A Mad Man Is Someone’s Relation 1

At Mr. Denise Bailey’s Apartment
Denise woke up at 11 am and began to get ready for his meeting. As usual, he checked his phone for messages or calls before he got off the bed. He saw many messages, both random and useful ones. Then, he browsed through the messages before he punched on his security officer’s message and read through.
(Hello, boss. I have delivered the set of wears to Jude. He was truly grateful. Concerning what he can do, he said he can make music with the piano.)
He dropped his phone and walked to the bathroom to take his bath while processing the information he got from his security guard.
‘I can get a piano keyboard for him to keep him busy pending when I will meet him. I would not want him to return to the island.’
He concluded. Soon, he was ready to leave the house.
“When do you think the meeting will close?”
His wife asked when he was snacking on the dining table to avoid being hungry during the meeting.
“I don’t think the meeting will last for more than two hours. I will leave if it lasts longer than that.”
Olivia laughed heartily and teased.
“How can a Family Head leave such an important meeting?”
Now, Mr. Denise Bailey chuckled as he gulped his yogurt and declared.
“I am not a Family Head, I am only going to represent father.”
“I cannot wait to see you arguing in such a meeting.”
“Says who? I will not utter a word. Besides, what would they talk about if not the explosion at Uncle Stephen’s resort?”
Mr. Denise Bailey explained with indifference.
“Oh! I see.”
(Peck)
“I will be on my way. See you later.”
He announced as he got off the dining table and headed for the door, while his wife tagged along. He got into his car, and she bade him farewell.
“Be careful, Hubby.”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He drove to the Bailey Native Home, parked his car, and picked his grandfather’s bucket of bolts. Then, he put a call across to his security officer, when the call connected, the officer greeted.
“Good day boss. Good to hear from you.”
“Hello, officer. How is the Center?”
“The Center is fine, boss.”
“What about, Jude, How is he?”
“Jude is fine. He was delighted with the wears.”
“Really? That is good. How do you see him?”
“He is a good boy.”
“I mean, as a Security Officer, how can you assess him?”
“I can attest that he has a good spirit.”
“It is all right. You can order for a piano keyboard for him so that he won’t be bored. Did you get it?”
The security officer responded cheerfully.
“Wow! That will be nice. He will be jubilant. I will do that right away.”
“It is okay.”
After the call with the officer, he headed for the barracks.
‘Even the officer was happy because of him. He must be an impressive person. Meeting nice people at odd places.’
He reasoned as he drove off. He ruminated about how he met his wife and his face beamed with delight, and he prayed.
“God bless the man who rejected her. Otherwise, I would not have met her.”
Meanwhile, he was already inside the barracks and headed towards Gen. Trevor Bailey's apartment.
At The Military Barracks
Mr. Denise Bailey got to Gen. Trevor Bailey’s apartment at 12:50 pm. He searched out for a suitable spot to park his jalopy, which gave him much delight. Initially, he was uncomfortable, but his father made him to understand that the car was five decades older than he was, and it gave him some confidence.
‘If their grandfather was a General with a difference, they should show it.’
He said with pride as he parked his car at a spot where he can easily drive off whenever he wished to leave. Subsequently, he got off his car and walked to the hall in Gen. Trevor Bailey’s courtyard, where ninety percent of the Family Heads were seated.
“Good day, my fathers.”
He greeted them warmly and took his seat.
Meanwhile, he had offended some Family Heads without knowing. When they saw him driving in, they thought that it was Mr. Arthur Bailey. Apart from the Gen. Trevor Bailey, whom he sent a message to informing him that he was not going to be present at the meeting. He also informed him that he was going to send Denise to represent him, which he consented to. Others were not aware of that arrangement. Denise’s offense would have been minimal if he had not driven that jalopy to the meeting. To the younger generation, the car was a bucket of bolts, but to the older generation, it was a symbol of accomplishment and power. It reminded them, including Gen. Trevor Bailey, how their parents failed or died during the World War. To them, Denise came to flaunt his grandfather’s success.
However, they concealed their grudges and responded to his greeting warmly too. By 1:00 pm, everyone who was supposed to be at the meeting, including Mr. Oscar Bailey and his wife, Zoey, were seated and the meeting began. Now, General Bailey and the secretary, who were sitting on the stage, declared the meeting open.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this emergency meeting.”
“Thank you, our Patriarch.”
The Family Heads responded and Gen. Trevor Bailey continued.
“Thank you for making out time to be present.
“You are welcome.”
“Without taking your time, I would like to go straight to the point.”
He paused and observed the expression on their faces before he moved on.
“Oscar, please come over to the stage with your wife and lay your complaint to the house.”
Mr. Oscar Bailey and his wife walked to the stage and the wife began to narrate her ordeal.
“Thank you all. I got to work on Monday and as I was about to get off my car, Stephen walked up to me and greeted me and sprayed a substance on my face. That was the last thing I could remember until I woke up in a strange house."
Now, the Family Heads were murmuring among themselves, and Gen. Trevor Bailey cautioned.”
“Let’s be quiet, please. So, we can hear her story.”
As expected, they calmed down, and she completed her story amidst sobbing while her husband attempted to pacify her.
“Stop crying, Zoey. Everything will be alright.”
Afterwards, they walked down from the stage and returned to their seats while the Patriarch sought the opinions of the disgruntled Family Heads. Meanwhile. Mr. Denise Bailey had concluded the transaction of the purchase of the piano keyboard for Jude, and he could now concentrate. One of them, who was more embittered than others, spoke after Gen. Trevor Bailey gave him the permission to speak.
“Thank you, our Patriarch, for the opportunity to speak. Why is Stephen not here? I maintain that he should be here to tell us what happened because, from her story, our wives are not safe.”
His opinion caught the attention of other members of the house. Now, the Family Head of Mr. Stephen Bailey, Mr. Brown Bailey, was ashamed of himself. He was yet to recover from the rude shock that he got on Friday about embezzling the money meant for the indigents and now the case of kidnapping a fellow kinsman’s wife. Then, another person spoke.
“Stephen had caused us a lot of embarrassment in this noble family. Our family is well respected in our country. We are represented in all sphere of this nation, and we had notable warriors who had served in the military. No one in this country had broken the honor that Gen. Armand Bailey brought to us during the Second World War. We cannot allow a small boy to tarnish our image. I am of the opinion that he should be ostracized by this family.”
“You are right. Blacklist him.”
“Hand him over to the authority.”
“Why is he not here?”
“Why is his phone switched off?”
Majority of the Family Heads supported the last speaker. But Mr. Stephen Bailey’s Family Head waded into the matter
“Thank you our Patriarch for conveying this meeting. I have listened to your opinions and I want to say you are right if you feel the way you did. As for why he is not here, I cannot explain. When I tried his number, and it was switched off, I was scared. I thought he was killed in the explosion until the news said that no life was lost. I don’t know how to reach him right now, but I know that he must be trying to save his head. "

#####Chapter 88
A Mad Man Is Someone’s Relation 2

Now, the aggrieved elders interrupted him.
”We are not going to accept that cock-and-bull story.”
“Please sit down, if you don’t have anything to say.”
“You can give him your wife and daughters to abduct.”
Some other family members said as they raised their voices. When Mr. Brown Bailey’s heard someone said ‘you can give him your wife and daughters to abduct’, he became ashamed of himself and quickly sat down, and the Patriarch took over.
“Thank you all for your patience. I thought his Family Head would have started by apologizing to Oscar and his wife.”
“Yes.”
The house chorused in unison.
"That explains why Stephen did not have proper upbringing. If a Family Head cannot think of an apology unless he is reminded, what do you expect from his family members?”
Now, Mr. Brown Bailey who was infuriated walked to the last speaker and pointed at his nose.
“I will not have you insult me or any members of my family. Watch your tongue.”
Now, the Family Head that he touched his nose rose swiftly from his seat and push him backward. He staggered backward, but other Family Heads held him and enabled him to balance up. Then, the Patriarch shouted and hit his hand on the table.
“Order. What had come over you? Is there no respect or orderliness in this forum anymore?”
Then, the house became momentarily calm while some Family Heads were staring at Mr. Stephen Bailey’s Family Head with murderous intent.
Meanwhile, Mr. Stephen Bailey’s Family Head had returned to his seat with humiliation. Denise, who was catching fun as his elders were displaying juvenile delinquency, maintained an expressionless face. Now that the house had become calm, the Patriarch continued.
“On behalf of the entire Bailey family. Oscar and Zoey, please accept our apologies.”
Before Oscar and his wife could utter a word, another Family Head jumped to his feet, defiling protocols, and blurted out.
“I will not be part of this, if Stephen will not be ostracized from the Bailey family, my family will pull out. We have suffered enough embarrassment from him. From having a child outside marriage to stealing and kidnapping. Kidnapping to stealing of indigents and beggars money. We are tired?”
The Patriarch watched him speak his mind as well as others who had the same opinion with him. He was aware of the magnitude of their claim, and it would be a shame on him that the family disintegrated during his reign. That will be a mark of failure and spitting on the graves of his ancestors. He calmly pleaded,
“I am pleading with us to put down our swords. No matter what, we are still one. Stephen is our son, and our ancestors will not be happy with us if we allow him to waste. We are here to find a solution to his plight. As you can see, his business place had been bombed by angry beggars, whom he stole their money.”
Now, Mr. Denise Bailey maintained his guess with the Patriarch as he spoke as though he were not aware of what he was talking about.
“We are going to speak with the authority involved to pardon him and use the money he had embezzled as a compensation to the damage done to his resort by the beggars and indigent.”
Denise, who was aware that he did not embezzle any money, smiled, which others misunderstood as an agreement to the Patriarch’s opinion. Furthermore, the Patriarch’s address brought calmness to the gathering as he mentioned their ancestors, and they began to reason together as one.
“Yes, our father. Your suggestion is right.”
“You are right.”
“I think it is fair enough.”
The Family Heads said in agreement to the Patriarch’s idea. He was pleased with the progress and went ahead to mention the matter that was as good as fiddling with the lion’s tail, which may eat up at a glance when it roars.
“Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding. Finally, I am of the opinion that he needs a wife….”
Some of the Family Heads who he said exactly what they were thinking interrupted him.
“Yes. You took the words out my mouth. He needs a wife.”
“You are right, our Patriarch. A woman can help him to organize his life.”
Then, the Patriarch moved on.
“I think it was the urge to have a woman who led him into kidnapping another kinsman’s wife. If he has a wife, he would put an end to such obnoxious behavior. The Family Head that shamed Mr. Stephen Bailey’s Family Head when he said ‘you can give him your wife and daughters to abduct’ was pleased with the idea, but had his reservations. He lifted his right hand up and when the Patriarch permitted him to speak, he said.
“Thank you, our Patriarch. Your suggestion is good, but I am afraid if he would be responsible enough to take care of a woman. I would not have us delve into such a delicate matter without seeking his opinion. I rest my case.”
The Patriarch acknowledged.
“You are right. But I presume that in this unfavorable prevailing circumstances, our opinion as his father supersedes his.”
“Yes. Get a wife for him so that our wives can go to work freely.”
Another Family Head put up his right and stood up without waiting for permission from the Patriarch and asked.
“We should not over flood this issue. I wish to know how we are going to get the woman for him, or are you giving us the task to go on a wife hunt.”
Before the Family Head could conclude his question, the house erupted into an intense objection.
“I will not take part in such a mission.”
“I cannot wife hunt for a man with a questionable character.”
“I cannot waste my energy on such a venture.”
Now, the Patriarch hit the table to calm the house down.
“Order. You are not going on wife hunting on his behalf, I already have a wife for him.”
Gen. Trevor Bailey declared, and the Family Heads responded.
“Better.”
“That is good.”
Then, he continued and everyone listened with rapt attention to find out whom he had in mind.
“The woman I have in mind is a woman in our mist who had made this family proud. I am convinced that with someone like her by Stephen’s side, he will be stable…”
One of them interrupted him and requested.
“With due respect, our Patriarch, can you stop dilly-dallying and tell us the female psychiatrist in our mist who is capable of marrying a mad man like Stephen?”
His question erupted raucous laughter in the house. Denise, who had not said a word since the meeting, began to laugh too. Mr. Oscar and his wife laughed heartily before Gen. Trevor Bailey chuckled and continued.
“All right. Moving forward, the woman I have in mind is Nichole, the widow of our late brother, Williams. She is a…”
Now, all eyes were on Denise. Gen. Trevor Bailey, who knew that he had broached a delicate issue, avoided looking at Denise in direction. But whether he looked at him or not did not matter because Denise must make him to look at him compulsorily as he interrupted him. Then, he lifted his right hand and without waiting for recognition, rose, corrected and warned.
“Our Patriarch, for your information, my mother is married, and I would not have you mention her name again. Thank you.”
At this point, Denise took his seat at once and fixed his gaze that was unreadable on Gen. Trevor Bailey. Then, the hall became completely silent that one could hear a pin drop. Gen. Trevor Bailey, who must be bold enough to finish what he has begun, asked with a feigned boldness as he maintained eye contact with him.
“When did your mother get married and why are we not aware?”
He stood up and paid a careless obeisance.
“Our Patriarch, I don’t think it is your business or anyone else’s to know. Thank you.”
Now, the calm Family Heads were switching their gazes from the Patriarch to Denise, who was staring at him without blinking his eye. They looked at the armored car that he came with, and many thoughts began to run through their minds.
‘No wonder he drove this car to the meeting.’
‘He came prepared.’
Then, Gen. Trevor Bailey, who was in a precarious situation, mulled over Denise’s audacity.
‘Impulsive youth. He can bomb the barrack in one fell swoop.’
He chuckled and continued by dancing around the matter to save his integrity and please Denise too.
“Well, presently, we have to put the matter on hold…”
But Denise cannot be deceived. He stood up abruptly, interrupted him again and stated.
“Our Patriarch, don’t put my mother’s matter on hold. Strike it off now.”
This time, he refused to sit down, rather he stood akimbo with a repulsive look on his face waiting for the Patriarch to take a decision. Likewise, the Family Heads who had good rapport with his late father could not speak on his behalf because he did not need them. Rather, he exhibited the spirit of a one-man squad. Meanwhile, the Patriarch who was not seeing Denise as a kinsman at that moment, but a grim reaper calling for his soul, smiled to cover up his fears and declared.