CHAPTER 75

That was what it entailed to be a woman in their society. She had to fulfill her motherly responsibilities as she awaited for Martin to return. 

Martin arrived at the closer gates filled with lots of anger. He told Akeshia to gather everyone including the servants and their nuclear families. Martin knew that this was a better way to get them to talk. 

" Who prepared the meal taken by my daughter Purist?" Asked Martin angrily. 

Everybody was silent. Not until Martin took his cane and started to stroke them one by one. When he approached Lady Ruby, she tensed asking him not to beat her up.

" Stop it Sir. Purist's food has been prepared by Ruth your wife" said Lady Ruby smiling. 

" Impossible! Ruth , Purist and ate from the same plate .There is no way that Ruth would poison herself" said Martin contemplating what Ruth had said. 

" Well! I thought she did it since she cooked the food" said Lady Ruby a bit hesitantly. 

" Now! I want everyone out including my mom, Faith and Akeshia except Lady Ruby. She and I have serious business to talk. No! We are going to the hospital to. Someone needs to stay by Ruth and that person is none other than Lady Ruby. Lady Nana will take care of the mansion duties" said Martin. 

Everybody left. Martin held Lady Ruby's arm tightly and led her to the car. They entered the car and left the hospital. 

Meanwhile, Faith and Akeshia were busy conversing to each other at Akeshia's room. Akeshia seemed furious in Faith. 

" Why did you do it? You didn't have to poison that little child. I told you to give the poisoned apples to Ruth" said Akeshia angrily.

" Mama! The fruits did not really reach Ruth since I fell on the mud and they got dirt. I think the person who might have been Ruth is her greatest enemy. I just don't understand why the person had to drag a little child in it. This is unusual mama" said Faith a bit tensed. 

" Listen Faith. We have to find the person and end this or else we will be victims too since we are close to Ruth. But remember to make sure that you do not go to prison. They might have sufficient evidence but you are smarter than that" said Akeshia smiling.

" Yes Mama. I am clever than that. Nobody will ever find the knife since I burried it underground in the garden and nobody will ever think of looking for it there" said Faith laughing annoyingly. 

Magdalene who had been listening to them all this while widened her eyes in disbelief. On seeing them, she wanted to leave but they stopped her. Magdalene looked at them angrily. 

" You wanted to poison my granddaughter. You too are shameless. You are leaving this house today" shouted Magdalene angrily. 

Everybody in the house shook their head in disbelief. Before Magdalene could utter any word, Akeshia tried to slap her but somebody stopped her and pushed away till she fell on the floor. Akeshia turned and looked at the person who tried to push her away, she was surprised to find out that the person Ruth .

" Now listen you dumb assholes. You don't dare try to slap my grandma again or else you will slap yourself. What? Surprised that this little teenager girl was at the hospital. How did she come back home? Did she leave her mother there on her own? No! You don't need to be because no such thing will ever happen" said Ruth. 

Faith and Akeshia were silent. They had never felt embarrassed like they felt today. That feeling was unexplainable. 

" We underestimated you....." Said Akeshia but Ruth suddenly interrupted. 

" You do not need to underestimate. Anybody who has grown up to my kind of society would let anyone to disrespect someone who is elder than them. This is very bad of you Akeshia. I can't believe it. Let's go grandma" shouted Ruth. 

Magdalene and Ruth immediately left the room. They went to the garden. The sat there silent for a while before Ruth suddenly broke the silence. 

" Grandma! I don't want you in this house alone. That's why the both of us have to go to the hospital and stay with mum together. I want Akeshia and Faith out of this house too" said Ruth.

" It will happen. You do not have to worry Ruth. I want them to leave at midnight. They should be frustrated and hurt. They should be scared . I am glad you came to save me or else I do not know what they could have done to an older woman like me" said Magdalene smiling. 

Ruth lay on her chest and closed her eyes. She felt she missed the love of Naomi. She had missed being close to Naomi like that.  She decided to protect Magdalene since she did not want to loose anyone in her life ever again. The pain of loosing her mother was enough for her. Ruth had no idea that she had been set up as the one who poisoned Purist. She had not met Martin at the hospital since she left before Martin had arrived.

" Did you gave food to Purist?" Asked Magdalene filled with lots of curiosity. 

Magdalene did not want to live on any more assumptions, therefore she felt it right to ask Ruth . Magdalene wanted to be the one to defend Ruth despite anything. 

" No grandma. Purist ate the food from the same plate as Martin and I . I prepared this meal with whole my heart. Wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that you suspect that I was the one who poisoned Purist?" Said Ruth astonished. 

Magdalene was surprised by Ruth's question. How could she guess such a thing? And of course, Magdalene did not suspect her. She only knew that the people who were suspecting her would not rest till she was finally behind bars. 

" Not that  but the person who might be suspecting you is Martin and there is a witness. Lady Ruby claims to be the witness who witnessed the whole occasion. I do not want to believe it since I know that my Ruth would not dare to do anything like that" said Magdalene smiling.

Ruth wanted to hold Magdalene's arm but this time somebody pushed her away till she got her head on the ground. She was astonished to find out that it was Martin whom she had thought had gone to the hospital. 

" You wanted to kill my daughter. What did you think that you would gain by that? Did I not accept the fact that you were going to send Faith to prison. What was the need to involve a little child in this? I am very disappointed with you Ruth. Your truth is now know to the public" said Martin shouting angrily. 

" Ruth did not....." Said Magdalene as Martin interrupted her. 

" Do not interfere when I am disciplining my own wife. I know that she did it and  I will never forgive her for that. I will never forgive for the fact that she tried to kill my own daughter. This tiny pest of mine. You are just a bother and boresome in my life. I wish I never met you nor fell in love with you" shouted Martin at Ruth. 

" Then it's fine if you believe that I was capable of doing such a thing. You can pass your judgement. Send d me to jail right now. I deserve to be there since I am a murderer" Ruth shouted crying .

" This won't happen till I have made you pay for what you have done to my daughter. You must pay for causing harm to my little princess. She was just an innocent child who loved and cherished you like a mother" said Martin.

" You are right. If I am not a good mother, then I don't have to be a good wife to you too. I can't believe that you would doubt me Martin. Why? Yet you have known me since we married more . I thought you would predict what I am capable and what I am not capable of but I was mistaken. You were not my husband, you were just an image of my husband. You are an idiot Martin. I still can't believe you would even allow me to state my own opinion" said Ruth who left the garden. 

Martin stood there silent for a while . What Ruth had said had some true meaning in it?

" You just lost your trust in me Martin. I do not think that i have to be here anymore. Allow me to leave and go to my room" said Magdalene. 

Faith tried to help her upstairs but Magdalene refused her help. She promised herself not to speak about the truth till she knew the whole truth if what had just happened. 

Strange things were happening. All because of the possessiveness of the power of the closer gates. 

This was it. 

MARRIED AT SIXTEEN.