes. A lady. She said she is your very good friend. Being waiting for you and she seemed over dressed for an office visit by the way “ she observed.
His heart skipped a bit.
No!! She couldn’t possibly show up at his office. Out of the blue
“Where is she?”…
“In the reception area.”… She replied, wondering why he looked uncomfortable
Sweats broke out over his forehead.
“Send her in”
Oh God. She… here? He mutters under his breath
His PA nods leaving him. He begun to pace the length of his office. But if it were Bella, his PA would recognise but… Bella was a first time class act. She could pull off a look that would astound anyone.
But still… she couldn’t have possibly come here…
He continued to pace.
*********
“Mr Adams Wellington would see you now” the PA offers to the woman.
The woman gets up, smiling. She gets a message on her phone which She didn’t bother to read it. She was on a mission, she puts her phone back in her bag.
Her cleavage showing a bit too much, her tight fitted dress too short revealing her thighs… her makeup slightly too much. Yes, she was dressed a bit too much for an office visit.
“This way please.” Rose walked in front of the woman and points to the door
“Knock and enter “… Rose walks away leaving the woman to herself.
Her phone rings as she goes back to her desk..
“Hello good morning. This is Rose, Mr Wellingtons Contraction and ventures. How may I help you?
“Hello Rose, this is Mrs Wellington. I don’t know if you would be kind enough to answer a couple of questions for me and I would appreciate it if you could be discreet. “.. Sophia says over the phone.
Puzzled.
“er, sure ma’am.. How may I help you?”
“For starters… My husband must not know I called. .. ”
************
Rebecca was in front of his door now, but first, she drew her dress down a bit more, and then…
Knocks!!
She opens to find him backing her, he was staring out of the view of his office window overlooking downtown.. The busy streets of a usual work morning.
“Hello Mr W”
She purrs closing the door behind her. Walking to stand behind him.
Adams turns to find himself staring at her. The last person he expected to see.
******** Downtown Castle Hotel*****
“Hello, Good morning. How may I help you sir?”
James askes the man who stood in front of him.
“Good morning, can I speak to the manager please?”
James perplexed.
“Am sorry sir, but may I ask what about? Maybe there is something I can help you with?
“My name is Peter Holmes. I am with the local police department and I am investigating a crime and we have every reason to believe our suspect, he had lodged in to this hotel a few nights ago. An eye witness places him here. ”
He flicks open a badge showing it to James and closes it as soon as it was opened. Giving James only a glimpse of it.
“A criminal.. A suspect. Here?” I am sorry sir, but we don’t lodge criminals here!” James stated.
“Yes. The same way nobody believes that sinners are the ones running the church and that Lucifer has a face and he isn’t a man running around with black horns and red skin and a tail between his legs that has spikes”… the man stated.
“I -I don’t get sir”… James was perplexed
“Exactly. Let me rephrase. Unless you want to be charged with an obstruction of justice. You would call the manager or you can just point me to the media room so I can go through your hotel camera log to see if indeed the suspect had being in this hotel. And if you corporate… I won’t file a complaint with the management and state that you allow criminals purposely to hide here in the hotel for a huge sum of money.” He states
“But you wouldn’t do that Sir because that’s not true that’s a lie!!”
James began to fidget. What bad luck had he had all week. Who did he offend in his past life?
“Well I am an officer of the law and I can state anything and it would fly. But you would rot in a lonely dark infested with roach’s cell, forgotten within a year and probably die out of depression. So what do you say?”
The man, who wore glasses stated. He opens his jacket to reveal handcuffs and a gun. James swallowed.
“Right this way sir”. James tells him.
“Atta Boy. Good choice man. Good choice”… Peter follows him to the media log room.
“We never allow people go through our camera log. We don’t either because we can’t understand the images that go in through the scrambled channels. It’s just for security reasons. Only the IT department have access to it and can decrypt it and the management gives authority. But I can talk to someone and he would let you use it, Besides it takes pretty long to get even a day’s log out and they have to process it and run it through a process to get it into a negative and then pictures and much less a video to watch. ”
“Good man. Don’t worry about it. I am also a tech Wizard. Just get me the access. I would take over from there. I do know what am looking out for.. his face is etched in my memory and He is a criminal ,I have to make justice prevail. ”
.. Peter slaps James on his shoulder. James makes a mental note to apply for another department in the hotel. A cleaner, a customer care attendant. A bartender, anything but a front desk attendant. This shit was going to put him in trouble one day. Who did he really offend? He should go to church, he had stopped going to church a while ago. Yes… confess his sins. Yes. All this bad mojo would pass him by.
He gave the man a weak smile.
**********
