His demons

HIS DEMON’S

Ethan has always been on the move since his wife died five years ago after giving birth to their third child Sophie following some postnatal complications. What was supposed to be the happiest day of his life turned into a nightmare. One day he was happily married with two kids and expecting a third, the next moment, he was a widower with three kids. How in the world was he supposed to care for three kids, how would he perform the dual role of a father and mother to his children? These thoughts nearly drove him to suicide.

His wife Vanessa, was laid to rest two days after she died and as soon as the funeral was over, Ethan became a different person and was rarely ever home. He spent most of his days away from his house and the memories it held for him. In every nook and Cranny of the house, he was reminded of his late wife. His children rarely saw him even on the weekends, thus he became more like a stranger to them.

Ethan's mum Theresa came to stay with them after her son lost his wife, she had never been married; she conceived Ethan when she was just a teenager and despite breaking up with her boyfriend she kept the baby. She was very much aware of her son's pain and understood it too, but she did not buy into his idea of running away from his own home.

 In the years following Vanessa's death, Ethan put all his energy into his work, he closed deals, signed new contracts, and added new businesses to his growing conglomerate. His company employed new staff to help with the pile of workload that kept growing even though the old ones had worked hard and some put in bonus hours. 

 At forty-three, he was already a well-known real estate mogul, a savvy business executive, and a property developer and he also had stocks and shares in other business ventures. Ethan made most of his money after his wife died, he would buy dilapidated buildings and refurbish them, he also invested in the shares of internet companies, and subsequently, his income grew and he gained the status of a billionaire, despite his acquisitions, he still felt a burning hunger for more, an insatiable feeling as if something was missing. 

Before his wife died, he would hold business meetings at his home, he wanted to share every bit of himself with her. However, after his wife's death, he held more and more meetings away from his house, meetings that ran into the night, this way he would never have to come home early.

“Your children need their father, make yourself available to them when you still have the chance.” Theresa pleaded constantly, especially when the kids asked about their father. But Ethan always had an excuse, the never-ending business meetings, conferences, and his creation of new Holdings. He would rather expand a new business idea than stay home.

It got to where the kids stopped asking if their father was coming home for dinner or not but the pain in their eyes could not be missed, even as their grandmother tried to explain to them that their father still loved them, they doubted he did.

To Ethan, life was meaningless without Vanessa. Enjoying and living his life was an insult to her memory- he firmly believed this.

Everything about his life became automated, eating, sleeping, having sex, work, and more work. 

**********************

AT WORK

“Tonight is my engagement party. I just wanted to ensure you had not forgotten,” Gaius said to his best friend and business partner.

“Is it today, would it matter if I don't attend?”

“Don’t start now.” Gaius growled, “you know I can't do this without you present.”

“Don't be ridiculous, it's just an engagement, or should I say entrapment.” he chuckled which gave way for a roar of laughter between them. 

“Please stop before I develop cold feet,” Gaius said in between laughs, 

“You better not, Fiona would have your head on a platter.”

Rubbing his hands against his neck, Gaius grimaced. “Just be there,” he muttered and left Ethan's office for him.

******************

SHERATON

“I would give anything to avoid being here,” Ethan murmured as he drove to the restaurant for Gaius's engagement. He dreaded the event especially because of the nostalgia that would take its toll on him afterward. As if the flat tire he had while coming was not enough, he bumped into a clumsy waitress with a thick accent, he was used to meeting people from around the world, and for a moment, he tried to gauge where she migrated from. The brief encounter helped him temporarily forget his bundle of nerves concerning the ceremony.

Thankfully, Gaius did not derail but went straight to the matter at hand and once he slid the ring onto his fiance's finger, Ethan excused himself and went outside the restaurant for some fresh air and also to get a grip on his warring emotions. That was when he heard someone crying as if their world had ended, and he went to check out what was going on, mostly out of curiosity. It turned out to be the same waitress he had bumped into earlier who was now wailing and talking to a male co-worker of hers. He did not intend to eavesdrop on their conversation, however, he could hear her talking about cancer, her mother, and money.  Her words were jumbled together and he had a hard time understanding what she was talking about, however, albeit oddly, her accent had a calming effect on him.

When he felt better, he went into the restaurant and back to his friends. Everyone was in a jolly mood as they celebrated their friend's engagement. Ethan joined in the celebration pushing aside his pain, it was better to be in the moment than to wallow in the painful nostalgia of his engagement to Vanessa.