millieademi:
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Elsa took a sip of the bitter leaf juice in the tumbler and grimaced. She hadn’t gotten used to it despite all of Donald’s promises that she would. She sighed at the thought of Donald. She couldn’t believe a week had gone by and she hadn’t seen him yet. She set herself up for this. Everyone she loved or got close to left her. Her mum, her dad, Jolá, Tinú, Dele and now, Donald. She shouldn’t have left him get close.
She took of gulp of the juice and swallowed. She’d forego this stupid drink. If Donald wasn’t there to encourage her, then what was the point?
It’s for your own good. She heard his voice ring in her head. She smiled and wondered if she should go over, just to see him and Robert. She shook her head. Lydia might be over there. She’d be the third wheel if Lydia was around. She always faded into the background with Donald if Lydia was present. It’ll just be awkward. It was better to make a clean cut, sever ties and never look back. The twins would be coming over the following week. They would be a great distraction.
She remembered the package Dele promised to send over and wondered if had arrived already. He had promised to get her some Chinese detoxification teas. Well, it was time for some exercise. She dropped her cup and stood.
“Motunde, I’m going downstairs.”, she said as she stood
“Okay ma.”, Motunde looked up from the book she was reading and stood too. She followed Elsa to the door. Elsa unlocked the door and stepped out. Soon, the sound of Omotunde locking the door followed. She turned towards the stairs and continued to go down them till she got to the foyer and reception area.
She walked towards the door man.
“Mummy, good afternoon.”, he greeted and stood.
“Wole, good afternoon. Please is there a package for me. My son said he’d send something.”
“No ma.”, he answered. “Don’t worry ma. If the package arrives, I’ll call Omotunde to get it. There’s no need to stress yourself.”
“Stress ke. I just wanted to exercise my body.” The boy smiled and said, “That’s good.” Elsa saw a flyer on the countertop and picked it up reading it’s content.
“Good afternoon.”, a baritone voice called and Elsa turned to see two men entering the building. She ignored them and continued reading what was printed on the flyer.
“Good afternoon.”, Woke answered.
“Please, we are police men from Ikoyi CID.”, one said and flashed his identification. “We are looking for Elsa Daramola.”
Woke looked nervously from the men to Elsa. Elsa looked up and turned to face them. “I am Elsa Daramola. How may I be of help to you?”
“We have a few questions to ask you ma about a crime committed thirty years back.”, the man with the deep baritone said.
“What crime would that be?”, she asked with confusion furrowing her brow.
The men looked nervously from one to another. The one finally cleared his throat. “Ma, is it possible for us to talk somewhere more… private?”
“Okay. We can go upstairs then.”, she told the police men “ Wole, ma gbagbe o.”, she said to the doorman and led the men towards the elevator.

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Elsa couldn’t believe her ears. She opened her mouth and closed it.
“Ma, are the allegations true? Did Mr. Ige actually rape you?”, one of the men prodded after several minutes of silence.
“I think you should leave.”, she said and stood.
“Ma, you don’t have to be afraid. We only need you tell us the truth…”
“Are you deaf or something? I said you should leave.”, she shouted at them.
They looked at themselves and stood. “Ma, the police is your friend.”
“Ehen? I said you should leave. I have no interest in this case. Who even filed this case?”, she roared.
“According to our records, the complaint was made by a Mr. Jolá Ige.”, one of the men answered.
Was Jolá actually that cruel to want to ridicule her in her old age by making her stand and recount how her brother-in-law raped her? Didn’t he have any compassion? Didn’t he think that courtesy demanded he asked her first before making such a complaint? If she laid her hands on him, she’d rip him apart limb from limb.
“Ma?”, one man called jarring her from her murderous thoughts.
“Please leave.”, she demanded and pointed out.
“Ma, do you really have nothing to tell us?”
“Ive been telling you to leave since. Didn’t you hear?”, she roared.
They sighed and left the house.

millieademi:
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Tinu sat a wall looking at pictures Ajiri gave her from the twins' Recognition Day. Ajiri told her Temi was part of the school's mini orchestra and he played his solo piece Fur Elise so beautifully. She smiled at the picture of her son in his little coat with tails with his fingers on the keys of the black grand piano. She looked at the other pictures of him receiving prices for excelling in some subjects. She smiled at her daughter’s picture. Tóminí was receiving an award in it. Ajiri told her she won the school’s art competition for the students in the lower primary section. She felt blessed to have such gifted children.

She was probably looking at the pictures for the hundredth time since Ajiri gave them to her. She could see herself in Tóminí. She hoped the girl wouldn’thave to pass through half the pain she went through. Tears stung her eyes as she saw the family picture the twins took with Chris, Tega, Evwomazino and Ajiri. Chris looked so much like his father. He had the same dark eyes and in the picture he smiled so much like Chris.

She wished she could be with her children. She would have probably been the craziest mum at the Recognition Day, cheering wildly and giving standing ovations. She would probably have embarrassed her children. She wouldn’tcare. That’s what family does. They are there for you in good times and bad, rejoicing with you and crying with you. She remembered when she won a design competition in school and she was awarded by the first lady of the state. Her mum kept on cheering and telling everyone that cared to listen that was her daughter. She remembered her dad pinching her and telling her to behave.
She looked at the pictures again and again.

In the blink of an eye, the pictures were gone. She looked up in outrage and saw one of her cellmates glaring at her, one of the squeezing her pictures. She stood in the speed of light.

“Aliya, give me my pictures.”, she demanded firmly. The lady kept mute, eyeing her and crunched the pictures harder.

“Aliya, I said give me back my pictures.”, she shouted and made to collect them but the lady pushed her back.


“You think you are smart abi? You will be behaving as if you are the queen of this prison. Let me tell you something, we were here before you. So you better let your head be correct. Where is the money you were given day before yesterday?”, Aliya asked.

Tinu looked at her in anger and said “I gave everything to Hadiza. Give me back my pictures.”

“Are you mad? I said where I the money?”, Aliya shouted.

“Are you deaf? I said I have everything to Hadiza.”, Tinu responded.

Aliya, enraged, slapped Tinu. “Who do you think you are talking to?” Tinu held her cheek and glared at her. “Where is the money?”

“It is with Hadiza.”, Tinu replied.

“You think I am joking with you?”, Aliya said and ripped Tinu’s pictures into two. Tinu looked at her pictures in pieces on the floor and slapped with all her might. Aliya fell to the floor from the impact. Aliya looked at Tinu in shock.

“All this while you’ve been stealing from me but I kept quiet. You slapped me and I kept quiet. The next time you try to touch anything pertaining to my children, that day I will show you the reason I am in prison.”, Tinu said, picked up the pieces of her pictures and walked away