216 Who Are You?

At about 4:50 PM that same day, Leon and Ella walked into the house, chatting and laughing just like happy couples do. They had spent a fun-filled day together with Leon temporarily forgetting about his grieving mother and sister at home.

Having eaten out and satisfied their sexual cravings, they were looking like newly wedded couples, who were just coming back from a romantic outing.

Amongst the two of them, Leon was the most relaxed because he had not been able to do so ever since he arrived on the island.

Ella did not only satisfy his body, but she was able to give his chaotic mind peace. She understood him perfectly well and knew that he was a human; who needed to grieve, and not a robot.

She gave him a shoulder to cry on and an opportunity to express his pains and frustration.

Hence, when it was time for Ella and Leon to return to Nana Esther’s home, both of them felt reluctant as they knew trouble would be brewing and awaiting their arrival.

As Leon opened the door for Ella to go inside the house, Marissa rose to her feet and stormed toward the entrance, blocking Ella from going any further.

“You evil woman!” Marissa pointed at Ella angrily. Her face was drained of every cheerful emotion and filled with so much hate. “You are no longer welcomed in this house!” Go in there, pack your disgusting belongings, and leave my home and my son for good!”

“Not again!” Leon sighed out loud. H stepped forward to prevent his mother from touching Ella.

.....

“Hmm!” Ella crossed her hands around her chest and looked the other way without uttering a single word of protest. All she did was give Leon a stare that said; ‘I told you so! She would never change!’

“Don’t you dare cast more spells on my son, you witch!” Marissa hissed out loud. “Haven’t you milked him enough? Haven’t you poisoned him against his family enough? Go away! He doesn’t love you! He only feels sorry for you! Nobody loves you!”

Ella chuckled bitterly but held back her tongue. However, the rage was slowly building up inside her and she was beginning to lose her patience.

“Mum! Really! Are we back to the name-calling again? And what makes you feel I don’t love my wife? Please, mum, enough of the hating!” Leon said between clenched jaws.

“Don’t, Leon! Don’t defend that witch that you call a wife!” Marissa screamed at the top of her voice.

“Mum, calm down!” Leon’s eyes darted from side to side in search of Yvonne, but she was not in the sitting room.

From the way Marissa looked and sounded, Leon could tell that she hadn’t eaten anything all morning and this got him worried.

Her eyes were red and sunken. She looked weak and dehydrated. And when Leon’s body momentarily brushed against her skin, he discovered that she was having a temperature spike.

“Mum please let’s stop all this fighting and quarreling. It won’t take us anywhere good. Please, let’s go inside the sitting room and take a seat. You don’t look strong, you need a lot of rest. Just like I promised you, I have spoken to my wife and she is very sorry for threatening you with a knife. Aren’t you baby?” Leon directed his question to Ella, with a desperate pleading stare.

“Yes, I am!” Ella responded reluctantly. “I am sorry ma’am!”

“You should be sorry for yourself, you witch!” Marissa’s eyes shot invisible daggers at Ella.

“You see!” Ella’s eyes darkened with rage.

“Oh for goodness! Mum, stop all this nonsense!”

“You call fighting for my son’s love nonsense?” Marissa’s watery eyes widened.

historical

“Weren’t you suppose to go and scold her for nearly trying to kill me? But instead of scolding her, she ended up hypnotizing you! She made you stay away all day from your own grieving mother. You abandoned me for her!”

“I didn’t abandon you, mum! I just needed to clear my head too! I was in a foul mood and I was also hurting. Please, try to understand me?”

“No, I won’t! You should be the one to feel my pain! I lost my husband and mother-in-law, without getting a chance to say goodbye to either of them. Now, I’m at the point of losing my son and daughter to the same evil woman; who denied me my right in the first place. Look into my eyes and tell me that you were not with her all this while.”

“Phew!” Leon blew out an air of frustration.

“You see, I know you were with her! Even when Yvonne and I tried to reach you, due to my feverish state, we couldn’t. Because your mobile phone was switched off. And I can swear on your father’s deathbed that she made you do it.”

“Come on mum!” Leon massaged his furrowed forehead. “Enough already! I’m here for you now! I’ll stay by your side the whole night if you want me to. Just stop crying and torturing yourself.”

Leon tried to force his mum into his arms but she refused and pushed him away while scowling at Ella: who was busy averting her deadly glares.

“That witch is the one torturing me, Leon! she made you stay away from me. You, my only son, left me all morning to be by you evil wife. Can’t you see that she wants me dead before my time? Can’t you see that she’s turning everyone against me? She didn’t just take you away from me, but she took away your sister too.”

“This is hopeless! I can’t take all the crying and name-calling anymore! It’s not good for my mental and emotional state.” Ella said in a frustrated tone.

“Leon resolve your issues with your mother. Take good care of her. I don’t want her falling sick on my account. I’ll go lodge in one of the hotels just to give her some space to properly mourn her loss.”

“No baby, you can’t do that! Please! I need you!” Leon pleaded.

“But you don’t need your mother! She can go ahead and die for all you care!” Marissa burst out crying.

Leon felt weakened by his mother and wife’s state. He wished there was a perfect way of managing them together.

“I’ll talk to you!” Ella spared Leon one more glance and left the house looking downcast.

Just as Ella was walking hopelessly towards the driveway, an exotic white car pulled over by the driveway.

While Ella was wondering who the driver of the car was, Ivory stepped out of the passenger side, wearing a worried look on her face. She was accompanied by a handsome man; who surprisingly was also concerned for her as if he knew her.

“Ella, what has my mum done to you again?” Ivory questioned in apprehension.

“She wants me out of the house and I think she’s not feeling too well! So I decided it’s better to look for the nearest hotel and spend the night until everything is resolved.” Ella said sadly.

“If I may,” Justin interjected, “you don’t need to go to any hotel. You can stay over at my family house if that is okay by you. We have lots of room and lots of people at your back and call.”

“Excuse me!” Ella raised an eyebrow in dismay. “Who are you?”