53

Driver - Joe almost taught they were on a City - tour or something because they first left home to Kathleen's Place then Kyle's place and now to an orphanage home.

It's more like a City - Planning.



The car didn't stop till it got to a wide gate and it continued to drive when the gate was opened..



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(At The Orphanage Home)



"Hello, Mrs and It's nice to see you again Mr Anderson! I remember you very well, Who would ever forget someone like you? " A lady dressed like a Nun said when they entered her office.



"Oh Good but I'm sorry it's been really long and I... I forgot your name" Mr Anderson told her.. Trying not to make her feel embarrassed, She remembers him since 19 years ago but he has forgotten her name. He wouldn't have recognized her also without the big black mole (dot) on her cheek. She has aged alot, looking really older than him.

"Sister...? "



"Just call me by my name, Martha" She told him.



"Oh yeah, Martha"



"Mrs Pitt" Kyle's mom introduced herself to her.



"Oh Welcome Mrs Pitt. And how can I help you? Oh Mr Anderson! How is he? That Child you always wanted to take care of" Martha exclaimed.



"And we are here because of that Child " Mrs Pitt spoke before him.



"Ok..ay. Go On"



"Mr Anderson told me a particular necklace has been around his neck since he took him from here.. "



"Oh really? I never noticed. I guess he came here with it 'cos we never bought or gave him any necklace. So what's about the necklace? "



"It's mine. I mean my Husband's... The necklace has been on his neck before he came here? "



"Yeah" She said drawing out several drawers from the table in front of her, then she last opened one and brought out a blue file.

"The Lucky Child" She reads.

"That's the name we gave him when he came here. He and his mom was involved in car accident and his mom passed away"



"Ye-ah, Mr Anderson already said so"



"And he stayed with us for a year before Harry Anderson came for him. We didn't find anyone who knows him, so there's no way we can tell how he got your necklace" She said.



"I'm...just perplexed" I said.

"B'cos this very necklace was given to my first Ch.... Hold on, can you tell me the name of the woman who died? " Mrs Pitt asked.



"Okay.. You don't expect me to keep the names by heart you know.. " Martha said and turned a page of the blue file she brought out.

"We found few of her papers and jotted down her name"

"Maltida, Matilda" She read out of the book.



"Maltida? "



"Do have her pictures " She said showing them a dusty picture taken at her accident scene.

"And she's the one here too" She handed over a clear passport picture of her.



"Mrs Maltida? "



"Do you know her? " Mr Anderson asked her.



"Late Mrs Maltida! "





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*-*-
"Do you know her? Mrs Maltida? "Mr Anderson asked her when they returned to the car.
Imelda was whimpering profusely infact, she's almost at the point of fainting even in an air-conditioned environment.

"Yes, she's a very close friend of mine, she's Barren. ...." She paused and wept more.

"Barren? Then how come..."

"I think... I think she's the one who stole my child"

"Simon? "

"I... I don't know. Mrs Maltida was my best friend, she doesn't take a step without telling me first, she never told me she was travelling on that very day I lost Ralph, Ralph's my baby's name. ..."
"I'm aware of her death and the cause but I never thought she would kidnap my child and run away with him because she wanted a child badly"

"Calm down Mrs Imelda, let me get this straight. Is Simon your Ralph? "

" I don't wanna say this. With Simon's Jaw, he looks like my husband; Kyle's father. And That necklace, My husband wore it on his neck right from birth and I never removed it. Sistren-Martha also said the necklace has been with him even during the accident. Isn't that a genuine relation that your adopted Child maybe my missing child? But this is unbelievable, it's least expected " Mrs Pitt sniffed.

"What if he actually is? "

"I....I would be Glad I found him and he's still alive but if Simon is not my child then it only serves as an opened injury, remembering that I have a missing child"

"Let's go do the DNA test " He said, bringing out a comb from his pocket with tiny hairs on it.
"I took Simon's comb"

"Did you ever plan for this to happen Mr Anderson? "

"No, not really. Errm Today he got to know that I'm not his biological father, I thought he would doubt me, that's why I already took strands of his hair ..." Mr Anderson explained to Mrs Pitt and she nodded pulling out few strands from her own hair and giving it to him.

"And we have arrived at your house " He said as the Driver came to an halt in front of her house.

"Thank you " She murmured, wiping her tears and she reaches for the door and came out of the car.

"I'll let you know whatever the DNA result says and when it's out " He said but she only nodded sadly.

*-*-*
She walked towards her house quietly, looking at the ground instead of where she was going to.

"Where d'hell are you coming from? " Her husband, Kyle's father asked her. He was sitting on the decamacted floor and it looked like he has been waiting for her with a stern look.

"Why do you even care? It's none of your business" She answered sheepishly heading to the door.

"You left home since I don't even know, I returned five hours ago and I didn't meet you... Now you're telling me it's none of my business. You came out of a man's car, still it's not my business? My ears are full already, I heard you've been having a secret affair with one Mr Wealthy. So shameful of you" He barked after her and followed her inside the house but she didn't say a word to him.
"You careless thing" He said.

"Please Austin, seriously I have nothing to say to you.. Well, except that Kyle won't be around for two weeks, I don't think you even care to know why" Kyle's mom said to her husband facing him oppositely while he stood there watching her.
"I'm fine with the silent treatment and social distancing between us. Please let it continue to be that way" She said lastly and began to walk away to the room.

"Imelda" He called her name softly but she didn't bother turning to answer him, so he went after her and grabbed her hand.

"Please leave me. I'm unhappy, I'm so not in the mood to yell back at you. If you're indeed worried about our missing child, then go find him.. At least that's what I'm doing but all you do is to yell me names" She said sadly and continued to walk away.

"I'm.. S... " Austin paused...
"Do you even know how worried I was when I didn't meet you at home?? " He kind of raised his voice.

"As if you care" She hissed.

"I do. I'm still your husband so I ought to" He said and she rolled her eyes as if he wasn't talking to her.
"You've been avoiding me for about a month now. Apart from you still cook my meal, we are living like strangers in this house" He added.

"It's better we continue that way. 'cos I prefer it to living like Noise makers" She said.

"Errrm... Imelda I'm sorry.. .Listen I'm sorry for everything" He said gently to her but she spured at him like he didn't know what he was saying.
"I know I've illtreated you and I've made the house a place of hell for you but I'm really sorry" He continued
talking.
"I promise never to raise my voice at you and never to bother you over Ralph. If he's alive, I pray he's in the hands of Godsent and if he's not, I guess we'll just have to bear with our fate"

"Good you know" She rolled her eyes again.

"The look in your eyes shows you still wanna give me silent treatment. Would you believe if I tell you that I missed you throughout this silent distance you gave me? And I missed you more when I didn't see you today after I returned today. I almost cried, I... actually did" He said seriously and placing a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged them off.
"It's the saddest thing to lose our very first child, it's most sorrowful especially when one is almost attached to the child. Maybe that why I wasn't myself for close to twenty years now" He paused.

"Anyways, Just so you know; I went out today to look for my child.." Mrs Pitt said instead.

"Kyle? "

"Kyle's presently into a music competition and you know I'm not talking about him and never would I lose a child again, never would I lose Kyle. I went in search for Ralph, not because you've been on my neck to find him but because it's what I want to and why am I still standing here exchanging words with you? " She said and walked away from him.

"Imelda!
Imelda! We've got alot to talk about, we've got alot to settle, Please talk to me the way you did when we were still Teens" Austin pleaded, following her to the room.



TBC