MY MAID – MY HUSBAND’S EX-
CHAPTER 23
The doctor stood full of regret but there was nothing he could have done. Nelson wailed and rolled on Jerome’s lifeless state. Suddenly, he felt weak, like strength was gently drawn out of him.
“You are bleeding!”. One of the nurses among the sympathizers called out to him. Nelson touched his neck, his hands were stained. Everyone around him agitated.
“Let him not die!”. They chorused begging the nurses. Nelson slumped. He fell on the Jerome’s corpse.
“Bring the stretcher! Take him to the ward! Let me attend to him!”. The doctor shoved the onlookers and got hold of Nelson. Immediately, the nurses entered with a stretcher. They hurriedly took Nelson to one the wards. Jerome was carried away. Doctor Mark immediately reached out to the police.
In the morning the next day, the police came in their van. Doctor Mark was interrogated.
“We lost the second guy. He had lost too much blood before they came”. Doctor Mark explained to the Inspector as they walked into his office.
“We can’t get any information from the wounded one. He’s currently in a bad state” Doctor Mark further said.
“Okay. Let’s get in touch with the family of the lady and the little girl. We will keep an eye on the suspect”. The Inspector added and turned to leave. In no time, Kayson, Mrs. Ijeoma and Mama arrived the hospital.
“How can this be possible?”. Mrs Ijeoma soliloquized. She bit her finger angrily when she eventually entered the ward and saw Abigail in an unconscious state.
“She’s not supposed to be breathing by now!”. She groaned bitterly. To avoid suspicious gestures, Mrs Ijeoma acted pretentiously all through the visit. She was unexplainably cold which everyone mistook for pity.
“Ah! Tani o ṣé èyí sí ọmọbìnrin mí? Who did to my daughter? Olorun mi!”. Mama burst out in tears.
“Look at my granddaughter! Wound everywhere! Who did I offend? Who did I offend? Ehhhh!”. Mama cried out.
“Kayson, Oya let’s leave! We’ve come to confirm things ourselves. Let’s leave here! Once she wakes up, give her the divorce papers! Since you’ve been waiting for her to sign to finally call it a quit. The moment she wakes up, make her sign the papers! For now, let’s go home to your new wife!”. Mrs Ijeoma declared oppressively. She dragged Kayson out of the ward, leaving Mama behind.
“Mum stop! What are you doing? Have you ko conscience? Can’t you see their states? What if she were to be your daughter?”. Kayson scolded his mother.
“Luckily Dear, she’s not my daughter and she can never be! I got married to your father for better and for worse! Despite his unfaithfulness, I never ran out. I stayed with him until death took him! I had you when all hope was lost. I had you when everyone thought I was barren and can never carry a child! That’s why I won’t sit and watch you marry anything – my Only son! That woman in there is a mistake and that has been corrected”. Mrs Ijeoma said determinedly.
“Let me make my decision, Mum”. Kayson waved her options.
“You don’t have the power to make decisions and stand by it, that’s why I’m helping you!”. She replied softly trying to hold him.
“I don’t need your help! What Mum! It’s always about you, isn’t it? I’m a grown man. I can make decisions and stand by it and not take your options! It’s my life, remember!”. Kayson got furious.
“Your life! Do you have a life? Answer me! Do you have a life? I gave you life! When your father’s people asked me to leave and accepted your father’s second wife, I wanted getting rid of you in my womb, so I could start my life afresh, with another man, but I couldn’t because of my kindheartedness. I’m the reason you’re alive! So you must adhere to my instructions!”. Mrs Ijeoma roared aggressively. Kayson suddenly became speechless. He felt cold and powerless. He just walked to the seat in the reception and sat – his hand on his head.
“Abigail was pregnant for you. What did she do? She flushed it! Imagine if I had flushed you! Would you be here claiming “I’m a grown man?” We saw the contraceptives she took to hinder further occurrences, and what next? She ran away with another man! Such a sham*eless girl! Get this from me. If I set my eyes on Abigail in your house, I will k!ll you and k!ll myself”. With those words, Mrs Ijeoma furiously dashed out of the hospital. Kayson went after her but she has zoomed off.
Kayson put a call through to his friend a d hurriedly left the hospital.
Mrs Ijeoma knew that if Abigail woke, she might relate to the police who her abductor was and if Zenab is caught, she would be jailed. She quietly drove back, after Kayson had sped off the hospital. She engaged a nurse.
“I need you to do a job for me – a clean job”. Mrs Ijeoma whispered to the nurse. She calmly explained the situation of the job to the nurse.
“M*urder! I can’t do that, Ma! It’s against the ethics of my profession”. The nurse humbly cried. Mrs Ijeoma mimicked her and laughed sarcastically.
“How much does the hospital pay you, or how much does the government pay? I can give you double of your salary and even fly you out of this joble*ss country! Name your price!”. Mrs Ijeoma drew her close. The nurse got intimidated by Mrs Ijeoma’s offer. Her mouth flung open when she heard ‘Two million naira’.
“When last did you touch that amount?”. Mrs Ijeoma chuckled.
“Nevet have I, Ma!”. The nurse quivered and thoughtlessly accepted the offer.
“This is my card. Call me when it’s done”. Mrs Ijeoma brought out a personal card and shoved it in her hands. She looked round and majestically walked away. The nurse stood glued to the spot – staring at the card.
“Ada, what are you doing here and who’s that woman you’re talking to?”. A nurse intruded unexpectedly. Ada got startled. She almost stumbled.
“Ah, Stella! You scared me!”. Ada frowned at her. Stella looked steadily at the exit and turned to Adà.
“You stood too long with that woman. What were you discussing?”. Stella inquired suspiciously.
“Nothing! She was proposing a job for me in her company but I told her I’m comfortable with this”. Ada lied.
“How possible, is she a doctor? Does she own any hospital? You told her you’re comfortable with this job, so why did you collect her card?”. Stella queried inquisitively.
“Bia Madam Detective or Inspector, which one should I call you? Why are you interrogating me? Are you my mother or my father? See the cross-examination na! eshi odi kwá gị mma?”. Ada thundered speaking in the Igbo language.
“Ah! Why are you angry? Are we not friend again?”. Stella was taken-aback suddenly at Ada’s outpour.
“Friends my foot! Stay at your lane abeg!”. Ada aggressively walked away talking in-between her noise. Stella stood dumbfounded. She shook her head and took another route to where she was going.
“I need to administer this injection when I’m not the one on duty to avoid any kind of suspicion”. Ada thought silently as she got the reception.
