ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (45 page)

As they dined, they chattered about the fund raising event of the previous day with all eyes focused on Wallis. Soprano sat right opposite him and as both eyes met, he felt something inside him which he could not explain immediately but he knew that some kind of joy he has not experienced in a long time returned to refresh his spirit. In that moment, Wallis found peace, even if it was temporal, so he relaxed in the presence of these guys he considers that family he wants to hold on to forever. This could be that truth the holy book wants all men to seek, he continued to reason because the serenity in that small gathering helped him confirm he has found his own kind of crowd. After food, every one lent a helping hand with the dishes and in a short while the guests took their leave.

Now alone again, Wallis retired to the Study and hit the internet once more for a while before he went for another of his passion. He was writing a tract titled ‘The Young Girl Deserves Special Attention’. He already researched much on the subject and now started putting his ideas in black and white. He worked hard on it like always until at about 12 am when he thought he should retire for the day. Tomorrow will be a Monday and he always prepared ahead of time. Stock taking in his store was due so he needed one of the fills on the subject which he kept in a closet he shared with Isabel and went for it. Searching for the file lead him to a pink envelope and he picked it up. It seemed quit odd that such a thing was lying in there and for who knows how long, he though before he opened and found a pad inside. It was a note from a guy Billy Mfelele addressed to his wife, he read and left it exactly where he found it.

The visit by his friends did so much to ease his mind and not for once since they left did he worry about his wife until this letter issue came up. Thinking she was still not home, he prepared for another lonely night and headed for the bed room with a bible in his hand needed for a short worship before lights out. He walked ahead with nothing in mind but his petitions to God until he stood at the door and tried to get in but found it looked. And he had to knock hard several times before she opened.

Why did you have to lock the door? Wallis asked the moment she got in.

You know why Wallis! I don’t feel safe here anymore, understand? Not with some lady using my kitchen and running all over the places in my house without a care in the world, okay? I could be sleeping in here and some woman comes to attack me or something and what am I going to do? Isabel responded.

What are you talking about Isabel?

Oh come-on Wallis! You know exactly what I’m talking about, okay? You should have waited for me to leave before bringing one of your mistresses in here and have her use my kitchen like I’m dead or something, she continued.

What we should be talking about is who you’ve been seeing, okay? Who is Billy and what do you have with him? I saw his note to you in the closet, okay? So, all this time you’ve been lying to me about Penney and how you have been spending your time with her, eh? I know you don’t wanna talk about this but how could you Isabel? Babe I never imagined you’ll do this to me! What will people think if they find out that a wife of someone like me is running around with some guy behind my back? This is pure nonsense Isabel. I think you’ve gone completely insane!

Yes! I’m damned out of my mind and that’s why you need to let me go, okay? Now listen, I’m gonna file for divorce and I’m gonna do it as soon as the day breaks ‘cause I know you’ll agree with me we are done and can’t go on pretending everything is cool, okay? We both know this is over so it’s better we go our separate ways.

Why not go ahead and do that? Wallis continued. I don’t even know who you are anymore! I don’t know where you go or what you do. You don’t know where I go or what I do either. These go to prove we are done like you said so you can go ahead and leave even now and return to Billy’s, okay? After all that’s what you want! With the way I’m feeling right now I don’t think I can continue with this, honestly. I don’t even see what will change anything anymore ‘cause I already adjusted my mind to what I know must come, Wallis said as he took his clothes and made to step out of the door.

Okay then! I’ll talk to my attorney tomorrow. I hope you have enough money in your account ‘cause if you think I’m gonna leave with nothing, you must be kidding yourself, Isabel said.

What attorney and what money are you talking about Isabel? Wallis asked and stepped back into the room.

Are you saying you don’t know what’s up! Baby the alimony thing is what I’m talking about, okay? When a guy that can afford to build orphanages all over the places divorces his wife, he pays her some money, yeah! Ever heard something about Charity begins at home, ah?

But I’m not divorcing you! You are doing the divorcing Isabel and may be you are supposed to be paying me some money.

I don’t even care what you say. Since you agreed to it, it means you are a party to it so both of us are doing the divorcing, okay? I’m gonna sue for half of everything we have together. I’ve been your wife for years, don’t have any source of income ‘cause I devoted my time to serving your ass and now you want me fly into the wilderness? That’s not gonna happen Wallis. I’m gonna sue and I’m gonna get my fair share of every cent we have together.

You’re into some wrong crowd Isabel, you know it! And is not good for you!

How you know what is good for me! Bringing in another woman into our house to take over my kitchen while I’m still here is what is good for me, eh? Anytime I turn around you get sneaky behind my back, is that not what you’ve been doing? Then you go searching everywhere for things to justify all your illicit affairs and found a letter from Billy to Isabel, so what? Is that worse than what you’ve been doing? Even, couldn’t you have waited for me to be gone before moving whosoever that bitch in my kitchen was to leave with you? She is some sort of a Christian woman and your dream kind of girl, right? I know, because of the way you’ve been talking to me and acting strange and pretending to be a Sent while Isabel is the devil. Anyways, all these are in the past now, get what I’m saying? I’m gonna see my attorney tomorrow and get on with this divorce shit and move on.

I don’t wanna get into anymore argument with you over what you want to do or don’t want to do, okay? But I tell you that seeing an attorney is not the wisest thing considering our circumstance right now. You know how we came to live here and I suggest we keep ourselves the way we’ve been so far, Wallis continued.

Come-on now! It’s been so long we’ve been out here and I don’t think it matters anymore.

Listens Isabel! In the LAPD files, our case is as fresh as it was the first day they got it listed, make no mistake about that. And knowing what kind of force we are dealing with, the case is never gonna go away till the day we are taken into custody. It is only for this reason I’m gonna cut you a deal right now and we go our separate ways. Tell me, how much money do you want from me?

You know, the way I’m right now, I think my attorney is gonna get back to you, Isabel said in arrogance.

You’re not gonna hire an Attorney Isabel! I won’t allow you mess up my life any further than it is already, okay? Now listen to me, I’m making a promise to you that I’ll engage one myself ‘cause I want this whole thing low keyed but you still get and keep your money.

I don’t even know if I can trust you right now, understand? Isabel never trusts anybody, get what I am saying? I’ve managed to put up with all you’ve been saying to me because of that so called special reason we are together in this place.

Isabel, don’t talk to me like that, okay? Not with all I’ve done for you? Come-on now!

Okay! Okay! Let’s get down with business and stop wasting time! I want a hundred million dollars! Isabel said.

What? Wallis screamed. I don’t have that kind of money anywhere, okay?

What do you mean? How much does it cost to build one house in Jozi, talk more of an orphanage? Wallis you’ve built not one, but two and still planning to do more and yet you can’t spare me a hundred million dollars?

I did not single handedly build anything, understand? Everything we did was done by raising funds from anywhere we could find it and with the right spirit you always find lots of generous men and women out here ready to help those who can’t help themselves. Besides, don’t you have any feelings left in you anymore Isabel? Are you saying it doesn’t matter that many kids are out there on the street with no body to care for them? They got no food to eat, no home to go back to at the end of the day and no cover on their body. Think for a minute what that means on cold winter nights. Are you that insensitive?

Stop talking to me like that, okay? I ‘m sick and tired of you moralizing before me and all that shit you do in the name of a church. How much is your big store in town making you, ah? A whole lot Wallis! And you are here acting like a bishop or something and at the same time lying to me about how you’ve got no money when I know you are loaded. Anyways, I’m gonna take my time and think it over and let you know by tomorrow how this whole shit raps up.

I’ll start work on the divorce papers all the same.

That’s fine! I accept that! Go ahead but I’ll be doing my own little stuff too.

Thinking now she needed extra help on this matter, Fajita another friend called to her mind. Not that real friendship ever developed between Isabel and this particular lady but they talk every now and then on phone and see each other once in a long while but they never stroke a solid rapport. But today she stuck to her mind for reason she can’t really explain and like always, Isabel compelled herself to fish out her number and dialed.

With surprise at the number showing up on her cell phone as usual, Fajita picked up the call. Hello!

You know who is on your wave, or you’ve forgotten me completely?

Don’t be ridiculous! Even though it’s been years we talked last I still know what Loretta’s voice sounds likes. Hope you’ve been ok though!

Babe something came up for me!

What’s that!

I and my husband are getting divorced

My goodness! Divorce? Why? What happened? Fajita reacted.

I just think we are not really meant for each other, that’s all!

No! There is nothing like we are not meant for each other in a marriage ‘cause that should have been taken care of by courtship, okay? Once married, you stay married and you seek every means to make it work. Your wedding came before mine if you remember, but I’m talking about myself and my own marriage, understand? I ‘m a ride or die sort of babe with my marriage and nothing can break my home unless in death.

What if you find out he is messing with another babe, you still gonna stay? Isabel pressed on.

For a person like me, that’s no big deal, understand? I don’t even see why people make such a huge issue over something that is completely manageable. We are all polygamous in nature like our fellow animals out there in the forest. Ever wondered why that verse in the Bible that urges anyone who dares to cast the first stone was put there? Come-on babe! We humans have to be realistic.

Come-on Fajita! You need to wake up and catch up with the rest of human folks ‘because you are far behind. Is like you are out to take sides with these men folks and their evil ways, not so? If that’s what you are doing give it up right now! Men folks are no good! Baby I learnt my lessons many years ago, okay? So you better wake up before is too late. Hit him hard before he hits you babe! Yeah! That’s the game.

Loretta! Hush! What made you like this? Is like you are out right cold, and so uncaring about anything! Like someone who cannot forgive or something!

I don’t care! Isabel maintained.

I don’t even know you act like this, honestly.

So, if you discover that your so called husband is gonna have you dead, you’ll still continue to be with him? You would rather stay to your death, ha?

I’m not even talking about something like that, okay? That’s way off the hook!

Why should anything unhook you with something you are glued with for eternity? So you get what I’ m saying then Fajita?

If that is what you are trying to bring out then I’m with you on that. Does your man want you dead?

No! He is not that horrible, understand? Is just that he wants me to conform to certain standards, okay? But I’m not just the type.

I don’t see anything wrong with that! Apparently he is marking his territory like every animal does and that’s the way of a man who loves his woman Loretta! Come-on! You got to be reasonable about this!

Fajita you know what? The way you’re talking right now is the reason we don’t really get along so well, understand? Listen, I’m capable of making my own decisions and Loretta will continue to be the captain of her own ship till the end.

And that’s the reason a lot of women like you are in trouble these days.

What kind of trouble are you talking about Fajita?

Like you came crying to me right now, what do you call that, eh? Loretta, you…………….. The buzzing sound at the other end told Fajita that Isabel dropped the line so she quickly retrieved her cell phone and went about her business without giving any further thought on the matter.

Chapter Twenty-Six
 

W
hile in the office early this Monday morning and a call from Wallis was transferred to her desk Soprana picked it up immediately. And the urgency in his voice as he talked about coming to see her in few hours, compelled her to suspend some engagements of the day and waited anxiously. The moment he walked in just before noon, Soprana could tell right away that something wasn’t right. So after the initial compliments, she took him to a more private room reserved only for VIPS.