Defense

What proof could Nathan have? Was it the proof that she was a maid or the proof that she was the one who made his mother slump? Nimah's heart throbbed in a way that affected her brain. A side of her head aches, she could feel her brain rotating in the skull. Her vision became blurry.

"Do you have the proof, Mr. Nathan,?" An older police officer queried.

"Yes! I have the proof." Nathan clapped his hand, taking a glance at the entrance of the hospital and just then a young girl came in, but due to Nimah's blurry vision, she could not see the girl clearly.

She tried clearing her vision severally but her brain was not letting.

Everyone averted their gaze to the young girl that was coming in and at once, she stopped sending a smile to Nathan and a hard glare to Nimah.

Kristen? Nimah could see her clearly now, what could she be doing here without Joe? They should have come together. Well, that wasn't the question, why was she here at the clap of Nathan's palm?

"Mr. Branz, what proof do you have to support your accusations against this young lady?" A blonde cop asked.

"I have the proof here in my camera." Kristen brought out a mini camera from the pocket of her shirt.

"What proof do you have?"

For a while, Kristen kept her gaze on the screen of the camera in her hand as she clicked some buttons on the camera.

"Here is the proof." Kristen gave the mini camera to the officers, what could she have shown them that had their full Concentration? They looked more thoughtful as they watched whatever Kristen had shown to them.

"Can you explain this?" A cop asked Kristen.

"Why not? You can see very well that she is putting on the maid's uniform here, Nimah is our maid and I want you to believe that. She went to my mom's room to clean it up but I could see that she frowning as she headed to mom's room and that made me suspicious of her, which lead to my action of taking her video." Kristen lied.

"She was frowning? What do you think made her frown?"

"Sir, she had an argument with my mom this morning and since then, she has not been behaving properly until then, she went to mom's room and all of a sudden, we heard mom scream and when we rushed into the room, we found the maid still standing there... She actually pushed mum."

"What? Kristen, why are you saying all of these? Why aren't you telling the truth to the police?" Nimah was genuinely confused, she could not believe her ears, she wondered why Kristen said all of that, despite knowing that was not the truth.

"Young lady, you should not say anything until you are being asked to, otherwise, you will have to pay for the consequences of your insubordination. So quietly come with us." The officer motioned her to move.

Nimah looked askance at Kristen then to Nathan, who was smiling as the police officers took her away and tears coursed down her cheek. Tears that interpreted misfortune and pain.

Why was fate being too inconsiderate to her? Why was fate keeping her among those who would always despise and inflict pains on her.

Was she bound to be hated? Perhaps she was, and she had to accept her fate. Slowly and steadily, she moved with her gaze on Nathan, who seemed too pleased with what was happening.

They walked her out of the hospital and took her to their bus.

"Wait! you are mistaken, Nimah is innocent." Every body looked around for the person who just spoke. And a young boy appeared. It was Joe. Nathan, Kristen and Nimah were shocked to see Joe.

What did he just say, Nimah wished he could repeat what he just said and just like he heard her thought.

"She is innocent." Joe repeated.

"What are you saying Joe?" More like a whisper, Kristen said as she pulled Joe backwards.

"I am politely requesting to let go of my sister." Joe put his palms together. "This is a family issue, we can resolve it on our own, so go." Joe said.

"Your sister? You mean this lady? Don't you know that she works as a maid for the Branz?" One of the police man responded.

"And who do you think I am? A maid as well?" Joe glanced at Kristen. "Can't you see that she is my twin sister?" He said, referring to Kristen.

"What are you trying to say?" The police man asked, looking a bit confused as he narrowed his gaze.

"I am trying to tell you that the four of us are siblings." Joe replied straightforwardly.

"I am trying to say that she isn't a maid, but a sibling."

The way Joe spoke with affection and love amazed Nimah, she could not believe it was him speaking. 'You won't sit here because that is my permanent sit,' Nimah remembered how he once pushed her away from a dinning seat, she remembered how he had insulted her and all of these thoughts made it impossible for her to believe that it was Joe speaking in defense of her so affectionately.

"What is going on here Mr. Nathan? What is your brother saying? Is he really saying the truth?"

Nathan was hooked by the officers question, he didn't know how to explain the current situation, which was seeming like two different stories. Joe would ruin everything for him if he didn't say something fast, but what could he say? He was short of words, he could only stare confusedly.

"Yes! Now is my twin brother, but the love and affection he has for our maid is making him nor know that what she did was a crime." Kristen began to speak. "Joe considers Nimah a part of us because of the brotherly love he has for her, but you do not need to worry about him, we can handle him, Just do your work." Kristen winked at Nathan, who responded with a thumbs up.

"Are you telling me he deliberately set out to sabotage the situation?" The police man with a grey hair asked.

"Of course! Just take the cruel, ruthless maid away from here and give her the best punishment she deserves. Nad you should set up a legal rule that will state that she should never step her feet into the Branz mansion." Kristen said.

What a villain she was! She looked like she was even more desperate to get rid of Nimah than Nathan. Nathan had made her feel that their mother is sharing the love she has for her as the only daughter, with the new Vagabond girl and to get back her mother's full love, she needed to get her ousted. She found this an opportunity and she was making use of it.

Nathan was glad he was to instigate her against Nimah, now she would do the rest of his job but JOE, would Kristen be able to argue this with Joe? That made him still worried.

"Police officers, I am sorry but you will not take Nimah with you. I was right in the living room with Nimah when we heard mom's voice from her room and when we got there, we found her on the ground, she was half conscious and it was even Nimah who got the cab man on time, otherwise, the story we are narrating now, would have been another one. I mean a tragic one at that." Joe said without his voice shaking. He sounded more wise and mature than his age.

"Will you let go of her because of what Joe said? What about the proofs we showed to you?" Kristen yelled.

"Of course no! We will do our job and proper investigation but until complete investigation, this lady will be in our custody."

"Stop being melodramatic, twin sister." Joe turned to Kristen, then to the cops. "Mr. Cops, if you take my sister with you and torture her and later find out that she is innocent, I can assure you that I will make you lose your license."

The police men glanced at each other, they looked threatened.

"I am telling you the truth, but I am not forcing you to believe me. If you want to take her with you, then take my mom's permission, else, you might end up regretting it, okay?" Joe released Nimah's wrist from the grip of the police man and walked away with her.

Without saying a word, the police got into their car and drove away.

;;;;

"I apologize to you Nimah, and I promise not to do this again. Can we become friends henceforth?"