*THE PUZZLE*
Written by Moyosore Teniola
Warning!!!
No part of this write up should be edited, published or produced in any form without a prior written permission from the copyright owner.
Plagiarizers Beware!
Episode 23
*THE DINNER*
Loveth was the first to arrive at Dr Michael’s house. Yes, nurse Loveth. Dr Michael had invited her too. She was the principal witness in this matter. She arrived at exactly 6:40pm.
Eliz received her warmly. She couldn’t recognize her.
Michael introduced Loveth to her as one of his staff.
“I called on her to give you a helping hand in preparation for the dinner,” Michael said after he was done with the introduction.
“Oh, that’s nice. You are welcome nurse Loveth, good to have you,” she greeted.
“Thanks ma’am, the pleasure is mine,” Loveth replied.
At 7:30pm, the door bell rang. It was the Evans of course, they have also arrived.
“Daniella, please get the door,” Michael called out to Daniella who was watching cartoon on the T.V in the living room. He did that intentionally so as to kick start the drama that is about to take place.
“It is certain that there won’t be any dinner tonight after all,” He murmured.
“Okay dad,” Daniella replied and marched to the door.
She opened the door and there was Debbie with her parents behind her. The girls gazed at each other for about five seconds after which they both let out a piercing scream.
“Haaaaaaaa!!!”
Daniella shut the door again. Her scream drew Eliz’s attention immediately and she came running to the door.
“What is it baby?” She asked Daniella, who only pointed at the door, still panting.
Loveth who was in the kitchen and Michael already knew what was happening. They both rushed to the living room almost at the same time.
Outside, David and Rose were equally confused about the resemblance. It took them some seconds to summon courage and press the door bell again.
“I have never seen any resemblance like this in my life, David muttered,” as memories of Michael’s reaction when he saw Debbie at the restaurant flooded his mind…
Michael opened the door and ushered them in. Daniella ran to her mum and hid behind her, peeping at Debbie from a distance. It was as if she was looking at her exact image, which she had always seen in a mirror. Coincidentally, Debbie also had the same ‘All back,’ weaving hairstyle which is on Daniella too on her. It was Debbie’s favourite hairstyle…
Eliz was dumbfounded. She stood transfixed like a statue.
Mr and Mrs Evans also were confused, they kept looking from Daniella to Debbie, then Debbie to Daniella. It’s so mysterious, a perfect resemblance! If not that they wore different dresses, Roseline could swear that she could have never been able to tell the difference!
“Welcome, Mr and Mrs Evans. It’s good to have you. Please sit and make yourself comfortable,” Michael broke the silence.
Eliz was still standing where she was. She already knew what was about to happen.
“Are you surprised Eliz?” Michael called out. “Please don’t be, the truth is out already…”
“Yes!” Loveth concurred
Eliz turned sharply to where Loveth was seated and took a closer look at her. Yes, she had seen her somewhere…
The two girls were still gazing at each other continuously. It all looked like a strange drama…
“Loveth!” Michael called out, please solve this puzzle once and for all.”
“Hello Mrs Ernest,” Loveth said turning to Eliz. “Can’t you remember this face?”
Eliz was already shaking. She couldn’t respond. The fear that Daniella will soon be taken away from her gripped her than the fear of the truth coming out.
David and Rose were still lost in the whole drama.
“Go ahead Loveth, make your confession,” Michael ordered.
Loveth began to explain the whole scenario from the day Rose gave birth to the twins up till the day she saw Roseline at Fountain hospital and had to confess to Dr Michael only for them to later discover that the woman involved was Dr Michael’s wife…
There was a perfect silence. It was as if everyone present was trying to process the information in bits. Even the girls were quiet.
Eliz was the first person to break the silence with her sobs, which soon developed into a loud wail.
“I can’t believe this!” Roseline exclaimed. She soon started crying too. David was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, Eliz spoke. “You caused all these Michael, you did!” She cried.
“Me? How?” Michael asked surprised.
“You caused it Michael! The last abortion you forced me to have before we got married damaged my womb. I told you we shouldn’t abort the baby, but you insisted because of your selfish reasons. You were about to get through with your housemanship, you said you weren’t ready to have a baby.
The doctor that did the evacuation later told me that my womb got ruptured because of previous ones I had which wasn’t properly done. I was too afraid to tell you because you might dump me…
After we got married, I got home one day and found out you forgot your phone in the room. I went through your text messages and came across a lady’s message on your phone, telling you that she was two months pregnant for you. Michael, you turned me to a barren woman but impregnated another lady right under my nose. You are wicked, Michael, you are wicked!” She cried.
Both David and Rose looked at Michael in horror. Michael curled up in his chair with his head bowed, too ashamed to raise his head. Another perfect silence prevailed…
**************************
Hmmmm…. Okay, who had judged Eliz already before now?
Episode 24
*THE REAL HOME*
The silence in the room prevailed for about three more minutes. Nobody said a word. Michael was still glued to his seat in shame. Loveth led the twins to Daniella’s room so that their parents could deliberate. She came back to the living room immediately the twins were settled in the bedroom.
It was Roseline that finally broke the silence.
“Eliz, how can I ever forgive you? Just put yourself in my shoes. You took away eight good years of my daughter’s life from me. And you feel so comfortable to mother a child that is not your own? Why?” She sobbed.
David held and consoled her. “It’s okay Rose, let me handle this.” He cleared his throat and said,
“First of all, I want to thank nurse Loveth for the courage she summoned to make this confession, if not, we wouldn’t know we had a child somewhere… You see, Mr and Mrs Michael Ernest, I am a perfect gentle man. I don’t wish to arrest anyone concerning this matter. All I demand for right now is that our daughter should come back to us…”
“Noooooooo! Eliz screamed, interrupting David. Please don’t take Daniella away from me, I can’t live without her. Please let her be with me, I promise to take good care of her, I swear to…”
“What?!” Rose shouted jumping to her feet.”See this woman, is it because my husband hasn’t called the police, that is why you have the guts to beg to be in custody of the child? A child that doesn’t belong to you? How dare you? She is my daughter and I have every right to take her.”
“Calm down Rose,” came David’s still voice again. “We should thank God that Daniella is still alive, hale and hearty. Otherwise, can we lay claims on a dead child?” He turned to Eliz.
“Now Eliz, do not take us for granted. Because I decided not to call the police does not mean you should begin to ask for what is not possible. I decided not to involve the police because your husband here, has been of immense help to my family. He is a very kind doctor. He once saved the life of my mother in law, and even that of my wife. He is also the reason why this truth came to limelight, some other people might just bury it. So, in your own interest, it will be better for you to cooperate and release our daughter, otherwise I will have to involve the police and you know what that means.”
“Please don’t, Mr. Evans,” Michael pleaded. “I really do appreciate your decision. We will do as you have instructed, Daniella will definitely come back to you, she has the right to be with her biological parents. If I had the mind to keep her, I wouldn’t have encouraged Loveth to make this confession but I have a conscience too…”
Eliz’s sobs interrupted his speech. He ignored her and went on.
“But please, can you do us a favour? Please do us this last favour, Mr and Mrs Evans.”
“Well, if it is in our capacity to grant such a favour, then we shall,” David replied.
“Okay,” Michael continued. “Can you please grant us the opportunity to see Daniella anytime we want to, can she spend time with us once in a while? I beg of you, I have come to know her as my only daughter all these while, it was really a shock to discover that I am not her father, and it will take a long time for us to adjust to being childless, please grant us this request.”
David glanced at Rose, she shook her head in disagreement and replied,
“I don’t trust Eliz, what if she cunningly takes my daughter back to the states?”
“No please, Rose. I will never do such a thing. I know I did a very wrong thing from the beginning, it’s a grievous offence to buy a child buy please Rose, have mercy on me. I did it out of desperation to have a child I can call my own since I could not produce one. I am so sorry. I just hope I will be able to survive this change in my life. Look at me, I can’t have a child of my own and Daniella is leaving me, please allow us to see her, even if it is once in a while, please, I promise never to do anything rash,” Eliz pleaded on her knees in tears.
Rose pitied her. That is who she is anyway, she forgives easily. She thought to herself, “At least, I have Debbie, Daniella and another baby growing in my womb already. Here is Eliz, childless, without any hope of having her own children…” She looked at Michael where he sat, and she hated him for bringing such a predicament on Eliz. “Though Eliz was stupid too, she should have kept the last pregnancy…” She thought.
She turned to her husband and nodded her permission to allow the couple to see Daniella anytime they wish.
“Alright, Mr and Mrs Ernest, my wife has given her consent. You can see Daniella whenever you wish to. But we will have to issue another birth certificate for her that will bear ‘Evans’ as her surname. Is that okay for now?” David asked.
“Very okay.” Michael replied. “Thanks so much, we are grateful.”
None of them could eat dinner anymore. Everyone lost in his or her thoughts. Eliz and Michael were mourning their loss while Rose and David were grateful to God that they would have their daughter back, a daughter they never knew they had…
David checked his wristwatch, it was half past nine. He stood up and said,
“Please call Debbie and Daniella, we need to go now.”
That sounded like a bombshell to Eliz’s ears. She burst into tears again.
Loveth entered Daniella’s room and came out again with the girls. They had been chatting excitedly like friends. When they came out, David went close to Daniella, bent low to her level and said,
“Daniella, as you can see, Debbie is your twin sister. We are Debbie’s parents meaning that we are your real parents too, so henceforth, you will be living with us.”
“Noooooooo, I don’t want to, Daniella screamed and ran to Eliz. Mommy, you wouldn’t allow them to take me, will you? Dad? Say something Dad…
Eliz and Michael were quiet. They were aggrieved by Daniella’s reaction. Eliz started crying again.
“Michael turned to Daniella and said, sweetheart, you have to go with them. That is your real mother,” he pointed at Rose.
“You see what you have caused Eliz?” Rose asked amidst tears. “My own daughter running from me, the child I bore in my womb.”
She went close to Daniella, held her hand and said,
“Daniella dear, I am your real mom, please come with us, I will take very good care of you…”
But she snatched her hands from her, “No, you can’t, this is my own mommy,” she screamed.
“You must go with us my girl. I can’t risk allowing you to stay over tonight. I don’t want to lose you again.” Roseline cried.
Michael quickly stepped into the situation,
“Don’t you all worry, she will soon get used to the change. We will bring her things over to your place later.” He carried Daniella in his arms and signalled to the Evans to lead the way out. They all went out except for Eliz who stayed behind. She couldn’t bear seeing Daniella being forcefully taken away. She could hear her cries as the car drove out of their compound.
“Mommy! Mommy!” She shouted on and on till Eliz could hear her voice no more.
To be continued…
What a pity. Yes, Eliz committed a crime but then I feel so much for her right now. It’s not easy, is it?
