CHAPTER 90
Tere and Purist wondered how Vela would stay in the house and could not be taken to the morgue. They still decided to follow everything that Haggai said since Haggai was the head of the house.
Haggai called for a closer gates meeting by ringing the bell of the closer gates. He wanted to discuss with them the plans on how they would pay their last respects towards Vela.
" All of you are aware of what has happened. My daughter Vela is dead and therefore we must give her her last respects respectively. This is how we will do it. We will only take one meal a day. Nobody is allowed to work till we conduct the burial ceremony and Vela is burried" Said Haggai in a commanding voice.
" How are we supposed to pay our last respects to her and yet we have never entered the closer gates mansion? I do not think that we should participate in this because it's your family matter" said a woman from the crowd as everybody nodded their head in agreement.
" Anybody who fails to obey my orders will be taken to the cell of hell and never come back" said Haggai who dismissed everyone.
Haggai went back to the mansion and was surprised to find Tere seated at the garden crying. She was holding Vela in her arms. Haggai went towards her slapped her.
" What do you think you are doing? Vela needs to rest for now. Give her to me to me so that I can take her upstairs" Said Haggai angrily.
" Why? Are you not the one who pushed her till she fell on the floor and died? I will never forgive you for that Haggai. I want a divorce from you. You reign of ruining the closer gates is over" Said Tere angrily.
Haggai forcefully took Vela away from Tere and brought her upstairs. Tere got angry and slapped Haggai as soon as he laid Vela to rest on top of the bed. Haggai held Tere's arm and forcefully took her to their matrimonial room.
" What! Are you doing this to show me how much power you have Haggai? I have told you that I do not want this marriage any longer" said Tere as tears welled down her eyes.
" That is not the promise that you gave me when you met me at the altar. You told me that you would spend the rest of your life with me and....." Said Haggai but Lady Ruby suddenly interrupted by knocking on the door.
Haggai immediately went and opened the door. He was astonished to see that Lady Ruby was carrying a condolence flower.
" Where is this coming from Lady Ruby?" Asked Haggai.
" They have come from Ruth Bora. She's at the parlor and she is claiming that she has come to give her condolences to the family. I am sorry Sir but she forcefully entered the house"
" Is she with someone else?" Asked Haggai filled with so much curiosity.
" No! She is just alone and she is dressed in white. She says that when people die then people must celebrate and that is the main reason why she has decided to be dressed in white. She claims she wants to see Vela" said Lady Ruby who seemed to be a little bit worried.
Haggai and Tere decided to go to the parlor accompanied by Lady Ruby. They were astonished to find out that it was Faith and Ruth. They both nodded their head in disbelief.
" Faith! Faith!" Said Tere astonished.
" Faith in the flesh. You don't have to be so much surprised. It's not as if I died, I just got lost for a little while. That was how Ruth and I bonded. We have known each other all this while" said Faith smiling.
Tere was astonished to find out that Faith had not turned completely crazy.
" I thought that you told Haggai that it was only Ruth who was in the parlor .I need you to tell me what this two are doing here" said Tere as she pointed at lady Ruby.
" She does not need to tell you anything because I am the owner of the closer gates. I am Ruth Bora granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Bora. The ones that you yourself sent to the cell of hell the same way that you sent Martin. Why do you both seemed surprised that we are dressed in white on a burial ceremony?" Said Ruth smiling.
" Let me answer that Ruth. We are dressed in white because we should be celebrating her death. Her own parents have killed her and we have evidences to prove this. Do you people think we are lying? You might spend the rest of your life in prison but I can't do that because Ruth, a lady with a good heart has asked me not to. Because according to her, you are still Martin's ex wife" Said Faith.
Haggai and Tere were silent as they looked astonished. They wondered how Faith and Ruth were able to take captions of her quarrelling with Haggai. They had no idea that all of that happened because of Purist. Purist had done that and gave it to them on a condition that they could not do anything to harm Tere and Haggai. Faith lied since she did not want Tere to know that her own daughter had betrayed her.
" What do you want us to do so that you both will keep this secret?" Asked Tere filled with lots of curiosity.
" Yes and this is what Ruth wants you to do. She wants you to pack your things and leave the closer gates today. She wants Vela to be taken to the morgue. You both will only be allowed to come during her burial ceremony. I will show you where you both will live" said Ruth who sat in Magdalene's chair swimming.
" Hey woman! That is grandma Magdalene's couch" said Purist who had no idea that it was Ruth.
As soon as Ruth turned towards her, Purist ran as fast as she could and hugged her. She had forgotten that Ruth had warned her not to be too emotional. On seeing the change in Tere's face, Purist immediately pushed Ruth away.
" Why are you both dressed in white at a time like this?" Asked Purist full of pretence.
" We already explained that when you were still away girl. And one last condition, I want my brother Martin to be released from jail. Failure to do that, even the Mercy of the cell of hell is not what you will get. You will go to beggars corner and....." Said Faith but Ruth suddenly interrupted.
" And I won't help you the same way that I helped you last time. You will die but still you do not have to worry since I will give you a chance to choose. You will choose what you really want and where you want to go. Will it be to jail or the cell of hell or the beggars corner" Said Ruth laughing annoyingly.
Ruth and Faith immediately left. They did not even bother to go and see Vela. Haggai kept hitting Tere which caught the attention of Ruth and Faith who had not left the closer gates completely. They had gone to visit lady Akeshia at the servant quarters.
Ruth immediately returned accompanied by Faith. Faith stopped Haggai from hitting Tere and pushed him away till he fell on the floor.
" Haggai! Being a warrior does not mean that you are tough. I wonder where you get the strength to hit a woman. Have you forgotten the rules of the closer gates that were invented by my father before he died? Don't make me send you to the cell of hell right away. Let's go Tere" said Faith.
Both Faith and Ruth left but Tere choose to remain behind.
" You will choke to death since you have been blinded by this foolish love of yours .You allow a man to hit you and that's how you prove to everyone that you are weak" said Ruth as they left.
Haggai went forward and wanted to hit Tere but this time Tere stopped him .Tere hit Haggai till Haggai laid helpless on the floor. Ruth knew that Tere was a skilled fighter since Martin had told her when they got married and began to speak about Tere.
" Yes! I cannot allow a man to hit me and prove that I am weak. I have tolerated you enough Haggai. You have no shame to be hit by a lady and lying helpless on the floor. Lady Ruby! Call for me the mortuary attendants of the closer gates. I want my daughter's body to be taken to the morgue" Tere ordered Lady Ruby.
At that instant, Vela's body was finally taken to the morgue. Tere and Haggai parked their things as they waited for Ruth to take them to their destination. Martin was released from jail. He came back to the closer gates and was astonished after he heard the news of everything that had happened from Purist.
" That's what you get when you want everything in life" said Martin who sat on his usual couch.
MARRIED AT SIXTEEN.