09-11-2018, 10:52 PM
*FRIENDLY ENEMIES*
*Episode 9 & 10
A month later, after some threats from Mama Eno to take up the matter with relevant authorities, and disrupt his mother’s political ambition, coupled with the pressure from his father, Dozie succumbed into accepting the pregnancy.
Dozie: “Mum, I am just accepting this
arrangement because you have insisted on saving the face of this family from unnecessary publicity else I would have insisted on us going for a paternity test to determine the owner of her
pregnancy”.
Mama Dozie: “Please, my son. Just do this for me, I don’t want anything that will bring unnecessary attention to this family. After she gives birth, we shall go for a DNA test after which we will quietly send her away if the child is not yours. If you ask for paternity test to determine the owner of the pregnancy now, her mother will say you got her daughter
pregnant and because we are rich we
paid the hospital to falsify the results in our favour, before you know, the press will be involved and people will forget their problems and start gossiping with our name up and down. That can ruin my political ambition for life”.
For the sake of the love he has for his
family, he had sacrificed his future and married her quietly without any publicity. He was present albeit reluctantly at the arrangement which was done in her mother’s house with just four family members in attendance. All through the day, he had stayed away from her as much as he could and as soon as the
everything was over, he had driven home forgetting that he was to leave
with his bride as a couple. He rushed to his house and grabbed a can of Black Bullet drink, the aim was to intoxicate himself so that he could forget all about the happenings of the day. An hour later, his parents drove in accompanied by
Eno, his supposed wife.
Baba Dozie: “Why did you have to rush home without waiting for your wife? Don’t you know that you are supposed to come back together as newly weds? And to think that no one saw you leave the venue, we were busy searching for you everywhere”.
Dozie: “My wife? Which wife are you
talking about here?” He tried to get up but staggered and fell on the chair for he was drunk.
Mama Dozie: “You have been drinking again. What the hell is wrong with you? How can you get drunk on the day you got married? What sort of first impression are you giving to your wife?”
Dozie: “Which wife? I don’t want to hear that word around me again. If any of you mention wife around here, I will just run far away to a place where you will never find me”. He screamed.
Baba Dozie: “It is okay, my dear, let us go to our house and leave the couple alone. I am sure they can handle this better as husband and wife”. He said to his wife.
They turned back and drove back to
their house leaving Eno who was struggling with her box of clothes
behind. Eno stood on the spot where she was standing before his parents left for more than 10 minutes. Four times she stole glances at the man whom she just married and even though they established eye contact, he didn’t even acknowledge her presence. Tired, she moved close and sat down beside him on the same sofa.
Dozie: “Get your filthy ass from my chair!” Dozie barked causing her to jump up with fright.
Eno: “I … I am sorry, I only wanted to sit down close to you”. She closed her mouth when she noticed that he wasn’t even listening to her.
She remained standing and after some minutes, she summoned enough courage and sat on the chair opposite him with her box of cloth lying beside her. Exhausted from the marriage stress, she fell asleep there on the sofa.
Samantha tried to get across to Dozie but he refused to pick her calls and after some days, he switched off his phones and went off social media. Tired from listening to the computer voice telling her that his number is switched off, she decided to pay him a visit. She got to his
family house and the security man
informed her that he had finally moved in to his house.
Jonny: “Madam, oga Dozie don pack commot from this house kpatakpata o, na him house wey dey Garki area 8 him dey stay now”.
Samantha: “Dozie packed out and he
didn’t tell me? I thought he said he will call me back the last time I was here. Do you know why he had to move out in such a hurry?”
Jonny: “I no know o, but since that
woman wey get big bakasi and her
daughter come here, na so so argument oga Dozie and him parents dey inside”.
Samantha: “Who? You mean Eno and her mother?”
Jonny: “Exactly. Na Eno I hear them call her that day. My sister, that mama Eno get big behind no be small, she push me with her back, I nearly jam wall”.
He stopped talking when he saw that
Samantha had entered her car and was driving back.
Jonny: “Aunty, you don dey go be that? You no go even give me anything to take buy something cool throat today? Na wa, this recession reach your side too?”
Samantha drove to Eno’s house in deep thoughts. She was wondering what Jonny meant by saying that Eno and her mother had been in Dozie’s house several times to make trouble. “Could this be the reason
Eno has refused to visit me or pick my calls these days? But she told me she was travelling to Dubai for the weekend now?” She drove to Eno’s house and when she got to the compound and met two people who
were dressed as in if they came for an occasion. She asked what was happening and while she was waiting for an answer, Eno’s mother came down from upstairs.
Mama Eno: “Samantha, you are here, we were expecting you to come in and be with your friend since morning. I don’t even know the kind of friends that my daughter has, none of you could even come for her”.
Samantha: “I don’t get you, ma. What are you talking about?”
Mama Eno: “Oh common, Samantha. I know it is painful but you have just to accept whatever happened in good faith. Destiny cannot be altered”.
Samantha: “Please mum where is Eno? I really need to talk to her, it's urgent”.
Mama Eno: “She is in her husband’s house”.
Samantha tried her best to curtail her shock at the fact that Eno got married without inviting her. She drove quickly to the address Mama Eno gladly provided as Eno’s
husband’s house.
Mama Eno: “The earlier she knows the truth, the better. I want her to let go of all the love that she has for my son in-law. Nonsense girl!” She said when Samantha drove away.
Eno was on the sofa, she was asleep when she heard a knock. Quickly, she got up and made for the door thinking it was one or more of Dozie’s friend who had come to wish them a happy married life. She opened the door and was shocked to see Samantha
standing at the door.
Eno: “You? What are you doing here? I mean how did you know that I am here?”
Samantha: “It is a small world, Eno. Is this the Dubai you said you were going to for the weekend?”
Eno: “And what is that supposed to mean?”
Samantha: “So you got married and you didn’t tell me? What were you afraid off? That I will seduce your boyfriend just the way you seduced my man?”
Eno: “And why must I invite you to my wedding or give you details about my whereabouts? Are you a monitoring spirit now or what?”
Samantha: “Why you must invite me to your wedding? Because you are supposed to be my best friend. Because I tell you everything about me and so I do not expect that you
will hide anything from me. Because I love you the same way I would love my sister. Because we have come a long way. Because …”
Eno: “Just cut it short there, Samantha. Because, because, because. Because of what? Listen, I just got married and we are
supposed to be in there enjoying our
honeymoon before your knock interrupted us”.
Samantha: “What has come over you, Eno. You have been behaving strangely these days. This is how you will mess up and then you will come and start begging me to forgive you. The same thing you did during
my wedding and now …”
Eno: “I see that you have not gotten over the fact that you were ditched by Dozie on your wedding day. Well, how is that my fault? Did I ask him to ditch you? The guy saw that I am better than you in everything and that
was why he chosed me over you, who no like better thing? Abegi”
Samantha: “Alright then, can I at least see your husband and congratulate him? At least we are still friends right?”
Eno: “Now you are talking. Only that my husband is not at home right now”.
Samantha: “Really? I thought you said you were enjoying your honeymoon before I knocked, how come he is suddenly not at home anymore?”
Eno: “Yes, I mean no. In fact, why am I answering you? Please, come and be going, I am tired of standing and answering your questions, I am not your patient in your hospital”.
Samantha: “You are asking me to leave your compound without even inviting me inside your house?”
Eno: “Yes o. Come and leave. Abeg which kind problem be this? Hian! Come dey go, na. I am a married woman now and I don’t want friends around me because I don’t trust friends, what you have these days are friendly enemies everywhere. They will be laughing with you and yet turn around to stab you. I can’t risk any of my friends coming close to my man, I go just wound person”.
Samantha: “Okay, then. I guess I am the fool for not knowing there is something called friendly enemies. If I knew, I wouldn’t have even thought of using you as my maid of honour
when I wanted to get married. All the same, I am wiser now and I wish you all the joy and fulfillment that marriage brings”.
Samantha was about to turn when Dozie who heard voices in his sleep walked out.
Dozie: Eno, who are you talking with? He asked as he walked out.
Samantha turned when she heard his voice and it felt like time stood still as tension mounted between the three of them......
*FRIENDLY ENEMIES*
*Episode 10*
Samantha remained speechless for some minutes before she found her voice.
Samantha: “What is going on here?” Dozie who was sober after the effect of the alcohol began to scratch his head and shield his face from shame. Eno on her part lost her voice and began to fidget.
Samantha: “Can somebody tell me what is going on here?” She screamed.
Dozie: “Baby, please listen to me. It was she who …”
Samantha: “Yes, she did what?"
Eno suddenly found her voice and became aggressive.
Eno: "Why are you asking about what is going on here? Isn’t it obvious that he is my husband?”
Samantha: “No, this is not happening, I am dreaming. I must be dreaming.” Turning to Dozie she said “Tell me this is not true, baby. You didn’t … you didn’t dump me only to marry her”.
Dozie: “It wasn’t my fault, she conspired against me”.
“Nooo!” Samantha screamed and ran out of the house into her car. Eno hissed and went back into the sitting room.
Mama Samantha became worried when for more than 3 hours after her daughter went out she didn’t return. She knew that Samantha didn’t usually stay up late and she was worried on this day because her daughter was on night duty and was due to be at work by 8:00pm. At 8: 45pm, she tried calling her number but it was switched off.
Mama Samantha: “This is so unlike my daughter. Could it be that she has gone to work from wherever she went to? But she ought to have called or sent a message to inform me now. Samantha never switches off her phone even when she is on duty in the hospital, what she does is to put it on silent mode”.
She stood up and went to Samantha’s room, on the table where she kept her books, her mother found a pamphlet containing the hospital’s number. She dialed and after a while the receptionist on duty picked up.
Receptionist: “Jettei specialist hospital, how may I help you?“
Mama Samantha: “I am the mother of one of your doctors. I will like to find out if she is in the hospital. I can’t reach her line”.
Receptionist: “Okay, ma. May I know the doctor you are referring to please?”
Mama Samantha: “Samantha. Samantha Lucious. Sorry about that omission”.
Receptionist: “Hold on a second, ma. I need to find out if she has reported today”.
There was few minutes pause which felt like eternity to Samantha’s mother. The receptionist’s voice came alive on the receiver and Mama Samantha felt the irregular beating of her heart.
Receptionist: “Sorry, madam, but doctor Samantha has not reported for duty this night”.
Mama Samantha thanked the receptionist and dropped the call. The irregular beating of her heart resumed and her instinct told her that all was not well with her daughter. “God please, save my daughter, she prayed”. She waited till 10:00pm and called the hospital and the receptionist told her the same story and that they had tried to reach her all to no avail as there was a patient who was supposed to be operated on by her and a team of other doctors. Afraid that her daughter may have been kidnapped, Mama Samantha drove to Eno’s house to ask if her daughter had been there.
Mama Eno was preparing to go to bed when Mama Samantha knocked.
Mama Samantha: “Sorry to disturb you by this time of the night”.
Mama Eno: “What are you doing here by this time of the night? Can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
Mama Samantha: I haven’t been able to reach my daughter since afternoon when she left the house. I came to ask if she was here and to ask your daughter if she knows where she went since they are best of friends”.
Mama Eno: “My daughter is in her husband’s house and we haven’t seen Samantha here this evening”.
Mama Samantha: “Eno is married? And neither you nor my daughter told me? What is happening?”
Mama Eno: “Life is unpredictable. You should be used to that by now. By the way, I don’t know why you should come here to ask of your daughter, this isn’t the Police Station where cases of missing persons are reported”.
Mama Samantha: “I wanted to go to the Police station but I thought of coming here first”.
Mama Eno: “She is not here, final answer”.
Mama Samantha: “Okay. Can you at least accompany me to the police station? We are friends and so are our daughters. I need all the company I can get tonight”.
Mama Eno: “Sorry, as you can see, I am already in my pyjamas ready to go to bed”.
Mama Samantha drove in silence to the police station. It was almost 11pm and even though the car’s window was wound up and her car heater on, she shivered slightly. She drove in to the police station and demanded to see the DPO.
Police man: “Madam, why you wan see our oga?”
Mama Samantha: “That is none of your business. You just show me his office, that is all I need from you“.
Policeman: “None of my business ba? Okay now, I go see how you go see my oga today”.
Mama Samantha: “Officer, will you attend to me? What do you get paid for every month?”
The policeman ignored her and continued writing. She stood there for some minutes without the Policeman looking at her direction. She realized that being aggressive with them wouldn’t work and she decided to play along.
Mama Samantha: “Please, Officer. Help me, it is urgent that I see the DPO”.
Policeman: “Now you are talking. Why you wan see my oga?”
Mama Samantha: “I need to report a case of missing person. My daughter to be precise”.
Policeman: “That na the reason wey you want see oga? Wetin dey inside this matter wey we no fit handle. Mama Samantha: “I am sorry, I can’t think straight. My daughter is my life, I can’t live without her”.
Policeman: “You no fit see oga this night o. It is already late and this your case, you go come back come report tomorrow”.
Mama Samantha: “What! My daughter is missing and you said we should wait till tomorrow before the police can begin search for her? Do you know the harm that can befall her between today and tomorrow?"
Policeman: “How long wey you never see her, madam?”
Mama Samantha: “She left the house around 4”.
Policeman: “You see? We no fit declare her missing until after 48 hours. Maybe your pikin dey with one of her bobos dey enjoy herself and you dey here dey disturb our sleep”.
Mama Samantha: “No, my daughter doesn’t do that“.
Policeman: “Abeg madam come dey go. It is too late to attend to your case”.
Mama Samantha: “In that case, I will remain here until tomorrow”.
Policeman: “You no fit stay here o, except you go go inside cell go sleep”.
Mama Samantha drove home in silence after the futile encounter with the Policeman. She was hopeful that she will meet her daughter at home, she ran into her room and she saw that Samantha hadn’t returned. She collapsed on her daughter’s bed and began to weep.
After Samantha drove away from their compound, Eno and Dozie returned to their former sitting position in the sitting room without saying a word to each other. Few minutes to 11, Dozie got up and made for his bedroom. After some minutes, Eno got up and dragged her box to the room.
“He is my husband after all, I have equal right as much as he does so why should I be afraid of him?” She said to herself.
Dozie was shocked when she entered the room. “What the hell are you doing in my room?” He barked.
Eno: “Your room or our bedroom?”
Dozie: “Our? How many times do I have to tell you that there can never be any us? How dare you walk into my room? I suppose that you are happy now after the show off you did in the presence of the one I truly love …”
Eno: “I am your wife, I demand that you respect me by not mentioning your ex in my presence”.
Dozie: “We shall see who is the ex between you and her. Get out of my house”.
Eno: “What?”
Dozie: “Out of my house I say, you whore!” He threw her out of the house and threw her bag at her”.
Eno: “You can’t do this to me. Where do you want me to go by this time of the day?
Dozie locked the door and went in, leaving her out in the dark............
What happened to Samantha? Oh, God, please keep her safe??
*Episode 9 & 10
A month later, after some threats from Mama Eno to take up the matter with relevant authorities, and disrupt his mother’s political ambition, coupled with the pressure from his father, Dozie succumbed into accepting the pregnancy.
Dozie: “Mum, I am just accepting this
arrangement because you have insisted on saving the face of this family from unnecessary publicity else I would have insisted on us going for a paternity test to determine the owner of her
pregnancy”.
Mama Dozie: “Please, my son. Just do this for me, I don’t want anything that will bring unnecessary attention to this family. After she gives birth, we shall go for a DNA test after which we will quietly send her away if the child is not yours. If you ask for paternity test to determine the owner of the pregnancy now, her mother will say you got her daughter
pregnant and because we are rich we
paid the hospital to falsify the results in our favour, before you know, the press will be involved and people will forget their problems and start gossiping with our name up and down. That can ruin my political ambition for life”.
For the sake of the love he has for his
family, he had sacrificed his future and married her quietly without any publicity. He was present albeit reluctantly at the arrangement which was done in her mother’s house with just four family members in attendance. All through the day, he had stayed away from her as much as he could and as soon as the
everything was over, he had driven home forgetting that he was to leave
with his bride as a couple. He rushed to his house and grabbed a can of Black Bullet drink, the aim was to intoxicate himself so that he could forget all about the happenings of the day. An hour later, his parents drove in accompanied by
Eno, his supposed wife.
Baba Dozie: “Why did you have to rush home without waiting for your wife? Don’t you know that you are supposed to come back together as newly weds? And to think that no one saw you leave the venue, we were busy searching for you everywhere”.
Dozie: “My wife? Which wife are you
talking about here?” He tried to get up but staggered and fell on the chair for he was drunk.
Mama Dozie: “You have been drinking again. What the hell is wrong with you? How can you get drunk on the day you got married? What sort of first impression are you giving to your wife?”
Dozie: “Which wife? I don’t want to hear that word around me again. If any of you mention wife around here, I will just run far away to a place where you will never find me”. He screamed.
Baba Dozie: “It is okay, my dear, let us go to our house and leave the couple alone. I am sure they can handle this better as husband and wife”. He said to his wife.
They turned back and drove back to
their house leaving Eno who was struggling with her box of clothes
behind. Eno stood on the spot where she was standing before his parents left for more than 10 minutes. Four times she stole glances at the man whom she just married and even though they established eye contact, he didn’t even acknowledge her presence. Tired, she moved close and sat down beside him on the same sofa.
Dozie: “Get your filthy ass from my chair!” Dozie barked causing her to jump up with fright.
Eno: “I … I am sorry, I only wanted to sit down close to you”. She closed her mouth when she noticed that he wasn’t even listening to her.
She remained standing and after some minutes, she summoned enough courage and sat on the chair opposite him with her box of cloth lying beside her. Exhausted from the marriage stress, she fell asleep there on the sofa.
Samantha tried to get across to Dozie but he refused to pick her calls and after some days, he switched off his phones and went off social media. Tired from listening to the computer voice telling her that his number is switched off, she decided to pay him a visit. She got to his
family house and the security man
informed her that he had finally moved in to his house.
Jonny: “Madam, oga Dozie don pack commot from this house kpatakpata o, na him house wey dey Garki area 8 him dey stay now”.
Samantha: “Dozie packed out and he
didn’t tell me? I thought he said he will call me back the last time I was here. Do you know why he had to move out in such a hurry?”
Jonny: “I no know o, but since that
woman wey get big bakasi and her
daughter come here, na so so argument oga Dozie and him parents dey inside”.
Samantha: “Who? You mean Eno and her mother?”
Jonny: “Exactly. Na Eno I hear them call her that day. My sister, that mama Eno get big behind no be small, she push me with her back, I nearly jam wall”.
He stopped talking when he saw that
Samantha had entered her car and was driving back.
Jonny: “Aunty, you don dey go be that? You no go even give me anything to take buy something cool throat today? Na wa, this recession reach your side too?”
Samantha drove to Eno’s house in deep thoughts. She was wondering what Jonny meant by saying that Eno and her mother had been in Dozie’s house several times to make trouble. “Could this be the reason
Eno has refused to visit me or pick my calls these days? But she told me she was travelling to Dubai for the weekend now?” She drove to Eno’s house and when she got to the compound and met two people who
were dressed as in if they came for an occasion. She asked what was happening and while she was waiting for an answer, Eno’s mother came down from upstairs.
Mama Eno: “Samantha, you are here, we were expecting you to come in and be with your friend since morning. I don’t even know the kind of friends that my daughter has, none of you could even come for her”.
Samantha: “I don’t get you, ma. What are you talking about?”
Mama Eno: “Oh common, Samantha. I know it is painful but you have just to accept whatever happened in good faith. Destiny cannot be altered”.
Samantha: “Please mum where is Eno? I really need to talk to her, it's urgent”.
Mama Eno: “She is in her husband’s house”.
Samantha tried her best to curtail her shock at the fact that Eno got married without inviting her. She drove quickly to the address Mama Eno gladly provided as Eno’s
husband’s house.
Mama Eno: “The earlier she knows the truth, the better. I want her to let go of all the love that she has for my son in-law. Nonsense girl!” She said when Samantha drove away.
Eno was on the sofa, she was asleep when she heard a knock. Quickly, she got up and made for the door thinking it was one or more of Dozie’s friend who had come to wish them a happy married life. She opened the door and was shocked to see Samantha
standing at the door.
Eno: “You? What are you doing here? I mean how did you know that I am here?”
Samantha: “It is a small world, Eno. Is this the Dubai you said you were going to for the weekend?”
Eno: “And what is that supposed to mean?”
Samantha: “So you got married and you didn’t tell me? What were you afraid off? That I will seduce your boyfriend just the way you seduced my man?”
Eno: “And why must I invite you to my wedding or give you details about my whereabouts? Are you a monitoring spirit now or what?”
Samantha: “Why you must invite me to your wedding? Because you are supposed to be my best friend. Because I tell you everything about me and so I do not expect that you
will hide anything from me. Because I love you the same way I would love my sister. Because we have come a long way. Because …”
Eno: “Just cut it short there, Samantha. Because, because, because. Because of what? Listen, I just got married and we are
supposed to be in there enjoying our
honeymoon before your knock interrupted us”.
Samantha: “What has come over you, Eno. You have been behaving strangely these days. This is how you will mess up and then you will come and start begging me to forgive you. The same thing you did during
my wedding and now …”
Eno: “I see that you have not gotten over the fact that you were ditched by Dozie on your wedding day. Well, how is that my fault? Did I ask him to ditch you? The guy saw that I am better than you in everything and that
was why he chosed me over you, who no like better thing? Abegi”
Samantha: “Alright then, can I at least see your husband and congratulate him? At least we are still friends right?”
Eno: “Now you are talking. Only that my husband is not at home right now”.
Samantha: “Really? I thought you said you were enjoying your honeymoon before I knocked, how come he is suddenly not at home anymore?”
Eno: “Yes, I mean no. In fact, why am I answering you? Please, come and be going, I am tired of standing and answering your questions, I am not your patient in your hospital”.
Samantha: “You are asking me to leave your compound without even inviting me inside your house?”
Eno: “Yes o. Come and leave. Abeg which kind problem be this? Hian! Come dey go, na. I am a married woman now and I don’t want friends around me because I don’t trust friends, what you have these days are friendly enemies everywhere. They will be laughing with you and yet turn around to stab you. I can’t risk any of my friends coming close to my man, I go just wound person”.
Samantha: “Okay, then. I guess I am the fool for not knowing there is something called friendly enemies. If I knew, I wouldn’t have even thought of using you as my maid of honour
when I wanted to get married. All the same, I am wiser now and I wish you all the joy and fulfillment that marriage brings”.
Samantha was about to turn when Dozie who heard voices in his sleep walked out.
Dozie: Eno, who are you talking with? He asked as he walked out.
Samantha turned when she heard his voice and it felt like time stood still as tension mounted between the three of them......
*FRIENDLY ENEMIES*
*Episode 10*
Samantha remained speechless for some minutes before she found her voice.
Samantha: “What is going on here?” Dozie who was sober after the effect of the alcohol began to scratch his head and shield his face from shame. Eno on her part lost her voice and began to fidget.
Samantha: “Can somebody tell me what is going on here?” She screamed.
Dozie: “Baby, please listen to me. It was she who …”
Samantha: “Yes, she did what?"
Eno suddenly found her voice and became aggressive.
Eno: "Why are you asking about what is going on here? Isn’t it obvious that he is my husband?”
Samantha: “No, this is not happening, I am dreaming. I must be dreaming.” Turning to Dozie she said “Tell me this is not true, baby. You didn’t … you didn’t dump me only to marry her”.
Dozie: “It wasn’t my fault, she conspired against me”.
“Nooo!” Samantha screamed and ran out of the house into her car. Eno hissed and went back into the sitting room.
Mama Samantha became worried when for more than 3 hours after her daughter went out she didn’t return. She knew that Samantha didn’t usually stay up late and she was worried on this day because her daughter was on night duty and was due to be at work by 8:00pm. At 8: 45pm, she tried calling her number but it was switched off.
Mama Samantha: “This is so unlike my daughter. Could it be that she has gone to work from wherever she went to? But she ought to have called or sent a message to inform me now. Samantha never switches off her phone even when she is on duty in the hospital, what she does is to put it on silent mode”.
She stood up and went to Samantha’s room, on the table where she kept her books, her mother found a pamphlet containing the hospital’s number. She dialed and after a while the receptionist on duty picked up.
Receptionist: “Jettei specialist hospital, how may I help you?“
Mama Samantha: “I am the mother of one of your doctors. I will like to find out if she is in the hospital. I can’t reach her line”.
Receptionist: “Okay, ma. May I know the doctor you are referring to please?”
Mama Samantha: “Samantha. Samantha Lucious. Sorry about that omission”.
Receptionist: “Hold on a second, ma. I need to find out if she has reported today”.
There was few minutes pause which felt like eternity to Samantha’s mother. The receptionist’s voice came alive on the receiver and Mama Samantha felt the irregular beating of her heart.
Receptionist: “Sorry, madam, but doctor Samantha has not reported for duty this night”.
Mama Samantha thanked the receptionist and dropped the call. The irregular beating of her heart resumed and her instinct told her that all was not well with her daughter. “God please, save my daughter, she prayed”. She waited till 10:00pm and called the hospital and the receptionist told her the same story and that they had tried to reach her all to no avail as there was a patient who was supposed to be operated on by her and a team of other doctors. Afraid that her daughter may have been kidnapped, Mama Samantha drove to Eno’s house to ask if her daughter had been there.
Mama Eno was preparing to go to bed when Mama Samantha knocked.
Mama Samantha: “Sorry to disturb you by this time of the night”.
Mama Eno: “What are you doing here by this time of the night? Can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
Mama Samantha: I haven’t been able to reach my daughter since afternoon when she left the house. I came to ask if she was here and to ask your daughter if she knows where she went since they are best of friends”.
Mama Eno: “My daughter is in her husband’s house and we haven’t seen Samantha here this evening”.
Mama Samantha: “Eno is married? And neither you nor my daughter told me? What is happening?”
Mama Eno: “Life is unpredictable. You should be used to that by now. By the way, I don’t know why you should come here to ask of your daughter, this isn’t the Police Station where cases of missing persons are reported”.
Mama Samantha: “I wanted to go to the Police station but I thought of coming here first”.
Mama Eno: “She is not here, final answer”.
Mama Samantha: “Okay. Can you at least accompany me to the police station? We are friends and so are our daughters. I need all the company I can get tonight”.
Mama Eno: “Sorry, as you can see, I am already in my pyjamas ready to go to bed”.
Mama Samantha drove in silence to the police station. It was almost 11pm and even though the car’s window was wound up and her car heater on, she shivered slightly. She drove in to the police station and demanded to see the DPO.
Police man: “Madam, why you wan see our oga?”
Mama Samantha: “That is none of your business. You just show me his office, that is all I need from you“.
Policeman: “None of my business ba? Okay now, I go see how you go see my oga today”.
Mama Samantha: “Officer, will you attend to me? What do you get paid for every month?”
The policeman ignored her and continued writing. She stood there for some minutes without the Policeman looking at her direction. She realized that being aggressive with them wouldn’t work and she decided to play along.
Mama Samantha: “Please, Officer. Help me, it is urgent that I see the DPO”.
Policeman: “Now you are talking. Why you wan see my oga?”
Mama Samantha: “I need to report a case of missing person. My daughter to be precise”.
Policeman: “That na the reason wey you want see oga? Wetin dey inside this matter wey we no fit handle. Mama Samantha: “I am sorry, I can’t think straight. My daughter is my life, I can’t live without her”.
Policeman: “You no fit see oga this night o. It is already late and this your case, you go come back come report tomorrow”.
Mama Samantha: “What! My daughter is missing and you said we should wait till tomorrow before the police can begin search for her? Do you know the harm that can befall her between today and tomorrow?"
Policeman: “How long wey you never see her, madam?”
Mama Samantha: “She left the house around 4”.
Policeman: “You see? We no fit declare her missing until after 48 hours. Maybe your pikin dey with one of her bobos dey enjoy herself and you dey here dey disturb our sleep”.
Mama Samantha: “No, my daughter doesn’t do that“.
Policeman: “Abeg madam come dey go. It is too late to attend to your case”.
Mama Samantha: “In that case, I will remain here until tomorrow”.
Policeman: “You no fit stay here o, except you go go inside cell go sleep”.
Mama Samantha drove home in silence after the futile encounter with the Policeman. She was hopeful that she will meet her daughter at home, she ran into her room and she saw that Samantha hadn’t returned. She collapsed on her daughter’s bed and began to weep.
After Samantha drove away from their compound, Eno and Dozie returned to their former sitting position in the sitting room without saying a word to each other. Few minutes to 11, Dozie got up and made for his bedroom. After some minutes, Eno got up and dragged her box to the room.
“He is my husband after all, I have equal right as much as he does so why should I be afraid of him?” She said to herself.
Dozie was shocked when she entered the room. “What the hell are you doing in my room?” He barked.
Eno: “Your room or our bedroom?”
Dozie: “Our? How many times do I have to tell you that there can never be any us? How dare you walk into my room? I suppose that you are happy now after the show off you did in the presence of the one I truly love …”
Eno: “I am your wife, I demand that you respect me by not mentioning your ex in my presence”.
Dozie: “We shall see who is the ex between you and her. Get out of my house”.
Eno: “What?”
Dozie: “Out of my house I say, you whore!” He threw her out of the house and threw her bag at her”.
Eno: “You can’t do this to me. Where do you want me to go by this time of the day?
Dozie locked the door and went in, leaving her out in the dark............
What happened to Samantha? Oh, God, please keep her safe??