Because it appeared to be the new normal, all members and staff of the Simmons' household followed James' lead and fawned over Mona. Nobody wanted to address the elephant in the room until it was a mere few hours to Patrick Simmons' birthday party. Ronica Simmons was still missing.
"It's only a few hours left until your father's birthday party and Ronica is nowhere to be found. She never even made it to the pharmacy last night," Mona told James while she feigned concern even as she was clad from head to toe in clothes and accessories that were all once Ronica's.
James did not allow himself to be bothered. Ronica had no family or career so she relied wholly on him. "She will show up. She cannot afford displeasing my father and me. She's only pulling this stunt because she hopes I will call to beg her. She is that pathetic."
James privately employed the servants to find her but they had no idea where she was. James seethed. Today was a very important day for him and if Ronica ruined it, he would make sure that she paid. During the ride to the exclusive party venue, James finally relented and dialled his wife's number. Without waiting for it to ring, he pressed the phone to his ears.
"Are you satisfied now that I've called you? Now stop being a whiny brat and be presentable."
"The number you are calling is switched off or out of coverage," came the automated voice.
"What the hell?" James had no way of knowing that the phone he was currently trying to call was sunken at the bottom of his villa's lake. Meanwhile, Mona hated that Ronica was still able to make James agitated. She secretly hoped that Ronica was actually lying dead in a ditch somewhere.
"Jimmy boo, forget about that woman. Cancel her credit cards for a month when she returns. I'm sure that'll teach her a lesson." Mona tried to distract James with intimate kisses.
"Not now," James said irritably, pushing her away.
'This is only temporary,' Mona thought to herself. 'I'll teach that bitch a lesson when she finally shows up.'
They arrived at the party venue which was brimming with important guests and dignitaries, the kind of men and women one could not afford to offend. James immediately escorted Mona to the front to meet Patrick who was busy chatting with some of his associates.
"Congratulations Dad, happy birthday," James said stiffly. The old man shot him a drab look.
"Where is your wife?" Patrick asked sharply.
"She's on her way," James lied.
"And who is this woman?"
"This is Mona. She is just my secretary."
Clearly, Patrick was not impressed. He skeptically observed Mona, completely disregarding her before stalking off to greet other guests.
"Just the secretary, really?"
"Hush Mona, you know I didn't mean it that way. Try calling Ronica again." James really began to consider the possibility of Ronica really not showing up and it caused him slight panic. But as soon as he thought it, the venue main doors swung open and a huge golden box was rolled in. The box was so eye-catching that a pathway was cleared for it to the front to meet Patrick who was handed a flourishing bouquet of flowers.
"It's from my daughter in law!" Patrick announced with a voice booming with pride. James heart sank with relief as he rushed forward to be by his father's side. Inside the golden box were three smaller boxes. All the guests oohed and aahed, praising Patrick for bagging such a considerate daughter in law.
The first box was opened and there was instant applause. Patrick brandished a very beautiful handmade quilt. With anticipation, he rushed to unbox the second gift. As soon as the gift was exposed, a heavy hush fell over the room.
It was a priceless artifact— an eight hundred years old mahogany flute. More than half the guests present knew that eight years ago, Patrick had gifted this very flute to his daughter in law on her wedding day. Why was she returning her wedding gift? Hushed whispers of gossip rapidly passed around the hall.
With shaking hands, Patrick reached for the third box but James beat him to it. With hot fury, James ripped the lead of the box open and stared with frozen eyes at the contents.
"Well what is it?" Patrick loudly demanded.
James would have been better prepared if it was a bag of shit in the box. He closed the box and put it under his armpit to prevent anyone from taking it away and seeing what he had just seen. His face was completely white as he tried to stifle equal feelings of anger and fear.
"Nothing Dad. Just some sheet music my wife wrote but she's not here to play it for you," James lied through his teeth. Meanwhile he was actually thinking what gave Ronica the audacity to try to humiliate him this way. Had he been any later in grabbing that third box, Patrick could have seen the divorce papers and then, what would happen to his inheritance? "I think she wants to return to music, that's all," James fumbled.
"I gave her the ancient flute to commend her for choosing to leave her career to devote herself to the family even though I assured her that she didn't have to. Isn't it symbolic that the first thing she does when she returns is write a song for me?" Patrick asked.
The atmosphere in the room lightened as everyone praised Ronica Simmons for her thoughtfulness in writing her father in law a song while commenting that James was lucky to have her as his wife.
"Let me see the sheet music. There's a grand piano. I'm sure they're people here who can play it and I can't wait to listen to it." Patrick beckoned at the box under James' armpits.
That had escalated fast. James searched his head for another lie knowing that he could not let Ronica succeed in embarrassing Patrick and costing him his inheritance.
Patrick must never know that the sheet music were in fact, divorce papers.