the miracle I nee-d 2 Episode 33

#THE_MIRACLE_I_nee-d_2

EPISODE 33

“Let us continue with the game, I will go next,” Ella offered, and everyone else settled down, while Kathleen sat away from Pete’s reach.

Ella paused when she picked the paper and smiled as she looked at Ken and re-ad out the instruction, “Tell someone in the room something special.”

“Femi?” Ella called, and Ken smiled at her as he waited to hear what she was going to come up with.

“I’m re-ady,” Ella said, making him sit upright.

“You’re re-ady for what?” Kimberly asked in confusion.

“You are re-ady?” Ken asked, sounding very surprised as he stood up, while the others watched them curiously as Ella bobb£d her head.

“That’s what I was going to tell you earlier,” Ella said with a big smile, and Ken rushed over to where she was standing and pu-lled her into a fierce hu-g.

“When you’re done hu-gging each other, you can tell us what the whole excitement is about,” Pete called to him dryly, and Ken turned to look at him with a grin.

“Your sister, is re-ady to make me your brother-in-law,” Ken said with a wi-nk, and Pete looked at them in mock surprise.

“Kemi, you’re going to marry this je-rk?” Pete asked Ella who giggled happily as she broke the hu-g.

“Yes. I’m going to make an honest man out of him,” Ella said with a grin as she placed a hand around his wa-ist.

Once they returned to their seat Ken’s phone started ringing, “Sorry, excuse me,” Ken said before receiving the call.

“Hey! What? He did what? We will be on our way at once,” Ken said in an urgent tone as he glanced at the others apologetically, “Sorry guys, Kemi’s best friend is in labor, and I have to take her to the hospital,” Ken announced, as he picked up his car key.

“My best friend? Tracy? Why is she calling you instead of me?” Ella asked in confusion as she stood up.

“I will tell you on our way, let’s go,” Ken said, as he led her outside.

Once they were in the car Ella turned to him, “Who called you?”

“I told you, it’s Tracy,” Ken said with a frown as he drove out of the gate, and started driving really fast.

“You know her house?” Ella asked when she noticed he wasn’t even asking her for directions.

“No. She is at the hospital alre-ady. She wanted me to tell you something before we get there,” Ken said, turning to look at her.

Ella didn’t know why, but her heart was beating really fast, “What?”

“She is scared she might not make it before we get to the hospital. Her husband beat her up and now she is having complications with the delivery,” Ken said as his grip ti-ghtened on the steering wheel.

“Ayo did what? Why? Since when? Wait, hold on. Don’t tell me he has been beating her up this whole time and you knew about it,” Ella asked, unable to stop the shudder that pas-sed throu-gh her b©dy at the thought.

Ken sighed, “Calm down. It’s not as easy as you think. Angela was the one who found out about it and confided in me when Tracy insisted that Angela must not tell you,” Ken explained.

“Angela was aware? How? How could Angela be aware that my best friend is facing domestic violence and not tell me about it?” Ella asked in disbelief as she felt a stabbing pain in her heart.

“You shouldn’t blame her. Tracy made her promise not to tell you about it. I couldn’t tell you either because she asked me not to, and you know confidentiality comes with my job. Let’s just hope she is fine,” Ken said as he kept his gaze on the road.

“Oh my God!” Ella murmured as she covered her face with both hands and cried for her friend. Why couldn’t Tracy tell her about it? She was a terrible friend for not noticing something like that.

*[Few Months Earlier]*

“You are here again?” Ella asked Tracy with a concerned frown when Angela opened the door and Tracy walked into the house. She had been expecting Ken, not Tracy.

“Why? You’re not happy to see me?” Tracy asked with a raised brow.

“You know I’m always happy to see you, but what is going on?” Ella asked, standing up from her seat to join Tracy who was still standing as though trying to know if she was welcomed or not.

“Nothing is going on. The house is lonely with Ayo away, so I’m in nee-d of company,” Tracy explained as she dropped her backpack and handbag on the chair, “I nee-d to ease myself and shower,” Tracy said before going to the room which she often uses whenever she sleeps over.

Once she walked into the room Tracy entered the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. She raised both hands to her abdomen and cu-pp-ed it in a protective gesture as tears gathered in her eyes. She slowly un-zi-pped her gown, and the bruises on her back became visible. She turned around so she could look at the marks on her back. She raised a hand to one of the marks and inhaled sharply when she felt a stinging pain. A tear dropped from her eyes and she wiped it off before going to stand un-der the shower and turning on the hot and cold water arm of the shower to make it warm. She let it run down her b©dy which was aching badly and closed her eyes as she tried not to think about anything.

It was funny how she couldn’t even bring herself to tell Ella any of this. It wasn’t that she wanted to keep this a secret or pretend to Ella like her marriage was perfect, but Ella had a lot of trust issues herself and she didn’t want to give Ella one more reason to be fearful about going into a lasting relationship. All men were not the same, and she believed Ken was different and would love Ella. If Ella found out the truth about what was going on in her home, Ella would give up on love, and as her best friend she couldn’t let that happen, even if it meant suffering in silence.

“Aunty Tracy! My aunty wants me to ask you if she should make noodles for you,” Angela called from outside the bathroom door.

“Yes, plea-se,” Tracy called back in a for-ced cheerful voice. She didn’t even have the appetite to eat, but for her baby’s sake, she would eat. She nee-ded to feed her baby.

Once she was done, she walked out of the bathroom with her towel wra-pped around her and sighed when she realized she had left her backpack in the living room. She opened the wardrobe door to pick up her long-sleeved pyjamas which were hanging in there and took off her towel. Just as she sli-pped on the trou-sers, the b£droom door opened, and Angela walked in with her backpack. Before Tracy could reach for the towel to cover herself, Angela’s eyes fell on Tracy’s back which had marks like she had been flogged with a cane or a belt

“Aunty Tracy!” Angela called out in a surprised tone. Tracy gave her an embarras-sed smile as she quickly shrugged on her long-sleeved pyjamas shirt while Angela approached her with a concerned frown.

Tracy led her to the b£d and they both sat down, “You can’t tell your aunty about what you just saw, okay? Let this be our little secret,” Tracy pleaded.

She didn’t nee-d to ask who did it to know that it had to be Tracy’s husband. Only an abusive husband could have done something like that. “But why? You are strong. You shouldn’t stay quiet,” Angela said with tears in her eyes.

“Ever heard that some people’s destinies are tied to yours? Your aunty won’t trust men or get married if she finds out that I’m having such marital issues. You want her to marry Femi, don’t you?” Tracy asked, and Angela nodded.

“So just keep this to yourself. I will tell her once I sort things out, I promise,” Tracy said, and Angela looked at her with uncertainty but nodded her head.

“Good girl. Now go and help your aunty in the kitchen, I will join you soon,” Tracy instructed.

“Do you want me to help you ru-b ointment on it? Or get you medicine for pain?” Angela asked with concern as she stood up.

“No, don’t worry. I’ll be okay. I don’t want to take any medicine because of my baby. I don’t want to take any risk,” Tracy said with a smile of gratitude, and Angela gave her a small nod before leaving the room.

Tracy sighed once Angela shut the door. Even if Ayo had beat her up, she knew without a doubt that he loved her… Or maybe he once did. She knew she had her own role to pla-y in everything that had happened between them. She was only thankful that he avoided hitting her face. How else would she be able to explain bruises on her face? After dressing up, she had her usual smile on her face as she joined them in the kitchen.

“Ah! You’re frying dodo!” She squealed excitedly, going over to where the fried ripe plantain had been kept and picked one from it, while Angela tried not to stare at her.

“So where did Ayo go to this time? And why is he always traveling when he has a pregnant wife? We all spent so much time waiting and praying for this to happen, yet he can’t even take care of you?” Ella asked irritably.

“He has work to do, so you can’t blame him. Besides if he spent all the time taking care of me and our baby when will you have the opportunity to do so?” Tracy asked, wra-pping her hands around Ella’s wai-stfrom behind.

“I suppose I should be thankful then,” Ella said with a grin, while Angela just watched the both of them in concern. There was absolutely no way she could keep Tracy’s secret even if she knew she had seemingly good reasons for wanting to keep it away from Ella. Tracy nee-ded help before either she or her baby would be hurt. She couldn’t help wondering how long this has been going on. Had she always been pretending to laugh and be happy whereas she was suffering in silence?

“How is Femi by the way? Hope you both are doing well?” Tracy asked as she chewed on another plantain.

“Sure. Although he has been very busy this period, he calls every chance he gets. Sometimes I’m the one that gets tired of the calls sef,” Ella said with a giggle.

“Have you both started talking about settling down?” Tracy asked curiously.

“Isn’t it too early? We are taking things slowly for now.”

“But he has raised the issue at least?” Tracy asked again.

“Yeah. He’s still waiting for me to get re-ady. I will let him know once I finally get over my mistrust for men,” Ella said, and Tracy turned to exchange a look with Angela.

Angela un-derstood the silent message she just pas-sed, so she sighed. She was going to keep it away from Ella but still find a way to help, even if it meant involving Tracy.

WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 34