Chapter seven

“Why was my wife in a clubhouse, Michael?” Michael dropped his head to face the ground. He dared not look at his boss. Anger was written all over Jackson’s face as he looked directly at Michael across the table. “Do you know what ya have done? You are lucky to bring her back to me this morning in one piece. I would have fed your dead body to the dogs.”

“I’m sorry sir,”

“You should be. I’m so disappointed in you. Get out of my face before you end up a dead man,” Michael slightly bow his head and swished ut of the door, shutting the door behind him.

He turned to Janette, who was seated on the long couch opposite his office table and looked at her with one of his deadly glare; “And you, I thought you said you are hanging out with Anna and your friend in your father’s apartment.” Janette shivered at the sound of his manly voice with tears running down her already swollen eyes, Janette hasn’t fully recovered from the incident that happened some hours ago, she could remember how some of the college students and other people that were in the clubhouse screaming and running as the gun shut continue to blow in their ears. She also remembered seeing a guy with bullet wound on his right arm, and that scared the hell out of her but the scariest part of it was that Sol was nowhere to be found perhaps he’d run off and left her to the mercy of God, thanks to Michael who was quick to carry her on his masculine shoulder. Even Margaret and Anna were nowhere to be found.

“Will you stop crying or you want me to hand ya over to the police like your friends.” Janette slowly raised her head and stared at him, she pondered what he meant, does that mean Sol, Margaret and Anna had been arrested by the police?

“Sol and Margaret were arrested?” Jackson sent one of his deadly glares towards her again, she quickly dropped her head to face her laps.

“Your so call boyfriend was caught with hard drugs.” Janette swallowed hard, on a normal day she would have denied it but she knew 'twas true. Sol still hard the white powder stuck in his pocket when the police started shutting outside the clubhouse. “Do you do drugs too?” Jackson voice buzzed in her ears bringing her out of her whirling thoughts. She gave him a questioning look and used her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. “I said do you do drugs too?”

Quickly, she shook her head. “N-no I d-don’t do drugs,” Janette shuttered, fidgeting with her well manicured fingers.

“I hope you are speaking the truth. I don’t want a stunt lady as a wife.” Janette frowned at him, but said nothing. They settled in an awkward silent for a moment and Janette cleared her dried throat as she prepared to speak. She contemplated whether to say something or not. Her lips having a mind of its own willingly opened, and she muttered, “p-please Jackson, can you go to the p-police station and release my f-friends?”

“Why should I be the one to release your boyfriend from the police? Isn’t he man enough to get himself out?” Janette raised her hand to her mouth, chewing on her fingernails nervously as she stole glanced at him.

“Please, you are in the best p-position to bring t-them out.”

“No, let him remain there. That boyfriend of yours needs to be thought some lessons. I’ll punish him for dragging my wife to a dangerous place and feeding you with drugs.”

“Hey, he didn’t do that,” she defended Sol, looking at Jackson with annoyance.

“Ya think I don’t know? He’s gonna rout in jail.”

“Please, Jackson, don’t leave him there. It was my idea that we should go to the new clubhouse. Please bail my friends out.” She pleaded as fresh tears rolled down to her cheeks. Jackson was about to speak when they heard a soft knock from the door. He ushered the person in and Janette was surprised to see Anna entered. She looked like someone who hadn’t had a warm bath for the past one week. Janette swiftly stood up from her seat and went to stand beside her, placing her hand on Anna’s shoulder.

“Anna, you out. Where are my friends?” Jackson watched from his seat as Janette bombard Anna with questions concerning her friends. She looked at Anna with a twinge of concern, but the other lady refused to speak.

“Alright enough of the interrogation. Anna, you’ve disappointed me.” Jackson muttered. Standing up from his chair, he walked around and paused in front of his table a few feet away from the two ladies.

“I’m sorry sir,” she bow her head low. “I-it will not happen again, sir.”

“You know how naïve and stupid she and that her so call boyfriend can be and you allowed them talked you into going to a clubhouse.” Anna’s head remained down as she listened to her boss speak., Janette passed a glare towards Jackson for calling her and Solomon stupid. She wanted to speak but decided on the latte. If she really want him to release her friend, she would have to be respectful and play nice to him. “Go and freshen u., I’ll like ya and Michael to go to my wife's apartment and bring all her necessary belongings.”

“Hey!” Janette yelled, moving closer to him. “Ya can’t do that, we aren’t married yet.” Anna excused them and dashed out of the room.

Jackson smiled, looking at her in wonders. “My dear wife, you belong to me now; we’ve done all the paperwork. What else do you want? A white wedding?” She squeezed her face and muttered something under her breath.

“Ya said something?” Jackson asked,

Janette was quick to shake her head. “No, can I have my friends released now?”

“Your stupid friends have been released. They’re outside.” He told her, her eyes suddenly beam with excitement. She run to the door and reached for the doorknob.

“Where do you think you are going to?” She paused with her hand on the doorknob and looked over her shoulder. “I want to see my friends.”

“How does thank you sound in your mouth?” she blushed and turn to the door for a moment. When she composed herself, she tilted her head, glancing at him. “well, thank you for bailing my friends.” Before he could have the chance to reply, Janette ran out of the door thumping the door. Her feet hurried down the long corridor. She couldn’t wait to see her boyfriend and Margaret, within a few minutes Janette was at the entrance door with her eyes wandering around.

“Oh my God, Janette, ya gonna be living here? This is...” Margaret scrutinized the whole place again and continued, “heaven. Please, can I come and leave here with you?” Janette paid no attention to her friend. She scrutinized Margaret from head to toe and grimaced.

“Girl, you look awful and you smell awfully bad.”

Margaret rolled her eyes and glanced at Janette for the first time. “Well, for someone who spends a night in jai, l what were you expecting? I even smell better than your boyfriend.” Talking about boyfriend Janette looked past Margaret's shoulder and her eyes met with So. He stood uncomfortably beside Michael, sending a pleading look towards her. She walked passed her friend and paused only to glance at Sol,

“Hey babe,” she hugged him and squeezed her nose. “You smell bad.”

“I know babe, your creepy bodyguard wouldn’t allow me to see you.” She moved from Sol’s left side and went to stand between them, looking up at Michael.

“Why do you stop him from coming into the house?”

Michael looked strongly at Sol, then soften his face and glanced down at her. “I’m sorry ma’am, but the boss said I shouldn’t allow him into the house.”

“Hmm, I see,” she turned to Sol; “Michael will drive you and Mag home.” Sol whiffed his head in protestation; “no, I’ll rather walk home.” He looked at her inquisitively and began. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“I’m afraid no., Jackson wouldn’t allow me leave. He ordered Anna and Michael to go to the house and bring my belongings.” Sol looked at her for a few seconds and then dropped his head to the ground. Perhaps he has loosed his girlfriend for good. “Please Sol, don’t be sad,” Janette told him and wrapped her arms around his waist., “remember what we discussed; don’t worry everything will be fine soon I promise. You are free to come here anytime and any day.” He reluctantly nodded his head and moved away from the embrace.

“I’ll see you in school, right?”

“Yes, of course babe, I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”

*****

It took a long time for Janette to sleep that night at her new home. She worried she might not be able to leave the marriage again and be with the love of her life. I’d miss him terribly! Janette thought when she awoke in the middle of the night, realizing she must’ve fallen asleep after all. Janette was glad that Jackson didn’t persist when she said she would like her own room. She stared at the pretty spread curtains and rugs that adorned the room. “Why did I so quickly agree to marry him?” She whispered, going towards her new drawer, making a painful observation that most of her personal items weren’t approved to enter the house with her.

The next morning Janette only came out from her room for breakfast. She sat on the dining table forlornly without even acknowledging Jackson on the table.

“Good morning to you too, Janette. You look a mess for someone who just woke up from sleep.” Jackson said, with his eyes fixed on her dull face.

“Good morning. Can we start eating already?” Her gaze lingered on the different dishes on the table. She swallowed hard and raised her head to look at Jackson when she didn’t hear him speak. “What? Why do you look at me like that?”

“Your sister's surgery was successful, and she’d be back home today,” he told her, ignoring her question. Her eyes immediately brightened and a small smile passed over her face.

“Really? I will love to see her after my lectures later in the day.”

“You are not going to school today. I sent Michael to get all your schoolwork. You can spend the whole day with your sister.” Today isn’t going to be a bad one after all, Janette thought, smiling brightly at Jackson. “But I don’t want that your puppet anywhere close to you.” She glared at him but said nothing. Her head went back to the palatable dishes before her.

“Can we eat now? I’m hungry,”

Jackson watched as she shoved the food continually in her mouth like someone who’d spend days without eating. “Ya eat like a pig and it’s irritating.” He complained. Janette glanced at him with a frown on her face and chewing on the food in her mouth.

“Why do you like...” She waited and swallowed the food in her mouth and then continued. “Insulting me?”

“Because you behave like an animal at times.” Janette stared at him with so much fury and Jackson smiled, perhaps he has gotten the exact reaction he was expecting from her,

“I’m not an animal, Jackson.” She protested as she reached for the cup of juice and took it to her lips, making sure she emptied the cup before dropping it on the table. She opened her eyes wide in shock with her hand covering her mouth as she belched loudly, drawing Jackson’s attention from his phone.

“Who does that? Only Janette.” Jackson muttered, shaking his head, “I’ll arrange for someone who will teach you table manners, you lack table manners,” Janette rolled her eyes and continued eating her food, ignoring his baiting. She can worry about her new table manner tutor later, but now isn’t the right time, the food is more important.

“I don’t want you wearing does rags you called clothes.” He said, breaking the paused silent that settled between them

“My clothes are not rags,”

“You never admitted to the truth, anyway; here is my credit card you can shop for yourself.” Janette stared at the credit card on the table and then looked at him. Is he really serious? She wondered. “Take it, but don’t use my credit card on your so-called boyfriend.”

She reached for the credit card and scrutinized the little object in her hand, his name was written boldly on the credit card, she contemplated whether to give him back but decided on the latter, perhaps she could spoil her friends and buy things for herself too. “Thank you.” She whispered and dropped the card on the table close to her. “Can I go with Anna?” She asked, remembering that her friend wouldn’t let her breath if she didn’t bring Anna with her.

“Of course. I’m traveling to Switzerland today; I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Why are you just telling me now?”

“If I tell you before or now, what difference does it make?” She stared at him thoughtfully for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

“Whatever.” Jackson looked at her in amazement and shook his head. He meticulously stood up from the table and walked out of the dining room, leaving her alone. Janette looked at her empty plates in satisfaction and then glanced at Jackson’s untouched food. She reached for his plate but quickly changed her mind; if anything would kill her, it’s definitely not gonna be food.