Sammy was discharged the
following week after Annie’s
visit. When they got home, he
could not believe he was home
at last. He went straight to
where his mum’s picture was
hung on the wall in his room
and said “Mum I am back.
Thanks for watching over me
and you will not believe I saw
a girl who looks just like you,
she is so adorable, a real
princess. She even saved me, I
could have died. I wish you
were alive mum, you would
have loved her very much too.
When I make enough money, I
will marry her” he said giggling
from ears to ears. His dad snuck
into the room.
Richard: “Welcome back home
son! I feel like the whole world
has been placed under my feet
with you in this house again. I
hope your mum forgives me
too, I made you suffer so much
and closed my eyes to what
you were going through. I am
not a good father at all and
you were right, I was a coward
and a weakling but that has
changed now. I will be strong
for you from now as long as I
live. How I wish your sister is
here too”
Sammy: “We will find her
someday dad. It will happen
like a miracle so don’t worry
dad. Besides what of my step
mum? I haven’t heard anything
about her for a very long time
now” she looked up at him.
Richard: “She is no longer your
step mum. I don’t know where
she is either and I don’t want
to know. She should better
remain hidden except she
needs more drama in her
pathetic life” he said bitterly.
Sammy: “So you don’t love her
anymore?”
Richard: “How can I continue
loving the person who ruined
my family and almost ruined
my only son’s life? I regret ever
loving her to begin with. I did
not look well before leaping
and my children were made to
carry the brunt of my
carelessness. l can never be
done with paying for my sins
son” he placed his hand across
his shoulder and he smiled.
Sammy: “It’s okay dad. I will
make sure never to make the
same mistakes you made. I will
be very patient with my wife
and not be quarrelsome for the
sake of my children. I will pay
more attention to my children
too to know when they are
going through hard times and
then, I will never tell a single
woman my marital challenges
or listen to her advice
especially when I know she
will do no good for my
marriage. I learnt a lot from
you dad”
Richard: “Someone is back to
his old self again. I missed you
all the way my boy” he said
and drew him to a close
embrace.
===
Johnson got back home ahead
of time that day but only to
find his wife murdered with
multiple stab wounds on her
mid-section and chest. He was
taken aback at first when he
saw her pleading eyes frozen
by the icy hands of death. He
heard his children coming back
happily and quickly went
outside to meet them locking
the door behind him. He took
them to their grandma’s place
without bothering to answer
any of their questions. His mind
was running wild, thinking of
what to do and how to catch
the murderer until he
remembered he had installed a
CCTV in his bedroom and in the
living room since the first time
he caught them kissing. He had
not been satisfied with their
flimsy excuses so he had the
CCTV installed in a bid to catch
them red-handed.
After dropping his two kids, he
went back home, called the
police and two officers were
sent to him. Even they were
surprised at how gruesome the
murder was, it was something
out of the movies.
1 st Officer: “What Nigerian
demon could have had the
guts to do something like
this?” he asked looking at the
corpse with horror.
2 nd Officer: “It’s truly terrible.
And I have checked the whole
perimeter, the doors and
everything. There seems to be
no indication of false entry or
much struggle. It seems the
victim knows the murderer and
was even cordial with him or
her. That is my observation
though”
1 st Officer: “I agree with you
but let’s dig around even more
maybe we can find more
evidence to pin down the
person who did this?”
2 nd Officer: “Mr Johnson, do
you probably have any idea on
who could have done this?
Maybe a jealous ex, colleague,
a stalker e.t.c?” he said facing
Johnson who was at one
corner shivering like a lone
man on a street of London
during winter.
Johnson: “I have no idea officer
but I do remember installing a
CCTV somewhere over there”
he said pointing at one said of
the ceiling.
1 st Officer: “Oh very good!
Very very good!! That was very
thoughtful of you sir, you just
made our work easier” he said
walking towards the Camera.
2 nd Officer: “Call an ambulance
now, so she can be taken to a
morgue. She might start
decomposing soon” he said as
they walked towards the door.
===
On getting to her hotel, it was
as if everybody was pointing
accusing fingers at her. Every
faces she saw was Gloria’s it
was just like Judas Iscariot’s
hallucination saga on his way
to commit suicide in “The
Passion of Christ” Movies. She
staggered to her room,
thinking it would be over but
every objects in the room, even
her bed had bloodstains on
them. She saw Gloria’s dead
face in the mirror instead of
hers. She held her head with
her two hands and began to
scream. All of a sudden,
everything became normal
again, she fell on her bed and
went into a nightmarish
slumber.
Meanwhile, every stations on
GOTV carried the news of the
murder of a young woman at
her home by her best friend
whom she was allegedly
having an immoral affair with
before she got married. Her
picture was all over the social
media urging anyone who
sights her to give the police a
call. A bounty price of Ten
million naira was placed on her
head. Everyone who saw the
news or read it online was on
the lookout for her.
One of the cleaners who helped
clean her room once at the
Hilton hotel called the police
and informed them that she
was there, she also gave them
her room number.
As she slept, she heard a bang
on her door and opened her
eyes like a possessed. The door
handle turned and three police
officers with their AK47
pointed in front of them
aiming at her barged into the
room. She made to run to the
bathroom but they were
swifter and double-crossed her.
Policeman: “You are under
arrest for the murder of Mrs
Gloria Arowolo. You are
advised to keep quiet since
anything you say now can be
used against you in the law
court” he said like a
programmed robot.
Ophelia: “Who are you guys to
arrest me like this? I refuse to
go with you. I am innocent, I
did not murder anyone…” she
screamed and kicked as they
handcuffed her hand behind
her back and led her down the
corridor leading to the exit
door. “You guys are making a
grave mistake, you are
arresting the wrong person…I
am innocent, I don’t know
anything about it I swear” she
kept ranting on and on until
they got to the police station.
She was locked in the
interrogation room bound
hand and legs to a wooden
chair. Immediately she heard
the door open, she started
screaming and ranting on and
on about being innocent again.
Officer: “Will you shut up now
you heartless woman?” he said
casting her a disdainful look.
Ophelia: “I want my lawyer.
You guys are looking for whom
to frame. I want my laaawyer!”
she screamed and the officer
gave her a resounding slap.
Officer: “Who is looking for
whom to frame? Now did you
kill Mrs Gloria Arowolo or not? I
want a yes or no answer and
nothing more”
Ophelia: “No!”
Officer: “Do you know why I
am asking you even when I
already know the answer?
Because I want to torture you
to my heart’s satisfaction. Look
at that plugged iron over there,
it is for your face, I will use it to
iron out those two dimples on
your cheeks” he threatened
while Ophelia burst into tears.
Ophelia: “I did not do anything
I swear. She was my friend so I
wouldn’t do a thing like that to
her” the tears flowing down
her face would fill one washing
basin. The officer went over
and lifted the iron into his
hands. Brought it close and
placed it on her cheek letting it
linger for some seconds. She
screamed and screamed, her
lungs almost tore out. The
officer dropped the iron which
had a fragment of her skin
stuck to it.
Officer: “Now let’s go again. Did
you murder Mrs Gloria Arowolo
or not?”
Ophelia: “What evidence do
you have for you to be doing
this to me? I said I want
evidence” she said weakly. The
officer dipped his hand into his
pocket and brought out his
phone which had the video of
her murdering Gloria. He
showed it to her and she
became silent immediately.
Officer: Now answer my
question…”
Ophelia: “Yes I did! She was
trying to ditch me after all the
good times we shared in the
past. I needed her but she left
me in the lurch? She said
defiantly.
Officer: “Tell that to the judge
at the law court” he said and
walked out.
===
When they got to Richard’s
house from the hospital where
they were told that Sammy
had been discharged, they
realised that no matter what
happens, Annie was going to
have a good life even with
them. They had deliberated a
lot on whether to let her go or
not but a person’s parent will
always remain so. They
reached the conclusion that if
at all it is true that she is their
missing daughter, then they
will have to let her stay with
them.
Richard: “Welcome to our
humble abode our princess
charming. I am so glad to see
you at last. Now I can see why
my son is so in love with you.
You look exactly like his mum”
he said scooping the giggling
girl into his arms.
Paul: “Thank you very much,
we are very happy to have
been invited into your home”
Richard: “No! Its I who is
honoured to have you here. I
want to say a big thank you for
saving my son. You are very
lucky to have such a popular
girl as your daughter” he said
looking from one to the other.
Ralph: “The truth is we are very
surprised the media is making
a ruckus about such small act
of bravery. I can’t count how
many interviews we have had
to reject. She is still young and
we can’t let such things get the
better of her”
Richard: “She deserves more
awards than she has gotten so
far. Even I have one for her” he
said looking from one to the
other. “I am going to sponsor
her education to the highest
level. She only has to mention
where she wants to study at
and she will be there”
Dickson: “Isn’t that too much
sir?”
Richard: “It’s not even enough.
She saved my only son for
crying out loud. Oh! It’s even
small” he said pulling her
chubby cheek playfully. Just
then Sammy showed up.
Annie: “Sammy…” she jumped
down from Richard’s leg and
ran to him, stopped for a while
to take a look at him, satisfied
with what she saw, she then
hugged him. They both
beamed with smiles.
Sammy: “Now follow me, I
have plenty things to show
you in my room” he said
leading her by the hand.
Annie: “Wow! Your room his
awesome!” she exclaimed
when they entered inside. She
ran to the little bed by the
corner. ”whose bed is this?”
Sammy: “It’s for my sister”
Annie: “Oh I see!” she went
over to where the picture of his
mum hung. “Who is she?”
Sammy: “My mum!” he said
sadly.
Annie: “Can you bring it down
please?”
Sammy: “Sure” he said,
brought down the frame and
handed it over to her. She ran
her fingers over Rebecca’s
face…
Annie: “She is beautiful. Can I
call her mummy too since I
don’t even know mine?”
Sammy: “Awwww! Of course!”
he was touched. He went over
to his box and brought out a
picture “And this is my sister”
he handed it to her.
Annie: “Oh my God! Oh my
God!! How did you get a
picture of me? I am the one in
the picture” she ran out
excitedly to show her dads the
picture leaving the dazed
Sammy behind.
Sammy: “She is the one? Oh my
God!”
Annie: “Daddy! Daddy!!
Daddy!!!” she ran into Ralphs
arms excitedly. “See Sammy
has my picture. This is me
when I was small right?”
Ralph: “Yeah yeah! That’s you”
he smiled at her weakly.
Richard: “Oh my God! Please
didn’t any of you give birth to
her?” he asked standing up.
Paul: “No! We found her, some
men were trying to harm her
so we rescued her from them”
Richard: “Wow! Annie!!” just
then Sammy ran into the
sitting room too.
Sammie: “Daddy she is our
Annie. My sister is back” he
walked slowly towards her and
embraced the stunned girl.
Annie: “You are my brother?”
she asked and started to weep
profusely.
Sammy was on his tears too
sobbing,
Sammy: “I swear I didn’t mean
to be that careless loosing you
to those ritualists. And to
answer your question, “Yes!
you are my sister. I am so sorry
that I let you go like that? I
should have held on to you
very tight. I was not a good
brother despite promising
mum I’d take care of you. I am
sorry baby sis” he said covering
his face with his hands. Richard
was short of words, he just
didn’t know how to console
the two of them.
Annie was sobbing too,
Annie: “So it’s my brother those
people were beating up like
that? They were even going to
set you on fire. Oh my God! I
should have beaten them back.
My brother! I am so sorry I did
not beat them back” she said
trying to remove his hands
from his face, she succeeded at
last and hugged him again. She
cried profusely as her hands
were shaking!
Sammy: “My sister saved my
life dad. The sister we already
gave up on, she saved my life”
Sammy couldn’t hold it any
longer as he shed tears
uncontrollably.
Richard: “Everything was my
fault children, don’t blame
yourselves okay” he quickly
dabbed away the tears on his
face so they wouldn’t see it. He
joined in their embrace and felt
his daughter’s tiny arms trying
to encircle him and he smiled.
Richie broke down in tears
Annie: “I guess I have four dads
now and still no mum…Wish I
got to know her anyway”she
said after they had disengaged
from the embrace. Wow! 1 st
daddy, will you let Sammy go
home with us?” she asked
excitedly.
Ralph: “Yes he will of course.
And you will also be staying
here whenever you want.
Richard called them aside…
Richard: “I owe you guys my
life I swear. Thank you so much
for saving my children. I know
it will be difficult for you to let
her go now. Infact I am not her
dad but you guys so she should
stay with you and come here
whenever she feels like”
Paul: “No things are not done
that way. She will be staying
here and probably be coming
to us for holidays. She should
get to know her real family
too. She might be sad if we tell
her she wouldn’t be living with
us anymore so all we have to
tell her now Is that she will
stay with Sammy until he has
fully recovered, she will be
elated. Letting her go is not
easy but I guess it’s high time
we got married too and had
our own kids.
Richard: “Oh thank you so
much. Thank you” he said
shaking their hands one after
the other. “Infact every
disappointment is always a
blessing. I think her getting
kidnapped was for a good
reason, had she been in this
house, her step mother,
Ophelia would have turned her
into a lesbian. She is a
paedophile you know. I really
thank God my family is whole
now, wish their mum was alive
too” he finished sadly.
Dickson: “it’s okay sir.
Everything is for a reason. Only
God knows why she had to die.
Let’s pray none of us should die
untimely.
===
Ophelia was found guilty of
murder, child abuse and
lesbianism in the Law court.
She was sentenced to death by
hanging. Her dad suffered from
stroke due to the news of his
daughter circulating the
internet and newspapers, he
was rendered immobile for the
rest of his life.
The End