Chapter 5

Elsie and her driver did not exchange a word with each other. But when they got to the busy CBD of Westbrook city they eventually had to talk yet the two were scared of each other. Elsie was scared the driver had definitely already set her up. She had not called Lewis or his brothers back and she was ignoring their calls. As for the driver, whether he continued to work for the Woodley’s or not it all depended on Elsie. How she was going to get herself out of that mess.

"Mum..."

"Take to me to Bella's, has anyone called you?" Elsie asked confidently, behind the confidence was a scared little girl at the driver's feet begging for mercy. How was she going to face her mother if their marriage failed because of her? Where she came from it was always a man’s fault.

"No, they can't call because I switched my phone off"

She took a sigh of relief. One thing remained. Making sure he kept quiet. But how? It was hard if not impossible to keep him shut. Blackmail was a situation she never wanted to get herself into especially with an employee. There was an endless list of ridiculous things the driver would asked for that she was not ready to give. On top of that list, sex.

"Why did you switch it off?"

"If I go home without you I lose this job and I need it"

"I can make sure you don't lose it"

"What do I have to do?" He asked stealing a glance at his boss via the rear view mirror before keeping his focus on the road again. He could tell she was scared out of her own head.

"You're smart, what's your name?"

"Tom"

"So Tom, no word to anyone about last night...we waited for Lewis at the club he didn't show up. I got drank and I asked you to take me to Bella's, ooh and your phone went off"

"That's a script I can work with" he said.

"Good be confident while selling it"

When they got to Bella's they found her waiting at the front porch, pacing up and down like a caged lion. She was mumbling some inaudible words and making gestures with her hands, for a minute there Elsie thought her best friend had gone nuts. When she confirmed no sign of Lewis or any of the Woodley’s she felt some relief.

"Am here, are you okay?" Elsie asked quickly making her way out of the backseat.

"No, am not a okay as a matter of fact am far from okay, first you call asking me to lie for you and you give me nothing to work with and second Lewis keeps blowing up my phone and I can't answer it because I don't know what the Fuck to tell him!"

"Tell him whatever you want, am sure you'll come up with something, a clue for you, he stood me up at scorpion yesterday. I love you bitch I know you got my back" Elsie said confidently marching inside her house as though she owned the place.

"You see why I hate being a woman, come in!" Bella said to the driver following Elsie.

She had already made her way to the kitchen, breaking eggs all over the place. The driver took the comfy three sitter coach while Bella decided to call Lewis back now that she had Elsie around for some sort of proof of life. She would have faked Elsie's voice were it not for the flu she had that made her sound like an old diesel engine.

"Hi who is this please?" Bella asked, the call was in loudspeaker.

"My name is Lewis Woodley, am I talking to Bella?"

"Yes, what a surprise" Bella feigned surprise and happiness while Elsie looked unbothered mixing pancake ingredients in a big bowl.

"Have you seen your friend Elsie, she didn't come home last night and she is not picking my calls, her driver is also off am worried"

"She is with me don't worry, we came in last night drunk after you stood her up!" Bella screamed the last part out.

"Am sorry please, tell her to call me ASAP or even better put her over"

That was the proof of life I was talking about. Funny how women have managed to crack that one and men like Lewis were still living in erstwhile, unbothered to find some other trick up their sleeves.

"I don't want to talk to him!" Elsie said getting closer to Bella before she went back to making her breakfast.

"You heard her"

"Okay, can I come over?"

Elsie shook her head.

"She says no, give her some time to calm down besides if I were you I would stay away she looks really pissed off right now"

"Okay, thank you"

"You're welcome" Bella hang up.

The two looked at each other for a minute then burst into a thunderous laughter of victory. The lie was going to hold some water. Although they expected Lewis to be arrogant enough and show up at her doorstep, at least he was going to find her there.

"You owe me a bottle of champagne"

"Anything you want girl, thanks for the save" Elsie said.

Bella made herself comfortable on one of her kitchen chairs. Elsie knew what was going to follow next. A confession.

"Not now"

"Give me the juice girl, since when do we keep secrets from each other? I just saved your ass you owe me"

"A bottle of champagne but yesterday is going with me to the grave"

"You're kidding?"

The surprise written all over Bella’s face was evident, she wore it like make-up. She believed there was nothing Elsie would hide from her. Typically she would tell her willingly and that day she was hesitating, going in circles.

"No, am sure you won't sell me out"

"Don't be sure...come on tell me what happened am kind of curious right now, I got that tinkling feeling like am going to pee my pants"

"It's nothing really, I got drunk and danced like I have never done before then I met a guy we had a couple of drinks and we went to his apartment then I woke up and called you...that's all" she turning around to face Bella who by the way did not look very convinced by that little tale.

She had that look of doubt like Elsie was keeping something away from her. Or maybe it was a look of disappointment because the two had vowed to always tell each other their secrets no matter how bad and stinking they were.

"And you expect me to buy that?"

"But it or leave it"

"Ooh so the slut in you did not come out last night not to mention you were drunk and two the guy was such a priest to sleep next to all this" she pointed at her sexy body, "and not touch you leave alone not have a series of nocturnal emissions to flood his entire apartment?"

That description was somehow funny. Both of them found themselves laughing at their heads off.

"No, we didn't do anything"

"Am calling Lewis to cancel my first story and give a fresh one"

"No you won't"

"Try me bitch!" She threatened and got out her phone, she swiped her manicured fingers on her sleek iPhone 11 pro and showed Elsie the screen.

"Okay, okay! Hang up I'll tell you"

"Am sorry but you pushed my hand"

"I fucked him alright? And I feel so bad about it that I just want to die" she said breaking into tears.

It was no longer funny. Bella got on her feet to console her friend. She turned off the gas and hugged Elsie tight massaging her back. It was that hug she needed to calm her down and lift that heavy burden she had on her heart. It was getting heavier by the minute but sharing it with someone else closer to her felt like some kind of a start.

"Sorry love, you'll be fine, you'll....we will get over this. First time always sucks I have been married before I know"

"I just lost track of time and I was angry, Lewis has been sleeping around I thought I was punishing him but now I feel so bad about myself, I feel unclean like a filthy whore..."

"That one wrong step changes nothing. You're not a whore he fucked up first this is on him not on you, say it!"

"It's on him not on me"

"With zeal damn it!"

"It's on him and not on me he fucked up first!" She said with renewed vigor.

And just like that her confidence was back. She had taken the first step to what I consider toxic recovery from problems created by self; found someone to blame for her wrong doings. The moment one is convinced that they do bad things because of someone or something else then there is no room for guilt, they assume the object or someone has to carry the guilt. That was where Elsie was. She considered herself a saint it was Lewis who was turning her into a devil.

***

The Woodley’s could now enjoy their weekend in peace when Lewis and Joe confirmed that Elsie was safe and sound. Not that everything had stopped because of her disappearance, but they were worried like a normal family would be when one of their own goes missing.

"You're not going to leave her alone aren't you?" Joe asked Lewis at the garage.

"No man, I left her once see what happened am not repeating the same mistake"

Joe got in the car with him, strapped in his seat belt and shut the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Just let me do the talking little bro”

"You don't have to do this, actually I don't expect you to tag along am not the nicest person to you"

"But you're my brother, real one not like Steve who was adopted" he said the two brothers laughing hysterically.

Once again Joe was showing up for his brother despite his enormous ego. Their parent’s idea of a first born was one who could get angry and not show it and stand by his siblings no matter what. I think Joe grew up with that. Lewis drove them out of the compound in his Bentley continental GT. Joe coming along was a boost to his morale. With Bella by her side the girls would have overpowered him.

"Are you guys okay?" Joe asked as they made their way the CBD, it was Saturday and the express way had less traffic.

"We're trying"

"I know it's none of my business but since the engagement it looks to me like you have stopped trying to win her"

"Am busy, you of all people should understand this"

"You can create some time for her..."

"Can we talk about something else brother, no one is perfect in this relationships so you do you and let me do me. Just because you've agreed to help me it doesn't give you a right to judge me"

"Okay, am just helping no strings attached"

"Good now prepare that sweet tongue of yours because we are here" Lewis said pulling over at Bella's apartment, they could see one of their V8’s parked outside that was enough to confirm that was the place.

Joe took the lead and his egomaniac little brother couldn't help but hide behind him. The door was opened on the first knock.

"Tom, why is your phone off?"

"It's charging sir, it went off"

"Where is Elsie?" Lewis asked the two getting in.

"Relax bro"

"Joe and Lewis Woodley, what a pleasure to see you both at my doorstep; please seat!" Bella said coming from the kitchen.

They sat as instructed, it felt so bad to be at the mercy of Bella but that is what love requires. Sacrifices. Even with all that money Joe and Lewis were being told what to do by someone whose income was less than the price of their Rolex’s.

"I didn't know Joe was coming"

"Me neither" Joe said, "can I talk to Elsie she said she doesn't want to see him not me"

"Well played Lewis"

He shrugged.

"Let's go Joe, and you stay there we have a lot to talk about"

"I won't move a muscle"