Chapter 131

Olivia finally gave Pat he audience she yearned for, buy before she did, she had already heard from her sister Mira. The story Mira told her was unbelievable, she couldn't understand why Mike would go as far as planning a wedding without letting her know. At least he would have told her he had changed his mind for any reason best known to him. She was bittered the more for the sake of the child she was carrying in her. Mira had taken time to prepare her mind for the news so that it wouldn't cause her any harm. The reason for which the effect was minimal. Mira had wanted the information to get to their Mom, but Olivia stopped her, she told her to wait until they were sure of the trueness. It was so obvious to Mira that whatever her sister saw in Mike, was really strong. She wondered what else Olivia needed to believe that Mike had moved on. She had to remind her sister that the option earlier suggested by their aunt Mary, was still accessible, given that their Dad wouldn't be against it this time when he get to hear the news. Although Olivia understood what her sister was saying, she was bent on getting to the root of the matter. Hence her meeting with Pat.

Pat and Olivia moved to her mother's apartment, where they would have the privacy for such discussion. Moreover Olivia's mother and their aunt had just left the house in a car. At first, none of them knew where to start the conversation, it took quite sometime before Pat found the right words to start with. She told Olivia that she was as shocked as she, seeing the pictures and all that story behind it. Initially, she felt it was just the usual social media story that was meant to drive traffic, then came the questions and comments hay followed. At that point she knew that it had gone beyond jokes. She also told her how she tried reaching out to Mike severally, and he ignored her calls. 

Olivia kept silent and listened attentively to Pat as she talked, she felt there wasn't any need on interrupted her, even though at the back of her mind, she had decided what to do. All she needed was confirmation that truly Mike made yhà decision and followed it up consciously. She had heard a lot about people that could be induced to act in certain ways that they wouldn't ever had thought, she had also seen it happen in some movies and read it in novels too. She only had to give this a benefit of doubt, believing it might be on of such occurrences. If there was any consolation at the end, it was the fact that the child in her womb wouldn't suffer nor lack family. She had even sworn that if at the end all that had been said became the true representation of what happened, Mike will never set his eyes on the child. 

Pat ended all she was saying in an apologetic note, but before she would go far into it, Olivia had to do what she never planned, she interrupted her. Pats action got her angry, she had started shedding tears while asking that Olivia forgive her, being that she was the architect of the journey between she (Olivia) and Mike. Olivia didn't allow her to go further in her speech, she held her close on her her shoulder and consoled her. She asked her to be wrong, as it wasn't her fault that things turned out the way it did, she asked her to be mindful of how she react so as not to get her angry. Pat knew that Olivia wasn't joking when she sounded that warning, so she gathered herself together and old her that she would stand by her in any decision she took on the matter. They hugged each other, and headed back to their apartment.

On her return, Olivia met Lucy standing outside the house just beside the door, she wondered why she would stand there like one of the house keepers. When she got to her, Lucy's face was so sad, she looked at her closely and saw that there was some traces of tears that were not thoroughly wiped out. She had wanted to let her be with the thought that it might be something personal, surprisingly, Lucy spoke first. She asked that she had audience with her (Olivia). While Olivia was contemplating on the answer to give, coincidentally, Mira called her that her attention was needed inside. She had to excuse herself from Lucy with the promise that she would surely get back to her immediately she got through with whatever thing it was that demanded her attention at that moment. Lucy agreed and accepted to wait for that time. 

Meanwhile, at UK, in a nearby pub, which had an inbuilt club, Margaret and Mike were having an all time enjoyment evening together. The drink was helpful to Mike as was seen in his carefree manner at which he realized. He hadn't been in such a good mood for so long, it reminded him of his years in he university when he used to hang out with friends in clubs. He cursed married life as he drank, telling himself to enjoy since there were no one to ask him his own side of the story. From he way he talked, even though he wasn't drunk yet,  it was obvious the drinks were having effect on him. Margaret saw herself having advantage, her plans seemed to be working faster than she thought. She had thought of the best possible way to get laid by Mike, knowing fully well his mood at that period wasn't good. She knew that any attempt she made towards that would portray her as insensitive if not giving herself away as the master mind behind his troubles. Here she was, having everything on a platter of gold, without having to think or make effort. She knew that fron the way Mike was taking wine that evening, the possibility of having sex that night was sure. All she needed to do was make sure no protection was in place. Coincidentally, she was attached a period when the chances of getting pregnant was almost certain. The pub was getting filled with people, and the music was on,  Mike was so much in a happy mood that he became friends with few people around. He paid for their drinks even as he drank the more, Margaret encouraging him. 

Olivia was able to attend to the people that came to see her, after which she attended to few other things. When she was through, she didn't forget that she had an appointment with Lucy, so she hurriedly searched for where she was. Luckily for her, the search wasn't a long one, Lucy was seated at the little garden in front of one of the buildings facing their apartment, It was usually quiet during the evenings. Olivia walked up to her, and sat by her side.

Unlike Pat, Lucy didn't find I difficult to pass he message she had in mind. She told Olivia that she had gone through all the pictures, she had also read the comments that followed including questions, but she felt that something was wrong somewhere. She brought out her phone and opened the pictures, where she pointed a few things she felt were reasons for her disbelief. She also told Olivia that the little she knew of Mike, he doesn't seem like someone who would take that such action. She made her know she (Lucy) wasn't convinced. When she had ended what she was saying, Olivia thanked her, but made her to know that her sister Mira had confirmed from a family member of the household where Mike took the picture, that it s indeed a pre wedding event. At that, Lucy became dumbfounded, she didn't know what else to say, buy right inside her, she had this conviction that somethings weren't right. She asked Olivia for a favour which she obliged her just to make her feel good. She wanted time to figure things out, and would love Olivia not to take any action yet until she had made her finding.

Olivia left her and walked back to her apartment. Lucy was alone, she had so much confidence that she would figure out what was going on. She had seen it all when it comes to different issues of life, this was due to the level of exposure her past life gave her. Although she most times regret living such life, but when somethings happened, or when somethings as this came up, all those experience would become a part of not wholly the solution. She would have to make some contacts she thought, she had friends in the UK, Mexico, US and some other places. These friends, peradventure they do not know or have contact with the said family, they might look now one of two persons who know them. Whichever way it goes, all she need was result. She would have traveled for this, but for the job at hand. One of the things that gives her the confidence was that she had spent some quality time with Mike and knew his weakness.