Too comfortable

CHAPTER TWO

Coco opened her eyes tiredly and gazed at the pop ceiling, trying to sit up. She looked around and although her vision was a blurr, she could see Chief Onapuruagu standing with Doctor Tate, Mrs Claudia, and Brandy in her bedroom.

They were all staring at her. She tried to speak but the words didn't come out. She looked into the eyes - she could see the sympathy in all four of them.

"Did my son survive?" She asked bluntly. All the pity in their eyes meant something, she knew the answer to her question, their eyes already ratted them out.

Tate cleared his throat, moving closer to her. "Coco, I'm sorry but I had to perform a D & C to remove the remains of the baby so you'd live. Chief consented to it.. but the good news is that your womb is still intact and you can.."

Coco fell back on the bed. "Everyone please leave, I want to be alone." She turned to face the wall.

Chief Onapuruagu signaled everyone to leave. When they had left reluctantly, he took a step forward. "Doctor Tate said it was a forced miscarriage.. someone poisoned your drink with bad substances originally meant to destroy an embryo and sweetness, I promise you, I will find whoever is behind this and I promise again, the soul will pay with her life.."

"I want to be left alone." Coco muttered in her lowest tone. She felt his nearness in the gloomy night, and it felt different than a mere physical positioning. It was... warmer, almost static. "Please leave."

Chief Onapuruagu ignored, he walked close to her bed and sat beside her, stretching to place his hands on her back but withholds, he gives it a thought then quietly walk out of the bedroom.

***

Brandy, Tems, Mrs Claudia, Carey, Pearl, Georgianna, Inna and Tate were pacing round the living when Chief Onapuruagu came in.

They all looked up at him, giving him questioning looks to know if Coco gave him audience. He shook his head sadly.

"Give her sometime, everyone, this is not easy for her." Tate said, placing a hand on Chief Onapuruagu's shoulders. "She needs time to heal and maybe this is her coping mechanism."

Chief Onapuruagu responded with a nod. One brow rose high. "The rogue that did this will pay with her life.." He groaned, walking to the window to look into the darkness. He turned back to face everyone with a frown. "Thank you Doctor Tate, I'll be expecting you tomorrow morning for her check up, good night."

Tate smiled faintly at Chief Onapuruagu. "Good night. Do check on her intervals to be sure she's not trying to take her life, in my twenty years experience, 70% of women whom miscarry in this manner tend to become suicidal during the first few days." He strode out of the living room quietly.

When Tate left, Chief Onapuruagu fully faced them, studying everyone's reaction. It had to be one of them and as expected, Inna was trembling. Inna was just a naive girl that couldn't hurt a fly, but no, he wasn't letting anyone off the hook.

They killed his son - someone, if not all of them will pay.

"Prepare a special delicacy and bring to my bedroom." He said to Inna. "As tasty as it could be."

Inna nodded sharply, limping off.

Not convinced about Coco's safety, Chief Onapuruagu raced towards their bedroom.

***

Coco barely covered her laugh, it was a deadly laugh. The laugh was for the rogue, she paced round her bedroom, slowly, but every part of her bedroom.

"My enemies are closer than I thought.. everyone I invited were family..the enemy is now family." She said to herself, she grinned, from her reflection in the mirror, her smile was wicked. "You'll beg for hell but hell will not come..hell will be heaven by the time I am done with you."

She was hungry but had no appetite, as she glared at herself in the mirror she became more aware of her exhaustion. She snorted at her reflection. She shook her head. She had become too soft, relaxed, comfortable and careless the last six months, playing love with Chief Onapuruagu.. living in lala land.

Stepping away from the mirror, she warned herself - break period was over.

Quietly she slipped into a black jumpsuit, black boots, sunshades, a hair scarf. She reached for her gold lighter, and her shotgun, carefully arranging them in her purse.

She left the house through the secret underground tunnel only her and Chief Onapuruagu is aware of. The door of the underground was right in Chief Onapuruagu's bedroom, where her feets were planted firmly.

She stepped through the door of the underground into the humid night air.

***

The bedroom was empty! By the time Chief Onapuruagu got there, Coco was nowhere in sight.

"Coco..." He searched all corners of the bedroom. His lashes were spiked with dread, he had a bad feeling about her disappearance.

He looked into the bathroom, she wasn't there. He looked through her closets and everything was intact. "Coco.." He continued calling her name, sounding confused.

When he dialed her mobile number, running to the underground tunnel to search for her and her phone didn't ring, he knew immediately that she was gone.

Striding back to his bedroom, then the living room, the look in his eyes, the things that he said nearly undid everyone. "She's left.."

"By that, what do you mean?" Brandy enquired, alarmed.

"She's not in the bedroom, her numbers are not connecting." He muttered angrily.

"Coco is missing?" Georgianna asked.

"But how?" Tems added, looking at Chief Onapuruagu.

His voice was painful enough to convey his hidden threats. "I promise the rogue, I'll be over with you before you see me coming."

His provocative words faded away into the storm as he walked out in anger.

Everyone in the mansion could hear him, they all went still, holding their breath. Coco was missing!

Devastated, Brandy blinked, repeatedly calling Coco's numbers and leaving voicemails.

Pearl drew a breath, she wasn't prepared for this temptation and consequences of a crime she knew nothing of. "Whoever the rogue is should come out clean," She looked around eyeing everyone. "because I am not ready to be used as Coco's scapegoat."

Georgianna walked to Brandy, glaring her in the eyes. "Where's my sister?"

"Hey crazy," Brandy snapped. "watch what you say to me." She looked down at Georgianna.

"Aren't you her best friend?" Georgianna batted her eyelashes at Brandy.

"What has that got to do with anything?" Carey rubbed her hands together anxiously. "We were all here when Chief said she's missing."

"Ah, I see." Georgianna said. "Well, according to Doctor Tate, she was poisoned with substances particularly made to kill a foetus..it was a forced abortion in clear terms, and let's not forget it's no ordinary or random drug found on the streets."

Pearl froze. "What are you saying?"

"Only a licensed medical practitioner can access the drug," Georgianna replied. "Isn't your dad a medical doctor?" She huffed.

Tems and Mrs Claudia exchanged glances.

"Okay, hold on," Tems said. "they're best friends, what would be her motive?"

"Correction.. their motive.." Georgianna moved closer to Tems. "Isn't it obvious Brandy and her sisters poisoned Coco? You ask about the motive? Jealousy! Plain jealousy!"

Brandy felt momentarily stunned. She wasn't ready to have anyone accuse her of things she never thought to do. "Talking of jealousy," She said. "Georgianna, aren't you the one jealous of Coco, bitter and always with the sense of entitlement to Chief Kaave's wealth. Should we go back to the past records?"

Georgianna looked away.

"If there's anyone in this room that will want to harm Coco, then it's you." Brandy said. "I have too much on you, but I won't bother spilling further, it won't take long before Coco unveils your mask, then, everyone will know who the rogue is." She looked at everyone as she spoke.

***

A gusting wind that was both refreshing and a bit alarming in its ferocity swallowed up Coco's thoughts. She felt a raindrop hit her nose, then another and another until they were spattering the ground all around her. Not willing to get caught in a downpour, she started away.

The rain started in earnest and she broke into a jog.

She reached her destination, soaked and breathing hard. She reached out for her purse, fished out her key, got the door open, and reached inside for the light switch. A dim, bare bulb glowed, she glared at the lighting.

***

Frustrated and tired, Chief Onapuruagu sat in his garden, under the rain. He was soaked to the skin, his shirt clinging to his chest, shoulders and upper arms. He seemed unconcerned with the rain that pelted him and the wind that tossed his hair.

Rainwater dripped from his nose. He swiped it away with an impatient hand. His hut around the garden area lit up with a blinding flash of lightening. Almost at the same time, the sky trembled from a thunderous roar and a thick curtain of inky darkness fell all around him.

The storm sent strobes of light that made him see Brandy approach him, flushed face and disheveled appearance.

"The lights are off everywhere, the whole estate is dead." Brandy said as she drew closer. "The lightening must have hit a transformer or something."

"The security should put on the Lister in a few minutes." His voice was ominous in the silent night.

Already debris littered the garden, he saw that a large limb had broken from the tree, crashing against the front of his hut.

It was late, the night black and the storm ferocious. He was worried, damn it. Where could Coco be?

"Why are you here?" He asked Brandy, certain she hadn't come in the rain to talk about electricity.

"Where is Coco?" Fear coiled inside Brandy as she asked. "Please tell me if you're hiding her somewhere, she would want me to know.. please.."

Chief Onapuruagu shook his head and lamented. "I wish I did.."

"I don't believe you, she was right there in your bedroom! Are you of the opinion she disappeared?"

"Enougu," He had a mean voice when provoked. "Do not add to my pain, please leave me alone."

"Where is Coco?" Brandy asked, scared but prepared to face the dangers. "I have never for once trusted you, you are capable of.."

"Of what?!" Chief Onapuruagu thundered, raising to his feet. "Killing my own child?" He moved closer to her, glaring into her eyes. "Capable of hurting Coco?" He shook her shoulders. "Answer me!"

Brandy pulled away and almost tripped to the ground. She looked up at him shakily. "How did she leave your bedroom unnoticed? I'd like that part to be explained to me."

Chief Onapuruagu huffed, he didn't hide his lopsided grin. He shook his head pitifully. "If I find out you had a hand in any of this, I won't spare you."

"Your threats do not move me, just tell me how she disappeared from your bedroom, and if she's part of this game, tell her I won't forgive her this time."

Chief Onapuruagu huffed. "Very well, come, I'll take you to Coco." He took a step away and when Brandy didn't follow he turned to look at her. "What changed?"

"Nothing," She responded, slowly walking to him. She was right afterall, Coco's disappearance was just a game. "Take me to Coco."

They walked for long under the rain, they finally reached the end of Chief Onapuruagu's mansion, the back entrance.

"Where's Coco?" Brandy asked, looking round.

Chief Onapuruagu pointed towards the gate. "Over there, open the gate."

Reluctantly, Brandy pushed the gate open and stepped outside. Her whole body burned! She found herself outside the mansion, on a scary coal tarred street full of trees along the sidewalks. The darkness and howling wind made it look eerie. "What is this?"

"The easiest way to get rid of you if you keep pestering me," He muttered wickedly. "you're on the rogue list remember."

Realizing she could be kicked out of the mansion, Brandy stood on the tip of her toe glaring at Chief Onapuruagu with clenched fists. "This only means one thing.."

"That I will not spare the rogue." Chief Onapuruagu interrupted then walked away after shooting her murderous glances.

She hurriedly followed then ran past him, heading back to the mansion and then the warm living room. Wondering why Coco married him.