Rugged To The Core

Chapter 13

   Victor was sitting on the balcony with his guitar on his thighs, his notebook and pen on a stool. He strummed his guitar awhile before hunching over to scribble on the book. He continuously did this but halted when he heard the honk of a car. His parents were already home, so he wondered who it could be. Victor sprang up from the chair, still holding onto the neck of his guitar, he walked closer to the glass railing and peered down.

     John, the security personnel rushed to the gate. After confirming who it was, he proceeded to open the gate. A spotless range rover drove in and pulled up next to the small fleet of cars. The back door opened and Maria Grace Ejiofor emerged from the car, Victor watched as she made her way towards the entrance of the house.

"What could she want now?" Victor mumbled to himself.

     Maria-Grace Ejiofor never visited, not even for her son's birthday or during one of his crises, a long time ago, she had stopped caring.

~*~*~*~

"Mark." Maria Grace called her younger brother the minute she walked in.

     Mark who was sitting on his favourite chair, reading a newspaper, sprang up. He took off his reading glasses, his eyes lit up at the sight of his sister.

"Sister! What a lovely surprise." Mark bellowed. "Come, please. Have a seat..." He sauntered to her, held her by the waist and ushered her further into the living room but she placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"That won't be necessary... Where's Ugo?" She asked with her usual cold eyes.

"Eh-he is doing just fine, his wrist is getting better although he didn't eat last night-"

"I really couldn't care less, Mark. I don't care whether he eats or starves and I certainly do not care about injuries he inflicted on himself." She quickly replied and watched her brother's face fall.

"What is wrong with you?" Mark glared at her. "Can't you even pretend to be concerned? Aren't you ashamed to say such things before your younger brother?"

"Ashamed?" Maria Grace asked, she reached into her bag and pulled out a tablet. After a few taps she shoved the device in her brother's hands. "... this is what I'm ashamed of."

"My God!" The man bellowed in horror, his eyes totally fixated on the video.

     Ignoring her sibling, Maria Grace made her way through the hallway and up the stairs, her eyes landed on the door at the end of the hallway, the one with the 'Keep Off' sticker.' She scoffed and continued her march. Rap music blared from the interior of the room, the lyrics were incoherent through the door.

     Abel was sprawled on mattress, his head was laid on the foot of the bed, his feet were against the headboard, his eyes were closed and it seemed like he was asleep but he was conscious. He was stuck in a reverie, one that featured a certain light skinned girl, his arms were around her, she was literally on his laps; he was soothing her whilst she cried.

I'll never make you cry...

     The door flew open and a few minutes later, the music stopped, silence filled the room. Abel sprang up from the bed, he turned on his knees and came face to face with his mother.

"Mum!" his eyes glistened with joy. He got up from his bed, sauntering to her but his jaw was met with his mother's hard palm, the slap drove his face to the left. He slackened his jaw and stared her down.

"What happened?" She asked rigidly.

He realised she had heard of his doing.

"He took my juice box." Abel replied with a smirk the minute he recovered from the slap.