Chapter 10

  ",..... as  i believe each one of you is aware that the company has undergone ,  ownership changes,  it is no longer under Mr Dickson Jerry. I believe you all received the memo as to the changes  , and i hope we shall all corporate under my new my management as the owner of this company  , standing up for Mr Nathans , thank you all, have  a good day." Stacey finished up her long speech it had been some weeks now since her son gave her the ownership of the company after  Mr Johns approved. Justin   along with Mr Kriss were all in the meeting .Mr Kriss was always astonished at Stacey presentations she was always quit a good presenter and clearly very smart for now she owned several companies under her son's name.

    She had accepted the fact that Brandon would be staying with Justin and his familiy as he had already established good relations with them  , she knew he was safe, with the meetings she had been attending she had quite developed  a good relation with Mr Kriss who was very curious to know who this Mr Nathan was, apparently he was the new lion in the industry  , and with all conversation he had with his grandson he had not yet add up that his little grandson was the new lion in the industry.Though he had his suspisions.

    " would i be wrong to say Mr Nathan is a little someone i know from somewhere" Mr Kriss said jokingly to Stacey who was heading to the exit door.

    " you wouldn't be wrong dad" Justin interupted them.

    " certainly he is right" Stacey assured Mr Kriss.

    " what can i say then,  am really proud of him and you too Stacey, how i wish i knew you earlier i would have saved my family from lots of tragedy" Mr Kriss said as he leaved the two of them  heading to where he had packed his car.

    " Stacey can we talk please"Justin stopped Stacey before she left.

    "Justin please dont start with that,  talk about what, you already have Brandon what more do you need??"

    " i need you ...us,  to be there for our children" Justin said looking despearate.

    " what children we only  have one child together,  or you think am carrying your children here? so that the first instance they step out of my womb you snatch them from me!!!!not happening ." she was now very angry and bitter.

    " honey , come on dont be so harsh on me , we can sit and talk about this in a better way help me be a better father to Brandon"

    " Talk about what?,   ever since you came back you have been nothing like the man i knew many years ago,  you have become a monster , you want me to help you with Brandon how ???when you couldn't even take good care of your wife !!!!!!" She was now speaking recklessly not caring what came out of her mouth she had , had enough of him , anger and rage was all she felt now and pain and bitterness.

    " i am who i become because of you Stacey" Justin tried justifieng himself. Stacey wondered at what he meant,  was he now blaming her , is she the one who choose money over them? is she the one who killed his wife ?is she the one who took all he loved from him?.she couldn't say a thing she was extremely mad , she walked out on him ,  not even looking back at his pleading eyes that were almost tearing with tears.

******

    " Thanks granny you made my favourite snack , just like mum always makes them for me" Brandon looked abit sad, as he remembered his mother.

    "You miss her dont you?" Mrs Kriss said looking at his grandchild who she  loved so much.

    " i wish her and daddy could agree and live together like you and grandpa "

    Mrs Kriss could only look at the boy and smile.

    " everything will be fine soon enough"

    "Really granny , i would love that" his mood  now brightened.

    Justin walked in just when Brandon had finished his snack and gone back to his room.

    " son" Mrs Kriss noticed the dull mood in his son , who didn't look back at her , instead he walked straight to his bedroom shutting the door with a thud ,  kicking everything in the room and breaking everything ,  throwing everything he found close to him to the floor.

    " Justin" his mother could hear everything from down and had to come to know what the problem was.

After her failed attempt to convinve Justin  to open the door, she went ahead and took the spare key and opened it.

    " leave me alone mum!" Justin said angrily to his mother.

" no am not leaving this time " she was now getting stubborn getting closer to his son "talk to me son am your mother what is it , tell me" She went calmly to him.

   " am i a bad man" Justin now leaned to his mother arms, just like a little boy.

    "No son you are not , look how happy your son is for knowing you"

  " then why ,  can't she talk to me , why can't she forgive me mum" Justin was now breaking down sitting weakly at his bed , his mother holding him.

    " Have you asked her to forgive you,  ?"

    " i try" he said looking down feeling guilty.

    " tell me everything son , what is happening?"

    Justin looked at his mother just like the days when he was a young boy when he used to confide in his mother, he needed someone to talk to and his mother was here eager to listen to him,  he didn't know how but he found himself talking saying how he was hurt , how he  felt guilty  for what happened to Sandra , his love for Stacey his mistakes thoughtless actions and bitterness.... her mother felt his son pain he was just but a man , she felt bad looking at his son cry , he had always act strong but now he just couldn't fake it , he needed help.

    "Then  do what you feel right in your heart , okay "

Mrs Kriss tried her best to comfort her son ,  realising  he had really tried to be a better man and she believed he could be a better man ,  she advised her son but let the decision be his choice.

    " don't give up son, you love her? dont you?" Mrs Kriss asked his son who had now wiped his tears off his eyes , feeling relieved half the burden after talking to his mother.

*********

    "Yes layla  i still love him, and i hate myself for it, he has done so much harm to me , he is like a monster ,  but i love him with his monstrouisity , i feel like a helpless person"

    " Stacey dont hate yourself, for that,  tell him the truth go after him, if he makes you happy don't give up on him " layla adviced her. The two were conversing , Stacey needed to talk to someone about everything that had been happening. They were in the middle of there conversation when they heard a knock at the door " someone is at the door let me go check who it is" layla went for the door.

    " Brandon ? Why are you here so late where's your dad" Stacey was caught by surprise his son was with Mrs Kriss.

    " Justin said you can now stay with him,  " Mrs Kriss answered back at Stacey who did not understand the change of mind of Justin.

    " what about the court order" layla inquired 

    " dont worry aunt layla, dad told me its solved already" Brandon said abit excited and partly sad ,layla excused herself to pick a phonecall ,  as Brandon walked over to take a glass of water after hugging his mother.

    " i will be leaving now Stacey , but before that,  can i ask you a favour"

    " sure,  what is it?"

    " can you please talk with Justin he needs that,  not that am medling but am just concerned as his mother am sure you get me"

    "Yeah i will  "

    " thank you,  " she gave her  a tight  hug as she left after giving Brandon a goodnight kiss.

    "Mummy dad was crying today" Brandon told her mother as soon as Mrs Kriss had walked away.

    "why?" Stacey was abit concerned.

    " i dont know mum  , he was with granny and was crying i feel so sad" Stacey felt abit guilty things were now getting out of hand , had she  been so hard on Justin she thought to herself.

    " layla can you watch over Brandon for me ,  tonight i need to go somewhere" layla was back looking happy after the phonecall.

    " this late???" Layla questioned her.

    " its urgent"

    "Fine  , but you owe me for this" she was back at her joking mood " okay Brandon what do you say we go to the movies with Alvin Bid"

    " cool! I wanna go , mum,  is it okay? "

    " yeah ofcourse" she went straight and picked a few things and hugged her son goodbye.

    Alvin Bid arrived an hour later to pick , layla and Brandon who was now becoming impatient .The three left  after 30 minutes of rib breaking jokes from the comedian Alvin Bid. Brandon had never laughed that much.

    The theatre was already full  , and the movie was just about to start as the three arrived , layla noticed it odd after noticing most of the people around were friends she had been introduced to oflate , the place was decorated  , and instead of a movie it was more of a stage performance a live performance  , a musical play.

Everything went so fast that she had found herself on the platform after one of the artists had requested for a volunteer and she had been picked,  amazingly she thought of saying no , but by the looks of the audience she was not going to say no to this  , then everything went dark.

"some mechanical problems " she thought to herself,  she had been placed on a sit on the spotlight with everything dark, from a distance she could see Alvin Bid  which got her confused what was happening? she got more amazed when she heard him singing a sweet love song...she never knew he could sing, everyone was cheering.

" is this really happening" thoughts run through her mind "am i dreaming " she pinched herself   " damn it is so real  , and beautiful" her eyes were now  watery.

    " layla"  Alvin Bid was now down on his knee "will you make me the happiest man in the world by being my wife"  tears of joy were now flowing down her cheeks she was silent her mind screaming yes ! Yes! Yes! , but her lips couldn't say a word she raised him  by a hand and kissed him  , never wanting to stop .

******

  As soon as Stacey left her house she went straight to where Justin was,that's what her instincts told her. she knew it was either tonight or never.

  " Stacey, ,? " Justin got shocked to see her he was not expecting her to come so late " is something wrong?"

    "No justin  , am here to talk , " she looked at him nervously "about us and our children"  Justin couldn't believe it he didn't know where to start what to say.

    " am.....am sorry Stacey forgive..... " Stacey interupted him putting a finger over his lips the other hand holding his hands.

    "Shh! dont say a thing Justin i will always forgive you even before you apologise it's okay am no longer mad at you, i just want you Justin, enough with the drama i want my husband  now cause i love you"

   " words can never express the joy am feeling right  now  , i can't believe this is happening , after everything?"

    " lets put that behind us , and be happy about now  ,i dont care about everything that happened before, all i care is that am with you , is that i love you and you love me"

    " i love you too, you spoke to my mom?"Justin tried connecting what could have brought to change of heart of stacey.

    " yes and now i understand everything  , Justin"

    " i just hope i never wake up from this dream"

    " you won't cause its real" her lips were now on his and he kissed her back, holding her so tight, never to let her go , again.