episode 43
Gabriel
The day sped fast and evening c@m£ too soon. There was little visibility outside and the pool of blood which covered Andy’s face bec@m£ dark maroon and clotted. He wasn’t saying anything even after the torture ; the mas-sive bru-tality of Jethro. In that moment I admired his courage .
” We’ve been on this since morning , Andy” Jethro said ” just save yourself the stress. Tell me what I want to know” his voice sounded empathic this time.
Jethro faced me and shook his head. I knew from his reactions , that we weren’t getting anywhere with the interrogation.
Why did this man choose to make things difficult?. Andy was either immune to torture and pain or he was too strong willed.
” Mr . Gabriel ” the detective said ” let’s have a talk outside ”
” OK. Sure ”
His arms drew down his sleeves on both sides, he had sweat breaking from every pore on his skin.
He led the way and I followed , few inches away form the door, he st©pped and turned to me . I shifted away from the door, and locked the hinge.
” I think I should be —”
” be on your way now and spend time with your family , right?” Jethro interrupted me ” Mr Gabriel ,… don’t worry . I will handle the situation from here. His stronghold will soon break”
I nodded and gave him a casual handshake. He was good at his job and I had no reason to doubt .Nevertheless, this p@rticular case had taken a long time to solve. I hoped he won’t fail.
I took my leave and he went back into the room,throu-gh the air , I heard his voice barking again.
” Will you confess? Who did you hire to do the dirty job for you ?
Andy gro-an ed and coughed at every b!ow Jethro landed on him. That served him right ! I wished , his heart bleeds with pain during the interrogation. I smiled at the thought of it.
A few minutes later , I was inside my car, which parked outside the station. I turned on the engine, I hesitated on shifting the gear to D. I thought of abandoning the car , right there and that minute , the feeling made me hate Dami even more. She had really complicated my life .
I heaved a sigh and tilted my head forward then I changed the gear box to drive.
” Gabriel…” Someone knocked on the side glas-s, I was figuratively startled and a jump in my heart c@m£ suddenly.
” Kemi?? ” I said un-der my breathe .
” what do you want ? I asked while rolling down the glas-s.
Kemi’s mood radiated seriousness and somehow, she looked pitiful. Her eyes were sorrowful, unlike her, as if she had been shedding tears . Who knows? it might be one of her numerous trickery. This lady was evil in human clothing. It would take a miracle to save her from sinister affairs .
” I have something to tell you ”
” what is it?
” Andy is not the murd– ” She paused ” He is innocent , I know who did it”
I bec@m£ surprised and I alighted the car impulsively . I wanted to hear more, what did she mean by knowing “who did it”
” Tell me something Kemi ,what do you know? Don’t pl@ygames . You know who did what??… anyways. … I’m listening ..”
” can’t we at least find somewhere to seat– ” she paused when she saw my reaction ” ok, we can talk here …”
I crossed my arms and relaxed my back on the car. I was re-ady to listen but she better not joke around.
“OK”
” Gabe, I can boldly tell you that Andy is not behind the murder. ”
” You are trying to protect your lover. Spare me the trash? I hissed and disgust boiled de-ep down in my stomach .
” No , not that . OK fine , believe what you want but just know that he didn’t do it… It was”
She paused for the third time and I noticed her reactions again :the words choked her. Then she bit herl-ips, and moved her head from side to side.
In milliseconds , a siren bellowed intensively into the police premises. A group of officers alighted and the five of them carried AK 47’s , each man fully armed to the teeth. They had in custody , a criminal . The last couple of them, each from both doors, carried bags of what seemed to be cocaine.
” Damilola , is responsible ” kemi brou-ght back my attention.
” You are joking ” I scoffed and opened my car door” count yourself lucky that you ain’t behind bars with Andrew. What sort of ru-bbish are you saying?”
I knew her game and I won’t pl@yalong , not while her lover was involved in the gamepla-y.
” Gabe , plea-se listen ” She begged and pu-ll-ed my arm gently. ” believe me. We are not saints. I have dark sides, and so do you, but save my heart from pain.. Drop the charges against Andy and I will testify that Dami had the entire event planned. From the hit on Tayo; the pri-vate investigator she hired to install a hidden c@m£ra in your home and how she framed Andy ”
I was shocked and lost of words. My knee buckled but I boiled with great anger. ” wait!!! A c@m£ra in my home? You are not serious?
So Dami had been watching my very move , even when I’m in the shower? And she’d saw the invisible? No way ! The thought tormented me.
She nodded in approval like she had re-ad my mind.. She was d–n serious.
” why are you doing this? I asked ” Dami is your friend . So you’d throw away your friendsh!pfor that fool in there ” I pointed towards the police entrance.
” I love him ” she continued ” And I know you loved your wife too… I’m sorry for your loss but help me out here. Let’s make the real culprit pay. Don’t let Andy pay for a crime he didn’t commit. plea-se, I’m begging you ”
I had heard enough and I was convinced, it wasn’t easy to un-derstand but I could not believe that my so-called employer had been behind every setback in my life. I should have known ..
I took out my phone and dialed the detective’s number and after a long discussion we reached a cons-en-sus ; a perfect line of action .
Katherine
I was happy to see my entire family smiling and cracking jokes , even in the face of disaster and too many setbacks. They behaved like nothing had ever happened and that act really made my day.
Mimi cu-mddled my little boy and he laughed at her every tickle. She brushed his ha-rd but curly hair and pu-ll-ed his nose ” Big baby ” Mimi said ” See your long nose and pinkl-ips — should I applyl-ipstick on thel-ips?
” No !!! ” Dave exclaimed ” I’m not a girl!”
” Are you sure? Are you sure ” Mimi’s arms tickled his w@!stline and he j£rked ” Are you— short?”
” Aunt Miriam ” Dave begged and j£rked ” st©p .. plea-se ..awwww…ohhh …mummy!! ”
He laughed with so much happiness and joy, watching him made my heart glad..
Mama and Papa were together, arms locked and smiling at each other. Yvonne and Maxwell were always the happy couple…
” cu-pcakes ” Yvonne said sheepishly ” I’m hungry , get me something nice and tasty ”
” How many times will you eat in a day? You just took snacks a minute ago, your name should be changed from Yvonne to ” Feed On”.
” uhnnnnnn!!. cu-pcakes, St©p fooling around . I’m hungry ”
” Maxwell , ” Gabe’s mom cut in ” So you are not taking good care of my daughter ? Eh? ”
” Mama. Don’t mind her, she eats like an overgrown baby” He continued ” I give her all she asks for, but this , Nah! Not now.. She should be taking care off me, not the other way round.”
Mimi put up her head from the bending position it had been . Max’s words had spiked her response mechanism. She st©pped tickling David and an-alysed the statement .
” Maxwell ? Where is it written : that only the lady takes care of her family? You men make it sound like its a duty she must uphold , what ever happened to being ro-mantic and lovely?
I hope you won’t become Gabriel Number 2.”
She frowned her face momentarily after saying that and then put up a cheerful look .
” awwwnnn, that was so harsh ” I blurted out , but de-ep down in me, I knew I was lacking that love and r0m@nç£.
” Where the hell was my husband , for Christ’s sake? I thought so loud that my head nearly bur-st with pain and the bandage bec@m£ heavy.
” ouch” i gro-an ed in pain..
I felt dizzy and my head spined literally and I rotated on the sick be-d , from side to sides, successively tilting my muscles in pain.
” What is wrong ? Papa asked .
“Nothing ”
” Max , call the doctor ” Papa ordered ” something is wrong”
” Don’t ” I cut in ” I’m fine ”
The door opened and I saw him . I fell in love all over again. He was so handsome and I thought I wouldn’t see his face again. His broad che-st and his pinkl-ips, those ha-rd but curly hairs.
He greeted everyone and I admired his respect for both young and old. He suddenly changed for the good.
” Gabriel !!! Love ” I heaved a sigh and my eyes bec@m£ heavy.
” I’m here” he c@m£ forward , grasped my arms and planted a k!sson my forehead , then he continued” Im here.”
” Don’t leave me again plea-se ” I said with tears clouding at the corners of my eyes”
” I won’t. ” He began “Love , I want to tell you something ….its –” he paused ”
” Shhhh!!!! Whatever it is ,It can wait ” I placed my f!nger on hisl-ips .
” It has to be now –”
I alre-ady knew what it was. I was just pretending to be unaware, and re-ady to act surprised if nee-d be, just as Tayo had insisted .
” Give him a chance ” A voice whispered in my head.
” Kate , I’m sorry for everything that has happened . Ive put you throu-gh a lot of trouble and I’m sorry about it . I was bad and yelled out on you . I promised you a happy life, but in the process, I took a turn left and went out of my way, almost committing adûlt€ry. For the sake of wealth , I did things I regret so dearly…I pretended to be the father of a little girl ” he paused and looked at every one in the room , then he continued with his valedictory speech ” The little girl isn’t mine . I only pretended and lied to her. To everyone of you ”
Gabriel turned and faced me as he confessed genuinely
“.. Kate , those awkward moments when I was not the best hubby and I’m away , even when you nee-ded me most, like the case Dave ‘s birthday. All that st©ps today and on this special day, I –”
He smiled and brou-ght out a gift card , accompanied by chocolates inside a bag he had. He put them into my palms.
” love ” He continued ” Happy anniversary. In front of everyone, here ,pres£nt today , I renew my vows to you, I promise to be faithful, henceforth – I …”
“I will always be there for you. ” I joined him and our voices bec@m£ one in the solemn promise” …. Even when the world is against us, I will stand by you , love you and cherish you; in health and sickness; in wealth and poverty, till death do us p@rt, ”
I was happy and tears broke out from my eyes.
Everyone in the room where I was stationed , bec@m£ emotional and Mimi cried out tears of joy, she shed it uncontrollably .
“Awwwww!!! So t©uçhy ” She blurted and turned to Dave ” Come here , give aunt a big hvg.. I know, aunty loves you too”
I wanted to hear more honest confessions . I looked de-ep into his eyes, I hoped he would thre-ad on calm waters .
He k!$$£d myl-ips and his arms stro-ked my hair in the most ro-mantic way . I discovered that the love I had for him was far from over, it just got renewed and I could not wait to be in his arms again: happy and blissful.
TBc