Chapter 2 Fresh Start

It was one of the workers from their company, she looked at him in amazement, 'Kelvin, what are you doing here this morning, shouldn't you be at work? We have series of scripts which you started and haven't completed' she said, "Yes ma, I know, you are right, I was asked to drop something for someone", he replied

"Really? During work hours? The person must have some nerve". She looked at him with total disgust and couldn't help herself from shouting as she was already so unhappy. "Who sent you?"

"Your husband ma, to drop something for one of our clients" he said.

"Wow fantastic, so why did you stop me from leaving?" she asked

"The floor was wet, you were going to trip" he replied, she looked at the floor and couldn't find any trace of it being wet. "but it's dried now" he said sharply to avoid other questions from her. Kelvin was a hardworking kid from a wealthy home. He wasn't straight with his parents, they had fought every day since he was a child. He had gotten himself into things he wasn't proud of until he found the Lord Jesus and his life took a great turn.

He was tall, chocolate skin with light brown eyes like they had kissed the sun, he was well built with a great body, his nose was pointed and his lips were pale pink, his voice was like that of the angels when he sang. A super talented 25-year-old who always admired his boss's wife. He knew she was married but he admired her from afar. "You should get back to work" she said giving him a stern look. "I can drive you back ma" he said hoping she lets him help as he could sense a lot had happened.

"Fine, but this is no excuse not to go back to work". "Yes ma, I will head back to work as soon as I drop you off at home" he replied with a smile on his face. She looked at him wondering what was the reason for smiling as he collected the keys and went to where she had parked. She couldn't help but smile too. She held herself from crying as Kelvin drove her. "Ma, about the ....." he was cut short before he could complete his statement.

"Kelvin, please no discussions, I am in my space, I need to think"

"Think of ...." He was cut short again this time she raised her voice like to let hell loose on him.

"Kelvin! for the love of God shut up, and think of your incomplete scripts". She was hurting so much. They drove quietly, he parked but she didn't realize they had reached home. "Ma, we are here", he tapped her to get her attention "Oh forgive me, I was deep in thought". They both got down and he handed the keys to her. She walked straight to the house without turning back once like he wasn't even there. She slammed the door hard, he could feel it from where he stood. He left quietly back to the office hoping their paths crossed again. She locked the door behind her as she stepped into the house, walked into their room, opened the wardrobe only to see how empty John's side of the closet was, he didn't leave anything behind that would make him come knocking again. She gave a deep sigh, as she sat on the bed using her left hand to caress the sheets, memories replaying in her head, when they got married and bought the house, how they made passionate love like that day was their last, the laughter, the tears, the corrections, the misunderstandings, when they both made the movie that got them the billion-dollar contract. Tears filled her eyes, she looked around the room for where she dropped her pen and book, she tried to scrabble something on it but her fingers failed her, she was struggling to hold the pen as tears began to pour out of her eyes, she was frustrated and in great pain. She threw the pen at the door and let out a loud scream "Ahhh!!!! No! No! No!", she said repeatedly as she cried herself to sleep on that spot.

She woke up again, eating and crying herself to sleep, she longed for her dad, for a shoulder to cry on but there was no one, she had made few friends in Chicago but they were not really close, it was more favorable for John, he always did the talking she did the writing and production. Her life was built round this man she had put the plug of her life in his hands.

It's been two weeks of Ella and John's separation unofficially, John was basking strong heading the company, things were smooth. Ella on the other hand was a complete shadow of herself. 9:23 am the alarm beeps off. She stood up to get something to eat, she was a shadow of herself completely. The house was messy and smelling, just before she could get into the kitchen, the doorbell dings

"I am coming!" she quickly went to the bathroom to brush, opened the windows for fresh air, her natural curls were sitting pretty on her head, she changed into better clothes, opened the door and behold it was Kelvin. "Kelvin... what are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you at work for weeks now ma" he said staring at her "can I come in?"

"You should go to work now, please" she said with all seriousness

"You have nothing to worry about" he said smiling.

"Why do you say that?" she asked with curiosity, letting him inside

"I resigned, I got another job offer, but I ensured I finished the scripts necessary" he said.

She chuckled "I must have given you a hard time uh?"

"Not at all. I was going to the do so one day so it's about time". She didn't understand what he meant, the house was a little bit better with the smell, he sat on the sofa, "so how was service yesterday?", "Well I can't really say, but I am sure it was good". He smiled at her "you didn't go?", she looked at him trying to escape the question "so what do I owe this visit?"

"I wanted to know how you're faring, you haven't been to work in weeks, what is going on?"

"Nothing really, I am just trying to be a new me, you know like find myself again, my husband is doing all he can for us since I am not up to it at the moment, when I fix my mess I would resume". He looked at her spilling out all those lies, watching as they come out of her mouth effortlessly trying to conceive all that has been happening. "Husband?" he responded "thought he isn't anymore", shocked at what he asked her, she couldn't believe John had told their workers what they were going through. "what do you mean, did my John tell you such!?" she was furious and didn't want to be seen as a liar or her weakness be shown. "You should leave, this minute. Thanks for your concern, it is well appreciated. I and John are doing okay". Kelvin stood up from the sofa "I am s..." The bell dings in the middle of their conversation "Did you come with anyone?" she asked, "No, I didn't" he responded tired of her questions already. She reaches for the door and opens it "Good morning ma" the man at the door responded.

"Good morning, how can I help you?"

"Are you Ella Mills?"

"It's Mrs Ella Richie" she corrected him

"Sorry about that ma, I am James Brook, John's Attorney" he said

"Oh, I see, why are you here?" she asked, her voice became shaky, her brain and her heart were having a battle, her mind told her what it is, her heart failed to believe insisting John still loved her. The attorney gives her an envelope "this is for you, you have to respond within twenty-one days. She looked at him as he walked into his vehicle, and zoomed off. She closed the door. "Is everything okay?", by the time she lifted up her face to look at him, those brown coffee eyes of hers were filled with tears, "I don't know" she responded, he walked up to her, "May I?" he asked stretching his hand. She gave him the envelope, he opened it and gave her to see, Oh wow the tears came flowing like river, she fell to the ground trying to hold it all in, "I can't believe this is happening to me, I really can't believe this". She had been served with the divorce papers, a big blow to her face, he held her and said "you are going to go through this, remember your joy is on its way". "You don't understand, I gave it my all, John was my joy, my everything" She cried in his arms wishing that she could just die.

"You don't get joy from any man, it's a gift of the Holy Spirit",

"Really, really, you want to go pastor on me right now? Uh!" She got away from his grip and stood to her feet like to challenge him. "Where was the Spirit when my mother died at childbirth, then cancer took my dad, then suffering, I was eating like a squirrel, then I got into an accident which left me with pains that won't go away. No child, and now the last beautiful thing in my life, John!. My marriage too is now gone. Where is this goddamn Spirit you keep talking about? Where?!" She was crying and shouting. Her veins could be seen popping out of her flesh like pleading with her to take things slow. Kelvin looked at her and couldn't believe a beautiful soul like this had gone through so much pain. He got closer to her and hugged her tightly, fighting to get out of his grip "I won't let you go, I have always been here, the Lord said so in His word". He told her, "His Grace is more than sufficient". She cried so much letting it all out as she hugged him tightly. He took her towards the sofa and sat her down. "Can I get you coffee", she nodded signifying approval, he went to the kitchen and goodness, it was a fantastic mess. He got cleaning and washing dishes, few minutes later, he came out with a cup of hot coffee and gave it to her. "I don't want to bother you about an Attorney at the moment but I can get you one to get through this process when you are ready". She looked at him and nodded.

"Can I come on Sunday morning so we can go together?" he asked hoping to get a yes, she looked at him wondering why that was his business. "Okay I will try to be ready when you come, you should go now, you are not meant to leave your new work anyhow you want to" she said, hoping he would leave so she can go back to being locked in her thoughts. "Yes I would leave soon but hey this isn't going to be like the last time, you need to get yourself together" he said. "yes sir" she replied sarcastically with a smile. "Wow, is that a smile I see" he chuckled "You are very beautiful with a good heart" he said. "You mean a heart of gold like my daddy says" she was really smiling now, "thank you K".