Chapter 91
Jonathan’s POV
One-Room Set – Evening
Stars were twinkling in the sky as the night had engulfed the sky.
I lay in my bed as the events of the day kept flashing through my head.
Raymond’s words p>
After what Imelda did to me, I knew she was no good p>
But was Imelda ever good or was she born this way?
Lori protected her p>
Yet p>
She not only betrayed Lori but sent her to jail?
I couldn’t stop thinking about Lori.
A woman whom I never met, but now was the person I wanted to give justice to.
A woman is protecting those boys even after she’s dead.
But, whatever it was with those boys p>
It doesn’t make sense p>
What does her accepting her verdict have to do with the boys?
Going to jail meant she could protect the basement.
Protecting that basement,
Meant protecting the boys.
That basement was something more important than her own freedom?
Could that basement have any connection with Imelda, or Adrian’s father?
I got up and picked my satellite phone.
Ever since I came here, I’ve been using my satellite phone for talking to Vance.
“Jonathan?” Vance said on the phone.
“Why are you calling so late at night? Everything alright?” he asked worried.
“Vance,” I said in the phone.
“I sent you the recording of me and Raymond,” I continued.
“It’s clear whatever is in that basement was to protect the boys p>
“And involves the doctor who disappeared p>
“But what’s the connection with Imelda, that I still have to find out p>
“Jonathan,” Vance said.
“From what I made out from the recording p>
“It seems Lori had the chance to tell, but she chose to deliberately stay silent p>
“Yes,” I said.
“I understand this by now, she could have exposed that doctor,” I said.
“But she chose to remain silent for the boys sake p>
“At first I just saw Lori as a woman caught in the wrong place, but now I think she was a woman no one truly understood p>
The next morning I was ready to get into my car so I could go to the store.
I intended to close for a day, but ended up being closed for two days.
I couldn’t afford being suspicious as I still had a long way to go.
I stopped or rather froze as I saw Raymond waiting for me.
“I wanted to come in, but didn’t know which room is yours p>
I looked at him and saw a glow of confidence on his face even as the neighbors were staring at him.
After all, it had been fifteen years since he set foot back in the town.
I walked over and greeted him.
“Come on,” I said, closing the door of my car. “We can chat over a cup of tea p>
I knew it must have taken him a lot of courage to come over.
But then he was never in the wrong, and even if everyone here thinks his mother was convicted and died in jail, he knew his mother was innocent, I intended to prove that.
Just then a man came over.
At first I was worried, but my worry faded away soon.
“Raymond!” he said. “It’s great to see you here, I kept the flowers watered. I know your mother loved them p>
“Thanks, I saw on the way, they’re exactly as fresh as mom kept them p>
Raymond said shaking hands.
“Oh, it really is you,” a woman said. “It’s great to see you p>
I was happy, as Raymond decided to not hide anymore or avoid the town people.
And looked like the town people liked him as well.
It was nice to see Raymond standing his place and not walking away on seeing them.
“Let’s head in p>
As I kept the tray on the table, Raymond spoke.
“Jonathan,” he said. “I don’t know why you’re here, but you should leave p>
“Why are you still here p>
“Raymond,” I said. “I don’t like beating around the bushes p>
“I’m here for a reason p>
“I agree at first I didn’t know about your mother p>
“Are you a reporter?” he asked much to my shock.
“You’re here for a scoop, right p>
“How much will you get from this p>
“Or are you that woman’s boyfriend? I mean Imelda’s.” he asked.
I smiled as I kept a cup in front of him.
“Relax,” I said as I took a sip from my cup,
“I’m not a reporter, but a businessman p>
I showed him some magazines that had covered me over the past few years.
“I’m not here for Imelda,” I said in a frank voice.
“But I am here because of her son, Adrian,” I continued.
“I know she had Adrian here, and probably met his father here as well p>
“By now,” I said pointing to the phone. “You must be knowing she’s in jail p>
“I came her to find out who or where his biological father is p>
I trailed off a bit.
“Adrian deserves to know who his father is, and maybe p>
I trailed off again.
“If he can, maybe he can have a real family p>
“Rest if he can’t, I’ve already adopted him so p>
“Adopted?” Raymond said shocked. “Here it says you have a daughter p>
“Yes,” I said, smiling. “I’m married and have a daughter. Matter of fact she’s fifteen p>
“Fifteen?” Raymond said. “Is this a coincidence p>
“Here,” I said handing him a file.
“This will let you know all about me and Imelda and how I ended up adopting Adrian p>
I gave him some time to read the details.
I saw his grip tighten on the file.
Meant he was visibly affected on finding out.
“I never knew this woman could be so vile p>
“I don’t know if you know,” Raymond said.
“But Mom she left me a letter p>
I didn’t expect this, but he actually told me about the letter,
Lori’s last words for her son.
“I never told anyone about it p>
I knew he was telling the truth.
He didn’t tell the police when they came to investigate.
He didn’t even tell his lawyers, who were defending Lori.
And I was stunned on knowing this.
Why?
Why did he not tell anyone, and now he’s telling me?
More to my shock, he handed the letter to me.
It was addressed to Raymond.
To my son, maybe my last words.
I quietly read the letter.
Apart from the end line that was for Raymond to live his life well, and to take care of himself as she won’t be around p>
Most of the letter was instructions for Raymond.
It had no names, but did point to some people.
She told Raymond to protect the border house, even if it meant abandoning the town home.
She told him to protect the basement, especially the content and to make sure the content is not damaged.
To make sure the content ever falls in anyone’s hands.
Never trust any official who may come inquiring about it.
And to wait for the right person to show up.
One line got my attention p>
” Only allow him into the basement, be sure he’s the one. “
That’s when I realized I was only following God’s path.
“Jonathan,” Raymond finally spoke.
“You’re the one,” he said.
“Even if Mom didn’t write here, I knew she was talking about the one who’ll come in search of Adrian’s father, is the one she’s waiting for p>
Just then Raymond removed his phone out.
His expression changed from relaxed to worried then relaxed.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“It’s Charles,” he showed me the live CCTV footage of his home.
“If that basement has a secret regarding some boys,” I asked.
“Why is Charles keeping an eye on you p>
“And he seems anxious as well p>
“Of course he will,” Raymond said.
“After all,” he said. “It’s the first time in fifteen years, I didn’t drive the person away, and actually came back to the town p>
“So, you’re saying Charles has been keeping an eye on you, making sure you never come back to town and never talk to anyone p>
Me and Raymond had a nice long talk, and agreed on some stuff as well.
As he left, I went out to park my car back as now it was too late to go an open the store.
I was going to enter my room, I saw Ada standing in front of my door.
“Ada?” I questioned her appearance as her coming over had no reason.
“Oh,” she said hugging me as if I was her boyfriend and met her after a long time.
“Ada?” I said pushing her away.
“I said p>
“I know.” She said.
“You’re married and have kids,” she said.
“It’s just a friendly hug,” she said. “I’m sure your wife won’t mind, and if she does…she’s a narrow minded p>
“I don’t need to know from you how my wife is p>
“I just wanted to know where you’ve been,” she said making a small sad face.
“Is it wrong to be worried?” she said. “After all, today’s the third day, the store is closed p>
“And p>
“And, I’m a man of my own free will,” I said as I realized her behavior was a bit too friednly.
And she’s actually trying to find out where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing these days.
“I was just cleaning the apartment up,” I said pointing towards the trash bags I had kept outside.
“I hadn’t unpacked yet, so was busy p>
I saw her relax and smile as she left.
But by now I was certain she was here to gather information.
Is she working for Charles?
Store – Next day
I was busy stacking some items onto the shelf, I heard the door bell so turned around to see who came.
I was shocked on seeing Raymond.
“Can I get some stuff?” he asked with a smile.
“I mean, no one else let’s me so p>
“Everyone likes you,” I said. “Then why p>
“Jonathan,” Raymond said. “Everyone fears for their family and themselves p>
“You have a strong background, so a mere Charles Freeway won’t bother you p>
“But I didn’t come here for this,” he said.
“My main intention is to ask you,” he continued.
“Are you willing to learn about the truth of the basement, even if means it can hurt some people p>
“Yes,” I said. “As I think there are some things, no matter how painful…one should know p>
“Actually,” Raymond said. “Back then when Mom began working for the doctor, she thought she was doing a good deed p>
“As a nurse, she was healing people,” he said.
“Matter of fact, she was the one who got those boys to agree in donating their blood p>
“That she thought was for a good cause p>
“But she didn’t know she was becoming a part of a conspiracy p>
“One that would bring suffering p>
He trailed off a bit.
“Not criminals p>
“Not the doctors involved p>
“But the innocent boys p>
“Who didn’t even know about it p>
I slowly began to understand why Lori decided to remain silent.
Then Raymond reached into his pocket.
And removed an old key.
It was worn out, and was definitely old.
It didn’t take me log to realize the key belonged to the basement.
“Mom told me to never let anyone know of its existence,” he said.
“But, now I’m giving it to you,” he said. “You can come anytime and check it p>
“I just hope you do the rightful p>
Raymond studied me for a long moment.
“This key has been with me for fifteen years p>
“I’ve been waiting for this hand for fifteen years,” he said looking at my hand as the key lay on it.
“The hand that I could trust to hand it over to p>
I could feel the weight of those fifteen years as the key lay in my hand.
Raymond got up.
“Tomorrow, you can come over and take a look at the content p>
Silence followed.
I couldn’t reply or react.
After a month of walking into dead ends p>
The answer was within my reach.
As Raymond left, I grasped the key tightly in my grip.
I couldn’t let the feeling go p>
Tomorrow the basement door would finally be open p>
Tomorrow I would finally know who’s Adrian’s father p>
And perhaps Adrian’s life might not be simple ever again.
Because he would finally have a father.