EIGHTEEN- REVEALED SECRETS
"You have a daughter?!" William asked incredulously as he stared at the young teen looking back at him with wide eyes. His gaze shifted frantically from mother to daughter as if that would help analyse their features and confirm if it were really true. Louisa herself stood rooted in shock. This was honestly not how she imagined her greatest fear coming to fruition.
"You really need to leave William, you got what you wanted to say off your chest, and equally got what you came here for." She concluded when she came to her senses but realised her words seemed to have had no effect, for the handsome man made no move to exit her office. She turned to her daughter who still stood at the doorway looking on in interest.
She inched closer to her daughter after a deep intake of breath. "Isa honey, could you give us a moment? You can wait outside with Auntie Akua, this won't take long." She assured the girl.
Isabel nodded in understanding. "Alright mum, but first, my school bag." She said pointing at the said item lying haphazardly on the only couch in the room. Louisa reached the couch in quick strides and gently handed the backpack to her daughter, making sure to help her balance her fries, and popcorn in addition to the bag. William looked at the scene unfolding before his eyes. Oh how he wished the girl was his child, and her mother, his wife. That could have been them had it not been for his father's blunders, but he wasn't going to think about that now.
With a last glance at the man who equally looked back at her as if to memorize her features for the last time, Isabel stepped out of the office and silently shut the door behind her.
Louisa waited for a moment before she exploded. "Why are you still here? She hissed as she inched closer to the handsome demon sent to torture her from the depths of hell.
"I really can't believe you have a daughter. How old is she? Who is her father?" William asked, sidestepping her questions and seeking answers to his own.
Louisa was very close to snapping into two from anger. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ASK ME THAT." She shouted in annoyance. Thank God for soundproof rooms but at that moment, that was the last thing on Louisa's mind. She inched closer to him, and William visibly gulped. Though a lot of inches shorter than him, the beautiful vixen suddenly made him feel so intimidated.
"I don't know how many times I have to remind you Will, but I'm going to say it again, I owe you no explanation for what happened in my life after you left."
"Wel-"
Louisa held her hand up, signalling him to put a stop to whatever he wanted to say. "I'm not done yet William. What are you going to do? Look for some excuse to justify the reason why you left? Well, I think it's a little too late for that don't you think?"
"I know it is... but I want you to hear me out anyway." He begged as Louisa brushed past him to get her bag and her keys and laptop from the desk. She looked her ex in the eyes and shrugged noncommittally.
"Even if I wanted to, which I don't... I still have to get my daughter home. As you could clearly see, she is waiting for me."
William nodded. "I understand. We'll talk about this another time then."
He took a step towards her and with each step he took forward, she took one back. There suddenly wasn't anywhere else to move to when her ass bumped into her desk and her eyes shut tight in what started out as a cringe when she saw his hand reaching out for her face... She had no idea why she thought he was going to hurt her, but she felt herself relax into his hand as his fingers brushed across her cheek soothingly.
"I'll see you soon Louisa." He promised with a wink as he walked towards the door and out of her office.
Louisa took a few minutes to collect her scattered wits, then she stepped out of her office and locked up behind her.
○●○●○
"Who was that man, mum?" Louisa heard her daughter ask as she drove home. The woman was quiet for a while and who could blame her really? For the answer she gave to this question would determine the way things went on from then onward.
A determined gleam entered Louisa's eyes as she gave the question some thought.
She was going to have to tell her daughter the truth... As a matter of fact, she should have done so a long time ago, but then call it motherly intuition, or a desire to protect William in the hopes that he'd come back and they'd be a happy family... something had stopped her from being honest... but that feeling had ended. Her daughter may never forgive her for keeping her dad a secret, and even though that would hurt, it had to be done.
"Look Isa," She quickly glanced at the girl sitting right next to her.
"We have to talk. But not here, let's get home first and then I promise you, I'm going to tell you everything you need to know alright?"
"Okay mum." She was silent for a moment.
"We should get some takeout today though you know?" Isabel stated excitedly, causing Louisa to laugh... all thoughts on previous conversation forgotten. Her daughter really loved junk food and she tried as much as possible to dissuade the habit but allowed the indulgence a little on some special occasions.
"Grandma was at the hospital, mum. Think about how she'd be feeling after such a gruesome day." She argued passionately causing Louisa to giggle.
"Honey, why do you think we're going home so early? It's because I really am thinking about how grandma will be feeling... and I know in times like this, what she really needs is some fufu and light soup." She teased.
Isabel groaned at the statement and slumped against the seat dramatically. "I sometimes really hate that you're a lawyer, to be honest." She grumbled as her mother continued to laugh.
*******
Mrs. Mensah wasn't around when the duo got home so, like they had planned, they hit the kitchen after a quick change of clothes to get the meal preparation underway.
They were waiting in the hall for the cassava and plantain to be ready... the soup was done and it tasted very delicious according to Isabel. With large pieces of beef and tilapia swimming inside it invitingly, the poor girl couldn't wait for everything to be ready so she could dig in. Her mother had helped her finish the French fries and had wickedly suggested that they save the popcorn for dessert, so for now, she really was starving.
The television was on... it had been for a while now but mother and daughter weren't paying it any attention for they were both lost in thought.
"Mum?" Isabel tentatively called out and watched as her mother's gaze focus on her own.
"You promised to tell me about the man and why he was looking at you like th-"
The sudden blare of Louisa's phone interrupted her speech. The older woman reached for the offending item and glanced at the screen. She looked at her daughter who seemed just as interested in knowing who it was.
"It's Uncle Mike." Louisa whispered as she answered the phone.
"Hello Mike. What's wrong? Is everything okay?" She asked in surprise.
"No Louisa, Naa Larley is at the hospital. Her assistant just called to tell me... She fainted during a meeting."
"What? Listen Michael, where are you?" She asked as she stood up from the couch and began to pace with Isabel looking on in concern.
"I'm on my way there from work." Mike replied.
"Okay okay, that's good. Which hospital did they take her?"
"She's at the Inkoom hospital."
"Alright. I'll be there soon. Drive safe Mike, please." She pleaded and hung up soon after.
"It's Auntie Naa." She explained to her confused daughter as they heard the front door open and close. Mrs. Mensah stepped into the hall just in time to hear Louisa say, "Mike said she fainted at work."
"Oh my goodness." The older woman exclaimed.
"Is she okay?" She asked as she made her way over to her daughter and grandchild.
Louisa sighed in relief.
"Mama, I'm glad you're home, I was about to take Isa along with me but since you're here, I've got to dash to the hospital. Mike just called, he doesn't know much himself which is why I need to get there fast."
"That's horrible. Which hospital was she sent to?" The old woman asked.
"Inkoom." Louisa replied as she picked up her car keys. Turning to her mother, she said,
"We cooked your favorite food. The saucepan of cassava and plantain is still on the fire, but everything else has been taken care of. I have to be there, Ma. I hope you guys can handle whatever's left to do." She glanced at her mum in concern.
"We'll talk when I get back Ma, Naa Larley needs me."