MY HUSBAND AND I (FINAL)

Tony sat on a couch, his palms
supporting his forehead. Things
were difficult. His house was
filled with police men, SSS and
what have yoy, they were
brought by Deji to search the
house.
They still believed he had a hand
in Lara’s disappearance. Perhaps
because of what he did to her in
the past. He’s full of regret.
Tears clouded his eyes as
remembered Lara’s word back
then. She once told him ‘the law
of karma still reigns’.
That law was hunting him down.
Now she disappeared when he
needed her most, when he loved
her with all his heart, when he…
“hey! Mr Ritualist, come and open
the door to your study!” Deji
squealed at him.
He glared at her, and she
returned the look. He bit his
lower lip.
“Abi ko gbo ni? Didn’t you hear
what she said?” Funke hissed.
“Tony open the door for them.”
Ifiora said quitely. He was
looking frail.
“Please don’t tamper with my
documents, they are vital.” Tony
told them as he opened the door.
“Vital ko, bournvita ni! You
people should search every thing
jare! Who knows maybe he has
some document for her kidnap.”
Deji ordered the policemen.
“Well, we didn’t see, and couldn’t
find anything suspicious.” the
policemen emerged.
“Tony, where did you keep Lara’s
remains?” Deji taunted him.
“We’ll take you with us, till we’re
done with our investigations. ”
one of the SSS’s said.
“But officer…” Ifiora protested
“Shut up! Gbe enu re soun jare!”
Funke screamed at him.
“please take this ritualist out of
here jor! If possible arrest his
parents too.” Deji told the police
men.
Tears streaked down Tony’s
cheeks, as they handcuffed his
wrists. They were about to lead
him out, when the door bell rang.
“I sorry oga! Oga make I come
see something.”Adam u- Tony’s
gateman walked in excitedly
“See what?” Deji eyed him in
disdain.
“Hellooo…” Lara cooed as she
walked in holding her baby. Jide
and his parents followed her in.
Everybody gaped at her in utter
shock, nobody could speak or
move.
“Lara?” Tony’s lips quivered.
“Lara, you!” Deji screamed in
horror.
“Yes me!” Lara said handing over
her baby to Amara who was
weeping.
“What’s going on here? Why’s
everywhere in a mess?” she
looked around her.
What’s the meaning of that
handcuff?” she asked again,
gesturing towards Tony.
“I’m back home baby! Well and
alive.” she kissed him as she
removed the hand cuff.
“ah mad! How comes!” Deji
couldn’t believe her eyes yet.
“Not how comes, but how it
went.” Lara turned to face her.
“Officer, you came to arrest my
husband? No no! You are wrong.
Let me tell you who my
kidnapper is.” Lara smiled at a
police man.
Deji was already making her way
towards the exit…
“Hold her!” Lara shouted, just as
Deji opened the door.
Deji ran out of the room, with the
police men following, they shot
her leg.
“Haaaa! Don’t kill me oo” Deji
screamed as she held her
wounded leg
“She was my kidnapper.” Lara
announced.
“Its not my fault o! I was paid o!”
Deji kept screaming.
“Its funke o, its funke! Its your
mother.”
“My mother?” Lara’s jaw
dropped.
She looked around for her
mother
“Mummy?”
Funke shivered, as everybody
gaped at her.
“wonderful!” Ifiora exclaimed.
“Did you say wonderful? This is
just unbelievable”. A policeman
said, as they shoved Funke and
Deji into a van.
“Don’t take my mother away.”
Lara protested.
“I’m sorry madam, your mother
isn’t above the law. See you in
court.” the police man told her,
before they drove away.
“But she is my mother!” Lara
screamed.
“she….she can’t harm me!
Tony held her gently as she wept.
His Lara was back, alive and well,
with his child
He collected the baby from his
mother, he hugged and kissed
her.
“Thank you” he whispered to
Lara
“Thank you for making Baby
Ngozi a reality.” he hugged her.
Lara wept as her mother was led
into the dock, alongside Deji. Deji
had to use crutches because of
her leg. Lara looked around the
court room, Tony was sitting
beside her holding baby Ngozi,
Tony’s parents were present, her
father’s relatives-Baba Lagbaja
and co were there for her. Even
her rescuers, Shina and his wife
Ronke were present.
“stop crying” Tony held her.
She pushed him away, he
expected her to stop crying,
when her mother was about to
be prosecuted?
“COUURRT”
Everybody rose when the Judge
walked in except Lara, she was
too weak to stand.
The judge was a female, Lara
watched with keen interest as
she spoke. Her father had
wanted her to become a lawyer,
but there she was without even
a secondary school certificate -
courtesy of her mother.
She was deep in her thoughts
when she heard the call to the
first witness, she was to go and
witness against her friend and
mother, she felt reluctant. Tony
nudged her.
She stood before the court, she
told them her ordeal, carefully
skipping every part that involved
her mother.
Tony gave her an unsatisfied
look as she sat down.
She looked away, what does he
expect, she still loved her mum.
The next witness was called, Lara
looked up sharply she heard a
familiar voice.
“My name is Bayo Olayemi”
Bayo? Lara gasped. She hadn’t
seen nor heard from him ever
since he raided her home.
“I was paid by Funke to rob
OmoLara’s home, and To Molest
her.” Bayo concluded.
“Next witness..”
Tony nudged Lara the fifteenth
time, she glared at him.
“Look” he whispered.
She looked up
“Sophia!” she said in a fierce
whisper.
Lara wept all through Sophia’s
statement, she hardly heard a
word.
“Please listen,” Tony told her
when the Judge was to give the
sentence.
Bayo was sentenced three years,
for attempted rape and robbery.
Sophia twelve months, for
arranging Lara’s kidnap.
Deji was sentenced for life, with
hard labour.
Funke too was sentenced life
imprisonment with HARD labour.
“No no no!” Lara jumped up.
“My mother is innocent!” she
wailed
Tony held unto her firmly.
“Leave me!” she pushed him
away, rushing towards her
mother.
“Don’t take my mother away,
she’s innocent o!” she screamed
as the police barred her way.
She passed out as her mother
was led into the black maria.
::::::*****:::: ::
“Sorry sweerie” Tony wiped
Lara’s tears with a hankerchief.
He sat beside her on the bed.
“You have to stop crying, you
should be happy now, all will be
fine.”
“It won’t be fine!…life won’t be
the same again without my
mother…she is all I have.” she
sobbed.
“Its alright” tony patted her.
“Remember, I’m here for you, our
baby is here…my parents are
here…we’re gonna be one big
family, ” he said in a cool voice..
“Big happy family?” she searched
his eyes.
” yea baby! A big happy family,
with little or no enemies.” Tony
smiled at her.
“Sure!” Lara managed a smile as
she hugged him.
He was right, she’ll have a happy
life after all, no more selfish
mother, Sophia out of the way,
Deji cleared; there’s nothing
more to fear.
Her FAITH in God made her
dream a reality. She had faith that
her husband would turn to good,
that she would have a child
despite his impotency, that she
would not die when she was
kidnapped.
She couldn’t help but to thank
God for his love, her faith in God
turned her once meaningless life
into a meaningful one. Happy Sunday,new month
.....more stories coming your
way....