Twisted Fate

Ella was asking herself. What sort of shameless act had she displayed? Being excited and happy doesn’t mean she should lose her sense of decency.

This fellow who changes women will now think she’s having a crush on him. Oh no, what had she done?

What kind of impression had she created? She hissed between gritted teeth and decided she would be careful next time not to let her excitement get into her head.

“Ella” Alex called. He was going to leave already and wanted to hand over the copy of the marriage certificate to her.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to be so shameless” Ella blurted. He used to call her wifey these days, but now he calls her by her name.

He already saw her as a characterless woman. He must despise her greatly already. She had thrown her self esteem out to the dogs.

Alex was astonished at how she blamed herself. What is wrong if she kissed his lips, and not even his cheeks?

“I don’t know what you are sorry about. You are going to say sorry for the first time willingly but it’s on the wrong subject.

Here is what you requested. If you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to ask, I am your husband and give me a chance to prove my worth to you..” Alex Foster declared.

He left her a brown paper envelope and stared at Ella again before walking away.

“Thank you” Ella appreciated. Alex heard her words just as he bolted the door behind and went to his already waiting car.

He got into his car and gently touched the part of his cheek where Ella had kissed. He seemed to want to touch it over and over again.

There is something about Ella that usually amazes him. Everything she does, interests him. There might not be anything special about it but go the fact that it has to do with Ella, he gets interested in it.

He would assign someone to find out what she needed that marriage certificate for, and bring him the information. If he needs to help her from the sidelines without being noticed, he would do it.

He touched his chin again and smiled. He loves the feeling of it.

As soon as Alex left, Ella quickly took the envelope and perused it. Wow, this is it. A duplicate copy of what barrister Mark requested from her.

She suddenly couldn’t continue with her breakfast. Today, she had only one class and after which, she would be free to go to Mark’s Chambers.

An hour later, Greg called Ella. He asked if she was free to have lunch with him that day.

The already excited Ella readily agreed and said she would be glad to. They both agreed on lunch and this also sends a positive vibe down Ella’s spine.

Few hours into the day’s work, Festus called to ask Alex if they could have lunch together? He told him they needed to talk about something important and he doesn’t feel like discussing it on the phone.

Alex said sure. He was free to go to lunch with him. His voice was full of excitement and lively.

Festus decided to tease him, he asked if he just won another multi million dollar contract and ex said, he had this feeling much more than how he felt when he got such a contract.

Festus said fine. He should be ready to discuss that also with him.

When Ella was through her class, Khalid drove her to Mark’s Chambers. She had already kept an appointment with Mark Stone that she would arrive at such a time.

Without delay, she was ushered into Mark Stone’s office. She sat down posed on the familiar couch, waiting for him to be through with his computer.

“Good to see you again, Mrs Foster” Mark Stone said, raising his head now and smiled broadly to her.

“Good to see you again, Barrister Mark” Ella replied. She smiled as she took the glass of coffee from Mark’s coffee maker.

Mark accepted his own glass of coffee and waited for his coffee maker to leave. Ella took a sip from the coffee just as Mark did the same.

She wondered if Barrister Mark takes coffee each time he has clients. What about if he has ten clients in a day, would he drink ten glasses of coffee that day?

“Now, to business Mrs Foster..” Mark Stone began. He is a busy man and he doesn’t joke about his time nor does he have any to spare.

He should have been in court already, if he hadn’t Greg Wilson to help out. He was right to have employed Greg as his successor.

Ella produced the wedding certificate and Mark Stone ascertained it as authentic. He provided different documents and asked that Ella sign them.

Most of the documents are in pairs. Ella went through them and ensured she signed them all before returning them back to Mark Stone.

He gave each copy of those signed documents to Ella and filed the other copy of them.

Mark Stone soon stood up and went into his lounge. Ella’s hands were sweaty. The few documents she signed, one was a house property.

She tried to sit posed despite her curiosity being at its peak. She looked around the office and saw Mark Stone’s family picture.

He has a daughter only. She looked far older than her and his wife was a little chubby. The family of three smiled happily.

He must be a happy man matrimonially. They were also happy together in the past until her father crossed the Rubicon.

The once happy family fell apart. He chose his pregnant mistress over her and her mother. Her mother was left alone and her only family became her.

She and her mother are each other’s only family. She doesn’t know maybe she would one day forgive her father for what he’s done to them, but as it is at the present, she hates him.

Mark Stone returned from his lounge and held a box. He placed the box before Ella and asked her to open it.

Ella looked around, it’s locked. How can she open it if Mark Stone didn’t use the passcode for it. There’s no way she can.

“It’s locked barrister Mark” Ella said. It was more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, it’s locked. But you only have the password to unlock it” Mark Stone replied calmly. Her grandfather had told him that Ella has the password but she would never know she had it, until she remembers her playful time with him.

“I do? I can’t remember anything about it sir” Ella answered sincerely. How can she possibly have such a code? She didn’t, how then can she be the only one to unlock the box?

“Your grandfather made me understand back then that you know it. And only you can unlock it, Mrs Foster” Mark Stone insisted.

Ella became perplexed.

She stared at Mark Stone and the latter shrugged. Password? Grandfather never said anything of such to her.

She’s been waiting for this moment, since the previous day that she came to know about it. Now the asset is in front of her and all she needs to do is unlock it.

And yet, another insurmountable challenge stands on her way. She looked at Mark Stone again and the older man kept staring at her calmly.

“Is there a clue, something that might make me think within that line?” Ella asked. There must be a clue, an idea or something, anything that would make her search through her brain.

“Times you are alone with your grandfather and when he plays a lot with you” Mark Stone gave a clue.

Ella felt her forehead go blank.

She sighed softly and looked around. Yeah, many times, she was always with her grandfather when her parents went for vacation.

Besides, she loved her Grandpa a lot and often spent her weekends with him. So, there are a lot of times they both are alone.

And at such times, they play like two age mates. Grandpa might throw a ball at her and she would chase the ball around only for him to get the ball before her.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Sometimes in the garden, especially at evening time, she played hide and seek with her grandfather. And no matter how smart she is, grandfather would always find her, wherever she’s hidden.

How can she remember anything about passwords from such happy, fun-filled moments that they shared?, moments that she cherished so much and would keep those memories for the rest of her life.

When she couldn’t think of anything, she declared “maybe I should go back and think properly. I can’t remember anything right now”

Mark Stone smiled “take your time Mrs Foster. Anytime, you remember, you can come again” he replied.

This was indeed a surprise. She would never think there would be a test of this sort before her. He saw how disappointed she looked, but he couldn’t help her.

He doesn’t know it either. Her grandfather didn’t disclose it to him. They both can only get to see the content of the box when she remembers what the code might be.

Ella stood up groggily. She needed to return home and think about it. She took Mark Stone’s hand for a handshake when she suddenly paused.

“when the time comes

You must remember

The numbers are 6969

When you turn 6 upwards,

It looks like a 9

And when you turn 9

down, it looks

Like a 6.

You must remember

These are the numbers

6.. 9… 6.. 9

These are the numbers,

Don’t forget, forget them

La.. la.. la.. la

It all depends on

how you see it

It could be 6 or

It could be 9

It all depends on

Your perspective

The numbers are

6969, don’t forget

When the time comes

Mark Stone squinted when he saw Ella’s facial expression. It looks like she was trying to remember something.

Now, they were already holding hands to shake when she paused and he felt she was suddenly too quiet.

“Did you remember anything?” Mark Stone asked, pulling his hand back to himself. He kept staring at Ella as she blinked a few times and then closed her eyes.

Mark Stone’s words brought Ella back to her senses. She placed her palm on her chest to calm her heavy beating chest.

She sank back into the sofa and announced “I think I remember now”