ITS BEEN SIX MONTHS- Imade's Chronicles (part 11)

Abel and Paul cried loudly. They were hungry and their aunt had instructed the maids not to feed them in her absence

“We should call Aunty C” Abel said between sobs.

Both boys had been taken from their aunt Cindy when they turned two after their father's demise.  They were brought to live with their father's brother and wife who had a mean daughter.

“Aunty C won't say anything; remember she asked us not to call unless there is a good reason for it” Paul replied

“But this is a good reason” his twin brother complained

“Let’s wait for uncle to return” Paul who was the older twin replied

“I’m calling her now, aunty has suffered us for too long.”

Abel went to his room and took the small phone hidden in his clothes. Cindy had snuck a phone to them through an unknown visitor last year and had told them to only call her if they needed her help.

“Hi Aunty Cindy” Abel said in a low tune

“Hello Abel” Cindy greeted her eight year old son. “What’s wrong?” she asked

“Aunty has left us hungry again, she didn’t leave any food for us”

“Why is that?” Cindy fumed

“We don't know, she does this all the time”

“When did all these rubbish start?” Cindy’s temper was brewing.

“A few months ago” Abel replied

“Okay, I’ll have someone bring you food now... have you reported to your dad...errmmm, uncle I mean?”

“Yes we told him the last time it happened and he just corrected her but she still does it”

“I’ll get food to you now... give my kisses to your brother” she said ending the call. Cindy fumed with anger. Not only had those boys lived hidden for years but they had lived like slaves in their own father's house. Chief Coker had been her lover all the while. Ten years ago, when she was a drug addict/trafficker facing jail term, chief Coker had seen her and worked on her timely release. Upon her release from jail, she became his mistress and did most of his dirty jobs- ranging from assassination to selling drugs, looting and kidnapping. She had fallen pregnant and Chief Coker had begged that she have the baby since he only had one child. His wife hadn’t had another child since their only daughter who was a constant source of worry to him. Abel and Paul had lived with one of his brothers until his death and then moved on to live with Chief Coker six years ago. She had decided to keep it all a secret as he had instructed. She had a lot to lose if she went against his will. But not anymore, Chief Coker could not have her kill her own parents who were his business partners and her sister's husband ralph, live without Philip, and still make her sons suffer! No way!

If only she had listened to Dr Akande, he wanted her out... she had come to care for the older man while she was his concubine. She was on an undercover mission for Chief Coker. she had opened up and told him everything but when chief realized she strayed, he sent Ralph to kill Dr Akande, right in his home after deceiving her to accompany him to India for his surgery. He killed him and her too in the process, she was now a zombie/walking dead, everything in her died. That was why she didn’t hesitate in killing Ralph when she got the go. She thought time healed all wounds but the death of Akande brought darkness over her, she couldn’t explain it. 

She dialed Chief Coker’s number

“Hello chief”

“Hello baby girl,” he laughed

“I need to speak with you about something really important”

“What exactly?” he asked

“It’s about the boys”

“What about them”

“I heard from a reliable source that your wife refused to give them food. More like, she instructed that they shouldn’t be fed when she’s not home”

“Whoever gave you that kind of information is a damn liar”

“Chief don’t curse please, you know i find my facts well before making accusations, this is true”

Chief sighed. Cindy was not only his most trusted ally, but the mother of his two sons. “I will find out about this….Cindy I promise to handle this please”

“I just called to report this. If I hear anything about this again, I will kill her” she said calmly

Chief knew not to joke with Cindy, he had created a monster, a killing machine who would stop at nothing until she eliminated anyone who dared to worry her.

“I’ll work on it.” he replied her.

***************

“I tried calling you all night where have you been?” ember asked wearily

“Are you my mother? Please leave me alone” Philip spat

“It’s not fair, I’m your wife and I hate when you treat me like a common dirt”

“You are the one who wants to be treated like dirt ember”

“I don’t want to, I want to be treated like a woman why are you mean to me? I give you everything, my body, my money and life! What else do you want?”

“Just get out of my sight and let me be!”

“I won’t leave here until you explain your actions to me”

Philip suddenly because furious, “I will hit you now you woman, get out of my way!” he spat angrily at her

“Never!” she replied adamantly, Philip stepped closer and slapped her. With a cry, she grabbed a handful of his shirt and held on. Philip pushed her forcefully  trying to free himself, ember lost her grip, landed against the door, jerked and fell to the ground.

“Ember, ember, ember!!!” as Philip stooped to shake her, he saw that she was bleeding “no, no, no, no... Ember please wake up!” she must've hit her head hard against the door. Shaking, Philip rushed into the house, picked his few things, took a final glance at his now wailing daughter and fled the house, leaving ember's body on the cold floor.

*********************

Charles was beginning to worry. He had called Imade countlessly since last night and she hadn’t taken her calls. His mind flashed back to the previous night tony had walked in on them kissing. Imade had been shocked; more like she wasn’t expecting tony to meet them that way. She had been quiet through most of the discussions they had and tony too was obviously too surprised by the incidence to react. He took off his glasses to dry his now teary eyes. He couldn’t tell what he felt for Sabrina, but he knew he had never experienced anything like it before.  She was going to stay away from him- he didn’t need a fortune teller to tell him that was her reason for not taking his calls...he just wished she was bold enough to tell him to his face.

“Charles looked out from the window he saw Stephanie speaking with a young lady- “who could that be?” He asked

He walked out from his room to find Stephanie by the door. “Charles, I want to go see Ese, she just left a message through her pa requesting a meeting with me.”

“I should just go with you, I haven’t been able to reach Sabrina since she left my place”

“I noticed the tension between she and tony, you think they might be dating?”

“The Sabrina I know didn’t have a relationship...”

“Those two seemed like they had more between them”

“Well, I wouldn’t know...I’m just worried about her wellbeing, hope she's safe”

“No, it's more Charles, I have known you for a long time and I can tell you haven’t been like this”

“I just care about her wellbeing Stephanie.”

“Okay, if you say so….” she smiled and sighed. “It’s been such a long time” she said holding his hands...

“Stephanie when you left me for my brother it ruined me, it was like my entire soul was consumed. I loved you... you should have told me about all of this. Instead you never gave any explanation. I hated ralph for a long time, a very long time until I decided there was no need. I left this country and never thought of coming back even after my father's demise all because of you.”

“I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way, I thought the less you knew the better it would be for you” Stephanie cried

“I was in love with you. My father matched me to his best friend's daughter - ember, but I turned her down because I loved you. After you, I closed my heart... and I still wonder why Sabrina has got me pinned”

“I can see what is between you two, but I can tell you still haven’t gotten over me” Stephanie moved closer to him....”

“Steph no, no, please I can’t!” he pushed her aside...”

“You haven’t forgiven me?”

“For what exactly?” Charles stood his eyes transfixed on her

“For everything, I always loved you”

“We were engaged! Last night when you narrated the details to Imade how you were engaged and let it go because you had to protect her sister, I was surprised. You kept it away for over a year, why didn’t you tell me, why?

“I know how dogged you are, if I told you, you wouldn’t let me go and I could end up losing you and Ese.

“All these is new to me... can we just pretend to be in-laws for now? I have a whole lot to deal with...”

“Okay, if that makes you happy”

Charles backed away from her to take his call.

“Hello? Yes please, this is Charles. What?! Where’s she...? Oh my god! I’ll be in Port Harcourt within the next 24 hours… have you involved the police...? …..They’re searching for him already? That’s good. Thank you, I’ll get there as soon as possible.”

“What’s wrong Charles?” a now curious Stephanie asked

“Ember’s husband tried to kill her and ran away but she was taken to the hospital by her domestic staff and they say she’s in a critical state.”

“Oh dear lord!”

“I have to leave for Port Harcourt. Pick a few things, I’m dropping you off at ESe’s

*************

Ese walked into her living room to find her old friend sitting on her settee

“Hey Stephanie” she said rushing to give she and her son a hug

“He looks so much like Ralph”

“Yea...” she sniffed. “I missed you so much”

“I missed you too... thank you so much Steph” Ese squeezed her hands

“I would do anything for you” Steph hugged her tightly

“I’m sorry to break this reunion but i have to leave now,” Charles said as Sabrina walked into the living room

“Why the hurry, I thought we could meet to shed more light on the recent happenings” Ese asked

“Yes but I just got a call now, ember was assaulted and she's battling for her life”

“How?” Ese asked emotionally

“The domestic staff said it looked like her husband pushed her and she fell using her head as the landing plate.”

“Jesus! Is she okay?”

“Heard she's in the ICU”

“And why haven’t the police arrested her husband? I thought he had been implicated in these murders” Imade asked

“He ran off but the informant told me the police put out word and his pictures to media houses and the streets after he was reported”

“I think its airing now.” Dave said walking into the living room

“Stephanie meet my husband”….Ese introduced them both

“Hey Steph” Dave smiled at her

“Hello sir…” she replied

“Oh that’s it,” Dave drew everyone's attention to the image of Philip on the TV who was declared wanted for attempted murder.

“That’s him... Imade gasped, that's Philip... that's my Philip she said slipping to the floor.

To be continued……..