THE MISTAKE OF MY MOTHER
The Mistake Of My Mother -Episode 18
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Rose
I think I am in trouble again. They said I killed my mum but how could I have done a thing like that? How could I have killed someone I loved so much? I wondered where Aunty Alexis was, she had probably relocated with her husband. I was left all alone yet again. There was no way I was going to trust this people who only want to lock me up. They only want to get information from me after which they will throw me into the street. I couldn’t let that happen. I think I will just hold on to the information I have, I will not tell them who the murderer is now so I can at least stay here and die.
As I sat in the cell they threw me in, musing over my life and about my mum, two policemen came and dragged me out yet again into an open enclosure with just a table and two chairs facing each other. A man came in and introduced himself as Derek, I recognised him as the man who had saved my life. Shortly after he entered, Anita also forced her way in. at a glance, I knew she wasn’t supposed to be there but she seemed to be quite headstrong.
Derek: “Do you know why we had to do this?” he asked without much ado.
Rose: “How am I supposed to know?”
Derek: “We did this because you have refused to tell us what you know even though you clearly saw the man. Can you make this easier on yourself and on us by telling us who this man is?”
Rose: “No I don’t want to”
Derek: “Why? Did you connive with the man to kill her but he escaped and left you behind?”
Anita: “Don’t answer that Rose. She needs a lawyer Derek”
Derek: “Well she is not getting convicted for murder, I will see to that. I only want her to tell us who the man actually is. Please talk to her” he said looking at Anita for help.
Anita: “Rose please why don’t you want to open up to us? We are only trying to help you here or don’t you want justice for your mum? Don’t you want her murderer brought to book? Please talk to us so we can do something before he runs away to a very far place” she pleaded with me. The mention of my mum melted my resolve and I began to cry.
Rose: “I want him brought to book. He killed my mum, he cut off her limbs, and she died a very terrible death. I want him to be caught. Will you be able to catch him?”’
Anita: “I trust my friend here dear. He will catch him for sure. All those who ever hurt you will be caught and punished. Your dad will be summoned to court this week for child abuse and molestation. Do not worry, he will be punished in a very terrible way too”
Derek: “Yes trust us. I promise to do my best so who was it?”
Rose: “It was Francis. They worked together at Hobark” I replied snivelling loudly.
Anita: “What? The one you told me wanted to marry her while she was pregnant with you? The one who never remarried?” she was dumbfounded.
Rose: “Yes he was the one. He was the person that kidnapped me earlier too”
Anita: “Damnit!” she slapped her hands on the table and started pacing around.
Derek: “Can you describe him?” he asked jotting something down in the jotter he seemed to always carry around. I gave him Francis’ description. “Good dear. You did very well, I will catch him soon so do not worry okay?”
Rose: “Okay”
Derek: “And for the record, always do whatever Annie asks you to do. She means well”
Rose: “Okay” I said and watched him leave. Shortly after, I was released and had to go home with Anita.
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Anita
I could not believe my ears when she told me who her mum’s murderer was. I felt angry and disappointed at the same time. Who then can one trust in this world? I didn’t trust myself to say one single word after then. I saw to it that she was released that day and because I didn’t want to take the risk I took the day she was kidnapped, I took her home with me. She needed stability in her life and I was ready to give her that even though she didn’t trust me just yet.
Rose: “Thanks for bringing me to your house”
She said looking around at my two bedroom apartment. It wasn’t so big but I had a room to spare for my guests. I thought of letting her have that one room but decided against it not knowing when Francis will decide to strike again. I made her have her bathe and while she was at it, I peeped in and the scars on her body made me want to throw up. The ones she inflicted on herself and the ones which were inflicted on her. I wondered how the ones in her heart would be, the ones on her body were just a tiny reflection of the ones she had inside of her. Her life was indeed pitiful. I wondered how her mother could have let herself fall so stupidly for a man like that-what was she thinking?
When she was done eating, she came to me and hugged me, thanking me an umpteenth time.
Anita: “It is okay dear. It is fine. I am most glad to have you here too. And don’t forget that you need to rest, you will have to appear at the court against your dad in two days’ time” I said patting her back gently.
Rose: “I don’t want to go there, I don’t ever want to see him again. I am afraid of him” she said sadly but of course who wouldn’t be?
Anita: “I know you are and I understand dear. It is okay to be afraid but you should know that he cannot hurt you anymore. He was never a father to you since he never really wanted you from the beginning”
Rose: “Yeah. I don’t even call him dad anymore. He really did hurt me”
Anita: “It is fine dear. It really is. Should we go to bed now?”
Rose: “Yes we should but can you read a poem to me please? Maybe that would make me fall asleep? I haven’t slept for a very long time now I don’t even know what sleeping feels like anymore”
Anita: “Yeah sure! I can do that but I don’t have any poetry book. What do we do?”
Rose: “You can search for one online. There are many, just type in the name of the poet into Google search engine. I really love reading poems and I love being read to too but no one ever really did that for me”
Anita: “Oh good! I guess it’s that poet whose poem you recited from the beginning you will want me to search out right?”
Rose: “You are smart. I love him”
Anita: “I can see that” I said admiring her beautiful face which had optimism rather than pain written all over it. I read ‘Dear Daddy’ to her from the collection Google provided and she slept off while I read the last stanza.
I bent down and placed a gentle kiss on cheek, laid her back properly and sang myself to sleep too.
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Rose
I didn’t know when I slept off while listening to her sonorous voice read the poem sweetly to me. The poem felt like a judgement on my dad for his misdeeds towards me. It must have been way into midnight when I heard a thud like someone landing on the hard floor from somewhere high like a fence. I jumped and looked at her to see if she would react too and yeah she did since she had also woken up with surprise written all over her face. We looked at each other frightfully and climbed off the bed at the same time. Felt like I was with an elder sister whose body language I understood as much as I did mine. We heard keys rattling outside, the person outside or the people outside had spare key to her apartment, we both hugged each other and began to pray silently…
To be continued
QUESTIONS
Why did Francis killed Ahunli? What could be his reasons?
Who is the intruder?
Will both of them survive?
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