HIDDEN MOTIVES - Episode 20

“… you can’t do this Maria” he barked angrily.

“I can Jerome and I’m doing it. You have left me with no choice and as far as I’m concerned there is no going back in my decision. If you like call Jupiter or Pluto to come and plead on your behalf, I’m not changing my mind and that’s period…

“I won’t accept it, I will fight this… even if is the last thing I do here on earth. I won’t… never…” He said again swearing under his breath.

“You don’t really have a choice here Jerome. No, you don’t. So accepting this or not accepting is not a matter of choice. Is been decided and you will have to dance to the very music you started. He who fetched ant infested firewood should be ready to welcome lizard as a guest. I may probably not get the riddle right but it still ends with one message which you can relate to. This is the outcome of your doing Jerome and there’s a consequences for every action. It may not come immediately after the deed but it will definitely come one way or the other…”

He was quiet, he sat hard on the ground tired. Without looking up at Maria he said quietly.

“You have already made your point very clear, I accepted that I messed up, I have been apologising for the past one week now after the meeting with the two con artist that dragged me into this. You refused to believe that I was under a spell, they were probably remoting me and make me to misbehave like I did. Because, Maria I will never do any of this to you. I love you and I love our daughter, you and Jasmine are all that I have got. I will never deliberately dribble with my family or substitute them for anything. I will never joke with the company’s fund, I have the best interest for it at heart and can’t with my clear mind bring it down to dust after enriching another woman. Believe me… please. Kago has finally agreed to come over and maybe after hearing from him you will come to understand that none of this was my doing. I really don’t know how to apologise again Maria, I don’t know what I will do for you to believe me. Please, don’t just throw me out there into the street, how do you want me to start life all over again, where will I start from.? You’re only sending me to go and die, on a suicidal mission and if I die my blood will be on your head… I’m sure you wouldn’t want that…”

Maria looked at him from where she was sitting and shakes her head pathetically

“Clearly, you haven’t come to know my kind of person yet. When I stop caring, when I stop loving, when I zero my mind off you it means I don’t give a damn of what becomes of you. Jerome, you can go and die and I won’t even bid you you safe journey to the underworld, writing rest in peace will be bidding you farewell but since I no longer care I won’t bother. You know why because you as a person will kill me and through my corpse to the lagoon without a second thought. You have proven that in your actions and I’m not giving you any more chance because who knows what will happen next…”

“God forbids it, Maria I can never hurt you deliberately, I’m not that kind of man. I love you and will never …”
There was a knock interrupting him
“… that must be Kago..” Jerome said as he jumped up and rushed to the door.
Kago stepped in and came to greet Maria.
Jerome urged him to tell Maria what they have previously discussed privately.
He had already told Kago what to say. He didn’t agree at first but later did.

“I totally understand that you’re angry, you have every right to be. But please be merciful in your judgement, Jerome here was deceived, he must have been under a spell because those scammers can go to any length to achieve their aim. I believe it was until the spell fell off from his eyes that he realized himself. Jerome loves and value you and Jasmine. He respects you as a person and will never do this to you with a clear eyes. I have known him for years now and every opportunity he got he sings the praises of his family. I don’t know how things like this happened. Is huge and shameful, he did too much and I know you felt betrayed and hurt… coming from the very person that supposed to shield and protect you and all that you hold dear…”

Kago continue talking, Maria looked from Kago to Jerome who was continuesly nodding to everything that Kago said.

Maria suddenly asked Kago to stop talking.

“Please… please stop Kago. All of this looks more like a rehearsed poem to me. But congratulations, you did well by trying to cover your friends sins, probably you were even encouraging him in the act. A single guy, who can’t look past a fine woman having a married man as a friend, he can easily be influence into your kinda lifestyle. I don’t really blame Je…he used to be a good husband and father and also a great manager but I guess your friendship with him brought him nothing good. I don’t really blame him for all of this but you Kago for walking him down this destructive part, you probably placed a bet on who to win the heart of Lucinda and you won but due to she was married you decide to rope it on him, Je…am I correct?

Jerome nooded again to Maria.
“Yes my love, it was all Kago’s ideas. I will never do that intentionally. I value you too much to want to do anything that will hurt you or the company. Kago dragged me into this and like you know he is a bachelor that does anything he posses…he lives carefree and I don’t know how I allowed his way of life get into my head. I never wanted any of this. I told him that I’m a married man and in charge of my wife’s company I can’t afford to mess up but he kept reminding me about the beauty of Lucinda and how she was finer than you. He said you are just plain… a black woman. Lucinda was fair and sparkles, very attractive and that we look good together. I never believe him or compromise, I told him to let me be that I love my wife and can’t be deceived. I don’t know how I was manipulated at last, I still can’t explain it but it was all Kago’s fault and I’m happy that you saw the innocent part of me and know what I’m capable off. I promise I won’t let this kind of thing repeat itself again…”

Kago was shock and speechless as he kept looking at Jerome.
He had this confusing smile of not knowing how to react.

“Really Je, aaww that’s cute and sweet to know…” Maria replied smiling.

Jerome seeing the smile from Maria started talking bad things about Kago, he kept taking none stop.

Kago broke his silent and said
“Guy, truly you’re a fool. I don’t have anything to say to you again but just for your information, I’m engaged to be married and my wedding date is fixed for next month 23rd. You’re not invited…if I see you any inch close I will personally kick you out. I hope this part you’ve chosen favors you this time around…”

Kago turned to Maria and said “I’m really sorry Maria, for everything. Sincerely… I’m sorry. You don’t deserve any of this. You are a good woman and has never failed to serve me whenever I come visiting back then. I have always pray to have your kind of woman, not in wealth but in wisdom, in hard work, in caring, in humility and and family oriented. Jerome is my friend and I deserve to be blamed for all of this. I should have done better and influence him positively but I failed in that aspect. you are right in blaming me, I accept all the blames and I know my apologies can’t do much at this point but it comes from the purest of heart. I hope all of this troubles is resolved amicably but if you decide otherwise I won’t blame you, no one will blame you because is too much to take in once. Jerome is not a bad guy, he was just easily misled. I pray and hope you find a place in your heart to forgive him…”

Kago walked out after giving Jerome another annoying look.
Jerome felt ashamed and resolved to pleading but it was obvious Maria’s mind was made up.

Jerome needed to look for somebody else that will plead on his behalf since Kago failed in sticking to the plan they already had.