CHAPTER 60

After taking a long period of time soul searching, Martin decided to finally go and face Lady Akeshia. He found Faith sleeping on Lady Akeshia's thigh. His face proved that he was a little bit jealous. 

He wanted to apologise to Lady Akeshia but his ego would not allow him. He therefore tried to wake up Faith but found it hard since Faith was deep asleep. Faith did not even want to be woken up by anyone. 

" Ma......ma! Ma......" Martin tried to say those words but the couldn't completely come from his mouth. 

Lady Akeshia felt sad and could not prevent the tears from weting Faith's hair .

" Mama! You are my mama. How much I longed to have a mother? I do not understand you. You had always been with me but yet you couldn't tell me this kind of truth. It's only being revealed by somebody who had no idea of the closer gates. My humble wife" said Martin. 

This time he spoke calmly and with a lot of respect. He did not want to make the matter to be more delicate. 

" Listen Martin, you do not have to love me like you loved your father or you loved Faith. If you do not accept me as your mother, I am fine by it. I am fine by everything. All that  pains more is that I am locked up here as a prisoner. Just let me go and I will not have anything else to do with you" said Lady Akeshia in a pellucid voice. 

She was indeed hurt by everything. She did not like the fact that she was locked up like a prisoner. She felt like a dog who was being fed only when need arose. 

" You are my mother....and when you are my mother you can never depart from me. I can only say that I will stop locking you up if you promise me that you will not leave the closer gates no matter what. We are family and we will have no choice than to stay like family" said Martin. 

Lady Akeshia widened her eyes in disbelief. She kept wondering what it was. Was it love? If it was love then it was not freedom. 

Lady Akeshia had no choice than to nod her head in agreement. At that instant, Martin allowed her to move around the mansion freely but there were strict rules and for that he had to call all the labourers.

All the labourers arrived at the mansion filled with lots of fear. They were astonished to see Lady Akeshia dressed in expensive garments which had never happen before in her life. 

" Good news has come into the mansion. A missing mother has just been found and it's all for the glory of the family. All of you understood that my younger sister had come back and you gave her a lot of respect. I want the same kind of respect to be given to my own mother. Do you all understand me?" Said Martin in an orderly manner. 

" We understand you Sir Martin but there is one thing that is bothering us. We do not know the mother that you are talking about" said one of the labourers as he was filled with lots of curiosity. 

" She had been in our midst for such a long time. You all know her and had always respected her due to her old age. My mother is no other person than Lady Akeshia and from now on you will have no choice than to call her Ma Akeshia or Mrs. Akeshia. She will be adressed just like the rest of us at the mansion" said Martin smiling as he held Lady Akeshia's arms. 

Lady Akeshia seemed resistant about everything. She had always gotten used to her social worker life. That way she gained respect with everyone. She tried to hide her resistance by trying to smile with everyone. 

An international closer gates party was held for her after the announcement was made. Faith was extremely happy while Martin did not smile throughout. It was if he had accepted Lady Akeshia for the sake of Faith. Magdalene was still in her room resting but her bed rest time was almost over as the doctor had confirmed that her health was getting better. She could hear everything that was happening from her room. Ruth had wanted to stay with her throughout but Magdalene had resisted. 

Lady Akeshia only smiled with Ruth during the party which astonished everyone. It was unlike any other mother who had finally reunited with her children. She was finally given a chance to say her speech which she nodded her head in disagreement but still Martin forced her to. This left her with no choice. 

" I am so happy as lark that I have finally reunited with my children. It was not meant but it only happened with the help of our little Angel Madam Ruth. I lack words to say . All I am filled with right now is an unexplained happiness. I do not if I should cry or laugh but I know that I should do something to prove my happiness. Thank you all for being good to me" said Lady Akeshia who sat and continued taking her drinks. 

As soon as she finished her drink, Lady Akeshia silently left to her room. This was an odd behavior. It was really unexpected of her. She was truly displeased by everything that had happened. Martin followed her filled with lots of fury. He entered the room and locked the door. 

" What was that? Really Akeshia! You just had to show the whole world that you are displeased with everything. Is that how women behave and mothers too?" Said Martin angrily. 

" I feel like I am at my wits end. You did not have to tell the whole world that I am your mother. You did not have to hold just feast celebration for me. If you want you can slap me again. It's now clear to me that I will never leave the closer gates simply because I am your mother. You can talk all you want and when you are finished leave and lock my door. Excuse me, I want to sleep or you even want to see your own mother naked which is a taboo in the society" said Lady Akeshia. 

Martin hurtfully left the room. As much as he wanted to take proper action towards her, he couldn't since Lady Akeshia's was his mother. 

Akeshia had the right to curse Martin when he wanted. 

Curse was something that people feared most since it would run from generation to generation.

People feared being called different disturbing names. This was the first time Lady Akeshia spoke her words without a single world. It was time for her to make Martin to understand that she was his mother. 

Martin went back to the party and dismissed everyone from the party. He was left with Faith and Ruth whom Everytime needed help to move around. 

" Where is mama? " Asked Faith .

It was unfortunate that she had no idea if the fact that Akeshia left her own party earlier than expected. Martin silently left the place. Faith turned towards Ruth suspicious. 

" If you are looking for answers from me, I don't know .I do not know the main reason why your mother left so early. I do not really understand anything about that. Just take me upstairs to my matrimonial room and I will appreciate it. One more thing, let Lady Akeshia have sometime alone to think how her life will change. This things just doesn't work I one fortnight" said Ruth who seemed clear and certain by her words. 

" I was just astonished that she left her own party earlier than expected. I can't help it Ruth. I want to be with my mother all the time. I want her to song for me and tell me all the exciting bed time stories. Those stories which I could have been told when I was a little child. Oh! I want to appreciate you for convincing Martin to keep my secret and apologize for what I have done to you" said Faith a bit concerned. 

" What are you apologizing for? What wrong did you do to my daughter?" Asked Naomi who arrived filled with lots of curiosity. 

" Mama! You came for me mama. I have missed you alot. Faith was actually apologizing for coffe making for me coffee the way I did not want it to be made but now I do feel fine. I had longed to see you mama. I had longed to hear you sing for me the old tunes of the old melodious songs" said Ruth smiling. 

She was very excited to see her mother. This truly meant that Martin had secretly kept his promise. It was the exact same way that Martin had secretly loved her. 

Faith left the room so that the mother -daughter could finally bond. 

MARRIED AT SIXTEEN.