THE LAST SMILE Episode 21 by NISSI ADEOLA
Fred opened the door to Chris office and entered slowly. He had the distinctive feeling that he would get thrown out if he went in all confident. When Chris’ glare welcomed him, he swallowed.
“Why not hear me out first before you nail me to the cross” Fred said in a pleading manner.
“Jesus was not given that opportunity, why should you be given” Chris responded with a permanent glare.
“Jesus was nailed unjustly, would you do the same to me?”
Chris looked at him. “You have five minutes to convince me. You better start now because I won’t give you a second more”.
Fred sat instantly. “It was an accident Chris. I went to her house to confess my love for her, just as I told you but when I got there and bared my heart to her, she laughed at me. She said that she could never have anything to do with me, that she would never date a loser when Deolu was there. I saw a knife close by and I took it just to scare her since she would not stop talking but she tripped over something on the floor and because I was not far behind, I also tripped and the knife I was holding stabbed her. I swear it was not intentional. Please believe me” Fred shook.
Chris looked doubtful. “Are you sure of what you are saying?”
“Yes Chris. That is how it happened. When she… when she died, I had to erm… dump her somewhere. I was so scared, please help me”
Chris Chuks stared at Fred who just sat, shivering on the chair opposite him. He had a feeling that what Fred had just said was only a shadow of the real truth. Although, seeing the way Fred shivered, he was compelled to believe him.
“Well, I have not told anyone anything and have been lying to Mr Adeolu for close to two weeks now. I was not able to implicate your sorry ass. You need to leave that house. I have a good place where you can hide for the mean time; hiding in that house is very predictable and they would easily find you there”
“Thank you brother. I knew I could count on you” Fred said with a lot of appreciation in his voice.
Chris swallowed. He was putting his job and neck on the line for Fred. He could be charged for treason. He relaxed and closed his eyes hoping that this issue does not backfire.
Lucy sat chatting with Raymond in the sitting room. He had arrived earlier than usual and Lucy was happy because Vicky had gone to spend a few days with her friend. Being in that massive house all alone would have been terrifying, especially since the house was not hers. As they discussed, she thought of how to put down what she had in mind.
“Ray” she called.
Raymond turned to face her suddenly. “This is the first time you called me by my name; I love the sound of it. You should call me that often.” He grinned.
Lucy blushed and looked down. “Erm… I … erm”
Ray frowned. “What is it sugar? Is something wrong?”
“No… erm… what I want to say… I mean, ask is if you could show me some of your art works”
Ray blanched.
“I don’t mean to pry but Teju had talked endlessly about your artworks but I was never interested. Your paintings are very popular even though I never took the time to check them out. I would love to have a look, even if it is just a few” she finished.
Ray was quiet, too quiet. He swallowed as he stared into space.
“If it is a problem, please don’t bother. It is nothing” she quickly added.
Ray stood up and went to his bedroom. Lucy felt bad and miserable. She must have done and said everything wrong. The paintings must bring bad memories. Several thoughts went through her head as she sat frozen to her seat.
Raymond appeared minutes later with a key in his hand. He marched out and muttered ‘follow me’. She did not want to follow him like this; with him being upset.
“If you are not OK with it, it is fine. You don’t have to.” She murmured as she followed him. He did not respond. When they got to the door, he opened it slowly and stood at the entrance.
“Go inside. Everything you need is there.” He said and moved out of the way.
Lucy stared at him with concern. “If you would not go with me then I won’t go at all. You can’t run away from the past, you just have to accept the past”.
Ray swallowed. “I am not going inside” he dropped icily.
Lucy winced as she saw the pain in his eyes. “I am not going too. Please lock the door. I was never interested in art in the first place”.
Ray looked at her. He wanted to make her believe that art was a wonderful thing but he was scared of going into the room. He opened the door wider and started entering. Lucy breathed and followed. Her eyes widened as she stared at the numerous frames hung on the wall, all around the room and the ones on the floor. She had never seen anything so beautiful and colourful. Everything her eyes met was simply outstanding. She touched some of them, tracing them with her finger. She noticed they were dusty but knew that it was expected if the place had been under lock for some time. She saw a painting of a woman who was seated with her baby on her lap. The look of love in the woman’s eyes was so evident and real, she could feel it. Her eyes watered as she remembered her mother at home. “This is beautiful; everything is beautiful” she murmured as she blinked. Ray smiled but did not say anything.
Lucy looked around and every frame called her but one of them struck her and her heart skipped. She walked like a robot to the painting. When she got there, she could not touch it, she just looked. She was dumbstruck as she stared at the most amazing painting she had seen. It was a painting of a man and a woman. The woman had pain in her eyes as she stared at the man. The pain in the eyes of the man was not as intense but there was also love in both eyes. There was someone in the shadow. The face and form of the person was not clear but there was someone there; she knew it. The person stood with his back to them. The painting told a story of two lovers who had gone through a trying time but still loved eachother. She imagined that the person in the shadow was against their union. The couple looked vaguely familiar. She turned and looked at Raymond and got her answer.
“Are these your parents?” she asked.
He swallowed. “Yes” he mouthed. He wanted to run out of the room. That painting was his favorite. His eyes watered as he anticipated the next question she would ask.
“Where are they?” she asked as she looked at the painting again. He was quiet. She turned and saw him struggling for composure. She became scared and worried.
“They are dead”. He turned and left the room. She stood rooted to the ground. Dead? Was this the nightmare? Was that why he stopped painting? She wondered. She stared ahead and saw something like an uncompleted work. It was as if he started and could not continue. She could not even decipher what the painting looked like.
She ran out of the room to go after Ray but saw him match into the gym. She sighed as she closed the door of the room. She wondered if she should go after him or just let him go. She chose the former and headed towards the gym.
Deolu had called the police officer but never got good news from him. He became frustrated and remembered another police officer in Abuja. He wondered how he had skipped that. He took out his phone and dialed.
When Lucy entered the gym, she saw Raymond on the treadmill, running endlessly. It was like trying to run away from something. Lucy’s heart ached as she saw this. He was in pain but was too arrogant to admit it to anyone. She went to sit somewhere close where he could see her easily but he did not see her. He did not seem to know she was there. It was like he was in another world where all he could see were ghosts of the past.
Ray ran and ran and with each step he took, he ran faster. The more he ran, the more those images flashed through his mind. He was going crazy; maybe he was already crazy. He had thought he would be able to handle it. It had been almost four years since the incident occurred and he still could not forget. The images were still as fresh as yesterday. When he entered the room, he had thought that seeing those drawings would not affect him. They hadn’t until Lucy drew his attention to that picture. That was what broke the confidence he had. Everything came rushing back: the departure of their parents and the circumstances that led to it, the news of the crash, their trip to the accident scene, the burnt people, the faces of his dead and burnt parents… Raymond screamed and jumped out of the treadmill.
Lucy ran to meet him as he shook uncontrollably. She wondered what demon had possessed her to ask for his paintings. She was scared. Scared for him, scared for herself. “Please take it easy Ray. Please…” she lamented, her eyes already wet with tears. Ray’s shirt was already soaked in his sweat and he did not seem to be able to stop his shivering body.
“They died Lucy… They died horribly… The plane crashed… They got burnt… My parents…” he continued to say and a cold shiver went down Lucy’s spine. A plane crash! “I saw them Lucy…” tears dropped from his eyes. “I saw all of them. I saw their burnt bodies… they were roasted Lucy… Oh God… roasted… like animals” he held her head and looked into her eyes, trying to make her understand. “My loving parents died horribly. What did my parents do to deserve that? They served God and ensured that we did too. Why were they in that plane” more tears dropped from his eyes and Lucy just kept on crying. She had never seen that much pain before. She was lost on what to do. Ray could not drive away the images. He wanted to forget. He just wanted to forget. Lucy stood up tip-toes on the first impulse that came to her head and kissed him deeply.
THE LAST SMILE Episode 22 by NISSI ADEOLA
Luciana jumped out of Ray’s hands. She could not believe her effrontery. The kiss only lasted for a second and immediately she attempted it, she remembered Deolu. She had no right to kiss a stranger, even if he was in pain. Deolu was also in pains at home trying to look for her and here she was, kissing a total stranger who seemed to have more ghosts in his life than real beings. But even as the thought flashed through her head, she stared at Ray with concern. He was no longer shivering, he just stood, staring at her. It did not look as if tears had dropped from his eyes; his face just looked blank with the hint of confusion. The tears didn’t really qualify to be called tears because it was just a few drops, but tears they were nonetheless. She guessed he was too arrogant to admittedly cry, especially not in front of a girl.
“Oh my!” Ray exclaimed. “I am sorry”
Lucy blinked. “You did not do anything wrong; I am at fault” she quickly countered. “Don’t give more meaning to it. I was just trying to calm you down since I was the one who got you upset. Let’s call it a calling kiss. Guess it worked” she smiled faintly
“First of all, you did not upset me. I should have gotten over this incident but it seems stuck in my brain. Secondly, you can’t call that kiss a calming technique; I have been known to be a good kisser, you know. I can give you a proper kiss” he humoured but it only made her frown and shift uncomfortably.
“Of course, I know that you have a erm… guy but I was just trying to make you smile, dimples” he said and she did smile. He had added dimples to her pet name when her dimples kept calling to him. He also noticed that whenever he called her that, it brought a smile to her face.
“Thanks” he said, jamming his hands into his pocket before he did something stupid.
Lucy frowned. “For what?”
“For calming me with a kiss”. He laughed when he saw her embarrassed blush. He moved forward and before she could think, he dropped a kiss on her cheek and left the gym.
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Teju tried to push her own heartache aside in order to help her friend out. The more she tried, the harder it became for her to understand. She had been with that ingrate for more than two years and when it was a few months to their wedding, he chickened out because of a cheap ass? She could not believe that a man could be so callous. In fact, all men are callous and wicked, she thought.
She gathered her thoughts and concentrated on the issue at hand. She knew that Luciana was Ok but still had no links to her. Not a day passed without her uttering a word of prayer for everyone involved in the struggle – Lucy, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Deolu and all friends and family members involved.
‘That Fred is in Abuja and Inspector Chris has not given us any feedback’ she thought. It has been over two weeks now and there was still no response at all from the station. She wondered why police men were so useless; the only time they are useful is where bribery is involved. Could she blame them? The present government did not care whether the people ate or starved and the people have taken it upon themselves to do whatever they could for money.
When she had gone to the police station where Deolu was initially kept unlawfully weeks back, she had known that she would get vital information. She had interrogated the officers who carried out the job and found out the truth after much threat. She had given them the option of either winding up in jail or being her informants. Apparently, the latter option was chosen and she was glad that she had been wise enough. They were the ones who told her that Fred was in Abuja and now, after due research, it has already been discovered that the police in Abuja were doing next to nothing. No wanted banners or anything that can put Fred on the run. She smelled a rat and she was going to get to the root of it.
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Tinuke sat on a stool in the kitchen as she waited for her food to cook. She shook her head as she remembered the humiliation that Teju had given her. She could not imagine why she had been so quiet. Even though she had the strong urge to slap Teju’s face, she hadn’t been able to dare it. Somehow, she feared Teju. Before she even met Teju, she had seen her pictures on Tunde’s phone and discovered that she was a barrister. She always feared people with the long graduants’ gown and a wig on their heads.
She had called herself Oyin when she met Tunde. She met him at the boutique, where she had gone to shop, in order to forget her sorrows. Tunde was a fine guy and she needed a distraction so she introduced herself as Oyin and the fun began. She hadn’t seen a guy who could resist her body and Tunde was not an exemption. Virtually everything she told Tunde about herself were lies and the fool believed every word that came out of her lips. She had enjoyed everything until she became bored. Tunde did not have enough cash to fit into Tinuke’s type of man. Raymond was everything. Ray had the killer looks that would intimidate any guy, he had the cash, he had the fame and also had the romantic instincts. She needed her man back. She was done playing ‘Oyin’ with Tunde. She wanted her man back. Teju was right; she needed to redefine herself.
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Raymond swallowed as he entered his room. Too many things had happened too fast and he was entirely at fault. He could have simply told Lucy that he could not open that room for her but he had put up the brave front and had made it worse by entering the room. He sighed as he thought about his loss of composure. He felt so ashamed of himself. He had lost control in front of her and now she must be thinking that he was a weakling. He hadn’t been able to control himself until Lucy kissed him. That kiss was all he needed to come back to his senses.
She had been staying in his house for almost three weeks and everyday, his desire to kiss her and hold her against him increased. He had ensured that he kept his distance from her because he did not want to be seen as taking advantage of her because he helped her. It had been extremely difficult, judging by the way she constantly clouded his senses. He thought of her every time, even when he was busy at work. He would never have tried anything with her but something already happened – a kiss.
When he was in the gym, he barely noticed her presence because all he could see were the events that gave him constant nightmares. He had been certain that he was no longer sane because all his efforts to shut out the mental pictures had failed, but when Lucy had kissed him, he knew it was her. Within that second, all his fears and ghosts vanished and he could feel her. Lucy had made the act look like something irrelevant but he knew that it was not just a ‘calming kiss’ like she had called it. It might be for her but it was far much more than that to him. He could smell her, he could taste her, he could…
“Oh no” he groaned. “What am I doing?” he removed all his clothes in a flash and rushed to the bathroom. When he drove Tinuke away, he had promised himself that he would stay away from the opposite sex. His permanent break-up with Tinuke was not even a month old and he was already daydreaming about another girl. It made him wonder if he had actually loved Tinuke. Not that he loved Luciana but…
He jumped out of the shower and decided he needed fresh air. He wore something light and left the house, zooming off like someone was on his tail.
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Deolu sat on the couch in Teju’s sitting room. She emerged with two glass cups and a pack of juice and filled them, taking one. Deolu took his and sipped.
“Teju” Deolu looked at her with a touch of concern. “I still feel there is something wrong that you are not telling me about. You look sad and hurt”
Teju stared at him. “Why won’t I be sad? Everyone is sad. It is my best friend that is missing here. Anyways, the main reason why I called you here is to find out some things.” She paused to sip her drink before she set it aside. “That DPO you met in Abuja… erm… Chris Chuks, tell me about him”.
“I know nothing about the man. When I got there, I expected to see Frank, my friend, but I saw Chris instead. I called Frank two days ago to help with the case and he told me that he had been transferred.”
“But he is still in Abuja?”
“Yes” he answered.
She adjusted thoughtfully. “I don’t trust that Chris.” An idea struck her and she rushed into the room to get her laptop. Deolu just looked at her, wandering why lawyers made a fuss over little things. The DPO was just not competent enough, that’s all.
Teju launched the browser on her laptop. “When you talked to him about the case, did you notice any discomfort or tension in him”.
“Of course not. He only listened the way any other DPO would.” He answered instantly.
Teju stared at him as she waited for the information she sought to fully load. “Are you a hundred percent sure? Lucy is on the line remember? I just have a strong conviction and I need to be sure”
The mention of Luciana’s name did the trick. “Yes!” Deolu exclaimed. “It was when I gave him the pictures of Lucy and Fred. He was practically shocked. When I querried him, he gave me a flimsy excuse”
Teju nodded distractedly as she opened the data on her laptop. It was Chris Chuks’ biography. When she read a few lines, she nodded. “I knew it”
“Knew what?” Deolu sat beside her now, reading from the laptop.
“He is from Imo state”
“And what has that got to do with this issue?”
Teju wished that she had a lawyer beside her who would understand many things without being told. “Apparently, I heard Fred tell Lucy that he has a brother in Abuja whose name is Chris. That could easily pass for a coincidence but it can’t be a coincidence that they are both from the same state, can it?”
“Oh my God! That filthy bastard.” Deolu cursed as he rose to his feet. “I should have known”.
Teju relaxed and smiled at the situation and Deolu looked at her with a puzzled expression. She stared at him as if surprised that he could not even decipher what she was thinking. “Fred is in Abuja, meaning, his hideout is more than likely known by Chris. We don’t know where Fred is but we know where Chris is”.
“So, if we can get Chris, we would know where Fred is” he finished and Teju smiled. Deolu smiled wholeheartedly for the first time in days. It can be really wonderful having a lawyer as a friend.
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Raymond got back home when it was already dark. He had driven round and finally branched to greet one of his friends. They had talked and talked till it was dark. As he locked the door of his car, he entered the house with only one thing in mind – sleep. He called Lucy but no answer came. He could not imagine her asleep at that time; it was not 8 o’clock yet. He called and called but did not get any answer. He went to her room and knocked but no answer came. After some time, he opened the door and he met the room empty. Panic was the first thing that arose in him. He checked everywhere in the room but did not see her. He ran out to question his gateman but saw a note on the side table in the sitting room.
“Hello Raymond,
Words cannot express how grateful I am that people like you exist. You picked me up and took care of me, risking everything. I am alive today because of God and you. Please don’t be sad that I had to leave like this. I figured that if I don’t leave now, I would not want to leave anymore. You made me feel at home in your house. Thank you. I needed to leave because my absence at home would be creating confusion, just as my presence in your house is creating confusion. I need to find a solution to the problem I am in and staying in your place is not making me do anything about it. My people are running around in circles and it is hurting me.
Please do me a favour. I need you to accept the past. You are strong and compassionate and that is why the death of your parents affected you this much but you have to let it go. I never loved art but I have never seen anything more beautiful than the paintings I saw today. You don’t have to forget your past, you just have to accept it because your past can make you a better and stronger person. Painting brings you fulfillment and it would hurt to see you give up what you love doing. God loves you. Don’t stay angry at God because he does not make mistakes. He gives, he takes. The same way you have the power to do anything you like with your paintings is the same way God has the power to do what he wants to do with us. It was not your parents that got burnt in that crash but their flesh. When we get to heaven, we would see them without a single scratch. Your parents would be very happy where they are if you keep on holding on to God like they wanted you to.
Please greet Vicky and tell her that I would miss her terribly. She is always in my heart and my prayers. Wish she was my sister. I would miss you a lot Ray and the nicknames you call me.
With Love
Sugar”
The paper slipped out of Ray’s fingers as he stared into space.
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Mr and Mrs Jones sat on the chair. They had just finished parading another set of hospitals but they got no good news as usual. Some people had advised them to check the mortuaries but they rejected it saying it was not their portion to bury their daughter. Bewaji called her maid to bring a glass of water for her. She dropped her head on Ken’s shoulders and he held her. They heard a knock and Bewaji stood up to answer it since the maid was in the kitchen.
Immediately she opened the door, she let out a scream that brought Ken to her side in a flash.
THE LAST SMILE Episode 23 by NISSI ADEOLA
Luciana jumped inside the house and slammed the door before they attracted the neighbors. She removed the shawl she had used in covering her face and dropped it carelessly on the floor. Her heart beat wildly as she stared at her parents. They both looked lean and fagged from excessive worry.
Tears slipped Bewaji’s eyes as she stared at her daughter. “Lucy” she whispered. “Lucy, is that you?” Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She held Ken’s shirt with her eyes glued to Lucy, “Am I dreaming Ken?”
Lucy’s father was as dumbstruck as Lucy who also stood with her eyes glistening with tears.
“Mum” she managed to say and rushed into her mother’s arms. “It is me mum” she shook. “It is Luciana”.
Bewaji held her daughter as she sobbed. “My baby… my baby is back” she murmured as she clung to Lucy. “Oh my God!” Bewaji pulled back, kissed Luciana’s face and forehead several times and pulled her back into her embrace. She held on to her like a lifeline as she murmured everything that came to her head.
“It is OK mum. You are going to make me cry” But she was already crying. Seeing her parents overwhelmed her beyond her expectations. She pulled back and turned to her dad. He stood with a loving smile on his face. His swimming eyes nearly undid her as she ran into his hands.
“Oh daddy” she cried.
“I have missed you my girl” he said, controlled now but with emotions that shook her. He brushed his fingers through her hair, like he was trying to memorize or recall the texture. “You almost sent us to an early grave with worry pumpkin, don’t ever do this again” His tone was very light.
Lucy pulled back slightly. “I won’t dad, I am sorry” she hugged her dad again. She had missed him terribly.
“C’mon ken, don’t scold my baby now. She just arrived” Bewaji said, holding both of them. Now, she felt complete.
“Ah aunty”
Everyone turned and Lucy saw the maid. “Oh Dana, come and give me a hug. I have missed you”
Dana rushed into Lucy’s arms and held her like a vise. When they pulled apart, Dana fidgeted slightly. “Aunty, I was very worried about you o. I prayed everyday that you would come back safely” she said, looking at her fingers.
Lucy smiled. “And the prayers are answered.” She felt truly blessed to have people who love her around her.
“Yes, she was so worried. We all were. I almost died” Bewaji smiled and held her daughter’s hand with the fear that she might vanish again.
“Come and sit down pumpkin, you must be really tired” Ken said as they moved to the room. “Tell me everything. I want to hear every detail of what actually happened.”
“It is a long story. Dad, can you please call Teju and Deolu. I need to put them out of this trauma, and even though I really would like to make my presence public, I feel it might be risky. Please don’t tell them that I am here dad. They might get over-excited, especially Deolu, and we don’t want that”.
“Right away” he said, grabbing his phone.
Bewaji was busy inspecting Luciana’s body for marks and the like. She pulled her into her arms and held on to her.
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Teju packed a few things inside her extra large hand bag. It is not a myth that the handbag of a lady could very well take in everything that she needs for a week. Teju would be travelling to Abuja the following day. She had decided that going to Abuja would be very effective, instead of Deolu because she would be able to use her expertise as a lawyer to attend to matters. She had previously thought of following the DPO secretly in order to get Fred’s whereabouts but later decided that the method would not be effective. The DPO might suspect something and their plans would be blown to the wind. Chris might not even go there at all or early enough. Blackmail seemed the best tool to use in a case like this. She knew just the right words to use in order to get results.
Teju heard her phone ring and picked it up from the bed. She was not surprised that it was Lucy’s dad. They communicated frequently, especially since the disappearance of Lucy. She just wished she could tell them that their daughter was alright.
“Good afternoon sir” she said immediately she answered the call.
“Hello dear, how are you today?” Mr. Jones replied in the receiver.
“I am fine sir” She noted certain calmness in his voice with surprise and happiness.
“That is good. Can you come over to the house? There is something we would like to show you”
“Something?” Teju became very curious.
“Yes. It is a bit urgent”
He did not sound urgent; Teju mused but shrugged it off. She just hoped it had to do with Lucy’s case. “Yes sir. I would be there in a jiffy”.
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It had been long since Deolu sat in his office but even as he sat there, his heart and brain was far away. He was terribly worried about Lucy. Just that morning, he had called so many hospitals again, just as he did every day to make enquiries but as usual, it proved abortive. A friend of his had commented that the guy might have thrown her into the lagoon but had rejected it vehemently, nearly beating up his friend in the process. Times spent with Teju had eased his pain. He realized that whenever he was with Teju, he worried less. She seemed to take away his problems and pains with her lawyer attitudes. He still could not pinpoint why he felt she was in pains. Something had changed about her. She was not as lively as before, even though you would barely notice the changes if you were not careful enough. She had always remained positive and optimistic about Lucy’s return, using the stubborn attitude of being a lawyer to her advantage. She was not ready to accept defeat and he liked that about her. That trait was also very visible in Lucy although, gentler. They were truly birds of a feather.
Deolu’s phone rang, saving him from his thoughts. He smiled when he saw the caller.
“Hello sir”
“How are you son?” Mr. Jones responded over the phone.
“I am fine sir. Hope you are feeling better sir”
“Yes. Glory to God. I wonder if you can come over to my house now; there is something I would like to show you”
Deolu was happy that something was taking him out of his office. He hadn’t done any meaningful thing there. “Right away sir…”
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Ray had never been so helpless in his life. His life felt empty and it scared him. He felt like something had left him. He felt his life was just as empty as his house was. He changed from one channel of the television to the other but nothing came close to appealing to his senses. Just some time ago, he was telling himself that it would be best if she left and now that that thought had come to a reality, he felt miserable. ‘Be careful what you wish for, you just might have it’. That sentence echoed in his brain as he walked helplessly towards the refrigerator for a pack of juice. He cared less if there was food because he had no appetite at all.
As he drank Chivita, he stared at the television screen, seeing only the pictures in his head. He wondered where Lucy was, if she was safe, if she was hungry. He stood and paced. He felt miserably helpless and he could not understand why he felt that way. She was just his guest, nothing more. He had helped in saving her life but he did not see himself as a super star that was able to save a damsel in distress, he felt lucky instead that he had been able to do something for her. God had used him for her; He could as well have used someone else. God? He could not believe he had thought of God using him. He swallowed when the content of the letter replayed itself in his head. He dropped his glass and went out of the house to discuss with his gateman. He was very glad then that he had employed a gateman.
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Lucy tried not to engage the thoughts that were trying to cloud her head. She was very happy to be home but she felt something was wrong. She felt incomplete. It was just a silent feeling which she easily overlooked as she laughed and smiled to everything that was being said. Her parents were fussing over her and she felt like a one year old again. The knock at the door interrupted their reunion and Luciana’s heart skipped wildly. She wondered which one of the two had arrived. Dana was a bit reluctant to leave Lucy’s side but she did anyways.
The voice Luciana heard made her smile widely and she was up instantly. Teju moved into the sitting room and it took a while before her brain could take in what she was seeing. She froze for some seconds as she gaped at Lucy who stood grinning.
“Lucy… Ahhhhh” she screamed as they both ran into each other’s arms. Lucy’s parents were laughing at the scene. Teju moved slightly away and started inspecting Lucy’s body as if she was checking if her body parts were complete. “Oh Lucy” she hugged her again.
“T.J… I have missed your troublesome self o” Lucy said and laughed as she blinked back the tears that came to her eyes.
“Yes. You must miss me. I have also missed the coconut rice you always cook for me” they both laughed. Teju was trying to control herself and not cry like a baby. She had missed her best friend.
As the two friends fussed over each other, they were so engulfed in their excitement that they did not hear the knock on the door. When the door opened, Lucy turned and froze when she stared at Deolu.
Deolu stood at the entrance as his eyes took in the image before him. Even when he came to fully acknowledge the fact that he was not dreaming, he still could not move a muscle. All the times that he had imagined Lucy’s return, he had imagined carrying her, kissing her until his lips ached and so many things but he never imagined that he would just stand at the entrance and stare. Life seemed to have departed his legs and he could not move them.
Lucy walked slowly towards him, feeling a quiet panic within her. Raymond flashed through her mind and she pushed away the image. She stood right in front of Deolu and watched him swallow forcefully. “Lucy” he called as if he wanted to be double sure that he was not seeing things. She answered by moving into his arms.
“Oh God” he breathed as he wrapped his arms around her. His hands shook as he held on to her like his life depended on it. He breathed in the scent of her hair as he held her. “My love… oh my love” he murmured. “Life has been miserable since you vanished.”
“I am sorry for putting you through all these” she said, still in his arms. Deolu pulled her back and kissed her forehead, her cheeks and lips. Ken coughed audibly as he fisted his arms. Deolu held on to Lucy without letting her go and Bewaji put her hand on her husband’s shoulder to calm him.
“Why don’t we move this love scene to the sitting room” Bewaji said, moving towards the couple.
Several minutes after, everyone was seated in the sitting room. Lucy sat at the middle of Teju and Deolu and he held her to him with her head resting on his shoulders. With everyone being attentive, she narrated everything that happened, although carefully edited. She told them how Fred had stabbed her because of jealousy and had dumped her thinking that she was dead. How she had been rescued by Raymond and admitted in the hospital where she spent over three weeks. How she had spent some days in Raymond’s house in order to fully recuperate.
Ken was already pacing when she finished. “That filthy son of the devil” he swore. Bewaji was almost in tears at the thought of what her daughter had gone through and she said that she would like to meet Raymond. “That guy is our saving grace” she said. Deolu was furious, just like Ken. Teju just sat and stared, calculating like the lawyer she was.
Lucy’s stomach grumbled and she remembered that she had not eaten anything. She had skipped breakfast at Ray’s place when there was no one to eat with. “Please can I get something to eat? I am starving” she complained. Everyone swung to action like she was the first lady. She wanted to go to the kitchen herself but she was denied.
Food was presented in no time and she dug into the food. Everyone watched her as she ate, knowing that her being alive was a miracle. Watching her eat brought pleasure to them all.
THE LAST SMILE Episode 24 by NISSI ADEOLA
After Luciana had eaten, they had allowed her take a nap in order to rest and relax more. Luciana had fallen into a dreamless sleep and woke up almost two hours later. The first person she saw when she opened her eyes was her mum. Bewaji seemed to derive pleasure from watching her daughter sleep; in fact, she derived pleasure in watching everything Luciana did.
Lucy smiled down at her mother with sleepy eyes. “Relax mum, I am not going anywhere”.
Bewaji smiled. “It would take a few days to make me believe it baby”
Lucy nodded. “I missed you mum, so much” she sat up.
“Me too dear. I told you that leaving this house was a bad idea but you never listen. You are just as stubborn as your father”
“Don’t go there mum. I left for work, besides, I like it there. I love the work. Mum, I think it is best I talked with everyone about the situation on ground. The guy is still freely roaming the streets” she changed the subject.
Luciana got to the sitting room and found everyone waiting there, having a little chatter. Their eyes followed her to her seat, making her feel awkward, with her legs hitting themselves. “Can you guys stop staring? You are making me feel weird” she stated exasperatedly.
Teju laughed. “We are still surprised that you are here babe”.
“Get used to it”
“I am used to it already. Now, let’s get down to business” she transformed to a lawyer within the twinkling of an eye and Lucy smiled. “I have my luggage packed for Abuja tomorrow. I should be able to lay my hands on the murderer.”
“Fred is not a murderer, he was just blinded with jealousy-” everyone in the room stared at Lucy like she had lost her mind. “Besides, Teju, you can’t go looking for a ‘murderer’ in Abuja. He is a man and you are a woman; a fragile one at that”
“Oh… give me a break Lucy. It was your mummy attitude I missed a lot. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I am a barrister for heaven’s sake” Teju retorted.
“Lucy is right” Deolu stated. “It is risky having you there alone. I am coming with you”.
“Obviously not. I am not going to be all alone, that policeman Deolu told me about would be helping me out. Besides, you need Deolu here now.” She replied.
“No” Luciana said immediately. She softened. “Listen Teju, I would hate myself forever if anything happened to any of you because of me; you especially. Let Deolu go with you. He is a man and he can take care of you and himself” Lucy concluded.
“I want to go and see the face of that scoundrel and teach him a lesson he would not forget in a hurry” Ken dropped with finality in his tone.
“You would do no such thing” Bewaji said glaring at him.
Teju looked at the whole scenario and laughed. “Well, this is cozy. Since my over-protective sister does not want me alone, I would go with Deolu. His numerous connections should come in handy. Dad, I am afraid your presence there would be more harm than good”.
Ken growled. Women and their easy ways of twisting themselves around your neck until you had no choice but to succumb to their will. He swallowed.
Teju thought of how to drop what had popped into her mind during the course of the argument. She knew it would not be taken well. “There is a little problem though”. When she had all their attention, she continued. “There is no evidence. When we find Fred, which I am sure we will, there would still be no evidence to ensure he gets the punishments for his crimes. If he gets a good lawyer in court, he might even coin his way out without a scratch”
“What other evidence is required? My daughter here is enough testimony”. Ken said and Bewaji nodded her head vigorously.
“No sir, the law does not work like that. We need proof. If only we could make Fred assume that Lucy is dead…”
“What?” Deolu yelled and Ken sat with his eyes wide open. Lucy seemed to have frozen on her seat.
“God forbid” Bewaji yelled. “Listen, I am not in for all this ridiculous nonsense you lawyers put yourselves into.”
“Please understand me. If Fred is made to believe that Lucy is dead, we can get some evidence from him. After his mind must have settled on the fact that she is dead, Lucy can now appear to him like a ghost and he would spill the beans, while we record secretly; just like what we see in the movies”.
Lucy laughed slightly. “I have always imagined myself as an actress. When do we get to act this movie?”
Bewaji turned glaring eyes at Lucy and she flinched.
“You want me to announce the death of my daughter when she is still alive?” Ken asked, stupefied.
“And would remain alive for a long long time” Bewaji added.
Teju was speechless; she also could not believe that she was uttering such jargons, even though she knew the stunt would be helpful.
“But I understand what you are trying to say” Ken said thoughtfully and Bewaji turned to glare at him. “It does not have to be made public. We can just get someone to print it out in something that would definitely pass for a colorless newspaper. Add other irrelevant stories. It can just be a piece of the newspaper, a fake newspaper at that. You can slut it in your bag and show them. They would be so concerned about the story in the paper that they would not even think about the authenticity of the story. Besides, that is the news Fred is expecting. He already imagines her dead; we just need to fuel his conviction”.
“You think and talk like a lawyer sir” Teju grinned.
Ken shrugged. “Well, I always knew I could succeed in that profession but unfortunately, I went for engineering.”
“You would beat the experts in the field also”
“Ken” Bewaji yelled, with her eyes popping.
“Mum, it is ok. As long as this can keep Fred locked up in the cell, I am down with it. I should enjoy the acting”.
Teju noticed Lucy’s emphasis on Fred’s being locked up and it struck her as odd. The Lucy she knew would even intercede and plead on the behalf of even a murderer. Even though she would like to believe that the reason for Lucy’s action was because the person that this murderer had attempted killing was her own self, she knew that there was more to it than meets the eye. She had noticed the way Lucy carefully picked her words when she had explained what happened to her earlier on. She looked at Lucy and wondered what Fred had actually done to her.
**********
**********
Deolu and Teju walked into a hotel the following evening. They had left Lagos later than they ought to because they needed that newspaper, even though it was only a spreadsheet. Deolu had booked a flight for both of them and they were in Abuja earlier than expected.
“We need two rooms, very close to each other.” Deolu smiled at the receptionist. Teju rolled her eyes as she watched the receptionist flirt with Deolu. She almost hissed out of annoyance. That is the way ladies bring themselves low and end up becoming a ‘use and dump’ for guys. She mused. The lady gave Deolu the two keys and he gave her some money with some extra naira notes for herself. She thanked him immensely and her praises followed them as they walked away from the reception.
“Do you have to do that?”
“Do what?” Deolu returned.
“Tip everyone you see. Money should be spent carefully. The fact that you have excess money does not mean that you should spend it lavishly”
Deolu smiled. “I don’t tip everyone I see, only those that I feel like. It is good to give people money, especially people who are in need of it. You don’t know who might be of help to you tomorrow”.
“I give alms to the needy, I am not saying it is wrong, only that you should be careful to not overdo it”. She replied.
“Yes ma” he gave a mock bow.
Their rooms were opposite each other, so they both went to their rooms to freshen up and relax. Barely thirty minutes after, Teju knocked on Deolu’s door. He had just finished putting on a casual cloth after taking a shower. He would have relaxed a bit on the bed if Teju hadn’t knocked. When he opened the door, he noticed she was still in the clothes she had on before.
“Come inside Teju. Thought I should give you some time to relax before we get dinner” he said as he ushered her in.
She laughed slightly. “There is no time to waste. I need to survey my surroundings and get some things to work on tonight, so that I can have a solid ground to work on tomorrow”.
Deolu stared at her. “This is past six Teju, it is almost dark. Everything can wait till tomorrow.”
“No.” Teju shook her head with a calm smile.
Deolu looked at her for some seconds and exhaled. “Sit” he ordered. Teju wanted to argue but the tone of his voice told her that there would be no room for arguments.
Seated, she faced Deolu on the chair. “I am seated. What is it?”
“Teju, I have known you for some time now and I think I know you to a certain extent. The recent problems have brought us together more and I have been able to see a part of you that I never saw before. You changed recently. You have become quiet and distant. You have also turned to a workaholic. Something is wrong. Can you tell me?”
Teju paused and looked on. “What makes you think something is wrong? Lucy-”
“Don’t give me that fake story, Teju. I know you are hurting, someone hurt you badly but I don’t know who. Is it your fiancé?”
Teju’s head snapped. “No” she stood up immediately but Deolu held her hand back.
“Be honest with me T, let it out. What did he do?” he probed, getting up too but keeping his voice calm and soothing.
“He dumped me six months and five days to our wedding for a harlot, that’s what he did”. She snatched her hand from his and flew out of the room.
**********
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Lucy lay on the bed as her mind wandered away. She swallowed as various unwanted thoughts clouded her brain. She wondered if it was possible to sleep without thinking.
“Luciana” Bewaji called and she jerked out of her thoughts. She was not aware of the door opening.
“Hey mum, you are not asleep yet?”
Bewaji smiled. “No. I feel we need to go and thank the Good Samaritan that helped you. You surely know the place. That guy was used by God to save your life.”
Lucy’s heart skipped severally. “You know mum that I ought to lay low for now. We don’t want someone to pass information to Fred that he or she saw me. You know, we had been friends for a long time and most of his friends know me”.
“That filthy thing” Bewaji swore. “Although, you could write the address of that Raymond so that we can go there without you. I would never be at rest until I appreciate that guy for the great thing he did for me. Your dad and I would go; you would stay here with Dana” she concluded.
Lucy swallowed hard. “Ok mum”
THE LAST SMILE Episode 25 by NISSI ADEOLA
Deolu knocked on Teju’s door the next day. He hadn’t been able to get her to open the door the previous day and he had called for dinner to be sent to her room. He was already dressed for the day ahead and he wondered if Teju was awake yet. He wanted to confirm what she would take for breakfast so they could eat together and possibly talk about her heartbreak.
The door opened and Teju stood before him – fully dressed. “You are awake?” he managed to murmur.
“Obviously” she grinned. “Good morning Dee” she looked him over with the same grin on her face.
“Lemon looks good on you Teju, so much” Deolu said with an appreciative look in his eyes.
“Anything would look good on me” she dropped.
“Obviously” Deolu mimicked and Teju smiled. “Why do I feel that you are dressed to seduce?” He raised his eyebrow.
Teju feigned a look of innocence. “Can’t say I know what you are talking about” the look he gave her forced her to drop the pretense. “Alright, fine. Looking good and appealing is part of my tactic today. No one refuses a beautiful lady anything, thanks to God, I have a lot of beauty at my disposal”. She landed and Deolu grinned.
“Won’t you invite me in?”
Teju opened the door wide enough for him to enter. As he entered, she grinned again mischievously and Deolu became nervous. “Spill it” he dropped.
Teju laughed. “I never knew that you could dress so erm… so normally.”
He blanched. “Normal” he repeated.
“Yes. I mean, no suit and tie that makes you look like a pastor or a banker. You look like a guy in this outfit of jeans and T shirt” she said, tongue in cheek.
“Wow… I never knew that the suit made me look so cheesy and serious”
She laughed. “Not so serious. They all look good on you. You won’t be Luciana’s guy if you were anything less” she grinned.
He cleared his throat, sitting down. “Thought she didn’t care about the physical appearance”.
“All ladies do. We like to show off our man” she picked up her shoes and started putting them on.
He saw the tray on the table. “You have eaten?”
“Yeah. Had to do so in order for me to get to business early enough” she was done with her shoes.
“Can we talk”
Teju glanced at him, and without even looking, she knew what was coming. “Maybe when I come back; time is against me”
He frowned. “We are going together”
She shook her head. “No Dee. I have to do this on my own. You people did not understand me when I talked then. It won’t work well if they see you there now. They don’t know me, especially the DPO who is our target. It would be easier for me being a lawyer and I don’t want you to ruin everything with your presence. Don’t get me wrong, the DPO might see you afar off and flee. That is what I am against”. She smiled at him. “I can take care of myself, you don’t have to bodyguard me”.
“I would love to take you up on that but-”
“But I am late. The earlier the better” she concluded. Deolu knew he would get nowhere by arguing with her. He would get her later, but for now, she needed to have her way. He stood up as his tummy grumbled for attention. “Guess I would be eating alone then. Be careful” he murmured when he got to the door.
She smiled as she lifted her bag. “No mortal can do anything to Teju except God allows it”. She smiled at her own words, remembering Tunde and the fact that she had not yet accepted that his leaving her was God’s will.
**********
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“I can’t believe she is gone” Vicky murmured as she sat on the couch facing Raymond. She had just arrived from her friend’s place and after dropping her things, she discovered that Lucy was not in. Raymond broke the news of her departure to her.
“The earlier you believe it, the better for you” Ray’s eyes were fixed on the flat screen TV.
She sighed. “I must have scared her off; and to think I imagined that she accepted me for who I am… should have known that no one can” she was sober.
“What are you talking about” Ray’s attention turned to her instantly.
“I told her about my sexuality”
“You did what?” Raymond yelled as he jumped to his feet. “What were you thinking? Were you daft or something”
“I was perfectly ok. Just did not want someone to like me and later become disappointed when they find out the truth”
Ray did not know why he yelled that way but he was furious. He had been the only one in their family to accept Vicky unconditionally even though her acts irritated him terribly. “When did you tell her?”
“The day after I arrived”
Ray looked at her like she had gone mad but he held his tongue. He wondered why he did not see the trace of hate in Lucy towards Vicky. Not everyone would accept a lesbian that easily except if they believed in them, which he found ridiculous. “Well, she left for her family. She even said in her letter that she wished you guys were sisters”. Vicky was stunned but she did not have the opportunity to probe him further because they heard the gate open and Ray knew who to expect.
He opened the door and met Duke who was walking majestically towards him. The guy could be a charmer any time any day without even trying.
“Hey man” he greeted Duke with a smile and they gave themselves the usual manly hug. “To what do I owe the honour?”
“Is it a crime to visit my best friend?”
“Judging by the last time you visited me, I would bet this year’s salary that you are not here specifically for me”
“I would be ready to take that bet anytime” he grinned. They entered the sitting room and Vicky who had been watching a movie turned round. Duke’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at the only woman he had ever loved. He had fallen in love with her long ago but when he bore his heart to her, she had in turn told him that she saw him as someone of the same sex with her and the only people that appealed to her were females. Being in love with a lesbian was the last thing he ever imagined would happen to him. The incident would have affected his relationship with Raymond but he did not allow it. It took a long time for him to forget her even though she was already out of the country.
Vicky swallowed and smiled tightly at Duke. If she had known that he would be visiting, she would have stayed back at her friend’s place, besides, she was also a lesbian.
“Hello Vic” Duke finally broke the silence. Ray just stood still, watching the drama. “I can see that you are still as sexy as ever” his eyes roamed Vicky and Raymond frowned protectively.
“And you are even more of a flirt” Vicky replied with a corny smile.
“Amen to that” Duke’s eyes held no smile even though his smile portrayed them.
“OK” Ray cut in. “Vicky, could you please get us juice?”
Vicky left without a reply and Ray fixed Duke a warning glare. As they sat, Ray faced Duke. “I think I am ready for that bet now” Duke hissed and he laughed.
**********
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Lucy washed the dishes and her mum kept on pestering her. She wondered why the questions her mum was asking were affecting her comfort; but she knew. She knew why she felt uncomfortable.
“Answer me Lucy, I am your mum. You should not be shy to tell me about your love life. Knowing how long you stayed without a single boy in your life, I bet Deolu did what all those guys could not do. Tell me, how did you meet?” Bewaji glued herself to the side of the zinc, grinning like a teenager.
Luciana sighed. “Work brought us together mum. We needed a supply of some furniture and I had to meet with Deolu for negotiation.”
Bewaji smiled. “At least something good came out of that job. Now I am happy that you took the job because if you did not, you would probably remain single forever. Tell me: was it love at first sight or did it grow on you?”
Luciana’s stomach turned so much that she felt she might throw up. She became whiter than she already was but Bewaji mistook her reaction for embarrassment. Luckily for Lucy, Bewaji’s phone rang and she went for it, leaving her to breathe in a free air again.
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Teju walked stylishly into the police station with a faint and feminine smile on her face. She saw the way the policemen had their eyes on her with every step she took. Deolu had been right. The dress made her feel feminine and in control.
She got to the counter. “Good morning, please I am here to see the DPO” she said with an irresistible smile on her face. The three policemen were grinning foolishly and she felt the urge to punch them in the face.
“I would give anything to be the reason for your visit” the one facing her said.
She half laughed. “You won’t betray your DPO now, would you? Even if you are this handsome” she could not believe her own words.
Another policeman pushed the other away. “What? I am more handsome” he grinned.
Teju laughed. “Sure. You all are. Now I want to see your DPO, when I am through, I would see you guys”.
They all smiled. “You dey lucky say e dey office” the last one said in pidgin and Teju wondered if his earlier silence was because he could not speak proper English. He left for the DPO’s office after asking of her name while Teju continued chatting with the other two.
“You fit go inside”
Teju thanked him with a smile and walked to the office, knocking slightly before entering.
“Hello DPO… Mr. Chuks?”
“Yes. Please have your seat.” His eyes lit with appreciation at her beauty and she smiled internally. After she was seated, she placed her small purse on the table. “Please, I don’t know you; how may I help you?”
“The question should be: how may ‘I’ help you” she countered.
Chris frowned. “I don’t understand lady”
Teju smiled menacingly. “Let’s just say I have the power to destroy you” Chris gasped. “The power to break you and shatter all you have ever worked for”.
Chris composed himself. “Are you here to threaten me?”
Teju’s smile did not leave its place. “I am not here to threaten. I am here to assure you of what I would do”. When she saw that a certain level of fear had been implanted, she slowly picked her purse and opened. “I have something that would interest you” she took out the carefully folded newspaper, opened it and gave it to the DPO. His hands and eyes froze when she stared at the same girl she had seen in the picture given to him by Deolu. The truth was already out, he knew it. “What… what… what is… this? And who the hell are you” he yelled as his palms began to sweat.
Teju deliberately took out the smile on her face slowly, leaving her face serious and blank. “That signified that Luciana was murdered and I am Barrister Teju Bello, Deolu’s lawyer” she dropped.
Chris’ mouth fell open as he tried to gather what was happening to him. His life was now completely ruined. He would be behind bars, all for helping that Fred. His wife… his two daughters… he could not imagine it.
Teju smiled and got up slowly, roaming the office slowly. “When Deolu had told me that no move was taken in Abuja concerning the search of the murderer, I decided to dig. I wondered which DPO would be at peace knowing that a murderer was roaming the FCT of Nigeria. Then I discovered the reason: he knows, or should I say well acquainted with the murderer.” She faced him as his eyes watered. “How would you love to be charged for treason sir? You know, you could as well be his accomplice.”
“No ma’am. Please for God’s sake. I did not do anything, please. My children are still very small, please” he begged, getting up.
“I know you are a good man, just don’t know why you are protecting this murderer. He murdered that innocent girl in cold blood, what makes you think he can’t do the same with you or your children? Listen, I would give you the chance to right this mistake. Produce Fred and I would not press any charges against you. My client does not know about your betrayal but believe me; he would not hesitate to ruin your life and career if he found out that you are in any way connected with Fred. The guy killed his fiancée!” she exclaimed as fury sliced through her. “You have 24 hours to think about it” she dropped a tiny card on the table and picked up the newspaper which had fallen carelessly out of Chris’ hands. “Give me a call when you have made up your mind and don’t think of doing anything foolish. You don’t want to mess with Teju Bello, believe me” her eyes held meaning as they burned fire. She straightened and smiled mischievously. “Have a nice day” she walked quietly out of the office, leaving Chris shaken.
THE LAST SMILE Episode
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