FATAL ERROR

In the central region, more precisely in the city of seven hills, at the rhythm of Cameroonian culture, resides the Bello family. Diana, the eldest of the siblings, is 17 years old and is in Lower sixth Scientific class. She has a younger brother, David, who is 10 years old. He is in class 5 in a local private elementary school. Her father, Eric Bello, is 45 years old and was born and raised in the United Kingdom. He and his family did not return to the country until he was 25 years old. That same year, he met Raima.

The two of them formed a friendly relationship that quickly turned into a romantic relationship a year later.

The Bello family has everything to be happy, with Eric's huge salary and Raima's, they are safe from the need. Not to mention the small structures that Eric has set up in the city to ensure the future of his children... They live in a posh neighborhood called Omnisport. Only, the tensions arising within the couple since about seven months disturb enormously the balance of the children. And this can be felt in the grades of the youngest of the siblings.

(...)

It is 1 a.m. and Raima, wife Bello, is sitting on her balcony and lost in her thoughts. She can't take full advantage of the slightly cold wind that has been subtly caressing her skin for about thirty minutes.

Her man is once again going to spend the night outside, what a disaster ! Her heart tightens with pain when she thinks of what he might be doing. Despite the fact that she has no proof, she is convinced that her man is cheating on her.

After more than 15 years, she is still in love with Eric. In fact, he is the only man she has ever known at the age of 38. His behaviour towards her for the past seven months has hurt her enormously. She has been giving him a lot of flack and he has told her that he is under pressure because of his work.

(...)

She is startled when she hears the hum of a car in front of the gate of her house, at the same moment, the guard is going to open. Despite the pain in her heart, she smiles when she sees her man's car crossing the threshold of the gate.

After parking in the lot, Eric joins his wife on the balcony. He leans over to give her a kiss, but he is quickly turned back in his tracks by Raima.

<< What's that perfume smell? >>, she asks all furious.

<< Uh..., it must be Suzanne's perfume, we have been working...! >>, Eric stammers after sniffing his suit.

Raima leaves in a crazy laugh before retorting.

<< Spare me the details please! You should have spent the night there as usual, pff. >>, she concludes before leaving.

(...)

She violently slams the door of her room after having entered. This instantly wakes up Diana, her elder daughter, who is a very light sleeper. She gets up with fear in her stomach and goes to her mother's room to check if she is okay. On her way there, she runs into her father in the hallway...

<< Uh, Dad what time did you get home? >> eyes misty with sleep, she asks.

<< I just got here! >> Eric replies with his head in the air.

The scent of the perfume Eric is wearing does not fail to tickle his daughter's nasal mucosa. Intrigued, Diana decides to intervene...

<< Since when do you wear women's perfumes? >>

<< It's a long story baby! >> Her father replies as she continues to walk forward.

<< Dad! >> She calls him with a firm and hard tone.

This one turns around to face her. She opens her eyes widely with a closed face waiting for her father to give her an explanation.

<< Uh, baby go to bed, don't you have class tomorrow? >>

<< Are you cheating on mom? >>

<< What ? >> He answers before swallowing, he didn't see that coming. << Honey, I would never do that, you know that better than anyone. >>, he then moves closer to her to give her a peck, but she turns him away and turns to go to her room.

(

Eric and his daughter have a very close relationship. Diana is closer to him than to her mother, she would give her life for her father, so much she loves and admires him. Her father is her friend, her confidant and her hero. The two of them share many things together and this since Diana's early childhood. In the future, she would like to become a journalist in the biggest TV station in the country like her father.

...)

Diana, who has always defended her father against her mother, began to question her father's behavior. In particular, she noticed that her father did not spend time with them as he used to, especially with her. Because of his job, he could come home very late some days. But lately, it is worse, he has completely changed and she suspects him of infidelity.

****

"In the marital bedroom "

After his daughter returned to her room all furious, Eric returned to his own room with a straight face. He finds his wife lying in their large bed, her face turned towards the wall. He goes around the bed to talk to her, he discovers that she is silently crying. With a twinge of pain, he raises his hand to wipe away her tears, but Raima abruptly pushes him away. He tries to speak to give him an explanation, but this one orders him to leave. Not knowing what to do, he gets up, undresses and enters the shower to take his bath.

Naked in the shower, he savors in silence this slightly tepid water which flows from the column and pours slowly on his body. By remembering the intense pleasure that Anaïs his mistress gave him a few minutes ago, he can't help but smile while biting his lower lip. Deep in his thoughts and with his hand on his pubic bone, his phone signals the arrival of a new message. Only, it's in the room, on the bedside table. So Eric can't know he's received a message.

Raima gets up and hesitates for a moment if she should take this phone to see who is the famous sender of this message at such a late hour of the night. She finally decides to take the phone. The notification shows that it is a message from Suzanne. She unlocks the phone and clicks on the message, she falls over herself when she reads it.

A large amount of tears flow down her face, her heart bruised and her soul aching, she stops her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from screaming to vent her pain. She searches Eric's phone in vain to see if she can find anything else about his infidelity. She then puts it down on the table after having made a screen capture of the message which she sends in her phone. She returns to bed as if nothing had happened.

Eric gets out of the shower and without wearing his pajamas, he climbs into bed and approaches his wife to make love to her. During the day, she sent him a message in which she claimed his body.

<< Do not even dare! >> Says she while rising abruptly.

Eric knows his wife, sometimes she does this just because she would like her husband to run after her a little. Then, he gets up and pulls her in his arms. She struggles to get out of his grip.

<< Baby what's wrong? >> Eric asks as his wife gives him some light hands to let her go.

<< I don't want you to touch me with these soiled hands and body. >> Raima answers with a jerky breath while tears run down her pretty face.

<< But,... what are you talking about? >>, he asks looking lost, he doesn't suspect for a moment that she's not coming out with such words for nothing.

<< Please let me >>, she retorts with a voice misted with sadness.

Without further ado, Eric leaves his wife who rushes to pick up a pillow and the blanket to go sleep in the guest room.

"The next morning"

Eric got up early to make breakfast. While he is setting the tableware, David, his son, comes to join him in the living room.

<< Good morning dad! >>

<< Good morning little boy, did you sleep well?>>

David replies in the affirmative.

<< Wake up your sister. I want us to have breakfast together. >>

David leaves to perform his task while his Father continues to set the table.

Eric hesitates if he should go wake his wife, he resolves not to go. He takes his seat and begins to wait for his children. David joins him first and takes his seat. A few minutes later, Diana arrives in a gray satin strapless nightie, which reaches her knees. When she realizes that it is her father who has made breakfast, she smiles and decides to go give him a hug.

Eric is still sitting in his seat, his daughter comes to sit on him and then snuggles in his arms. Diana begins to shed a few tears that fall onto her father's shirt.

<< Hey baby, what's wrong? >>, he asks as he unties his daughter from him.

She pouts for a moment before answering him.

<< You don't have our time anymore, all you care about is your work. We rarely see you for a while...>>, she replies in a small voice.

Indeed, the main value that Raima and Eric have instilled in their children is "family comes first". In the past, their family time was a priority for Eric. But for some time now, everything has changed and Eric is only concerned about his work. At least from what he tells his family. It's not only Raima who suffers, but her children too.

Eric apologizes to his children, cleans the tears from his daughter's face and kisses her on the forehead. He then asks David to bless the meal with a little prayer. Diana, still sitting on her father's lap, decides to eat breakfast from the same plate as her father and in that position. Eric doesn't mind, besides she is used to doing it...

<< Mom doesn't eat with us? >>, asks David, wanting to get up to go call her.

<< Mom is not feeling well, she is resting. >>, Eric answers.

A few minutes later, Raima comes out of the guest room and goes down to the living room. She finds Diana sitting on her father's legs. She has already forbidden her to do so and this on several occasions.

<< Diana, go back to your seat. And let this be the last time I find you sitting on your father's legs. >>

<< But, he doesn't find any...>> Try to relent Diana.

<< There are no buts about it, obey! >>, concludes Raima with a closed face. << You will continue to let her do this until what age? >> She questions her man.

Diana gets up furiously to take her seat.