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Ch1: In the beginning

“The solar system consists of the sun and other objects surrounding its orbit including the nine planets-“ Mr Owen the social science teacher was teaching the students about space and the entire universe but Ella Valentine wasn’t paying any attention to the teachings, her entire focus was getting out of class and away from school ‘my exodus' as she calls it. Eagerly she taps her favorite Tinkerbell pen on the brown wooden desk waiting for the class to be over. Her eyes constantly swept the mickey mouse clock hanging on the wall. 'Oh come on!' she whined. Now was the time she wished everything would just speed up and...

4…

tap

3…

tap

2…

tap

1…

ring!!!

The school bell rang loudly through the whole school alerting teachers and students it was closing period.

‘Yes!’ Ella exclaimed in pure excitement, snatching her already packed bag and books from her small desk and dashed out of the classroom before Mr Owen could give extra comment and make it a closing period custom. Ella did notice whenever he was having a class with them especially the last subject of the day Mr Owen loves giving extra unnecessary teachings and advice no one wants to hear, and many students believes he is aware.

He likes depriving students the ability to function like a human because of the abnormal timetable he has set to attach in every class he takes. Ella swore if this continues she will be forced to start a protest. The school rules states that students are not to be delayed immediately after the closing bells, but not Mr Owen, he thinks the rules can change as he wants but did he forget the school overthrows whatever he says?.

'Free, I am free' Ella rejoiced and jogged out of the school building. This time she didn’t bother to think if she was going to walk home alone or catch a bus all she wanted was a school-free day.

At the school gate, she saw the familiar figure of a person she knows waiting outside. Though her back was turned to her she could still recognize her.

“Mom!” She yelled and ran outside the gates to hug Thelma. Thelma jerked and turned back then stretched out her arms to welcome her princess. Ella's little hands encircle Thelma’s slim waist and she snuggled deeper into her mom’s embrace taking in her familiar scent.

“How is my star doing?” Thelma coo her ten year old daughter and ruffled her wild curly hair making it a bit messy.

“Stop mom you’re ruining my hair.“ Ella pouted patting her hair back to normal. For a ten year old she’s quite mature and sometimes can be manipulative, most students avoided Ella because of her excellent IQ, they see her as a challenge for getting good grades. "I am fine but school was sooooo boooooring.” She didn’t fail to emphasize how much she was willing to leave.

“Aww I don’t think it was that bad." Thelma frowned playfully at her daughter.

Ella looked up at her mother, a look of disbelief crossed her face. "Yes it was, I wished you were here to see how boring it was."

"Okay, okay. So what do you think we can do to cheer you up?” Thelma asked trying to lighten up her mood.

“Ice cream!” Ella cheered.

“Good choice star, ice cream it is.” Thelma carried Ella balancing her on one hip.

“Mom put me down I am not a baby anymore.” Ella complained hating the fact her mother treats her like a baby. So many times Ella would confront her mother on certain occasions and speak in a non-child like manner which was too advance for her age.

“You are my star and my baby I have the right to treat you as my baby because you are my baby.” Thelma planted a kiss on Ella’s forehead and then placed her back on the ground to make her feel comfortable. They strolled to the closest ice cream shop, the same one she and Ella have been visiting since Ella was seven.

Thelma had no car of her own, so they went on foot. Ever since she gave up her old Life for this new one things has been a hard-time struggle for her, but she never for once inflicted the suffering on Ella. Ariella Valentine her pride and joy, the only reason she was still pushing on to live since the death of her husband Valentino Zachary. Thelma made herself a promise to stay strong and never let the same fate befall her and her daughter as it did to her husband.

It has been a tough struggle, a very hard one considering the fact she had to sell all her properties including that of late Valentino, to keep his obsessed brother out of her life. Thelma used every dime on her to pay the best lawyer in Rio just so every single trace and data of her and Ella’s existence are removed from the surface of the earth.

“This should hold Grayson for a while, it’s not enough but it will help keep him off your tail for a while.” Harrison gay Thelma’s lawyer said handing her a neat brown paper folded in half, the paper contains everything she needed to do in other to keep Grayson from tracking them and ensure the safety of her and Ella.

“I'll get in touch with you occasionally until then keep out trouble and trust no one. Should in case you notice or suspect anything do not hesitate to call me.” He told her.

“Yes I will.” Thelma told him, determination and conviction in her voice.

​​​​​The memory of losing her husband still lingers in her mind and heart as if it was today it happened, as much as she tries to forget the pain it was still there. Thelma blinked back tears that threatened to fall, when she thought about the happiness in her life, a large smile that could touch the sky emerges from her lips when she stares at Ella’s happy face.

The bell chimed as they entered the ice cream shop signaling a new Customer. The smell of rich delicious cakes, muffins and ice cream filled the small fancy shop. 'Great thing they have a new menu'

“I want that blueberry muffin!” Ella exclaimed to her mother, Thelma followed her daughter's gaze to the well arranged muffins in the showcase, she had no idea what must have possessed her little star to like blueberries because she detests them a lot.

“What’s gotten you to like blueberries all of a sudden?” Thelma asked her hyped daughter seeing as her eyes brighten at the sight of the blueberry-decorated muffins displayed in the showcase.

“I don’t know but I want it they look delicious please, please, please.” Ella used her cute baby plump face to buy her mother’s heart, Thelma easily gets manipulated by her ten year old daughter’s tricks and bought it. This method has always worked anytime Ella would request or want to collect something from her mother, it was her weird strategy.

“Fine.” Thelma huffed in defeat. They walked to the counter where a young brunette boy was filling up different flavors of ice creams in waffle cones.

“One blueberry muffin please and two strawberry chocolate scoop ice cream.” Thelma told him, within a minute their order was ready and was handed to them.

“Thank you.” Both Thelma and Ella said in unison, he nods in acknowledgment with a small smile on his lips. Thelma handed Ella her muffin and a cone of ice cream while she took the other ice cream and they both made their way home.

-----------------------------------------

“Yeah I see them” Jax said. He was on the phone with Grayson Thelma's brother-in-law, Jax had a reputation of a fraudster and a stalker. He had been arrested multiple times but was set free due to lack of strong evidence against him for the crimes he’d committed, 'smart ass' anyone will say.

Jax was a talented fraudster who was good at covering up his tracks, even the American police offered a huge reward to anyone who could find strong evidence against Jax.

“But she is different from the woman in the picture.” He rubbed his chin that had been covered with fake beards.

Grayson Zachary, Thelma’s obsessed brother-in-law has been on her tail since the death of his brother and he is willing to go extra miles to fulfill whatever sinister motive he has towards her even if was to kill.

“Tell me, is there a little girl with her?” Grayson's voice sounded from the other line, his voice smooth and oily hidden with mischief, danger, warnings and trouble.

“Yeah a little girl she looks about nine or ten.” Jax spoke licking a strawberry lollipop as he watched Thelma and her daughter leave the shop. “You need to increase my payment if you want more info about them.” He whispered to the earpiece.

“You aren’t the one to make the deal here.” Grayson spoke irritation filling his voice, Jax could imagine the middle-aged man sitting on his tattered couch watching Fox and drinking Scotch, such an old fool. “You do as you are told and I give you the payment we agreed on.” Grayson closed the deal between them but Jax wasn’t having it.

Jax scoffed at the stingy man offer he knew collecting the job from Grayson was a big doom, but why not when he could squander the old fool.

“Look here.” Jax sits up from his slouched posture. “I do all the work and you do nothing, I am the one following her like the creep I am and we both know you can’t do that so less talking and more money. Else I’ll let her know her crazy obsessed brother-in-law has hired me to watch her. And you know what happens if she finds out?” Jax could swear he heard the trembling of his voice as he cussed and the sound of things being thrown around, satisfied he got the upper hand he continued. “I give you 48 hours and if I see nothing the deal is off.” With that he hanged up and slammed the phone on the table.

'what do you have that he wants?' he thought as he stared into the picture of Thelma she was younger full of energy her brown hair styled into waves, she look innocent and naive so clueless of what awaits her.

© copyright Salem Silver G

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Hey hi, guys it is me again. This book I have been working on it for some months, please I will love to know what you think. Thanks

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