SILENCE

Ben looked at his cousin as he walked out of his house, he didn’t know any other family apart from him and his aunty. You see poverty is no justification mostly for how a person turns out because at some point in life everyone is accorded the same chance to either be good or bad; except with some it looks like a golden opportunity whilst others it looks like a mischief to move them from the only thing that they call home.

Ben had been born to his aunt’s young sister, she was wild and adventurous that by the time she was falling pregnant not only didn’t she know the man that had impregnated her but also didn’t want the pregnancy. Her elder sister had convinced her to keep it on condition that she would take the child from her once it was born; and true to her word the young lady disappeared immediately her child was born.

Ben was raised as an equal, he didn’t lack a thing and he refused to hear anything about his biological mother the same way she had refused to take him. His aunty was the only woman he considered his mother and even though his biological mother had tried to reach out when he was all grown he always shut her out.

He was very close to Ferbian such that when he took his life; Ben felt like a part of him had left. That was years ago before finally deciding to be a private investigator and somehow ended up working for Elisha. The more he got information about him the more old wounds were opened.

So now here he was planning his next move with his cousin.

The plan was for Ben to introduce Fernando as a good friend to Elisha and then they would know how best to make the family pay for their brother’s death. It wasn’t enough that they had lost kids in the accident, it wasn’t enough that Larna had lost a leg and her memory, it’s like what they say that nothing can make you fully fulfilled on a quest for revenge. Both families had lost greatly and yet the latter couldn’t see that it was time to just put a stop to it, it was time to let it all go.

After Fernando was gone, Ben grabbed himself another bottle of beer and sat down to reminisce about how great life was when Ferbian was around. On one particular incident, they had both liked the same girl and it scared their brother because he wasn’t ready to see them apart. So what he did was to get close to the very girl and start a relationship with her, they were both upset with him for a while but eventually they got over it and all three hated the girl.

Fernando was the elder brother that anyone admired, he would go to the ends of the earth for them; he was all muscle without brains but his good looks complimented his flaws.

Ferbian on the other hand was the one with the heart. Good looking as well but with a tiny body, he was short with a face you can’t look at twice; he was no match for his elder brother. Ladies flaunted themselves to Fernando and when they got to learn how insensitive he was they always wanted to be with Ferbian but he was too scared and emotionally unattached to involve himself with them.

Whilst Ben was ruthless, he acted with his brains at all times. He was often made fun of for being the way he was but that was the least of his worries because he knew that the only people whose interests he had at heart were his cousins and his aunty.

The day Ferbian took his life, Fernando had spent the night in a night club dancing and drinking his soul out. He refused to believe that his brother was gone, he refused to believe that the same Ferbian who had been so kind to people could just be that inconsiderate. He knew that his brother was not selfish so he wouldn’t do such a thing without considering how his family would feel; that was more reason that he refused to believe the bereavement. But after getting sloshed he went back home and that was when it hit him that his brother was truly gone and never coming back.

All through the funeral he never once shed a tear, he said crying was for the weak at heart and maybe that was the reason he harbored so much pain that most times he felt like he was going to explode.

Ben on the other hand had been the one to cry, he was the one that was with his aunty throughout this period despite him being a man. He told himself that now she was his responsibility and he would do everything possible just to make sure that she had everything she needed.

He threw the empty bottle of alcohol when the contents were done, he had to call it a night despite how he was still very sober; alcohol had become his good friend as it helped him sleep on nights like these.

The following morning he woke up quite early, it was a new day and new plans had to be put in place. He took a short cold bath before settling into a ruby red slim fit suit with black leather shoes. He was so confident about the day ahead that he had to sync it with what he wore.

‘Good morning.’ Fernando greeted immediately he got out

Fernando was good looking, he was light skinned with a muscular body. He was wearing a navy blue suit with an expensive Rolex watch on. He had just done his hair and was looking like one of those models from magazines.

‘You don’t look bad.’ He said again with a grin

He was handsome and he knew it.

The drive to Elisha’s place was characterized by the both of them being in their own worlds, they knew they were good people despite what they had done.

‘We are here.’ Ben announced when he pulled over

‘Are you sure about this?’ he asked again when Fernando didn’t say anything

‘For Ferbian.’ He said

‘For Ferbian.’

They both sighed as they got out of the vehicle, Ben led the way since he knew his way around the place.

‘Man I am outside.’ He said before dropping the line, he had called Elisha.