The Puzzle
By Moyoso-re Teniola
Episode 16
NURSE LOVETH
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Dr. Michael was seated in his office that Sunday morning attending to his patients when one of his nurses entered his office.
“Yes, Nurse Loveth, how may I be of help?” He asked.
“I’m sorry to disturb you doctor. I want to ask you a question plea-se.”
“Yes, go ahead plea-se,” Michael replied giving her his full attention.”
“Okay doctor . plea-se, the young woman whose mother had an accident last week, it seems I knew her somewhere but I want to be very sure. Is her name Mrs. Evans?”
“Oh, you mean Roseline, whose mother was rushed in after she was hit by a careless driver?”
“Exactly Doctor, is she Mrs Evans?”
“I do not know Loveth, all I know is that she is Roseline by name, I do not know her surname.”
“Okay sir. Her face really looks familiar, she looks like someone I knew when I was working in a hospital at Akure, before I moved to Lagos.”
“I see. Maybe, maybe not,” Michael replied resuming his writing.
“Okay doctor, thanks so much, she replied.”
“You are welcome. Call in the next patient plea-se.”
AT NURSE LOVETH’S HOUSE
“Loveth, I will advice you to follow your mind, so that your conscience will be free.” Rachael, Loveth’s friend advised.
I don’t know how to, Rachael
. Though my conscience had never been at rest since the time the deed was done but I can’t come to terms with ma-king a confession, I mean how do I tell her?”
“Well, it’s either you confess and have your peace or keep silent and allow your conscience to torment you,” Rachael advised again.
“But don’t you think I might be arrested? I am scared.”
“You won’t, we will pray about it, you can go with your Pastor on the day you decide to confess so that issues won’t get out of hand. Let’s hope God will take control, let us have the faith.”
“Amen o, I pray so oh.
I am very sure she’s the one, yes she is, though my boss said he doesn’t know her surname but she is the one, I can recognize the face quite well. Ha! Poor woman. I regret that I was involved in such a crime. The evil doctor involved me in his merciless act. I wish I wasn’t the one on duty that very day. I have a feeling that I do not have a child of my own till now because I was a p@rt of that crime…” Loveth lamented on and on.
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She could remember that fateful day vividly. The memory is so clear. A woman had given birth to a set of twins throu-gh Cesarean Section at the hospital where she worked then. It was a pri-vate hospital, the doctor had known throu-gh scan right from the fifth month of the pregnancy that she was carrying a set of twins, two girls. But he concealed it because he planned to sell one of the girls to one of his clients who had a damaged wo-mb and still wanted to give people the impression that she gave birth to the child herself, so she feigned the pregnancy.
. Loveth learnt the woman c@m£ from a far city to buy the child.
She and one other nurse were on duty the day the twins were delivered but she was the one that stayed with the doctor during the operation. She was instructed by the doctor to take one of the twins to the woman who had paid for the baby in the next ward, while her real mother was still asleep.
And that was how it happened. One of the girls was sold to another woman. Their real mother never knew that she had a set of twins. Loveth’s conscience had since being troubled. The doctor later called her and offered her some money but she refused it. She later left the hospital and relocated to Lagos where she met her husband.
The day she saw Roseline at Fountain hospital, she knew it was time for her to confess her sins and relieve herself of the guilt once and for all.
“God help me.” Loveth cried on her be-d that night. She was home alone, her husband doesn’t come home everyday anymore, she heard that he had impregnated another woman because she had been unable to bear him a child. Loveth was very sure that Karma was judging her alre-ady.
“God, I don’t want to regret this confession I am about to make, I just want to right my wrongs and have my peace again. God have mercy, I am so sorry to be a p@rt of this…
I just hope the other twin will be found and returned to her real mother, the girl deserves to be with her real parents. But can that even be possible? I don’t even know where the woman who bought the child is but Doctor Johnson may know…
She cried on till she sle-pt off.
The Puzzle
By Moyoso-re Teniola
Episode 17 & 18
FALLING Ap@rt
Roseline ran to her husband as he walked to the be-droom. She knelt before him and held on to his feet, crying with so much pain.
“plea-se sweetheart, I didn’t cheat on you. I am so sorry I said what I said about me having an affair. It isn’t true, you have to believe me plea-se. It is true that I do feel lonely because of your abs£nce and our lack of r0m@nç£and intim-acy but no man has ever seen my n-kedness ap@rt from you, I can swear with anything . David, my life is going to be empty without you, don’t leave me plea-se…”
“Roseline, get out of my way. Tell me why I should believe you. Why did you go for a pregnancy test and even collected the result without informing me if truly you have no skeleton in your cu-pboard? Tell me, why did you hide such a thing, considering the fact that we had both been trying for another baby since Debbie clocked two. Was it not supposed to be a good news, why keep it to yourself?”
“Noooooo, I didn’t plan to cover it up. I intended telling you when you arrive, plea-se sweetheart, I have no skeleton in my cu-pboard. Forgive me of my stupid utterance last night.”
“I can perceive that you are not re-ady say the truth, I can’t harbour a bastard un-der my roof. Roseline, leave me alone
. Don’t let me lose my temper on you.” David replied, re-leasing himself from her grip.
“Have mercy on me sweetheart, plea-se believe me, I have no other person ap@rt from you, if you leave me, how will I live without you?” She cried on and on. All her cries fell on deaf ears, David’s mind was made up.
He walked towards the room and met Debbie as she was just getting out of her room.
“Hey daddy!” She greeted sleepily. Where’s mommy?”
“Hello Debbie, how was your night?” Your mum is in the living room. Go and get dressed, I am travelling this morning and you are going with me.”
“To where dad, is mum going with us too?”
“No daughter, she will look after the house while we are away, you know she will go to work too.”
“But Dad, how about my school?”
“Don’t worry about all that Debbie. Daddy will take care of everything. Now run along, brush your teeth and come for tea.” David replied on a final note and entered the be-droom.
“Mommy, Mommy! Where is Dad taking me to?” Debbie rushed excitedly to the living room in search of her mom but she wasn’t there.
Roseline had left the living room immediately she heard her daughter’s voice. She believed it wasn’t proper for Debbie to see her in that state. She had picked her bag and walked quietly out of the house.
“Mommy! Where are you? She called and went back to the be-droom room in search of her Dad.
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Roseline was almost running. She nee-ded to see Pastor on time before the Sunday service starts. She must quench this sudden fire that is about to destroy her marriage. She continued trying pastor’s number all the way but it was switched off. Pastor’s wife’s number got throu-gh but she didn’t pick the calls. She quic-kly got a motor bike to take her to the church premises on time.
She knew the one person her husband would listen to was Pastor Daniel, and she strongly hoped all the troubles will be resolved soon.
**********************
AT TEXAS
Eliz and her daughter Daniella were seated on the couch in the living room watching a soap opera.
“Mom, when are we going to see Dad again? I miss having a Dad so much. Daniella asked suddenly.
“Hmmmmmm, I don’t know yet honey. He is a very busy man, he is not planning to come to Texas at the moment.”
“Then, we should go to him, can’t we? I want to see Dad again. I miss having a Dad around me mom, whenever I see my friends with their daddies, I feel inferior…”
“Okay…
. Okay, Daniella, you want to go to Nigeria?”
“Yea mom!” She shouted gleefully.
“Alright dear. Grandma’s burial is in two weeks. I will take you with me to Nigeria so you can see Daddy again. Is that okay by you?”
“Yea mom, that will be fine! Shall we finally stay with Dad in Nigeria?”
“No Daniella! You are stressing mommy okay? We will go there only for a short visit, then we will be back to Texas.”
“Oooooohhhhh mommy, but why? Why can’t we live together like Sharon and Catherine’s parents, why mom?”
Eliz stood up from the couch and picked her phone pretending to receive a call from a friend.
“Hello babe…” She said walking towards the stairs that leads to the be-droom.
“Mommy,” Daniella called after her smiling mischievously. “Are you really receiving a call or trying to avoid me? Look at this!” She held out a rectangular object.
Eliz felt so stupid, Daniella was holding the battery of her phone. She had re-moved it while they were watching Television…
“Come here, you n@ûghty girl, Eliz charged after her daughter as she ran past her towards the stairs.
Episode 18
BACK HOME
Fortunately for Rose, she arrived at the church premises as soon as pastor drove in. She ran to him and explained all that happened between her and her husband.
“Pastor, plea-se help me. I know you are the only one that can st©p him from leaving home. I have been careless, plea-se help me talk to my husband. I have called him countless times, he didn’t pick my calls.” She pleaded.
“Take it easy Sister Rose, the matter will be resolved . Let me give him a call.” Pastor replied.
He called David immediately but he didn’t pick up. Both of his lines rang continuously.
“You know what sister Rose? You go back home now. I will leave here in the next 10minutes and come straight to your place.
You really made a great mistake. Why didn’t you confide in me all these while before things got out of hand? You should seek counsel instead of seeking solace in a man who is not your husband. The Bible says: ‘In the multitude of counsel, there is safety…’ Anyways, God will take control. Don’t worry, I will talk to Bro David, the devil is a liar, all will be well in Jesus name.”
“Amen sir,” Rose answered and left.
Shortly after Roseline left the church premises, a message c@m£ in on Pastor Daniel’s phone.
“I am sorry that I didn’t pick your call sir. Don’t bother talking to me on behalf of Rose
. I nee-d to leave that house right now so I won’t misbehave. I am on my way to the house of one of my colleagues. I will call you later sir.”
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Rose got back home only to discover that David had left the house with Debbie. She searched all the rooms frantically, hoping to see Debbie or hear her voice. She wished it was all a nightmare. She tried her husband’s lines again but he ignored her calls. This is a man who hated missing her wife’s calls in time past. She knew she had bitten more than she could chew. The more the reality of what just happened dawned on her, the more tired and sorrowful she bec@m£. Her pregnancy condition is not helping matters either.
She sat on the ba-re floor of the living room, crying hysterically, tears of lose and regret.
It is indeed true that you may not know the value of what you have until you lose it. Aside God, family is everything…
********************************
Dr Michael left the hospital after attending to some patients that Sunday morning. He was famished and so decided to visit a fast food restaurant in town to get something to eat. He had ba-rely settled down to consume the plate of food he had earlier ordered when David and Debbie entered the restaurant.
David wanted to get some snacks and food for Debbie because she only took tea before they left home. As for him, his appetite seems to have disappeared…
Immediately Michael set his eyes on Debbie, he spat out the drink he had earlier sipped out of his mouth.
“Whaaaaaat?” He screamed, calling the attention of nearly everyone pres£nt. “What the hell?!”
“Daniella? In Nigeria?”
He stood up immediately and walked up to where they both stood.
“Hello Mister, what are you doing with my daughter?” He challenged David, who stared at him like he was a mad man.
David looked at Michael from head to toe. “Are you sure you are alright sir?” What daughter are you talking about? Have you been drinking? This is my own daughter!”
Michael took a good look at Debbie again and repeated, “she is my daughter, Daniella!
Daniella, can’t you see daddy? Here is your Dad sweetheart, what are you doing with this man? Where is your mom, where is Eliz?”
Debbie looked at her dad, then the strange man and replied, “I am not Daniella, my name is Debbie.”
By now, nearly all the staff and customers seated in the restaurant were watching the ongoing drama.
“How come my daughter is in your custody Mr. Man?” Michael challenged David further and gr@bb£d Debbie’s other hand. David shouted, “Security, it seems this man had too much to drink!”
People gathered around them and rescued Debbie from Michael’s grip. The security men soon entered. “What’s going on here? They demanded.
Before any of them could speak David’s phone rang. It was a strange number. He ignored it and turned to the security men, and replied. “This man here is trying to claim my daughter and I don’t un-derstand why. He keeps calling her Daniella while my own daughter’s name is Debbie.”
The security men turned to Debbie and asked for her name,
“My name is Debbie,” she replied them.
“Who among them is your dad?” They asked further, Debbie replied by pointing at David.
Young man, what proofs do you have to l@ya claim on another man’s daughter? One of them asked Michael.
Michael looked confused. One thing he was sure of was the fact that Daniella can recognize him very well. They do see each other often throu-gh video calls. Though, the last time he saw her face to face was when she was six, he had travelled to Texas to visit them. That was two years ago.
. Since then, they had only talked on phone. ”
But why is she denying me?” He kept wondering…
When the security men couldn’t get a prompt answer from him, they whispered to each other that he might be drun!kor probably a mental case…
Meanwhile, David’s phone had been ringing all these while. He decided to pick up. He thought it may be one of his clients…
“Hello, Mr. Evans, it’s Evelyn your neighbour,” c@m£ the panicky voice of the caller. “I just tried checking on your wife now on my way to church but I met her unconscious on the floor of the living room, plea-se come over, I have been trying to revive her all to no avail.” She cried.
“What? My wife?! Jesus! He pushed Michael out of his way, took hold of Debbie and nearly flew out of the restaurant. Michael rushed after them, entered his car also and gave David’s car a h0t pursuit
“For Daniella to be with this man, he must also know the whereabouts of Eliz,” he reasoned. But could it be that Eliz got married to another man without my knowledge. Could it be that it was Eliz’s b©dy that was found on the floor? I must get to the root of this matter…”
He thought all the way.
Tbc