BETRAYAL EPISODE 65--66

**THE BETRAYAL**

(EPISODE 65)

........ 11am, Benjamin’s family house

“I think coming here is a bad idea, we should go

back” i nervously muttered when we got to the

gate.

Amara scoffed and shook her head.

“no no no madam, we ain’t going back, we are

already here and we have to go ahead with

what

brought us to this place, moreover it’s hundred

percent your idea” she said to me as she firmly

held

my left hand.

Without another word, we walked into the

compound, cautiously with prayers in our lips.

We

soon got to the entrance door, stopped and

stared at

each other nervously.

“what are you waiting for? C’mon knock on the

door

nau!” she urged as if it was a very simply thing

to

do. I swallowed hard, shrugged and knocked

gently.

Two minutes later the entrance door was flung

open

by Benjamin’s mother, who stared at us with a

serious but not mean look, breathed deeply and

admitted us into the house polietly, even though

her

smile was heavily cloaked with sharp coldness.

I searched for Benjamin with my eyes as we

walked

into the sitting room, but unfortunately couldn’t

locate him, which made me more

uncomfortable,

while his mum’s pointed gaze unsettled me

greatly. I

nervously settled on a couch with Amara

dutifully

beside me.

“my son told me you wanted to speak with

me?” the

old woman asked after some minutes had gone

by. I

breathed deeply, rubbed my knees nervously,

nodded and smiled,

“please where is Benjamin?” i asked calmly,

“i sent him on an errand, i thought you only

wanted

to speak with me, don’t you?” she asked

curiously

with a burning gaze,

“yes ma, his presence is really not needed” i

murmured with a coloured face,

“actually i came to render an apology” i

stammered,

while she drew forward on her chair, feigning

surprise and pretending as if she wasn’t aware

of

what i came to do. Her action truly unsettled

me

further, i was so so nervous. I was doing

something i

havn’t seen any girl do and the old woman was

making it more difficult for me with her intense

behaviour.

I tried to continue with my speech {apology} but

was unable to, all i was able to do was just to

throw a

nervous glance at Amara who gave me an

encouraging smile.

I never knew rendering a sincere apology could

be so

difficult. My phone however rang that moment

breaking the tension and silence in the room. It

was

my mother calling.

“your dad was involved in a motor accident an

hour

ago, where are you?” i heard my dear mum say

over

the phone, leaving me dead with fright.

“oh no God why?” i cried, shocking everyone

with my

outburst..

(episode 66)

I instantly dropped my phone in shock and held my head. Amara dutifully shook me, concerned and anxious to know the reason for my outburst.

“hope all is well my dear?” Benjamin’s mum calmly asked. I breathed deeply and shook my head.

“my dad” i cried,

“yes, what happened?” Amara asked, but before i could answer, my phone rang again.

“hello mum” i murmured as i answered her call for the second time,

“we are at St James hospital, very close to your school, where are you?” she asked again,

“i’m, i’m” i stammered,

“please be here quick, i need to rush home and get some things” she added without waiting for my reply, while i breathed deeply. All eyes were on me as i dropped my phone and stared back at Benjamin’s mum whose eyes were seriously scanning my face in deep awe. I stood up uneasily, bit my lips and shrugged.

“i’m sorry ma, but i have to start leaving, i just got a terrible call from my mother informing me that my dad was involved in a motor accident this morning” i explained with tears. The old woman gasped, covering her mouth with her hands,

“oh dear lord” she screamed, made the sign of the cross, drew forward and held me with concern. Her expression forced more tears out of my eyes, making me sob uncontrollably.I broke free from her and ran outside while Amara eagerly followed me. I felt bad, broken and down, very scared and lost.

Not only was i crying for dad’s accident, i equally was crying for my life. I was extremely scared of my future, scared of tomorrow and scared of my family’s fate. I never believed in superstition but yet i had a very strange feeling about everything, i feared that the evil wind of misfortune had not only befallen me but has engulfed my innocent family as well. I felt very responsible for everything, i saw my life turning upside down.

“save your tears dear, things may not be as bad as you fear” I heard Amara say as she held me reassuringly, i stared at her with prayers in my lips.

“i hope so dear, i do pray so, because if Dad dies, i’m finished” i murmured sadly, a very painful but truthful sentence it was.

We finally got to St James hospital an hour later.

We soon found dad in the male ward, lying helplessly on a bed, mum by his side watching over him keenly. My heart skipped as my face coloured.

“dad” i cried, rushing forward to hold him, while Amara dutifully held my left hand softly. More tears fell from my eyes as i stared at his legs which were heavily bandaged.

“stop crying dear, they are just flesh wounds, they will heal within days” dad assured me, forcing out a dry smile, but i wasn’t convinced even though i never argued about it.

“what took you so long? Isn’t your lodge just a stone throw away from here?” mum asked searchingly. I shrugged and stared at her,

“i’m very sorry mum, Amara and i really were out of town, attending a friend’s wedding” i lied effortlessly,

“hmmm, alright i don’t have your time for now, take my position and watch over your dad while i rush home to get more money and other things” she replied, standing up with a nervous smile. I hugged her,

“alright mum, please do be careful” i whispered into her ear. She nodded, held dad’s hand for some seconds before leaving me to watch over him. I offered Amara mum’s chair while i sat at the edge of dad’s bed.

Amara really was a wonderful friend, she stayed with me without complaining or leaving till mum showed up later in the evening with food and some other stuffs.

“i brought enough food for everyone” mum smiled as she dropped the huge food flask she brought on the floor. I smiled, while Amara shook her head.

“oh no don’t tell me you girls are not hungry?” she asked with a drawn face,

“oh dear, leave the girls alone, you don’t expect them to eat in this environment, do you?” dad murmured weakly, coming to our defence, and making mum to shrug in resignation.

“alright i think it’s time you girls return to your lodge and rest. I can handle him alone” she said with a smile, while i yawned. It really isn’t an easy thing watching over a loved one in hospital. However my mind calmed after discovering that dad wasn’t in any grave danger, just a little fracture, and more of flesh wound. {An accident which occured when a speeding vehicle brushed the motorcycle conveying him to the bus park, sending him and the bike man to a nearby gutter}

Amara and i returned to our lodge by 6:15pm very tired and weak. She quickly went over to her room while i rushed to mine, freezing in shock as i ran into Mike who was standing on my door-way, with hands in his trouser pocket.

“where are you coming from?, i have been here all day?” he asked with a suspicious look, annoying me with his question. I swallowed and rolled my eyes.

“oh please” i sighed, provoking him further. He bit his lips and stared at me angrily. He seemed ready for a fight which i equally was willing to give him.

TBC