“Oh my, It’s half past four!” Jasper exclaimed upon looking at his wristwatch. He and Carl just left the company they went to conclude some business proposals and deals. Unexpectedly they took longer than expected to convince their fellow businessmen to their advantage as there were several competitors.
“Seriously, I never expected us to take that much time. I’m sure Jasmine will be very mad by now.”
“Of course, she will. Let’s get her some of her favorite snacks on the way,” suggested Jasper.
“Sure, a cup of strawberry ice cream would be enough to appease her.”
“You sure know her well.” Jasper smiled at his friend.
Minutes later, the two friends got to Jasmine’s school but couldn’t find her where she ought to be.
“Could someone have taken her?” Carl asked eye searching around the vicinity for her.
“No, we both know Cassandra won’t even think of it in years to come.” Jasper scoffed and rolled his eyes at Carl.
“Let me put a call through to Caitlyn.” he brought out his phone and began to dial the number.
Before the call could get connected to the other end, someone shouted from behind them.
“Uncle Carl!” Jasmine called out and ran straight into Carl’s open arms immediately he turned around.
“My beautiful angel.” he pecked her cheek and she giggled.
Behind them was Caitlyn who had been waiting with Jasmine while she awaited someone to come pick her up as all her other classmates have gone home except the boy who bullied her the previous day. He was also with them and the only pupil left at school with Jasmine.
Jasper greeted him and he reciprocated by bowing his head lightly.
“What took you so long?” Jasmine and her teacher asked at the same time like they read each other’s minds.
Jasmine frowned at the coincidence and faced Carl again expecting her answer.
“Sorry baby, we got our hands tied a lot.”
“You mean you were busy?” she asked again playing with the button on his shirt and he hummed a yes.
“So?” she opened her palms asking for something.
“What?” Jasper was confused.
“You used to buy me something whenever you’re late to pick me up. Where is it?” she pouted her mouth angrily. At least, she looked angry.
Jasper laughed at her childishness and handed her the ice cream he got for her on the way.
“Better!.” she collected it and Carl dropped her to her feet.
Caitlyn laughed at Jasmine’s action and Jasmine scoffed at her teacher.
“Jasmine…..,” Jasper called to her cautioning her to use her manners which she understood.
“I’m sorry daddy,”
“You won’t apologize to me, you know who to do that to,” he said and she muttered a sorry to Caitlyn.
“Let’s get going. Shall we?” Carl directed his hands in the direction of the car.
“Would you like to get a ride?” Jasper offered Suzanne but she refused.
“You don’t have to worry. I can’t go home yet. Drakes’s guardian is yet to arrive.”
“We can drop him at his address too, it’s way too late and the clouds would become dark anytime soon. I’ll also take that as a chance to see his stepmother. I wanted to do that before.” Jasper stated and Caitlyn had no choice but to agree.
The five of them made to get into the car, but Jasmine dragged her father back restricting him from entering.
“Did you know my teacher before?” she asked him.
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I just wanted to know. The way you look and talk to her makes me angry. And the way she looks at you is annoying too.”
“I’m the only one that can look at you like that okay?”
“Yes, darling. But how does she look at me?”
“Won’t you get in the car?” Carl spoke from the driver’s seat.
“We will, only if the liar will get down from my daddy’s car.” Jasmine half yelled. It was Jasper’s car that was driven to the company they went to.
“What do you mean by liar?. Who is a liar?” Carl didn’t understand what Jasmine said.
“She!” Jasmine pointed at Caitlyn.
“Watch what you say, Jasmine. How dare you call her a liar?” Jasper fired at her.
“She lied to me when I asked her how she knew you. She said it was just on TV. Is that not a lie? And daddy, you told me that telling lie is not good. All liars are bad and we shouldn’t move close to them. If she only knew you on TV, there’s no way you would know her right?…..”
“….. For example, I know the person who reads news on TV, but he doesn’t know me.”
Suzanne was shocked beyond words, Jasper was rooted to the spot he was, while Carl was grinning at Jasmine. He found her amazingly amusing until she ran away from them all. Jasmine cried while running. She ran fast with her small legs and stopped behind a tree at the far end of the school.
“Daddy doesn’t like me again, he’s shouting at me now too. Mummy does not like me too, she says I’m a mistake. She hates me, daddy hates me. I don’t like Aunty Caitlyn, she’s a liar, she made dad shout at me. I hate them all.” she lamented and cried resting her back on the tree with her left hand rubbing her eyes as tears fell from them.
Meanwhile, while lamenting Jasper already caught up with her but stood quietly behind her back as she sobbed. He moved closer to her and embraced her in a warm hug.
“I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” he spoke into her ear as tears dropped from his eyes too.
“But you shouted at me and mum also said I’m a mistake. I know that anything called a mistake is something bad which means I’m bad too.”
“You’re not bad, baby. You’re the best. Who told you….” he suddenly stopped as what Jasmine said sank into his mind.
“Wait, did your mother tell you that to your face?” he asked.
“No, I heard you two last night. You were both shouting too much,” she uttered with absolute innocence.
“I thought you were asleep.”
“I couldn’t sleep when you left, so I wanted to sleep in your room, but you and mum were shouting about me. It made me feel bad.”
Jasper placed his hands on her shoulders and cleaned her cheeks.
“You’re not bad, baby. And I’m sorry for what your mum said. She doesn’t mean it. She was just tired and frustrated last night.”
“Then why does she not talk to me?. It shows that she doesn’t like me.”
“No, she does. Just…” he couldn’t find words to say anymore. After covering up for Cassandra’s excesses towards Jasmine for the past years, he couldn’t get to say anything again as the girl is now growing up. Sooner or later, she would know it all if Cassandra doesn’t change her attitude.
“I have to do something fast. Jasmine can’t bear it any longer.” he thought within himself.
“Won’t you both come back here?. We’ve got things to finish up today.” It was Carl’s message to Jasper.
“We have to get going now okay?” Jasmine nodded but spoke up immediately after.
“But Aunty Caitlyn would have to stay back. She can’t follow us.”
“You can’t do that Jasmine. Let’s say she really told a lie, what did daddy teach you about forgiveness.?”
“You said forgiveness is a virtue and forgiving makes you the bigger person with more blessings.”
“That’s my girl. Have you forgiven her?”
“Yes daddy, I will.”
With that, they returned to the car, and they drove out of the school compound heading to Drake’s house.
On getting to Drake’s house, no one was in sight around the building written as the address of the boy in the school records which the boy also testified to be his home.
Carl parked the car at a spot where it won’t affect anyone and opened the doors. Jasper, Caitlyn, and Drake alighted from the car while Jasmine was left to stay with Carl. In such an unknown environment, popular businessman Jasper couldn’t risk anything for the safety of his daughter.
Luckily, the gate to the boy’s house was open and they all entered. Inside, the environment was so silent and a little bungalow stood in the centre of the big compound.
They walked down to the building and the boy moved forward to open the door but the door opened before his attempt. A young girl in her late teens came out of the building.
She looked frightened upon seeing the adults until she heard the voice of her brother.
“You’re here, who brought you?.” she asked and he pointed at the two people behind him.
“We brought him,” Caitlyn spoke up smiling beautifully at the girl.
“Thank you. I was just about to go pick him up.” she turned around with her brother in order to enter. She looked scared to see them in their house just like that.
“Wait,” Jasper stopped her. “What is your name?” he asked.
“Who are you and why do you want to know my name?” she stuttered, clearly in fear.
“My bad, I’m Jasper Callaghan and this is…..,”
“Aunty Caitlyn, the new teacher I told you about sis,” Drake interrupted. All the while, he had been silent.
“Oh, the great Callaghan, my name is Katrina,” she replied with less enthusiasm. If it were to be someone else who got the opportunity she had, they would feel over the moon at that moment, but that wasn’t the case with Drake’s sister.
“Nice name. Sorry to ask, where is your acting mother?”
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t say anything more than I did already. If you don’t want us to be in trouble, you should leave before my dad sees you.”
“Why?”
“Erm.. mmm, nothing,” she replied sharply.
“Let me see him since he’s at home.”
Immediately, she went on her knees begging them to go back not without appreciating them for bringing her brother home safely.
“Come inside.” a voice said from inside and the girl sank to the ground making Jasper and his companion confused.
They made their way in, and the sight they held wasn’t something to be spoken about. The so-called father was busy making out with a woman on the sofa in the sitting room.
“How may I help you?” he asked amidst kissing the woman.
“I’m Jasper in short. May I have the honour to know your name?”
“William” came the reply.
“I would like to speak with Drake’s mother……”
“She’s not around, anything else?”
“So rude!” Caitlyn wanted to shout at him but Jasper stopped her.
“Nothing mister,” Jasper said and exited the house to meet the nervous Katrina outside pacing around, to and fro.
“Thanks for coming sir, you can leave. Quickly please.” she urged.
“Don’t worry, we’re leaving but you can have this.” he passed her his business card.
“You never can tell, it might come in handy.” he left after she collected it. He knew something was going on in the house with the girl’s reaction but he couldn’t figure out what it was, so he had to take the step of leaving her a way of contact in case of anything. This strange feeling, he had.
“Bye Aunty and thanks, sir.” Drake waved at them and they waved back.
“What a weird family,” Caitlyn said.
“Absolutely weird,” said Jasper as they got to the car.