Chapter 11: The Supreme Court Email

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Supreme Court Email

The house was too quiet at 2:12 a.m. Too quiet to be normal. Flora could hear the clock ticking and her own heart beating. She was inside her husband’s study. The big desk light was on. The floor were covered with old files, land titles, and bank letters. She sat in the middle of them, arranging them one by one.

Her eyes were still hurting and heavy from yesterday. From seeing Maya standing on the edge of the rooftop crying. Each time she blinked, her eyes burned.

Upstairs, Maya was sleeping. Flora had given her the medication exactly as the doctor prescribed. Two tablets after food. She had watched her swallow them.

Flora could not sleep. Her body wanted to sleep, but her mind would not let her.

She kept thinking. How would she handle this? The court had never asked for the documents. Not once. Even when her husband was alive, even when he was the one fighting land cases, they never asked him to bring all his estate papers for verification. Why now? Why ask a widow?

Then she remembered. She remembered her husband on his sick bed. His voice was weak. He held her hand tight and said, "Flora, be a strong woman. Don’t let anyone make you small. I will always protect you, even if I die. I will find a way."

That thought made her teary. Tears almost rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them quickly with her clothe.

She is stronger than her fears, queens don’t cry.

She whispered to the empty study, "I will be strong. I will be strong for Maya." She would not break tonight at all again.

Flora lifted her Apple MacBook Pro 14. The silver body was cold. She opened it slowly. The screen light touched her tired face. Her hands were shaking, but she placed them on the keyboard and started typing. She wanted the words to be clear and detailed.

She breathed in and typed the letter exactly as her thought leads her .

She typed:

---

To: The Registrar, Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

From: Mrs. Flora Darwins

Date: May 14, 2020

Subject: Request for Written Grounds for Estate Documents Verification

Sir,

I write with respect to the order from the court, directing me to submit all my estate documents, land titles, and bank letters for verification.

I respectfully request that you provide me with the written grounds and legal basis for this request, as no such request was made when my husband was alive.

Please note that my files remain in my custody and will not be released until I receive your written explanation.

I have copied my counsel, Barrister Martins Porter, in this correspondence.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Flora Darwins

---

When she finished, she read it two times. Her eyes were still burning, but her heart was beating more calmly. She checked the email address and attached the letter.

Then she clicked SEND.

A small sound went out. Sent.

She closed the laptop gently. For the first time since 2:12 a.m., her chest felt light. She leaned back in her husband’s chair and calmed down.

The time clocked 7:00 a.m.

The morning light was already coming through the curtains in the study. Her eyes were tired and her back was hurting from sitting on the leathered swivel chair.

She stood up slowly and closed her husband’s files. She arranged them neatly on the desk. She would not let anyone touch them without a reason.

She left the study and walked down the stairs to check on Maya in her room.

The house was awake now. When she got to Maya’s door, Maya’s maid saw her first. She quickly stood up, greeted and bowed to Flora.

Good morning, Ma," Zoe said, with her head low. "Maya is still sleeping, ma. She did not disturb at night."

Flora nodded. She was tired, but she tried to smile. "Thank you, Zoe. How is she? Did she wake up at all?"

"No, ma. She slept well after the medicine. She is breathing fine," Zoe said.

Flora looked inside the room. Maya was curled on the bed, her small face peaceful. Her hair was scattered on the pillow. Seeing her daughter like that made Flora’s heart soft. After all the fear of last night, this quiet sleep is all she needs.

Flora turned back to Zoe. "Zoe, please tell the chef to bring my black tea here. In Maya’s room. I want to sit here and watch her."

"Yes, ma," Zoe said.

" Tell her no sugar. Just black tea," Flora added.

Zoe bowed again and excused them. She walked quickly towards the kitchen.

When she got to the kitchen, the place was busy. The chef was making breakfast. The smell of fried eggs and toast was in the air. The house keeper was helping her. She was cutting bread and arranging plates.

Zoe stood at the door. "Chef, Madam said you should bring her black tea in Maya’s room."

The chef looked up from the frying pan. She turned off the giant cooker. "Black tea? For madam? In Maya’s room? Is Maya okay? How is she doing this morning?"

Zoe looked around to be sure no one else was there. Then she whispered, moving closer to the chef and the house keeper.

"You will not believe it. I heard her talking in her dream. Maya was muttering in her sleep. She was calling his name."

"Whose name?" The house keeper asked, dropping her voice too.

"Simon," Zoe whispered. "She was calling, ’Simon, the handsome driver, in her dream. Please, don’t leave me, Simon.’ She was crying like a woman in love."

The Chef was shocked. "Ah! Miss Maya. Does she like Simon already? The driver is still new in this house?"

"Yes," Zoe said, giggling. "She likes him now , I have noticed it in her behavior and the way she looks at him".

The house keeper shook her head. "That Simon is really handsome . Honestly,I don’t blame her. If I were privileged like her..."

They were still whispering and talking when the kitchen door opened with a hard push.

Grace walked in.

Grace is Flora’s personal maid. She is older than Zoe and the others. She is the head of all the maids in the house and her face is always serious.

Immediately she heard them, her eyes became sharp.

"What are you two doing?" Grace said, her voice hard. "Zoe, did Madam not send you to deliver a message? Why are you standing here gossiping?"

Zoe’s face changed. She stepped back.

"And you," Grace pointed at the chef and the house keeper. "Is this what Madam pay you people to do? To meddle in private family business?"

"No,Aunty Grace," the chef said quickly. "We were just..."

"Just what?" Grace cut him. "Just gossiping about Maya and the driver? Are you silly? Do you know who you are talking about? That is your Madam’s daughter. This is your boss’s house. If you have so much time to gossip, go and clean the compound."

The kitchen became very quiet. The house keeper was looking down.

Grace came closer and lowered her voice, but it was still very firm.

"Listen !. All of you. Focus on your job. "Keep Madam’s name out of your mouth".

She scolded them.

"If I hear any more gossip from the three of you. I will report you to the boss directly. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Aunty," Zoe whispered. Her eyes were already teary.

"Yes, Aunty," the chef and the house keeper said together.

Grace looked at them one more time. "Now, chef, take Madam’s black tea to Maya’s room. And Zoe, go back to work. No more stories."

They all moved quickly. Zoe ran back upstairs. The chef poured the black tea into a white cup, placed it on a tray, and left the kitchen.

A soft knock came on the door.

Flora was sitting on the big chair in Maya’s room. Her phone was on her ear.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened. It was the chef.

She bowed low to Madam, carrying a tray with a cup of hot coffee.

She walked slowly and gently placed the tea on the center table. Her hands were shaking a little.

Flora did not look at her. Flora was still on the call.

"Listen, Barrister Martins," Flora said calmly. "I have done my part. I already emailed the Supreme Court this morning."

There was silence on the other side of the call.

"I am waiting for their feedback," Flora continued. "You don’t expect me to hand over the estate documents without proof, do you?."

The chef froze beside the table.

Her eyes widened. Her mouth opened.

The Supreme Court?

What did Madam Flora do?

Who is this Martins and why is he demanding the estate documents?.