Chapter 2.

It had been almost three days since Brooklyn heard from Stacy, he had called her number severally and it went straight to voicemail, he was worried but then there was more to be worried about.

Olive.

Brooklyn returned to the hospital with the money for his daughter’s treatment two days back, promising his manager at work that once they discharge Olive he would work hard and pay back his loan.

Brooklyn decided to go back home and freshen up, have some food and take some for his daughter to eat at the hospital before bringing her back to their house, he was grateful that the surgery had gone well and she would be better for a longer period if he maintained her drugs steadily. He thought about where Stacy had gone to, he had tried her number and it didn’t go through.

He wondered if this was the perfect time for her to go ghost or just do things irrationally. He took out his phone and dialed her number again, it went straight through voice mail again.

Brooklyn gave up trying to call his wife. He quickly finished up in the house and went back to the hospital, ignoring his daughter’s questions about her mother.

Brooklyn could no longer hide the fact that he was worried, he thought about going to the police station to file a missing person complaint but decided against it.

He knew that there were times when Stacy would leave the house, but she had never gone without telling him and the highest she has ever stayed outside their matrimonial home was three days and it was not even up to that amount of hours so he wouldn’t file a complaint, not yet.

After about four hours, when he and Olive had slept and woken up to prepare dinner,  Olive had taken his phone and dialed her mother’s number and this time, Stacy answered the phone.

“Why the hell…”

“Mom.” Olive said with her soft voice, and then she held the phone away from her ear, checking the screen to know if it was her mother, but then her voice gave her away.

“Olive baby.” Stacy said on the other end of the phone.

“Where have you been?” Olive asked but Stacy ignored the question and asked her to give her father the phone.

“Dad, it’s mom.”

“Stacy where have you been?” Brooklyn asked, facepalming.

“I was out.” Stacy answered nonchalantly. “I was going to call but…”

“But what?”

“Well, I’ll be home soon.. I don’t want any trouble and I only picked up the call so you’d know I’m not dead.” Stacy said and hung up.

They both looked at each other for a second before their face lit up with a smile, trying to relieve the tense atmosphere. Soon after, Stacy arrived home and found Olive in good health still she didn’t trust the fact that she was fully in good health.

“I’m home.” She yelled out but Brooklyn wasn’t in the living room, he came out from the kitchen wiping his hands off the napkin.

He thought it was just Stacy home, until he saw a man sitting in the living room.

“Who is this?” Brooklyn questioned and Stacy pushed him backward to the kitchen.

“Lower your voice, you should not have asked that in his presence.”

“Who the hell is that man?”

“Why are you pretending to not know him. It wasn’t easy getting him to do what I want.”

“What is it that you want?” Brooklyn asked.

Stacy scoffed, “we need his help and I’m doing everything I can to make it possible.”

“Whatever it is you’re saying, make it make sense.”

“I have to be with him so he can pay the medical bills for Olive.” There, Stacy finally said.

Brooklyn blinked rapidly, “Is that not Adonai, what is he doing here?”

Stacy hissed, “I have told you.”

“Wait! Are you trying to tell me you’re getting back with your ex just because you think I am not capable of paying my daughter’s medical bills?”

“And are you really capable?” Adonai asked, both Stacy and Brooklyn turned their attention to him.

“I am talking with my wife here, you have no right to..”

“Interfere, I know.” Adonai chuckled. “Why are you making a nuisance of yourself, I am only trying to help you, to make your daughter have a long life on earth and you’re making a big deal out of it.”

“Because it is a big deal and I am able to do my job. I am the one  responsible.” Brooklyn retorted, causing Adonai to laugh.

“Is that true, my love?” Adonai asked Stacy who shook her head.

“I told you he’s a stubborn one. I will just go pack my stuff. I’ll drop the cheque on the table.” Stacy said, turning to leave but Brooklyn held her hand.

“You mean, you have been at his place for the past two days and you had me worried for nothing.”

“But I’m here now. I am helping Brooks. Don’t be ungrateful.” Stacy said.

“Ungrateful?” Brooklyn repeated.

“You’ve got nothing to offer me here, I am sick and tired of living this way. This life is not for me. I don’t know about you, but I deserve a better life a good one at that.” Stacy yelled in his face.

“Do you hear that?” Adonai laughed, “my baby girl deserves a better life, a luxury life and you cannot give her that life.”

Stacy glared at Adonai.

“What? I don’t understand why you haven’t filed the divorce yet, my lawyer is a good one.” Adonai stated.

“So you’re the one pushing her away from her marriage?” Brooklyn asked, scoffing.

Brooklyn went out of the kitchen, he knew that Stacy’s mind was made up and there was nothing he could do about it, she came back to the living room with her baggage and handed him a cheque.

“I know you did the usual, you can replace your advance salary with this and pay your boss off, this is enough to last for a while.” Stacy said and Brooklyn eyed the cheque.

“Don’t be like this, take it,” she shoved the cheque in his hand.

Right there, Brooklyn had had enough, he tore the cheque into pieces, it was high time he made his life better. His wife had left him for her ex, Adonai Kingston who felt like he could stepped and walk all over him with his rich status while his wife had lied about her true agenda with their daughter ailment.

All Brooklyn had to do was make the “Call.”