Chapter 79

f there was anything that Brains was ignorant of, that would be not knowing the relationship that existed between Olivia and Mike. He had in mind that Olivia's closeness to mike was because she and the wife were friends. So while all the movement and gist were going on, most especially that between Olivia and Mike, he didn't have any reason to feel bad. He was able to discuss with Mike on mostly everything, even though it wasn't an easy one as they had to write on a paper. When the topic got to Brains relationship, Mike was shocked at what Brains revealed about Mira, he recounted what happened between them and how she abandoned him without him having any idea of what he may have done wrong. Mike felt so bad, more so for him, he could understand how he felt. While he was writing his response to him, he noticed he was still writing, so he waited for him to get through. It took a longer time this time for Brains to finish whatever he was writing. At the end he got through, and handed over the paper to Mike. Mike read through it slowly word for word, at the end, he could only ask Brains if he was sure of what he said. Brains told him he wouldn't be joking over such a serious matter, then Mike replied him. He told him that Olivia was the lady he was talking about in the lift of his office complex. Brains told him he was lying, that was when the argument started. Brains insisted that Mike was hiding something from him, while Mike made all effort to let him know the truth. When he couldn't hold it anymore, Brains called him names and that made Mike to use gestures to ask him to get out from his face.

Brains stood up and left the hospital with anger, while he walked pass Olivia and Pat, they turned and watched him enter the car and the driver zoomed off. Olivia and Pat immediately rushed into the hospital ward, to see Mike whose mood was sad. All effort to get him tell what happened, proved abortive. At that point, Olivia knew there was problem. She decided it was time to also leave the hospital. She called on Lucy and asked that she join her in the car. As soon they got into the car, she told the driver to head back to the Hotel. Pat saw that everyone had left, she felt it would be wrong for her to leave too, so she went to the driver that dropped her, paid him and took her luggage out from the car to the hospital ward. She was beginning to feel for Mike, his predicament and the way he was reacting to whatever may have happened between him and Brains was written heavily all over him. While she say there, she began to imagine what may have been the problem, she had known Mike and Brains to be friends for so many years, and there hadn't been any complain as regards to business, money, or woman between them. She thought of Olivia, that she could not understand the reason for her anger. The way she left too surprised her. What would she do, she thought deeply for long without coming up with any idea. At that point, she decided to let everything be, and concentrated on seeing that Mike felt better. She didn't ask him what the problem anymore, rather she focused her attention and chat with him on how he was fairing. Although Mike wasn't comfortable that she was the one that stayed back, as he would have preferred Olivia, but he had no option than to make do with what he had got, in this case Pat's company. He felt he caused Olivia's exit from the hospital, but he couldn't help it, Brains attitude, reaction and response to their discussion became unbearable. He took time to respond in nice and positive ways whatever Pat asked or brought up as a topic of discussion. They discussed generally about the country and how beautiful and technologically advanced they were, using the hospital as a case study. Pat brought up the contract deal he came for and asked if the company was aware of his predicament, Mike responded and told her they had sent a message, sympathizing with him and asked him not to bother much as they would wait till he gets well and strong. With that said, Pat relaxed. She had made up her mind to sleep in the hospital till Mike was discharged, even though it wasn't part of her plan when she was coming. Her decision was to do the best she can for him, to cover up for those period she neglected him, perhaps that would make him forgive her. The forgiveness would be a huge gift to get, not minding that they wouldn't be getting back together. 

Brains had just turned on his WiFi while in the car back to the hotel, when Philips call came in. He tried his best to respond to him without giving away his feelings at the moment. They discussed a little on his trip before delving into Mike's accident experience. Brains told him he was just leaving the hospital, and added that Mike speech and sight were affected by the accident, but the latter had been restored, remaining his voice. Philip felt pity for him, when he heard that he was using a written means to communicate. Philip noticed that between lines of their discussions, Brains old sigh, he wondered what the problem might be, so he asked him, Brains who could no longer hide his feelings recounted the heated quarrelling that happened in the hospital and how he left angrily. Philip couldn't believe what he heard, he only asked Brains to get back to the hotel and rest as he would be calling him back later. They dropped the call, Phillip had to leave what he was doing to give all that he heard from Brains a thought. He could remember the day Mike told them the story of this same young lady, and how they met in the lift at his office complex, he also recalled that they encouraged him to go ahead and have fun. Brains volunteered his house for him to use in case he needed privacy. He wondered why things would turn this way, they wouldn't have thought that the same lady was the one Brains met in Paris earlier. There must be a way out of this he thought, he really and actually understood the implications of two friends finding themselves in such a mix-up. 

Brains got to the hotel, he was so disappointed by his friend Mike, he felt like punching him while there in the hospital, if not that he was still recuperating. How could he have done this to him he cried, all these while, he had been keeping Olivia in his house, even when he told him he was going to Paris to search for her. He wouldn't have gone through what he experienced over there. He sat down on the bed and gave it a second thought, he could hear the voice of reason that Mike wouldn't have known that she was the same lady, but he shrugged off the voice. He felt that even if Mike didn't know, he would have also opened up the lady to them, moreover, when he arrived Paris, and visited the hospital, his attitude when he met Mira, was suspicious. Brains thought that if Mike could refer or mistake Mira to Olivia, that meant he had enough knowledge of whom she was. The mood he had found himself, beclouded his reasoning to the point that all he had in his heart was hatred for Mike. If there was any decisions to make he told himself, it was to get Olivia back. He would do anything to win her back, after all both of them are men. While he was going through all these in his kind, his phone was ringing but he refused to pick it up. He had seen the caller and knew what he might tell him , so he decided not to pick. All he wanted was revenge. 

Lucy and Olivia sat at the rear seat of the car, while heading back to the Hotel. Throughout the journey, she didn't say a word. Lucy wondered what must have been the problem. Whatever it was, she thought, must be very weighty to have made Olivia be in such mood. This was the very first time she had seen her in such a good. She wished she was outside with them to know what happened, cos from the way things were, she wouldn't dare ask her questions. All she could recall was when she went out with Pat and all of a sudden, she walked in and demanded they leave the hospital immediately. The tone with which she said it was enough to let anyone know she was pissed. She had no option than to obey. When they arrived the hotel, she came down and followed her. That was when she spike to her. She told Lucy to move over to her room, as she would be needing her company. Meanwhile they had to stop at the bar, where they had some drink. It was at the bar that she opened up the reason for her action. Lucy then understood the reason behind the heated argument between Mike and Brains, although much was done via writing, Brains did much of the talking. She took time to tell Olivia what happened inside and how Brains was shouting at Mike. Olivia became quiet as she imagined what might have been going on in Mike's mind when all these were happening, coupled with his state of mind as he couldn't talk. She then understood why he didn't respond to them when they asked him what the problem was. Olivia made up her mind that she would drink enough of alcohol so she won't be bothered by anything. She needed to forget whatever might have happened at the hospital, including the thought that had been in her mind about Pat who she suspected must have stayed back to look after Mike. Would that bring about their reconciliation, she thought, she need not bother over that, she told herself. Everything would sort itself out at the right time. While they drank, Lucy carefully watched her, she didn't want her to mess up or embarrass herself, she made sure she didn't take much, even when Olivia was ordering her to drink. They spent a lot of time outside there before retiring to the room. Lucy had to sleep in Olivia's room that night. 

Meanwhile after the conversation between Philip and Brains, Philip felt he should plan a trip to the US to see Mike, and use the opportunity to have a one on one meeting with both of them. He felt that the issue at hand as it concerned woman shouldn't be allowed to destroy friendship that had taken years to build. He had seen this happen, and two friends turned to sworn enemies, and he made up his mind that he wouldn't allow it happen to his friends. He imagined who the said lady was that would generate such heat. That was when he tried Brains number severally, when he saw that he wasn't picking, he knew that he was pained. All he could do was pray he doesn't do anything stupid to either himself or Mike. He sent him a message to get hold of himself and handle whatever it was maturely Although there was no reply, he was sure the message was delivered and that he must read it. Phillip used that opportunity to reach out to his travel agent, and told him that he would need a visa to the US. His agent was happy, as he asked him when he would want to travel. Philip did not want any delay on the trail, he had to see them before they tore at each other. They agent asked him to send a copy of his passport via wassap immediately. Philip did not waste time doing so, he had been using the agents services for years now, and he hadn't failed him for once. He knew his onion very well when it comes to visa processing. But for American visa which everyone understood how long and the protocols, he would have gone the next day and take the visa.

At Paris, all was set for the interrogation of the almighty senator Crusoe. Alicia and Chase had gathered all the evidence, both the one from other sources and the ones they got themselves. They got up early that morning, as usual, they had to drop off Brenda on their way. Brenda who knew this had her shower earlier and got ready before them. When they were set, they all got into the Genesis and drove off. At the shopping mall, Brenda dropped, while they continued. They drove in silence all through, Chase was occupied with the program on the radio, while Alicia drove. Finally hey arrived the office, she found a good space and parked the car. Then they got down and walked into the building, straight to the directors office. Upon arrival, the director wasn't in the office. It was the first time they were meeting his absence, so they had to wait for him. Chase took advantage of the time they were waiting to peruse the papers he was having. He went through them one after the other, making sure they were complete and well typed. They spent some minutes waiting, at last, the directors car silently entered. His driver was the first to get into the office with the directors laptop and other files, after which he himself followed. When he got into his office, Alicia and Chase were already in his office waiting. The director shook hands with them and in his usual way, he drew a seat from one of the visitors seats, sat down and listened to Chase and Alicia. Chase told him how far they had gone in gathering all the evidence, and typing them out. The director was impressed, so he appreciated then for their effort. Chase handed over the documents to him, and both of them allowed him space to go through them. As the director was reading, Alica watched him, and all she was seeing, the director nodding is head continuously. It took the director quite a long time to go through the papers. He was able to spot out few lines which she corrected, before He asked them what the plan was. Chase told him that the next step was to interview the senator and possibly make him step down from his aspiration as the Senator. The director enquired from him how they planned going about it, chase told him to be their guest in the interrogation room.