Shomama – Episode 9

SHOMAMA – EPISODE 9

ARINZE S. CHIJI

 

SCENE 1

THE MAXWELL MANSION

THE DINING ROOM

(Josephine and Mariam meet Fatai at the table eating toast and scrambled eggs)

Josephine

(Throws a brown envelope at Fatai. He catches it quickly)

That’s fifty thousand naira! Stay away from me! This is a warning,

Fatai

(Smiles)

Thanks big mummy.

Mariam

Now… get out!

Fatai

Not until I’m done with this delicious breakfast.

Josephine

(Looks around suspiciously)

Are you crazy?

Fatai

Chillax… Chief has gone out. You took forever to come down. We had a lovely chat and he offered me his breakfast.

Mariam

Fatai, why are you doing like this? This is unfair.

(Fatai concentrates on the food. They watch him chew every crumb. He stands, belches, smiles and begins to walk towards the front door)

Fatai

I will see you guys soon. (Opens the door, leaves slamming the door)

Josephine

This can’t continue.

Mariam

What can you do?

Josephine

He thinks he has the upper hand. I will show him who is in control.

(A knock on the door)

Mariam

Oh no! Is this boy not tired?

Josephine

(Shakes her head and laughs wickedly)

This boy is trying my patience!

(Runs into the kitchen, grabs a bread knife and heads to the front door)

Mariam

(Runs after her)

Ha! Mrs Josephine calm down o!

Josephine

(Opens the door in anger and raises the knife in the air but stops midway. A lady and a five year old cling to each other screaming in fear)

Chiwendu? (Looks at the little boy) Is that Julian’s boy?

Chiwendu

(Nods fast in fear)

Yes… it’s Somto.

Mariam

(Pushes Josephine to get a better view of the two)

He is the spitting image of Julian

(Opens her mouth in shock)

SCENE 2

THE MAXWELL MANSION

THE LIVING ROOM

(Josephine and Chiwendu watch Mariam cater to Somto in the dining room)

Josephine

He eats like Julian. A voracious eater.

Chiwendu

(Nods)

We run out of food supplies quickly. It has not been easy.

(The two women are staring at each other)

Josephine

I know why you are here.

Chiwendu

Like everyone who has read the news I came to pay a condolence visit.

Josephine

You are here to ask for inclusiveness on behalf of your son. I did the same thing for years but Bam rejected us and demeaned us. It was a miracle that he accepted Julian. I remained an outsider.

Chiwendu

My son deserves everything Julian owned. He is his only son.

Josephine

(Chuckles)

Are you listening to yourself? He is not going to be your meal ticket. I have a proposal for you. Hand him over to us and we will take care of him. He is a Maxwell.

Chiwendu

(Laughs hysterically)

You are joking! Wait… wait… you’ve only been a Maxwell for barely a month and you are already feeling yourself. Everyone knows your story. How you practically went into the gutters to force a man to marry you! So pathetic! I will take Somto to his grandfather and he will be recognised and given what he deserves.

Josephine

I have had it up to here with your type today. You are all snakes! You thought you could trap my son with a pregnancy but he was bigger than that. In his death, I will carry on his legacy. He didn’t care about you and that brat when he was alive and I will make sure you two don’t get a dime from Chief Maxwell. Now get out!

Chiwendu

You haven’t seen the last of me. I didn’t come to Lagos to cheer people like you. I came to play.

Josephine

Keep living that lie! It will be your end.

Chiwendu

(Stands, walks to the dining room, grabs Somto and they exit the house)

Mariam

(Goes to meet Josephine)

Another trouble brewing?

Josephine

This one is a cockroach. I will crush her. I need to be at Bamax this moment. Julian’s shares will be discussed at the board meeting.

Mariam

Isn’t it too early?

Josephine

The earlier the better. It only accelerates my plans. I made sure Julian put me as next of kin when we worked as a team. It means an automatic transfer of shares. I will sell the shares and use the money to fund my film production company.

Mariam

You better get going.

Josephine

One more thing. Did you make Bam’s breakfast?

Mariam

Not at all ma. He doesn’t let me close to him and his personal effects. In a way, it breaks my heart.

Josephine

Don’t mind him. He will get tired of cooking and eating out.

                                                                                            SCENE 3

BAMAX HEADQUARTERS

BAM’S OFFICE

(Josephine walks into Bam’s state of the art office. The walk to his desk takes twenty long strides. She sits facing him. He looks up for the first time to see her face)

Bam

What do you want?

Josephine

I am here to represent my late son at the board meeting.

Bam

You are drifting from the agreement. You wanted my name and you are now Josephine Bamidele Maxwell. Stay the hell away from my company!

Josephine

I’m afraid, I can’t. I am Julian’s official next of kin and his shares are to be transferred to me.

Bam

What are you saying?

Josephine

I know what Julian signed when you gave him those shares. You can’t cut me out.

Bam

After your fall out with your son. I made sure he changed every decision he made with your influence. I didn’t compel him to do it. I just told him to be independent and have a mind of his. I am pretty sure he listened and cannot wait to hear the outcome of his decision in the board room.

Josephine

Bamidele Maxwell is up to his old tricks. I am ready to fight with my last blood if anything is altered. I won’t let you steal from the dead.

Bam

You are mad! Get out of my office!

Josephine

(Stands)

I will be in the cafeteria. Your secretary said the meeting starts in fifteen minutes. I will see you there

(Leaves the office)

SCENE 4

FORTY – FIVE MINUTES LATER

BAMAX HEADQUARTERS

OUTSIDE THE BOARD ROOM

(Josephine runs to the entrance as Bam and other board members exit)

Josephine

What is happening? Is the meeting about to commence?

Bam

You are kidding, right?

Josephine

I’m sorry. I don’t know what was in that coke I took in the cafeteria. I fell into a deep sleep.

Bam

Did you know that Julian has a son?

Josephine

A son?

Bam

He transferred his shares to his son.

Josephine

Which son? There must be a mistake somewhere. You and I know that Julian was never married not to talk about having a son. This is a mistake.

Bam

Josephine, we are going to look for Julian’s son and do the right thing.

Josephine

…and if there is no son?

Bam

I don’t know. We will decide once proper investigation has been carried out.

(Walks away)

Josephine

No way… This can’t happen. What do I do now? If there is no son…

SCENE 5

THELMA’S HOUSE

THE LIVING ROOM

(Tolu is a bathrobe. She uses a remote to change the TV channels absentmindedly. Thelma walks in and drops her bag on the chair beside Tolu)

Tolu

(Looks at Thelma and then back to the TV)

You are back so early.

Thelma

…and you are still in your bathrobe? I thought you were going to your make up studio today.

Tolu

I changed my mind.

Thelma

This was not what we agreed on last night. You promised to do better.

Tolu

I am doing better. I took some bookings for tomorrow. I will be there tomorrow.

Thelma

I drove all the way to your studio to pick you up as agreed this morning. I was shock when I met the place closed.

Tolu

I am sorry. If it’s any consolation, I made cheese pasta and fried chicken.

Thelma

Tolu!

Tolu

What? I said I am sorry.  Go and help yourself to some delicious cooking of mine.

Thelma

I am still angry.

Tolu

You like shakara sef! How did your day go?

Thelma

Folarin didn’t creep up on me.

Tolu

Did you have to start from there? (Hisses)

Thelma

Wait now! I am going somewhere.

Tolu

Humour me…

Thelma

I am being followed.

Tolu

By who? Witches from your village? Don’t tell you’ve joined all these spiricoco people with their nonsense.

Thelma

No! No! No! Not that… I was followed from my store to your studio and then here.

Tolu

You mean the man followed you here? Is he outside?

Thelma

It’s not a man. I was followed by a woman and a little boy. Anytime I tried to get close, they run away.

Tolu

Do you mean they are outside now?

Thelma

Yes… No… I mean I don’t know. When I drove into the compound and locked the gate they stood and watched from a few houses away.

Tolu

That’s some weird something abeg. How can they follow you from the store? Did they drive or what? Like all those Hollywood movies…

Thelma

I can’t tell. I just noticed them anytime I was out of my car.

Tolu

You don dey see spirit. Abeg go chop macaroni clean eyes.

Thelma

Mumu! I dey follow you talk serious matter, you dey use me play. Carry your smell smell body comot for my house. Nonsense girl! (Hisses and walks away)

Tolu

(Laughs)

E pain am o! Abeg no finish my macaroni o! I go still chop!

SCENE 6

THE NEXT DAY

THELMA’S HOUSE

OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND

(Thelma drives out while Tolu waits by the gate. She closes the gate and joins Thelma in the car)

Thelma

Can you see her?

Tolu

Who?

Thelma

The stalker from yesterday. Just look ahead. Under that tree. She is with the little boy.

Tolu

Did they sleep there?

Thelma

I don’t know o.

Tolu

There is only one way to find out.

(Opens the door and about to step out)

Thelma

Are you crazy? What are you doing? Shut the door!

Tolu

You are very funny. (exits the car and begins to walk towards the woman and child)

Thelma

She is back to her old ways!

(As Tolu approaches them. They get on their feet and begin to walk away. Tolu increases her pace as Thelma begins to drive towards them)

Tolu

Stop there! Where are you going? What do you want?

(They don’t stop but start to run. Tolu begins to chase them. Thelma speeds up and soon double crosses them. She opens the door)

                                                                                             Thelma

Stop!

(the woman and child are caught in between Tolu and Thelma. The little boy holds on to his mother in fear)

Tolu

We are not here to hurt you. Why are you following my friend?

Thelma

(Looks at the woman closely)

Chiwendu?

(She looks up and for the first time, they see the colour of their eyes)

Tolu

You know her?

Thelma

She… is Esho’s wife. My late brother’s wife.

Tolu

Your late brother? Esho?

Thelma

Yes… (Looks at the little boy) Is that your little baby? He is all grown up.

Tolu

Please… I am confused. Your late brother was married and had a son.  I didn’t even know you had a brother! We’ve been friends for like what… three years.

Thelma

Four years actually.

Tolu

But that’s not the point. How come I don’t know about brother Esho? What else are you keeping from me?

Thelma

It’s a long story.

Chiwendu

 I need your help.

Thelma

Let us go to the house. You need to freshen up. Get into the car.

(Chiwendu and the boy enter the car)

Tolu

Are you nuts? How can you be picking up strays and taking them to your house?

Thelma

I wasn’t the one that started the chase. Wasn’t this what you wanted?

Tolu

Far from it! I just wanted to interrogate them. You’ve taken it far. I need to call Shomama, in case anything happens to us.

Thelma

No way! Shomama must never find out. Shomama is the reason we erased Chiwendu and Esho from our lives.

Tolu

Why? What did they do?

Thelma

She believes Chiwendu preyed on Esho’s emotions and forced him into marriage. She blames Chiwendu for his death.

Tolu

It doesn’t make sense to me.

Thelma

I have said enough. Let’s go home. I will tell you the rest later.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

A very big thank you for following this series passionately. We are close to the end. Quick question. What do you think Chiwendu stands to benefit from getting Thelma’s attention? Do you think Josephine is capable of getting her grandson out of the picture since he is entitled to Julian’s shares? You can share your thoughts. I have a huge announcement in episode 10!

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