Mended Hearts – Episode 9

Mended Hearts – Episode 9

© Jennifer Godwin

Obinna was heading towards the factory when he sighted Mara entering the company premises, she must have come to see him, he smiled, he can’t wait to get back together with her, he will not let her go again, he concluded.

“Mara, what a surprise, how have you been? have you come to see me?” he asked removing his helmet.

“Obinna, I have been fine, and am not here to see you, instead I came to see my boyfriend” she said not masking the mischievous grin on her face.

“Boyfriend? I don’t understand, your boyfriend works here?” Obinna asked looking tiredly at her.

“Yes Obinna, am here to see Kenny, he is my boyfriend” Mara said with a chuckle placing her hands on her waist.

“Wait, Kenny? as in the C.E.O is the guy you are dating now?” he asked, his heart beating so fast.

“Yes, he is the guy am dating now and if you would excuse me, he is waiting for me” Mara mouthed before walking past him.

Obinna couldn’t help but stare at her retreating figure, his shoulder shrinking down, he became restless and uncomfortable.

“If what she said is the truth, that means I have lost Mara, I have lost the love of my life because I can’t drag her with Kenny, the guy has been nothing but good to me, I just lost Mara” he said wiping off a tear that threatened to fall down.

Brenda just came back from her shop, it was a tiring day for her at the shop, she sighed, thank God she is home now and she would rest. she was about opening the door when she heard voices coming out from the living room, her mother was talking with Mr Johnson, she smiled Mr Johnson has been a good man to them and his wife, ever since he found out about his wife’s amnesia, he visits them everyday, he was such a good man. Her thoughts were interrupted when her mother said something shocking.

“Johnson, when will we contact Margaret’s daughter? she has a right to know about her mother’s I’ll health”

Brenda heard her ask Mr Johnson, but her Mom had told her that Aunt Margaret didn’t have any child before she had an accident that means she has a cousin, she bent low and carefully placed her ear on the door knob concluding to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Feli, it is not yet time to tell her daughter, I have not been a good father to her and am sure she won’t want to see me now” Johnson said squeezing her hand.

” Johnson, Margaret needs her family and that was why I contacted you eight years ago, I would have taken care of her myself because she is my sister and I was doing that before I contacted you. you and her daughter are the only close relatives she has, she needs to see her daughter even if she doesn’t remember her but she needs her. if you can’t talk to the daughter, give me her address or her picture and I will look for her and tell her myself at least Brenda needs to know who her cousin is” Felicia said sighing in frustration.

“Okay, I have her pictures here, I paid the private investigator to get information for me” he said stretching a big brown envelope across to Felicia.

“Alright, I will talk to her myself” Felicia said bringing out the pictures one after the other.

Brenda decided to peep and see the person they were referring to as her cousin, she gasped and covered her mouth in shock, she felt her knees go weak, how can she be her cousin? how is it even possible? she has been friends with her cousin for sometime now without knowing, “oh my god” she exclaimed as hot tears poured down her face.

___

Funmilayo sat down with a bottle of wine, thinking of how far she had gone with her plan, she smiled, if only she had known she should have come to Owerri a very long time ago, but is better late than never they say, Kehinde has been taken care of by a God sent, Margaret is on the process of been taken care of, and soon everything will go according to her plan, she smiled sipping her wine.

“Mom, good evening” her son greeted dejectedly.

“What is it son?, talk to me.” she asked shifting the side stool aside.

“Mom, I got a call from Simi today that my so called sister bought a car, imagine, she is spending my father’s money unnecessarily, while I don’t even have a bicycle ” he hissed loudly.

“My son who is Simi?” she asked wondering if it was someone they can trust.

“Mama don’t you remember Simi again?, Mara’s neighbour at the shop, the one I met the day I went over to her shop” he explained removing his tie.

“you see, I told you that we should do something to that girl but you were telling me to wait, if we wait more she will finish your father’s money and when we take over the company, there will be no money left for us to enjoy” she hissed crossing her legs.

“Mama, what should we do? he asked giving a sigh of frustration.

” We will kidnap her, I know Johnson, he must surely come for his daughter wherever he is, am sure of that ” she said sipping her wine thoughtfully.

“When do we strike then?

” We strike tomorrow evening ” she said grinning wickedly.

___

It was very early in the morning, Kenny was about leaving for work when he sighted Brenda walking in through the gate, he checked his wrist watch for time and it was 7:47am, what could the problem be?, he stepped down from the car and stood beside it waiting for Brenda to get close, she looked dishevelled and weak, she was still on her pyjamas and hair net which surprised Kenny, what could have make Brenda look this way? he asked folding his hands.

“Ken….ny, good mo…rning” Brenda greeted sniffing.

“Brenda, have you been crying?, what happened?, you looked so tattered, I hope everything is okay?” He asked all at a time.

“Am not fine at all, after eavesdropping on my mother’s conversation the other day, I couldn’t rest, I was crying throughout yesterday” she said wiping her face.

“What is it Brenda? talk to me please” Kenny said becoming restless.

“It is about Amara” she said sniffing loudly.

“What about her?” Kenny asked unfolding his hands, “Talk to me Brenda, what happened to Amarachi?” he asked shaking Brenda softly.

“Amara is my cousin sister, she said breaking into a loud sob, ” She is my cousin Kenny and I never knew, I have been friends with her ever since you introduced us and I never knew we were cousins ” she said hitting his chest softly.

“What are you talking about Brenda? how is Mara your cousin?” he asked bringing his face closer to see any trace of alcohol but found none.

“She is Aunty Margaret’s daughter, she is my cousin” she said yet again leaning on Kenny’s car for support.

“I don’t still understand, who is Aunty Margaret?” Kenny asked looking wearily at her.

“Aunty Margaret, my mother’s sister, the one you thought never liked you, that same woman that was mute then, she is Amara’s real mother” she said hopelessly sitting down on the floor.

“Now Brenda stop this madness and be serious here, how authentic is this your information” Kenny asked almost angrily.

“I eavesdropped on my mother’s discussion with Mr Johnson, Aunty Margaret’s husband that my mom contacted eight years ago, and I heard everything, I even saw them bring out Amara’s picture” she said already getting tired of the explanations.

“Wait, wait, this Mr Johnson, what is his first name” he asked trying hard to fix the puzzle.

“Caleb” his full name is Caleb Azubike Johnson ” she said wondering what it had to do with her discovery, she stood up again from the floor when she saw the paled look on Kenny’s face.

“Oh my god” Kenny gasped, “If the same Johnson you are talking about is the same person that got missing eight years ago, the same Man with the same name with Amarachi’s father, came into Aunty Margaret’s life exactly eight years ago that he left his family here, that means Amarachi is really aunty Margaret’s daughter” Kenny whispered leaning on the car for support.

“We have to tell Amara, we have to tell her that her mother is at the hospital with no hope of regaining her memory” she said stomping her feet on the ground like she found a new source of strength.

“No Brenda, are you mad?, we can’t tell her anything when we are not yet sure, if she asks us to explain what will we tell her?” Kenny asked out of breath.

“But she has to know, she has to” she said feeling her hope dashed.

“I know Brenda, but we won’t tell her anything yet until am done with the investigations myself” he said fetching his ringing phone from the car.

“yes, good morning, you are speaking with Kenny, how may I help you?” he spoke into the receiver immediately.

“What?, Jesus, am coming right away” he said rushing towards the gate not giving Brenda another glance.

“What is it Kenny?” she asked running after him.

“It is Amarachi, her younger sister was the one that called, she has gone missing, she didn’t come home yesterday evening” he said stopping to catch some breath.

“What?, but how?” Brenda asked widening her hands in confusion.

“I don’t know, am heading to their house now, Adamu open the gate for me” he said walking towards the smaller gate.

“Wait, won’t you go with the car? because I would love to go with you.” Brenda asked shaking her head at him in pity.

“Car?” Kenny asked like a kid, “Okay, the car?, sure, let’s go with it then”, he said walking back towards the car in silence.

To be continued

 

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