Fanny Luis had been putting series of calls across Melissa to get his confirmation straight. Since he was still in jail, he wouldn’t want to believe the news making the round in jail about my leap back to unimaginable wealth.
Two inmates had fought bloodied and all the inmates had been grounded and limited from getting entertained by the TV and games else he would have confirmed the news about my rising on the TV channels.
With impatience hanging over him and fear churning his stomach he stood at the edge of the line, nagging about Melissa not picking her calls.
“Come on daughter, pick up, pick up,” he groaned, folded a fist and the moment he stared back, he saw the queue elongating. He would have to hasten up as the inmates may begin to quarrel and initiate contention soon.
Finally Melissa answered from the other side; her voice volatile and sucked. Her surrounding was busy and noisy, which made Fanny Luis to query her.
“Where are you, daughter? You haven’t been picking your calls,” he sounded at a breath and snorted quickly, his breath thudding, “Is the news true, huh? Is your ex husband back with unlimited wealth? Day and night inmates had talked about it. I really want to know since you are out there to give me factual information.”
Promptly Melissa interrupted him through dried voice. “Father whatever you heard about Mike Don is true. Initially I doubted it until I read the papers and saw it on TV.
Fanny Luis swallowed hard, misery swamped him at the news Melissa just gave.
“Father are you there, huh?” she requested and spoke even louder into her phone once Fanny went cold on the other side, “Can you hear me?”
Fanny was obviously lost and stolen in thought as he stared in the space, rebuking the news and stylishly doubting it within himself, “Yeah, yeah I can hear you, go ahead. Tell me is not true. Tell me your ex husband is not anywhere close to wealth let alone unlimited wealth.” When he felt his eyes swim with tears, he sniffed heavily and spoke on, “Is the news really trending out there?”
Melissa recoiled. Her voice shrieking but she dared to control it, “Didn’t you hear what I just told you. Whatever you heard about Mike Don is true and not rumor. News has it that he just bought the Suburban Real Estate for sixteen trillion dollars…”
Fanny interjected, “Holy serpent!” His eyes brow corked repeatedly as he gulped dried saliva down his throat, “So it is true, but how come? How possible was that? I thought the bastard lost his wealth over night. How can a broke ass that was reduced to one hundred thousand dollars now able to afford sixteen trillion dollars for an estate?”
On the other side Melissa raised his gaze the moment the train loomed on. She was at the train station again, “Father are you asking me that question? Is that question for me? Well you need answer; I would fain tell you that sixteen trillion dollars is not sixteen cents. For Mike Don to be able to afford that amount, then the rich kid isn’t broke as we thought. Although I am yet to understand how he rose back to wealth, you must have it in mind that Mike Don is back to cancel Christmas on our ass but regrettably my ass won’t be available this time…”
Fanny’s brow knitted as he wondered what she meant by that statement. His comprehension was vague, so he was forced to ask, “What do you mean by that statement. I didn’t get it,” he kept mute for one bit and overheard the hooting of a train from her side, “Where are you, daughter? Melissa!” he called suspiciously, “Are you there?”
She forced a grin and managed to say, “Come on father, I am at the train station and booking a ticket for New York. I am leaving Rio Hondo for Mike Don…”
Forcefully Fanny protested, courting the attention of onlookers, “No! No! Stop! Stop right there, Melissa don’t do that! Daughter!” he called harshly.
“Father!” she replied from the other side and stared with impatience as passengers queued up at the train to board in, “Listen up father, Mike Don is possessed with unlimited wealth. The poorer he gets the richer he becomes and I am not going to perch around and watch him humiliate me with his wealth and influence.”
Fanny interposed her, “Come on daughter, don’t leave Rio Hondo because of your ex husband. I understand your plight but you must realize that he is not the owner of Rio Hondo. You should rather foster a thick skin against his vengeance and pretend he doesn’t exist…”
Melissa started advancing to the train, “Drop it, father, it is too late. And to think of the fact that you are yet to understand Mike Don and what he is capable of doing makes me sick in the stomach. That maggot has made life unbearable for me. He owns the world let alone Rio Hondo. I feel chopped and bitter each time I see his wife, Clara Roham spend huge money and live luxuriously .Regret bites my skull each time I realize that I lost my marriage to our delivery girl…” her voice broke down in tears and she sniffed hugely, “Oh father the embarrassment is just too much. I can’t stand Mike Don anymore. So much regret is piling Up my stomach and If I stay back , I may contemplate suicide.”
“No! No! Melissa! Don’t go, please. Something tells me if you go, you will never return. If you pretend Mike Don doesn’t exist you wouldn’t feel hurt and regret.”
She rebuked him through tears, “Stop this, father! Mike Don is trending now. Do you know to date Forbes is yet to calculate his total net worth, huh? Mike Don is back with his usual intimidating wealth. He is everywhere, father, even I breathe him. I just have to go father. I will be fine when I do…”
“Melissa! Melissa! Hold on, Melissa!”Fanny called.
But she had hung up.
When she finally booked a ticket and got on the train, her gaze caught sight of me and my wife Clara on the TV where we had an interview with Forbes.
She masked her face with her trembling arms and broke down in tears…
Vengeance ahead…