"You see your life Wole? I am highly dissappointed at you", Mrs. Obed continue. "I told you but you wouldn't listen. See what you have caused?"
"How do you mean?", Mr. Obed asked ready to continue with their earlier fight which was interrupted by Bolu.
"I warned you severally about this man, didn't I? But my opinions do not count. Anything I say to you enters from the left ear and goes out through the right. Your daughter is here lifeless because of your stupid mistake."
"What has come over you woman?", he asked unable to deny the fact that this was unlike his wife.
"I told you there is more to everything that man has been doing than the eyes met. I am beginning to hate. I loved you with every fiber in me but what do I get in return? You never showed me loved. You reduce my self esteem and made me a complete housewife who doesn't know what she wants. You refused to let me work. How many of your friends know that your wife is a graduate of psychology? Tell me, how many? They won't know because of the way you treated me. I hate you Wole for doing this to my daughter", she cried as Bolu excused them once again unable to say any word of consolation to any of them.
"Bimbo, you know that is not true. I love you too. Because I don't show it to people that I love my wife doesn't mean I don't. I do. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't", he said moving close to her.
Moving his hands away from her, she said: "You told me you would send me parking if anything happens to your daughter."
"I never meant it. I said that out of anger", he replied with remorse.
"Wole, I have had enough so I want a divorce", she announced.
"What?"
"Yes, I want a divorce", she repeated.
"You don't mean......."
"Mummy.......", Fola called opening her eyes a little and moving her fingers.
Mrs. Obed rushed to her side and yelled at her husband, "Get the doctor."
*******************
"Rachel how could you do this to me? I spent 4 weeks in this cell all because of your own misdeed", Laide said to her crying daughter.
Rachel was already in a cell in the police station while her mother was released.
"I'm sorry mum. I never meant to hurt you. I did all of these for us", Rachel uttered with tears.
"For us? Or for yourself? How could you do evil things for us. Can you even hear yourself out?", her mother asked.
"I'm sorry mum. I wasn't my fault."
"Whose fault is it then?"
She stared at her mother and said: "I know the reason for the separation between you and dad. Most parents do not know that these separation causes emotional trauma to their children. When you got seperated with Dad, I was traumatized. You never bothered, you were only bent on making me forget about him."
They were both silent for a while before Rachel continued. "One day, you sent me on an errand to the market and on my way coming back home, I saw him. I saw dad with a lady. I was devastated and I started crying in the middle of the road. I didn't want him to see me so I moved away. I was still crying when a car drove pass me. The person in the car reversed back and asked why I was crying but I refused to answer. He offered to drive me home after much persuasion and I gave in. He kept on asking me the reasons for my tears on our way home but I refused to say a word to him. When he dropped me at the gate, he gave me some money and his business card. He asked me to call him the next day which I did. He invited me over to his house and that was when I met his son whom I fell in love with instantly. Mr Garba offered to help me with whatever problem I was facing. He said he would pay me monthly if I was capable of running some little errands for him. He was still new in politics then so we spend most times together. His son, Olamide who was in Kaduna State University then never showed me attention and it hurt."
"One day, while I was preparing to go home, Mr. Garba came home a bit tipsy. He met me in front of the door and he took advantage of me even though I was no longer a virgin then. I lost my virginity to Olamide. I seduced him to get his attention but it never worked. I felt bad after what happened between Mr. Garba and I. It happened again and again and I couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to turn me to his sex slave so I told him I wanted out. During that period, his son graduated from the University and left for America for his Masters program. That when I started working with Mrs. B. When Olamide came back, I had to go back to the house for him. Finally, I started getting his attention but that was only when he was horny. He would call me whenever he wants sex and whenever he sees me, all he thinks about is sex. He couldn't resist me and I thought it was a good thing since I have always longed for his attention."
Rachel sobbed and looked at her mother. "Olamide derieves pleasure from beating a woman. Everytime we have sex, he makes sure to beat me mercilessly but I endured the pain because of the love I had for him."
"What? What stupid love? Are you crazy? Where are the religious ethics and morals I taught you? You threw all of that to the winds right? How could you Rachel?", her mother questioned as a tear roll down her eyes too.
"Mum...I ain't finished yet, listen to me", she told her mother who only eyed and hissed at her.
Rachel continued: "Things turn around when Fola came in. The lady I told you I had a fight with when I was working for Mrs. B. I had always wanted to deal with her for what she did to me that day. Mr. Garba started talking to Olamide about getting married to Fola and I become angry and mad at them. I was no longer getting Olamide's attention not until Fola refused him sex. He wanted to have sex with her but she wouldn't let him. She left him and he called me over to satisfy his urge. I was dating Tunde then and he was also a sex freak but he loved me. I didn't love him and I made it known to him."
"Mr. Garba sent me to Zaria to go and find out who was getting Fola's attention. It was in Zaria that I discovered I was pregnant but I didn't know who the father was. I also discovered Iremide was going out with Fola and Mr. Garba instructed us to kidnap him. We did as told but I wanted to punish Fola a little so I delayed Iremide's death. I asked his people for a ransom and I told them I want his girlfriend to bring the money to us. Tunde and I had sex that day and before we were done, Fola and Iremide were already trying to escape."
"Rachel", her mother gasped.
"Mum, I know I have not been a good girl to you but I want you to take this pregnancy as a gift from God."
"What pregnancy? I won't take it. You are a shame to womanhood."
"Mum, everyone has a purpose in life. I believe my purpose is to clean your tears by giving you this baby. This baby will do all I was unable to do for you."
"What baby? A baby you don't even know the father?"
"Tunde is the father of my baby. I didn't want to admit it to myself because I wanted it to be Olamide's baby instead."
"Look for Tunde then and give him his baby", her mother muttered bitterly.
"Mum, Tunde is dead", she stated.
Her mother looked at her and quickly looked away.
"Mum", Rachel continued looking down. "I got married to Olamide 3 weeks ago and his father wanted to kill me. This baby is indeed a gift because I almost lost the pregnancy on three different occasions. The first time I almost lost the baby was when Fola pushed me away while I was trying to catch her. I hit my belly on a stone and I bleeded profusely. The second time was on our wedding night and Olamide whipped me till I lost consciousness. The third was yesterday when I accompanied Mr. Garba to an old man's house. I ran away from there and went to look for you at home but I was told you were arrested weeks ago. I had no choice than to submit myself to the police because I know if I didn't, I will die in the hands of Mr. Garba", Rachel explained.
"Die in the hands of Mr. Garba?", her mother questioned.
"Yes. I eavesdropped on his conversation with the old man. He is responsible for his wife's death and his son's impotency because of his stupid political aspirations and materials needs. He got me married to his son because of that. I never knew that was the purpose for the marriage we did with little or no preparations. I thought my prayers were about to be answered. He was filthily rich and marrying his son means we will never be poor again. I wanted to build you a house and buy you a car mum", Rachel broke down into tears.
"He took me to the old man so they could kill me and the baby", Rachel completed.
"What?"