Episode 4
Twisted Identity
The doctor called security on us, and we were driven out of the hospital.
Once we were outside, the elderly woman begged for attention but Mr Bassey refused to give a listening ear.
He turned and pointed a finger at me.
“Don’t think I’m done with you, because I’m definitely coming back. He walked to his car, opened it got in. Then he looked out through the window
….you can take this woman with you too, I think I’m done with her, anyways”. He was referring to his wife.
With that, he drove off, leaving his wife and the women, stranded.
Mercy already left before him.
First of all, I drove to the clinic to have my head bandaged and also purchase pain relief. Then I drove down to the office. There, I lied that I was involved in an accident and was given 3 days leave.
I was driving home but later diverted to another direction….I’d better face my sister than face Mercy right then.
What I needed was a little rest to calm my aching head.
I never knew instantly I had made the wrong decision until I drove into the compound and saw Mercy’s car parked outside.
I could had turned back, if not that I had driven in already. I’m sure she must have heard the sound of the gate, opening and closing.
I walked reluctantly into the living room, there, was Mercy, crying on my sister’s shoulder. She didn’t look up as I entered.
I slumped on one of the couches and moaned in pains.
“Fidelis, just look at what you’re doing to yourself, ?”. My sister said
“Rita, I am not doing anything to myself. All I see here is conspiracy”. I answered.
“Conspiracy?, who is conspiring against you?, your wife? or the other family?”
“I don’t know where it is coming from but I’m sure someone is trying to frame me up”. I replied.
Mercy sat up and looked at me.
“Sister, you see what I was telling you?, he.. he keeps denying and denying. Two tests, same results, yet, Fidelis refused to admit his crime, what kind of a man is this?”. Mercy.
“Fidelis, I don’t know you with this character oo, imagine the pains you’re making your wife go through right now”
“Assuming junior’s class teacher did not call my attention to this, I wouldn’t have known the kind of husband I have”. Mercy confessed.
My sister began her lectures.
From the way she spoke, it’s obvious Mercy has bought her over too.
I closed my eyes as she continues, and feigned sleep.
I was tired of explaining myself to people who do not understand me.
If only that class teacher had kept her mouth shut, it would have saved us a lot of troubles. I thought to myself.
“The face of that old woman looks so familiar, I’m sure I have met her somewhere in the past, but I can’t remember where”. That was mercy telling my sister when I guess she(my sister) was tired of giving me lectures.
“You should have approached her,”. My sister said.
“Yeah, I know, but I was very angry…..”. She said.
She was still talking before I drifted into sleep.
I woke up to my phone ringing on my chest. It was a call from an unknown number. I picked it and kept mute for a while before a female voice spoke.
“Mr Okafor, is it possible to meet with you and your wife tomorrow evening?”.
“Who is this?”. I asked.
“I’m madam Bridget, the woman at the hospital today”. It replied.
Even before saying, I recognized her voice already.
“How did you get my number?”. I asked.
“From my in-law”. She replied.
By ‘inlaw’, I knew she meant that bully, Mr Bassey.
“Why do you want to see us?”. I asked, getting infuriated by the thought of Mr Bassey.
“There’s something important you both need to know”. she replied.
I ended the call and she forwarded an address to my phone.
All the while I was speaking on the phone, Mercy and Rita were listening.
“It’s that elderly woman at the hospital today, she requested to see us tomorrow evening”. I announced.
“I’m not going anywhere again, I will stay in my house and watch how Fidelis will bring in the woman and the son”. Mercy said.
“Are you sure you don’t need to go? This old woman may be a solution to the problem oo”. My sister was saying.
“I’m not going anywhere with Fidelis and that is final”. She concluded and lied back.
She left around 7 while I stayed longer, listening to my sister’s lecture.
I slept in the living room that night.
The next day in the evening, I left for the old woman’s house, after she called to remind me. Before I left, I ensured to forward the address to Mercy’s phone, just in case she changed her mind…that lady is full of surprises.
When I entered and saw Mr Bassey and his family sitting in the living room, my stomach rumbled.
This old woman didn’t tell me Mr Bassey would be coming too. I thought.
I sat down too, but on a couch opposite them. Mr Bassey was glued to his phone, he didn’t even look up as l entered.
Mercy arrived with my sister, about twenty minutes after I did. They sat on the same couch with me.. my sister sitting between us.
After sometimes, the woman came out from within and sat on the center table.
“Good evening, everyone. I called you all here today for something very important and I need you all to listen to me, please. She turned to face our side.
…Mr and Mrs Okafor, your child was delivered at which hospital and date?”.
“Saint Theresa’s hospital, New road avenue, 15 October 2003”. Mercy replied
“That was same hospital I had my boy, and same date”. Mrs Bassey confirmed.
What kind of coincidence was that?. I wondered
“Is your child a twin?”. The woman asked.
My wife and I stole a glance at each other in painful memory. She couldn’t help but broke down in tears, leaving the old woman waiting.
“Yeah, my boy was born twins. A boy and a girl, actually”. I replied.
Typing 5….
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