~ I am not OK, Brian~

Chapter 2

~ I am not OK, Brian~

Brian had been receiving messages upon messages from Ella, ever since she got married. And most of the messages had little or no details than Brian fixing a date they could meet somewhere and discuss. The pressing need of the messages got Brian thinking Ella was in trouble. He had sensed trouble in the marriage and when he told grandma, she thought he was being jealous of Ella. That he was wishing her evil in the marriage.

“I hope she is not in trouble,” Brian whispered within himself, drifted to the shelf, made flakes for himself and sat to it before turning on the television set to play a video game. He played briefly, crunched his flakes to finish, and got exhausted playing the game before he appeared at his wardrobe to change into something fresh since the hotness of the summer was making him sweat profusely. He had clenched one of his cloths when Meyer’s ID card dropped from the pocket. As he bent to pick it up his attention circled around Meyer; where she would be now and what she was up to. He smiled as he stared at the ID card photo which he had picked on the ground sometime in the past before Meyer disappeared into thin air. And when he turned the back of the ID and saw her phone number, the idea of calling her paced into his mind and he shook his head in disagreement.

“No way,” he whispered within himself, “She would think I am still interested in her,” he whispered yet further and stared at the photo once again, beholding Meyer in her police uniform. “Why world she hide her personality from me? She is up to no good,” he said within himself and squeezed the ID card back into the pocket he got it from.

Just then his phone line rang and he made to it to see it was Ella. He paused briefly, staring at the phone, allowing the phone to ring yet again before picking it.

“Hi Brian,” Ella’s kitty voice came from the other end.

“What’s up you, Ella?” Brian said, smiling into the mirror, opposite. But the smile didn’t last for two long.

His smile died when Ella said, “I am not OK, Brian. We need to see and break words.”

“What is happening?” Brian asked hastily and anxiously. “I hope you are not in trouble?”

Her voice became cold and Brian could perceive the uneasiness of her breath as though she was at the edge of getting ruined.

“That’s why we must see,” she replied.

Brian raised a brow, snorted and groaned, “Tomorrow 4:30 PM at the Universal Café and Fries.”

“Will that be good and safe for us?” Ella asked.

“I would have preferred you coming over to my home.”

Brian protested, “Your what…? How would your husband see me? Won’t he have issues with that?

“He is not around, Brian. I just need you to come over. If I leave the confines of this house and meet you at that café, we could be seen by him and it world worsen it,” she said from the other end.

Brian could sense danger and want in her voice. Ella was in for trouble. Yes!

“I …I …” he found himself stuttering having this strange difficulty to tell Ella his mind, “I am sorry I can’t come over to your house in his absence, think about what would become of me or even you, if he should barge in on us. No explanation would be acceptable by him. I don’t want us to be in trouble, OK”

Ella’s voice went dead on the other end.

Brian asked yet again to get an affirmation from her, “Is that OK, by you?” he asked.

“You just have to believe when I tell you he is not around, and may not be returning any time soon.”

Brian shook his head, “Come on Ella you just got married a month ago. I don’t want to be the hammer that will break the sheep’s neck. I want you to enjoy your marriage as much as enjoy all the benefits in it.” he said and asked, “What about Khally? I hope he is fine,” he asked the question and got silence for an answer. He could only perceive the struggling breath of Ella. “Hello Ella are you there?”

“I am all ears,” Ella replied.

“I hope you are OK,” Brian asked as anxiety gathered on his face. “I asked about Khally how is he?”

“I took him back to New Delhi where he is staying with my mother-in-law. At the moment this place is not too safe for him.”

Brian cut in, “Not too safe for him? If it isn’t too safe for him then how can it be safe for you? What is happening, Ella?”

“That is why we need to see,” Her voice was firm and convincing now.

“Ok fine I will come over,” Brain said, “But on one condition.

“What could that be?” asked Ella.

“That you will show me an escape door should your husband arrive,” he beamed.

“Ok, until you come then,” she said, “Do extend my greetings to grandma and the laborers,” she added and hung up on the other end.

Brian look puzzled, staring thoughtfully in the space as he pondered over Ella. He perceived all was not well with her and if the urgency in her voice was real then Ella was in hot boiling water- not too safe in that marriage.

***

The next day at 4:30 PM Brian was on his way to meet with Ella in her house. For a good reason, he didn’t go in his car but in a taxi. He could not wait to share in Ella’s troubles and if it was what he was thinking then he would render the necessary help to her and ensure she was safe first before offering her another line of action. He had perceived the shortcoming in the marriage and he wished Ella was going to prove her wrong by telling him something else other than her marriage crashing. As they drove on Brian fed his eyes with the trees and road signs that threw past. He stared at his watch and picked up his phone to dial Ella.

As soon as she picked up on the other end, he said, “I am on my way. I will be with you soon.”

“I will be waiting,” Ella said coldly on the other end and hung up.

Few more minutes of driving, Brian arrived at Beverly Hills’ mansion, the vey home in which Ella stayed with her husband. It was a luxurious sight to behold. Brian stared, feeding his eyes with the wonder of the home, before walking to the door. When he got to the door and wanted to press the bell the door opened on its own and Brian paused at that, glared around before peeping into the sitting room; it was an exquisite haven which was as calm and serene like the flow of a river.

“Who is in?” he asked taking one step at a time and combing the sitting room with his stares. “Hello who is in?” he asked yet again, cautious about his moves and his eyes combing around.

“Over here, Brian,” that was Ella’s voice sounding from somewhere within.

And when he followed the echoes s of the voice, he saw Ella on the sofa, naked with her shiny skinny back and big firm buttocks flashing at him…