Strange but True
Episode 9
I couldn’t breath, how can this happen? What was I even expecting? Well my father was right I need to grow up and act matured.
I will be clocking 21 in few weeks, I need to act matured and dress like an elegant lady and not a child.
I listened to my favorite song on my mobile phone, I sat outside for an hour till I began to feel chill.
I was ready to make my way inside the hospital when I got an email notification from a publishing firm.
I was super shocked because I emailed this firm a year ago, stating my reasons for applying as one of their authors.
I equally sent them one of my books for them to review and see how creative I am. I never got any feedback from them since last year, seeing this now has to be something good.
I went through the email all I could say was thank you Lord.
Ah! The publishing firm finally accepted me, I was so happy at list I could have something that gives me money while i continued my education.
My father isn’t financially bouyant as before so had have to hustle hard to see myself through school.
I quickly filled an online form and submitted it, I was told to resume work when I can.
I was so excited that I hurried inside to tell my father the great news but Kenneth bumped into you and I wasn’t having it.
“Sorry”, I said trying to move out if sight.
“What’s wrong? Why did you act that way some hours ago?”, He asked.
“Nothing, I only needed air”, I replied.
“You sure your okay?”, He asked.
“Yes I am, I want to see my father now”, I said.
“Or maybe you can come to my office let’s have dinner and gist a little bit”, he requested.
“Well i have better things to do, you can have your free time with your fiancee Jane”, I replied before walking out on him.
I felt bad for talking that way to him, I couldn’t hold myself from doing that. I felt betrayed when I got introduced to his fiancee.
I bet he was shocked at my attitude but I didn’t care much.
I burst into the room to tell my father the great news.
I saw unfamiliar faces, some older men a bit older than my father. They where discussing with my father, I didn’t want to be rude so I had to greet them.
“Good evening”, I greeted.
‘good evening our daughter”, the replied in unison.
“Father who are they?”, I asked curiously.
“They are my old time friends, they are the elders of my clan and I invited them to come over for a meeting”, he replied.
“Okay welcome sirs, but father its kinda late for such and you need to rest”, I replied.
“I know but they have been here for hours, I was wondering where you went to after asking series of nurses to look for you”, he stated.
“Sorry, I went out to get some air”, I replied.
“I told them about all that happened at home, and they are going to take a legal action once am being discharged from the hospital”, he revealed.
“Really? How will that interven in such matter?”, I asked curiously.
“Well our daughter, the elders have an old ways that handle cases like this. They may be drastic and sometimes fair”, the first elder stated.
“For the case of your mother and brother it maybe very drastic because they indulged in an abominable act despite the circumstances”, the second elder added.
“Okay so what will happen to them?”, I asked.
“Don’t worry my child you will know when the time is right, you will see things yourself”, my father chipped in.
I wasn’t expecting such from my father because I didn’t want to go back to that house anymore.
Since I have a good paying job now, I could relocate and start afresh in a new apartment.
I can’t stain myself by staying in that house that such abominable act has been committed.
I left the room after hearing everything, my brain needs to process A lot of things.
Strange but True
Episode 10
I went straight to Kenneth’s office to apologize to him. Getting there he was just focused on his laptop, I calmly knocked on his door before entering.
“Hi”, I said calmly.
“Hey, what’s up?”, He asked cheerfully.
“I came to apologize, am really sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. Knowing you have done a lot for me and my father, I shouldn’t have crossed that line”, I pleaded.
“Oh Benita, you don’t have to be that way. I know you have been going through a lot so I don’t see anything wrong with how you spoke to me”, he said.
“Thank you”, I said trying to leave the office but he stopped me.
“Benita what’s going on? You don’t look happy”, he asked.
“Nothing much, I just thought I had someone really important in my life. It’s funny because he has someone else now, such is life”, I replied.
“Now I know where that silly attitude came from”, he said as he smiled.
“Hm, so why are you smiling?”, I asked.
“I want you to know that everything will be fine and whoever or whatever is yours will come to you without stress I assure you that”, he emphasized.
“Yeah your right, am happy for you. Jane is lucky to have you by her side”, I said as a single tear dropped from my eyes.
“Oh my God, Benita”, he said bring a tissue paper to wipe my eyes.
“It’s fine, am okay”, I said.
I quickly changed the topic and we talked for a long time, I had dinner in his office before he closed for the day.
By the time I went to my father’s room his friends had already left.
I shared the good news with him about my job offer and he was excited.
Some days passed I haven’t seen Kenneth at the hospital, I asked some nurses and they said he won’t be resuming work till after some weeks.
I asked why but they had no idea, funny me I didn’t take his number for communication. I got carried away by his stories and fun conversation.
Fee days later my father was discharged and we went home, his friends had already arrived home before us.
When we got there we saw other men and women, and then I knew the matter was going to hotter than it was before.
I greeted everyone and they welcomed I and my father, they praised me for taking care of my father singlehandedly.
I got into the house and my mother and brother weren’t around, seems they went out.
We all sat outside the compound, and I served drink as we talked about all that happened.
Fee minutes later, my mother and brother burst into the compound smiling and talking. They never noticed us till they got closer, my mother’s eyes popped when she saw her husband healthy and strong.
My brother almost fainted when he saw lots of elders seated, then he knew his days where numbered.
“Linda, so this is true? You actually left out brother to the cold hands if death?”, The first elder said.
“How can a mother be this disgusting?”, The second elder asked.
“Please father I can explain”, my brother muttered.
“What do you want to explain to us kunle?”, The third elder asked curiously.
“It’s not my fault, my mother pushed me into doing this. I don’t even know how it started, she turned me into her puppet, please father forgive me”, my brother pleaded.
“Kunle ain’t you ashamed of yourself? You where the one I begged for money for fathers surgery but you refused to help, mother you even told me to my face to leave the house and never come back. You called my father a vegetable, how could you?”, I asked painfully.
“Don’t worry our daughter we will settle this matter the traditional way, don’t bother yourself”, the first elder said.
“What will you all do? After all my husband has some explaining to do”, my mother said.
“Ah Linda so you have the mind to talk”, my father echoed.
“Yes, infact I will expose you. You see my husband here was the one who picked kunle up from his dying place, kunle is not our son”, she revealed.
Everyone laughed at her, making her looked stupid.
“Linda we know all of that, our brothers kind heart is what kept him alive till this day. He felt pity for this boy kunle and took him in as his son of which you know about and supported. Now you have turned this little boy into your lover boy, a child that suppose to call you mother”, the second elder added.
“Please all this one you people are saying is non of my business, I don’t see anything wrong in what am doing”, she replied.
“Ah, abomination”, people around shouted.
“Linda I can see you are really possessed, you will swear by the sliver stone, if truly the act you committed is right the gods will bless you and guard you all your days.
But if it’s wrong and abominable then a strong wrath will befall you”, the third elder revealed.
“I will not swear by anything, please you all should get out of my house. I will never swear to any stone, who do you people think you are? My God?”, My mother echoed.
“What?”, I exclaimed.
I couldn’t believe my ears, it resulted to a very big fight that lasted for 3 hours. My mother refused to swear, my brother kept pleaded with my father to forgive him.
I was dumbfounded, the worse part was the fact that she told us to pack our things and leave the house.
My father refused and then she decided to deal with him drastically if he doesn’t move out of the house.
To be continued…
ยฉ Tishania Ginikachi
