(Continued from Step Dad II)
Michael is refreshed, and feels energized for the first time in a very long time. The psychological weight in his mind has been lifted. He and Rachel have just made love, and it has been as good as they were having before they got married. They have showered together, and the marital bond has been strengthened. They are all smiles as they head to the dining room. Not even Daniel and Daniella’s lousy attitude can ruin Michael’s mood. He can see freedom in sight.
When Joel comes running towards him, he lifts him up with more energy than before and places him on his shoulders. Even after he sits at the dining table, he allows Joel to continue sitting on his lap.
“Where is Daniella?” Rachel asks the house assistant.
“She is in her room.”
“Have you told her that it is dinner time?”
“She said she is not hungry.”
“Go and tell her that nobody will be eating anything after dinner. So if she is not hungry then the next meal she will have will be breakfast.”
Daniel rolls his eyes. He has heard that threat before. The house assistant goes to Daniella’s room and returns with a message from Daniella stating that they should stop bothering her. Michael leads a prayer of thanksgiving for the food and then they all start eating. After the meal Daniel retreats to his room and the house assistant goes to the kitchen to do the dishes. Daniel takes Joel, who has already dozed off, to bed and then returns to the dining room to take coffee with his wife.
By the time they finish their coffee, the house assistant has already left for her room. Rachel cleans their cups and then locks the kitchen. That is a first. It means that she is actually serious about denying Daniella food till morning. They retire to their bedroom after switching off all the lights in the house.
They have just fallen asleep when Daniella starts banging on their door, demanding access to the kitchen. Rachel rises from the bed, opens the bedroom door and orders her to go back to bed.
“Didn’t you say that you are not hungry? Go back to bed and next time you have to learn how to respect meal times.”
“Is it your husband who is turning you against your own children? What does he help you with anyway? Is it sex…”
She doesn’t complete that statement became Rachel slaps her hard on the face.
“I am your mother, Daniella. You are not going to talk to me the way you want. Is that understood?”
“Did you just slap me?”
“Yes, and I am going to slap you again right now if you don’t go back to your bed in the next five seconds. And I am counting, one, two…”
Daniella turns around and goes back to her room fuming.
*
Michael and Rachel wake up early in the morning, even though it is Saturday. They agreed that they would check out apartments that they can rent today. They already checked online and have a list that they will follow up on today. They saw several bungalows available for rent in upmarket estates, but while moving to a stand-alone bungalow would be an easier transition from their house, they decided against spending a lot of money on rent. They agreed that they would rent an apartment.
They have woken up before the house assistant, so they head to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. Daniella is the first to arrive, probably thinking it is the house assistant in the kitchen. She pauses at the door when she realizes that it is Michael and her mother in the kitchen.
“Mom, can I have something to eat?”
“Yes you can, but at the breakfast table. Not now, and not here.”
“Why do you hate me so much mother? Ever since you got married to this guy you treat us as though we are not your children.”
“I don’t hate you, Daniella. But I don’t approve of the way you and your brother behave. I want you to be well behaved children but for that to happen I will have to discipline. For instance, when it is dinner time you have to come down and eat with everyone else. Second, you have to treat everyone, including Michael with respect.”
“Whatever,” Daniella says and walks away.
*
The family is seated on the breakfast table when someone rings the bell. Michael takes out his phone from the pocket and checks the CCTV.
“Strange,” he says. “It is the police.”
“I wonder what they want so early in the morning.”
“Let me go and find out.”
Michael takes the house keys and walks to the gate. He opens it to allow the police van to get in, but he finds it already turning.
“Are you Michael Mwiandi?” an officer standing outside the police van asks. His colleague turns the vehicle around and keeps the engine running.
“I am, how can I help you?”
“We need you to come with us to the police station.”
“What for?”
“You will find out when you get to the station.”
“Am I being arrested? I need to know because unless you are arresting me I am not coming.”
“Yes, you are under arrest Mr. Mwiandi.”
“What am I being arrested for?”
“Sexual harassment. It has been reported to us that you have been forcing your juniors at work to have sex with you.”
“But that is a lie!” Rachel says from behind them. Michael did not hear her approach but the police must have seen her because they are facing her. “I am his boss and if any such complaint had been lodged I would have been the first to know.”
“You might be his boss madam, but you are also his wife. How many people do you think would come to you with such a complaint? They are afraid not just of him, but also of you. Sir, plus get in the vehicle. We do not want to add a charge of resisting arrest.”
“Please get me a lawyer sweetheart. I am certain that I am being framed.”
“I am doing that right away sweetheart. I will get you out within no time…”
Rachel is fighting back tears as she watches her husband being manhandled into the police vehicle. She has no doubt that he is innocent. She is also sure that her father is behind his tribulations, and it must have something to do with their plans to move. But how could he have found out about their plan to move today? There can only be one answer to that question: Daniella.
She matches back to the house and finds her daughter still on the breakfast table.
“What did you tell your grandfather?”
“Nothing, why do you ask? What do you think I told him?”
“Never mind. But if I find out you have been spying on me, just know you will regret it.”
She retreats to the study so that she can make the call to her lawyer in private. The lawyers who act for the hotel business are competent, but they hardly do any criminal work-the entire firm is a commercial institution. Besides, even if they practiced criminal litigation, Rachel wouldn’t have trusted them one bit. They are her father’s friends, and he would therefore have a lot of influence over them. Fortunately, she knows a very good criminal lawyer who can handle the case with ease. Her name is Rhoda and they were classmates at Braeburn School many years ago. Rhoda went to the University of Nairobi for her undergraduate studies, then she went to Harvard for her Masters before returning to the country. She went to the Kenya School of Law, got admitted to the Bar and also found a husband in her law class. After working in different law firms for a couple of years, Rhoda and her husband opened their own law firm. Rhoda primarily deals with criminal, matrimonial, divorce and children matters while her husband does commercial conveyancing practice.
In recent years Rhoda has been one of the closest friends that Rachel has, so she naturally is the one she calls. After pleasantries, Rachel explains to her friend the allegations against her husband as well as her suspicions about her father’s involvement. As a criminal and divorce lawyer, Rhoda loves a good fight, and so she quickly agrees to help Michael. She was having an easy Saturday at home with her hubby and children, but when duty calls, she is always ready to put on her armor and go to battle.
After talking to Rhoda, Rachel retreats to her bedroom and takes a shower. She dresses into semi-casual clothes and prepares to leave for the police station. As she passes by the sitting room, her daughter informs her that her father has just called.
“What did he want?”
“He wanted to talk to you. He said he has heard that some people have made sexual harassment charges against Michael and that he has just been arrested.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“I told him that the police were here. Michael went to open the gate, and when he took too long you followed him to the gate and then came back alone. I don’t know if he was arrested, but it sure looks that way. But if he was arrested, then he totally deserves it.”
“Daniella, what did Michael ever do to you? Why do you hate him so much?”
“I have told you many times but you don’t ever listen to me. Michael is a beast and a sexual predator. He has tried many times to have sex with me and it is always Daniel who comes to my rescue. Just last weekend he sneaked into my room after you went to meet your friends and he started touching my boobs and kissing me all over.”
“But why haven’t you ever told me this before?”
“I have always told you mother, but you don’t ever believe me. And now you are pretending that I have never told you so that you can protect him. But Daniel is my witness and I have told grandpa that and he believes me. He is going to get me justice alongside those other women that your so called husband has been defiling. Grandpa is coming to pick me and Daniel up so we can go to the police station to record our statements.”
Rachel knows that she has been cornered. She knows that Daniella is lying, and she now knows more than ever that Daniella is the one who told her grandfather about their plans to move. This entire saga is meant to stop that move. But when your underage daughter publicly claims that your husband has been defiling her, and your husband has also been accused by other women of sexual harassment, who do you support?
(Continued Here)
*
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