MYSTERY 😈😈

Jace had been working very hard for a large percentage of the morning, scrubbing, cleaning, and dusting all furniture that was being packed in a trunk for transporting. Jace had recently been promoted in his place of work and his promotion also comes with a large pay. He and his family have been staying in a slum for so long and thought they deserved to move to a better place.

"Daddy!, are you still cleaning?" asked Laura, his eight year old daughter.

"Yes Sugar, I have to get our luggage ready before the trunk comes for it". Jace replied smiling.

"Oh daddy, I'm so happy we're getting to go stay in another place, this place is so cranky!" Laura said wriggling with disgust.

"Yeah" Jace said smiling broadly. It has been fifteen years since they have been living in their wretched looking house. Both Laura and Leopold were conceived there, and it was a very bad place for children to be raised. During that period, Rose nagged all day and persuaded Jace on moving into another apartment but the money was not just available at that time. But Jace never argued that Rose has been a very good wife and mother to his kids.

Jace was a mere trader when he met Rose. Rose on the other hand was a daughter to a multi billionaire politician. Jace was going about his normal daily activity when a posh car parked right in front of his small shed where he sold some groceries. He wondered who it could be and just then, a hefty looking man got down and opened the door of the back seat and Rose got out. As Rose was approaching Jace, all he could do was to savor her beauty, he was in love! That was how Jace and Rose love story began. Rose's family was against their relationship especially her dad because it would look bad on him. Rose remained adamant and decided that if her family would not give their consent to their marriage, she would otherwise runaway with Jace and they would get married secretly. Jace thought that was a novel idea, and so they fled. Rose left all her wealth for a shabby looking man like Jace who had nothing. Indeed Rose was a good woman.

It was getting pretty late and Leopold had not returned home since he left for a friend's house earlier that morning. Now Rose was starting to get worried prior to the the fact that their neighborhood was notorious in child abduction. Recently a troop of uniformed men were deployed to their neighborhood to keep the area peaceful but it turned from bad to worse. Rose had strictly told her children to return home by six in the evening everyday, and it was fifteen minutes past seven and Leopold was still not forthcoming. Rose was not a purist definitely, but she loves her instructions being adhered to. On several occasions Jace had warned her against getting herself worked up over petty issues like this, and besides she was suffering from high blood pressure and it was not in any way good for her health.

As she was about checking the time on the wall clock, Leopold walked in.

"Evening mum" Leopold said coldly.

"What's the matter dear? And why are you home so late? " Rose demanded.

"Nothing really mum, didn't know the time had moved so fast" Leopold said.

"You were at Virginia's, right?" there was silence from both party for a while. Even though Leopold had not answered her question, she knew what the answer was going to be.

Leopold and Virginia have been like a couple since they were five. They were best of friends, and most of their neighbors called them twins because they were most likely to be found together. Virginia has never known her parents since she was a baby, she lived with her uncle. Mr Gabe, Virginia's uncle was the immediate younger brother to Virginia's late dad. Mr Gabe was very rich and owned several houses and lands in their neighborhood and in other towns. But despite all his wealth, he was not married. On several occasions Virginia had asked her uncle why he wasn't married like Leopold's father, but Mr Gabe always gave the same answers that he had so many projects up his sleeves and needed no distractions. So, Virginia decided to let her uncle be since he seemed "scared of women". Mr Gabe could be nice at times, but sometimes he gets so strict and weird. One sunny afternoon, Leopold and Virginia were playing the game of hide and seek in Mr Gabe's library, suddenly Mr Gabe walked in and started shouting like a lion in pain. Leopold and Virginia were shocked as to what could make Me Gabe shout so loudly. Since that day, Virginia and Leopold decided never to play in the house again.

After that incident, Leopold told his mum everything that happened. Rose laughed and said "I am sure you guys would have made so much mess in his library, and I see Mr Gabe to be a very orderly man". Leopold saw sense in what his mum said and decided to take it that way. Leopold decided to break the silence.

"Mum, do we have to leave this place?" asked Leopold dejectedly.

"Yes darling, and besides you have always wanted to leave this slum, so why the sudden change?".

"I know mum, but the thought of actually leaving makes me wanna retch". Leopold said with a heaving sigh.

"Yh, I gotcha. Changing one's environment is much of a big deal".

"Mum, I am going to miss Virginia a lot, just wish we could move together".

"I kinda knew that was the reason for your sudden hesitation in moving...But you have to understand..."

"There's nothing to understand mum, I don't like the idea of we living" Leopold says and storms off.