Nadia!
Episode 21
Mrs Ojo recalled how the midwife betrayed her, the whole scene kept playing in her head as if it was yesterday. She was returning from a party with Mr Ojo, when they saw the basket in front of their gate!
Mr Ojo: What is that?
Mrs Ojo: what is what?
Mr Ojo : can’t you see the basket in front of our gate? What is it doing there and who dropped it there?
Mrs Ojo: let’s go and check it, we won’t find out sitting here in the car.
They both came down and went to look at the basket, it was a beautiful baby girl, wrapped carefully in the basket, with a note attached to it, please take care of her. Mr Ojo carried the baby excitedly, and they walked inside their house.
Mr Ojo: we will keep her, she look so cute, we will keep her.
Mrs Ojo: keep what? We are not keeping her o, I will have my own children, we can’t keep another persons child o.
Mr Ojo: you don’t have a say in this matter, we will keep her and you will take good care of her.
Mrs Ojo: and I say no, I won’t keep her, how can you just see a baby on the street and say we will keep her, I won’t take that.
Mr Ojo: I don’t want to talk on this, if you won’t take care of her, I will bring in someone who can take care of her.
And he walked away carrying the baby, Mrs Ojo was angry, because he recognised the baby, he knew this was the same baby Queen had given birth to, that he asked the midwife to replace with a dead baby, and so she picked up her phone and she called the midwife.
Mrs Ojo: Hello nurse, what is the meaning of this?
Midwife: meaning of what?
Mrs Ojo: how can you bring the baby here, the same baby I told you to take from the mother, how can you bring her to my place?
Midwife: so where do you expect me to take her? Did I tell you I needed a baby?
Mrs Ojo: what do you want me to do with her
Midwife: you can do anything you want with her o,bid you cannot take care of her why then did you take her from her mother? Please madam don’t call me again, whatever you wanna do with the baby do with it but please don’t bother me anymore please!
And then she hung up. Mrs Ojo was furious, she didnt know what to do, she couldn’t return the baby to her real mother and her husband was not ready to let go of the baby and so she had no choice than to accept and take care of the child. Mr Ojo had done a big party for the child, he invited his family members and his friends, Queen had also come to that party with her daughter Nadia who was just about a year old, she held onto the baby with so much love in her eyes wishing her own baby was alive, she had later handed over the baby to Mrs Ojo. The naming ceremony was a huge success and the baby was named RUTH, by Mr Ojo.
Few months later Mrs Ojo found out she was pregnant, she was very happy, Mr Ojo had said it was little Ruth that brought favour onto her, nine months later she gave birth to two beautiful daughters, not long she got pregnant again and gave birth to a boy, and that was when the real maltreatment of Ruth began, she made her do all the work in the house, she gave her little or no food, she beat her at every giving opportunity, she hated her with so much passion, she did everything possible to keep her away from Queen and her daughter. And when Queens daughter Nadia started doing well in school and her own daughters were failing she was so jealous, that she planned on ending them once and for all. She had planned with some boys to remove somethings from Queens car and tampar with it so that queen and her daughter will die in a car accident. It was so unfortunate that it was her husbands brother that drove the car that morning and had the accident and died immediately. Mrs Ojo had felt bad at first but concluded that it was better that the man had died, she encouraged her husband to chase Queen and her child away from the house and claim their properties, and that was exactly what they did. Mr Ojo had accused Queen of killing her husband and chased her and her child from her matrimonial home, Queen had moved away with Nadia and ever since then she’s heard nothing of them. They took over their properties their cars and their house and life was good to them , until three years ago when things suddenly became rough. She had driven Ruth from their house, her husband was against it but when he couldn’t find Ruth he had given up. Things were normal at first but , suddenly the business her husband had cornered from Queen and her daughter suddenly went down the drain, her two daughters had been involved in an accident when running from the police on their way from a night club, after spending months in the hospital wasting money they both died, her only son got drowned in the river when he went to swim with his friends, they’ve lost all that they acquired from Queen, and even lost the ones they had before. Now her husband Mr Ojo has sold almost everything in the house, just for them to eat. He had come this afternoon to sell the television which was the only thing valuable left and she had refused, this is what has resulted into this fight. She breathe heavily as she thought of all of this, her wickedness has destroyed her entire life. She sat down on the ground and wept. It was time to look for Queen and beg for her forgiveness. And let her know that her daughter was alive and she was RUTH! This was her new assignment!
Episode 22
It was almost 3oclock in the afternoon, Stanley and Frank had already alerted the police and the whole area had already been surrounded, Ruth was also around but in a car that was parked a little bit away from the beer parlour. Nadia couldn’t come with them because she said she couldn’t see those guys anymore. At least not for now.
It was not long before a car drove into the arena and parked. And one by one they came down, Ruth was able to identify the one who had raped her, she pointed him to the police men, and they got the confirmation they needed. Three of the policemen were not on uniform, and they had their guns carefully hidden, they went into the beer parlour first and pretended like they wanted to buy drinks. They took their seats at strategic positions and sat down to take their beer, carefully observing the guys.
Somehow they knew something was odd as the one who seemed to be their leader asked the woman who owned the shop, ”madam something day off today o, wetin DAT happen?”
2nd Kidnapper: abi o, Dagger, I be feel say na me day get small fever
Dagger: I nor just feel this place today
3rd kidnapper: una two don start, which one be off, abi na because you nor carry better money come here!
4th kidnapper: nor mind am jare, e don reach e turn to host us now e day talk of body when day do am one kain. Come eh, your body like e do you anyhow, so far buy my snake pepper soup and my beer first!
3rd kidnapper: abi o, e must buy am first o, they both burst out laughing.
Dagger looked at them and started looking around, not sure of what he was looking for.
3rd kidnapper: wetin you con day find now
Dagger: I nor even know but I just feel say something day wrong, my body day phone me sag something nor right.
1st kidnapper: oya make una wait make I look around. He stood up and went around the beer parlour and the area, he caught a glimpse of Ruth who pretended to be in a serious chat with Frank, he felt like he had seen her before but couldn’t place where, then he concluded that she must be one of the girls that usually pass around. He looked for the second time and everything seemed normal to him, then he went back and told the guys that the coast was clear. He sat down and placed his order. the rest of them also placed their order except Dagger, who was Still not satisfied with the report he got that it was safe. His instincts has never failed him and most times when he didnt follow his heart he ended up regretting! And the whole of today felt like that.
Kidnapper 2: Guy wetin na? You nor go siddon, na enjoy we come here come enjoy o, why you come day do like say you be vigilante na? They all bursted out laughing. Meanwhile the policemen were listening and carefully observing them, they’ve alerted their guys through text messages to be ready to attack, any moment from now.
Dagger: Guys let’s leave this place, am not comfortable, something is telling me that something bad wants to happen, something just feels odd here, please lets just go.
1st Kidnapper: ah he said as he stood up, make we day go, before Dagger speak English so, naim be say the matter serious, make we listen to am, make we day go.
3rd kidnapper: oh oh oh! I nor day like this kain thing o, all this kain una feelings nor just good at all o. I be day enjoy this pepper soup o, how una go just say make I leave am because of mere feelings.
4th kidnapper: I swear the matter tire me o, Bris as you nor want us to stay here make we buy the food as take away na? He asked Dagger.
Dagger: oya make una hurry make we commot here abeg. He faced the woman and asked, ”madam abeg nor vex help us package our beer and pepper soup abeg nor vex”
Woman: ah ah wetin happen today na Dagger?/una nor like am? E sweet na
Dagger: we know say e sweet, but we NIR want eat here, we won carry am go house, so abeg package am for us abeg.
Woman: ohk na now I understand, make I go package am
Then she went inside and repackaged the food all in a nylon bag and handed it over to one of them , but just as they were about leaving the woman stopped them.
Woman: ehn! Before I go forget, una won commot again, una go con re miss ejime o. Dagger and the boys which were already leaving turned and went back to the woman l.
Dagger: wetin you talk? he asked! The policemen stood up and repositioned themselves but pretended like they were still busy doing things
Woman: I say una day quick commot so, una go still miss ejime again, because I tell them say na 3-5 una go take day here today and now Una don day commot when 4never even reach! The guys turned and looked at each other and dagger moved closer to the woman holding her on her shoulders.
Dagger: which ejime be that? he asked almost stuttering , the woman drew herself from him and answering
Woman: abeg nor hold me jare, I nor suppose mention am, those ejime when be una friends when come from Lagos. They come yesterday come look for una with that small fine girl, I tell them say una day come back here today. Them never come and una don day go.
The guys looked at each other and somehow they understood what was happening and they made an attempt to rush to their car, but the policemen who were already at alert blocked their way, pointing a gun at them. ”don’t move”, if you move I blow off your brains. He shouted. Three of them stood Still raising their hands up. But Dagger who from the very beginning suspected that something was wrong jumped through the window running through the back of the shop and disappearing into space…..
To be continued!
Will they catch Dagger?
