Sacrilege Episode 17 – 18 by Nissi Adeola

Sacrilege Episode 17 by Nissi Adeola

Margaret’s mouth was swollen beyond normal, and her eyes, and several other parts of her body. Rage welled up within Laura as she stared at her sister. She had been mean to her when they met in her office. She had practically mocked her in the face of her pain, but now, Laura could understand why Margaret had acted the way she had acted. She could understand why Margaret would be pissed at the world. Marriage could only be blissful and enjoyable when you are married to the right person, married to the wrong person, Laura could bet that life would be like walking through hell.

Gloria sat on one side of the bed and Jane sat at the other while Laura just stood, Tess on her hips. Laura stared at Gloria for a brief moment. The woman’s strength just never ceased to amaze Laura. How could she even concentrate on Margaret when she found out barely two hours ago that her long lost daughter was very much alive? Gloria had always had the incredible ability to put others first and it was the one thing that had gained her the respect and love of people around her.

Margaret’s eyes roamed the faces of the people seated with her, resting on Laura briefly before shifting to Gloria who looked really worried.

“Oh, Margaret” Gloria moaned on the verge of tears. “Why didn’t you say anything? Your husband did this, didn’t he?” her anger came out undisguised through her voice.

Margaret remained mute for a while, shook her head, wincing when pain stabbed her. “No, don’t move” Jane hastily interjected. “Just… just stay still.” Jane grabbed Margaret’s hand, giving it a little squeeze.

“He didn’t do this” Margaret forced through her swollen lips. Her words were slurred.

“Like hell, he didn’t.” Jane snapped. “You can give that lie to brainless fools, okay, but I know what I saw. This is what happens when you watch too much beauty and the beast, you end up marrying one.”

Margaret shifted her eyes, swallowing the lump in her throat. “It is not his fault” she managed.

Gloria paused. “Whose fault is it then?”

“Mine, I provoked him” three stunned eyes peered into her but she focused on Gloria and Jane. “It’s the truth. I… I knew he doesn’t eat stale food and I still gave him the leftover food from the previous night.”

Gloria stared into the misty eyes of her stepdaughter and nearly started weeping. It was bad enough to see her so battered and bruised, what was worse was realizing that it was not only her body that had been brutalized. Her worth and self-esteem had also been punched out of her by the ruthless fists of her husband. “Oh God! See what he’s done to you”

“What he has been doing for the past two years” Tears stung her eyes and rolled down her bruised cheek as she gazed at Laura again. She hadn’t said anything since she came in, holding Tess. “It is your entire fault” Margaret voiced as tears fell from her eyes. Bitterness shone in her eyes as she held Laura’s gaze. “You should have married Collins” she gasped out. “You are the responsible for this” Laura swallowed. “You are enjoying this, right?”

“Stop!” Jane butted in before Gloria could get a word out. “I won’t let you do this again”

“Why are you not laughing? I am sure you would get a good laugh from watching me suffer. You bailed on the chance to be used as a punching bag. Trust me, it is not much fun”

“Margaret, you have to-”

“I am not happy this happened, Margaret” Laura interjected, talking for the first time since she came in. “Believe it or not, it hurts me to see you like this” she held Margaret’s gaze. “I always wanted you to be happy”
Margaret smiled, her battered face made it seem more like a scowl. “Oh, I can see you hurting. Surely you are in more pain than I am, right now”

“Stop it! Stop this right now” Gloria boomed. It was exhausting seeing sisters beat themselves over a man who is completely worthless. For how long would people keep throwing blames? She still could not believe she had seen her daughter after so many years, still couldn’t believe she could set her eyes on the only child her womb had produced. It was bad enough that she had to be in a hospital when all she wanted was some time alone with her daughter, the one thing she wouldn’t have is to have Margaret and Laura fight again. She was just too exhausted.

“You are not going to do this anymore, do you understand?” Gloria bellowed angrily. “Margaret, I know you are hurting but you should learn to take responsibility of your actions. You have Tess to think about, you can’t afford to always create this negative energy around her” she snapped. We would leave you two alone now and I want you to settle whatever dispute you have. Talk if that would make you feel better but resolve it. We have to move past this; you two are sisters for God’s sake”

Silence descended as Gloria pushed none too gently off the bed, heading out of the room. “Don’t kill each other please, you are better off to me fighting than dead” Jane grinned at her sisters, stood and plucked Tess from Laura’s arms, following Gloria out of the room. Laura swallowed as the door closed, leaving her alone with Margaret.

*****

Gloria stood in the waiting room. She dialed Frank’s number. Where on earth was he? She needed to leave, wanted to dash to the nearest church where she could be alone with God to offer Him her tears of appreciation. She had hoped. Prayed. God knows she had fasted on countless occasions. All in the hope to set her eyes on her daughter before she died. Now she had her answer. Seeing her was like a dream. She still could not believe it herself. If Laura hadn’t been there, Gloria was sure she would think she had imagined it all. It seemed surreal.

Now more than ever, she wanted to know what Frank had to do with anything regarding Teju. This Teju was her daughter! Her blood daughter. Her Atinuke. If Frank had anything to do with her negatively, Gloria was not sure she would be able to forgive him. She took off her phone from her ear. His number was not going through. She dialed Frank’s number again in frustration. “How long will it take him to get here?” her anger was palpable as she glanced at Jane playing with her niece.

Her face softened a bit. She had missed this chance. Chance to watch her Atinuke as she grew. Chance to witness her daughter’s first steps, hear her first words, feed her when she was hungry, take her to school and help with her assignments. She had missed it all. Grief overtook her until her eyes were misty with unshed tears.

“Mother?” Jane called, a frown on her face.

Gloria blinked and shook her head, sending a watery dismissing smile Jane’s way. She sat and lifted Tess onto her lap, imagining what it would have been like to have done the same for Teju… for her Atinuke. She dropped her phone on the chair and smile playing on her face as Tess toyed with her necklace, tugging it, innocent curiosity clouding her face.

A strange hush suddenly engulfed the waiting room, followed by muffled gasps, whispers and then murmuring. Gloria was so engrossed in Tess that she did not even notice the change in atmosphere until she heard Jane’s strangled gasp.

“Oh God, no…” Jane shot to her feet.

Gloria turned her head, still smiling. The smile vanished as she caught the expression in Jane’s eyes. “Jane? What’s wrong?”

Jane turned to her, tears in her eyes. She shook her head. “Oh mother… please tell me… tell me that’s not… that’s not…” her voice broke and shook uncontrollably as she turned away, staring at something ahead as she hugged herself.

Suddenly, Gloria noticed that everyone in the waiting room was also looking in the same direction. Horror written all over their faces, murmuring one to another. Chancing a look, Gloria forced her eyes towards the object of their attention.

It was a flat screen television. Images flashed around as her heart slammed wildly against her chest interrupting the functioning of her eyes. She shot to her feet almost toppling Tess and she grabbed her awkwardly with hands that shook wildly. A strangled cry escaped her lips as she stared at the breaking news.

*****
Tito’s hands batted furiously at the keyboard of her PC. The light from her system shone in her eyes, heightening the pain and the fury in them. It felt good to write. It felt good to channel the pain and anger she was feeling now through her fingers until she had words the semblance of what she was feeling inside all sprawled on her screen.

But it would never match. Her pain was too heavy to sit on the fragile screen of her laptop. Tito had always said that writers were the saddest and loneliest people in the world, she always said that the storyline of their lives was nothing like the smooth and interesting ones they tried to portray in their writings and she surely was living the life. Being a fiction writer surely did require a form of miserability.

Her hand shot out and grabbed what was left of her already cold coffee. Tossing it back, it joined the ocean of coffee flowing in her tummy. With a flick of her hand, the cup joined the seven empty cups of coffee on the floor and her hands resumed typing. She had been at it for hours. She really should stop but she didn’t think she would stop anytime soon. Not with the pain in her heart still burning bright red. Her hands ached, her back and her neck were practically at breaking point and she could vividly hear her eyes screaming for sleep. Still, Tito persisted, eyes strained, fingers bumping on keypads.

Sun streaked in from the window of the hotel room she had lodged in a little past midnight, telling her that she had been typing now for more than six hours. Of course, how couldn’t she have figured it out? She and Laura had the same useless method of getting over pain. They thought they could get over it by overworking themselves out of it. She had thought it was a family thing, she couldn’t have been more correct. How was she to know that her father had kept way too many secrets from her?

Writing had initially been a hobby. Something she fell back on to pass the time, then it had transcended into something else… something more intense. It was her anchor. And every time she felt this kind of blinding pain… pain that engulfed her entire senses until it was all she could breathe out, she always fell back to writing. She could switch off from her pain and enter a world of fantasy. A world that held no surprises and impromptu life alterations… a world that was completely under the control of her deft little fingers.

In a way, it was like having a diary. But unlike a diary, in writing, every character carried a piece of her, making her into a puzzle, someone who couldn’t easily be understood. How could she find it in her heart to hate Teju? The girl obviously had her share of heartbreaks. Even now, as she wrote ‘Lila’s Betrayal’, she could see her pain in this scene; feel the tension oozing from her fingers.

Her mind went back to the previous night. In her entire life, Tito had never been so shocked. She still could not believe that Mark Johnson did all the things he confessed to, last night. This was her dad. The man she had known all her life. The man who had singlehandedly raised her. He had played the role of her father, her mother and most of all, her confidant. With him, she could never be guarded. She could tell him anything, go with him anywhere and not feel awkward.

She had told him immediately she saw her period. It had been embarrassing, Tito had almost wished she had a motherly figure in her life but her dad had made it seem like nothing. He had explained everything she needed to know to her and made her a special meal with more than enough chicken laps to leave her teeth aching for several weeks.

She had told him every time she had a crush, told him every time she fell in love. Even times she hadn’t told him things, he had figured them out. She had made mistakes, grievous mistakes like losing her virginity at the age of eighteen to a guy she thought genuinely loved her. She hadn’t been able to forgive herself. Tito had hidden it from her father, but he had found out.

She had thought he would never forgive her for neglecting all he had taught her on self-preservation but after the initial disappointment, it was clear that his love was all forgiving. He had forgiven her and loved her unconditionally. He had laughed with her through her achievements, wiped her tears through every heartbreak.

Every time her heart was smashed into pieces in the hands of men and she felt small and unsure of herself, always thinking it was all her fault, her father had been her anchor. Even when she had lost faith in love, lost faith in all men, her father was the only encouragement she had. Seeing him showed her that there was still an amazingly priceless man in the world.

He had been there for her, always there. He and Laura were the two souls she had dearest to her heart. But, she realized bitterly, she had never been there for her father. The revelation of the previous night hurt her beyond words, but for reasons totally different from what would be the natural reaction.

As she had listened behind the door to the words of her own father, as he unburdened to Laura, she had heard much more than the words coming out of his mouth. She had heard his pain. The pain that followed every word. The pain that hung to every sentence he uttered. How had she been blind to it? How had her father shielded so much of himself that she hadn’t glimpsed that part of him?

She had suspected that her father was still hung up on someone from his past. She knew it wasn’t her mother and was not hurt by it. She knew nothing about her mother. She had teased him about it, trying to get a bit of gist when he totally refused her desire for him to get married. She had wanted him to get married, to find a woman to make him very happy, to give him all the love he deserved because God knew he didn’t deserve to live a lonely life.

But he hadn’t divulged any secret. He told her that she was his happiness. How was she to know that while he had been wiping her tears, he also cried in secret? Bled for the mistakes he had made and was yet to forgive himself for.

Tito wiped at the tears that sipped out of her eyes. Tears for her father. Tears for the pain he had carefully covered up with smiles for years. Her phone vibrated distracting her, she blinked and on cue, her finger poked out and slid the caller towards the red circle. Her phone read sixty two missed calls. Excellent! Her hand stretched automatically to pick her coffee only to realize she was all out. She couldn’t call for the ninth cup of coffee, they’d definitely think she was addicted or something – that is if they didn’t think so already. She swallowed her saliva, feeling it slip down her throat.

She stared at the screen and frowned as she realized that she had typed several lines of gibberish. Tito hit her hand in fury against the backspace, wiping off lines of incoherent words. Her eyes raked over the words on the screen, seeing where she left off with the dialogue, her hand poised on the keyboard. Her brain was suddenly blank. She could not think of any sensible thing to write. She had effectively drained herself.

Closing the laptop with more force than was required, she pushed herself to a lying position. Her taut muscles protested then started to relax. Images ran around her closed eyes, making her temples throb. Her phone started ringing again and this time Tito groaned out loud. “Oh, for God’s sake! Can’t you all just leave me alone?” she yelled into the empty room. During the first hours of the morning, her dad had called continuously, over and over again but she had refused to pick up. How could she? She had no idea of what she would say to him.

She was mad at him, she was mad at herself. Heck, she was mad at everyone. Now, for the past few hours, Laura had also called endlessly and then Jane. Of course, she hadn’t picked up any call, neither had she even attempted to check on the various message notifications that rolled in. She’d rather be alone to sort out this entire mess with herself first. It was the reason she had dashed home from her father’s place in the middle of the night, grabbed her system and made for a conspicuous hotel where she could be all by herself without being disturbed.

Grabbing the phone, her finger stretched out to end the call but she had to pause when she saw the caller. Gloria? She pushed to a sitting position as fear reared up in her. Could something have happened? Was that why people had been calling her and she refused to pick? Pushing down her fears, she slid the caller towards the green circle.

“Hello” Tito breathed cautiously into the phone.

“Oh, Tito… where are you?” Tito senses the panic in the voice. She sensed the pain. She sensed the tears.

“Laura?” Her voice shook as she pushed out of the hotel bed. Laura was using Gloria’s phone? She had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What is it?”

“It’s… it’s…” Laura’s voice broke. “Oh Tito”

“What is going on?” Tito snapped. The panic in Laura’s voice had fear engulfing Tito.

“You… you have to come… to the hospital”

“What? For what?” tears danced in Tito’s eyes as her feet grew cold. “Answer me, Laura”

There was silence on Laura’s end, but Tito could hear the panic. She could almost hold it. It was there in Laura’s irregular breathing. It was there in the silence that often speaks louder than words. It was there in the fast racing of her own heart. “There’s been an accident” Laura finally dropped.

Blood drained from Tito’s face. Strange cold overtook her and she hugged herself with her free hand. The hand holding the phone shook wildly. “Who is it?” her voice came out in a semblance of calm.

“Tito…”

“Just tell me”

“It’s our dads… oh Tito… our dads”

Sacrilege Episode 17 by Nissi Adeola

Deolu had made a quick stop at his company, partly because it had been a little too early to be visiting Mark – someone he hadn’t seen for few months now, and partly because he had to sort out some business dealings. Boss or not, there are times you just have to make an appearance and out things in their proper shapes – especially when you are the boss. It was the second time he had popped into his company since the entire saga started. But even at that, his mind hadn’t been focused on what he went there to do. What reasonable man would be at rest when his house was ablaze?

Deolu parked on the street, alighted and moved towards the building ahead. A few raps on the gate had the gateman murmuring in response. Deolu listened to the sound of the gateman’s dragging feet, waiting patiently. It had been a long time since he came here and Deolu pushed down a small feeling of unease. Not only was he anxious to know exactly what had transpired between Laura and her uncle, he also knew that Mark would not exactly receive him with open arms.

He had been like a father to Laura and if what Laura said was anything to go by, he was her biological father. He had taken him as a son when he got married to Laura, he could imagine how pissed Mark would be.

Unlike the gateman, he pushed open the door without the usual interrogation. “Ah oga Deolu, long time” he pushed the gate wider, allowing Deolu in.

Deolu’s face eased into a friendly smile. “How are you, Lukman?”

Lukman beat his hand together, rubbing his palms in a way Deolu was fond of. “I just dey o, oga mi. as I no dey see you for here again na, hand just dry”

Deolu chuckled. “Is Mr. Johnson in?

Lukman’s shoulders sagged, “No, he just commot. This one wey all of you just dey appear so, you too done come fight my oga?

Disappointment engulfed Deolu even as he frowned. “Fight? What do you mean?”

Lukman adjusted his stance. “No be your wife? Madam, Laura come yesterday, shout shout sotey, she cry commot. Madam Tito too come, she too cry commot. Today, oga twin don come hala for oga too, now you don come. Make una mercy for Oga Mark na, and me I know say my oga no fit do that kind thing wey una talk o”

Deolu frowned, taking a step closer to Lukman. It was odd being fed information by Mark’s gateman but he did know that workers, especially in a residential apartment, were often the walls of the house. Nothing could get past them. “Can’t do what?”

“As your wife enter yesterday wey I hear say she dey shout, na hin I waka go window, hear wetin dey happen. She talk say oga…” Lukman’s voice dropped in conspiracy. “… say oga rape person” Deolu’s frown deepened several degrees. “How he go take do that kain thing?”

Rape! That was definitely something he could not imagine Mark doing. The man was the sweetest man Deolu had ever come across. He always felt the man couldn’t hurt a fly, so… “what do you mean, rape?… raped who?” for an unknown reason, Deolu was scared. Some of the incoherent words Laura mumbled in her sleep rolled in his head.

“How I go take know? I no hear everything wey dem talk” he started, looking guilty. “But… she mention one name. I no remember. Erm… The name wan be like oga pikin name”

“Tito?”

“No. the name just be like her own, na…”

Similar too… “Teju” Deolu whispered to himself, a frown taking over his entire face.

“Yes. Na the name wey I hear be that”

Deolu’s head shot up. “What?” blood drained from his face as his head began to throb. “you can’t be serious”

Lukman frowned at Deolu. “Me I just dey tell you wetin I hear o, I no know anything o”

No! he certainly couldn’t be implying that… that… Deolu’s face paled. The night he slept with Teju flashed in his mind, making his brain freeze for a moment. What if… “God no…” Deolu gasped as he turned, his strides quickening with each step.

“You dey go?” Lukman asked but Deolu barely responded as he marched out of the compound. He got into his car and zoomed off.

*****

Chris scrolled through the contact list on his phone until he stopped on Deolu’s name. his finger hovered over the name for brief seconds until he gave up and dropped the phone on his office table. He exhaled and raked his hand over his hair. He missed his best friend, much more than he wished to admit to himself.

And now, with his parents giving him the heat about getting married, he needed something that would take him mind off it all. He could claim to have a mind of his own, but when African parents decide to have their way, there is little a man can do.

He really needed Deolu now. He missed their friendly chatter, well aimed innocent insults, he missed that bond he shared with Deolu that he didn’t share with any other male friend he had. Ever since Wale had advised him to pursue Laura, he had distanced himself from him. Wale might have been right about Chris’ feelings for Laura but his advice had told him clearly that Wale wasn’t the type of friend to have around.

A part of him could not but wish things hadn’t gone sour with Deolu’s marriage. Miserable as he had been, watching the woman he loved dearly with his best friend, he had had a bit of satisfaction in knowing she was with someone who loved her enough to make her happy – someone who deserved her love. Seeing her happy had made him happy, and oddly, he was glad she was with Deolu and not any other man.

Now, he was still mad at Deolu for hurting Laura but no matter how much he wished otherwise, his principles would not allow him pursue the wife of his best friend.

Because that was what Deolu remained – his best friend. And he needed him now. He needed him to tell him what to do. or maybe they could go out and have fun, forget all that was plaguing them just like old times. Even if it was just for a while. He had to admit that he hadn’t really been himself since the entire incident with Laura and Deolu started. He was just as affected as they were.

Chris surged forward, grabbed the remote of the small flat screen on his office wall and switched on the TV. He changed the channel until he got to a news channel and his eyes caught something. His eyes stuck to the TV screen as he read through the headline. “Oh my God!” he gasped out and surged out of his chair, grabbed his phone and his car keys and rushed out of his office. He made a quick stop at his colleague’s office and asked him to cover for him. With that, he dashed out of the company.

*****

Teju was as pale as sheet as she watched Deolu’s mother. Her eyes were as large as saucers. “No! there must be a mistake somewhere. I can’t believe this, I just can’t” she muttered, jumped out of her chair and started pacing.

Mrs. Aderigbe looked at Teju, her faced laced with worry. “You need to calm down, you shouldn’t stress yourself”

“Don’t tell me what I need” Teju snapped. “You don’t care about me; all you care about is the child in my tummy”

Mrs. Aderigbe shifted. “Don’t say that”

“Why? The truth is too bitter for you?” Teju’s eyes flashed. “Well, it doesn’t seem bitter enough since you and my mother couldn’t see it fit to tell me the truth all these years…” she chuckled slightly, bitterly. “Oh, that’s right, she isn’t even my mother”

Mrs. Aderigbe approached carefully. “How was she to tell you? You were her gift. Her husband left her because she could not give birth to a child, when she found you; you were her only source of happiness and comfort. Many times, she wanted to tell you but I stopped her because I knew what it would be for her if she lost you”

“Of course, you stopped her” Teju yelled, her eyes watering up. “typical you. You just have to be the reason for every bad thing, right? I deserved to know. My mother should have told me the truth but she didn’t. how am I supposed to deal with so much in my life?”

A loud knock vibrated the room and Teju stalked towards the door, pulling it open without even asking to know who it was. As the open door revealed the person behind it, she paled. “Deolu” she gasped.

Deolu peered down at Teju, noting her pale state. If he had only looked more closely, he would have noticed the tears in her eyes. His eyes shifted from her and landed on his mother, just inside the room. His eyes clouded with fury and resentment. “I see we have a full house” he mouthed. His eyes rotated from Teju to his mother, not at all pleased to see them together.

“Erm… your mother just stopped by to see me” Teju managed, moving out of the way to let Deolu into her apartment.

“Of course, she did” Deolu muttered, his eyes on his mother as he moved into the apartment. Mrs. Aderigbe held his gaze firmly. “hello mum”

“Wondered when you would finally remember your manners” Mrs. Aderigbe said with a cocky smile. “I should be leaving now, you won’t have to put up with me for too long. I just brought your child’s mother some fruits.”

Deolu nodded without a trace of smile on his face. “Yes, about that…” he turned to Teju. “I think you might need to explain something to us, Teju” he said, frowning at Teju. A lot had changed in Teju that made Deolu wonder if he actually knew much about her. She had been so close to him, the closest female to him asides Laura, but Deolu was tempted to think there was more to her than he actually knew.

One look at Deolu’s face and Teju already knew what was going on. Her heart slammed against her chest. “Explain what?” she managed, her voice came out weakly.

“Who is the father of your child, Teju?” Deolu finally asked.

*****
“It’s fine… Everything is fine. It is just a minor accident. You’d see, when you get there, he would already be up on his feet.” Tito twisted her sweaty palms in her lap, her legs moving restlessly as she chanted the words. It helped to say those words; maybe by saying it over and over again, she would come to believe it. The taxi driver glanced at her using the mirror as she fixed her eyes on the road. She blinked away the tears that stung her eyes and ran her sweaty palms over her face. Nervous, she shifted. “Can you go faster?”

“It is better to arrive late than to be late” he glanced back at Tito. “Calm down girl, you are no use to the person if you also land on a hospital bed. We are almost there”

Tito swallowed, looking away. The last sentence stuck to her head. She wanted to get there as fast as possible, but a part of her was scared. She was scared of what she would meet there. Several years ago, she had chanted these same words. She had told herself that it would be fine, but… her lips shook and she bit them hard, covering her mouth with her knuckles. No, she wouldn’t cry. Tears meant something bad had happened and no, that was one thing she didn’t want to accept.

The taxi screeched to a halt and her eyes snapped up. “We’re here” the taxi driver said in a calm tone. His eyes held a slight hint of compassion. Tito swallowed, paid the taxi driver and alighted. The taxi pulled away behind her but she stood rooted to where she was, staring at the magnificent building ahead of her. Hospitals! It has been so long she went into one. It had been so long she had been inside this particular one. But it did come inside her… plague her dreams until she woke up, sweaty, the stench of blood stung to her nose.

Her heart slammed in her chest as she took cautious steps into the hospital. As the familiar door opened for her to enter, the smell of hospital washed over her and she clenched her fists as memories she had tried really hard to put away flooded her mind. The waiting room was swarming with people which swarm as she looked at them through teary eyes. She searched desperately for familiar faces, needing someone to keep her glued to sanity.

“Tito”

She turned at the sound of Laura’s voice and saw her hastening towards her. Her eyes looked swollen from the tears that were still obvious in her eyes. God, no… not tears… “Oh, Tito” Laura moaned immediately she got to Tito and pulled her into her arms.

Tito pulled back, searching Laura’s eyes. “How… how is he? Is he alright?” she looked round the hospital, turning restlessly. “Please, tell me he is alright?”

Laura swallowed. “The doctors are attending to them”

“But he would be alright, right?” Tito’s eyes returned to Laura and Laura froze, realizing what was going on as she noticed Tito’s pale face. She touched her hand and alarm bells went off in her head. How could she have been so stupid? she never should have made Tito come here.

“My God, Tito, you are so cold. You should go”

“No” Tito shook her head. “No, I have to see him” her voice shook as she started in a particular direction. “I need to see my dad”

“Tito… please, calm down” Laura rushed after her, grabbing Tito’s hand, trying to stop her. She had seen this before. How had she not known it was a bad idea to have Tito inside this particular hospital?

“Laura”

Laura turned and saw Chris approaching, his long strides eating up the distance between them. She gripped Tito’s hand tight, not willing to let her go. Chris was by her side in seconds and he gazed at the two ladies, concern written all over him. “Hi. I just heard what happened. Any news?”

Laura shook her head. Her throat felt heavy with fear that she tried hard to hide. She wanted to cry, wail, until she fell into a mindless sleep and woke up to find out that it had all been a terrible nightmare. “No” her voice shook as she shook her head.

“It’s my entire fault…” Tito started, her eyes flooded with tears she magically kept at bay by blinking consistently. “He called me… he called and called but i…” she raised her hand to her mouth. “if anything happens to him…” her voice shook as she shook her head.

“Nothing is going to happen to him” Chris said but Tito only shook her head.

“That’s what they all said the last time” her hand shook and this time, a tear drop succeeded in slipping past her lids. The hot liquid slid down her cold cheek and she dashed it away almost instantly.

Laura shifted helplessly. “She can’t stay here” she told Chris.

“You won’t tell me what I can or cannot do, I am not leaving” Tito snapped.

This was a side of Tito that Chris had never seen before. He had never seen her look so scared, so lost. Nothing; absolutely nothing made a man feel more powerless than a strong woman in tears. But watching Tito fight her tears, he thought it was even harder to watch a strong woman fight her tears. His hand automatically moved to her hand. It felt cold beneath his hand, making him want to pull off his suit jacket for her to wear. But he doubted if she would want that. “Why don’t we go home to get him a change of clothes?” Chris murmured the first thing that came to mind.

“No, I’m not leaving”

“It would just be for a few minutes. Your dad would be needing clean clothes by the time the doctors are through.”

“Yes, Tito. Please” Laura seconded.

Tito hesitated. A part of her wanted to run out of this place, run so hard until she could inhale something that was not blood, medicine and fear. She felt sick to the stomach just being here.

Unable to stop himself, Chris shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over Tito’s shoulder. Chris’ cologne instantly seeped into Tito’s nostrils, as heat from the jacket warmed up her chilled body. “C’mon” Chris whispered, putting his hand gently on her back and giving a slight push. He almost sighed in relief when she did not object as her legs started moving. He walked with her, feeling her tense body beneath his hand.

As they got to the door, he glanced back and saw Laura hugging herself. She looked so alone. He could see the fear she tried so hard to hide. Swallowing, he opened the door for Tito and walked out of the hospital.

*****

Deolu watched Teju pale before his eyes. Silence stretched in the room. Her eyes were guarded. “The child is yours” she finally said.

“But, of course, the child is his” Mrs. Aderigbe snapped. “What on earth is wrong with you, Deolu?”

“You, stay out of this, mum” Deolu shot at his mum without taking his eyes off Teju. “Really? Is the child really mine? Because, I have reasons to believe otherwise”

Teju swallowed. “I know… I know Tito must have told you what I said… that the child is for her dad, but it’s not… I only…”

“Wait!” Mrs. Aderigbe’s voice rang out. “You told her the child is for her dad? What the heck are you talking about?”

“It was a lie” Teju’s voice shook as she gazed from Deolu’s mother to Deolu, tears in her eyes. “I just told her that to make her stop pestering me”

“Of course. It seems you are so used to lies lately” Deolu stared at Teju like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “Is that it? Was that why you called me that night? Made me come to your house and lured me into bed? Was the aim to force another man’s child on me?”

Teju shook her head. “No” tears fell from her eyes.

“But of course not” Mrs. Aderigbe’s voice didn’t seem so certain. “She assured me! I was the one that asked her to…”

“No” Teju gasped, stopping the words before they fell out.

Deolu turned, frowning at his mother. “You told her to do what?” he asked. His mother seemed to have gone slightly pale. “What did you ask her to do?” he boomed again.

“to sleep with you” his mother dropped.

Deolu gazed at her, his ears echoing the words. “To what?”

“Please… please, don’t” Teju pleaded, her breath came out in gasps as tears fell from her eyes.

Mrs. Aderigbe, realizing that there was no use hiding what was already in the open, opened her mouth. “When you wouldn’t give me a grandchild, I begged Teju to sleep with you. That’s why i… I picked came to your house that night and picked a fight because I knew you would storm out of the house the way you always did whenever you need a release from your anger.” Deolu stared at his mother in wide-eyed wonder. “then, when you were out of the house, I called Teju and told her to call you…” her voice trailed off.

Deolu’s eyes stared hard at his mother in stunned disbelief, and then slid over to Teju. “Wow” he gasped. He remembered that night all too well. His mother had raved on and on about the childless state of his home that he had been so angry, he had stormed out of the house.

He had thought he would do the usual, drive round Lagos until he was completely exhausted, but then, Teju had called. She had sobbed over the phone, pleading with him to come over to her place.

So worried, he had gone over to meet her, and then, when he got there, she had been in nothing more than a flimsy red nightwear. She had cried and cried in his arms, lamenting how she had caught her boyfriend in bed with another woman. God! How was he to know it was all scripted? He wondered, gazing at the two women. But she had known his weakness – tears.

When she had kissed him and he tried to pull back, she had clung to him, crying and saying just how much she felt like less of a woman. Unable to stop himself and coupled with the added frustration from home, he had given in that night.

He had blamed himself ever since for not being strong enough. For taking advantage of Teju when she was vulnerable. How was he to know he had just acted his part of a well-scripted movie?

“Wow!”

Sacrilege Episode 17
#OpraDre

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