Chapter 8

Everyone, family, and friends were celebrating his return. Ernest Bestman thought quietly as he watched his wife with her co-worker's chat at a corner.

He recalled how he met Olivia, he was still struggling as a young politician, and she was a single lady with no family, working at the embassy. They weren't the best of collabo as friends advised but they tried hard to keep the relationship alive with so much hard work and sacrifices which brought them here today. He smiled.

But whenever the thoughts of his son Jason filtered in, Ernest would feel weary.

Jason was given everything his parents could afford and as the saying applied, much was expected of him.

Ernest was disappointed, his wife wasn't helpful too, she overindulged Jason who cared about nothing and no one except himself.

He understood his wife Olivia grew up an orphan and wanted her child to have the life she didn't.

Ernest didn't share the same idea with his wife. He believed that from hard work and responsibilities a man was formed.

Though he was always on business trips and meetings. It never stopped him from spending enough time with Jason.

Especially while Jason was growing up, they would go on expensive vacations sometimes joined him in a few of his indoor sittings, and so on.

Ernest tried and now he was home and would stay in Nigeria for long before any other expected travel.

He'd take his time and watch his son, he wasn't convinced at what Olivia told him, about Jason becoming responsible and even attending lectures.

Deep down in his heart, he wished for it to be true, that their son was turning a new leaf.

He loved his son so much but distrust could kill love way faster than words.

As he stood at the bar and reminisced his wife Olivia walked up to him.

"Darling, why stand over there alone when you're the celebrant. We should talk with our friends there" She encouraged, gesturing to the people she was with before.

"No... Dear, I just needed time to appreciate my family. I've missed you so much" He confessed and gave her a peck.

She blushed.

"I'm still in doubt about Jason's new behavior, I mean since I returned he seems a little out of himself," Ernest said leaning onto the bar counter.

"He's himself, I think you're just used to his old self that this new him is kind of foreign. Believe me dear he changed so much, he even helped me out in doing some grocery shopping. I mean how is that possible?" She asked in astonishment.

Ernest shrugged "Yeah... Strange I may say."

She tapped him on the shoulder "Not strange but very nice" she corrected.

"So who's the young man beside the scantly dressed lady," Ernest asked his wife who watched Jason in admiration.

"Don't you remember Sean? His best friend since high school. Ignatius and Maria's son?."

"Ah! Yes, I recall. He looks much different now and the young lady? I see he still keeps the same circle of friends" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh they're adults now it's their time and life to live Mh?" She cajoled.

"I'd love to speak with him, could you send for him please?" He requested sternly.

Olivia smiled and shook her head in wonder as she walked up to Jason who was in the midst of friends.

When Jason stood before his father, he wasn't sure how to behave exactly.

The man was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. He always wondered how his mom never got him riled up. He was always the one at the receiving end of his anger.

"I see you've been taking your studies seriously these past few days? Your mother filled me in on your sudden change. May I ask why?" Ernest asked with a straight face.

"Ah dear, is this some kind of meeting? we shouldn't be discussing serious matters now at least catch up with your son and not put him on the hot seat" She complained.

"This is catching up?" he looked innocently at his wife, both staring down at each other while Jason stood there in awkward silence. Until Ernest gave up.

"How's school been?."

"Very well, we were just rounding up for the semester with projects" Jason spoke robotically, dipping his hands in his pocket.

Typical of his father to start an interrogation with academics. The man should have been a professor and let Jason have a breather.

He wasn't scared of his father but just didn't like being in his judgy presence.

They were interrupted by their Butler who came to announce the presence of the police in his home.

"Sir. The police are here to see you, they've refused to leave until they speak with you. Sir am sorry" The Butler apologized.

Ernest sent him off and proceeded with his family to meet the police at the anteroom where no guests were.

Still wondering why the police would invade his privacy and disrupt his party he walked into the room to meet two officers Stood far near the second entrance to the room and entertained their eyes with the beauty around them.

He cleared his throat.

"Officers, may I help you?."

"Evening sir,  I am officer Richmond from the Maryland district and we are here on a report that your car plate number was tracked and located here for being involved in a hit and run case which left the victim unconscious."

Jason paled...

He heard less and less of what the officers were saying. His fear rose like bile breathing became difficult for him. He always knew karma would find him, Damn!.

His father's voice echoed in his ear incomprehensibly.

"Officer you should already know I've been away from the country for most of the year and this my car, my mustang you talk of has been in my garage for months I've never driven it. So how is this even possible?" He asked looking around at everyone.

"Sure sir, we know about that, we've been in on it. Maybe someone else might have been making use of it while you were away"  one of the officers suggested.

"My wife?!" Ernest asked getting irritated. "Are you insinuating my wife would do such an inhumane act?." He boomed alerting everyone, Jason was sweating from fear and guilt.

"Oh no, sir..." The other officer interjected "Not your wife but your son or his friends?."

Then everyone turned to Jason, waiting for an answer but he was lost in his haunting thoughts.

"Jason!!!" Ernest yelled and Jason was jerked back to reality.

"Was it you?."

"W...what?" he stammered and swallowed hard.

"Haven't you been listening? The officers asked if you've been driving my new car since I was away?."

He took a while to answer and everyone was getting suspicious.

"No... No dad, I have mine so... I don't see reasons why I should?" He stammered.

Ernest watched him for a while not quite believing him.

"Better be sure. officers, can we stroll to my garage and make sure the car is still intact?" He encouraged.

"Sure."

And they all walked to the garage, Jason didn't follow behind rather he ran to his friend for help.

"Sean! Sean!!! Am dead.. and fucked up man. They're here and are asking questions!!" He cried.

"Calm down man. Who are here? And what questions are they asking?."

Jason exhaled. "The police, they're here to find out about the accident and they're at the garage to check if the car has been used at all. Do you know how my dad is? He'd hand me over to them immediately like am a curse that needs to be lifted."

"But did you tell the driver to wash the car or put in a new Mackintosh?."

"No, it skipped my memory with all the Charlotte issues. why did you let me leave him on the road that day man?! I hate myself for it I do!" He blamed.

"This is no time for the blame game, look if they take you to the station you could deny it wasn't you, I mean once your face wasn't on camera you have an edge alright?."

He was about to respond when the police can back alongside his parents. Olivia begged her husband silently not to allow such disgrace on their family name. Ernest paid her no heed.

Jason was arrested and taken to the station,

Ernest excused himself and retired to bed he was to worn out to join them over there but promised to come the next day.

Olivia cried so much, for many reasons.

"Shouldn't we at least be there at the station with him this night to show our support? He's our son Ernest!" She yelled beside him in bed while Ernest was busy with the newspaper on his lap.

"Do not disturb me, woman, I strictly told you we will only be there tomorrow morning. I know Jason and know that he isn't one to change his bad ways overnight unless something is fishy" He pinned her with a stern look.

Olivia began to cry. She whimpered like a rain-beaten dog.

"I...I only wanted the best for him and our family. And I was just so happy to know he has once again taken interest in his academics you know? I thought you'd be soo proud of him. When I first heard he took up his project on his own I felt so proud of him and thought this could be our Jason turning out to be like his awesome father" She cried.

Ernest pulled his night glasses and newspaper then cuddled his wife who felt so fragile.

"I know dear, me too. I wished deep down that he had changed for good. I wished it more than you but seeing Jason get frightened this night by the mention of the police arrival, I knew something wasn't right. He's caused us so much trouble in the past that I can't get my head over him turning out good anytime soon" He soothed his wife.

She lay in his arms and took shallow breaths. Ernest loved his wife and son so much but Jason kept on giving them reasons not to have faith in him. Jason had dealt with them so much in the past especially in this teenage age. One time he up and left home for months, he and his wife thought their son was no more.

The police and whatever department was involved searched for him. Yet Jason couldn't be found because of some fallout he had with Ernest. Jason decided to punish them. He finally came home but without remorse.

The boy was so stupid. He hurt his mother more than he could ever imagine. Olivia developed insomnia then and refused to eat. Not until she was sure Jason was alright.

Well, that and more but she still loved and treated him right. Even though Jason was selfish.

Tomorrow they'd both go and see how the matter would be.

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