EPISODE 36
Aaliyah
Lala looked lifeless as she lay on the floor, I was practically heart broken because I knew deep down that she was gone. Ryan made sure he placed enough pressure on the injured area. “Lala stay with me” he cried because he knew that she was dead. “Ryan, I’m sorry” I placed my hands on his shoulders in tears.
“She can’t die, she can’t die” he cried as he held my hands with Lala’s blood staining me.
“I’m sorry” I ran my hands through his hair and sobbed.
“Ryan” I saw Michael running towards us with a chestnut coloured hair guy who wore bullet proofs.
“No! No! This can’t be happening” the guy walked backwards and fell to the floor crying like a baby.
“Who’s he?” I asked Michael.
“Lala’s boyfriend” Michael said admist pain.
“I’m sorry, Lala was like a sister to me” I said as Ryan suddenly went quiet in my arms.
“He’d be fine” Michael walked away with rage.
***
Days has passed since Lala’s funeral, Ryan was distant, he hardly called me or talk to me. I tried to talk to him several times but he was so focused on taking down his dad. His mom is living with me in Brooks because she is still recovering, the drugs they gave her had a very huge effect on her and she can hardly speak or move, she just sits there like a mannequin watching us all live our lives. Louise returned back to school so I’m left with Ryan’s mom.
“I wish you could talk” I sighed as she moved her fingers and pointed at my notepad.
“You can write?” I asked and quickly brought the notepad to her with a pen.
I squeezed the pen into her weak hands and she scribbled the word ‘YARA’ before the pen fell off her hands.
“Yara? What does that mean? Is it a name?” I muttered and picked up my phone to call Ryan. I tried calling him but he wouldn’t pick up, all I heard was “hey, it’s Ryan, you can leave a message or not”
“Hey it’s me Aaliyah, I know you’ve been avoiding me but I don’t know why but if you get this message call me back, I’ve something very important to tell you, bye” I
said into the voicemail and threw the phone into the sofa, I took out my Bible and read some scriptures to Mrs Pierce and later prayed for her healing. .
Ryan
I’ve been working with Scott and Michael to try and bring down my father and John Johes but those two are sure cunning because the evidence we thought we had, the one Lala died for couldn’t warrant an arrest because my father being a politician knows the right people to bend to his will.
“Dead end! Dead end!! Dead end!!! That’s all we have. Lala can’t die for nothing, I lost my sister” I yelled as we failed again.
“I’d try and get something done and Tasha escaped our custody. I’m sorry” Scott said and walked away.
“You okay?” Michael asked moving towards my direction.
“I’m fine, it’s just very tiring and painful knowing that my dad is still out there and I can’t do anything” I punched the table angrily.
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding Aaliyah? To keep her safe” Michael asked. “I can’t lose her too man, she’s the only important person in my life right now” I sighed.
“Wow, I’m very offended” Michael touched his chest playfully.
“Stop playing man, you are my brother and you are very important to me” I scoffed.
“But not as important as Aaliyah?” He jokingly asked.
“Stop comparing yourself to Aaliyah, she’d beat you hands down” I laughed. “Yea, it’s good to see you laugh and I’m mad that Lala is dead, she was my first love and truthfully I still love her very much and now I wish I could tell her that she’s was the most important person in my life” Michael said with pain and sadness.
“Ouch, now I’m offended” I teased.
“Yea right” he smiled.
“But you need to talk to Aaliyah, both of you got less time and I’m heartbroken that I might lose you to cancer but I’ve faith that you would beat it; both of you. Don’t be scared to tell Aaliyah how you feel and spend as much time as you have with her because it may be too late. Don’t make the same mistake I made with Lala” he touched my shoulders and headed towards the door but stopped and turned “And clean this place up, it smells like a dump in here” he left and I smiled.
I picked up my phone and saw a voicemail Aaliyah left for me with countless other missed calls. I listened to it and wondered what was so important that she wanted to tell me.
“Hello” I said after she picked the call.
“Finally, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you, how are you?” She asked sweetly.
“I’m fine; I hope. You?” I asked.
“Good and Ryan don’t worry, the pain would only make you stronger and it would get easier by the day. Trust me” she advised.
“Thanks. So what’s the important thing you had to tell me?” I asked. “Errm- right, your mom scribbled something on my notepad. She wrote ‘YARA’ I don’t know if that could be helpful.” Aaliyah said and I remembered Yara Sanders, the girl who served food and drugs at the facility.
“Yara? Yes it is very helpful. And thanks for taking care of my mom by the way” I thanked her.
“No biggie, it’s like she’s my mom too, practically she is my mother in-law” she said and I laughed.
“So you are okay with being Mrs Pierce?” I teasingly asked.
“It depends”
“On what?” I asked.
“On Mr Pierce” she replied.
“I see, well Mr Pierce is happy that you are Mrs Pierce” I said.
“Good, I’d talk to you later. Someone is at the door” she huffed.
“Who? Don’t open it” I got defensive.
“It’s fine Ryan, it’s Harvey. I’m a little lonely here so Harvey offered to stay with me” she said and I was angry and very jealous too.
“Don’t let him get too close and you’d sleep in different rooms. No hugging not even a handshake is allowed because you are mine Aaliyah” I didn’t realise I was being really territorial.
“Wow, who knew you could be so jealous? Bye Ryan and I’m cuddling with Harvey after watching a very romantic movie with him” she tells me.
“No romantic movies or horror movies because that’d give him reasons to touch you so just stick to no movies because funny movies means you’d laugh together and I don’t like that” I replied with a smile curved on my lips. “Okay but I’m watching Titanic so I’d cry on Harvey’s shoulder”
“Aaliyah Thompson Pierce! You would do no such thing, infact I’m coming over right now so you wouldn’t need Harvey” I said and I could hear her giggle. “Bye Ryan”
“Bye Aaliyah, I lo-” I stopped because we haven’t said those words and it was awkward and yes I love her but it wasn’t the right time. “You what?” She broke me out of my thoughts.
“I care about you, bye” I hung up before I could say anything silly or worse.
I quickly called Scott so I’d tell him to get Yara Sanders, she could be the key to
stopping my father.
.
“I’ve got Yara Sanders” Scott walked in while Yara trailed behind him.
“Yara, it’s nice to finally meet you” I beamed with smile.
“What do you want Ryan?” She asked in her Russian accent.
“How did you know my name?” I asked wondering how she knew my name. “Of course I know a Pierce anywhere, you people ruin anything you touch” she fired angrily.
“I need your help to bring down my father” I went straight to business.
“I cannot help, I’m sorry but your father kill me if I help so leave me alone” she said and I knew she was scared.
“Look Yara, my dad killed my sister and destroyed my mom, and I know he threatened you but don’t you think it’s time to let him face justice?” I said calmly. “My mom scribbled your name for a reason because she trust you and so do I. Please help me” I begged and she gave me a calm look.
“Fine, I help you but you keep your dad away from me, I know where his computer
is, that’s where him and Mr Johes keeps all their secret but it’s going to be hard to
get it” she explained.
“Speak” I said with rage.
***
Aaliyah
Ryan ended the call and I’m sure he almost told me he loves me, I could feel my cheeks hit up as the knocking on the door came again. I ran to the door and answered.
“Harvey” I hugged him and led him inside.
“Hi, how are you?” He gave me an alluring smile.
“I’m fine, so we are watching a movie right?” I said because I was dying to see Titanic again but I didn’t want to see it alone. “Yes, you’ve got popcorn?”
“Yes and some drinks too” I smiled and went into the kitchen to get the popcorn and some drinks. We dimmed the light because it was dark and nothing is more fun
than watching a movie at night. I turned on the TV after putting Ryan’s mom to bed.
“Ready?” I smiled.
“Sure” he sat down and I played the movie. It lasted for two hours or so I wasn’t really keeping tabs but I definitely cried when Jack died, it was very painful. “So, the movie was good” Harvey seemed uncomfortable.
“Yes, very” I was about getting up when he pulled my arms and I fell on him “I’m sorry but we need to talk” he gestured.
“About?” I pulled away from him and sat at the other side.
“Do you love Ryan?” He suddenly asked from no where.
“I- I- I- I don’t know” I managed to say.
“So after they take down my father, would you still stay married to him” he asked and I saw the sadness in his eyes.
“Harvey I…” I was interrupted with a call. Thank God! I wouldn’t lie I’m forever grateful to who is calling.
“Louise is calling” I picked up my phone and walked towards the kitchen.
“Hey girl…” I trailed off.
***
Ryan
The laptop has been retrieved thanks to Scott’s expertise, we took it without causing a scene.
“I’ve got it but it’s highly encrypted so we need a hacker” Scott said holding the laptop.
“Good but wouldn’t my dad notice it’s gone?” I asked.
“The guy guarding it is temporarily asleep so we’ve got two hours before he finds out” he explained and I nod.
“The FBI hacker would do his job but it’s going to take a while” he walked away.
“Thanks Yara” I thanked her.
“No problem” she smiled.
.
Hours later Scott alerted me that it’s being hacked and we can access the files. I ran to the laptop and we started going through the files with the data analyst.
“The files are basically filled with money laundering and illegal transactions but the name Elena Johes Pierce is written all over it, she signs the deal” the data analyst explained.
“Who is this Elena?” Scott asked.
“My mom is Elena, and she is a Johes that means she is John Johes sister” I realised.
“True and if we hand over this files, your mom goes to prison too with your dad”
Scott announced.
“What the…” I muttered.
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TBC
MARRIED AND STILL SINGLE
[Broken vows]
by berlie
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