OJADILI The Mystery Boy Episode 13 by Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor

OJADILI The Mystery Boy Episode 13 by Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor

**The shocking divination**

The princess felt so happy because her mom promised to reveal her connection with Ifenkili. She had to follow the mom straight to the king’s hut to know how to meet him.

On getting there, the series of knocks got no attention from the king still. The princess was surprised that her dad could be adamant to her plea too. As she knocked, she repeatedly made the king know that she was the one but that never worked for them.

The queen was more disturbed this time because the king was unyielding even to the voice of his daughter.

After a while, as nightfall began to announce its presence, the queen pulled Chino closer and whispered: “Where is Ozowaraonaa? I think he could be the key to the king’s heart because your dad is already fond of him,”

The princess was so happy when Ozowaraonaa was mentioned but unfortunately, she didn’t know where he was.

The princess didn’t mind that it was already late, so she began to leave the palace in search of Ojadili.

The queen mother wasn’t comfortable with the princess’s decision of going alone, so she rushed after her.

Seeing that her mom was fast approaching and trying to catch up, the princess turned and looked confusingly at her. “Nne, don’t tell me that you’re stopping me from checking the villages for him. Do you need to see Ozowaraonaa or not?”

The queen beckoned her daughter forward to save her the strength of rushing after her. She was already tired and quivering from that short strenuous walking exercise.

The princess stopped and waited for her mom while Isikotebu, the chief palace guard followed forthwith.

Getting to the princess, the queen who was already teary and dejected said: “As part of our deal, Ozowaraonaa would be placed back to his position as an important guest. So I need to go with you to ensure he’s found,”

The princess couldn’t understand the queen’s sudden interest in Ojadili’s wellbeing just because she wanted the king to forgive her. It then dawned on her that her mom’s love for her hubby was undeniable. She imagined having a man who would love her the same way someday.

“My queen,” Chino called and held her mom by the waist, “don’t always think that you’re young. You’re aging, so the last thing you need now is to stress yourself. I wanted to go alone but I promise to allow Isikotebu to follow me for the search; so I suggest you stay back and keep trying your best to get the attention of your husband,”

“But what if Ozowaraonaa has gone beyond the village?” The queen said concernedly as she pulsated with fears of not seeing Ojadili anymore, “what would become of me?”

Even though the princess felt how unnerved and disturbed her mom was, she couldn’t help but think that the queen was just being selfish.

“Mom, can I ask you?” The princess said as they strode out of the palace gate into the village.

“Go ahead, Anyanwu utum (my morning sunshine)” The queen said and held her daughter’s hand as they entered the narrow streets searching for Ojadili, “Ask me anything,” she added and looked back to ensure that the guard was far enough not to earwig on their conversation.

“Nne, why are you so concerned about the love of the king and not about the welfare of the boy you hurt his feelings?” She asked with utmost curiosity and information-starvation, “Trying to find Ozowaraonaa isn’t because you’ve repented from the wrongdoing but just for the king to forgive you,”

The queen paused for a while as she remained meditative. Looking up the sky and seeing the moon beautify the constellation; in the company of the stars, she shook her head. She was caught up between accepting that her daughter could be right and refuting the claims.

The villagers were so surprised seeing that the princess and the queen were having a stroll. It was a royal moonlight walk which they hadn’t seen or witnessed for a couple of years.

Different families were already lighting their mpanaka (native lantern) and taking their fowls and domestic animals back to their homes.

Even though it wasn’t just a promenade but a search for Ojadili, the princess and the queen were happy. They were gladdened that they had the opportunity of meeting the villagers outside the palace.

The citizens felt honoured having the royalty in their midst.

“My daughter,” The queen said as she continued waving to the people who greeted them with a curtsy. “I care about the boy; though not until I noticed that you like him too. The feeling is contagious, you know,”

The princess became happy this time and smiled innocently as she held her mom closer. She was wowed knowing that her mom noticed her inevitable liking for Ojadili. As the stroll went on, she continued wallowing in that shyness.

“But Nne (mom), he seems like a good man,” the princess said bashfully as she fretted unwittingly.

“Yeah, he is,” the queen replied and smiled but suddenly became serious as if she never chuckled, “But let that tender feeling remain normal and friendly; without any strings attached. The boy isn’t just lowly but he is not from this village. You know what it means already,”

The princess’s cheerfulness transmogrified into gloominess; making her knit her brow into a frown. She couldn’t explain the way she felt for Ojadili but her mom just reminded her that she couldn’t have anything intimate with the boy which is traditional.

“But Nne, I never said anything other than I like him…”

“You never told me you like him but I figured it out as a mother,” The queen retorted angrily. At that juncture, she felt that she was a bit harsh, so she forced a smile. Amid those smiles, her reservations were still pronounced in her body language. “My daughter, it’s a law in Amachara that no lady marries a non Amachara man. It’s even easier for a man to marry from another village than for a woman to be allowed to marry someone that isn’t from Amachara. If I must gossip,” she said and lowered her voice to remain as discreet as she could, “the wrestling championship organised by your dad was a way of seeking a warrior that’d end up being your husband,”

The princess’s eyes suddenly became blurred with tears because she didn’t want anything to do with Azuanuka, the champion. She stopped walking and remained thoughtful for a while. She couldn’t imagine Azuanaka proposing marriage to her, so she became dispirited.

After some meditative moment of silence, she murmured: “But mom, I never said that I need any man right now as a …”

“You’re lucky that the king has cancelled the result of the competition because of this same stranger we’re searching for,” The queen replied making the princess’s interest to be prodded.

The princess didn’t understand what her mom meant by that. The last time she checked, a winner was declared before she passed out; and the winner was Azuanuka.

“Nne, I don’t understand,” Chinonye said with a tinge of doubt and confusion, “what happened in my absence. What did Ozowara say about the competition that made it null and void?”

The queen took a deep breath and said: “I heard from a little bird that Ozowaraonaa informed the king that your faintness was a price of disobedience. That was when he suggested the use of the antelope’s juice to revive you,”

The princess was more confused this time, so she got a bit tired. She looked around and saw a tree stump that was dwarf enough to be used as a seat. She went there and sat while her mom stood beside her.

“It seems you’re tired, child” the queen said observantly and tried to inspect her daughter but the princess shoved her hand away.

“I’m fine,” The princess said dispiritedly, “I’m just confused because it seems a lot happened when I was unconscious,”

The queen smiled and said: “Ozowaraonaa informed the king that Ojadili who sent him said that it is wrong to celebrate and jubilate while Ifenkili is yet to be buried,”

On hearing that part, the princess became cheery because she just realised that she has succeeded in buying some time. She was at least assured that Azuanuka wasn’t making his proposal soon.

“Wow, that’s nice, mother,” the princess said and smiled, “let’s go and find Ozowaraonaa,” she added with utmost hilarity.

”Don’t rejoice yet. Remember you’re not going to be any close to him,” The queen reminded her, “whatever you feel for him should remain platonic. Don’t allow the handshake to reach the elbows; because once it does, it’s no more a handshake but an embrace,”

“Noted,” the princess said and hissed unconcernedly.

“Did you just lose your manners?” The queen pointed out sternly, “why hissing? Are you a snail?”

The princess didn’t reply to that but got up from the tree stump and continued asking the people around to know if they saw Ojadili. As the questioning continued, they met Ozonnia and Okoroigwe, the village vigilante.

“My queen, my princess,” Ozonnia greeted with a bow, “what brings you into the village by this time. The village is indeed peaceful, but the time is nocturnal and ungodly,”

The princess didn’t have to spend time being wordy or in rigmarole, so she said: “We’re looking for Ozowaraonaa, the young man that…”

“He’s with Ucheadinisi (brainless head),” Ozonnia replied sarcastically.

“Must you call him Ucheadinisi before the royalty?” Okoroigwe corrected even though he was his accomplice. “He’s Ucheadi,” he informed the princess and the queen, “his house is a stone’s throw from here,”

The queen was more concerned about seeing Ojadili than listening to sarcasm and corrections.

The princess smiled at the humour because she finally learnt that Ojadili was still in Amachara. She heaved a sigh of relief and looked up appreciatively to the sky: “Thanks to Ibini Ukpabi,” she added as she tried to contain the ecstasy that enshrouded her.

“Where is Ucheadi’s house?” The queen asked hastily. “We need to see him outrightly,”

Without a reply due yo the urgency of the request, Ozonnia and Okoroigwe took them to Ucheadi’s house. When they got there, they saw Ojadili around a campfire as he was roasting Ube (pear) with the hot ashes. Beside Ojadili was the chick well protected in a cage. Ojadili was also helping the chick to feel warm too.

Seeing the queen and the princess, Ojadili suddenly got up. As he jittered and fretted in obedience, the atu osisi (chewing stick) in his mouth fell. He didn’t bother to pick it because he felt that he was unworthy to be in the presence of the queen and the princess.

“May you live long, the queen and…and the princess of Amachara,” he faltered shiveringly. “Sorry, I look soiled,” he added and cleaned his hands on his head and cloth.

The queen knew that Ojadili was fidgety as an inferiority complex overtook him. She smiled to make the stranger relax; even though she kept looking furtively at the princess to monitor her reactions for the boy.

“Don’t shiver but relax,” Princess Chinonye said and looked around, “you have a seat?”

The queen didn’t have to waste time because all she wanted was for Ojadili to follow them to the king’s chamber.

As Ojadili and Ucheadi searched around confusingly just to get a seat, the queen stopped them.

“We’re not here for a long talk,” The queen said and forced a smile, “First of all, I want to tell you, Ozowaraonaa, to forget whatever happened earlier and come back to the palace. It was a mistake but you need to put them behind you. The king is angry and we believe he may want to see you without delay,”

The princess felt that her mom wasn’t apologetic as she should be, so she nudged her and whispered: “The raindrops on the leopard can never wash away its spots. Be humble and say that you’re sorry first; it wouldn’t deny you your royalty,”

The queen amid her pride smiled and said: “Ozowaraonaa, I’m sorry for tearing your cloth and acting in anger. I apologise for my son’s reaction too. We were simply trying to protect our own. I’m deeply sorry for…”

“Sorry to come in here,” Ojadili cut in meekly. Taking a sly look at the campfire, he noticed that the pear was already burning but couldn’t do anything about it. “Let me see the king because he may be worried already; I guess. You don’t need to apologise to a commoner like me because…”

“We’re sorry, dear,” The princess said and held Ojadili’s hand fondly, “You’ll have a home in this village. Even though you’re lost, we’ll help you find your home or remember the past. The same Ojadili that sent you to us is capable of making you regain yourself from the amnesia,”

The queen already felt that the princess may end up making unrealisable promises to Ojadili, so she intervened by leaving.

The princess noticed her mom’s reaction and began to follow her.

Ojadili already felt that the queen was being overly protective of her daughter, so he shook his head, winked at Ucheadi, and began to follow them.

When they started leaving, Ucheadi rushed to the campfire to check on the pears but realised that they’ve all burnt. He hissed.

“Chai, I almost died of fear for having such august visitors in my house,” he said with chuckles. He began to extinguish the fire with some water, “Ozowaraonaa, I wish you well in the palace,” he soliloquised as he watched them disappear in a distance.

Getting to the palace, Ojadili in the company of the queen and princess went straight to the king’s chamber and knocked. The king didn’t open the door because he felt that the wife was at it again.

After a while, as he knocked, Ojadili said: “Your majesty, it’s Ozowaraonaa, and I wish to tell you that I’m still in the kingdom and never left as…” The door opened even before he could complete his statement.

On seeing the king, the princess and the queen knelt before him to plead; even though they were speechless; action speaks louder.

“How are you doing, my son,” The king said to Ojadili as some flashes of smiles crossed his lips, “I hope that they didn’t hurt you,” he added and held Ojadili by the shoulders, “My family and I are sorry for treating and judging you the way we did. Forgive us,”

The queen and the princess remained kneeling and waiting for the king to accept their apology. The queen was tearful and about to cry, making the king to go to her and pulled her up.

“It’s okay, my darling wife,” The king said and smiled, “At least the man I owe my life to won’t be mad at me anymore,” And to the princess, he pulled her up into a warm embrace, “I’m happy that you’re back to life, my daughter. And as a credit to you, nwam,” he added looking cheerful, “Ozowaraonaa will be staying in the palace as the palace steward or chief guard,”

The princess suddenly leapt with joy and hugged her dad again and again. She was so happy at this point because it seemed that her prayer was already answered.

Amid the jubilation by the princess, the queen felt that her hubby was making a mistake by allowing the princess to be close to the stranger. Thinking about the implication of the closeness made her shudder.

Ojadili didn’t want to be the chief guard since he doesn’t have the physique. He wanted to object but felt he may sound insubordinate by doing that, so he smiled and said: “Thanks, my king,”

The king noticed that Ojadili was only forcing himself to accept the position assigned to him, so he lowered his voice and said: “Do you have a request, kid?”

Ojadili was uneasy to demand the position he wanted, so he smiled and remained mute for a while. When he felt that the king was still waiting to hear from him, he looked up. “Whatever pleases the king,” he said with a grin, “I’m okay with it,”

“You’re not,” King Azuamailo maintained. “Feel free and don’t allow the humiliation meted out on you earlier to affect your composure,” he encouraged.

After a while of having conflicting ideas inside of him, Ojadili bowed before the king and muttered: “My king, I can hunt well, so I wish to be allowed to be hunting and providing meat for the palace,”

After saying that, the king was silent for a while, so Ojadili felt that king Azuamailo may be angry at his request, so he slowly began to shift backward but the king stopped him and smiled.

“I think I prefer your choice,” The king said cheerfully, “I see you as a child with lots of wisdom. I’m yet to see what you’d be in the future. And as for your true identity, I believe that someday the gods will help you discover it. Once more, welcome to my palace. The princess will lead you to your hut,”

Ojadili was happy while the princess was happier. Chino felt that she just got the golden opportunity to keep Ojadili closer. She wanted to hug the king and thank him, but she knew that her mom wouldn’t want her to be too close to Ojadili due to the tradition of Amachara. She simply smiled and dragged the mom along even though the queen didn’t want to leave but to stay with her hubby.

As Chino struggled to have private chitchat with her mom, the queen was uneasy about that.

Ugoeze just got what she wanted by having the forgiveness of the king, so she tried to keep the secret of Chino’s birth perpetually buried. She didn’t want to divulge what she knew but take her secret down into the grave.

“Mother,” The princess whispered to the queen, “We had a deal, remember,”

The queen in that uneasiness smiled sheepishly and said: “Some secrets are better buried than exhumed,” And to the hearing of the king, she said: “Your dad just assigned a duty to you. Ensure the boy gets a comfortable hut and remember my warning. You can now go because it’s already late,”

The princess felt so cheated and disappointed by her mom, so she began to leave feeling so sad. Ojadili simply followed her out.

On their way, Isikotebu who had been on sentry duty by the king’s hut cleared his throat because he wanted to be recognised. He needed to talk but not without having the permission to do that.

The princess was so angry at her mom that she didn’t even notice Isikotebu’s gesture but Ojadili did.

Looking back under the dim light to the unfriendly looking guard, Ojadili said: “My princess, your subject may want to have a word with you?”

Hearing Ojadili’s voice made Chino’s anger to abate; though not erased, so she stopped and listened. Looking at Isikotebu, the princess asked: “Do you want to talk about something?”

Ojadili already sensed that whatever Isikotebu wanted to talk about could be a word of advice. He shifted away to give them the chance to talk.

The princess didn’t understand why Ojadili would be some yards away, so she went to him and said: “Why are you not yet free with me even after my dad’s warm welcome to you?”

Ojadili smiled and blushed. “I am free but your guard’s message to you may be private, and that wouldn’t be good if I eavesdrop on the conversation. Some secrets are best when they remain concealed. The tree that needs long-time survival grows in the evil forest where no one could cut it down,”

The princess already understood the expression, so she dimpled a smile as she admired Ojadili’s wisdom.

Hearing Ojadili talking about some secret better left undisclosed got the princess thinking. The entire discussion she had with her mom became evergreen in her mind’s eye. She looked at Ojadili stealthily and felt that the stranger may be wiser than she thought, so she smiled. “Okay, I’ve heard. Let me listen to him,” She said to Ojadili.

The princess moved closer to the guard to allow him to talk.

“You have my permission; speak,” Chinonye uttered.

Isikotebu bowed and whispered: “This boy is a stranger. Be careful with him even though I see him as a blessing than a curse to this kingdom. I know I’m a pauper and a mere slave, but if you can listen to the advice of your mom, don’t keep him too close to your heart. If you want to love him, do that with your brain and not your heart. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,”

The princess was a bit angered by that statement but how meek and wise the guard sounded got her sober and reflective. She smiled and patted Isikotebu’s back.

“I’m not a fool but a young girl that follows her instincts,” She said assuredly, “As you study him, I do too. We all are to be careful but I’m very sure that he is more than just a boy that lost his way. Time will reveal his true identity to us but before then, let’s keep him closer to study him well,”

The guard was so happy that the princess didn’t scold him or talk to him disdainfully. He simply bowed and went back to his duty position while the princess took Ojadili to the hut adjacent to her maidservants’.

When Chizaram who was about to come out from the hut saw the princess and Ojadili, she rushed back and alerted Ochomma and Omasiri. The girls all peeped from the barely covered window to see where the princess was taking him to.

“Oh chimoo! (OMG),” Ochomma exclaimed and tapped on the other two maidservants, “the princess is taking the stranger to Odiwaragboo hut,”

“It’s a lie,” Chizaram countered and looked observantly, “It’s true ooo,” she added realising that Ochomma was right after all, “but this hut is the most respected in this palace. Why must it be a stranger who would be the one to occupy it after a long while?”

“So Ochomma was right,” Omasiri mumbled and stretched her neck to see clearly, “You guys are blocking my view, biko (please)”

Chizaram shrugged in dismay as she peered. “For the first time, Ochomma is being reasonable and I support her,” she said and stroked Ochomma’s hair but Ochomma pushed her hand away.

“Onu ojoo (saucy)” Ochomma said and concentrated as they watched the princess and Ojadili enter the hut, “Ndi a abakwaa (they’ve entered). I think the princess likes him…”

“Shut up!” Omasiri scolded her, “Always mind your business even though I’m yet to understand why the princess took Ojadili to the most respected hut,”

Odiwaragboo (ancient in existence) is the oldest hut in the palace which is considered a sacred place because it was the hut where the forefather of Azuamailo lived when he was newly crowned as the king of Amachara. In those days, it was the only hut in the palace while other places were bushy. The hut had stayed from generation to generation without being dilapidated. It was the most durable hut and the most revered. The king goes there once in a while; especially whenever he’s disturbed and indecisive. He believes that his ancestors could communicate with him from the hut. It has always been working for him anyways.

It was surprising to the girls that it was the same Odiwaragboo that the princess took Ojadili to.

Chino never knew if her dad would be comfortable with it when he finds out but she followed her instincts still. She ordered the guards to get some clothes from the laundry for Ojadili. She tried to make him feel comfortable and good.

After ensuring that Ojadili was settled, she smiled and said: “This hut is called Odiwaragboo. It’s the oldest hut but I can’t explain why my spirit led me here to give it out even without the king’s permission. I hope he won’t skin me when he discovers I gave it out to a stranger,”

Ojadili smiled and tapped on the wooden sofa gesturing that the princess should sit.

The maidservants were surprised that the princess was still in the hut with Ojadili after a couple of minutes. They were speculative and kept peeping even though they admired the cuteness of the stranger in the palace.

The princess sat beside Ojadili feeling a bit shy and uneasy. She’s always the bold and daring girl but whenever she’s around Ojadili, she loses her audacity. After some hesitations, she sat beside him; clamping her legs and embracing herself as if she was afraid.

“You’re a great woman and a powerful one,” Ojadili began, “I always see the diviner in my dream even before I met him. Your dad will…”

“Wow, you see him?” The princess cut in, “Tell me about him or the things you know. I like his sense of humour. You and Ojadili have the same stature but he’s more humorous while you’re more reserved. I miss him still even though it was just twice that I saw him. He’s such a nice person and I wish to see him again,”

The princess felt that she may have expressed her feeling for the diviner more than she was meant to. She was caught up in confusion because she likes Ozorowaonaa too and shouldn’t be telling him about some other guy.

Ojadili felt like revealing himself but suddenly imagined seeing Umuabani shaking his head disapprovingly. He swallowed his words and smiled.

“I like you for your humility, sincerity, and understanding,” Ojadili said to the princess’s bewilderment, and this made the girl shy.

“Thanks, dear,” The princess said blushingly and smiled, “But I think I have stayed long already and should go back to my hut. It’s already late,”

Ojadili smiled and nodded in agreement. He opened his knapsack and brought out the nzu (calabash chalk) and handed it over to the princess. “Take this, chew some, and keep the remaining under your bed. The answers you seek from your mom would be revealed to you. Meanwhile, Ifenkili isn’t your mom as you think but you have a connection with her. So don’t bother digging about her. You have more important issues to deal with,”

The princess who was about to leave was so shocked that Ojadili knew about the secret she never discussed with anyone except the queen. She was numb to words as she was flabbergasted too. She looked at Ojadili many times and began to imagine who he was.

Coming back to the bed, she sat beside Ojadili and said: “Who are you and what’s your mission here?”

Ojadili smiled and shook his head. He looked intently into the princess’s eyes and smile again.

“Ojadili is like a master to me,” Ozowaraonaa began, “he reveals things to me in dreams even when I don’t know him well. I have been seeing him in my dreams long before I met him in Ajo Ofia as he was wondering in…”

“Please wait,” The princess said with lots of goosebumps on her, “I have heard of this Ajo ofia before. It is the evil forest that possessed my dad’s younger sister. How can I locate it? I have work to do to appease the spirit of Adadimma,”

Even though Ojadili lied about being in ajo ofia, he began to feel that it was the gods that put those lies in him. He felt that Oke Nwanyi dibia (the female diviner) that takes people to Onumajuru kingdom could be related to king Azuamailo.

“I have had dreams once about that Ajo ofia,” Ojadili said thoughtfully, “I can’t locate the evil forest but I think that it holds more,”

The princess felt that she may have divulged a secret that she was meant to conceal. After some thoughts, she felt that since Ozowaraonaa had been in Ajo Ofia before, it was better she opened up to him; to know if he could lead him to Ojadili.

“Can we go together to locate the forest?” The princess pleaded with the feeling of urgency burning inside of her. “I have something I need to do there. I’m positive that we can find Ojadili there too,”

Ojadili smiled and shook his head. “Sleep first, my princess,” he said and inspected his bed; ready for sleep, “When you wake up, some mysteries must have been solved. I’m sure that Ojadili will tell me more things to communicate to you when I sleep too. I have a gift of dreams and listening to the voice of the forest. I guess that’s why I see him in my dreams,”

The princess was shocked because she has the same gift. She held Ojadili and said: “It’s the gods that brought you to me. I have the same gift too, even though my parents always stop me from harnessing and using it,”

It began to dawn on Ojadili that his destiny and that of the princess may be intertwined.

The princess was shocked as she remained meditative and thinking. She was lost in thoughts until Ojadili touched her gently, making her jittery.

“There is one more great secret that your mom keeps from you,” Ojadili said boldly and chuckled, “Ask her about the heir to the throne. The king is being haunted by his past ordeal. That’s a fact but the real haunt is coming from the queen. You shouldn’t be concerned more about your connection to Ifenkili but your connection to Onodugo. The throne has no heir but the king doesn’t know about this. The great Agbisi Igwe of Ugoloma kingdom gave some charms to the king thinking it worked. The curse for childlessness from Adadimma was still effective even after appeasing her. Truly, Onodugo is a prince but not a prince of the Amachara kingdom. This is a message from Ojadili and that was why I came here,”

It then became obvious to the princess that Ojadili wasn’t just a messenger but a dreamer. She began to cry when she realised that her dad who thought that Onodugo was his child was wrong. In that state of great confusion, she said: “If the curse had not been broken, that means the king is childless. Who then is my father and how can I see my dad?” holding Ojadili by the hand, she cried and said: “I may not even be a princess after all,”

Ojadili pulled her into a hug and made her stop talking. They remained in that warm embrace until Isikotebu knocked to check on her.

“I’ll soon be through,” The princess said to the guard as she disguised her sadness.

“When I sleep and wake,” Ojadili promised whisperingly, “I’ll tell you if you’re a princess or not. Ojadili must visit me as usual because he sent me for this purpose. Your parents are overladen with secrets but they kept deceiving themselves with love. The hour of retribution may come sooner than they think, and they’d realise that they’ve been sitting on gunpowder,”

With tears in her eyes, the princess didn’t talk but went back to her hut thinking of lots of things. She couldn’t imagine how her beautiful life was beginning to take a U-turn into the oblivion of darkness and hopelessness. The only luxury she could afford that particular time was the calabash chalk that Ojadili gave her.

Notwithstanding that she was about going to bed and expecting a revelatory dream, she was afraid of the impending findings.

OpraDre

To be continued…