THIRD PARTY IN MARRIAGE
EPISODE 18
Paul: “Ralph, you should go with her. There is no time to waste” he nudged him forward and he followed the nurse.
On getting inside the doctor’s office, he saw Annie sleeping soundly on the only bed inside the office and heaved a sigh of relief.
Ralph: “Good afternoon doctor”
Doctor: “Good noon to you too, please have your seat” he said looking at him from the rim of his glasses.
Ralph: “So what did the test result indicate?”
Doctor: “Nothing serious. It’s just febrile convulsion which happened because of her high fever. Her temperature was 39°C. I will prescribe some drugs for you, make sure you administer them on her till she is stable again” he scribbled something in a jotter and passed it to him.
Ralph: “But hope it’s not epilepsy?”
Doctor: “Not at all. It is a different kind of convulsion and less harmful than epilepsy though it can still give rise to epilepsy if care is not taken. Among the drug I prescribed, there is anti-convulsant among them though it might not be necessary she takes it. Just make sure you get all the drugs and administer them on her like I instructed on the paper. Good luck and for the record, your daughter is a very strong and lovely girl”
Ralph: “Thank you doctor” he said, smiling. He stood up, took the doctor’s outstretched hand in a handshake, went over to Annie and scooped her up from the bed into his arms. Her temperature had gone considerably down but he noticed she was weaker than usual. “Sorry baby!” he whispered into her hears and walked out of the doctor’s office. As soon as his friends saw hi, they both surrounded him asking one question after the other. They touched Annie gently and were relieved to know she was no longer running temperature as much as she was earlier.
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Soon enough, Sammy stopped going home from school because he knew she would be waiting for him. He dreaded that moment when she would climb him and do the stuffs she did or the moments she made him do those stuffs he did. He would linger around the school, cook up every possible excuse just to stay longer outside.
On that particular day when he got back from school at past 7pm. He met his dad in the sitting room, angry while his step mum was sitting with him. They were waiting for him.
Richard: “Where are you coming from Mr Man? He queried him as soon as she entered the sitting room.
Sammy: “I am coming from school” he said looking down.
Richard: “You are just coming back from school by this time Sammy? At this age? You are just twelve years for crying out loud and you are already keeping late nights?”
Sammy: “I had extra assignment so I decided to do it in school”
Richard: “So you are always having a surprise outing? I have been getting complaints about you since this started but I thought it will stop with time but you are getting worst by the day. Why are you doing this Sammy? Am I not a good father to you?”
Ophelia: “Honey take it easy with him please. He is still young, he is just showing signs of puberty; you know adolescence is setting in so this is just normal” She looked at Sam who gave her a look of disgust and she winked at him, sticking out her tongue seductively, he looked away as his dad’s gaze was riveted on him.
Richard: “What nonsense adolescence at the age of twelve? He is just being rebellious and nothing more. Why are you trying to kill me? Was I the one who killed your mum?” he regretted that statement as soon as they left his mouth.
Sammy: “Don’t ever talk about my mum again. What do you know? There is nothing you are good at? You are neither good at being a husband nor a father. If you were you wouldn’t have given up so easily on finding Annie. You are a coward da…” before he could finish saying dad, his dad stuck out his hand in a bidding flash of lightening and struck him in the cheek, blood few out from his mouth.
Ophelia: “Richaarrrd! Why did you do that? How could you strike him like that?” she flared up unexpectedly.
Sammy was dazed for a moment, even the tears refused to flow. That was the first time any of his parents will ever raise their hands at him. He looked at his dad who stood in front of him defiantly and just turned back and walked out on him.
Richard: “Come back here right away you insolent fool. You dare call me a coward? The next time you do that, its belt I’d use on you” he raved and slumped down heavily onto the settee behind him. “I can’t believe this is happening” he lamented sadly.
Ophelia: “You shouldn’t have done that honey, now you just made issues worst. How do we go about this now?”
Richard: “Weren’t you there when he was heaping abusive words at me? So you expect me to just keep mute?”
Ophelia: “I am not justifying his actions but you as an adult should know better than hitting a child like that. Please go and talk to him” she said pleadingly.
Richard: “No way! Just stay out of this okay?” he warned and walked out on her. She couldn’t think of what to do. “Now i know where Sammy got his stubbornness from. they are both the same”she said to herself.
===
He walked inside his room grief stricken and emotionally bruised. He sat on the bed and looked around, saw the picture of Annie hung on the wall and walked over to it.
Sammy:” “Baby sister, hope you are living a good life? Where are you now? I know you must b looking quite beautiful now. Your birthday is tomorrow and also the day mum died. I feel so alone, my life is ruined. I don’t know what to do anymore” the tears flowed freely now. “I am not even really sure if you are alive and it’s all my fault. I was not a good brother, I did not protect you enough. I should have ran after those men faster than I did. Mum must really be mad at me now, I am a useless son. Annie and mum, I miss you two so much” he started looking frantically around. “I don’t think it’s okay for me to keep living right? All I have to do is push something sharp inside my stomach and I will be able to see you two again right? What use is living this kind of life? See what that woman has turned me to?” just then he remembered the compass in his bag and went for it. He brought it out, held it tightly in his hands and closed his eyes…
He raised the compass as high as he could but then he heard the shuffling of feet outside his door. He quickly hid the compass under his bed, laid on the bed and pretended to be asleep. The door slide open and Ophelia tiptoed into the room. She sat on the edge of the bed…
Ophelia: “Sammy…”she called his name in a whisper. “Sammy?” she tried again when he did not answer her. He stirred a bit, the right side of his face was swollen and reddish. She had taken with her a bowl of warm water and towel. She dipped the towel into the bowl and squeezed out the water, reached out towards his swollen face with it but he flung her hand away. She tried again and the same thing happened.
Sammy: “Please stay away from me. What exactly do you want from me now?”
Ophelia: “I am just trying to help you”
Sammy: “I don’t need your help. So just leave me alone” he said and turned away from her.
Ophelia: “Hmmmmmm! How can a boy be so stubborn?” she said and sighed again.
Sammy: “You think I don’t know you are the one reporting everything to my dad? You are such a nine tailed fox aunty and I hate you from the bottom of my heart”
Ophelia: “Hate me as much as you want. This is just a tip of the iceberg. Just imagine what his reaction would be when I tell him how you readily gave Annie up?”
Sammy: “I did not readily give her up, she was snatched away from me” he sat up with a scowl on his face.
Ophelia: “Who do you think he will believe? He already knows you as a spoilt little brat. See I will advise you to just thread carefully and start coming home the time you used to before. Don’t even stay ten minutes late otherwise…” she stood up and stepped back from him. Looked at him for a while, shook her head and left leaving the bowl and its contents behind.
Sammy looked at her retreating figure and cursed her in his mind . “Mum even if you are dead, do you have to just stand by and watch our lives ruined by this usurper? I heard the spirit of dead mothers do fight for their progenies but you, why are you sleeping so much? God! I am your child, you did say children are your heritage so why do you watch while I am being tormented?”
===
Annie, now six years old was just as brilliant and smart as Sammy when he was the same age. Her daddies were so proud of her academic excellence that each time she came first in her class, they got her a mirage of toys and any other things she wanted. She was indeed a princess living a fairy-tale life. Ever since that fever of hers, they took extra care where she was concerned, taking her to the hospital every month for check-up: they did not want a recurring incidence.
It was the end of third term in The Embassy Primary School, her nanny Ewatomi went to pick her up from school. Ewa was a very caring and nice lady of twenty three years. She, like her daddies doted on her and was very attentive to her just like a mother would be. They had to get a nanny for her when she was three years because their jobs became more demanding. At first they were afraid to leave her in the care of an outsider because of all the stories they’d heard and read about evil nannies and maids but Ewa who was Ralph’s friend volunteered to help out since she was not so busy. She wanted to do it free but they insisted on paying her.
When they got home, Ewa was so curious to know what her report card stated…
Ewa: “Now that you have eaten Annie love, please can I see your report card now?” she winked and contorted her face in order for Annie to take pity on her and show her the card but she just laughed.
Annie: “Ahahahahahaha…see your face like rat shit! I will not show you. Never!” she said hiding her card behind her.
Ewa: “Where did you hear rat shit from o. this girl you are getting spoilt fa”
Annie: “My aunty in school do say it to anyone who is crying unnecessarily in class”
Ewa: “Okay o but why? Why won’t you show me? I thought we were friends?” she said pretending to be sad.
Annie: “Yes we are friends but I want to show my daddies first. Even I have not opened it yet. Let’s wait for them you hear? Don’t be sad, I will show you after I show them then I will show myself too” her voice was just like that of Alice in Wonderland.
Ewa: “Awwwww! How can you be so sweet?” she said and gathered her into her arms. “How I wish I gave birth to you, then I wouldn’t ask for anything much in this life again but just a comfortable life for you”
Annie: “That reminds me…Who is my mother?” She disengaged from her embrace to look at her.
Ewa: “Uhmmmm!” she did not see the question coming.
Annie: “Okay don’t answer that. There is no way you’d know anyway” she said and strutted to the front of the TV to watch cartoon on Nickelodeon station. “Can I watch cartoon now please? Since I will not be going to school anytime soon and I have many days to do my assignment?”
Ewa: “Yes baby you can” she replied smiling fondly at her.
The heavy hands of sleep was upon her but she refused to succumb to it, she clutched her report card in her hands waiting for them to return.
Ewa: “Annie, come let me tuck you in now, it’s almost 9 o’clock and you are supposed to be on bed latest 8:30. You will show them tomorrow okay?” she said approaching her.
Annie: “No! I will wait for them” just then she heard their car horn outside. “Tada! They are back” she said excitedly.
As soon as Paul had stepped in, he saw Annie running towards him with an envelope in her hand. He stooped down and threw open his arms as she jumped into it.
Paul: “My ever happy daughter” she gave him a peck on the cheek and went over to the Ralph and Dickson, embraced and pecked them one after the other beaming with smiles. “Why aren’t you asleep yet? It’s way past your bedtime.
Ewa: “She was waiting for you o”
Annie: “See my report card” she extended the envelope to him. He took it and tore open the seal, unfolded it and “wow” escaped his mouth.
Ralph: “Let me see!” he said and snatched it from him. “Wooooow! Our baby is a genius. You got a double promotion to primary three? Come and give me a bear hug jooor…” he said and scooped her into his arms spinning her round and round until she could laugh no more.
Dickson: “But how can a girl be so smart? She got 100% in all of the subjects except Yoruba where she got 95%. Wow! We will go shopping on Saturday. Where would you like to go this time? Shoprite?”
Annie: “No! I don’t want anything this time…” she looked down.
Paul: “Hey! Is anything wrong? How can our Annie not want anything after getting a double promotion?” he said worriedly.
Annie: “I want to know my mum. Everyone in school has a mum and dad but I only have three daddies and no mum. I want a mum too” she said choking on tears.
The four of them exchanged confused looks. That was the first time she ever asked about her mum.
Ralph: “Sweetheart!”
Annie: “Is my mother dead? If she is dead then one of you should get married so I can have a mum. Aunty Ewa is a good person, why can’t one of you marry her?” she said looking from one embarrassed adult to another.
Paul: “Don’t worry, you will know your mum soon okay? I just hope she really is alive and not relenting in her search for her daughter”
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