DESSERTED BRIDGES, BURNT BRIDGES. 

EMPTY BRIDGES, BURNT BRIDGES

2008

8:30pm ayoola estate. Ibadan.

The stars were indoors that night, and the moon stood proudly alone, perfectly round and lonely. Doing its night job. A number of families would be indoors this time, watching a tv series or having dinner, or laughing at a lame joke, but not every family is a family. Not this one.

Inside a bungalow, a family is being torn apart. Tonight, they part ways.

“Charlotte, you are too cold. What kind of mother are you anyway. The kids don’t know you anymore, I don’t know you anymore. Why did you marry me if you did not intend to stay with me to build this home?” a man in his early thirties argued. 

His stubble was a day old, and he was looking extremely tired and frustrated.

“I warned you Fred. I did, so don’t go blaming me. I’m a career woman. There are others like me out there. They hardly even settle. Marriage is about compromise, and I’ve made enough compromises where you are concerned, but it’s obvious to me that you will just keep demanding for more, and Fred, I am fed up.” Charlotte replied, gathering her files and putting them in a bag. She didn’t appear remorseful, in fact, 

she looked like she would rather be anywhere other than where she was at the moment

Fred laughed sarcastically, anger barely suppressed, burning bright in his eyes. He could have passed for an handsome young man, if he didn’t look like a half starved wolf, with his ebony skin glistening under the fluorescent in the room

“You lie Charles, you lie! I have made every sacrifice there is to make for this marriage, but it’s just not enough for you. You are married to your job. Abuja today, Lagos tomorrow, New York next week. I have a job also, and four children!” He yelled, nearly knocking the lamb by the bedpost off the stool. 

The room was unkempt, largely because charlotte had not been around, and Fred was always too exhausted, especially with a four month old baby who cried all the time.

“Why can’t you be happy for me?” charlotte asked. Taking the subtle approach, barely pausing in her frantic search of her passport to give her husband a glance

Fred scoffs, years of keeping his anger at bay finally catching up to him

“Happy for you. Happy for you? You are 

barely out of the labor room. Franca is still 4 months old, and she doesn’t know you. What kind of mother does that make you? If you are tired of seeing my face, at least step up to your role as a mother. Franca is four months old! Four months old! ” he exclaimed. It was still incredulous to even him. He would never have thought charlotte was capable of such cruelty, but here she was, living the life in reality.

Charlotte sighed. She does not understand why Fred is so worked up. She looked at her packed suitcase by the door, and back towards her husband of five years, before glancing at her watch. There was nothing more to be said on her part. Fred had always had a penchant for being unreasonable, and throwing tantrums when he does not get his way.

‘We’ll talk when I get back. I made arrangements with the house help to feed Franca. I’m late already as it is. I will give you a call.’

Fred watched his wife walk out of the door. Looking sophisticated in a white gown and red stilettos. Seven years before, the sight of her in her high powered clothes used to send his blood pumping ferociously, but as the door slammed shut, he couldn’t help but feel his blood run cold. Somehow, he knew things would never be the same again. And then, he let a single tear fall.

CHAPTER 1

PRESENT DAY

7:00 am….Abuja

“Stella! Get down here now. I leave for work in two minutes.” Charlotte called to her daughter. This was the most dreaded part of her day, having to face a very cold daughter, and having to come back home to her.

A teenager walks in dressed up for school in a white shirt, and straight black skirt, coupled with a white ankle socks, and a pair of black sandals. Her hair is in a neat cornrow. She looked grumpy and angry, refusing to look at her mother, making her way to the cupboard and brought out a packet of cornflakes, which she proceed to set on the table . she turned around again to the shelf containing some china plates and continued to search for spoon, sugar ad milk.

“Listen, I won’t be around for the week. I have a business conference at Los Angeles. I will be back by weekend. Mrs. Debola will check on you occasionally. You are a big girl. You can stay alone now.’” Charlotte speaks to her daughter, but she doesn’t reply. 

Her back is deliberately turned to charlotte, and she is preparing herself a bowl of cornflakes.

“I am speaking to you Stella.” Charlotte said firmly. It was a bad idea to try to talk to her, she knew, but a a part of her couldn’t help it. Stella is her daughter, her own blood, and charlotte would like to be treated with such respect.

The girl turned around to face her mother with a bored expression on her face.

“When I speak to you, you respond. Do you understand me young lady?”

“What do you want me to say to you? Bye.” Stella replies coldly, and sat down unceremoniously in one of the chairs at the dining table, her hand unconsciously tugging at the ends of her cornrows.

Charlotte sighed. Trying to be the mature one, which should be the case considering she is the older one.

“I’m sorry Stella. But you understand how work can get, don’t you?”

“please, just go.” Stella replied still refusing to meet her mother’s gaze

“Baby, I’ll make it up to you. Next week I’m going to….”

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep, and please mom, stop acting like this is the first time you are going on one of your trips. I barely know you as it is. Remember? I grew up with grandma because you were always busy…before she died. Bless her heart.”

“Don’t say that Stella. Are you trying to guilt trip me?” 

It was in fact true that Stella had grown up with her grandmother, but charlotte was not ready to apologize for her unexplainable absence in her daughter’s life.

“No. It’s just fact.” If you would grow a conscience, you would had done that long ago. She thought.

“Young lady, you will not use that tone of voice with me, and you should show more appreciation for the amount of luxury you have. Very few people have that luxury.” Charlotte bristled

“Yeah. I didn’t have this much luxury with grandma, and I was happier. I just wish she were alive.” Stella storms back to her room. Leaving a half-eaten bowl of cornflakes behind.

Charlotte stares at the empty room for a while. She was lost and bothered.

“You better be getting your bag for school. Get back down here, and don’t keep your mates waiting.”  Charlotte yelled, but when she did not receive any reply, she grabbed her luggage and headed for the door.

“She’ll get over it. I can’t believe she’s giving me the silent treatment.”

Stella Adams watched her mother leave through the window of her room, and sighed. She couldn’t help it this morning. It had been just her and grandma Adaeze for a while. Just two years ago, grandma Adaeze had a heart problem. She slept and never woke up. It had been a really painful experience for Stella. She had to be the bearer of the news for her parents, and no one had asked her how she felt. It wasn’t everyday a thirteen year old girl woke up to greet a dead grandmother.  No one should ever have to experience that, but she had, and she was only thirteen. She had told her mother who hadn’t visited then since New Year’s Eve, hoping she would break the news to her father who she doesn’t really speak with, but charlotte had acted as if it wasn’t her responsibility, forcing Stella to send her first email to her father. He hadn’t come for the burial, and Stella wasn’t sure she wanted him to be there. Both of her parents were strangers to her. She had been grandma’s favorite as a kid, and had spent a lot of time with her. All her memories started from her grandmother. She had no memory of her father.

A car horned in front of the house, and Stella picked up her backpack and headed towards the direction of the sound, after making sure to lock the door.

“Why the sullen face star!” Joshua mocked “woke up on the wrong side of the bed diva?”

“Get in here Stella. So I watched Eragon at last. It was awesome, but I can’t help the feeling that it could have been better, you know?” Shade bounced up and down at the back of the car, but Stella couldn’t fake an excitement. Not this time.

“Can we just start moving?” she blurts

“What? Mr James is our driver, not yours. He only takes orders from me.” Joshua retorts

Shade rolled her eyes

“So who else has watched Eragon?” she asked, waving a hand in front of their faces.

“Can we get going?” Stella yelled

“Watch it diva. You might go tone deaf if you keep yelling that way.” Joshua taunts and Stella punched him as the vehicle pulled out.

Stella looked out of the window, remembering how she had fret on her mother’s behalf. She had been so sure that her mother would beat herself up over the fact that she hadn’t been there for her own mother, but instead, charlotte had acted as if people died all around her every day.

Pull yourself together. Pack up your load, you leave with me tomorrow, her mother had said.

“Okay, on a serious note now, what’s wrong star? You look like your best friend left you.”

“I don’t have a best friend.”

“Ouch. That hurts.” Joshua puts his hand over his chest “don’t worry, I won’t tell shade you said she’s not your friend.”

They both glanced at shade who was busy re applying lip gloss and watching the effect in a mirror. She caught them watching

“What?!”

“Nothing.” They chorused and laughed.

“She’s so clueless sometimes.” Joshua mused

“Yeah, but she’s funny in a way.” 

”no. she’s just clueless.” Joshua watched her for a few seconds “so are you going to tell me why you were like that?”

“Nothing much.”

“Ha. Your mum again then. So it really does get to you, despite your near military campaign that it doesn’t.”

“Well, forgive me for being human. I just can’t wrap my brain around it yet. I keep asking the universe what I did to deserve a mother like her.”

“Nothing wrong with wanting your own mother, but maybe she just feels like you are a stranger too?”

Stella scoffs at the very idea.

“Tell me that was meant to be a joke. Whose fault is it that we were apart for more than a decade? She practically hurled me out of her life because I was inconvenient for her. And now that I’m back in her life, she just wishes that I will probably cease to exist at some point, and exist at her own convenience. She needs some sort of human robot.”

“Stella, don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill. Your mom is an intelligent business woman. The likes of her are needed to keep the business world moving. Appreciate what you have.”

Stella eyed him with disdain.

“Says the guy whose mom packs him a lunchbox every school day.”

“Hey! Don’t say that out loud.” Joshua hissed

“What are you guys talking about? The Eragon guy? When he sheds his baby fats, he’s so going to be cute. He’s my latest crush.”

The vehicle comes to a halt.

“We meet here after school.” Joshua nodded towards Stella. He’s in art class with shade.

“Bye sweetheart mi. we will meet after school. Did I tell you what Ahmed did for dupe on Valentine’s Day? I forgot. After school, or during break time?’

“Sure.” Stella replied half-heartedly

******************

“The budget exceeded the money we have on ground.” Mr Shimolowo briefed Charlotte Adams

Charlotte faced him squarely.

“I am just the negotiator in this business, and my job is to get the company the best deal, while making sure our competitors eat our dust. Go and work on the budget. I suggest reducing your holiday expenses and monthly bonuses. We can’t afford that at this point.”

“But ma….”

“Excuse me.” Charlotte walked out on the balding man and ran into Mr Thomas.

“Charlotte.”

“I told you. It’s Miss Adam to you.”

“You can call me tom if you like.”

“Move out of my way Mr Deinde.”

“You are extra prickly today.” He says, following her into her office.

“I don’t have time for this please, kindly send my assistant in on your way out. I need my luggage ready in time for my flight.”

Thomas sat down, ignoring her request.

“I’ve stayed out of your business enough, but most times when you wear this expression, you are usually at your worst, and I mean productively.”

Charlotte sighed. She rummaged in her drawer for Paracetamol. After a while, she found one and swallowed the two pills, washing it down with a bottle of water.

“It’s my daughter.”

“The older one?”

“How did you know I have another daughter?” charlotte eyed him suspiciously

“You have four kids. I know this things.”

“You are not supposed to know that. Everyone is supposed to…”

“……Think you have just the one kid. Yes, they think so. I hope the girl doesn’t think she’s an only child though.” Thomas said, eyeing her in a subtle manner

Charlotte was quiet.

“Charlotte. That’s going to be disastrous. I don’t understand why you excel at work and you can’t do the same with your child. She’s what, fifteen years old now?”

“Yes, she’s not a job and she’s trouble. She’s different you know. Smart even. She always anticipates my moves, and she just parries me easily.”

“Of course, I’d be troubled if she isn’t. You are her mother after all.” Thomas smiled, but he really didn’t like Stella. It was very uncomfortable, knowing that Stella knew he was just there to woo her mother. It was so clear in her eyes.

“Yes, but I was never this much trouble as a child.”

“Shake it out. Where is the woman who won us the 2009 case that dragged on forever and nearly closed our business? Your family isn’t a game of chess, but speaking of games, she’s playing one with you. That daughter of yours. “

“You just don’t like her since she snubbed you, on your impromptu visit to our house.”

“She’s such a cold child, though I can’t blame her, but you need to assert your authority as the mother.”

“I just can’t deal with her. Don’t you get it? She grew up with my mother. So she does not respect me as a mother. I can’t have this on my plate now. There’s nowhere to push her.”

“No. you can’t have that right now. You are up for the grand promotion as COO, and she’s a negative energy where you are concerned. Are you positive there’s nothing you can do? Maybe a boarding school?”

“Tom, she’s going to SS3, boarding school is too late.”

“How about her father?”

Charlotte looked up sharply. She hadn’t thought of Fred in years. He had just ceased to exist in her world of work. Apart from occasional visit to Ibadan, when she sees her other kids, she barely sees them at all. The last time she visited, was on Franca’s birthday. She had rented a nearby hotel, and stayed for a week.

Charlotte made sure to visit them at least twice in a year.

“I’ll think about it Tom.”

“If you ever want to be more than friends, you know where to find me.” Tom winked and walked out of Charlotte’s office.

Charlotte stared at the door long after Thomas had left then she shook her head vigorously.

“You need to get a grip char.” She told herself as she moved mechanically to input some files on her laptop.

Her secretary Amina, walked in a few minutes later.

“Your luggage is ready ma. The other members are already on their way.”

“Thanks Amina. I want you to place a call through to me the very moment the merger is approved.”

“Yes ma. Is there anything else you’d want me to do?”

“I’d let you know if anything comes up.” 

Charlotte packed her bag and her system, handed it over to her assistant and walked out the door, fully expecting the assistant to trail after her, which she did.

“Charlotte.”

“Ngozi.” Charlotte groaned. It’s not that she doesn’t like Ngozi, she does. Ngozi has been a good friend, and so far, the only person Stella likes of all her friends. She just had a way with people.

“What? Were you planning on leaving without saying goodbye to me?” the petite woman hurried to catch up with her, packaged in a burgundy pant suit.

“Biko, leave me alone.”

“That’s how you are charlotte, always in a hurry to escape a place. Who’s staying with Stella?” 

“Stella is a big girl, she’s been staying alone for a while now.”

“What are you talking about?” Ngozi yelled, looking flabbergasted. “That poor child. If you keep doing this, you will have a child extremely out of control.”

“She’s already out of control Ngozi. I’m tired of the girl.”

“Chimo! You are this bad at being a mother.”

 Charlotte winced, somehow, she didn’t think that she would remember that Fred had said the same things to her. She had walked out of their marriage, justifying her act. Fred had been surprised when she came back from the trip and served him a divorce paper along with the first dinner she ever made him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that Stella is a teenager. She needs a mother around more often. A beauty like that will surely turn the head of the wrong guys. You don’t want teenage pregnancy on your hand do you?”

 Charlotte proceed towards the door, but Ngozi followed.

“When is a good time? Your job will always be there, I think everyone in the company knows that you are indispensable, but your daughter won’t wait for you before she grows up.” Ngozi went on. It was obvious from the way her eyes is lit, that she does not intend to keep shut any time soon, till she‘s gotten a satisfactory response.

“I’m working on it Ngozi. In fact, I spoke to Thomas and….”

 “Work on it please, but anything Thomas tells you, please, throw it out the window. That man loves his children. It’s just a pity that he and his wife are always fighting, but he loves his wife also.”

Charlotte wanted to scoff, she wanted to gist with her friend and tell her that Thomas liked her, and might not love his wife like she thought. She wanted to tell her that her type was Thomas type exactly, but she wouldn’t.

“Thomas is not to be trusted, and since when do you call him Thomas? Careful there char.”

“Alright. I’ll see you when I get back.” 

Charlotte hugs Ngozi, just to seal the goodbye, and not because she wanted the hug.

“Better bring something back for me, and Stella too.” Ngozi hugged her back

Charlotte couldn’t help a scoff. She had not met anyone who could be more ungrateful than Stella. She’d probably make a show of discarding the gift.

Charlotte grew up in an average family, with two sisters and three brothers. It was not easy, sometimes, they had to forgo one thing for the other, and their father was always acquiring one debt on another. Charlotte had sworn she would not be that kind of parent, until she met Fred. She had fallen in love, and somehow, she thought it would be okay. Fred had a stable job, but suddenly, charlotte started the calculations in her head after child three, and Franca was on her way. She knew that money would be tight, and suddenly, her marriage felt like a trap. The only thing keeping her from her dream.

She climbed into the Benz that was already parked in front of the building, after she was seated, she beckoned her assistant closer, and reached for her portfolio and laptop.

“Bye ma.”

Charlotte merely nodded a goodbye.

She had been a good mother, even on Fred’s front, but the very child she had chosen to walk away with, so that she wouldn’t be classed as one of those heartless women who left their children behind, that same child is the reason she feels like a failure.

Despite Fred’s reluctance to take her money, she gave it anyway. Fred came to understand that, that was the way she showed love to her children, and that it was to ease her guilt.

Fred had always been insightful, and that was part of the reason she loved him.

The vehicle pulled out of the compound and soon, they were on their way to the airport.

That’s why she knew Fred would understand. Not being the type to dillydally, she dialed Fred’s line.