IN LOVE AND WAR::CHAPTER 22

IN LOVE AND WAR::CHAPTER 22**"What is she doing here?!" shouted Diana**She stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't let her beat her up again. They were broke andsoon will lose their mansion. The last thing she wanted was to lose her daughter."What do you mean she is pregnant?!" she heard her daughter shouting in the sitting room."That is what I heard. You should just forget about him. Look at you. You look miserable and nowtaking drugs. Your father I am dying. We are broke," responded her husband.She listened to them standing by the passage."I am not yet to give up daddy. You HIV positive because you were sleeping with many women.Does mummy know about your status?" asked Amy.All the while they thought Sarah was out. Since she always spend most of her night at hermother's"I found out today and you were the first person I have told so far. I am not planning on telling her.Let's keep it between us.""I will keep quiet if you only you help me get rid of Diana. Now I need to go and get some fresh air.I will come back then we talk. Being in this house makes me go crazy," she said and walked out ofthe house.After what she had heard. She needed to get out of the house as soon as possible."What should I do?" she whispered to herself still standing.Her daughter had become dangerous and so is her husband. She waited for him to go to his studyroom like he always does. The Mayor walked to his study room as usual. A place where he felt atease away from what was happening around him. Losing the campaign broke his heart. Now morethan ever he felt useless. He used to have power but now he was powerless. After finding outabout Raphael's identity he knew he would not do anything to him. He sat on his chair afterpouring himself a glass of warm water, since Amy had sold some of the furnitures in the houseincluding the refrigerator. He was about to drink it when he heard sounds outside. He looked onthe window and saw his wife running which surprised him.Where the hell is she going?" he asked himselfIt was around 7pm*Miriam and Raphael were happy to see Ray and Diana at their house."It had been a while since we last saw each other," said Miriam as she sat down beside Diana."So true I had missed you a lot. How is baby Keisha?""She is okay and very naughty. I heard you expecting. Congrats.""Thank you so much!" said Diana.He walked in the sitting room. He looked different. A handsome man, almost looked like hismother. She stared at him in disbelief. It had been long since they last saw each other."Admire!" she exclaimed and immediately stood upShe held him tightly in her arms. Tears started falling down. She had missed him a lot. Hereminded her of her mother."Sister Diana. You squeezing me. Be gentle please," he said, funny as always. "I am not your lostlover.""You idiot!" she pinched him. "I missed you a lot more than you can ever imagine.""I am glad I didn't miss you. Can we sit down. There is something very important I need to tellyou," said Admire with a serious look on his faceThey sat down and he started."After so many years. I had been trying to protect a killer. Actually I was very scared that she wasgoing to kill the only sister I had. Thou I didn't love my sister which is false deep down. I wanted toprotect her. Be the man my father never was," he paused."What is it Admire? You scaring me!" said Diana holding Admire's hand."That night when our house was burnt. Mum got me out first before Alex. As I lay down on thegrass. A woman walked up to me. She wanted to strangle me but because the neighbours werealready coming to our house. She couldnt," he went on. "She threatened me saying that she wasgoing to kill you if I let anyone know that she is the one who started the fire."."What! So someone started the fire. I knew it. Who is she?"Admired kept quiet for a while looked at her sister, tears already streaming down on her cheeks.He wiped away her tears and smiled."I love you sis a lot. You the best thing that ever happened to me. I always wished I could bringmum to you when you fell into depression. I wanted to protect you even though I was young.People called us poor and I wished I wasn't. But from you I learnt something. Never mind whatpeople say about you do your own thing. Knowing the person who killed our family hurt me a lot,"he wiped a tear that had escaped.Everybody in the room got emotional staring at the two."It was Amy's mother who sat that fire," said Admire."No no no!" screamed Diana. "But why her. Why did she do that?""Shhhhh don't cry sis. It's not good for the baby."Ray was about to get up when Raphael stopped him."Let them be!" he whispered. Admired held her sister tightly in his arms as she cried. Suddenly they heard a bang on the doorand it frightened them all. Ray slowly walked to the door and opened it. She immediately got insidethe house."What are you doing here? How did you find this place?" asked Ray."I need your help. Please help," she begged on her knees."D! Calm down!" said Admire."She killed our mother and brother. I want her out or I will go. Uncle Raphael.""Diana, please. Hear what I have to say then I will leave," begged Sarah."Nothing you would say will bring back my mother. What did she do to you? You deserve to belocked away with your husband and daughter. Get out of here!" shouted Diana.She felt a sudden pain in her stomach."You need to calm down or you will miscarry," advised Raphael. "Let her talk and then after wecan kick her out.""I can't stand seeing her face'" said Diana."Calm down my lady," said Ray patting her back.He poured her a glass of water and they all sat down paying their attention on Sarah. She wasfeeling nervous unable to look Diana in the eye."Are you gonna talk or what!" snapped Diana.Sarah got up from the sofa and knelt down on the floor."Firstly of all I would like to say that I am sorry for what I did. I got hurt when I saw you with myhusband. He chose you over me and that hurt me a lot.""Did you really think I was going to date him? He was like a father to me. You should had been theone protecting me but you were against me. Even lied to the police that I seduced him. Really?"said Diana with confidence. "Crocodile tears," she blurtedSarah sniffed and continued."I just felt a hateful grudge towards you. I thought I could get away from what I did but I lied tomyself. I couldn't sleep as I kept seeing your mother in my dreams. I am sorry Diana for all the hurtI have caused you and I really regret the things I have done," she went on. "I have lost mydaughter all because I had never been a good mother to her. Teach her all about life and respect.She slapped me today and I was hurt. I feel so bad right now, cause I tored your world apart whenI took your mother away from you. I wish I could turn back the time," she paused and wiped awaythe tears. "These tears that run down my cheek are filled with sadness and hurt. I know sorry isnot enough for what I did but please. I beg you help me with my daughter. I will turn myself in tothe police. I beg you," begged Sarah.Dian couldn't stop the tears from falling. There was silence in the room as if though someone haddied."Forgiveness is for those who are strong enough and smart enough to move on. After all, the best revenge is to be unlike the person who hurt you. The best revenge is living well in a way thatcreates peace in your heart," he went on. "As they say, forgiveness is the key to a peaceful heartand home. Diana I know it is very hard right now. The wounds have been opened but still time toheal them. I am not saying you should forgive her because I know what you have been throughbut look at her," said Raphael and Diana looked at Sarah. "She is kneeling down in front of you.She now regrets what she did way back. Follow your heart."The words touched Diana. Yes, Sarah killed her mother but who was she to judge? She had agood heart and it hurt that her mother was no longer with them. If she was alive she would havesaid the same thing that Raphael said. Sarah needed help and she was desperate. Diana walkedup to her and helped her get up."I forgive you!" she said wiping her tears. "Though I am still hurt about what you did to my mum. Itwill take time for me to forget about it because I loved my mother very much.""Thank you very much. Right now I have to go back home. I will come back tomorrow. I have totell you that my daughter knows that you pregnant. She has changed Diana. She is now takingdrugs and drinking," said Sarah in between sobs."We will help her Auntie," said Miriam."Thank you very much all of you. I have to get going now," said Sarah.She walked out of the house."She is not bad after all. She made me drop a tear. Poor woman. Life can be so hard sometimes,"said Admire. "What!" he said when everybody was staring at him.They all laughed and had dinner later.*Sarah opened the gate her heart pounding really fast. She felt ease now that Diana had forgivenher. Soon Amy will be taken to a rehab. She opened the door slowly. Walked in the house."Where have you been Sarah?" asked Amy making Sarah jump to her feet."I was I was I I...," stammered Sarah."You were you were," she got up. "Daddy went out with his friends. It's just me and you. Funny Ithought you were at grandma's house but she called me saying you didn't come in today," shepoured herself glass off champagne and took it all down. "Damn! It's bitter. So tell me what haveyou been up to mum. Are you cheating on my daddy?""No!"Amy took the gun out of her pocket."I bought the weapon. I am going to shoot Diana today. I am going mummy," she said walking tothe door.Sarah quickly grabbed her hand."Don't do this please. I beg you.""Get out of my way," said Amy pushing her mother aside.She fell on the floor and quickly got up. They started fighting and suddenly the gun went off."Mum!".