Rescued 2
“If Williams is alive, the matter would be settled at the family level, and he would take any verdict passed by the Family Heads like Oscar, but this generation would not. That is why they involved a lawyer who would ensure that our judgment favors them.”
The Patriarch mumbled while he was ruminating over the hard nut that Mr. Stephen Bailey had given to him to crack. Then his phone rang.
(Grrrrrh)
He felt disturbed because he needed time to think of the way to handle such a matter and not incur the wrath of Arthur and his family. He angrily picked his phone to cut the call, only to see the name of the least person he expected to see as the caller.
At the Government Hospital
Now, Lorene got to her office delighted and fulfilled. She had spent the weekend with one of the Family Heads of the prestigious family in Dover.
‘There is no other woman in his life.’
She thought as she smiled to herself while she walked into her office. Evelyn Whyte, who had been waiting to get the latest news, concerning their lover’s itinerary, walked to her office.
“Hi, Lorene, I am delighted to see you.”
“Good to see you, Evelyn Whyte. You are early today.”
“Certainly. I can see you had a blissful weekend. I am so happy for you.”
“You are right. It was a dream come.”
“I see. So, what next? Is he still at your house?”
“No. He had gone to work.”
“Oh! I see. Endeavor to show your appreciation to the beauty and the ugly duckling.”
They laughed mockingly and Lorene asked.
“You are right. Is she in her office? I have not seen her jalopy today.”
“Ignore her. She is out of your league. See you later.”
“Later.”
Lorene said as she resumed her work for the day. When she said, ‘we won’t miss each other for long’, she had the plans to pay him a surprise visit at his office during lunch hour. Unfortunately, Evelyn Whyte had the same plan.
At the Barracks
Gen. Trevor Bailey picked the call and waited for the person at the other end to speak because he was doubtful of the call. Then, the caller spoke.
“Hello, our Patriarch.”
Though, he had identified the voice of the speaker as Stephen’s but to be double sure, he inquired in his military style.
“Who are you?”
“It is me, our Patriarch. Stephen.”
Mr. Stephen Bailey introduced in apprehension, but the Patriarch pretended as though he was not aware of the bombed resort or any message from a lawyer, and inquired.
“Stephen? What do you want?”
Mr. Stephen Bailey ignored his question and announced his intention.
“I am on my way to the Barracks. I hope to see you.”
“I hope there is no ….”
(Cut)
Now, the Patriarch could not complete his question before Mr. Stephen got off the call. Then, Mr. Brown Bailey, the seventy years old Family Head drove in and walked briskly to the Patriarch’s apartment who was staring into the space after he got off the phone with Mr. Stephen Bailey. He motioned him to a seat, and he sat down.
“Stephen just called.”
The information from the Patriarch rendered Mr. Brown Bailey suddenly stuck for words. Then he asked.
“What did you say?”
He ignored him because he knew that he got him right and continued.
“He is on his way. He may be here any moment from now.”
Then, Mr. Brown Bailey adjusted on his seat, wondering how to receive him when he shows up. Afterwards, a taxi pulled up at the front of the Patriarch’s apartment, and a devastated Stephen got off the taxi in a wild rush. Apart from the Patriarch, he saw a man, whom he did not recognize, sitting in a couch with a death stare on his face.
“What brings here, Stephen?”
The Patriarch asked the moment Stephen, who was sweating bullets, walked into the house.
“Our, Patriarch, please can we talk in private?”
Now, Mr. Brown Bailey, who did not give him the honor of introducing himself to him, blurted out.
“Did I hear you say private? Was it in private that you called Denise’s mother a nanny? Or accuse Arthur wrongly? Was it in private that you kidnapped Oscar’s wife?”
The Patriarch added what Mr. Brown seemed to have forgotten.
“Or was in private that he embezzled the money that was meant for the indigents?”
However, Mr. Stephen Bailey’s head could not process the information he got at the same time. From the stranger’s speech, he grasped that he was aware of the issue at hand. Then, he looked at the two elders and inquired.
“Oscar’s wife?”
Mr. Stephen Bailey, whose purpose of visiting his Patriarch was to find a solution to the river of problem which was drowning him, had just discovered another problem.
“I don’t have anything to do with Oscar’s wife. I ….”
His explanation, which the Patriarch and the Family Head thought were lies, aggravated his already bad case. The Patriarch, who did not deem it necessary to offer him a seat yet rose from his couch with his military demeanor and the might of the Patriarch of the Bailey’s family and thundered.
“I will not hesitate to throw you out of the barracks after the soldiers have court marshalled you if you think you can dance on our intelligence.”
Now, Stephen was aware that he had screwed up and making excuses would cause him more troubles, so he sealed up his lips and allow the Patriarch and the Family Head to have their ways. After a few minutes of silence, Gen. Trevor Bailey spoke.
“Are you ready to tell us why you are here?”
Mr. Stephen Bailey, who was still standing and sweating excessively, looked at them like a rat that was drenched with water. He opened his mouth to speak, but no word could come out. Then, his Family Head ignored his look and declared.
“I am writing back to the lawyer that we would have a dialogue with him tomorrow by 8: am. The Patriarch will send messages to other Family Heads too. We need to secure the home front before we talk of the money of the indigents and the beggars that you embezzled.”
The defenseless Mr. Stephen Bailey, who became motionless out of dejection, nodded in agreement. Mr. Brown Bailey and the Patriarch became busy immediately. The Patriarch began to send messages to the Family Heads, who were mainly retirees, while the Family Head responded to Barr. Guidance’s message informing him of the conclusion of the family, the date, time, and venue of the meeting. After a few minutes, he got a confirmation from the barrister that he would be available for the meeting.
“Our Patriarch, the barrister, had agreed to be here tomorrow for the meeting.”
He informed the Patriarch as though he was the only person in the house who should know about the meeting, and he responded.
“It is good. I have sent messages to the Family Heads and attached the petition from the lawyer to it.”
“That is fine. I will be on my way.”
He announced as he rose from his couch. The Patriarch responded with a nod without sparing him a glance as his attention was on the messages he was sending to the Family Heads. He walked past the black sheep and gave him a reprimanding look before he declared.
“This will be the last time I will stick out my neck for you as your Family Head. If you are not here tomorrow by 8 am, you have yourself to be blamed.”
He walked out of the door without waiting for Stephen, who just realized that he was his Family Head, to respond. He became ashamed of himself because he had kept his distance from the family, especially the elders, whom he found too clumsy and outdated. If only he knew that the Elders’ Forum were sometimes better than the conventional court in resolving conflicts, especially among family members. While, in some cases, the government recognizes them as a Peace and Conflict Management Alternative. Though, they may not be as learned as lawyers, they will resolve matters better than the court without charging a dime from the fighting parties.
As for the Patriarch and the Family Head, Mr. Stephen Bailey can remain standing for the rest of the day.
At the Bailey International Conglomerate
Mr. Denise Bailey reported to the office earlier than usual due to his father’s absence. He moved his office to the Chairman’s office to avoid shuttling between the two offices.
“Good morning, Mrs. Felix.”
“Good morning, young Master, good to see you.”
“I will be working at the Chairman’s office today.”
“It is okay.”
However, he walked to the Chairman’s office and settled down on the swivel chair after he had checked the CCTV, the intercom, Wi-Fi and other things that would make his work easier. Combining his work with the Chairman’s was a backbreaking task. He held Zoom meetings with the countries that had placed an order for explosives. Some clients requested that he should find out the explosive used at the bombed resort the previous Friday and supply the brand.
“We do not have an idea of the explosive used at the resort, but we will supply something better than that.”
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