Epilogue
Epilogue
'In the end, we all have new beginnings'
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Several months later......
Abuja,
Nigeria.
Jemila.
Jemila stood on her toes and looked outside her room from her bedroom window. She kept on squinting at the dark till her grandmother walked into her room.
"You naughty girl what are you doing awake, shouldn't you be asleep now?" Hajiyya glared at the replica of her devil sent daughter in law.
"But Hajiyya, there's something out there. There's something there in the dark, come and look" Jemila urged looking out the window again.
Hajiyya hissed and went over to the window, pulled the little girl by her arm roughly and shoved her on the bed. "You must be going mental like your stupid mother!" she said hatefully.
Jemila frowned at her "Granni....Hajiyya daddy says you shouldn't talk about mummy that way. If you keep talking like that she won't come home" Jemila said sadly.
Hajiyya laughed mockingly "Come home? This is my home not your stupid mother's, she wouldn't dare step her foot here I'll kill her!" Hajiyya threatened.
"But daddy says...." Jemila was mid protest when Hajiyya lifted her hand threateningly causing the little girl to cower.
"Shut up, your mother is the reason why my beloved son is away from home and in a godforsaken prison. I don't want to hear anything about your mother in this house. I've been tolerating you for years because of Kadin, if you provoke me I'll ship you off to an orphanage!" Hajiyya spat.
"What's an orphanage?" Jemila asked innocently as she proceeded to lie on her bed.
"It's a home for motherless children like you and fatherless children too. Your father is never coming back, he's in a bad place thanks to your mother" Hajiyya hissed.
"Don't say that..." Jemila protested weakly. "I've said the truth, now shut up and sleep you brat" Hajiyya ordered and proceeded to leave the room.
Jemila held back a sob "Hajiyya before you leave, please can you check if there are monsters under my bed, daddy always checks" she said.
"Well daddy isn't here now is he? Just you and a lot of monsters like the big one under your bed right now" Hajiyya said turning off light prompting a scream from Jemila.
Hajiyya walked out of the room and shut the door before returning to her chambers for the night.
********
"There's no monster under my bed, there's no monster under my bed, there's no monster under my bed" Jemila repeated with her eyes closed.
She held her breath for a few minutes before opening her eyes.
"Daddy says there are no monsters..." she continued but stopped short when she saw a figure walking towards her bed. She was prepared to scream the whole house down till she heard his voice.
"Little angel, your daddy was lying. There are monsters, big and small and your grandmother is the biggest of them all" he chuckled coming to sit by her bed.
"Uncle Rasaq" Jemila gasped. "How did you get in here?" she asked curiously and took the hand he held out to her.
"Fairy dust" he whispered causing her to giggle.
"Hajiyya will be cross if she finds you here" Jemila warned.
"Shhh shhh, this is our little secret. You won't tell anyone, Hajiyya won't know" Rasaq said.
Jemila nodded and made a mouth zipping motion with her free hand. Rasaq nodded "Your mommy sent me to get you, will you come with me?" he asked.
Jemila looked at him wide eyed and nodded. "Good, I'm going to turn on the light now, you'll pack a little bag with a pretty dress, maybe one of your dolls, a book and off we go" Rasaq said flicking on the bed lamp.
Jemila nodded and got out of the bed quietly to put her favorites in her bag.
*
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Home,
Canada
Amanda.
"Baby just relax, Daniella called a while ago and they are on their way" Denola said running his palm down Amanda's back in a soothing motion.
Amanda sighed "I really want to relax love but I can't. I haven't seen her since she was practically a baby. What if she doesn't recognize me or she hates me, or she doesn't want to stay here. I..I...won't be able to deal with that" Amanda said covering her face with her hands.
"Everything will be fine, breathe"
As if on cue, Jadesola came into the kitchen from the garden carrying Kamila "Mama!" Kamila squealed when she sighted Amanda and stretched out her tiny arms to be carried.
Amanda smiled and took her from Jadesola. "Popie!" she said looking at Denola who laughed heartily. "How is she mama and I'm Puppy?" he asked pulling her cheeks playfully.
Jadesola scoffed "Probably because she already knows all men are dogs and she has a little respect for you" she said walking away.
Denola glared at the back of her head "You better not tell her things like that when she's older or you'll be banned from coming to my home" Denola said.
"Relax big head, I'm just trying to keep her woke" Jadesola chuckled leaving the kitchen.
Amanda chuckled "I'm not sure that's why she calls you puppy, it's probably because she thinks you're cute" Amanda laughed knowing Denola hated to be called cute.
Denola rolled his eyes and turned to his daughter again. "Daddy, dada...."he said.
"Popie!" Kamila laughed clapping her hands in the usual baby fashion.
"I think she knows what she's doing puppy" Amanda said smiling at Kamila. Denola rolled his eyes at the two of them "Women!" he muttered right before they heard the car honk.
Amanda tensed again, Daniella and Aliu were here with Jemila already. "Oh my God, they're here" Amanda said. Denola nodded and took Kamila from her arms.
"Go outside, I'll be here waiting. Everything will be fine honey" Denola assured, she nodded and walked out of the kitchen through the back door.
*******
Jemila was clutching her doll and Aliu's hand as they walked to the front door with Daniella behind them.
Amanda walked into the porch and looked at her little girl, tears clouded her eyes as she saw the sleepy look on Jemila's face.
"Mommy!" Jemila left Aliu's hand and ran to her Amanda. Amanda picked her up just in time and twirled her around.
"Baby girl" she said hugging Jemila tightly. "Oh my darling, you're so big now. I've missed you" Amanda said releasing her hold a little to look at her daughter who looked exactly just like her.
"Mommy why are you crying?" Jemila asked wiping tears off her mom's face.
Amanda smiled through her tears "I'm so happy to see you, I'm so happy to see you. I'm so happy to see you" Amanda said repeatedly kissing her cheeks.
Aliu and Daniella got to the duo. "Let's go into the house you two" Daniella said.
Amanda smiled at Aliu "Thank you very much" she said. "Rasaq did most of the work" Aliu said. Amanda nodded and carried Jemila into the house.
"Mommy put me down, I can walk" Jemila said once they were in the house.
Amanda nodded and put her down gently. "Of course you can sweetie, you're a big girl now" Amanda said kissing the top of her hair.
"Where is daddy?" Jemila asked. Amanda looked up at Aliu 'What did you tell her?' her eyes were asking. Aliu shook his head.
Amanda sighed "Daddy isn't here baby, but he wants you to be here" She responded.
Jemila pouted "Hajiyya said he's in a bad place because of you" Jemila said taking her mother's hand. "It's not true right?" she asked.
Amanda knelt down in front of her "No, no, no, honey that's not true. Sweet heart there's something called sacrifice, daddy made a sacrifice so we could be together because he said you wanted to see me. And because of daddy's sacrifice, he won't be coming around for a long time. He's not in a bad place, daddy is fine and he wants you to be happy with me" Amanda said.
Jemila nodded "Like when you went away?" she asked.
"Like when I went away but I'm not leaving you again honey, I won't leave you ever again" Amanda promised kissing her forehead.
Jadesola clapped her hands "Awwn never knew you were such a big softie Amanda, look at my angel. You're here" Jadesola said.
"Auntie Jade!" Jemila squealed but didn't leave her mother's side. Amanda stood up and wiped her face. "Ohhh, you know aunt Jadesola already. This is aunt Daniella, she's your auntie too" Amanda said pointing at Daniella.
Jemila nodded and clung to her mother's side as Denola came into the living room. He brought Kamila over to her mother. Amanda carried Kamila and looked at Jemila.
"Sweetheart this is Kamila, your sister. Kamila meet your sister Jemila say Jemila....Jeje" Amanda said.
"I have a sister? I've always wanted a little sister. Can I carry her?" Jemila asked said causing Amanda to sigh in relief.
"Soon Jemila" Amanda smiled before looking at Denola.
"And this Uncle Denola my friend, Daddy asked him to look after you too" Amanda said. Jemila smiled shyly at Denola but didn't leave her mother's side.
"Hey angel, I've been hearing all about you for days now. Nonstop, you're all your mother talks about...." Denola was saying when Kamila interrupted.
"Jaja.." she said.
"Did she just say Dada?" Denola asked looking at his daughter. Amanda shook her head "She said Jada, for Jadesola" Amanda said.
"Jaja" She repeated before sticking her thumb in her mouth. "No I think she said Jaja, who is Jaja honey?" Denola asked.
Amanda smiled "I think she means Jemila" Amanda said causing Jemila to giggle. "Come honey let's go to the nursery" Amanda said taking Jemila's hand.
*
Jadesola smiled at Denola "Look at you puppy, father of all nations" Jadesola laughed.
Denola glared at his sister "You know it's one thing to hear it from Kamila but it's another to hear it from you" Denola said.
Jadesola smiled "I'm so proud of you daddy" Jadesola teased. "Eww" Denola grimaced and walked out of the room.
Jadesola turned to Daniella and Aliu who were staring at each other. She rolled her eyes, when the time was right, she would get her man.
*********
"Are you happy here?" Amanda asked Denola. "Do you want to go back to Nigeria?" She continued.
"I do miss Nigeria Amanda but even if I return, it'll only be to visit. You, Jemila and Kamila are my home now and I hope I make you as happy as you make me" Denola said.
"Every day" Amanda said resting her head on his chest.
"Will you marry me?" he asked out of the blue.
Amanda lifted her head to look at him "Aren't we already married?" she asked him.
"In truth this time, no hiding, you and I with everyone we love present. Will you marry me again?" he asked reaching under his pillow to bring out a jewelry box
"As if I'll say no to you. I love you, I'll marry you over and over again if I have the chance" Amanda said kissing her husband.
"I love you too....."
The End.
