In The Dark – Episode 35

A Story By Stanley Oluwatosin

At exactly 1:00pm, we were called upon and we all filed into the court room. I was more scared when our lawyer recognized James’s lawyer as one of the most outstanding white lawyer in town. He was said to have won all his cases without a single loss. The lawyer promised me that he would try his possible best in securing my kids before he left for his post. I took in his words with little faith.

The judge assumed his sit and the court trial started. The case was introduced and the lawyers did their introductions as well. The battle began immediately and the air was filled with court terminologies. The air was filled with court terminologies and their were proofs provided. Just as planned, my lawyer pleaded not guilty of the allegation.

Everything was going on smoothly until when James was called to testify. My heart was broken into a million pieces at the extent he was willing to go just to reap where he did not sow. James denied all the allegations of taking off when I was pregnant. Myself and Biodun were practically painted black before the court of law. Though all the planned strategies was put into use, it was not as effective as I thought it would be. It got to a point that I broke down in tears and pleaded to be left alone with my kids. I had to put myself together when the judge threatened to get me locked up. From every indications, we were looking. After an hour of words battle, the judge declared thirty minutes break, after which the final judgment would be given.

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The court room was as silent as a graveyard when it reopened. I heartbeat could be heard from a thousand mile when the judge mounted his sit and was ready to pass the final judgment.

The acknowledged the two lawyers and said few things before he passed his final judgment.

According to him, the lawyers arguments clearly showcased that myself and James were not an example of responsible parents and giving the kids proper upbringing was a responsibility he wasn’t sure we could carryout.

The court decided that both parent had the right to the kids but in order not to cause any sort of security bridge, the two kids were to be shared among the two parent. Any objection from the parent will lead to the girls been taken to the orphanage.

A court order was issued and the court closed on the note that the court order should be carried out immediately.

I suddenly went deaf and I could not phantom why the judgement could be so cruel.

“How can a mother be separated from her child?

How can a set of twins be separated?

How can I move on without my girls? “

These were the questions I asked myself as remained sitter. I didn’t move an inch until biodun tapped me on the shoulder and told me James was heading to our house with the court officials. I rushed out of the court room in a bid to stop them. I saw James smiling as drove by right in front of me. I pleaded with Biodun to stop them but he couldn’t do a thing. All he did was to promise me that everything would be all right. Though Biodun was trying to be strong, his eyes were blood red as he told me that we needed to hurry home before James would elope with the two girls.

I ran into the car and Biodun zoomed off. All that happened was nothing but a tragedy. I hoped for a miracle but it never came.

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Biodun, his family and the court officials were right in front of our door when we arrived. Without waiting for the engine to be turned off, I rushed out of the car and ran to James. I pleaded with him not to separate a set of twins and their mother, I pleaded with him not to deny my girls the benefit of growing up together, I even promised to allow him visit them whenever he wanted to but he waved me aside and told me he was ready to strictly follow the court order.

When the door to our apartment went ajar, my sick girl was sleeping beautifully while my other girl was playing. James rushed at the girls playing and grabbed her by her arm. She started to cry and so did my heart started to weep as well. I couldn’t bare to see my child cry, I forcefully took her from James and rocked her in my arms. James went for the sleeping girl and took her away. I rushed at him again and pleased with him to spare her because she was innocent and sick. James gave me an option. It was either I let go of the crying kid or the sleeping one. I could not let go of my crying child because she was crying so much and I could not let go of my sick child because she would need me when she wakes but I had to make a choice.

I could not make a choice but Biodun did.

James and his dad were getting in patient. He’s dad even threatened to go with both kids. The word on everyone’s lips was “we don’t have the whole day young lady”. No one even cared about my emotions or what separation could cause to a mother and her child; it was as if the whole world was against me. My tears was flowing like river as I knelt and Pleaded with James and his dad but all my pleas went on a deaf ear.

My child didn’t stop to cry as well, the more I cried, the more she increased the tempo of her voice. My sick child on the other hand was sleeping peacefully without having any idea of what was going on. I would have given her up easily, but the thought of her shedding more tears in my absence made it more difficult to give up on her. I was still pleading with James and his dad when Biodun grabbed me by my arm and told me to get my acts together, if not for anything, I should think of the harm crying could cause on my child. Even at that, I was not ready to strong up. I was thinking I was beginning to buy James emotion over when his dad collected my girl from his hand and was ready to bounce out. I knelt before him and pleaded profusely but he didn’t even spare me a glance. I ran to James since his dad was not ready to listen to me. I knelt before him and was about begging him when biodun carried me up. I can still remember his exact statement. He looked at me and said “don’t waste your tears begging a hardened soul”. Biodun took my crying baby from me and dragged me into the room. He gave my child to me and went out. He locked the door on us and left me with no other choice than to accept my fate.

The conversation that took place between biodun and all of the people present was something I had no idea of. After few minutes, I noticed that the house was empty and I concluded that my child was gone. I cried my eyes out and the surprising thing was that the more I cry, the more my baby wept as well. As little as she was, she felt my pain and got emotional. I stopped to cry when I eventually lost the strength to. I comforted my baby and she ended up sleeping in my arms. I wanted to be strong for my remaining child but I could not bear to see my child disappear right in front of me. The pain I felt was more than the pain I felt when I got pregnant, it was even more than the one I felt when James turned his back on me, even the pain I felt during labor could not be compared the pain I felt when my child was taken away. I eventually fell asleep with the hope that I would fight for my child the next day.

The cry of my baby woke me up the next morning. I didn’t have an idea of when she was taken away or when biodun joined me in be. I rushed out of bed and ran to the nursery. I was so surprise to see my child sleeping peacefully in a cradle. I was lost on where I heard the cry from. I decided that the cry might be from my other twin. Though I was crazy, I was so sure my child was crying wherever she was. The only place I knew she could be was James house, I quickly wake the nanny and told her to look after my child before I sneaked out of the house. Though the street was cold and empty, I didn’t care, all I wanted was to see my child.

With a weak hand I knocked on James door after about an hour walk. The door was opened by James and I could tell he was not surprise to see me. I heard the cry of my girl immediately the door was opened. I became unrest, all I could think of was comforting my girl. Something made me believe that I could still win James over and this made me plead with him to allow me comfort my girl. James nodded and left the door open for me. I got inside and met my girl lying on a couch. I rushed at her and was about taking her into my arms when James’s dad came out of the house. He got furious at the sight of me and threatened to call on the cops if I fail to leave. James tried to convince him but he was boiling. I knew James dad was ready to carry out his threat but I was not ready to back off after the long distance I trekked just to see my child. I took the baby into my arms and started to rock her. James dad disappeared into the room and so did James. The next thing I heard was a loud argument between them. That was when I realized that, to an extent, James was been influenced by his dad and I believed he still had his good side.

I was brea$t feeding my girl when I suddenly heard the loud sound of a siren. Without been told, I knew the cops were around. I didn’t move an inch, neither did I stop to feed my child. I was bent on waiting for the worst to happen.

A tap on the door and James dad bounced out. He welcomed the cops and pointed at me as the intruder. James was grumbling and trying to stop his dad but he was too weak to stand for my child and i. James dad forcefully took the child from me and I was taken away with my hanging b**bs. All I could do was to look at my child and cry. My motherly right was denied.

I was locked up until biodun arrived. The cops made me sign an agreement that I would never see my child again else I would face the court. It was the most difficult agreement I had ever signed, but I eventually did. I agreed to give up my child before my bail as granted.

That very day, I had a heart to heart talk with biodun. Biodun made me see the reason to move on for my girls. He made me realize that she was just out of our home but she wasn’t out of the world. He told me that fate would bring my girls together just the way it brought us together. I took in biodun’s words and believed in him but it was difficult to move on. Separating a mother from her child is the worst thing that can happen to any mother.

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After a year of trying to move on and going back to my vomit. Biodun decided that we should change our environment. According to him, the pains the environment caused me can never be healed without me moving out of it. We finally decided that the best place to go was no other place than home [Nigeria].

With my family and all the beautiful memories I had back home, we believed it would help to bring me back to me. We packed our backs and sold off all our properties. With a heavy heart I said goodbye to Canada and everything therein.

We arrived Nigeria with the hope of starting over again.

Nancy

My mom paused and gazed at the floor as if she was lost in thought. At this point in time I could not hold back my tears, realizing all that my mom had been through and she still managed to be a happy woman during her time on earth. My mom raised her head and he saw stream of tears rolling down her cheek. I realized that no matter how long it might have been, the memory was still fresh in her and the wound would be forever fresh. I was lost in thought until when Kelvin held my hand and jerked me back to reality. I looked at Kelvin and faked a smile with my teary eyes before I focused on the big screen. My mom had already gotten rid of the tears in her eyes. She faked a smile and continued.

“I was so happy to be back home, where I truly belonged. My parent came for us at the

Airport. I must confess, seeing my family gave me lots of joy. A welcome party was organized for us and introductions were made. To everybody, Lillian was back with her husband and a beautiful daughter. Nobody knew I was back with a child that could be called a bas***d.

I met with Biodun’s family as well and stayed with them for some period of time. We left when we secured our apartment. Biodun portrayed my daughter as his and nobody knew the whole truth. Since my girl looked exactly like me, everybody concluded that she took after her mom over her dad.

We started a new family in Nigeria. Biodun started a business and after about five years of our return, my dad died. I took over most of our companies. My mom also died two years after my dad’s death.

Everything was willed to me and I was left to take care of my kid brother. I transferred most of the companies to my husband and we lived our lives as a happy family.

Though I still missed my lost girl, I was contended with all that I had. I lived a life I wasn’t proud of but I was able to learn from my mistake.

Nancy, baby this is the reason why I will never let you out of my sight, because I know what excess freedom can do to young minds. It all because I love you.

The only regret I have in life is me not been able to give Biodun a child. After my first issue, I could not conceive no more. He never made me feel bad about this, he only made me see reason why I should be grateful for not aborting my first and last issue.

I never met James, until that day you brought him over for dinner.

Yes, James, you brought him and his family over that very night. That was when I learnt that the lady he ended up with never had any issue for him. My girl was the only child he had. I let the sleeping dog lay and I did the whole forgiveness thing for my girls and for my late husband.

I gusse by now you should know that James is Stanley James, Nelly’s dad, your dad Nancy.

Biodun is Abiodun Williams. My late husband and your foster father.

You and Nelly are my twins girls. (Nancy and Nelly).

This is my story baby, This is my life people. I’m sure any writer can make a beautiful piece with it but it’s not something I am proud of.

I’m sorry for lieing to you about Nelly, I didn’t have the courage to tell me about my rough past. I hope you will meet with her and start a beautiful life as a proud set of twins after you see this video. Forgive James too, he regret his actions already. I’m not sure if I will be with you after you see this video but if I have the opportunity, I will see to the reunion.

Baby, learn from my story and you will never fall in any pit. I pray you will find a man like Biodun before a wolf like James locates you. You have my blessings baby. I’m proud of you and your sister.

This is all I have been keeping for years. I know you all have been in the dark”

…to be continued