Chapter 15

What kind of a mother would she be if she abandoned her child and fled to save her own life?

"Then it's settled" Kenny was saying "You both will remain but Avery's safety is still of paramount importance hence I want to propose placing a bodyguard to watch over her from the shadows. The reason for this is simple. I don't want Fred to launch a surprise attack and hurt Avery. The guard will protect her quietly from the shadows without alerting Fred. That way my mind will be at ease"

"That's okay, thank you sir. I appreciate this offer and I'll accept it" Avery said.

"And what about me?" Karen asked sarcastically. "Don't I matter or is everything going to be about only Avery?"

"Calm down, Karen. I haven't forgotten you. I will attach a bodyguard to you too but he shall stay in your house with you to protect you and spy on Fred at the same time" Kenny replied.

"Please how do I explain his presence to Fred?" Karen argued "Why can't he stay in the shadows too?"

"You can tell Fred that the guard used to be good friends with your late brother. He came to town on a business trip for a couple of weeks and you offered to let him stay at your place for the time being. Just make anything up. I believe that the guard staying at your place will make Fred act less irrational in the house" Kenny explained.

"Ken, I appreciate all you're doing but fact remains that Fred does not conform to status quo. He is already an irrational and unstable person. You'll not only put your guard's life at risk, you'll be putting mine too!"

"The guard working from the shadows will not help you, Karen. Consider what I've just told you before giving me your final answer" Kenny replied.

Karen was dissatisfied with what he said to say the least. She decided to test the waters by asking:

"Ken, since Avery refuses to leave, I can still leave, right?"

Kenny stared at her not believing his ears, "Karen, I will pretend I didn't hear those words you just spewed" He continued angrily "So this means if you were financially able to leave and Avery refuses to go, you will leave your only child behind to face the dangers that YOU brought into her life. What kind of a mother are you? You're simply unbelievable!"

Kenny was fuming!

"No, Ken, don't get me wrong" Karen panicked and cried out "I will never abandon my daughter. I'm just scared!"

"You are just scared? Of what? Of the lunatic you brought into her life? It's Avery that should be scared and not you, yet she has decided to brave the storm while you want to run away, tail between legs and to make matters worse, you're saying all this heartless words to her hearing!"

Karen frantically turned to Avery "Please forgive mom, Avery. I can never abandon you. I said what I said because I was scared, okay?"

"Relax mom, I understand" Avery said.

"Karen, you haven't given me an answer to the issue of the bodyguard yet" Kenny said impatiently.

Karen had to reluctantly relent "I'll do as you say Ken"

"I have a gift for you, Avery" Kenny said.

Avery's face lit up. "Really uncle?"

"Yes dear. I have many more but my first gift to you is pepper spray. Do you know what it is?"

"I have read about it. It's a spray having chemical components used for self defense"

"Good girl. I'm gifting it to you to defend yourself when you find yourself in a compromising situation. You may have a shadow guard but you can't entirely depend on him for your safety. Is that clear?"

Avery felt truly loved for the first time in a long while.

She beamed at Kenny "Thank you so much uncle"

"Shush! You don't need to keep thanking me. Also I'll give you two more gifts before you leave"

"No, uncle, I'm okay with just the gift you have given me. You don't need to ..."

"I insist" Kenny firmly interrupted Avery.

Kenny turned to Karen "You're her mother, Karen. With your permission, I wish to give her a cellphone and a prepaid credit card. The phone shall have Marjorie's and my numbers so she can reach us at anytime"

Both Avery and Karen became speechless moreso Karen had already started developing feelings of envy for her own daughter.

With much difficulty, Karen allowed Kenny to give Avery the cellphone and the credit card.

She was even beginning to wonder if coming to seek help from Ken will not spell doom for her instead of salvation but Avery on the other hand,was ecstatic. She couldn't stop smiling.

When they were through, they said their farewells to both Kenny and Marjorie and left for home.

On getting home, they met a fuming Fred waiting for them in the living room.

He had arrived an hour ago and become angry when he didn't meet anyone at home.

Karen anxiously greeted him first. "Honey, you're back. I thought you wouldn't come home today. When did you get back?"

"Good evening, sir Fred" Avery greeted and made to run straight to her room.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Fred's voice boomed. "Where are the both of you coming from?" He asked angrily.

"I get back from work very tired. I don't find my lazy wife and her lazy daughter anywhere at home. There's no food prepared for me to eat. Tell me, why do I have a wife if I have to remain hungry after a hard day's work?" He thundered.

Karen shivered.

This wasn't the Fred she had fallen in love with; this was a total stranger.

"I'm so sorry, Fred honey. I really didn't know you'll be coming home tonight. Avery and I went for a walk at the park. I guess we got carried away and didn't realize how much time we spent. Don't worry, dinner will be ready in five minutes"

She quickly went in the direction of the kitchen to begin cooking.