Dirty Game – Episode 16

By Adebiyi Demola

I quickly held her and shook her vigorously calling her name Taiwo, Taiwo, Taiwo while my sister started jumping up and down, “excuse me”, the doctor said in an urgent tone. He quickly brought out a stethoscope and examined her. He shook his head left and right, looked at my face and that of my sister and then said, “I’m sorry, she is dead.”

“Dea what? Doctor! How do you mean? Taiwo! Taiwo!! Please, just look at my face, please just answer me for a moment” I pleaded while shaking her but she refused to answer which made me busted in to tears while my sister was also rolling on the floor crying bitterly.

Taiwo’s body was covered with white cloth while we were dragged out of the room.

It was really a sad day for me. Arrangement was made for burial by contacting those that were concerned, but unfortunately for us, Taiwo’s guidance who happened to be Zainab’s father was also in a hospital. It was confirmed that he had accident when he was coming home to check on Taiwo who gave birth.

She was finally buried on the day that should be the naming ceremony through the help of daddy Ope (my sister’s husband) who help spoke to the elders in Zainab’s family.

******

I couldn’t stay in my house but with my sister who was taking care of the twins.

Life became misery for me. I blamed myself for lack of self control “had I know, I wouldn’t have slept with her”, I regretted my actions, “Afeez, why did you lose your sense of reasoning? You are endowed with knowledge, but you didn’t make use of what God has bestowed in you. You Impregnated Zainab and it landed you in trouble, were you supposed to indulge in such act again with that family?” I was soliloquizing while tears were tricking down my cheek and that was when daddy Ope came around and consoled me to take heart…

******

Her death came as a shock to me which taught me a lesson that no one is too small or too old to die and this made me move more closer to God and asked for forgiveness for my shortcomings.

After three weeks, I was called at office to scan a document and send it through my email which forced me to go home. While looking for the document, I saw the letter written to me by late Taiwo and I read through; “it is sadden that we won’t leave together for long. I never thought it would be like this: if I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed with her: the stigma is too harsh and unbearable for me to endure; my conscience is disturbing me everyday for betraying someone like Zainab. Though, she has to be blamed as well but why did I accept to be a stooge? I think the only way to pay for my stupidity and also to let peace reign in your life and that of Zainab is to leave.

Don’t be sad about my exit; remember, I promised to deliver my kids for you which I’ve done and the names you requested for from me to give the twins are here: the baby girl should be named Zainab while the boy should be named Abdulafeez. I named them as such because I loved both of you (you and Zainab).

NOTE: You must marry Zainab and she must be the one to take care of my babies because I know you love each other and help me plead to her to forgive me because I have betrayed her trust in me and cheated on her.

You will have to forgive me too because Zainab asked me to drop you eighty thousand naira into your account for your School fees and some other things needed before she left for Ede to meet her dad. My ATM pin is 1212. I hope I’ve satisfied my conscience and I should be able to rest in peace.

Warning: don’t marry any other person except Zainab and take care of my babies very well if you don’t want trouble and you must not try to trace the cause of my exit…

Till when we meet where we shall depart no more. Taiwo cares.”

I read the letter with sadden heart and her words touched me. I felt guilty and pathetic for her exit and cried bitterly but later consoled myself when I thought of her last statement where she stressed that I must marry Zainab and also to take care of her babies if I didn’t want trouble. The question is where and how will I get Zainab who has disappeared for more than a year?

I took the letter to my sister and his husband when I couldn’t reason on the way out and they were also shocked when they went through it and got the content of the letter.

Though, it was not that strange to my sister, but it got her husband lost which made him went crisome and lashed me with irritating words without minding my present status and that, I was also a father. My sister couldn’t utter a word because she dare not say anything when the man is around while I bowed my head in acceptance of the defeat…

“You are not trustworthy and I’m totally disappointed in you. In fact, we have to leave you to dance to the beat of the trouble you have played” he said angrily and flung the letter while he left us on seat and worked briskly into his room.

I never expected such reaction from him and his reaction gave me the instinct of the strength and the intensity of the offence I committed…

******

I brushed my hair with my volar to and fro when my eyes were filled with tears and I nearly busted into tears which made my sister moved closer to pet me, “all is well dear. Don’t worry, I will speak to him and justice will be done to it”, she said and went in to join him…

I couldn’t get myself right throughout that day not until the following day when the man called on me, sat me down and fed me with words of virtue and we later sketched out the plan on how to go about the issue…

My sister was asked to monitor the home while her husband and I went to Ede in order to see Zainab’s family. We called on Demola, who also informed his father about the scenario and we all went there together.

******

The elders that we consulted during Taiwo’s issue were met and they told us that only Zainab’s father could tell us about Zainab and he was still in hospital and promised to keep us informed when he is alright. In fact, I couldn’t just believe they could be lenient and so generous to us on such issue.

We appreciated them and left the place. Demola’s father also gave us hope about the issue due to his relationship with Zainab’s father.

The following week, I got a call from my boss to come but it was not urgent. I prepared for the journey and informed my sister. Though, her husband was not around, but I managed to put the call to him as well so as to get him informed about my movement.

******

When I was about to enter Ore town, then I remember that I carried a man to one hospital and my mind asked me to check on him to know about his welfare, but I rejected it and zoomed off to my destination.

My boss and colleagues sympathized with me on the issue of my wife and asked about the twins which I also thanked them for showing concern and for their supports through text messages and calls.

It was a great challenge for me to get over the issue most especially when I thought about Taiwo’s words in the letter and the emphasis she made on Zainab’s issue. Assuming I was opportuned to get in touch with Zainab, will she forgive me? If she does, what about her rigid father who has lost Taiwo through me and almost lost his life in the process of checking on her? When I thought about those questions, my heart vibrated and I was tired of myself.

As day goes over day, I started getting over my troubled mind when I mixed with my people at work because they were all friendly and jovial.

I never let go of anyday without putting calls to my sister and asked about how the kids doing.

******

One Saturday evening, around 9:15pm, I was in bed and about to sleep when I heard my phone ringing and when I looked at the screen, it happened to be a strange number which I pick without any delay…

“Hello o, who is this?” I curiously asked.

“This is Dr. Apan. Am I speaking with Mr. Afeez?” he asked calmly.

“You are very much on his line. Any problem?” I intoned without fear.

“Good! Thanks for the other day. In fact, more of your type are needed in our society. Here is the chief you saved his life and he is interested in speaking with you” he said (trying to handle the phone to the man)

…to be continued