SECOND CHANCE (27 & 28)
Season Two

Episode 27

Alice looked at Tony as they both drafted their wedding plans, she hated keeping secrets from him but how was she to tell him that his daughter had been raped and was probably pregnant when his daughter didnt want him to know?
Maria’s case was a serious one that needed a serious solution but how was she to help her when she didnt want her help?
Ever since that day Maria told Alice everything, Maria had been avoiding her like a plague. Even sometimes when she tried chatting with Maria, she always snubbed her.
Maria didnt want help or rather her help, maybe she was ashamed of the fact that she had been a victim of a rape. And she didnt blame her.
Had it not been she had already promised Maria not to tell Tony, she would have told him. He alone would have known what to do. Maria badly needed someone to talk to her, a counsellor perhaps.
A counsellor! Yes, she knew one. Her mother had been both a nurse and a counsellor in her prime, perhaps she could come talk to her.
But would Maria agree?
‘heyy’ Tony said pinching her arm bringing her out of her thoughts ‘what are you thinking?’
She forced a smile ‘nothing dear’
Tony looked at her suspiciously ‘you’re sure about that because i know something is troublin you’
‘you are just exaggerating, what would be troubling the to be newest bride in town?’
Tony chuckled ‘many things. Maybe the baby, Gilbert, Maria or even Ximena’
‘indeed. All these people cant bother me. I’m going to screw them up, you know. I’m not calm like that oo’
Tony laughed and placed his hand on her shoulder ‘funny you’
Alice laughed too ‘have you tried talking to Maria lately?’
‘of course. I was in her room yesterday night’
‘and what did you guys talk about?’
‘many things’
‘like?’
‘like the dress she was going to wear on the day of the wedding, the kind and colour of shoes and clutch, the kind of wristwatch and all other jewelries, the kind of…..’
Alice rolled her eyes ‘you guys didnt talk about the colour of bra and panties she would be putting on too?’
Tony laughed ‘no’
‘nonsense. I eve thought you guys talked about something meaningful’
‘of course we talked about something meaningful’
Alice looked up at him ‘what?’
‘i noticed that there’s something strange about Maria. I dont know, i just cant place my fingers on it but she seems strange to me’
‘by strange you mean?’
‘i dont know but she looks dull somehow and it looks as if she’s emanciating’
’emanciating ke? To me it looks as if she’s putting on weight. She even told me that’
Tony shook his head ‘i’m sure she’s emanciating. And her facial expressions wasnt bright at all, something is really eating deep into her, i dont know’
‘really? Maybe she isnt happy that we are getting married’
‘that isnt reason enough for her to be emanciating Alice’ his look was that of a worried father and Alice nearly thought of telling him everything.
‘then should we get a counsellor for her?’
Tony scoffed ‘what do we need a counsellor for?’
‘to talk to her of course!’
‘we dont need a counsellor’
‘you cant be so sure Tony’
‘whatever is eating Maria would soom heal by itself. I know Maria, she cant stay unhappy for a long time’
‘Tony, this is your only daughter we are talking about here’
‘its too early for a counsellor’
‘its never too early’ Alice said standing up with both hands on her waist ‘you never can tell. Maria needs a counsellor and my mum is a counsellor. I could easily get her to talk to Maria without stress’
‘and now i’m putting it to you Alice that it wont be necessary’
‘how sure are you?’
‘i know what i’m talking about here and you better calm down because you seriously getting on my nerves now’
‘oh really? Now my concern for your daughter’s well being is getting on your nerves abi? I dont blame you’
‘Alice, sit lets talk. I really dont like it when we disagree…..’
‘this is not a matter of disagreement. What if Maria had been raped?!’ Alice said before she could stop herself.
Ximena stood at the door and smiled.

‘what did you just say?’ Tony asked bewildered.
‘uhm…..i…..i just said it. I dont know why it just entered my mouth. I wanted to say what if she was robbed not raped’
Tony laughed and patted his laps ‘sit here honey’
Alice pouted and sat on his laps, then he placed a kiss on her red lips ‘my darling, i never knew you were this concerned about Maria oo?’ he said laughing.
‘laugh all you want’
‘okay, we are going to get her a counsellor if after our wedding, she still remains pale to me’
‘really?’ Alice said obviously excited.
‘yes’
‘thats my baby. You are such a darling. I love you’ Alice said kissing him
‘i love you more’
Alice spanked him playfully ‘never! I love you more than you can ever imagine’
‘i love you more that heaven itself. I’d rather stay in hell with you than stay in heaven without you’
‘i pray oo. Na so you like suffer reach ni?’
‘hell with you is enjoyment’
Alice laughed ‘silly you’
******
‘Abby, do you really want to do this?’ Gilbert asked as he winced in pain from the blow he recieved from a police man early that morning.
‘yes uncle. I want to deal with Maria. I want her to suffer uncle’
Gilbert laughed humorlessly ‘Abby, you are not yet mature for such things’
‘thats a lie uncle. I’m more mature than you think’
‘oh really?’
‘yes uncle’
‘okay, lets do it this way. For you to want to deal with someone, you’ve got to have plans. What plans do you have now?’
‘poisoning Maria’ Abby said straightforwardly.
Gilbert laughed ‘just like that? Thats a nonsense idea’
‘or i will arrange for guys to beat and rape her’
‘just like that?’
‘or i would stab her with a bottle’
Gilbert shook his head ‘you are not mature at all Abby. How do you expect to do such things? All these are straightforward attacks, you could easily be implicated’
‘i dont understand’
‘look at this, i loved Alice but i implicated her, i made her look like a criminal and i succeeded even though it was just for a little while, no one suspected me. I loved her but i wanted her to suffer, explain that’
Abby played with her fingers ‘thats complicated’
‘exactly! In making ideas, you have to be sensible. I wanted her to suffer and everyone to desert her so i would step in and save her then she would have no other choice than to love me silly’
Abby scratched her forehead ‘so what are you suggesting uncle?’
Gilbert smiled and reached for her hands ‘Abby, i know that i’m in no position to advice you right now but dont try to complicate your life. Revenge and anger only brings about destruction my dear. Just let it go. Let Maria be, dont get revenge on anyone. I dont want you to end up here like me Abby’
‘uncle what do you mean?’
‘i dont want you to suffer Abby because i love you. You are the only person i truly love right now please Abby, dont do anything stupid. Something that you are going to regret some day’
******
‘what are you looking for here?’ Maria asked as Ximena entered the room.
The expression on Ximena’s face was that of surprise and shock and Maria wondered why?
‘you were raped?’ Ximena blurted out.
Maria froze ‘what?!!!’
‘i heard you were raped’
‘Go…God forbid! Ta….where….where did you hear….hear that?’
‘from Alice. I overheard her telling your father that you were raped and probably pregnant and that you guys should go for a test’
Maria jumped down from her bed, screamed and fainted.

‘whats wrong with her?’ Tony asked immediately the doctor looked up at him.
Dr Tim smiled ‘its nothing serious. She just fainted’
‘thank God!’ Tony sighed as he went and held Maria’s left hand.
Dr Tim smiled and left the room.
‘my dear’ Tony said smiling.
Maria rolled her eyes as tears formed a pool in them ‘daddy, its….its not what you think’
‘what happened? Why did you suddenly faint?’
‘i….didnt plan for it to happen daddy, it wasnt my fault!’ and with that she burst into tears ‘i thought Abby was going to be around’
Tony looked at Alice and was like whats she talking about.
Ximena smiled inwardly, this was the confusion she hoped for.
They were all in Maria’s room, Dr Tims had come home for Maria’s treatment and had gone.
‘what are you talking about Maria?’ Tony asked.
‘Tony,’ Ximena called softly as she went to sit on the bed beside Maria ‘i think she needs to rest. She’s weak’
Maria’s cries filled the room as words of apology poured out from her mouth.
‘i dont understand Maria, why are you apologising?’
‘i didnt want to be raped. I didnt plan to be raped at all, i swear!’
‘what?!’
Maria frowned in confusion and looked at Alice, then Ximena.
‘Maria, what do you mean you were raped?’ Ximena asked feigning confusion.
‘you told me you overheard Alice telling my dad tha i was raped’ Maria said.
‘me?’ Ximena asked frowning ‘thats a pink lie’
‘what did i just hear?’ Alice asked coming closer ‘who said i told Tony that you were raped Maria?’
‘it was Ximena’ Maria said.
‘what in heaven’s name is going on here?’ Tony barked standing up furiously.
‘i’m as confused as hell’ Ximena said.
Tony looked at Alice ‘explain all of these’
‘not me!’ Alice retorted ‘i dont understand what is happening here. Maria is in a better position to explain this’

Episode 28

Tony paced up and down with both hands on his waist sweating profusely as the two women tried to defend themselves.
He was close to tears. He was angry. He was sad. He felt betrayed and sorry.
He was close to tears knowing all Maria had passed through all this while without him knowing. And he was angry knowing that Maria had suffered all of these and didnt deem it fit to let him know if it and also angry because he felt Gilbert wasnt suffering enough. He dared lay a finger on his daughter. His precious daughter. He couldnt forgive himself. He felt that he was responsible for everything happening to Maria right now. mature wedding dresses
And he felt betrayed. Alice had known for a week and hadnt told him. No wonder she had been pressing for a counsellor earlier on.
Oh God! Everyone planned to shut him out of all of these. He had every right to know everything that had been happening, he looked at the frustrated looking Maria and felt pity for her. She had suffered and was suffering.
And he felt pained upon the realisation and his little girl wasnt a virgin anymore. She had been sexually assaulted!
He kicked the wall hard with his left leg and gave the wall a blow and a loud shout.
For a moment, there was silence in the room.
Alice went to him and hugged him ‘baby, i’m sorry for not telling you, Maria didnt want you to know’
Maria looked at Ximena ‘i thought you said you overheard Alice telling……’
‘enough of these rainbow lies that you are painting. When did i tell you that? Maria, you better stop your lies right now!’ Ximena said fuming said.
‘you are lying Ximena……’ Maria said.
‘shush!’ Ximena snapped ‘i wont let you sit there and lie against me never!’
Tony gently pushed Alice away ‘please stay away from me’
He said and walked out of the room.

As Alice watched Tony walk away from the room in anger, she didnt know how but she felt her old self returning.
And with full force and anger that surprised even she herself, she turned and grabbed Ximena’s hair, threw her on the floor and gave her all the pounding she deserved and even more.
Maria did nothing but stare at them in amazement.
After severe pounding, she dragged Ximena out of the room and into her room.
‘pack your things, you are leaving this place right now!!!’ Alice said pushing Ximena to the bed.
‘go to hell!’ Ximena cursed as she touched her lip and saw blood.
‘i will kill you!’ she fumed and raised her leg high and kicked Alice on the stomach.
Alice screamed in pain and shifted back, her sight blurry. Just before she could recover from that one, Ximena launched another attack, smacking her so hard on the face she fell down flat on her stomach after screaming loudly.
Before Ximena could hit her again, Maria rushed into the room and grabbed her from behind.
Ximena struggled to pull herself from Maria and ended up hit Alice on the head with her left foot.
******
Tony fumed in anger as he drove at a very crazy speed. He slapped the stering continously with his palms as he tried to come in terms with what he just heard a few minutes ago.
Maria had been sexually assaulted by an animal! An animal rotting in prison.
God! He wanted nothing more than have Gilbert killed and he was going to do just that. He wasnt a dangerous person, he wasnt someone who loved shedding blood infact, he hadnt done it before but like they say, there’s always a first time for everything.
He took his phone from the pigeon hole while trying to concentrate on his driving. Truth is, he didnt have any destination but he just felt like driving. Driving always calmed him down.
‘…….hello Dingo’ he said immediately the person from the other line picked.
‘……..i have a job for you to do’
‘……..how i got your number isnt problem but you are Dingo right?’
‘………oh sorry, Bingo’
‘………he didnt say much about how much you charge but name your price, i’m very much equal to the task’
‘……….five million what? Do you know the kind of job i want you to do for me? Its a very simple one’
‘……i just want someone to be bitten by a snake and die from it’
‘……..A division’
‘…….meet you there in ten minutes’
Tony said and hung up.
His phone had been beeping throught out his call to Dingo…..he meant to say Bingo, signalling another call.
It was Maria. He was angry so he didnt pick it up but when she kept calling and calling, he decided to pick.
The news he got from her was so shocking, he had to rush back home almost in tears.
*****
‘Gilbert didnt play by the rules’ the fat man hiding behind the counter said.
‘yes boss’ the muscular looking guy wearing a well tailored grey suit replied.
‘you know the rules, no one betrays AlVadros corporation’
‘yes sir!’
‘go ahead’ the fat man said with his hands and the muscular guy left.
*****
The next morning, the police found Gilbert lying lifeless in the pool of his own blood.
Who killed him?

Tony sat opposite Dr Tim on the office panicking.
Dr Tim opened his drawer and brought out a file.
‘how did this happen? I just left your house treating your daughter and your wife to be almost had a miscarriage’ Dr Tim said as he adjusted his eyeglass and opened the file.
‘it was just an accident. Tell me, is Alice alright?’
‘hmm’ Dr Tim sighed and said nothing as he wrote God knows what on the file.
Tony sighed in frustration. This was the reason why he rarely went to Dr Tim’s hospital. He was the best in his field, alright. But he was too inquisitive. He always wanted to know anything and everything instead of concentrating on the treatment he was supposed to give his patients.
‘so’ Dr Tim said closing the file ‘your daughter said she kicked on the stomach by that white lady that was in your house earlier’
Tony shrugged ‘please doctor, just tell me about Alice’s condition first’
‘okay. So your daughter nearly collapsed again because she was still weak from fainting earlier on and instead of resting, she brought your wife to be to the hospital. She’s a nice girl’
Tony rolled his eyes ‘doctor……’
Dr Tim held up his hand as a sign of silence ‘so your daughter is resting in one of the rooms, not on drip but resting’
‘okay’
‘and your wife…….’ Dr Tim looked up at Tony and smiled ‘she was lucky, she didnt lose the baby but she had a little fracture and she might need to stay here for a day or two’
Tony sighed in contentment, ‘thank you doctor’
‘so, what are you going to do about the white lady in your house that obviously isnt concerned about your wife to be’s welfare? Because she didnt come to the hospitai’ Dr Tim asked.
Tony ignored the question and stood up ‘thanks doc’
‘you didnt answer my question’
Tony smiled and walked up to the door, then stopped and turned ‘can i see Alice now?’
‘she’s asleep, but you can go in’
‘thanks’ Tony said opened the door and went out.
******
Ximena sat on her bed playing with her phone, trying to convince herself that her sin wasnt the worst in the whole wide world.
Trying to convince herself that God was going to understand that she was just fight for what was hers.
She believed in God.
She knew he existed and respected him and she knew what she did earlier was an act of wickedness.
She tried convincing herself that Alice wouldnt die, so she didnt kill anyone.
And then she secretly hoped Alice was okay. And the baby too. Should anything happen to them, she didnt know what she’d do. She wasnt such a person.
She just didnt know what got into her. She acted like someone possessed and she really hoped God forgave her.
Oh God!
She sighed as she threw her phone on the bed in frustration. She knew if Tony comes back he was going to send her packing.
So she decided to use the little time she had left and leave on her own before any of them returns.
She stood up and opened the wardrobe praying to God inwardly to forgive her all her sins. She might not be the holiest of people but at least, she knew what’s good and whats bad.
Just as she started packing her things, her phone rang and the caller was Aylin. She sighed and picked the call.
‘hello Aylin’
‘hey! Guess you dont remember your little sister anymore right?’
‘its not that’
‘whats up sister, your voice is weak, why?’
‘i’ve had enough Aylin. I’m taking the next available flight back to Valle De Bravo. I cant take it anymore’
‘wait, what happened?’
‘i…..i….nearly killed a little being today. I’ve sinned Aylin’
And she explained all that happened to Aylin who ended up laughing.
‘why are you laughing?’ Ximena asked.
‘Ximena, like seriously, you are already packing your things?’
‘yes’
‘what weakling you are! Why are you leaving, did anyone ask you to leave?’
‘isnt it obvious that Tony is going to ask me to leave immediately?’
‘well he hasnt asked you now right?’
‘no’
‘Ximena, sometimes you give me reason to wonder if you really are reasonable. You are too dull for my liking and its really getting to me’
‘Aylin’
‘dont you dare come back here Ximena. I dont want to see you here, get it?’
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To be continued