CHAPTER NINE

DEATH OF A MOTHER

"No! No! Mom! Please do not leave us. Please Mom" Stephany pleads with her dying mother. James jnr rushes in with his sister Lucy

"Mom?" Lucy asked with a whimper "Mom do you wanna leave us?" She asked amidst sobs and tears, streaming down her chin and her siblings are not any less.

Vivian Anthony is dying. She doesn't want to leave her children but she doesn't owe her life. She can't tell God what to do, she's in misery. The emotional pain, pain of leaving her wonderful children is more painful than why she's been in the hospital in the first place....

"Ste... Steph..." She stretches her hand as she tries to call her first child

"Mom? Mom I'm here" she takes her hand

"Take...care—" cough "of... your siblings" cough "You are...in...in charge now. You all should live in...peace...and...and harmony" cough and cough "I will always be with you my babies" tears and cough "I love you all my babies. I love—" she couldn't finish her words and began breathing fast

"Mom!" They shouted in unison

"Someone call the fucking doctor" Lucy screamed out of her lungs

"They can't do anything Lucy. They've tried" Stephany cries out

"No. No. Mom you don't have to leave us now. We need you" James jnr finally said something. His face, ear and nose red like chilli powder mixed in water.

"She can't leave us Steph" Lucy whimpers uncontrollably. Her mom is dying.

They couldn't do anything. Vivian died with a tear that fell from her left eyes. She is between going to her lovely husband or staying with her beautiful children but death couldn't help but make that decision for her. Death decided for her and she allowed it to even at the last moment. She's lost to death without even fighting it or maybe she's tired of fighting, tired of fighting death. She will miss them a whole bunch but she can't fight death anymore.

She died. Her children couldn't help but cry their eye balls out from its sockets. They are now orphans.

Alessia rushed to the hospital as soon as she heard the condition of Vivian. They are wives of William James and she cares for his ex-wife children like her own. She rushes into the ward. She sees Stephany and her siblings crying their sockets out. She didn't even notice that she is already crying.

"Vivian?" The children turned and saw her. Lucy ran into her arms

"Aunty Mom...Mom—" she breaks down again her tears coming back afresh. Stephany and her brother also hugged her. They all cried in each other's arms. What a tragedy? Vivian was a kind hearted woman, full of compassion and very passionate. Caring and an adorable mother. The mother every child wants to have. This is a big tragedy for the James' and the Anthony's family. The city orphanage and other less privileged citizens will miss her and also loose a cheerful giver like her.

"Alessia why did she die?" Stephany burst into tears again

"Sweetheart we can't ask death why. Come here" she hugs her again whipping her tears.

Soon the hospital attendance took her corpse away from the ward. Alessia drove the siblings to the William Mansion. They all went in

"I have been waiting for this day when you all will come back to live in your father's Mansion again. James never wanted it because of Vivian but he is no more and you all can stay with me and we will be one big family" she whips the tears from her right eyes. "I wish Vivian is here" the wound that seemed closed came back very fresh again. Their eyes became all moist again with tears.

"Mandy!" The chubby but slightly tall servant hurriedly answered Alessia and made her way to the living room

"Take each of them to their rooms and make them comfortable and at home" she nods and leads the way "follow her to your room. When you all get settled and ready we will go pick your things from the house but there are stuffs for you all that will do for the time being"

"Thank you Aunt" Lucy said in gratitude

"Thank you Alessia" Stephany said

"Thanks Alessia" James jnr also said

They went to their rooms but later on gathered together in Stephany's room.

"Steph why do you still call her by her name? Even you James?"

"Because it's her name Lu" Stephany answered with a scoff.

"Steph she's all we've got now"

"No. We have each other. That's enough" she is a little pissed

"Just accept her already you two. There's no Mom or Dad anymore"

"I think she's right Steph"

"You too James?" She's a little surprised that James jnr have a change of mind

"She hasn't done anything to us you know. We are just not happy that she married our father. But I have the properties, even this Mansion. My property is the biggest amongst us all and she has never tried to take any of them. And don't forget she's also from a rich family and has her own properties scattered around Washington and the world" Stephany reasoned it and her siblings are not far from the truth. She's just not happy with her because of her father leaving their mother for her but it's not her fault but her father's

"Ok I will think about it. We just lost mom" it hit them again like a hard wind and also gave them tingles like that of an electric shock. Their precious mother is no MORE. Lucy curled herself like a ball in her brother's arms and he held her. Stephany also joined them and they sobbed bitterly in reminiscence and silence.

It's another morning but not the best morning or the morning the James family want. The siblings eyes are all puffy and red. Their faces all swollen from crying. It's the loss of a mother. It's always the most painful and sorrowful. The saddest of any death.

"Good morning Mom" Alessia turned to be sure it is Stephany who called her Mom and it is her

"Stephany?" She asked her because she's still flabbergasted

"I know I haven't been treating you right and amidst it all you still care for me and my siblings just like my Mom" she swallows hard remembering her Mom "so I think you deserve the title but if you're not comfortable with it I can—"

"No no no I'm very much comfortable with the title" she said. She didn't even allow her to finish. They smiled at each other and Alessia hugged her. Lucy and James jnr comes down from the staircase to behold the site of Stephany and Alessia hugging each other. They smiled broadly.

"Mom do you forgive me now?" Mom? They wondered in astonishment

"Of course Steph"

"Hey Emily" Stephany greets the cute chubby girl excitedly

"Stephy!" She runs into her arms and she picks her up, turning around with her briefly before kissing her chubby cheeks

"How are you Adorable?" That has always been the pet name she calls her

"I am fine Stephy"

"Oh you look fine" Stephany smiled at her "can you give me those things that Mommy gives to you so I can be as cute and chubby as you" she nods while others laughed

"I love you Stephy" Stephany is touched

" I love you too Adorable"

"What about me Emy?" James jnr asked with a pout and frowned playfully

"Of course I love you all. You are all my siblings" wow they are really touched. She loves them because they are one family.

"I love you too baby sis" James jnr said with his whole heart. Alessia couldn't hold back the tears that slipped from her eyes down her cheek

"Oh, you all should always be like this" she said with all sincerity and open heart. Regardless of anything, she loves her husband's ex-wife's children. Now that they call her Mom her love for them has increased to it's fullest.

"We will Mom" they chorused and she's More than happy.

"Breakfast is ready ma'am" Mandy informs her madam

"Ok everyone time for breakfast" they all moved to the dinning room for breakfast

"When do you think we should bury Mom?" Stephany threw the question at Alessia as they ate

"In two days time if you agree"

"That's okay with me"

"Me too" "Me too" Lucy and James jnr chorused

"Then it's settled" Alessia breathed in satisfaction. They are having dinner together. She has always, always wanted all of them together.

It's hard to find a stepmom with no ulterior motives. I myself is still surprised.

Two days later Vivian James Anthony was buried by her family. It's was a cloudy day. Just like the day she died. These are days no one wants to ever experience in their lives but it's inevitable and something that must happen. We can't fight or avoid death. We just have to accept it. We have to welcome it whenever it's time.

With their black on black they buried her. Cried their eyes out. If tears can be measured, theirs can't be measured. Death is a painful thing. They have accepted that Vivian can't live in their lives but in their memories. She is gone. FOREVER.

They drove home after the burial and they all began living together. It is fun and nice just that one person wasn't there and it feels empty.

Meanwhile, Stacy and Abraham are still on their investigation. They also attended Vivian's burial and to be honest it was disheartening for them. With all they've found out about her, she is a good woman. A Martyr if they are to give her a good title.

They went back to the office to continue where they stopped.