#CASSANDRA
Episode 21
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The next day my little sister paid me an unexpected visit. It really was the first time she was paying me a visit as a married woman. Of course I was very happy she made out time for me even though it wasn’t a planned visit..
‘’you are really doing fine bro’’ she said happily as she looked round the shop. I nodded in agreement, breathing deeply.
‘’anyway I don’t have much time to spend with you but I’m very curious to know how much you have gone with Cassandra and equally know how much you have been able to check out the girl, concerning things I told you at home about her’’ she queried seriously while I shrugged.
‘’my dear sister I have been seriously occupied with business lately. I haven’t yet made any new progress with Cassandra. I’m just in the middle of a big crises right now’’ I confessed, drawing out a sharp look from her.
‘’what do you mean by being in the middle of a crises?’’ she asked with great worry. I forced out a smile and stood up.
‘’never mind dear. The words just escaped my lips. So what do I offer you?’’’ I asked, expertly changing the topic but my sister wasn’t a little kid. She quietly stood up, drew closer and touched my shoulder.
‘’I know you still see me as a little child even though I’m married. You have to wipe out that mentality from you. I’m an adult for Christ sake. Please tell me what the problem is all about. Is it about Cassandra?. Did she do anything?’’ she demanded. I shook my head and breathed deeply.
‘’no it isn’t about Cassandra but about another lady I mistakenly got pregnant’’ I confessed, drawing out the wildest gasp from her.
‘’my gawd what did you do!!!’’ she exclaimed.
‘’it was just a big mistake’’ I muttered, taking my time to tell her my story with Nora. I told her everything, hiding nothing. When I was done , she breathed deeply and shook her head.
‘’no matter what, you cant just let the girl bear the burden of childbirth alone. We all have conscience. No you cant leave her on her own. You got to support her, no matter how little’’ she said seriously.
‘’but you heard when I said she now wants nothing to do with me. How do I support her when she wants nothing to do with me anymore’’ I fired back.
‘’I understand but I have to talk to her. How do I locate her?’’ she demanded as if she was my mother. I hesitantly obliged, giving her the direction to Nora’s shop. But as soon as she left, i regretted ever telling her about Nora.
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Two hours later, Chinedu rushed into my shop to have a word with me. He was breathing heavily like someone being chased by an evil spirit. I couldn’t help but wonder what was making him so agitated.
‘’I had a very terrible dream last night. I saw Cassandra push into a pool of blood and as you were drowning you begged me to save you. I jumped into the pool to help but ended up drowning with you” he poured out breathlessly while i stared at him silently. I never believed in dreams. I never paid any serious attention to it but with the way my friend was sweating there wasn’t any doubt the dream he just narrated to me was affecting him greatly.
”you know brother. I have been thinking and I just came to the conclusion that you shouldn’t abandon Nora to have your child on her own. You guys should find a way to come to a settlement’’ he said seriously.
‘’my sister said the same thing. She just left minutes ago to see Nora’’ I answered, surprising him with the revelation.
‘’that’s good but another problem is Cassandra. Will you tell her about it or do you plan hidding everything from her?’’ he asked, bringing up the question I had desperately tried to hide from my head. I stared at him speechlessly, unable to say a word.
‘’thirdly, do you think someone like Cassandra will stay with you if she learns about it?’’ he pushed on, totally destroying me with his questions.
‘I cant tell Cassandra about it and that’s why I desperately want Nora to disappear from my life’’ I opened up, shocking my friend who gasped with disbelieve but before he could say another word, my sister walked in looking very troubled and dejected. We all faced her curiously.
‘’life cant be so unfair’’ she muttered as she stared at me with eyes laden with tears.
To be continued
