Matrimony Of Secrets – Episode 10

Matrimony Of Secrets – Episode 10

© Jennifer Godwin

Evelyn sang as she dressed up, she was starting her section with the gynecologist that same day, she walked to the drawer to pick her wrist watch, she saw a file that was spiral binded, she shifted it to pick her wrist watch but what was written on the file got her attention.

“GELAMAX food production company at Melford Okilo Road, Ekeki yenagoa Bayelsa state, awards a one year contract to bryaco Civil Engineering company for the erection of a two story building on the above mentioned address”.

She squinted her eyes, wasn’t it the new company her father and Ken were trying to set up in Bayelsa state, why was it bearing a different name from the one they have in port-harcourt, just then Ken entered the room and hugged her from behind.

“You are looking beautiful my love” he said sniffing around her neck.

“Ken, what is this?” she asked hovering the file in his face.

“That is the company we are setting up at yenagoa, I hope there is no problem?” Ken asked sweating.

“There is a problem Ken, why is it bearing a different name from our head office here in port-harcourt?” she asked placing her hand on her waist.

“Eeeeem” he scratched his head “yes, you will have to ask Dad, it was his idea and not mine” he completed finally smiling.

“You mean Dad used a different name for the same company, just in different states?, am going to talk to him but that will be later” she turned around and carried her hand bag, walking out on Ken.

Ken picked up his phone and placed a call to someone.

“Hello Dad, Evelyn found out about the different name we used for the new company” he said sitting down on the bed.

“And what did you tell her?” the old man asked.

“I told her that it was your idea, she said she will talk to you” he raked his hair with his hand.

“I will handle her, just focus on other things” he concluded.

___

“Welcome Mrs Desmond, have a seat” korede said all smiles.

“Thanks doctor” Evelyn replied sitting down.

“So did you go through the catalogue with your husband ?” he asked folding his hands.

“What catalogue?” she asked getting confused.

“Didn’t he tell you the things I discussed with him” Korede asked opening his mouth in shock.

“No he didn’t tell me anything, he forgets things easily and coupled with the fact that he is busy with the new company he is setting up with my father at Bayelsa state, he is prone to forget, can you tell me what you guys talked about?” she said all at a time.

“Nothing much, we talked about the section am to start with you” he replied jotting something down on his jotter while nodding his head.

“Okay, what about the catalogue you mentioned earlier?”

“It is still related to the section we are having” korede replied not taking his gaze off the jotter.

“Alright, so can we start?” she asked hastily.

“How many miscarriages have you had since you got married?”

“Six”

“Which hospital did you visit when you had your last miscarriage?”

“This same hospital, it has been our family hospital since I got married, I don’t know why Ken choosed it though”

“Which doctor attended to you during your last miscarriage?”

“Doctor Michael, the one you replaced”

“Alright Mrs Desmond, that will be all for today, we will move to another stage when you come on Thursday” he said after he finished writing on his jotter.

“Alright doctor, I will be here on Thursday, take care” Evelyn said with a smile.

As soon as she left, Korede placed a call to Mr Humphrey.

“Korede, have you handled things over there or is there a need for me to come back?” The man asked groggily.

“Sir, there are many needs for you to come back, are you aware that Evelyn’s husband and her father are setting up a new company at Bayelsa state?” he asked letting out a breath.

“No, am not aware, no one told me” he replied getting alarmed.

“Sir I have a suspect already, just come back to Nigeria, I can’t do it all alone”

“I will take the next available flight to Nigeria tomorrow, get an apartment and a car ready for me, it is time to meet Mr Thomas” he concluded.

___

Evelyn went to her father’s house in anger, the more she thought about the different name used for the new company, the more she believed that it was coned out from two people’s name, she entered the sitting room, sat down on the sofa while calling her mom making her presence known, but she got no response, she decided to head to her father’s study, that was the only place her father would be, she got to the study and found no one there, she decided to look around, books were heaped at every corner, she saw a portrait of her hung on the wall, she smiled caressing her portrait, just then she heard a creaking sound and her portrait caved in giving her a view of an inner room, her eyes bulged as she surprisingly looked on, her portrait had been hanging on a door all those times? She walked into the room, and saw something that turned her stomach.

In the room, she saw different portraits of Ken, “her husband” hung on every part of the wall, she turned to her left and saw an old faded picture of a smaller Ken, her father, and her mother, they all wore a priceless smile on their faces, another portrait of Ken with a lady and three children gazed back at her. She noticed another portrait that was kept separately, she moved towards it, uncovered it, on it was Ken, the same woman she saw earlier, a little boy of about 4 years and her father stood just beside the boy, the kid wore a graduation gown, he must have been graduating from nursery school.

“What is all these?” she shouted.

“Evelyn, what are you doing in here?” Mr Thomas asked.

“Dad what is the meaning of all these portraits” she asked turning around.

“Oh that?, that woman there is Ken’s younger sister and her son, you know they have no father, so I stood in place of their Dad” he concluded covering the portrait.

“Sister?, I thought Ken doesn’t have a sister?”

“I just found out too”

“what about this, if am not mistaken, this is Ken’s younger version, and your dressing here with mom shows that this picture was taken a long time ago, did you already know who Ken was before telling me to marry him?” she thundered.

“Evelyn calm down, you are boiling” he said going to touch her.

“Don’t tell me to calm down Dad, answer my question” she shouted.

“Okay, fine, yes, I knew him before you got married to him” he shouted back.

___

“Oh my god, Mr Humphrey, when did you get back to Nigeria?” doctor Swavey said standing on his feet.

“I came back just yesterday, how has it been?” he asked.

“I have been fine, to what do I owe this visit? Please sit down” he offered him a sit.

“Thanks swavey, what of your family?”

“They are all fine, I would have asked about yours too but you refused to re-marry after the death of Eunice, so let me refer the question to you, how have you been?” he said all at once.

“I have been fine, you know I can’t love any woman the way I love Eunice?” he replied.

“Yes I know, I know, so what do I offer you?”

“Nothing, am okay, I have something I want to discuss with you”

“Okay, go ahead”

“It is about doctor Michael, I want to know the name of the hospital he was transferred to” he completed.

“I hope there is no problem?” doctor Swavey asked.

“No, not at all” he said letting out a smile.

“Let me get his file then” he said standing up, he moved towards the drawer and brought out a piece of paper, “here it is” he said handing him the paper.

“The Pathway Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja” Mr Humphrey read out with a smile.

To be continued

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