Episode 40 – THE brideGLOOM.
DERIC: Xandra, I…I… I am short of words.
I don’t know what to say right now. I feel
like killing myself!
I thought you just wanted me into your
p@n-ts. And don’t blame me, it’s rare to
see a person who just loves you
genuinely and wants to save your life
with no selfish interests.
XANDRA: That’s why doctors are special.
We often feel the nee-d to save lives both
within and outside our professional
settings. And come on! You are
handsome. I wasnt gonna sit there and
watch such a handsome guy waste!
Hehehe
DERIC: you are a queen! A very br@ve one.
But again, when next you notice such a
thing, don’t leave it for later. I could have
had S-x with that evil woman. In fact, on
two occasions, we were almost at it
when you called. By the way, do you
possess some super powers?
XANDRA:hahahaha! I don’t. I think you
are just one lucky guy. I believe your wife
and friend were out to infect as many
people as possible. In fact, I heard her
friend say it in my office . When you
showed me her picture, I was petrified!
But thank God you are free of it.
DERIC: Xandra, can I ask for a favour?
XANDRA: go on
DERIC: will you be my girlfriend, plea-se?
XANDRA: you have a wife, Deric!
DERIC: that’s why I didn’t ask you to
marry me straight away. I am
terminating that God forsaken marriage
and I am alre-ady on it. As soon as I am
done, I’ll marry you and love you for the
rest of my life. plea-se?
XANDRA: Deric, I love you. I do. But sorry I
am engaged to be married soon.
DERIC: Xandra! You are What! plea-se
Xandra I’ll do anything in the world for
you. plea-se can’t you see we are meant to
be toge ther! Everything, literally
everything supports our union!!!!
Xandra! Don’t break this heart once
again. plea-se!!!
XANDRA (picks up her car keys and ran
into her car) sorry, Deric!???
DERIC:?????????
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MADAM FELICIA(Charlotte’s mum??????)
hello??…..hello, Charlotte are you there?
CHARLOTTE: hi, mum I am!
MADAM FELICIA: who are you using that
tone of voice on???
CHARLOTTE: sorry, ma. I was trying to do
some calculations when you called so I
didn’t notice you were the one calling.
MADAM FELICIA: I see! So why have you
not been taking your husband’s phone
calls or replying his text messages?
CHARLOTTE hew! Mum, what man
leaves his young wife for almost 5
months now. His mum was discharged
from the hospital 2 months ago and he
sat there doing nothing! Doesn’t s£nd
money or anything at all. What man does
that, Mum!!
MADAM FELICIA: I see. So when did you
get it?
CHARLOTTE: When did i get What?
MADAM FELICIA:oh! We are pla-ying
ignorant now. Are We? When did you get
HIV and from who!!!
CHARLOTTE: Mum, that has nothing to do
with you. It’s a pri-vate family matter?
MADAM FELICIA: oh! Is it! Well, it’s not as
pri-vate as you think because more
people than you think, know about it
now. Deric has throu-gh his bro ther
commenced divorce procedures and you
will be served the divorce papers soon. I
am ashamed of You!
Your fa ther died 15 years ago and since
then, no other man has seen my
un-derwears, but your husband was
away for a few months and You’ve
alre-ady bagged yourself a PHD in S-xually
transmitted disease! Shame!!!!! Shame!!!
CHARLOTTE: Mum, I got it while he was
still in Nigeria.??? I know I shouldn’t have
done it but Deric st©pped any form of
intim-acy between us. We were always
arguing. He wasn’t working therefore
wasn’t giving me money either!
It was too much on me and the guy who
gave me HIV made me feel loved. He
made me feel safe and like a woman
again so I gave in. Forgive me, Mum,
plea-se????
MADAM FELICIA: why didn’t you tell me
Deric was not slee-ping with You! The
easiest thing in the world to do is to get
your husband to sleep with you. It is as
easy as ABCD! Especially as he sleeps in
the same be-d with You!
Charlotte, you only nee-ded a couple of
new un-derwears, a new hairdo and a
nice smelling perfume! You didn’t have to
take the destructive route! This was
what I advised you a day before your
wedding to Deric! I told you to always
use what God gave you to keep your
man sane!
I have always been there for you since
childhood! Why didn’t you come to me??
instead you entangled yourself with a
notorious friend!
Look where she has landed You!???
Anyway, when Deric boots you out of his
house, my house is open for you.? You
are welcome back home but you will
bear the shame alone! I will not p@rtake
in it because I have continued to be a
noble woman regardless of the things
I’ve been throu-gh. So call me when you
nee-d me!
I’m off! (Hangs up)
CHARLOTTE picks up a pen and paper
and starts writing a suicide note)
dear Mum,
I know this will break your hear..
VISITOR : (knock knock! Knock knock!!!!
)
CHARLOTTE: who is it! (Opens the door)
ALAHAJI UMAR: why hab you not been
picking my calls! Walahi you made me
worried. I hab to come looking por You!
LAilanlailanla!!!! What is this? What are
you doing with acid in your hands! Why
do you wantu kill yaself!!!
CHARLOTTE: Alahaji, I want to die??? just
let me die. I deserve to die. I can’t handle
my problems anymore
ALAHAJI UMAR: plea-se gib me the
acid,plea-se my dear. Insha Allah,
ebrything will be fine! Walahi ebrything
will be fine! Sit down and talk to me.
What is problem? I will gib you money if
you want money. Okay?
CHARLOTTE: Alahaji, I’m living with HIV
aids????
ALAHAJI UMAR: I know.
CHARLOTTE:? Jesus! Y-o-u know??? How?
When???
ALAHAJI UMAR: when we went to Ghana,
I saw the anti retroviral drugs inside
your handbag
CHARLOTTE: and you continued to sleep
with me????
ALAHAJI UMAR: yes, because I hab been
living with HIV for 15 years.
CHARLOTTE: l o r d J e s u s!!!
ALAHAJI UMAR: peace be upon him. You
see, HIV is not as dangerous as people
make it look. It is just like any o ther
ailment people live with. Conditions such
as asthma requires you to daily take your
inhaler and sometimes you might nee-d
to take it more than once a day. So is HIV!
If you take your medications daily, you
should be able to live a normal healthy
life and achieve whatever you are set to
achieve.
The stigmatisation of people with HIV
aids is only happening because people
are ignorant and have refused to re-ad
and un-derstand this very virus.
The only difference is that HIV is
transferable, but only throu-gh b©dy fluid.
So my dear, you see you have a reason to
live and not die.
15 years ago, a lady from the Gambia
gave it to me when I went on holiday
there. But I am still here investing in
more and more businesses and enjoying
my life.
CHARLOTTE: I can’t believe this!??
ALAHAJI UMAR: we meant evil for each
o ther. You wanted to infect me, I wanted
to infect you but here we are!
I have found a friend, a confidant and
love in you and I want to keep it (gets
down on one knee and brings out a
costly diamond ring)
Charlotte, will You marry me?
CHARLOTTE: oh my God! Yes I will!!! (hvgs
him ti-ghtly)
ALAHAJI UMAR: (slides the ring into her
ring f!nger) plea-se take me to your
parents.
CHARLOTTE: before that, I nee-d you to
come with me to somewhere. There is
this family I offended. In fact I caused the
husband and wife to split and the wife
died. I feel I may never move forward in
life if I do not secure their forgiveness.
Could you come with me to their house?.
ALAHAJI UMAR:yes, my driba is outside
waiting. So he can take us there.
CHARLOTTE: thank you. Do you think God
will forgive me?
ALAHAJI UMAR: Allah is mercipul! He will
forgibe you yanzu yanzu! I tell You!
Beliebe me!
CHARLOTTE: I love you
ALAHAJI: I lobe you too. Walahi I lobe
You!?
To be continued