₦airaland Forum

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 9

Raymond stepped out of the room. He had never been so breathless in his life. He walked silently with Doctor Tunde to his office, and after sitting down, they both stared silently. Ray was too preoccupied with his thoughts. “So, what are you going to do Ray? Are you going to follow her wishes?” ray was lost. Even the question made him feel weirder. He would not incur any damage or problem if he decides to go against Brenda’s wishes but he had been forced to promise. He does not go back on his words. It is the only thing that has not really changed in his life. On the other hand, doing what she wanted might lead him to a lot of problems. Raymond sat where he was, in front of Brenda. When he heard that name, he was stunned. Not by the name which he had heard countless number of times, but by the voice of the bearer. Her voice was like a whisper, cool, feminine and also commanding. He knew she had to be a spectacular person to be able to gather all those attributes to herself. He wanted her to rest but he also wanted to find out who she was so that he could locate her people. He had no doubt that they must be going through a series of horrifying ultimate search, in search of a light-skinned goddess. Personally, if he was somehow related to this lady, he would search the whole earth and proceed to the heavens if he does not find her. “I am so happy that you are alive. You don’t know just how happy I am” he said slowly and quietly. “Where are you from? Who did this to you? We need to contact your people or go to the police” He would gladly take laws into his hands if he sees the b-----d that stabbed her. She became very uneasy and restless and they had to calm her down. He was worried he had said too much. The experience must be a terrifying one. Something flashed to his mind: what if she stabbed herself? No. she couldn’t have. She could not have stabbed herself, put herself in a sack and lay in the rain where she could die. After they had been able to stabilize her, Doctor Tunde said he would sedate her and he fully agreed. She is not well enough to withstand the torture of an interrogation. He stood up and waited for Tunde to perform his duty. He felt for her. If there is something he hates so much in hospitals, it is their ability to make you sleep, whether you want to or not. Ray saw Brenda’s lips moving and he instinctively moved closer. Her voice had become too low, probably due to the effect of the drugs being administered through the drip. She was trying to say something. When he was close enough, she whispered again. “Please, don’t contact anybody, not even the police. Please, promise me”. Raymond was stunned. Why would she not like anyone to know her whereabouts? The vague thought of suicide returned and he shrugged it off. Or could it be someone in her family? Maybe her family wants her dead? Why would they? Wait, does she have a family? All these thought kept bugging him and he could not even make meaning of any of them. He saw her struggling with the administered drug, trying to keep her eyes open. “Promise?” she said, barely audible. He quickly nodded. “Promise”. She relaxed and slept. He wondered if she knew anything about his inability to break promises. He stood up gently and gazed at Tunde who had been standing by them the whole time. He needed no seer to tell him that the Doctor had heard all that was discussed. He wondered how he could hear something so low when he needed to bend to hear her. Maybe his ear needs a check up, he thought mentally. Ray sat opposite Tunde, still tied down by his thoughts. He hadn’t given Tunde the answer to the question he was asked. “Ray… I said, what are you going to do?” Raymond exhaled slowly. “I made a promise Tunde. I don’t break my promises” he said. Tunde sighed knowingly. He shouldn’t have asked because he knew the answer to expect. “You know I am risking a lot. None of her relations know of her presence in my hospital, I know nothing about her except her name; not even her full name; what if something happens to her?” Tunde asked, becoming more aware of the risk involved. Ray stood sluggishly. “Then, you have to make sure nothing happens to her” he said about to leave. “You also have to do the same” Tunde said, referring to Tinuke. Ray paused, gazed at Tunde as his thoughts took in everything he had heard. He nodded and left the office. He entered his car and headed home. How could Tinuke descend so low as to attempt murder? Of everything that he imagined her doing, murder was not one of them. He wondered why he did not feel terribly hurt. He felt rage, enough to take on a battalion of Tinukes if she ever tried something so terrible, but he did not feel that heartfelt pain he usually feels whenever she does something to hurt him. Just months ago, he had been so sure that he would die if Tinuke leaves him, but now, he feels like Tinuke would send him to an early grave if he doesn’t leave her. As he drove on, Bose crossed his mind and his heart skipped a beat. Since Tinuke started her rebellious acts and Bose had stood by him through it all, he had been trying to see her in a different light. He had wanted to love her the way a man loves a woman but the only feelings he had for her were platonic. She is like a sister and a friend. He had seen some signs to show that she had extra feelings for him but he hadn’t thought much of it. Bose is a very beautiful girl, with a very inviting body structure, and that gave Tinuke more reasons to pressurize him into firing her. He however had never felt sexually attracted towards Bose, and he wondered why. He had left her at home without talking about her love confession and he was scared that he would not be able to look her in the eye and tell her he had no feelings for her. His phone rang and he looked at the name on it. He mentally kicked himself as he pressed answer and put the phone on speaker in order to focus on his driving without being caught by the police. “Hey… Duke, what’s up now” he said to no physical being. “You are not serious. You have not called me for the past four days and you are there asking me what’s up. What else would be up?” Duke angrily yelled over the phone. Of all the friends that surrounded Raymond, Duke is the closest to him. “Hey, why are you angry? I am angry too. You did not hear from me and you did not call me. What if I was dead?” “C’mon shut the crap. I know you can’t die, we already said that our children would marry themselves, so tell me: where are you going to when you have not fulfilled your promise?” Duke ranted. They both laughed out. People driving by in the small traffic assumed that Raymond was having a moment of madness and put a little space between their cars. Ray smiled at their stares. “But why did you leave the club without telling us now?” Ray sighed. “Leave that jare, I am glad I did. I was able to save someone from death” “What? Who?” Duke’s voice filled the car. “Long story” Ray replied. “Why not come over to the club tonight, you can narrate the story over there” Ray thought for a second and realized it would be a good idea. Get home, explain everything in his mind to Bose and go to the club to drink away any guilt that he might feel afterwards. “OK” “You are the man” Ray smiled and pressed the red button. ********** ********** Fred was not happy with the way he treated Chris. The guy had wanted to help him with his problems but little did he know that the situation is already beyond remedy. He had forcefully pushed him out two days ago, arousing suspicions. Every time he stepped out of the house to either buy some things or settle things, he walks like someone who is being chased, looking over his shoulder at the slightest sound. His life has transformed to a nightmare just because of a stupid act. He sat on the bed in his room, drinking a bottle of beer. Lucy had been so beautiful that night and the jealousy of the fact that she dressed up for another man had added to his anger. He did not have any right to be angry but the mere fact that she could accept someone else when she did not accept him made him too furious. He opened his HP laptop and powered it. After letting it booth for some minutes, he connected to the internet. If he wants to come out of this mess, someone else would have to be found responsible for the Luciana’s death. Sooner or later, her body would be found and the case would move from a kidnap case to a murder case. He swallowed, opened his bag and took out a small jotter where he wrote the name of his worst enemy. Since someone else needs to be implicated, he knows the best person to implicate. How he would achieve his aim was still unknown to him. He stared at the name. “If God helps me to find a way, I promise you; you would be spending the rest of your miserable life in jail” he said. ********** ********** Raymond arrived home to meet something really shocking. Of all the things that coerced through his mind as he drove home, the movie playing before him was not included. “What is going on Bose? Where are you going with the luggage” he yelled, as he approached her. Bose wiped her tears as she swallowed painfully. “I can’t stay here anymore sir” she choked. Tinuke had made her life a living hell ever since she stormed the house, about two hours ago. Bose knew that Tinuke was there to stay, due to the heavy bags she brought with her and she could not imagine another day with Tinuke in the house. She also would not be able to cope with seeing Ray and Tinuke play the loving duo while she suffered from the love that can never be returned. Raymond stared at Bose with his mouth agape. He could not fathom why she was doing this. “It has not reached this level Bose. Come inside, let us talk about this”. “No sir” Bose said, shaking her head in denial. “I am sorry sir; I never wanted this to happen. Why would I want to leave this house when you have treated me so kindly? Thanks to you and your generous siblings, I am somebody today” she sniffed. “I have enough money to start a small business, I am educated and I also have self confidence. You have been so kind to me. You treated me like your sister. What more can I ask for?” She paused, allowing everything she had said to sink in. “But I fear, I would not be able to stay any longer. I never wanted to confess my feelings today” “And I am sorry I made you do so” Ray cut in “Yes sir, I understand. But I am not leaving because of you; I am doing this for me. I know you don’t love me. If I stay here, I would become bitter. Please let me go sir” she pleaded. Ray was deflated. Going to the club tonight would definitely be a brilliant idea. He never imagined that Bose would cry because of him. He did not want to let her go but, making her stay would be very unfair. She deserves to move on with her life, forsake the lowly life of a servant and be an independent woman. If she would also be able to forget him, she needs space. That very minute, he saw a woman – a very beautiful woman that can sweep the heart of any man; but why can’t he see her that way? “I would miss you” he said softly, from his heart. “Who would prepare those delicious meals? Who would keep me company in this boring house? Who would advise me when I am lost? Tell me?” “Your fiancée would do all that. Bye Sir” she quickly said. She wiped her face and picked up her bags. “But where are you going this night? At least stay till tomorrow morning and let me drop you.” She looked thoughtful for some seconds, glanced at the building and shook her head. “I have called a cab to convey me to my friend’s house. Your food is inside the cooler, in case you are hungry. Bye sir. Thanks for everything” she said as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Raymond stood still as Bose stepped out of the house. He could not explain the pain he felt at that moment. Why did he ask her that question? If he hadn’t asked, she would still be in the house now. He walked inside slowly with the intention of changing his clothes and storming the club. The quilt he was feeling could only be relieved in a club where he would drink himself to stupor. He entered his bedroom and met the second horror of the day. What the hell! He swore. “Tinuke… What are you doing here?” …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 8

Tinuke knocked on the door to her mother’s house. She wondered why the door was not being answered. She had packed up her load with the aim of going directly to Raymond’s house but she had decided to get some real advice from someone that loves her unconditionally – her mother. She had been standing there for more than three minutes and the door didn’t portray the fact that it might be opened. Suddenly, the door opened and she stared at the sleepy face of her mother. She had known that her mother would be at home because she passed by her shop and met the sales girl there. “Atinuke mi” her mother called, surprised. “Good evening ma” she knelt halfway, embracing her mum. “You did not tell me you are coming, come inside”. She entered with her mother following behind. “Oh… mummy, I am sooo thirsty” she proceeded to the kitchen and pulled out a pack of juice. She returned with a full glass of juice in one hand and the remaining pack of juice in the other. “What is with the luggage? Where are you going?” She sat on the chair opposite her mum. “I was going to Ray’s house but I decided to stop by your place”. Her mother laughed. “The route to his place is different from mine, so get another excuse”. Tinuke smiled but the smile soon faded out. “Mum, I need your advice. Ray wants to replace me” “What?” her mum exclaimed. “Don’t joke with something so serious” “I am not joking mum. For the past few days, I have been calling him but he has refused to pick my calls. I tried using another number but immediately he heard my voice, he hung up. I am tired mum” Bewildered. “And you did not tell me since” “I am sorry mum. Do you know the most ridiculous part of all these? The other lady is his maid. Can you believe it? A stupid maid” she hissed. Mrs Rogers could not believe her ears. “Don’t just fold your arms while your husband is being taken from you; this is not how I ended up in your father’s house”. She almost yelled. “Then what do I do mum, that is why I came here”. “Ok… here is what you would do….” ********** ********** Sleeping while Luciana is missing was obviously an impossible task for Deolu. He left the room after he had called Caleb. Caleb had told him that the police is out, searching for Fred. The pictures of Fred now graced every corner of the state with the promise of a handsome reward for anyone who leads them to Fred. He hadn’t taken anything since morning and his stomach was beginning to complain but he had no appetite. He sat on the chair in the sitting room with his thoughts scattered. He took out his phone and started going through all the pictures again. His album was filled with pictures of Lucy. You can never get tired of looking at her pictures; the more you look, the more attractive they become. Tears threatened to break free and he quickly blinked them away. “What is this? My son is getting emotional, right here in my sitting room?” Deolu looked up and saw his father. He smiled and prostrated before him. At least, he would have his best friend to talk to, he thought. “Good evening dad.” “Evening my boy. I don’t need to ask how you are doing because it is obvious that you are not yourself. I would bet my fortune that the problem has to do with a woman” he sat beside his son. “she is a beautiful one” his eyes was fixed on the Deolu’s phone which was displaying Luciana’s picture. Deolu had heard it said before that men love their mothers more while women love their fathers more. That logic does not apply to him. The love he has for his father is great and even though he still loves his mum; it is not as much as he loves his dad. Though his dad chastises him at times, he is still his closest friend. No problem brought before him can leave the same way it came. Although, in this case, he seriously doubted that anything would happen to his problem today. “She is a rare gem dad” he responded, dropping the phone on the table. “I can see that” he looked at Deolu with worry lines on his forehead. “Last time I checked, she was just your friend. Has something changed?” The question did not quite sound like a question because the answer was very clear. “That status changes four days ago” it seemed more like an eternity ago. “Hmmmmm” his father grunted, waiting for him to proceed. Deolu stood up and started pacing. “But what is that when she is nowhere to be found?” “What are you saying?” Deolu exhaled slowly. “Lucy is missing dad” “What?” He exclaimed. “Are you sure she didn’t travel or… Or run away with someone”. “No. None of that happened. All her things are in the apartment, including her phone” he exhaled again and proceeded to explain everything to his father: Bewaji’s dream; the empty house; Fred’s disappearance and all the efforts they had put in finding Lucy. Mr Aremu just stayed there, listening without interrupting his son. When Deolu finally landed, silence prevailed for the next couple of minutes. “What if he is not in Ogun state?” Deolu raised his eyes to his father. “Yes. If I killed someone which is impossible, I would flee. If I am running away from the cops, it would be stupid of me to tell someone where I am running off to when information can easily be coerced from that person. The only way I would do that is if the information I am passing is a wrong one.” Deolu stood with his eyes fixed on his dad. There is always an added advantage when you talk to him. His ways of looking at things are always superb. “I never thought of that… I would search the whole planet if I have to. I must see Lucy and that b-----d would pay.” “And if the dreams are true, then your girl is in danger. She must still be in Lagos. We need to start a thorough search for her here. Go to every hospital and mor-“ “Don’t even mention it dad” Deolu cut in, alarmed. “She is not dead.” “OK son.” ********** ********** Bose was perplexed. This is the first time that she would admit her feelings to a man and now, she is feeling like crap. She wondered why she had answered the question. Why hadn’t she lied? It would have been easier for her. She could have easily told him that he was imagining things. Instead of ‘yes’, she could have said ‘no’ and everything would be fine. Why did she make herself look like an opportunist? Ever since Ray drove out, she had dived into work like her life depended on it, hoping that work would distract her from the past hour but no. Instead, her thoughts increased. Ray is obviously not in love with her. She had seen it in the way he looked at her, in the way he held her in his arms. He is just someone that is too friendly and down to earth. Anyone would fall in love with him; she only wished that ‘someone’ was not her. How can you cope, knowing that the love you feel cannot be returned? She contemplated leaving without any goodbyes but had a rethink. She already had more than enough in her savings to sustain herself and start up a small business but how would repay good for evil? Raymond and his family had been good to her; too good actually; and vanishing just like that would be too bad. Who would see to Ray’s meals, chores and other necessities? Even though Ray would not love her like a woman, she was hundred percent sure that she meant more to him than just a mere maid. The heart cannot be controlled so, his not loving her is not his fault. She heart a knock, coming from the gate and tensed up. She went to the gate and opened it. Tinuke bounced in, almost throwing Bose off balance in the process. She had three bags with her, which she dropped in order to stretch her hands. She picked one of them and made for the house. “Bring those bags inside for me” she ordered. She had noticed the absence of Ray’s car and she smiled internally. ‘Perfect’ she thought. Bose was bewildered. Things just got worse. “You can’t enter ma’am” she said, blocking her. “Oh… And why is that? Ray called me this evening, asking me to come over. If I were you, I would choose my words very, very carefully, if I have a job to protect”. With that, she pushed Bose out of the way and marched into the house. Bose was left standing there, momentarily stunned. So Ray had called her. Is it because of my confession? Perhaps he called her to remind me of my place in this house. All these went through her brain as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped her face and proceeded to carry out madam’s orders. Tinuke lay fully clothed on Ray’s bed with her eyes closed, feeling so tired. She heard the door open and guessed it must be Bose. She opened her eyes as Bose dropped the bags and saw the sober expression on her face. She smiled. She remembered her expression of shock and surprise some minutes ago. ‘I don’t think she knows who she is dealing with’ she thought. Bose exited the room and Tinuke stood up. She stripped and walked into the bathroom. She allowed the cold water to caress every part of her. After some minutes, she was back in the room. After wiping her body dry, she polished her skin with body lotion. She took out her body spray and applied it on some sensitive spots, keeping it moderate and not too toxic. She had realized over the years that Raymond goes wild with desire whenever he perceives the scent of that spray. She unzipped her box and pulled out a wine coloured gown who stopped just below the butt. She gave a winning smile. God bless experienced mothers!!! ********** ********** Teju alighted from the bus and entered the street by the junction. She does not have the connections required to pull the police force but she has legs to walk the whole of Lagos if possible, in search of her friend. She had been to six hospitals and she so wanted to visit one more before the day runs out. She sighted the hospital she was looking for – Hope Hospital. She entered the reception and greeted the nurses there. “Good evening miss, how can we help you?” One of the nurses asked with a smile. “Please, I am looking for someone named Luciana Jones. I don’t know if she was admitted here. We have been looking for her for days”. The nurse looked thoughtful. “No, I don’t think so.” She pulled out their register and checked through with Teju checking with her but found no one with that name. Teju looked dejected as she exited the hospital. She passed by another nurse on her way out who was wondering why she looked so depressed. Teju did not bother look at her, she was too depressed to pay attention to anyone. Something told her to go back but she didn’t. The nurse entered and asked the other nurses what the lady came for and they explained the issue. “What if it is the lady that was brought here by Mr Raymond?” The nurses looked at each other. She ran out to see if she can catch up with the lady but she was already gone. She exhaled and went back inside. …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 7

Deolu sat in his office, looking lost. Everything about the last three days was affecting him severely. He had called his friend, Caleb, in Ogun State who was a policeman to comb the entire state for that son of a b---h who is behind Lucy’s disappearance. He was able to persuade Fred’s neighbor; Chika to give him a picture. He had seen Fred with Lucy countless number of times and he, for some time thought the two were dating until Lucy wiped out that doubt. His jealousy never made him like Fred, instead, it made him despise him but never did he know that someone so close to Lucy could hurt her. His forehead showed sweat beads even though the office was chilling, considering the air-conditioner. Never in his life had he known such misery. His head rested on the back-rest of the office chair as he gazed blindly at the ceiling. He was oblivious to the consistent knock on the door until the door opened and his secretary walked in; he was still lost in his thoughts. “Sir”, Fadeke called. He did not hear her until she called louder for the second time. When he came back to his senses, he gazed at her for some seconds like he had forgotten who she was. “Oh… Fadeke. What is it?” he rubbed his forehead. Fadeke’s face held concern as she spoke. “Sir, it is already some minutes past six. I wanted to ask if I could leave since there is nothing left for me to do”. Deolu is the owner of D&C Limited. The firm engages in supplying quality furniture to both private individuals and companies. The company is well known for the quality doors, slates, roofing sheets, cupboards and the likes; that everyone building one thing or the other ends up buying their things from D&C. Deolu sighed as he gazed at the time. Fadeke should have closed since 5 O’clock and now he had kept her for more than one hour extra, doing nothing at all. “You can go” he said, dismissing her. “I am sorry sir but; is everything alright? I have not seen you like this before.” She was genuinely worried. Deolu smiled faintly. “Nothing is alright but don’t worry. It is personal; just go home, ok? Thanks for your concern” he stood also preparing to leave. She wanted to probe but decided otherwise and left. Deolu decided the family house would be better for him. He would have people around who can take his mind off this trauma; he doubted that though. Just about an hour drive and he was in the family house, surrounded by his extended family members. His father and mother were not around when he got there. The general discussion they were having was only making his situation worse so he retired to his room. Deolu lay lost in his own world on the massive bed. He hadn’t been able to stop his brain from thinking about Lucy. He picked up his phone and dialed Caleb again. ********** ********** Fred was glued to the ground as his mind desperately searched for a way out. He never imagined that the police would catch him so soon, and he was a hundred percent sure the police were the ones knocking. His cloth was already soaked in his own sweat as he stood, unable to move a nerve. The knock became persistent and louder, matching with the intensity of his heartbeat. “Fred” someone yelled from the entrance. “Freddy”. Fred exhaled audibly and almost collapsed in relief. He had never been so scared. He knew that voice like the back of his palms. How did that freaking guy know I am in Abuja? He got to the door, peeped to be double sure his guess is not wrong before he opened the door. “Wetin dey do you? You no fit open door since?” Chris was angry and scared. He had been worried that something might have happened to him in there, not allowing him to answer the door. Fred glared at him for some time and hissed. He was still trying to regularize his heartbeat. He had a desperate urge to pee. Chris took a look at his sweating profile and opened his mouth again. “Ol boy, wetin do you? You dey run race for here? Or…” he smiled and winked. “any chick dey room”. Fred hissed for the second time and closed the door. “Who told you I am in Abuja?” he asked through gritted teeth. “You almost sent me to an early grave with fright” Chris widened his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “I never knew you could be so afraid with a mere knock. Bless the Lord for this surprise visit”. He was definitely enjoying himself. Fred fought the huge urge to deliver a solid punch but calmed himself. “Answer the d--n question” he growled. Chris raised his hands in surrender. “I was passing by this place yesterday night and saw the security lights on. The light could not have come on by itself, so I figured it could only have come on with the help of someone. You are the only one with the key so…” he left Fred to finish the remaining in his imagination. He went over to the seat and collapsed in it since Fred was not ready to offer him a seat. He turned to glare at Fred who was still at the door. “Why did you not tell me that you were coming to Abuja as you usually do? Have I offended you or is there something you are hiding from me?” Fred and Chris had been friends, right from their secondary school days. They came to Lagos from the village together, making them look more like brothers. Chris’ moving to Abuja because of his business had put physical distance between them but they still communicated very frequently and Fred stays in chris’ house whenever he is in Abuja. Fred did not know what to say to the accusation and he said the first thing that came to his mind. “If you call me often, I would have told you”. Chris laughed. “You can’t be serious. I called you last week. Why should I call you every day? I am not your girlfriend and neither am I gay”. Fred laughed for the first time, trying to use his laughter to ward off the awkwardness he was beginning to feel. He also sat down opposite Chris. Chris looked thoughtful for some seconds. “Speaking of girlfriends, now that we are face to face, tell me about this girl you have been crazy about. Did she finally accept you?” Fred blanched and sat still like someone in another world. He could practically see the scene where he picked up the knife from the tray. The fright in her eyes would haunt for the rest of his miserable years. He had killed his love with his own hands. She tripped over something and fell and… “Fred… Fred” Chris yelled already close to the chair. Fred almost jumped out of his skin. He was sweating profusely. “What is the matter Fred? You don dey see spirit? See as you white”. Fred almost had a panic attack at the mention of spirit. “I think you need to leave Chris, I am not in the mood to receive visitors” he rose up. Chris was now worried, very worried. “Do I look like someone who takes orders or advises? Sit. I must hear whatever your problem is before I leave this place.” Fred swallowed and glared. Hr dragged a bewildered Chris and pushed him out of the door. He slammed the door and fell into a heap on the floor. ********** ********** The silence was a piercing and extremely uncomfortable one. Bose had never known this much tension in her twenty three years of existence. Raymond was looking at her in a very disturbing way. His gaze seemed to be penetrating her thoughts and she was certain he could hear her pounding heart. She has always been aware of Raymond’s powerful presence but never had it been this overpowering; it is probably because she is seated very close to him now. Although the sitting arrangement is not one of intimacy, judging by the space between them, she still felt she was seated too close. “You have not answered me Bose” Raymond said after waiting for what seemed like ages and did not get any response. Bose’s eyes were on her fingers as she struggled to keep them from shivering. “I don’t know what you are talking about sir” she managed, surprised that she didn’t stutter. “Yes, you do” he said softly, already knowing the answer he was expecting. Bose shivered visibly. “I… I don’t… I don’t know what to tell you” she stammered. “Tell me the truth” “Yes” she dropped already in tears. Ray was motionless and speechless. He had suspected this but now that it was out on display, he didn’t know how to handle it. After some seconds of ‘no movement’ on his part, he pulled Bose into his arms and held her. She cried in his arms for some minutes while Ray just kept quiet, trying to think. He pulled away from her and held her shoulders. “Bose, please stop crying and listen to me” he hates women in tears. He left her shoulders and held her face with his arms. “Listen…” he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He was sorely tempted to ignore the call until he saw the caller. He excused himself and received the call. It was Doctor Tunde. “Hello Doctor… Yes… You don’t mean it? Wooow… I would be there in a jiffy.” He ended the call with a million smiles on his faces. “The girl is conscious now” he exclaimed. Bose rejoiced, putting aside her emotions. Raymond picked up his car keys and jumped into his car. ********** ********** Tinuke lay on her bed with her eyes glued to the rolling fan. There is nothing fascinating about three blades going after each other when it is obvious none of them would succeed in catching the others but still, she had her eyes fastened on the fan. Her mind was elsewhere. Throughout the previous day, she had perambulated anxiously, hoping no one would come for her and luckily, no one did. How can that freaking nurse think I am a murderer? But wait, how did that pillow get to my hands? She wondered. Her mind shifted to Ray. He hadn’t called her and has not picked up one of her nine hundred and ninety nine calls. How can he just ignore her like that? she felt like a piece of used product. ‘He feels he can just use me and dump me like that, well I would not be so sure if I were him’ she said to herself. She finally stood up from the bed with the perfect idea of her next line of action in mind. She is officially Ray’s fiancée and nothing stops her from moving in with him, or so she thought. She packed a small suitcase, filled it with clothes and other necessities. It had been a while she called her friends and they seemed to have forgotten her. She would call when she is fully settled in her future husband’s house. ********** ********** Ken and Bewaji Jones entered the house and sank into the leather couch. Their faces were drawn. It had been a rough day. They had been going to every television station to announce that their daughter is missing and also to publicly declare a search warrant for Fred. One million Naira was promised as reward for anyone who leads them to either the guy or their daughter. It hadn’t been easy at all emotionally. Bewaji cries most of the times and Ken was too preoccupied trying to pet his wife that he didn’t even know how to vent his anger and fear and anguish. Things had gone worse when a possessed lady asked them to check the mortuary. They had both rejected it, saying that their daughter would never be in a mortuary. The maid brought them dinner and Bewaji refused, saying she would eat when she sees her daughter. Ken tried to beg her but she would have none of it. Ken was not hungry but he wanted Bewa to be strong, it is only in her strength that he found his courage and strength. He sighed as Bewaji rested her head on his shoulders, crying. Lucy, my Lucy, where are you? He wondered with pain tearing his heart. ********** ********** Raymond got to the hospital and practically sailed the distance between the parking lot and the doctor’s office. He had become a regular face and no one delayed him. He got to Doctor Tunde’s office and entered with smiles pasted all over his face. He was ecstatic. “A lovely evening it is Doc T.” he said, sitting. “With a lovely news to go with it” doctor Tunde replied with a smile. “When did this happen and how?” Raymond was curious. He wished he had been there when she opened her eyes. Doctor tuned smiled. “Some minutes before I called you. I went to her room to perform some doctorate rituals, in order to be sure everything is going well when she opened her eyes. She made some discomfort sounds which alerted me and I was so happy that she had finally come around. I never expected it to be this quick though. There is no doubt about the fact that she is very strong and God is solidly behind her.” Ray agreed. He could not remember when last he had been this happy about something. “Forget this talk, let me see her” he was already on his feet. “Did I tell you that your fiancée was here?” that surely got his attention and he sat down again. “What do you mean?” Tunde smiled. “Tinuke was here, told the nurse she brought provisions for the patient and was caught with a pillow clawed tight in her hands but she escaped”, he said. Ray stared for some seconds. “Wait, you are not thinking that she tried to… tried to…” he could not complete the sentence. “Kill her?” Tunde asked with a faint smile. Ray was speechless. He rubbed his palms together and swallowed painfully. “Let me see the girl, we would come back to this later” he stood up already furious. Tinuke was constantly making his life hell on earth. They entered the room with the doctor ahead and Raymond behind him. Tunde smiled but the smile was not returned by the girl. Seeing her eyes open for the first time ever was like a miracle. Her eyes was on the doctor. He asked her how she was doing but she said nothing; it didn’t look like she had ever opened her mouth because it seemed glued to each other. For some seconds, he thought she was deaf when she did not respond to anything the doctor said. “Look. This is the man that brought you here” for the first time, her eyes left the doctor and that made it obvious that she could hear what was being said. Ray’s breath was knocked out of him as those dark eyes rested on him. ‘Beautiful’ is a word but it is not weighty enough to describe this lady. He was held spellbound by her stunning beauty but what really gripped his heart was the pain he saw in her eyes. The pain was so evident in her dark eyes. He tried desperately to regain his breath. The only desire he had was to remove that pain. He desperately wanted to drive that pain away and make her laugh. He sat down gently on the chair beside the bed and took her hand slightly. He felt a totally strange emotion and he stared at her hand for some time. He had forgotten about the presence of Tunde. “I am Raymond, please what is your name?” he asked gently so as not to startle her. For the first time since she became conscious, she opened her mouth to the surprise of both men. “Brenda” she whispered.

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 6

Nurse Rola stared openly at Tinuke with her mouth agape. She couldn’t begin to fathom the weight of what had almost happened in her absence. She had noted something spooky in the way Tinuke made an appearance, especially with the scenario she created the previous day but she had thrashed her thoughts with the fact that lovers fight and reconcile. Tinuke also stared wide-eyed at the nurse. Why was she staring at her like she was an abomination? If she didn’t take enough time to see to her dressing, she would have assumed that she was robed in rags with the way the nurse’s eyes bulged out to glare at her. “I said: what are you doing madam?” “Excuse me? I am visiting a patient. Is there anything remotely wrong with that? You let me in, remember?” Tinuke was beside herself with rage as she glared at the rude nurse. The nurse came into the room fully and closed the door. “What are you doing with a pillow? You want to commit murder? I need to call security” she took out her phone. For the first time, Tinuke saw the pillow she clutched in her hands and dropped it like it was on fire. She blanched. “Security? Wait, no. I don’t even know how the pillow got to my hand”. “Explain that to the police when they arrive” the nurse hissed. She already had her phone against her ear. “What? No…” Tinuke tried to pass but the nurse blocked the exit. She had no choice but to push the nurse out of the way, causing nurse Rola’s phone to slip out of her grasp, shattering on the floor. Tinuke fled, with her heels making crazy noise on the tiled floor. The nurse took her time, gathering her precious Samsung S4 phone, giving Tinuke enough time to make an escape. The nurse didn’t even seem keen on pursuing her. When she got to the end of the hall, she paused for some seconds to regain her composure, then she walked fast but calmly in order not to rouse any suspicion. She hoped to God that the nurse would not emerge from behind. She hurried to the reception to sign out in the hospital’s register with a strained smile. She almost raced out of the building, looking behind her constantly to be sure she was not being followed. She stopped the first bike she sighted and jumped on it. ********** ********** Nurse Rola went to the doctor’s office feeling very agitated and frightened and angry. The demented lady had succeeded in shattering the screen of her phone. She could only imagine what she would do if she sighted her now. She would make sure Tinuke pays for what she did. When she was given permission, she entered Doctor Tunde’s office with rage written all over her. At the same time, she didn’t know what would happen when the doctor finds out that she let a murderer get away unscathed. “What may I do for you nurse Rola?” She had been standing there for some minutes without speaking and Doctor Tunde became forced to interrupt her thoughts. “Sir, something just happened some minutes ago.” Doctor Tunde gave her his attention. “Someone came to visit the patient in ward 7; the one brought in by Mr Raymond. Her name is Miss Tinuke. She said she brought some provisions for the patient and I let her in”. The doctor was sort of surprised because he remembered the reception Tinuke gave him days ago when he went there at the middle of the night. Knowing that more info was still coming, he waited. “After dropping the provisions, she said she needed some privacy with the patient, so I excused her. When I got back, I saw her with a pillow clutched in her hands in a fierce manner, suggesting that she wanted to suffocate the patient”. “What?” He exclaimed, jumping out of his seat immediately. “But sir…” She was not allowed to finish her statement when the doctor shoved her out of the way, causing her phone to slip from her hand again but luckily, it fell on the leather chair. She took it and ran in pursuit of the doctor. Doctor Tunde got to ward 7 and checked everything he needed to check to be sure that Tinuke hadn’t done anything stupid. Relieved, he faced the nurse who was already behind him. “Where is she?” He growled. “Sir, I am sorry, as I was calling the security, she pushed me away and ran. I have evidence sir, when she pushed me, my phone fell and the screen cracked. See sir” she raised the phone for doctor Tunde to see. “I see” he said glaring. Instead of saying anything, he left the room. The nurse pursued him. “I am sorry sir” “I am not angry at you Rola, you would get your phone replaced, don’t worry.” She sighed. Doctor Tunde opened the door of his office and called the security with his intercom. ********** ********** Fred sat in his apartment in Abuja, still feeling that unhindered fear. When his father had died and left him with this apartment, being the only property he owned, he had doubted if he would ever step into the house, not to mention, reside there. He had arrived in Abuja, instead of the Ogun state he had told his friend Chika. He knew that it was easy to be tracked down if he had told Chika the truth. That the police would be searching the wrong place should have at least put his mind at rest, but no. he felt even more agitated, shaking and jerking at every sound. If he was ever told that he would murder a human being in his life, he would not have believed it, but here he was, running away like a common criminal. He stood up and paced the sitting room in slow strides. As much as he tried to block out the day everything crumbled, he was not able to shut it out. He held his head as everything came playing back, making him feel crazy. He had murdered the love of his life with his own hands; how unthinkable. He heard something and froze. It sounded like a knock, or was he imagining things? He stood on that spot until he heard the knock again, louder this time. He heart raced. Nobody knew he was in Abuja. He had told no one. Who could be at the door? ********** ********** The sweet smell emanating from the kitchen was enough to renew Raymond’s hunger. Bose’s cooking's were always divine, both in aroma and in taste. Even though he was in his room, the aroma dragged him to his feet. He opened the door and went down stairs. Bose was apparently very occupied with whatever she was doing not to have noticed his approach. He dropped his suit jacket on the couch and made for the kitchen, unable to resist the aroma. What he saw took him by surprise: Bose was standing by the cooker, with her ear-piece jammed in her ears, dancing. She wore an army-green nicker that was halfway down her thigh and a red tank top which clung to her body firmly. He had never seen her dress so… boldly, ever since she came into the house. He swallowed hard, the food forgotten as he stared at the person he had come to take as a friend and a sister. Bose became aware that she was not alone and she turned slowly. She was not surprised to find Raymond there, since they were the only two people in the house. For some seconds, they just stared at each other until Bose looked away in a shy demonstration. Ray just kept on staring at her, trying to think about something that was nagging at his head. She removed the ear-piece slowly. “I… erm…” she coughed slightly. “The food is almost done” she said, barely above a whisper. Instantly, Ray remembered the reason he came down. “Oh… OK” he turned back and retreated. Bose exhaled deeply. She must be out of her mind to assume anything. She rushed back to the cooker to monitor the soup on fire. Wheat and egusi soup landed on the table some minutes later. The soup was adorned with all sorts of fishes and meats. Since eating with ray on the same table has become a regular phenomenon, she also served her food and went up to call him. She stood at the entrance of the room for some time, trying to calm her nerves but, unable to gather much courage to enter, she just knocked and talked to him through the door. “Sir, your food is served”. After receiving a calm reply, she hurried downstairs. Instead of sitting close to Ray’s seat, she sat down far away from his seat on the table for her own sake. She watched his approach to the dinning in calm steady strides. Her pulse quickened as he sat down without even glancing her way. Ray did not waste any second before he dug into his meal. The aroma had kept him salivating and imagining all along, what it would taste like. After the first mussel, he nodded his head appreciatively. “Hmmmm…. This is good. Very good” he murmured and Bose smiled her thanks. She was happy that he had finally broken the silence by saying something. After ray had eaten sufficient amount of food, he looked up, noticing for the first time that Bose was seating at the far end of the table. “Why are you seated there? He looked surprised. “come here” he patted the space beside him. She moved her food to the chair beside him and sat, still with her head low to her food. “I have the distinct feeling that you are not telling me something”. Ray said, putting a cup of water against his lips. Bose swallowed hard. She finally managed to raise her head to look Ray in the eye. “Madam… Your fiancée was here yesterday” she blurted. She had deliberately decided not to tell ray anything about her encounter with Tinuke, and when he had arrived and asked if anyone came in his absence, she had answered in the negative. Ray nodded knowingly. “And?” “she wasn’t happy at all when I blocked her out, in fact, she was so angry that she almost went crazy with rage” Bose said, remembering that episode with a smile. Ray blinked. “Well, as long as she did not carry out any of her displays on you, there is no problem” he swallowed another mussel of wheat but when he got no response, he looked up from the food to gaze at Bose. “Did she hit you?” Bose blanched and rejoiced internally that he was concerned about her. “No… No. I mean, she tried to but I didn’t let her. Then she started saying all sort of things like getting me fired and so on”. Raymond relaxed. “Well she didn’t employ you, did she?” he washed his hands and stood up, gathering the plates. Bose tried to help him but he succeeded in packing them, telling her to pack hers. After dropping the plates, he invited her outside. Sitting at the veranda, he had a clear picture of what was on his mind. He had suspected it for some time now but looking at Bose, he knew it was way beyond a vague thought. “I want to ask you a question Bose, please answer me truthfully” he looked deeply into her eyes, trying to make her feel at ease when all he was doing was the exact opposite. “Are you in love with me?” Bose blanched …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 5

The confusion and tension on ground was so intense. The police had searched the entire compound for Fred but all their efforts were futile. They had broken into Fred’s apartment which was pointed out by Lucy’s friend. They noticed the chaotic state of the apartment, making it obvious that the occupant was in a hurry to leave. That alone was enough to mark Fred as a prime suspect in the disappearance of the victim. The police noted this with interest. Bewaji Jones already resumed her whaling. Teju was trying hard calm her even though she was feeling the extreme urge to scream. Never had she seen her dreams manifest with such short time interval. Deolu was just looking, lost in his own world and blaming himself for not protecting the woman he loves. Kenneth was busy discussing with the policemen; his veins were so visible. The trauma was beginning to take its toll on him. The entire compound had been searched and no one seemed to be home. As they were about leaving, they saw a guy come into the compound. He was fairly tall, about 5.8, his gaze held curiosity. He looked like a Warri guy. He approached the handful of people skeptically. “Hello… Hope there is no problem?” His gaze was somewhat confident. The police officers shielded out everyone and approached Chika. “Excuse me sir, we are from Ajekoro Police station” he brought out his ID card. “I have a warrant for the arrest of one Mr. Fred Ebuka”. “Chineke” chika squealed. “That guy dey craze ooo… Wetin hin do?” Bewaji jumped there. “He kidnapped my daughter; that is what he did”. “Ewooo…. That b-----d. I saw him this morning when he was rushing out of the house with some luggage. I asked him where he was going and he said he wants to quickly get to Ogun State” Kenneth squeezed his fist in a frightening manner and Bewaji started shouting on top of her voice. The animal responsible for her daughter’s disappearance is nowhere to be found. “Even if we have to search the whole of Nigeria, I would find my daughter and that scoundrel” Ken thundered. One of the policemen looked at Chika who was still gapping in surprise of what was happening. “You would need to follow us to the-” “Ehnehn… oga police. No bring that one at all o. If I don know, I no go answer any question. Wetin concern me and Fred? I no even know hin surname. Abeg ooo… I never enter police station before and I no go enter today” before Chika could be stopped, he rushed into his apartment and locked the gate firmly. Deolu took out his phone and dialed a number. “Hello Akin… Long time… I am not fine ooo… My girl friend is nowhere to be found… yes… I need a favour”. ********** ********** Tinuke adjusted her micro gown, making it fit properly to her perfect body. She is a woman with perfect body curves. Her fair skin is unrivalled; clear, spotless and… perfect. She blew her image a kiss, turning and twirling in front of the mirror. The bright red gown sparkled in the evening light. Her dressing was to intimidate; but who exactly? An unconscious girl? Her wish was to see Raymond there. He had refused to pick her call. She had sent messages but none generated a reply. She did not even go near the house because she was not ready for another episode of embarrassment. She stepped out of the house, later than usual. Her extra-long heels made her look taller than her usual 5:4. Immediately she got out of her compound, she sighted some guys gapping at her, almost salivating. She smiled and flagged down a bike. “Hope Hospital” ********** ********** Raymond got into his car around 5pm in the evening. He wondered what he had been doing till that time of the day in the hospital. Thinking about it, he had spent most of the time with the girl. A wry smile was pasted on his lips which he could not wipe away. He had been so engrossed in this strange girl over the last twenty-four hours that he hadn’t had time for himself. He drove into the estate, still having that smile on his face. It feels so good to care for someone. He saw Bose entering the compound. She was holding a black polybag in one hand and her phone and keys in the other. He needed a new gateman. Ever since robbers visited the house and killed his gateman, he refused to employ a new gateman. That day had been a terrible day. He had been inside with his siblings who were visiting when they suddenly heard a gunshot. He has two sisters and a brother. Fear crept into their hearts without any invitation. Without waiting for the robbers to enter, the ladies were already flat on their faces. Only male pride kept the two brothers from glittering. The robbers finally entered and Ray and his brother, William, had to do what their sisters had done effortlessly. When you are at the wrong end of a loaded gun, you cooperate. The robbers took all their money, phones, gold jewelleries' and wristwatches. Bose had been there with them, also sharing in the fright that had governed everyone. The robbers left after all was taken and wailing began, although, in a very low tone. They were glad the robbers did not shoot at them. Raymond left the apartment to go and monitor the locking of the gate himself when he saw his gateman lying on the floor, close to the gate. He raced there, hoping that he was still alive – his heart had stopped beating. A tear dropped from his eye. Yusuf wasn’t just his employee but was also his friend. All his employees were his friends and, most of the time; they are the next set of people in his heart after his family. Yusuf was a very promising lad, who was very brilliant but not fortunate enough when it comes to finances. When his siblings and Bose did not see him return, they crept outside with William leading the way. They saw him where he knelt, beside the cold body and ran there. They mourned together and shared the sad moment together, just as they would have shared a happy time. Since then, he hadn’t been able to employ another gateman and he took to doing it himself until Bose volunteered to do it instead. Now that he is a man and already got used to seeing lifeless people, he was now considering employing a new gateman. The death of his mother and father in a plane crash on the same day, made him rigid and almost emotionless. He and his brother, coupled with some extended family members had gone to the crash spot to identify the bodies of his parents. They had strictly held the girls back because of what they knew they were to expect. That day had consistently haunted his dreams and even his waking eyes. He had walked amidst burnt dead bodies, having the nauseating sight sink in as he desperately searched for his parents. That incident is something he does not like to remember, and since he had just remembered it, he knew that his mood would be sour for the rest of the day. He opened the gate himself and drove in. ********** ********** Tinuke entered the hospital as graceful as possible. Her heels made click clack sounds on the floor with each step she took. She smiled lovingly at the nurse. “Please, I am here to see a patient. She was brought here yesterday by my fiance, Raymond” she said. The nurse remembered Tinuke perfectly. She was the one who almost turned a lady deaf yesterday after she had been humiliated yesterday by her so-called fiancé. She wondered if they had settled their quarrel. “Why do you want to see her?” “I brought some provisions for her. I understand she is still unconscious” she said with a pitiful look. She had branched by the hospital to get some provisions. “Yeah… please follow me” They got to the room and after leaving some instructions, Tinuke was left alone with the girl. She could not believe her eyes. Lying down, unconscious is the fairest person she had ever seen. She is not an Albion but is naturally fair. Fair, clear and spotless; all the things she had going for her, except she is not as pale as the girl laying on the bed. Anger welled up within her. How would Ray not spend more time with this girl if she is this beautiful? She took the pillow on the second bed and held it tight in her hands. Just then, the door opened. “What are you doing madam?” …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 4

Stepping out of his car, Deolu rushed into a very familiar compound. His anxiety was getting the better part of him and he was no longer finding it funny. The first sight that greeted his eyes gave him an instant alarm. He saw Lucy’s parents. He swallowed hard. He had seen more than enough pictures of them to know that they are Luciana’s parents. Lucy’s mother was crying and her husband was trying to calm her down. Why is she crying? What is going on? He wondered as he moved towards the duo in a trance-like motion. Mr. Jones looked up, staring steely at Deolu. The guy looked like a fine guy, he thought, but if he has a hand in this matter, I am surely going to break him. “Who are you” Kenneth Jones asked, his voice as masculine as any other. His gaze was not pleasant and he did not even want it to be. Deolu noticed the tense atmosphere and fright creeped up his spine. Lucy’s neighbor lurked around, her expression was unreadable. “Lucy. Where is Lucy” he half yelled, talking to everyone at the same time. He moved towards the room instantly but Ken drew him back. “I asked you a question young man. How dare you disregard me, making me look like a fool? Who the hell are you?” he yelled. Deolu stopped. “I am sorry sir. I am Adeolu Aremu, Lucy’s boyfriend” even the title sounded awkward in his own ears. A day old boyfriend; not even up to 24 hours. Ken stared at the bold man in front of him. Lucy having a boyfriend is a stunning news. She had been single ever since he laid his eyes on her tiny frame on the hospital bed, he had pressurized her continuously to get a man but she had insisted on going solo and being independent. Hearing she had a man in her life is a news, only that she is nowhere to be found. “Then where were you when my daughter got kidnapped from her house?” Deolu blanched, looking like he had just seen a ghost. Immediately, he dashed for the apartment, shouting Lucy as he did. After a fruitless time of intense screaming, they all came back to a remorse state. Deolu’s brain started working again, calculating and planning. Policemen arrived some minutes later and Lucy’s father attended to them. Deolu was even too busy with his thoughts to notice anyone around him. Kenneth explained all that occurred to the police, calling the neighbor to give her testimony. Lucy and Fred were the centre of discussion. At the end, he had been able to put Fred in a very good position to be arrested. “But sir, do you know where this suspect lives?” one of the policemen asked. “I think Lucy’s best friend would know” the neighbor replied. “I have her number and address. Since ladies talk and go everywhere together, I think she would be able to know Fred’s address”. Kenneth nodded with a dry smile. The neighbor is definitely God-sent. He wondered what they would have done without her observations. Looking back at the house, he saw Deolu seated at the entrance of Lucy’s apartment. The young man was obviously distraught. He could only imagine what it would be like to find your love kidnapped. He moved towards him, stood before him and stretched his hand. “Get up son, lets go and find your woman” he said in a calm voice, even though he didn’t feel calm. Deolu stared for some seconds then held the hand of the elderly man, who pulled him up with a strength that stunned him. Kenneth patted him on the back and they both joined the others outside. They split into their various cars and moved into action. ********** ********** Ray stepped into Doctor Tunde’s office, praying to have some good news. Doctor Tunde was seated in his usual chair, with his white coat hanging on the chair. A warm smile greeted the doctor’s lips as he shook Raymond’s hand. “I can see you got here early enough. Have your seat” he said after the usual exchange of greetings. Going straight to the point, Ray asked. “So, how is she? Would she make it?” Doctor Tunde smiled. “Fortunately, yes. She seems to be responding to treatment perfectly. She is a lot stronger than I initially imagined, and let me say this; I think she has a guardian angel”. Ray totally agreed with the doctor. The girl possessed more strength than he could boast of. Ray knew that no idol’s power could really sustain a human being so he knew that only God can be behind this girl. She must have people praying for her. “Can I see her?” he asked finally. “She is not stable yet but you can see her. With the signs I am seeing, she would pull through. You have not told me how you came about her. She looked like something from the pig-sty when you brought her here.” Ray had come to see Tunde as a friend and not just a doctor. Bose might have done a good job but her best did not really make much difference. “I would tell you everything later. First things first”. Doctor Tunde sighed, standing. “OK. Follow me” ********** ********** Teju rose up from her kneels around 7am in the morning. She had had a very restless night, with nightmares, centred around her best friend, Lucy. Lucy had become her best friend instantly. She met her over three years ago and Lucy had transformed her life ever since. Lucy was the one who brought her to Christ; making her drop her wayward life. Before she accepted Christ, Lucy had loved her unconditionally. Ever since then, Lucy was always in her prayers and God never failed to show her anything regarding Lucy especially. She had been having an unsettlement in her spirit since midnight and she hadn’t been able to sleep. She could not pinpoint what the problem was until she finally slept around 2am. She woke up like thirty minutes later from a nightmare that featured Lucy lying unconscious in the dark. She had called and called since then but no answer came. Prayers began since then till dawn. She rushed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. After bathing and brushing her teeth, she wore a short gown, pulled out her hair net and let the braids flow down, unhindered. No time for make-up, she told herself. Before she reached the sitting room, she heard a knock; or is that a bang? She raced there like her life depended on it. Without even asking who it was, she swung the door open. Seeing policemen and Lucy’s parents, her face turned pale. “Lucy… Don’t tell me something is wrong with my friend” One of the policemen looked at her. “How do you know our being here has something to do with her?” he had a puzzled look on his face. “Because she is my best friend and we are connected”. “As in Bluetooth?” Lucy’s mother pushed the policeman out of the way. “Please my daughter; do you know where a certain Fred lives? It is an emergency” “Yes ma’am” without even asking any questions, she took her keys and her phone, locked the door and rushed into the Lucy’s parents’ car. She had always known that Fred was up to no good. “What is going on ma?” ********** ********** Raymond sat on a chair, facing an unconscious girl; or lady. His predictions was not correct. He had predicted sixteen or seventeen years of age when he looked at her small profile. Gazing at her small profile and he could not believe he had rescued someone as stunning as this. Her face held a maturity of someone who could be 25, thereabout. He had never seen anyone so fair, so white. He had seen numerous fair women but never had he seen anyone so white except albinos. This lady was clearly not an albino, he would know instantly. The desire to touch her was so overwhelming that he gave in and touched her face tenderly. He became overtaken by unknown emotions. A lump developed in his throat as he gazed at her small face. His gaze slid down to the place he was certain had encountered a knife. Who would dare pierce her with a knife. He wanted to see the person so he could teach him or her a good lesson. Not withstanding the amount of effort and money he had dissipated between yesterday and today, he felt so overjoyed that he helped this lady. Everything is surely a blessing in disguise. If he hadn’t had that battle with Tinu, he would not have gone to the club and would not have seen this girl lying helplessly in the mud. Staring at her innocent look, he knew that he would do anything to protect her. ********** ********** Bose entered the compound. She had been sitting in one spot for the past two hours, receiving lectures from her English teacher. The teachings were not boring at all, in fact, she had enjoyed every bit of it. After two hours, she left her teacher’s house. She locked the gate behind her and made for the main house. She pulled out a bottle of water when she got to the kitchen, poured some water into a cup and drank her fill. As she made for her room, she heard a bang. It is definitely not Raymond because he took the car. She dropped her bag and went to the gate. She didn’t like this gateman job at all. Immediately she saw the person there, she prepared herself. She took the key and put it in her back pocket. With the speed of lightening, she opened the gate, jumped out and jammed the door. Tinuke stared at her. “What is the meaning of this nonsense? Get out of my way, you idiot.” “At your service milady”. Bose moved out of the way and Tinuke was faced with the closed gate. Tinu turned eyes of fury towards Bose. “You think this is a joke, right? If you don’t open this bloody gate now, count yourself out of this house”. “Oooohhhh… I am so terrified now”. Bose shook dramatising. “Look ma’am, by boss’ orders, you are not to enter this house. He employed me so I must obey him.” Tinuke raised her brows. “Oh… I see… Now, listen to me, you s--t, I know what you are after. You want me out so you can take your shameless a-s to my husband’s bed, right? You must be a big fool if you think that I would allow that. You are nothing but a common maid”. “And you are a stupid gold digger who just wants to marry my boss for money”. “How dare you talk back at me” Tinuke’s hand swung to hit Bose’s cheeks but Bose held her hand before the slap landed. “Never you try that again” she threw her hand down forcefully. “Now, please leave madam before I scream and gather a crowd.” “Stupid s--t” “Useless hobo” Bose retorted. “What?” Bose grinned. “Check out the meaning in the dictionary”. Tinuke left the place while Bose entered the house. Tinu foamed in anger as she walked away. She would make that bloody girl pay in full. She knew that Ray wasn’t around because his car wasn’t in the compound when she spied the compound. He must be in the hospital with that damned dirty girl. That girl is beginning to occupy too much of his time and thoughts. I think I need to pay her a visit. …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 3

Tinuke stared at Ray who still had the maid in his arms. She hadn’t expected her assumptions to turn out true. Her anger skyrocketed as she saw her assumptions becoming a reality. Her first instinct was to go there and cause a scene; beat the living daylight out of the miserable girl and make Raymond understand that she is not to be messed with. On second thought, she decided otherwise. Ray gazed at her, not leaving Bose who was oblivious to the current changes. Tinuke advanced towards them, drawing their attention by standing directly in front of them. Bose saw her and the piercing glare she had in her direction and recoiled. She jumped to her feet and stepped out of reach. Tinu faced Ray with a face that Ray thought would not pass for remorse as long as it came from Tinu. “I am sorry Ray” she started. “I don’t know what is coming over me these days; I think it is due to the pressure my parents are mounting on me. Please forgive me. I would like to do what I am supposed to do by staying beside you now. Please” she bowed her head. Ray stared at her for a long minute, not knowing what response to give her. Tinuke does not just beg for forgiveness, she only does that when there was something fishy or something at stake. He stood up to his full height before her and swallowed hard. One thing he knew for sure is that this is not the Tinuke he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Tinu stood with her head bowed, expecting Ray’s arms to close around her in any minute. She knew he had a soft spot for her, no matter how bad things degenerated. After he had looked at her to his satisfaction, he stepped out of her reach and marched out of the hospital without uttering a word. Tinuke opened her mouth, not believing what she had just experienced. She stared at his vanishing backside, feeling her pent-up anger return. She saw Bose with the side of her eyes and faced her. Before anyone could do anything, her palm connected with Bose’s cheeks, sending her crashing into a nearby chair. Some of the hospital workers came to intervene but Tinuke stormed out before anyone could do anything. ********** ********** Mr and Mrs Jones arrived at their daughter’s apartment very early in the morning. They hadn’t slept ever since they started praying and their apprehension hadn’t reduced either. Bewaji knocked anxiously on the door but got no response. She banged and banged until her husband took over, shouting ‘Lucy’ as he knocked. No answers came forth and worry lines displayed on his forehead. The compound housed only two tenants, so he went in search of the other tenant, hoping to get something valid from her. Sighting her at the back of the house doing the laundry, he went over to her with his wife hurrying to match his quick strides. “Good morning ma’am” he greeted the young woman who is obviously married. She looked up from her work and greeted back, giving them her attention. “Please ma, we are looking for our daughter Lucy; she is your neighbor but we can’t find her inside”. Today is Saturday for crying out loud. The woman looked at them, seeing their worry. “There is no problem. I saw her yesterday night, she entered late but I saw her enter the house. I am sure one of her friends, a guy, visited her last night because he waited for her to arrive for a long time”. Bewaji’s curiosity arose and she spoke for the first time since they approached the woman. “Who is that guy please?” she asked, hoping it was not what she was thinking. “Oh, it is Fred. He comes here often. He must be really close to her” she said with a slight smile which vanished when the smile was not returned. “Can you please describe him?” the woman started giving descriptions and by the time she was through, Bewaji was as white as snow. Her hands were placed on her head in alarm. “Is everything alright ma” the woman asked. Bewaji ignored her and raced back to her daughter’s door, pounding like a deranged woman. Ken got there and dialed Lucy’s number again. It rang out and listening carefully, he heard the phone ring inside. Bewaji started yelling and Ken did not bother to try stopping her. The neighbor joined them, wondering what the matter was, fearing what the outcome would be. Without much ado, ken kicked the door continuously, till it gave way. They met an empty bed that looked like no one had slept on it. Lucy’s bag was on the floor and her phone rang out from it. Bewaji was beside herself with rage and worry, crying and squealing. Being the man, Ken took out his phone and searched for a number. His face was bloodshot, desperately wanting to punch someone. After speaking for sometime into the mouthpiece of his phone, he hung up, picked his daughter’s phone, copied a number and dialed with his own phone. ********** ********** Raymond hurriedly wiped his body with a dry towel and threw on a shirt and a white trouser. He needed to go to the hospital to check on the girl he picked up yesterday. After he stormed out of the hospital, few hours ago; in the midnight to be precise; he returned about an hour after, very sure he would not meet Tinuke there. His prediction was right but he hadn’t been able to predict meeting Bose with a red cheek and tear-stricken face. He felt so bad that he had put her in danger, not thinking of what Tinuke would do to her. Doctor Tunde had emerged and gave them the news that the girl was in a coma and that they needed to wait and see if she would come out alive. He did not get to see her so he left the hospital with Bose, hoping not to have another encounter with Tinu, because he really needed some sleep. Surprisingly, he did not meet her at home. His relief knew no bounds as he bounced on the bed, dozing off almost immediately he touched the bed. His sleep was short-lived. He had a nightmare where a girl was jerking, on the verge of death. Unable to get anymore sleep that he already got, he surfed the net till dawn. Ray shut his bedroom door behind him. He heard the sound of dishes in the kitchen and perceived a mouth watering aroma that made his stomach groan, and without telling his legs what to do, he was in the kitchen. “Good morning Bose” Bose turned back and smiled. “Good morning sir” she greeted, half kneeling. “I would have said I am in a hurry to arrive the hospital if the aroma hadn’t been so tempting” Bose laughed. “Since I could not get any real sleep, I decided to cook early”. Thank God I am not the only one, Raymond thought. “Good. I would just sit here and eat”. He sat on the chair in the kitchen as Bose served his food. “Serve yours too because we are eating together”. Bose paused for some seconds to look at him, before following his instructions. Ray stuffed his mouth with fried eggs and plantain, savoring its taste as he watched Bose. She was seated opposite him, gazing at her food like it was a specimen for practical experiment. “Is something wrong Bose?” Bose smiled internally. She had been expecting that question; at least it would make things easier for her. She looked up. “I am sorry to say this sir. I think marrying Madam would be a bad idea”. Ray’s hand froze. He looked at Bose who stared back at him. He was not surprised that she was being blunt and risking her job by over-stepping her bounds; he was rather surprised that she was wise enough to voice the obvious. “I know that” he simply said Her eyes snapped. “Then why do you want to marry her?” she could not believe the possibility of someone walking consciously into the lake of fire. “You don’t understand” “Then enlighten me” Raymond smiled, and then laughed. “Enlighten. I never knew you had gone that far in your English classes. Wow” Even though Bose did not want to digress, she smiled. “I am trying” “You have improved tremendously. As for the other issue, it is private and I am working on it. Thanks for the concern. I need to rush off. Don’t let anyone in, I repeat, anyone”. “Sir, you need a gateman” she said. “Noted. I really do” he picked his car keys and headed for the hospital. ********** ********** Deolu roamed his sitting room in tense strides. His phone was held tight in his hand as he roamed the entire office. The not-too-large room was tastefully furnished, depicting the financial status of its bearer. Deolu hadn’t been able to reach Lucy. He had dialed her number endlessly ever since they departed last night but it had rang and rang without any answer. When he dropped her off, he had promised to call immediately he got home but when he called, there was no answer. Last night had been the most perfect day of his life. He had asked her out on a dinner date and she had accepted. It had been so perfect. For over two years that they had been friends, he decided to do what he had been postponing for a very long time, for fear of losing her friendship . The undying love he felt for Lucy kept burning in him, and each passing day he spent, keeping the feeling locked inside made it exceedingly difficult to hide. The jealousy he feels when she is around other guys upsets him because he had never been one to fuss over a girl. It had taken him days to decide if he was actually going to ask her out. She had arrived right on time, looking like a goddess. Her fair, almost white skin, glowed, increasing his desire to touch her. The deep whine top and the white three-quarter trouser accentuated her figure perfectly, making him go speechless. Her dark brown hair bounced as she moved towards him, making it obvious that she had just visited the salon. The dinner had gone perfectly, with laughter on their faces. Then, with his heart in his mouth, he bared his heart to her and surprisingly, she accepted. His joy knew no bounds as he kissed her; something he had been hoping to do for a long time. He dropped her off after spending a long time with her. Ever since then, he hadn’t been able to reach her. He sat down forcefully feeling sweats of perspiration on his forehead, even though the air conditioner was at its peak. He was waiting for dawn in order not to exaggerate the situation; especially if she is fine. Immediately the day became bright, he took his car keys and phone, locking the door behind him. ********** ********** Fred put his clothes in his bag in a rush. He had drunk himself to stupor the previous night and woke up with a splitting headache. Not giving his blurry eyes the chance to slow him down, he washed his face and packed some clothes. He knew that the Lucy’s neighbor saw him yesterday and going to jail would be a reality if he didn’t act fast. Being so close to Lucy, everyone knows him, especially her neighbor and best friend, ‘Tola’. Once she is found missing, he would be a suspect. He packed his luggage, making sure he took all his documents, passports and all. He dismantled his phone, took out his Sim card and broke it. He stepped out and sighted one of his neighbor friends. He lives in a compound with about six tenants, with guys being the majority. “Guy, how far now” he greeted. “I dey o. Where you dey go now?” Chika asked on sighting the traveling bag. “My brother, I wan quick reach Ogun State. E get person wey sick wey I wan see for there” he said in a hurry. Chika looked from the bag to Fred’s face. “Ok o”. Fred rushed out of the compound, took a bike to a popular garage. There were several busses lined up there and conductors were shouting their lives out. He heard someone calling Abuja, and moved there. After putting his bag in the trunk of the bus, he entered the bus and waited for it to be filled up. …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 2

Raymond’s cloth clung to his body as he jumped out of his car, rushing to the back seat. Bose saw his anxiety and went to him, trying to see if he needed her help for anything. She squealed at the sight before her. Never in her life had she seen a human being so dirty. Wait; is she dead? Her eyes popped as she stood frozen behind Raymond. Raymond checked the pulse of the girl and heaved a relieved sigh. He glanced back and saw Bose standing transfixed behind him. “Don’t just stand there gawking, go and open the door”, he spat out, louder than he had intended. She obeyed instantly, vanishing from sight. Ray lifted the girl effortlessly, his gaze fixed on the girl, not even bothering to close the door of the car. “What is this thing you carry, Ray?” he heard. Raymond stared at Tinuke for some seconds, not really knowing what to say instantly. She was standing arms akimbo, looking at him like he had just developed two heads. He tried to boycott her, but she stood. It had completely escaped his mind that she was home. When he told her to leave before he arrived, he had known that she would never do such a thing. “Tinuke, it would be in your best interest to leave my front before I lose my patience”, he said, already losing his cool. “I, Tinuke Rogers, am not leaving this place. You can bring down heaven, I don’t care. Now I asked you a question. What is this piece of trash you are holding?” she sniffed her nose in a sigh of disgust. Ray was beside himself with fury. “Leave my front Tinu” he roared. She stood defiantly. Before she knew what was happening, Raymond used his leg to push her out of the way, making her fall to the ground forcefully. Ray marched inside, his feet pounding on the floor. The girl was unconscious. He could not fathom how she could still be alive after all these drama; he could not even guess how long she had been staying in that sack, out on the cold and muddy road. Bose, who had been watching the drama, ran ahead and opened the door of one of the rooms. Ray placed the girl on the bed very carefully. Having a mind of her own, Bose ran to get a bucket of warm water and a napkin. Ray stared at the girl, feeling pity for her. She was very small, and from her body size, he imagined her to be either seventeen or eighteen years old at most. He wondered what might have happened to her. From the cut at the side of her belly, he knew it had to be a knife cut. He swallowed hard. Bose arrived with a bucket of warm water and a cloth. She knelt down to begin wiping out the mud on the girl’s body but Ray stopped her. He collected the cloth from her, dipped it in the water and squeezed it dry. He wiped the face of the girl, removing part of the caked mud on her face. “Oga, you dey shake” Bose commented. Unlike all the other house helps he had come across, Bose was someone who says and does things without the fear of being sacked. She says whatever she wants to, whether you like it or not; as long as it is the truth. That notwithstanding, she holds Ray in high esteem. Ray had come to see Bose as a friend and a junior sister. “I am fine Bose, go and wait by the gate, Doctor T is coming”. Bose snorted and made no move to leave her position. “I am still your boss, Bose, do as I say” “Oga, if you no go remove your cloth, you go first this girl die”. She lamented. “Leave am, I go take care of am, go commot your cloth, abi madam body don tire you, you wan see another person body?” Ray stared at her for some seconds, feeling exasperated. There were many times he felt tempted to sack Bose but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to doing it. She was always there to talk to when Tinuke started her crazy tantrums. Knowing that an argument with Bose would be futile, he stood up. “be very careful, I think the wound is not too deep but she has lost a lot of blood. She must be really strong to still be alive now. Try to speak English; that is why I sent you to school”. Bose laughed. “I was expecting that” Ray shook his head and left the room. Bose lightened his mood the way even Tinuke couldn’t. Tinuke flashed back to his mind as he rushed back to his room. He still could not imagine that he had tossed her the way he did. It is not in his nature to hurt a lady. He felt bad that he had pushed her, even though she had provoked him. He did not have the courage to talk to her, he was ashamed of his action, even though he did not hit her. He entered the room and shed his clothes within the twinkle of an eye. Downing his night robe, he hurried to the gate to open the gate for the doctor who had been blaring his horn. He passed by Tinuke in the sitting room, who sat foaming in anger but did not even glance at her twice. A life is at stake. Doctor Tunde was not even out of his car when Bose literarily jumped out of the house, stuttering. She was pointing, jumping and screaming at the same time, fear written all over her tears stricken face. Without even hearing anything from her, Raymond raced inside, dragging the doctor along. He grew pale when he saw the girl jerking. Doctor T pressed her chest, trying to stabilize her. He pressed and pressed for some seconds, which looked like forever. He instantly knew that this sight would haunt his dreams for a long time. The girl became still and he closed his eyes. To say he was frightened would be an understatement. Bose held on to him, putting her face on his chest, shivering. He held her, knowing that this must be really terrifying for her too. “Tell me. She is not dead, is she?” he whispered, his eyes closed. He heard nothing apart from the voice of the sobbing girl in his arms. He opened his eyes slowly, his heart racing. “I never knew you to be this fearful. The girl lives, but she is very weak and may not survive. We need to take her to the hospital. The gadgets and machines in the hospital can help to a certain extent if she would survive this. She is stronger than she looks to be alive now. This cut is deep and she has lost so much blood” he said thoughtfully. Carefully removing Bose’s arms, Ray strode forward, his eyes fixed on the girl. She had the whitest skin he had ever seen. He had to admit that the mud and pain she was in is involved but that notwithstanding, she was still exceedingly fair. All these thoughts occurred within split of seconds. He bent to carry her but the doctor stopped him, going over to carry her, applying less force and more care, as expected of a doctor. Bose ran to her room and grabbed one of her gowns. She hadn’t finished cleaning her up, not to mention change her clothes, when the girl started jerking wildly. She hadn’t seen a corpse before and right now, she was feeling like she had just seen one, even though the girl is not dead. Rushing through the sitting room, Doctor Tunde stared unbelievably at Tinuke. How can someone be so heartless as to leave them alone to struggle with a girl’s life without showing the lowest level of care? Minding his business, he hurried past her to the car. Raymond ran to the room, picked his wallet and his ATM card, threw a shirt and a trouser over his body, then he ran out of the room. He had forgotten that Tinuke existed and seeing her in the sitting room, still foaming with anger, made his blood boil. “There are some times I am sad I proposed to you Tinu, but there are other times I am really, really sad that I ever had anything to do with you. How can you be so selfish and senseless as to shut your eyes against the girl in danger?” he asked bewildered. She jerked up. “To start with, you never asked for my help, instead, you asked for the help of your stupid maid. I could have helped, instead, what did you do? You pushed me away like a piece of thrash. You are not leaving this house until you apologise for what you did” she went to block the doorway again. Ray advanced towards her. “If you don’t leave my front now, I would forget my policy about not hitting a woman and hit you so hard that you would need the help of a doctor to recuperate.” The light burned in his eyes and she knew that he would do it without thinking twice. She left the doorway and he rushed out. He asked Bose to come along with them because he could not begin to imagine what Tinuke would do to the poor girl if she stays. Having her open the gate, he regretted not replacing his gateman. ********** ********** The anger in Fred’s eyes was deadly as he picked up the knife and started pursuing Luciana. They ran for some time, with Lucy ahead and Fred behind but as time went on, the gap between them became closer. Fear crept up Lucy’s face and she started increasing her speed even though she was already exhausted. Fred saw this and ran even faster, a devilish grin on his face. In her haste to escape with her life, Lucy ran carelessly, hitting her legs several times. She hit her leg on a big stone and toppled to the ground. She let out a cry of pain, looking around desperately in the darkness, trying to see if someone could help her, but found none. Fred towered over her, brandishing the knife in a frightening manner. Lucy looked at him with pleading eyes but he only smiled evilly, almost like he was possessed. With a shout of victory, he brought down the knife. *** Mrs Jones let out an ear-deafening scream, jerking from her lying position to a sitting position. Mr Jones jumped up in fright, as he heard his wife’s scream. “My baby, my baby…” she said continuously, as her husband wrapped his arms around her. She whimpered and shook with velocity. “What is it dear” “My baby, my Lucy, my baby” she said over and over again. “Calm down. It is just a dream.” He said to her. She left his arms. “it is not just a dream. Someone wants to kill my baby. I can feel it here” she pounded the left side of her chest. “When he was about to stab her with the knife, I woke up. Ken, I told you before we slept that I was feeling somehow, and now this; I know when God is giving me a sign. I am a mother” she almost yelled. Ken understood his wife perfectly. Her dreams are not to be taken likely at all because almost all of them turn out to be a reality, whether good or bad. He swallowed hard as he took his phone from the bedside table and dialed his daughter's number. Bewaji shivered and Ken drew her into his arms. The phone rang out and Ken released the breath he had been holding, but when the phone was not answered, he became worried. He dialed again and again but no answer came. Tears spilled over Bewaji’s face as she looked at her husband. The time was 1:35 am, and they would have assumed that she was too deep in her sleep to answer the call, if they hadn’t known her to be a very light sleeper. A slight movement beside Lucy is enough to rouse her from sleep. Guarding his own worries, Ken faced his wife. “Don’t jump to conclusions now BJ, kneel down and let us pray”. ********** ********** Tinuke roamed the sitting room of her fiancé's house thoughtfully. Ray had never raised his hands against her violently ever since she had known him but he had come very close to doing so today. He hadn’t done it but she knew that if she had pushed him, he would have hit her without thinking twice; and now he is out of the house, and who is with him? That blasted maid. She groaned. She had always wondered what was going on between Ray and Bose, considering their strange closeness. The girl almost has more say in the house than she herself. To assume that Ray would stoop so low as to get involved with a maid, is something she could not fathom. And who is that ragged girl they are all fussing over? She wondered. Whoever she is does not concern her as long as she does not interfere in her relationship with Ray; but she is already doing that now. As for Bose, she would be damned if she sat back and allowed a mere maid take her place in Ray’s heart. She picked her purse and car keys, left the house and headed for the hospital. She already knew where Doctor Tunde’s hospital was. ********** ********** Ray sat at the hospital reception of Hope Hospital, waiting for the doctor to come out. He was worried about the girl being attended to but what was giving him more stress was Tinuke. He wondered how he had gotten himself into such a mess. How was she able to hide this character? He wondered. She had been so cold-hearted that she did not even recognize their struggles in the house. He wondered if she would have showed some emotions if the girl had died. He sighed inwardly. Maybe his friends were right and they needed a break. Bose stared at her boss. He looked older than he should with the lines of worry on his head. She had never known a more handsome man than the one seated in front of her but that fiancée of his is practically making his life miserable. She stood up and went to sit beside him. “It would be alright sir. You would get through this” she whispered. Ray looked at her. She always understood him. Was always there for him. “Thanks Bose” he said and held her to him. He heard the hospital door open and the next person he saw was Tinuke, standing at the hospital entrance. …

To be continued

THE FINAL SMILE �
EPISODE 1

The road was wet and muddy as the rain teared down in full velocity. Water leveled the road and no one would have seen a pot-hole on the totally destroyed road. The road was without deep gutter so the road was filled with rain water flood and mud. The environment was chilling to the bones and even the trees shivered from the cold atmosphere. Raymond had his glass wound up as he drove home in the rain from the club. He had always bragged that cold weather can never have an effect on him but tonight’s weather had gone way over the edge. His car heater was on and his shivering body gradually calmed down. Thinking about it, he became happy that he was able to sneak out of the club without his reckless friends’ acknowledgement for they would have laughed him to scorn. Careful of pot-holes, he mulled over the events of the last few hours, driving moderately. He had arrived home from work and had met Tinuke unexpectedly at home. Tinuke was his fiancé of about two months and lover for more that three years. After proposing to her two months ago, his immediate line of action had been to formally see her parents for the traditional rites but he held back. Ever since the engagement band had been slipped into Tinuke’s finger, she had changed drastically, doing things she had never done before. She transformed from a sweet little dove to a nagging peasant who complained about everything that meets the eye ranging from his style of dressing, his choice colour, the friends he kept, and on and on. She started suspecting every move he made and the house was always on fire with her in it but he just could not send her away. He had deflowered her three years ago when they met and he had been so surprised to meet her a virgin at 23. He had vowed in his heart never to let her go because he saw her as a rare gem as he had never met with a virgin before sexually. His friends had advised him to let her go when she started this new tactic but he just could not bring himself to doing it. This night, Tinuke had so much worked on his bad side that he ended up asking his friends to take him to the best club they could find; something he hadn’t done in years; but instead of finding happiness, the place just gave him more headache. Raymond bumped into a pothole and cursed his stray thoughts. Putting the car back on its balance, he raked his fingers through his tiny bits of hair. His eyes caught something by the road side and he suddenly hit the brakes. It was a rather large sack, the true colour could not be determined considering the sheer darkness; but what caught his eye particularly was the mass of hair protruding out of the sack. His heartbeat accelerated and he sat there in his car at the middle of the road transfixed not knowing whether or not to get involved in whatever this may be. He was never practically scared of anything but he couldn’t understand why this fear was paralyzing him. After seconds which seemed like forever, he decided to check out what was in the bag. Raymond hadn’t taken five steps when the sack suddenly moved. He froze instantly and his skipping heart started running a hundred meter race. He tried to bring down his fear by blaming the wind for the occurrence but the sack moved again, very softly, and he knew that whatever is inside that sack is responsible for the movements. He discarded his fear and moved towards the sack. He looked around in utmost fear hoping that some of the scenes in Hollywood movies would not manifest; where police men would round up good Samaritans assuming them to be murderers. The environment was utterly dark and he could not see anything asides bushes. He reached down and pulled down the loose top of the sack and what manifested before him was the face of a human being. His heart almost stopped from fear as his prediction had become reality. Raymond’s breathing was not coordinated at all and he had gone pale. The face was slightly covered with mud but the entire hair was immersed in it. From the hair, he knew it had to be a girl so he pulled the sack down to the waist line of the body with his shivering hands. He looked up and nearly died of fright when he met the eyes of the girl slightly open and in his direction. He started wondering if she was a spirit or a witch sent to kill him but then he saw how pale she looked and warded off his vague thought. He glimpsed a thick mass of blood on her stomach and winced internally. She started moving uncomfortably and seemed to be doing that unconsciously. He hurriedly pulled out the sack and threw it into the bush. Without even considering the risk of picking her up, he whisked her into his arms and made for his car. Ever since he saw the helpless girl, he had forgotten all about the rain which did not stop and now, he was soaked to his pants but he could not care less. His eyes riveted from the car to the mud covered girl in his arms and he prayed silently that nothing bad happens to her. He dropped her at the back seat and ran behind the wheels. Another thought occurred to him and he was out of the car in an instant. He searched the bush frantically until he got the sack and he ran with it to the driver’s side. Dropping the sack carelessly, he hit the road, driving at a deadly rate, not minding the pot-holes. His eyes riveted from the road to the girl. Her already waned strength was at the verge of going out completely and her eyes started closing. Ray’s heart started doing a summersault, “Please hold on, please. You have to help me to help you. You can’t die on me, please. Hold on…” he said over and over. He saw her struggling to keep her eyes open and he praised her strength. He faced the road squarely again and fired home at top speed. He searched for hospitals by the side of the road but did not see any; not that he had ever noticed any ever since he plied the road, but he checked anyways. Looking back at the girl, he wondered what hospital would accommodate a mud covered person. He picked up his phone and dialed a number with shaky hands. He checked the time and noticed that it was already past 1am. The phone rang off without answer the first time and he dialed again. He heard a sleepy “hello” and he sighed out. “Oh… thank God. Doctor T, could you please meet me at home, it is an emergency … yes, please do … thank you so much”, he hung up and dialed his maid’s number. He had totally forgotten about Tinuke, but even if he had remembered, he would not have called her. “Bose, stay close to the gate and open immediately you hear my horn, ok? …” He dropped the phone and his eyes went to the back seat again and seeing the girl’s eyes closed, the alarm sounded in his head. “Hey, wake up”, he yelled. Her eyes opened slightly and he breathed well again. He faced the road, put the swaying car back on track and raced home without looking back. He started talking to himself and the girl in order to remain sane. A check point was ahead and his head ached. It was like a movie was being acted with him as one of the casts. He was not finding this role funny at all. The people at the check point were well known to him as he always had something to give them whenever he cruised by. Bringing down the glass halfway, he peered at the policemen, desperately trying to calm himself. “A really wild night officers”, he said, smiling at the fat one among the three men. Even the smile threatened to crack up his face. “Oga, I no know say na you o”, the man replied, smiling cunningly. “I can see that you have gone to enjoy yourself. Make we no delay you”. Raymond grinned, relieved. He was about to move the car when he heard one of the slim guys talk in plain English. “I can see you have helped yourself to a fresh babe. Is she sleeping?” Raymond’s colour drained. His smile was tight. “She is really drunk. I had to whisk her out of the club. If you would excuse me guys, a man has got to get a quicky once in a while, don’t you think?” The men muttered, moving this way and that, with a fleeting smile on their faces. Ray put his hand in his pocket and brought out what he assumed to be five thousand Naira. His praises rang out and he was on the road within seconds, speeding like someone in a racing competition. He feared the ridiculous delay would tell on the poor girl. He glanced at the girl at the back and saw her eyes closed. Blood drained from his face. He braved it and mentally told himself that she just passed out. He could only imagine what she must be going through now. He wondered why he was this agitated about someone whose face he could not even see, through the mass of mud. He got to Macurly Estate within minutes which was like eternity to him, gave instructions to the security men on guard to let the doctor in before speeding off to number 8. Before he got there, he blared the horn and the gate flew open. He drove inside the compound and moved to the entrance of the main house. ********** ********** Fred poured the ninth cup of alcoholic wine and downed it within seconds. His thumping heart increased in tempo and his vision became blurry. He smashed the glass cup against the wall and took the bottle to his mouth. He could still not believe what he had done because of jealousy, not that he did it intentionally though. He had seen Lucy hugging a guy beside the road and his blood had boiled furiously till it became thick. Lucy, who had been the only woman he ever loved had never loved him back and every time he confessed his love to her, she always told him to get over her because they could only be friends. It had been torture maintaining his ‘friendship’ status with her. Seeing her with another man made him terribly furious that he went over to her house and waited for her. Due to her working arrangements, she lived alone in a one room self contain apartment cos of proximity to her office so he waited by the door for her. He did not call her so he had to wait for about one hour at the entrance with each passing second increasing his anger. She didn’t appear until very late in the night but he stayed there. When Lucy came, she was so surprised to have Fred waiting at her door. She put up a conversation, asking so many questions but he remained mute. He saw the surprise in her face at his mood but did not say anything until she had unlocked the door and they were inside. “What were you doing with that guy on the road?” he asked, immediately the door closed behind them. Looking stupefied, she asked, “Which guy?” “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw you hugging a guy on the road, who is he? I told you I want you, you did not accept and now you are hugging someone else?” he yelled. “Are you crazy? How dare you trail me around? What business of yours is this? I can see whomever I please and do whatever I want to do, do you understand? What is your problem anyways?” she yelled back. Fred paced the length of the room and picked up the knife he saw in a tray filled with oranges in the bedside table. He saw fear creep into her eyes but he was no longer himself, all he wanted was to hit someone really hard. He advanced towards her and she moved back until she tripped over something and fell. All her pleadings fell on deaf ears as he brought the knife down on her. Her ear deafening scream restored his senses and he could not believe what he had done. Even as he drank himself to stupor, he still could not believe he had actually done it. He had killed the love of his life with his bare hands. He finished the bottle, smashed it against the wall and grabbed another bottle. His tears flowed freely and his hands shook terribly but he silently swore to himself that he would find the guy who made him do this, the guy who had the audacity to hug his babe. He would have his revenge, he said silently. “Since I am weeping now, I would make sure he weeps also or my name is not Fred”. ********** ********** Tinuke locked herself up Raymond’s room. She could not fathom the possibility of sleeping in the guests’ room. The house is big in itself, having the total of five rooms apart from the gym and the laundry room. She had always admired Raymond’s taste and ability to choose the best. She had quarreled with Ray again, although it is no longer a new thing. Her friends had schooled her well on how to ensure her man does not escape. It had taken her three years of putting up the innocent and sweet face to get the ring on her finger. Her friends had told her that men need a little strong hand. If they feel their woman is very sweet and accepting, they would feel free to indulge themselves with other women outside. Having another woman take her place is definitely something Tinuke Rogers would never accept. She and Ray had argued extensively on the issue of wedding this evening. Ray had stormed out after close to two hours of heated arguments. She could not see any point in delaying his formal meeting with her parents and he was just procrastinating the issue unnecessarily. She knew he expected her to be out of the house and back to her own apartment but he had a surprise coming. Whatever the time he comes back, they would continue their argument until she comes out victorious. Trust Tinuke to make a house a living hell, she thought, pleased with herself.

To be continued