A costly lesson

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“Look Tessy, you are my really good friend and I tell you this from a point of love, don’t fall for the trick your son is about to pull on you. We both know how mischievous Daniel can be. This so-called opportunity for greener pastures is nothing but a sham. Please don’t fall victim of his mischievousness again”

For the umpteenth time, Mrs. Amanda advised her friend not to let the favoritism she has for her first child cloud her sense of reasoning.
“Amanda, I don’t know why you like investing your energy into things that won’t bear you any fruit. Daniel is my son and I know him better than anyone in this world. I will do everything humanly possible to see that he is established. Micheal, his twin brother got their father’s full blessings to manage one of his businesses and he is doing exceptionally well in that aspect so why won’t I support Daniel? You know what? It’s fine. It’s not really your fault that you cannot relate to all that I’m saying since you can’t boost of your own child”

Those last words pierced the heart of the 47 years old Amanda who was a mother of three adoptees. She never expected those words from the person she actually took as a sister. The two have been best of friends since junior secondary days and this happened when Tessy, who was a transfer student got bullied during lunch break and Amanda was the saving grace that kept her from getting battered by three chubby mean-looking girls. Upon completing their secondary-level education, the two brilliant girls were awarded scholarships to further their studies in a prestigious institution which attributed to their friendship’s unbreakability.

They were often mistaken as twins since they were frequently seen together on campus; Amanda was always seen where Tessy was and Tessy was always a stone-throw to Amanda. Nature was in total agreement with their friendship that they ended up serving as youth corpers in the same state. A beautiful coincidence that they always subtly bragged about. The two got married, six months apart, with Amanda’s wedding taking place first. The pressure to become a mother heightened when her friend got pregnant and birthed twins in the space of a year. Despite that pressure, as naturally expected of her, Amanda became the godmother to the twin boys that her friend bore 22 years ago and few years into the boys lives, she could tell the difference between Daniel and Michael’s characters since she watched the two grow. Micheal, with his brilliance and shrewdly sharp wit, deserved the post of CEO at a very young age in his father’s company unlike Daniel who was cunningly clever and repulsive to genuine hard work, always got scolded by his father and godmother. His mother was his only friend since she always sang him praises instead of rebuking his dubious savviness.

Amanda sighed over the phone before proceeding. “My dear friend, I was only but showing concern regarding the huge amount of money you demanded from your account. It was needless of you to insult me. My inability to conceive isn’t my fault and you know how much of an effort I’ve put into having a child. You picking on me with that wasn’t necessary. I love Daniel just as much as you do but I love you more and I don’t want to see your get hurt. The way you are going about with your son might lead him to ruin. I may not have my own biological children but I still have mother instincts and I tell you this as a mother, be careful with Daniel. You give him too much levity and indulgence”

“Madam preacher, please save me the gospel and send the money to the account details forwarded to you. Thank you”

Phone hangs up
“Bla bla bla. Like she has it all right on her side, mtcheeew”, Amanda mocked and hissed at her friend after abruptly hanging up the phone.

“Momsi, as Daniel fondly called his mom, who was that?”, he inquired.

“Don’t mind that your “holier than thou” godmother. She just won’t give it a break with her ever poking nose into my family’s affairs”
“Have you gotten the money you asked me for?”

“I will check that when I get to my room”
“Ok. Go on and check it now so that I will be sure that you have received the money. You said it’s for a foreign investment company right?”

“Yes momsi. In two months, the expected ROI should be double”, Daniel said as he smirked.

“What is ROI?”, the older woman asked. This made Daniel laugh.

“ROI means Return On Investment, momsi. Meaning, in two months time, I will rake in twice the amount invested in the business”.

“Ok my son. You know I don’t do so much terminologies”, she said laughing. “You guarantee this company is legit right? Because I have done my findings but I only found so little about them. I’m trusting that you will use this opportunity to outshine your brother so that your father will recognize your potentials. Don’t disappoint me, Danny”, as she fondly called him.

“Yes, momsi. I will make you proud, trust your son”, he rose to his room to get ready to go out as he responded his mother.

“Guy what’s up? Are you and the boys at the hideout?”, he simultaneously spoke on the phone and picked out what to wear.

“Yes. We have been waiting for your call”, a bass voice rang out from the loudspeaker phone.

“I have the dough and I will be there. Make sure to get everything ready, ok?”, Daniel bossily instructed then hung up without getting a response.

“This guy’s wings needs to be clipped else, he will think he’s our boss because he funds most of our underground operations”, one of the harmed men at the hideout suggested after the call was abruptly dropped by Daniel.

“You don’t have to worry about him anymore”, a more confident voice spoke from behind in an accent, resulting him to be the center of attraction to the other nine hard-looking harmed men. “After we get this money from him, we will discard his rude arse”.

Two hours later….
“Hello, is this Madam Tessy of T-World Collectibles?”, a male voice in a busy background sounded through Tessy’s business phone.

“Yes, how may I help you?”, Tessy replied.
“Madam, I will like you to come at once to PurpleLife Private Hospital. Your son, Mr. Daniel is in a bad state”

“How do you….”, the line disconnected.
“Hello. Hello”, Tessy called out on the already disconnected call.
“How can they say my Danny is in the hospital?”, she questioned herself as she frantically grabbed her things from her office’s desk to head to the hospital.

In the hospital….
“Doctor, how is my boy?”, she asked anxiously. The last time Tessy felt this level of anxiety was when her son was rushed to a clinic close to his school because he collapsed due to convulsion.

“Madam, can I talk to you in my office?”, the young doctor ushered.

In the office…
“Doctor will my son be able to survive?”, tears were beginning to well up Tessy’s eyes.

“I’m sorry madam. We lost him. He received a fatal blow in the head which has resulted to him being in coma. We will just…”

“Lost him?” What fatal blow?”, Tessy cut the doctor halfway through his speech. “You must be joking, doctor. He only went out this afternoon to see his business partners. How can he be dead now?”, she questioned the doctor as she made way out of the office like a mad woman.

The nurses got hold of her trying to enter the operation room and just as at that time, Daniel’s lifeless body was being moved to the morgue. Tessy passed out from the shock of seeing her dead son.

Moments later…
“Chief, I’m sorry but your son died this evening after an attack from some gang. The police got a call from a suspicious location that some harmed men were brutalizing a young man. Luckily, they got there just in time to apprehend this gang of cyber-criminals who have been on the police’s wanted list but unfortunately for your son, he couldn’t make it”, the doctor narrated to Tessy’s husband who was called after she passed out.

“Thank you doctor. Can I see my wife now?”, Chief asked in a heartbroken tone.

“Of course”, the doctor replied

Meanwhile, Amanda was pacifying her friend who had been weeping miserable after regaining consciousness.

“Now is not the time to say I told you so. It would be insensitive of me. So please my friend, take heart. I am deeply sorry for your loss”, Amanda encouraged her friend.

“If only I had been more cautious of Daniel’s whereabouts. If only I had taken your advice, Amanda. I might still have my boy. Now I’ve lost him to the cold hands of death as the price I have to pay to be a good mother…”