AFTERMATH

The following morning Amelia stood outside the house and said in a whisper laden with fear, “But where will we go?"

Her grandma moved her jaws from one side to the other, “there's only one place and you know it. You should have let Mr Matthews arrange it the other day. If you can't get them there you will have to move in with me."

She couldn't believe this was Mr Edwards. About an hour ago he had sent his messenger to tell them that they must be out of the house the day after tomorrow because another family was going to occupy the house. “He wouldn't do that to us, I'll go and talk to him." Right then her grandma had walked in and the messenger had taken his leave.

“I don't think he'll have anything more to offer you, but you can go and try. The most he can do is to offer you a few more days, at most a week. Instead of wasting your time going to him, you better start packing your clothes, leave the furniture, it belongs to the company. You are moving out sooner or later." Her grandma said.

“Then let it happen later." Amelia said. She walked back into the house. Young Thomas was still asleep and Willis was out playing. Her grandma came in and offered to look after the child as Amelia went to the company's offices to talk with the director.

The offices of EPSOM CONSTRUCTION were situated at the farthest corner of the vast compound. The company specialized in constructing almost every structure in the town, and right now they were constructing a sports stadium. Her father had worked for the company for all his working years and they'd occupied the house since then, and Amelia thought it belonged to them.

She walked slowly towards the offices, carefully rehearsing her words until she got into the reception. She asked to see the director and she was ushered into a waiting room. Hundreds of magazines and newsletters lay on the table and she couldn't resist taking a look at some of them.

She was awed by the company exploits, the amounts of money they made and pictures of the director brushing shoulders with the high and mighty in the town and outside. A picture on the wall caught her attention, the director was shaking hands with the president of the country.

She resolved that very moment to pursue courses in construction with a view of becoming an executive in the industry. But that had to wait, she was here for something else and it was taking long to see the director. He was obviously a very busy man.

She went through other business journals and got impressed by the company's turnovers. She decided to work hard to achieve all that she was reading here.

The door opened and a secretary announced that Mr Edwards was ready to see her. She rose and followed the secretary into the office.

Mr Edwards office was the most magnificent room she had seen. With a wall to wall carpet, and comfortable looking couches, and walls adorned with paints in water colours.

Mr Edwards sat behind a huge mahogany desk with many files on top of it and behind him was a bronze bust of what Amelia thought could be the founder of the company.

The secretary directed her to a seat and started as if to walk away. Amelia hesitated a bit before settling on the soft cushioned couch. Mr Edwards looked up from the file he was reading and addressed the secretary.

“Miss Josephs, please don't disturb me for the next fifteen minutes, or until miss Simmons leaves." He said in a thunderous authoritative voice.

“Yes sir." She said, then closed the door behind her.

Amelia started talking immediately, pleading with the director to let them stay in the house as they had nowhere else they could go.

“I'm going to the government offices shortly, I can talk to Mr Matthews for you." He had said finally.

“No!" Her voice was low. “They are not going to any orphanage."

Mr Edwards rose from his seat and moved around his desk. Amelia observed that he looked taller and older than she had thought. Older than her dead father maybe. She looked as he walked to the door and engaged the deadbolt. Then he walked to her side and sat next to her.

“Look, I'm sorry for what happened to your family. But the house belongs to the company and only those who work for us can occupy it. However, I can make a few exceptions, just for you." He said, and Amelia's heart started melting with joy. But what came after that made her seethe with hatred for him.

“I only want one thing from you, I want your body. If you could offer yourself to me right now, I'll let you occupy that house for eternity." He said.

She couldn't believe what he was saying. She had not known any man in her years and she was not going to yield to an old man. Silently, she burned with rage, but Mr Edwards thought her silence meant consent. He removed his jacket and shirt and moved closer.

Seeing what he was up to, Amelia shot up and ran towards the door, as if to open it.

“Wait, if you don't do what I want I'll evict you myself." Mr Edwards thundered. She looked at him in fury and he understood her message because he put on his shirt and jacket, then moved back to his desk, after disengaging the dead bolt at the door.

“Miss Josephs will show you out. You should vacate that house tomorrow, failure to which I'll send an eviction team. Now, if you excuse me, I have a busy schedule." He said. She was shocked beyond words.

He went back to reading his file as the secretary came in, summoned by a button he'd pressed, and led Amelia out.

When she stepped outside she burst out in tears and as she walked away she kept on asking, “oh dad, oh dad, why?"