Chapter 14

With his drive speeding along the dusty terrain, Braxton knew he was home the moment that hillside view stung his eyes. Nothing much had seemed to change except the show banner that flashed from the majestic billboard, the new hip hop store that boomed in competition with the old record store's jazz, and one new restaurant stuck around the corner in what used to be an oldie's boutique. "Poor Mr. Rice," be thought, "'He must have been in a tight loop to have leased out his most prized possession." His lips curved into a gay smile as he recalled how the grey-haired grandfather had always bragged endlessly about him being the only clothing store in town to have quality clothes in stock, a funny man he was. He noticed that the town looked like a desert was let loose as the dust raised to his car window blurring his sight. It hadn't even clocked midday yet and there was already thick and hung, a phenomenon dissimilar from the state of things back in Los Angeles.

His father's enemies had finally caught up with him as only one road ambush on their convoy, and they had left his father grappling with life yet praying for death. With his father ailing and deteriorating in health, this left Braxton with the responsibility to shoulder and watch over the family's business till his father was back on his feet.

Lucky enough for him, he had inherited his father's diplomacy. Even though he was a 23-year-old college graduate who was still immature on the matters of mounting such a seat, he had strived his utmost best to prove to his father that he was a man and was capable of handling the task of being the prime proprietor of the prestigious GoldTech Industries.

He had sent men ahead to clear up his old house pending his return and his return was fueled by vengeance. Revenge jilted his eyes whenever he thought about the bounty of undeserving wrongdoings the inferiors of this city had done to his family. They'd stripped him of his father's health, his childhood memories, and costliest of all, his first love. It was battle time, and he wasn't the one running this, he was the best one calling the shots.

Speaking of love, his mind wandered to her. His diamond and more, his enchanting tea which he never got satisfied with, those shimmering eyes that slashed his heart in half the last time they met, he hadn't and couldn't ever stop loving her. He wondered how life had treated her. Was she still waiting for him or was he too late? He waved the thoughts to the back of his head not wanting to dwell on it.

The car screeched to a halt at the same mansion he fled from 12 years ago under the cover of night, but here he was reclaiming it broad daylight, without giving a damn about all the nosy eyes that were already lifting brows.

Home sweet home! He took in a deep volume of fresh air as he ran his ail tips through the steel rail of their porch. It felt good to be back even though circumstances made the reverse seem to be the case. Letting go of the breath he didn't even remember he held, he twisted the doorknob and stepped in the living room, crashing his travel fatigued core on the sofa. His eyes ran through from the freshly wiped picture frames to his mother's favorite set of cutlery that lay abandoned on the dining table and the rest of the space that once held furniture. He had it all to himself and he was prepared to use the place to serve the sole purpose of his coming here.