Episode 36
TWO & HALF MONTHS LATER;
Val’s side of the story continues
Location : Mbano, (Val’s family house)
I whistled happily as I inspected my mother’s poultry farm at our backyard. I really couldn’t understand the special feeling of happiness I was having that fateful morning. Of course it really was a miracle that I survived my suspension in the first place and was now on the verge of going back to the city to report to work.
Somehow I felt the suspension I got was nothing but a miracle in disguise because it gave me the much dreamt opportunity of spending quality time at home with my dear mother. Yes the two months I spent at home was very much well spent. I recovered my energy, my weight and my life. I equally was able to turn my mother’s little poultry that housed only native birds into a very big poultry farm with two paid workers.
Yes at first it really wasn’t easy staying all day long in a very quiet village that had little or no lively activities to occupy one’s mind. But I soon got used to it and was even able to get Clara and my past mistakes behind me. I really was lucky to survive it all and I swore never to make another silly mistake over a woman.
I whistled happily as I moved to my attention to the day old chicks we got the previous day. I was happy with what I
saw. I couldn’t help but count the fortune I was going to make out of them in six months time. I smiled to myself, happy to be a farmer and wishing I could stay a little longer in the village to make the sales myself. I slowly made my way to the last section of the farm, housing some native fowls I was growing for cross breeding. I loved experiments and I was hopeful they were going to give me the result I needed.
‘’Val’’ I heard a soft familiar voice call my name. I froze as I listened again, not really sure of what I heard the first time. ‘’Val it’s me Clara’’ i heard the second time and turned to see Clara standing just before me. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It looked very impossible. I couldn’t imagine how she got to my village house, how she made the journey and who led her to my place. My mind instantly went towards Charles as I drew back with confusion, wondering what the i.diot was up to by leading her to my place.
‘’what are you doing here?, who led you here?’’ I asked guardedly. She smiled and shrugged.
‘’I confided to the head of my security that I needed to see once again and she led me here. She’s also from your community’’ she replied and signaled to her companion who was standing a distance away. She slowly walked up to her with a smile.
‘’good day Mr. Val. We have met before but I don’t think you still remember’’ the female officer greeted but she wasn’t my problem. My problem was seeing Clara standing before me uninvited.
‘’so why are you here?, the last time we talked you made it
clear that you no longer trusted me. I hope I’m safe or you came to spoil my suspension which is ending in few weeks?’’ I asked rudely.
‘’come on Val’’ the female office tried to intervene but Clara tapped her hand.
‘’just leave us alone please’’ she softly said to her. She shrugged and headed back to the front of the compound while Clara and I stood facing each other at the back yard. ‘’so what now”’ I asked her.
‘’I’m getting married to Charles in three weeks time and I’m here to make peace with you and equally confirm some things from you. Ever since that day I walked out on you, I haven’t been myself. Please tell me the truth. My depends on it. I need to know if it was Charles that actually stabbed you and Vivian at your apartment?. I never believed your word back then because I knew you were blinded with rage but right now I’m about making a lifelong commitment and I’m appealing to you. Tell me the truth, did Charles actually go that far?’’ she appealed solemnly while I stared at her without showing any sign of sympathy.
Supposing it were two months ago, supposing it was even a month ago, I would have been touched by her presence but on the contrary I felt nothing. My heart was already locked up in my late father’s cupboard and perhaps that was the reason I felt no chills, no current, no passion, no excitement on seeing her beautiful face.
‘’the only answer I have right now is for you to wait and talk to your cousin Vivian. She survived, didn’t she?’’ I asked with a scornful smile, surprising her with my nonchalant
attitude. She just couldn’t believe herself.
‘’Val I came all the way down here to seek you and this
attitude is what I get?’’ she stammered while I scoffed.
‘’no you came here to tell me that you are getting married.
Congrats on that but also know that you are no longer my
problem. In the next two weeks my suspension will be over
and I will start all over again. You made a mistake coming
here. I have nothing to tell you over the answer you seek. As
you can see I’m busy with my fowls and you just interrupted
me. Good bye Clara’’ I said coldly, turned and faced my
fowls, whistling to them as I resumed what I was doing
before she walked in. she stood for a while before walking
away without another word.
Did I act right?
Meanwhile at that same moment, Vivian is seen with her mother, her brother and doctor Chinedu heading out of Murtala Muhammed international airport. Vivian looks super excited to be back in Nigeria, while a distance away, an immigration officer is seen dialing Charles number To be continued
Clara the state governor’s daughter