Chapter 180: Chapter 180

The news of the birth of Josephine got to Rodney and he decided that he was going to wait for a few months and then put his plan into action.

He wanted the baby not to miss breast milk so much as to constitute a nuisance to him.

But he ended up waiting for two years and by which time, Nancy was pregnant again.

The last two years had been idyllic and though she recalled Rodney's threat sometimes, it did not scare her as much as it did previously because she was surrounded by those she loved and who loved her in return. She was surprised at the way, Jason took to Josephine. One would never know that he was not her biological father and this made her love him the more.

Jason was overjoyed to find that she was pregnant and was soon going to give him more children. He hadn't realised that he was such a traditional man and wanted a big family if that was what Nancy wanted as well. He spoke to her about it and her response had surprised as well as made him very happy.

'I am an only child and have wanted brothers and sisters to play with during my growing up years. It can be very lonely you know being all alone though you may have the love of your parents all to yourself. Do I decided that if I were blessed to have more children, I'd want to fill my house with them if my husband has no objections to it'.

'I have none whatsoever. Like you know it had always been just Sally and me. I wanted an elder brother to boss me around or a younger one to teach the ropes but had none and decided I would want my children to have brothers and sisters if possible', Jason said reminiscing. 'But I had never thought it was going to be possible especially when Rebecca showed no sign of wanting children. I felt that though I wanted them, my love for her would eventually change her mind. I never knew that she had never wanted to give me any children because she stayed married to me only because of her ulterior motives and evil intentions that had nothing whatsoever to do with love'.

'Maybe she loved you at first but it grew cold as yours waxed stronger', Nancy suggested.

'That might be so bit I doubt it because she told me when she eloped withy best friend that she never loved me but married me for the material benefits she knew she would get', Jason said dryly. 'That woman could never really love anyone. Look at Terry, the best friend she eloped with telling me that she loved and had been sleeping with behind my back in my house and in my bed....'

It still shocked Nancy that someone could be as callous as that. She looked at her husband pityingly and patted his back consolingly.

'You do not have to feel pity for me', he drawled. 'I was over that hurt a long long time ago and meeting you only helped me further to realise that I could do much more better than her and I am glad I listened to my heart. But like I was saying. She claimed that she loved Terry and eloped with him, betraying me but that union did not even last. They did not even get to the alter before she went after another man and Terry was left heart broken. Thank goodness that he found someone he fell for after that and I heard that he is married now. But she isn't but came back to ruin my life a second time'.

'Would you have accepted her back? The way the both of you were doing then was almost as though, you were considering it's.

'Consideting what? A suicide mission? No my darling girl. I never once wanted her back. I was just keeping up appearances. She was the one trying to use it and make the hungry journalist have a field day with stories that weren't true. I would rather have gladly married Phoebe though both of them have similar characters than accept her back. With Phoebe, I knew what I was getting into'.

'Did you really? It didn't look like you did. I never really knew Rebecca but I assure you, Phoebe is far worse than your ex wife could ever think to be. Think about all that she did including deceiving you into thinking that she was satisfied with being just a lover with no attachments when all the while she was not satisfied with that. You are lucky she did not kill you for scorning her the way you had. Remember the saying- hell hath no fury....'

'... than a woman scorned', he finished for her and they laughed merrily together, glad that all that was in the past. Jason was sure that Phoebe must have gone back to Romeo, the father of her child and made up with him of he still wanted her. It was no concern of his. Suddenly, he felt that he had not heard Josephine's voice or childish chatter.

'Where is that angel, Josephine?' he asked Nancy.

'She must have gone back inside', Nancy said without any trace of anxiety. Then she had a strange feeling in her stomach. Could be maternal instinct that Josephine was in some kind of trouble.

'Quick Jason, get inside and check on Jose, I am having a weird feeling about her'.

She had not even finished speaking when Jason was on his feet running into the house and as he did so, a car started somewhere close by and drove off.

Jason felt that it was odd the car driving off when they had not heard anything previously but proceeded into the house, calling 'Josephine my nectar' but no response.

'Mrs. Potts, have you seen Jose?'

'She was here but decided to go outside to play with mum and dad. Do I thought since you were outside, she was with you both'.

Jason told himself not to panic. But his heart was already thumping. He ran from room to room, even the ones that were not in use calling for Josephine but still no answer and no sight of her. He went back outside searching the grounds, still calling.

Nancy felt a sense of deja Vu. Had what happened to her more than two years previously happened to her daughter? Had Josephine been abducted?

She felt faint and was going to collapse but Jason saw this and flew to her side to catch her. If she had fallen with her pregnancy that was still in the first trimester, she could lose it and he didn't want that happening to them.

He lay her down on the grass. Fanning her. 'My Josephine', she kept muttering. 'Rodney has made good his threat to destroy my happiness and take my child from me'.

'Do not worry. We shall get her back. Pull yourself together so that we can get started and not give them time to get away. We have to follow their trail before it gets cold. We ould you be okay now?'

She nodded. She felt like screaming and throwing something but she was not given to hysterics and it was not Jason's fault nor any one's for that matter and becoming hysterical was not going to help her find her child after all and what Jason said was the truth. They had to start the search for her daughter immediately before it became history.