Sacrilege Episode 14 – 15 by Nissi Adeola

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Sacrilege Episode 14 - 15 by Nissi Adeola

Sacrilege Episode 14 by Nissi Adeola

It was several hours before Deolu woke up. It was a little before the crack of dawn and darkness still engulfed the room to a certain degree. It was the most bitter-sweet night he’s had in a long time. He must have been asleep for about four hours. He hadn’t slept so much nor felt so relaxed in a long time. He felt like a piece of hot iron thrown into a bowl of cold water.

Sleep had relaxed his wound up nerves. He had gotten so used to sleeping with Laura by his side that he had almost forgotten the impact her presence had. It had taken the past days to show him just what he would be missing if he didn’t get Laura back. She was his anchor to sanity!

Deolu turned his head fractionally, staring at the woman beside him as a different kind of tension engulfed him. His eyes stared through the dark at the sleeping face of his wife. Laura lay still on her side, snuggled beside him. It was like she hadn’t moved from where she lay. Her full spongy hair made the most tantalizing disheveled pillow around her head and face. Gosh, how he missed this sight. Nothing kick started his day better than beholding Laura’s sleep swollen face.

He had kept his hands to himself all through the night, knowing he might not be able to control himself if he had her skin against his. Her scent engulfed his senses, making his hands twitch. It was agonizing enough to have bathed her while doing his best to keep his touch impersonal; to have his hands roam her nude body without doing anything about it.

Though he had seen his wife’s nakedness more times than he could count, it had taken every ounce of self control to keep his hands on her without being on her. He knew if he had attempted to make love to her right there and then, he would have met no resistance. She wanted him to. He had seen her desire hanging to the lids of her tired eyes; pronounced in the frequency of her breathing.

Her lips had parted slightly of their own volition everytime he came too close and it had taken divine strength to hold on to his resolve and not to kiss her.

It was the most mind-numbing torture he’s faced in a while. The temptation was almost more than he could bear. But something held him back. As he bathed her, beyond his unabated desire, something made his heart ache heavily.

His eyes traced the length of Laura’s sleeping body, feeling a stab of guilt. Not only did his betrayal affect Laura emotionally, Deolu had seen and felt the effects last night. Laura had lost so much weight. He knew her body like the back of his hand, bathing her last night had sent alarm bells ringing in his head. Her sumptuously curvaceous body was heavily trimmed down, it was definitely the reason why she had little or no strength.

Not only hadn’t she been sleeping, she hadn’t been eating as well, and it didn’t come as a surprise. She never could eat anything substantial whenever she wasn’t happy. He hated the fact that he did this to her; that she suffered on his account.

He raised his hand and caressed her hair gently. Giving her one last lingering look, Deolu shifted very gently and pushed out of bed.

*****

Deolu whistled gently as he went around the kitchen. It had been a while since he did that, definitely been a while since he was happy enough to go around the kitchen with an apron wrapped around him. Anything that had to do with kitchen always needed a bit of motivation for him, the kitchen was not his favorite place to be but Laura was always his motivation.

He moved with enthusiasm towards the frying pan on the gas cooker and turned the plantain over, watching the bubbles of the vegetable oil with delight. He stared with satisfaction at the fried eggs already dished in two plates. With fresh pepper, tomatoes, onions and a bit of mushroom, the eggs looked like something made by a pro.

This was one thing he would always be grateful to Chris for. Of the two male friends, Chris was the cook. He could conveniently prepare any kind of meal. Deolu had no knowledge of cooking whatsoever, his mother never bothered to give him proper education in that aspect because she always maintained that cooking and domestic works were made for women.


But before getting married, Deolu was not comfy with the thought of Laura doing everything in the house. It had been easy to get around house chores without any problem, but cooking, it was more challenging than he had thought. He fancied the idea of serving Laura breakfast in bed once in a while, but how was he going to achieve that if he didn’t have the slightest knowledge about kitchen stuffs?

The thought of asking Teju to teach him had crossed his mind but pride wouldn’t let him, so, he had gone to Chris. All he wanted to know was how to prepare Laura’s favourite meals. He had no desire to be a world class chef, he only wanted to be able to do something unexpected for Laura once in a while.

Chris had been reluctant, tried to dodge it giving different excuses but he eventually gave in and did a good job of showing Deolu the way. Even now, Deolu could still remember the look on Laura’s face the first time he made her dinner. She had goaded him over and over again, trying to make him confess to ordering the food, Deolu remembered, smiling to himself. He had never been more proud of himself.

The look in her eyes made him feel ten feet tall, and damn, breakfast in bed did have mindblowing rewards. Since then, he had tried to improve on his cooking skills, wanting to constantly surprise Laura.

Now however, the aim was not to surprise Laura. It was to get as much food as needed into her system. She hadn’t been eating and it was all his fault. It was his duty to make it right. Deolu took out all the brown plantain slices from the pan and filled up Laura’s plate. Anything with plantain was Laura’s favorite.

Lifting two mugs, he went to fill them with hot water from the dispenser; even as he did, he cast a glance towards the door, hoping Laura was still asleep in the bedroom.

*****

Laura turned over, her hand stretching to where she knew Deolu lay. The bed was empty. Her sleepy eyes pushed open lazily, staring at the empty bed. She felt well rested even though her eyes screamed to go back to sleep. She had deprived herself of sleep for so long and her eyes wanted to make up for lost time. Though, she was tempted to oblige, she kept her eyes open staring at the room bathed in the gentle morning light.

It felt weird being here again. It was like she had been away for ages. This room and mattress had way too many memories, most of them pleasant, remembering them brought both smiles and tears to her eyes but she definitely didn’t have the strength to cry now.

Her marriage started off on a shaky ground. She wasn’t her mother-in-law’s favorite, neither was Deolu her father’s favorite. Even after their wedding, Deolu tried everything in his power to reconcile her back to her father. He went to her father’s place on countless occasions, trying to gain his forgiveness even when Laura asked him not to. He felt responsible for the rift between her and her father, he couldn’t accept that the rift had always been there.

They never saw eye to eye. So, when he refused to give his blessings, rejecting her desire to marry Deolu just because of tribal differences, Laura couldn’t care less. To her, having her uncle – Tito’s father – was more than enough. Oh, she had been wrong… she had been so wrong.

Laura shifted on the bed, remembering all that happened the previous day. everything she heard… It still seemed like a mirage. It was just so hard to accept that she had been wrong all along. Wrong about everything and everyone. She had treated Frank Johnson with so much disdain and disregard. She had been so narrowminded that she did not see past his charade of coldness into the sad and hurt man within.

She had judged him based on face value, hated what the world had shaped him into. How couldn’t she have tried to understand him? To show him the love that was snatched from him… but more to the point… how could she have loved the very person she should have despised?

Laura shook her head. Her uncle had been the epitome of perfection. Till now, she couldn’t believe he actually did all he claimed to have done. As he talked last night, it ws like he was talking about a totally different person. The Mark Johnson she knew was the exact opposite of the one she saw last night. The man she saw last night was a monster and it was like she was always doomed to be fathered by the bad man.

When she thought Frank Johnson was her father, he was the monster. Now that she knew he was the good man, she realized he wasn’t her father afterall.

Laura swallowed. There were so many unanswered questions floating around her head, and the top of them all would be, ‘Who is responsible for Teju’s pregnancy?’ If Deolu feels responsible for Teju’s pregnancy, he definitely must have slept with her, Laura thought painfully. But when did that happen? Was that before or after the rape?

Laura shook her head as she pushed to a sitting position. She was tired of thinking too much. Everything was becoming too much for her brain to assimilate. Casting a look round the room, she wondered where Deolu was. She had been awake for minutes but there was no sign of him anywhere. She knew she ought to leave now that he was nowhere to be seen.

She knew she couldn’t afford to complicate things any further but she seemed to remember that she didn’t mind the complication last night; would have welcomed it with open arms last night. Her heart raced remembering last night even as her disappointment mounted. Tired as she was, having Deolu strip her naked was torture, but having him bathe her was another thing entirely.

At that moment, she could not remember exactly what caused the rift between them. All that she knew was that she wanted Deolu, the way any wife would want her husband. She wanted him to do more than bathe her… she wanted his knowing hands on her without the sponge acting as an intermediary. But surely, he had nothing of such in mind.

He had seemed so calm and collected through it all, like he was bathing a small baby. He had kissed her on the forehead, not even on the cheek and had headed out of the room. Even when she had begged him to stay, he didn’t touch her all night, Laura thought painfully. And to think he was now nowhere to be found? Sleeping beside her must be such a chore. Had she become that unappealing that Deolu found it so easy to ignore her even when she was naked before him? Maybe that was what pushed him into Teju’s arms…

she had probably lost her appeal, Laura thought.

She pushed her legs around and was about getting out of the bed when suddenly, the door of the room opened. Laura froze as Deolu walked in carrying a large tray. Their eyes met and his eyes held hers as he pushed the door back against its hinges. His eyes gave her body a brief scrutiny and a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Laura became self conscious. This particular nightie was translucent and Laura could bet he saw the naked body beneath the gown.

The short loose nightie she had on was riding high on her left thigh as her other leg dangled above the ground. Try as she may, she couldn’t hide the blush that stained her cheeks. The cynical man! Of all the nighties he could pick out, it had to be this one.

“Good morning, Love” Deolu’s baritone voice held a smile as he moved closer. The scent of fried eggs assaulted her senses before she even saw the content of the tray.

“Good morning” she responded, as she stared at the tray. How was it that Deolu could hurt her so much but she still seemed to love him more? It was probably because of times like these… He had a way of doing the sweetest things. Having a man that knew how to cook was amazing, but the sheer fact that he had learnt how to cook just for her was the most romantic thing ever.

“I made you breakfast” Deolu lowered the tray onto the bed. Something flickered in Laura’s eyes as she stared at the tray filled with the most enticing meal. Anything that has Plantain with it was always a win win for her but the fried eggs caught her attention. It had to be the most enticing she had ever seen. Her stomach grumbled and her mouth watered. Who wouldn’t love plantain, fried eggs fully garnished with vegetables, bread and a mug of steaming chocolate tea?

“This looks really good” She confessed, unable to hide her appreciation.

Deolu smiled. “You should taste it, it might not taste as good as it looks”

Laura seriously doubted that. Just how long had she stayed without food? It was like she hadn’t eaten for ages. She lifted the tray unto her lap and glanced at Deolu. “Nothing’s changed” she murmured. Surely, he didnt think all he had to do was make her breakfast and she would forget he actually slept with another woman.

Deolu nodded. “I know. Eat up”

Laura took a bite of the eggs and almost let out a pleasurable sigh. The taste was so glorious. When did Deolu turn into such a wonderful cook? Without waiting a second longer, she dug into her meal. Satisfied, Deolu left the room.

*****

He returned several minutes later and by then, the eggs and several slices of bread had already gone down her throat, she had some plantains left which she chewed lazily. She was totally filled up. “Feel better?” he asked as he sat on the bed. He was beyond pleased to know she had eaten.

“Yes, thank you”

He smiled. His penetrating gaze made her feel naked but his eyes were not on her body but on her face. She saw the question in his eyes before he even voiced it. “What happened last night?”

Laura gazed at him for a while, then looked away. “You don’t want to know”

“I do” he said firmly. “If there is something that kept you out so late at night, I want to know what it is.”

Laura’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. Where could she start from. Should she tell him that his best friend had been raped? Or should she tell him that the child he was expecting was most likely not his? Or better still, she could just tell him that the wife he got married to is a product of deception. Shaking her head, she stood. “I don’t want to talk about it” she said.

Deolu followed her with his eyes, her body forming a perfect distraction. She might have shed some weight but Laura could never be any less enticing. “You would feel better if you did”

”I doubt it…” she blinked back tears. “Nothing could make me better right now”

Deolu stood from the bed, walking towards her and standing in front of Laura. He could see pain in her eyes as she blinked back tears. He lifted his hand and cradled her cheek gently. ”I think something can make you feel better” he whispered as his thumb brushed against her lower lip, making her breath catch.

He moved her into his arms gently, feeling the temperature of her skin heighten beneath the hand on her waist. His gaze lingered on her lips for a moment before they shifted to her eyes. His eyes were heavy with desire. ”Let me make you feel better”

Slowly, he lowered his head, covering her mouth with his. It was just like old times, but then, it wasn’t. There was something different. Laura responded like she had been waiting for that moment a long time as she stood on tip toes, gluing her body to his as her hand travelling up Deolu’s chest to curl around his neck.

Deolu buried his hand into her hair as his mouth became more fervent and demanding. Every ounce of control he had exercised since last night was lost as he lifted the gown as slowly as he could manage, breaking of the kiss long enough to yank the cloth over Laura’s head.

Lifting her off the floor and into his arms, he marched purposefully towards their matrimonial bed.

*****

There’s no greater detective that could rival a questing wife. It took just a few hours to get all the info she needed and to get her on her way. Glancing at the address in the piece of paper she was holding, and confirming it with the one on the black gate of a house, Gloria marched into the compound. She met a young lady in the compound, on her way out and stopped her with a skilr.

”Hello miss, please, could you direct me towards Teju’s flat?”

The lady pointed towards the back, indicating the boys quarters and told her to go upstairs. She smiled at the lady and walked towards the boys quarters.

On getting to the door, she knocked gently. There was this weird feeling she couldn’t shake off as she stood there. She wondered if it was still her anxieties at work. She knocked again and the door eased open.

Gloria stared at the young woman that stood behind the door with a puzzled look on her face. Her heart was racing wildly and she could not tell why.

”Yes?” Teju murmured when the woman who had interrupted her privacy wouldn’t talk.

Gloria could not explain what was going on with her. She felt momentarily paralysed as she stared at the lady. Why did it seem like she knew her somehow? She ran her eyes down Teju’s body, trying to remember where she had seen her. And then she saw it. “Oh no” she paled as her hand lifted shakily to her mouth. Her face registered horror as she stared at Teju, her gaze on the hand holding the door.

She surged forward, grabbing Teju’s hand as she lifted it to her face, staring closely at the black dot a little above her wrist.

“What is it?” Teju asked, frightened. She couldn’t seem to understand what was going on. Who was this woman?

Gloria stared at Teju’s face as tears came to her eyes. “Atinuke” she gasped.

Sacrilege Episode 14 - 15 by Nissi Adeola

Sacrilege Episode 15 by Nissi Adeola

Laura woke up feeling refreshed in a way only a fellow married woman could understand. She pushed up gently, the duvet slipping away from her nude body. It was already late morning, she realized as she looked out the window. It was definitely a good thing both she and Deolu owned their own companies, if not, they would have either a query or a sack letter lying in wait for them.

She glanced at Deolu sleeping peacefully beside her. She sensed he had also been skipping sleep for the past few days. His bare chest called to her the way it always had.

She remembered herself talking to Deolu before she dozed off immediately after they made love. She told him about last night, told him about her new discoveries, and for the life of her, she had no idea of just how much she had told him. She swallowed, needing to get out. Careful not to awaken him – she got out of bed. Deolu was easily roused and if she was to leave, she needed him asleep not otherwise.

Promising to take a long bath at Tito’s place, she hastily dressed, picked her phone and with one long look at Deolu, exited the house. The thought of Tito made her heart ache. She had no idea how her cousin must be doing now. She really needed to have a long talk with the one person who to her remained her best friend. Come to think of it, last night’s revelation made Tito her sister and relegated her two sisters to the cousin position.

Releasing an exhausted sigh, she moved to the road, flagging down the first Napep that pulled across. She got in and murmured her destination.

She powered her phone and as if on cue, the phone rang.

“Oh, thank God. I thought you had died without telling me first.”

Laura smiled. Trust Jane to bring a smile to your face. “That would be sacrilege”

“Of the worst kind” Jane seconded, a smile in her voice. Her voice softened as she asked. “How are you, sis?”

Laura gripped her phone tighter as the Napep fell into a pot-hole. “Still breathing” she murmured. “I have missed you baby, when are you paying me a visit?”

“When you return to your house”

Laura frowned. “Really Jane?”

“Really sis. Your place is so beautiful and really, I have missed that fantastic guests’ bathroom.” Laura sighed. “But really… the sight of you and Deolu together is what keeps the sky blue. You two are couple goals. Now, if you want to see me, go to your husband’s house”

If only she knew where Laura had just been minutes ago. “That’s emotional blackmail”

“That’s better. Email is so boring”

Laura chuckled. She truly had missed her baby sister.

“I am going to see Sis Maggy” she announced. “I’ve missed my niece”

Laura swallowed. The face of the precious little girl Margaret had brought to her office stabbed into her head. Whatever the differences she had with her immediate sister, she sure as hell wanted to get to know her niece. And then, as she thought of this, she remembered that Margaret wasn’t her sister afterall. How could she tell Jane that she wasn’t actually her sister but her cousin? She shook her head and sighed into the phone. “Give her a kiss for me”

“Come and do it yourself” Jane retorted. “Honestly, you people say I’m the kid, yet I am not the one keeping malice for years and behaving like a bunch of primary 5 pupils. You guys need to sort out your differences, and sis…” she paused slightly and Laura could almost see her grinning. “I have an excellent news for you”

Laura pushed away three quarter of what she said and held the last statement. “Finally! Heaven knows I could use some good news in my life. What is it?”

“Not so fast sis, it’s not something we can discuss on phone. Get back with prince charming and then I can tell you”

Laura groaned. She could understand why Jane was talking so slightly, she was still too young to understand the enormity of what happened to Laura. “It is not as easy as that”

“it is as easy as you make it to be. Life is a four letter word, it is not further maths” Laura rolled her eyes. “Okay, got to go, big sis. Love you… muah” Jane blew Laura a kiss and hung up.

Laura took her dead phone from her ear and sighed into the keke napep. Jane sounded so free and happy. It was a relief to know that someone she cared about was as happy as she should. With Jane’s words swimming around her head, she waited to arrive at her destination.

*****
Frank returned his plates to the kitchen sink and walked back to the sitting room, sipping a glass of fruit juice. He occasionally picked his teeth removing the meat residues stuck between his teeth. Gloria hadn’t even spoken a word to him before leaving the house.

She had slept and apparently woke up in anger as she went around the house, tight lipped. He wasn’t so happy that he had upset her with the entire situation but he knew she would come off it sooner or later. She had bathed, dressed and prepared his breakfast in stoned silence before storming out of the house – she never could leave without preparing his meals no matter how angry she was.

It was a trait that never ceased to amaze him. Knowing her, he hadn’t forced any conversation but his curiosity was pricked. He had the weirdest thought that she wasn’t going to her shop. Following their intense argument the previous night, he doubted Gloria would be able to sit calm, comfortable in her state of sheer ignorance.

Discarding the thought, he smiled to himself. He had no doubt that things would have gone sour for his dearest twin brother last night. It was all he had been waiting for for almost all his life. Just a few years short of three decades, yet, he still felt his brother’s savage betrayal in his bones. He had sworn to destroy Mark’s happiness as surely as he had destroyed his and now, he was having exactly what he had always craved.

Revenge could be better served cold but it is definitely best served hot. Though this in no way changed the past, being able to inflict pain on Mark was more than enough for Frank.

Mark had destroyed his life in a way he couldn’t forgive, or worse, forget. He had loved Sandra so much, in a way he had never ever loved anyone. She was the light in his life. The very essense of his existence. Frank had never known he was capable of so much emotional attachment till he met Sandra.

The very sight of her made everything alright with his world, and then Mark came in and the very sight of her turned him from a prince to a beast.

Mark had shattered his very essence and though he knew Sandra was in no way at fault, nothing remained the same again. How could he sleep on the same bed with her on the same bed knowing she had been deflowered by his own twin brother? It was more than his ego could carry. He couldn’t stop himself from venting his anger and bitterness on her. All he had ever wanted was to love her and make her happy but what he had ended up doing was making her completely miserable.

Then she lost her spark. The free spirit Frank had loved about her faded away, leaving a blank woman who despite all tried to show him love. But Frank had no love for her. Without the attributes he loved about her, there was nothing left to love. The woman he loved was suddenly nowhere to be found and all that was left was a complete stranger.

It became completely worse when she had given birth to Laura and all he could see in the innocent little girl was a combination of his wife and Mark. It had almost been more than he could bear. But he had always loved female children and small as she was, he just couldn’t transfer his aggression on her. But Mark had visited often, intent on seeing his daughter though her paternity was only known to the three of them.

Laura had grown up, and each passing day made it obvious that she loved Mark more than she loved him. She sought his counsel on everything that that riled him more than anything. Sandra died and Frank hated Mark more than he ever had. No matter how much he tried to love Laura, Mark still remained the perfect twin in Laura’s eyes.

Though she never said it verbally. He saw it in her eyes… in her every action. Frank blamed Mark for everything… everything that was wrong with his world. Mark had stolen Sandra from him and had gone ahead to steal Laura too, though she was technically his. Now, Frank smiled. Now, he would enjoy seeing Mark lose not only Laura’s love but also Tito’s love as well.

*****

Teju stared at the weird woman before her. Atinuke? She knew no one by that name, and it certainly was not one of her middle names. “Sorry, I am not Atin-”

She wasn’t given the grace to finish her statement when Gloria snatched her hand, bringing it up to her face. Teju’s heart skipped several beats as the woman gazed at her hand with an almost feverish look on her face. “It’s you… it’s really you” she raised her teary eyes to Teju, gazing at her with mystified wonder.

Teju swallowed. Who on earth was this woman? She definitely had to be mad, maybe escaped an asylum or a mental ward, she thought with a deep frown as she took one cautious step back. The only problem was that her weird guest didn’t look mad. A mad person would certainly not look so neat and pretty, but then, madness comes in all forms and shades.

“Sorry ma, I am Teju not Atinuke” Teju finally said at length but then, she doubted the woman actually heard her as she held her hand tightly. She had water in her eyes, staring at her like she had just come face to face with the living dead. Teju stared intently at the woman before her. She certainly couldn’t remember ever seeing such a woman, but there was this weird feeling she could not place. Definitely had to be baby jitters. “Can I have my hand back, please?”

Gloria shook her head with vigor as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I… I thought I… that I would never” she shook her head again, giving Teju a head to toe scrutiny. “You’ve grown so big and beautiful” she gasped out in awe, more to herself than to Teju.

Teju had never been more confused in her life and really, she couldn’t stand any more confusion. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

Gloria gazed right back at her, seeing her through her tears. “You’ve known me all your life”

Teju chuckled without the trace of a smile. “Certainly haven’t”

“Oh, Atinuke…” she finally let go of Teju’s hand but took a step forward, cupping Teju’s face with her two hands. This had to be the most awkward encounter Teju has had in a while, she thought, gazing in confusion into the teary eyes of Gloria. “Oh, Atinuke, I am your-”

“Mother?”

Gloria and Teju turned sharply to see Laura standing just a few paces from them. Gloria pulled back instantly, as if she was caught in an abominable act. Laura’s eyes rotated from her step mother to Teju, her mind full of questions. Her step mother seemed too pale and Teju was a mirage of emotions.

What on earth was her step mother doing in Teju’s place, holding her face so affectionately with tears in her eyes? Her life was fast becoming a soap opera; she was having trouble keeping up with the wind of change blowing from all angles.

She was here to clear her head; she certainly didn’t need another complication.

Laura took a cautious step towards her stepmother and Teju, frowning at them. “What is going on here?”

*****

Gloria rubbing her hands on her face to dry her errant tears. She seemed nervous and shaken, almost like she was seeking a means of escape; from what, Laura could not tell and she was scared as hell, thinking of what it might be.

Teju looked from one woman to the other, her face showing utter confusion. “You know her?” she asked Laura.

Laura glanced at Teju briefly then returned her gaze back to Gloria. “She is my stepmother” she announced, staring oddly at Gloria.

“Oh” Teju gazed at Gloria, still looking puzzled.

“Yes, oh” Laura snapped taking several steps closer, frowning. “Now, the question is, ‘what are you both doing together?’” she placed her hands akimbo, raising a brow at Gloria.

Gloria shifted. “Laura…”

“I don’t actually know” Teju bottted in. “All I did was open to her knock and the next thing I knew, she started calling me Atinuke”

Laura’s head snapped to Teju instantly. She might have seemed surprised before but now, she was shocked. “What?” she paled slightly.

Teju looked at the two pale faces before her and she actually started getting scared. “Okay, you two are scaring the life out of me. Who is Atinuke?”

Ignoring her, Laura shot forward, seizing Teju’s left hand and raising it to her face for a thorough inspection. She gazed at the hand for a prolonged moment until Teju angrily snatched it away.

“The dot is not microscopic, it is a birth mark” she snapped. “Would you tell me what’s going on?”

Laura shook her head in wonder. Several years back, she had walked in on Gloria as she held a bottle of water with tears in her eyes. She had hastily tried to hide the bottle but then, Laura had already seen it. She had found it weird and almost thought the bottle held something diabolical. But, after much pressure, Gloria had finally confided in her, told her of the rigors of her past… told her of that little baby girl she had to let go of… and the mark in her left wrist… “It cant be” Laura gasped.

Wow… Teju surely did know how to encroach into other people’s lives unannounced. She gazed at Teju like she was just seeing her for the first time. “She can’t be her”

Gloria took a step forward, touching Laura’s shoulder gently as she also gazed teary eyed at Teju. “I… I cant believe it myself”

“I can’t be who?” Teju almost screamed at the two pairs of eyes staring at her.

“Her daughter…” Laura announced. “My stepmother is your mother”

*****

Deolu woke to find the mattress empty. His body lay naked under the duvet, satiated and relaxed. Deolu pulled to a half sitting position, glancing around the room. He needed no one to tell him, he was sure Laura had left. He swallowed and ran his hand over his hair. His body reminded him of things he did with Laura but his brain was still stuck on the things he had heard from Laura’s mouth as she dozed off.

When she had refused to confide in him, Deolu had known whatever it was must be pretty serious, and knew the one way of getting words out of her. Now that he had the words out of her, he didn’t know what to make of it.

How could Tito’s father be her father? How possible was that? She had mentioned something about a rape and then she had mentioned Teju but hadn’t finished it before she dozed off. He couldn’t get the puzzle out of his head. Who was raped? And by who?

Pushing out of bed, he marched to the bathroom. He needed answers and he wont be getting them in bed.

***** Teju stared at the women for a precious minute and bursted into laughter. “You both are hilarious” she turned, walking into the apartment.

Gloria followed. “it is the truth” Gloria said gently. “I am your birth mother”

Teju whirled round. “Of course, you are. Listen, I know my mother, okay? And she certainly doesn’t look like you”

“I understand you. But please, let me explain”

“There’s no need. I understand perfectly. Everything that’s happening is making us all crazy, I know. But don’t try to tell me that I don’t know my mother, okay? That’s the height of it”

“The mark…”

“There must be a thousand ladies with similar birth marks. I certainly am not your daughter, ma’am” Teju seemed horrified at the very thought of it.

Laura could only stare, perplexed, watching Gloria battle with her emotions as Teju pulled closer to anger.

“It is not a birthmark” Gloria’s voice was barely above a whisper.

The room fell a bit silent. “What is it then?”

Gloria blinked but as she opened her mouth to explain, her phone shattered the silence as it rang, making her jump. She took her phone out to hang up until she saw the caller. Margaret hadn’t called her in a very long time. It was odd that she would now. “Margaret?” she said as she picked, looking at Laura.

The voice she heard was not Margaret’s. “Mother?”

“Jane?” What’s going on? Where is Margaret?”

“Please, you have to come, right now. I am rushing Mag to the hospital”

“What? What happened?” Gloria yelled.

Sacrilege Episode 14
#OpraDre

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Atitebi Hannah
4 years ago

This is serious I hope everything end well cox it’s not predictable

Gesem Garba
Gesem Garba
4 years ago

This story is mindblowing,creative and sweet with different version of people, events, and not a predictable tales…More grace to the writer

Asia Chika
Asia Chika
4 years ago

So many revelations. Kudos to the writer.

Mukktty
4 years ago

OMG ??……
My thoughts and prayers are with you Dear Margaret ✊

Harbey
Harbey
4 years ago

Brilliant author. Margaret’s secret is out