The moment I arrived at the parking space where Frank parked his car, I leaned by the car and began thinking about all that had happened in the restaurant. I didn't even joy my vegetable soup because I was annoyed, so annoyed with Betty's presence.
Just when I thought I had getting rid of Jessica's threat, Betty arrived with a different kind of approach. An approach I couldn't confront, and now she was there enjoying this moment with him. A moment I was supposed to enjoy with him. I mulled over in pain.
Suddenly, the wind began blowing here and there, thereby forcing me to hop into Frank's car. I turned on the heaters as soon as I hopped into the car. From all indication, there would be rain any moment from now. It had actually been quite some time since we last experience rainfall.
Just as I was patiently waiting for Frank in the back passenger seat and enjoying the warmth of his car, my phone began ringing. It was a call from Jessica, but Jessica? Why was she calling me? Does she has something to tell me? What exactly was that? I couldn't stop asking myself series of questions, questions that could only be answered by her. "Hello!" I said as soon as I picked the car.
"Hi Jessica, where are you? It's about to rain here, I thought I should let you know" she said.
Wow, I never knew she cared that much. Anyways, that's lovely. "Yes I know, I will be back soon" I said as I looked up outside the car through the glasses, hoping to see Frank coming.
"Okay" Jessica said and just as I thought that was all she had to say to me, she continuef, "Also, one of our neighbors came to see you" she apprised me.
"One of our neighbors? But who could be that?" I uttered, wondering who the person was. It wasn't as if I used to mingling with them or their children, why would they come to see me.
"Mrs Smith, the one from the other side of the street" she said making me to smile. I never knew I could forget about that woman so easily, what was I even thinking?
"Oh, Mrs Smith" I uttered, "Where is she now? Did she drop any message for me?" I curiously asked.
"No, she said she will come tomorrow morning. And if you didn't see her, you should come and meet her in the hospital" she responded.
"Alright then, thank you sis" I said and thanked her in appreciation, she had really tried for contacting me to let me know someone came late looking for me. If it was Jessica of the past, she wouldn't say anything until I return home. And even if I return home, she might not tell me until the next day. Not out of forgetfulness but out of negligence.
"You are welcome" she said and waited for me to end the call, which I eventually did after waiting for some seconds. The Jessica I knew would end the call even before we finish talking, and would not pick my call if I dial her contact to add to our conversation. A lot had changed, a lot had impressively changed, truly.
Just then, rain began falling heavily. I became so lonely, alone in the car waiting for Frank to come. Why would he keep me waiting, or was he being held by that witch? I mean, Betty? I knew he would never keep me waiting deliberately, I trust he would never do that.
I kept waiting for him patiently as the rain continued to fall. Suddenly, someone ran towards the car. Due to rain, I couldn't see the person clearly. But just as the person opened the driver's seat and hopped in I realized it was Frank.
"Hi, Laura" he said as he stretched his hand to the front passenger seat's door and opened it. Surprisingly, Betty hoped in. "The keys please," he extended his to me, "Sorry for keeping you waiting" he added.
"Here!" I gave him his keys and didn't bother replying his apology. Just then he started the car and began driving.
"Betty, let me drive you before taking her back to Cornfield" I heard him said to the joy wrecker.
"No please, take her home first" she protested.
"But you live around here, your apartment building isn't far from here right?" he said.
"Of course it's far!" she exclaimed.
"But not that far at least, unlike Cornfield" he said, and without waiting for her to continue the argument he made up his mind, "Let me just take you home, I will see you tomorrow"
"Okay, fine!" she muttered. And the two continued to discuss, as if the discussion they had in the restaurant wasn't enough for them.
"That day, I heard Paul talking about taking six wraps of devil's powder and I was like, does your father knows what you are doing? And he was like, my father is the Count, he has been a Count for a very long time... and what if he knows, is he going to kill me? Huh, never!" he burst into laughter and so did Betty.
"That's one thing I hate about Paul, he likes messing with his life. He doesn't care about his health, and seriously all those things he's taking aren't good for his health. Why can't you talk to him, you are his best friend right? I think he would listen to you" Betty said. They were talking about the Court's son. Actually, he was a very bad smoker and a drunkard.
"I tried, I really tried but he's thr type that only listen to his mind. No matter how hard you try, he's not going to listen" Frank explained.
"Then I guess he wants to die young" Betty muttered.
"Not really, he just needs to learn his lessons. I hope he doesn't learn it the hard way and I hope when he does, it shouldn't be too late" Frank said.
"Me too!" Betty seconded his wish.
After about four minutes on the road, Frank pulled over in front of an apartment building. Thus, Betty bade him goodnight and stormed out of the car. She didn't even mind uttering a word to me, she left to her house and Frank drove us away. Finally, we were left alone.
However, the zeal I had for a conversation with Frank had vanished. Now all I wanted was to be left alone. I needed to be home soon so I could watch some movies or do some research, anything to keep me busy as I was really bored at the moment.
"I did all I could to get off that bitch's hook" Frank suddenly uttered, pulling me out of my trance. "She's the talkative type, always trying to keep people busy with her noise" he added. And for some unknown reason I became less agitated, probably because I learned he also wasn't happy with the way she kept him busy... away from me. "If I knew she was coming to that restaurant, I would have suggested we go to another one" he continued, "I disliked and hated the fact that she was single now, she would definitely disturb my life"
"That's if you allowed her to do that. If you don't, I am sure she won't even mind stepping your way let alone disturb your life" I uttered for the first time since Betty left. "You shouldn't be too opened to any girl that approaches, not even when they are related to the person you are in a relationship with or the person you intend to marry" added in parables.
"Hmm, what exactly do you mean. Are you talking about Jessica too?" he said as he giggled.
"I never said that, I am only stating facts!" I yelled at him.
"Okay, Laura, I am sorry. But to be honest, Jessica is just trying to get help from me. She's always talking about school, and recently I decided to make her dream come through. I promised her a lump sum of money that would cover all her tuitions and everything in St. Edward Colle..." he said as I cut in,
"Wait, wait, wait... A lump sum of money? How much exactly? And are you sure she's going to use that money for school? You obviously don't know that girl, I advise you to change your mind now. If you want to help her with money, do that through me!" I uttered angrily.
"But Laura, that's odd. Can't she be allowed to make use of her own money?" he complained, infuriating me further.
"What's odd? No, nothing is odd. The only thing odd here is making promises about lump sum of money to a teenager, a naive and crazy teenager. Why not give her mom the money even?" I thundered him.
"I would like to do that but I already made a promise to..." he said as I cut in vehemently,
"Do what you like, but trust me your cover would be blown when the Secret Monetary Intelligence Service invite her for questioning for her extravagant spending in the future, because everybody is going to know what's going on" I said but it seemed he wasn't worried at all.
"Ohh" he scoffed, and never utter a word again. I also didn't say anything to him.
When we arrived at Aunt Vicky's house, I couldn't get off the car because the rain was so heavy and I didn't want to end up drenched. It was cold outside, you know?
Frank understood me. He turned off the engine and waited for the precipitation's strength to reduce, that way I could walk out and to into the house without being scared of getting drenched allover.
"Laura" I heard him call my name while I waited.
"Yes?" I muttered.
"Jessica told me something I am not happy with" he said making me to wonder what that was. What did she told him? I wondered.
"What's that?" I asked out of curiosity.
"She said she discovered her father left a lot of money, belonging to one drug cartel. The money worth two hundred million dollars" he explained.
"What?!" I was confused. Totally confused.
"Yes," he cleared his throat, "and her mother had been using the money for all expenses, that's why she's not working with the government and also not doing any business but has no financial problem" he continued, "I know you are confused now but trust me, I was more confused than you are when I heard all that from her. She also told that was one of the reasons why your neighbors were being nosy, trying to know what the secret is and how her mother is earning her money"
"But why would Aunt Vicky keep the money with her? Why wouldn't she take it to the authority?" I said, wondering why anybody would keep such a lump sum of money at home. Money that didn't even belong to me in the first place.
"Well, according to Jessica her dad highjacked the money from the drug cartel and fooled the remaining officers by replacing the money with counterfeit ones. He also successful fooled the drug cartel into thinking he handed the money to the proper authority, the Federal Investigation Bureau. That means nobody is coming for the money" Frank explained further.
"Okay, but do you think that's a good thing to do? I still think they should hand over the money to the police, the real money" I protested.
"Doing that will anger the drug cartel, and they will haunt and kill your aunt. If you still want your aunt alive, never talk about that money with the police. Plus, I bet if it's still as huge as Jessica's dad left it" he said.
"Fine, I won't say anything. But do you think Jessica the whole thing is true? I mean, I had never heard about it. Not from my mom, a d certainly not from Aunt Vicky herself. Something is telling me Jessica is lying" I said, hoping to confirm about the whole thing from Aunt Vicky soon.
"Well, if you think she's lying then maybe you should wait for your aunt to recover, then you can ask her. However, I didn't tell you all these in order to create a scene, my love. I only told you so you could know that, Jessica and I had a plan. I am not giving her any money, she's going to use that money I told you about. But in order not to lure people's attention to her, we would pretend as if I was the one sponsoring her" he said, rendering me speechless.
