Chapter 36 THE BEGINNING OF THE END

EVE

The End.

10: 00 P.M. --- Kirikiri police station, Apapa.

"Say your last prayers." The inspector sneers. "You're going to jail for a very long time."

I shudder as I take a look around the dingy looking room. It's small and stifling, resulting from a lack of ventilation. Not a single fan is in sight and don't get me started on the window. It's more like a slit in the wall, not even big enough to peep through. It cuts a very bleak look with the heavy bars across it.

I take in the walls and notice with horror, one side of it is smeared with a red substance that looks suspiciously like blood. Another shudder racks through my body, the initial heat a thing of the past as cold dread snakes it's way up my spine.

The inspector swings the bulb hanging low from the ceiling, back and forth. I watch in mock horror as it cuts an arc through the air, lighting up Chioma's face eerily. Seconds later, her face is swathed in darkness. This cycle goes on for some seconds before I manage to tear my eyes away from her.

A wail slips past her lips as she breaks into heart rendering cries. She looks like a wild animal with mascara running down her cheeks in two black trails, making her appear like a raccoon. Her once cream - coloured dress has turned dirty brown.

I honestly wouldn't want to be in her position right now.

"Please, E... E... Eve, help me. I really didn't do it. I wasn't the one who planned your accident, you have to believe me, please."

Anger wells up inside of me. "Don't you dare lie to my face. You said you squished my pregnancy like a bug. Want to deny you said that?"

"I know, I know, but you don't understand. It's not what you think. I didn't --- "

"Silence! One more word and I'll kill you myself with this rope." The police man indicates a long rope coiled around his hands like a snake.

Chioma shuts up like a clam and fixes her teary woe - begotten eyes on me instead.

I try, but can't tear my eyes away from them. Looks like the life has gone out of her eyes. They look dead.

"Let's get out of here, coz. It's over now." Tom takes a hold of my hand and leads me out of the interrogation room.

8 : 00P.M --- Dinner at the Olaitan Residence.

Femi is fired up and letting out the big guns by spilling jokes a mile a minute.

Impressing mum never did take much. Throw a few jokes around and you've piqued her interest. She hangs on to his every word, laughing riotously.

Now dad is a different story altogether. He's cool and diplomatic, nodding politely and smiling only when he deems it fit.

And I . . .Let's just say I'm here physically, but my mind is on a hiatus, imagining the different methods they're using to threaten Chioma to confess.

Tomide keeps throwing me looks. The what-the-fuck-is-going-on here, type of look. I'll obviously have to update him on everything that's been going on, including how Chioma has been put in the cell for allegedly sending me into a coma and killing my child.

Earlier on, Femi had driven me back to where I parked my car and urged me to go home. He told me he would personally take care of the situation with Chioma.

With wound up nerves, I'd shopped for the food items that I could understand and taken them back home to mum.

"Eve dear, please can you get some more sauce from the kitchen?" Mum breaks me out of my reverie as she holds a dish in her hand. I decide this is my chance to have a chat with Tomide.

"Of course!" Jumping up from my seat, I turn to Tom. "Tom, can you come help." I grab the dish and Tom follows me to the kitchen.

While dishing some more sauce, I brief him on the goings on. By the time I'm done, his eyes are practically bulging.

"So you mean to tell me you're dating Segun's boss?"

"And of all the things I just told you, that's all you're able to ask?" I huff unbelievingly.

He shakes his head, out of confusion or some other emotion, I'm not quite sure. But soon enough, he let's me know with his next words.

"And Segun doesn't know about this?"

"I honestly don't give a rat's ass if he knows. He doesn't own me. How do I know he's not in on this with Chioma?"

That particular aspect had not even crossed my mind until now. I saw him coming out from her house after all, so they're obviously actively dating. He can't tell me he knows nothing of her goings on. Little wonder he acted skittish when he came to see me in the hospital.

I make sure to tell Tomide this and he still looks doubtful.

Suddenly, a frown takes over his feautures and he blurts out.

"How did Mr. Faseun know where Chioma lives?"

That particular question had crossed my mind earlier but I didn't have an answer then, still don't now.

"I really don't know. I guess I could ask him."

"No, don't. We'll find out soon enough anyway. Let's do something." He suggests. "Let's go see Chioma, get to the bottom of this, once and for all."

"I don't know. I just can't leave now. I mean what would we tell mum and dad. Plus I can't leave Femi here."

"Leave that to me."

Minutes later, we are on our way to the police station.

Busted

2: 00 P.M --- En route Chioma's house.

You can call Mr. Femi Faseun a lot of things, but you can't say he's a man without importance and contacts.

What's more, no one can say I didn't do the right thing by dating him.

We are speeding down in his Maybach coupe, with three police vans fast at our heels. I feel powerful. I feel exhilarated.

We are going to catch her. We are going to get the person who ordered the killing of my child.

A cruel, deplorable vindictive bitch who doesn't know when enough is enough.

A female so vile, she puts other females to shame.

Alright then! If Segun can't stand up to you, I most definitely will.

Cracking my knuckles, a ghost of a smile flits across my face.

I glance at Femi who's intent on the journey ahead. I'm really glad he swung into action the moment I called him.

As usual, he pulled some strings, called the ACP who is his personal friend, and a team of the strongest and bravest armed police men were put together at the shortest time possible, and voila, here we are.

Once more, I'm quite relieved I made the decision to be Femi's girlfriend.

I squeeze his hand that is resting on the gear and he shifts his attention briefly from the road to smile at me. "You okay?"

I gift him with a winsome smile and nod. "I am, now that you're here."

He smiles, nods and puts his attention back on the road.

Not long after, we're in front of a gated entrance leading to an estate. As it is with all gated estates, they inquire who we're looking for and take it a step further by informing the person with a call.

At that moment, I turn to Femi with worried eyes.

"Don't worry. Let me handle it. Just sit still." He gets down from the car and strides to the police vans. I watch from the side mirror as he exchanges some words with the police men.

Action takes place not a second later as they jump down from the vans and throng the gate, demanding it be opened in the name of the law.

Poor security guards don't know what hit them.

Left with nothing else to do but to grant us entry, the gates are thrown wide open and we waste not a second more, as we speed through, this time with me driving Femi's car.

I try to focus on the directions he gives, but driving his car is like a cool pleasant walk in the park. The steering is so smooth and responsive, it's like putty in my hands. I force myself back to the matter at hand when Femi continues issuing directions.

For the first time I take a look around the surroundings. Huge trees are scattered on either side of the clean, smooth roads. Children idle around, playing foot ball, while others cycle on bicycles. Mother's stay on the side, a few clutching at prams with their baby's inside, while they chat with their fellow women.

Something tugs at my heart strings as I watch all this.

Will I ever be able to have a child?

Once more I silently vow to continue my research. When this saga is over, I'll make sure to visit a good doctor or doctors, as the case may be, and do all the necessary tests to ascertain the state of the viability of having children.

"Here! Turn right." Femi's voice brings me back to the situation at hand and I effortlessly turn the steering wheel in the direction he points.

It dawns on me at this precise moment, we are really doing this. We are really going to catch her.

I continue to follow Femi's directions, driving to the end of a street, where it ends in a cul de sac. There, we both stare up at the large, imposing duplex.

So this is where Chioma lives.

The trees here are more clustered together. Huge baobabs that tower above everything. as well as block the sunlight from filtering through.

Two cars are parked in front of the house. One looks quite familiar but I'm not able to place where I saw it.

It's also quiet. Not a trace or sign of anyone around.

Too quiet, if you ask me.

Looks like the kind of street that an accident can accidentally take place without anyone knowing.

I make sure to park across the street, at least two houses away from the house.

Still staring at the surroundings, Femi picks up his phone and mouths into it. "Surround the house, now."

I watch, mesmerised, as armed plain clothes police men jump down from the van and swarm around. Some blending into tree shadows, while others take up positions around the house, becoming one with the fixtures.

My heart begins to hammer painfully against my rib cage. I'm getting the jitters and wondering if I'm doing the right thing -- if we're doing the right thing -- when suddenly, the front door opens and out comes Chioma, except it doesn't look like her. . .

Unless she's suddenly grown shorter and chubbier.

Chioma's sister, more like.

She's got a child balanced on her waist, with one hand securing her, while the other is busy clutching a handset to her ear.

She walks briskly down the street in the same direction we came through, talking on the phone, blissfully unaware of our presence.

Not once does she look up.

Just when we think we're home free and the police men are about to make their presence known, she stops, turns round and makes her way back.

She stops in front of the door and calls a name that sets every hair on my body on edge.

"Chioma! Come on out now and lock the door please, we can't be too careful. There might be robbers around."

Her words carry over to us clearly. If only she knew what was lying in wait for her sister.

She doesn't even wait to see if her orders are carried out. She walks off, continuing with her phone conversation.

I watch as the men wait, poised, ready to spring into action.

We dont need to wait long, neither do they need to even go inside, because Chioma comes out, dressed in a short cream coloured dress, holding a black trash bag. She's all made up, like she's about to go out.

She walks to where the bin is, dumps the trash bag in and begins to walk back.

Beside me, Femi reaches for his phone. Just one word he speaks into it. "Now!"

And the men jump into action.

They spring out from trees, door steps, and the general surrounding, surprising Chioma and making her squeal.

She doesn't know what hit her.

It's over within the twinkling of an eye as they read her her rights. At least I see one of the police man's mouth moving, so I assume they did.

They cuff her and take her to one of the vans, signalling us to follow them.

I slump against the steering, feeling spent. Femi's hands reach out to smooth my back, making me stiffen. Up and down it goes, until I relax, easing out the tension.

"We've got her now. I need you to relax and let me take the wheel, please."

So we change seats once again. But just as he turns the car around, I see movement through the side mirror, as the door to Chioma's house opens and out comes. . .

"Batman!?"

"Something wrong?" Femi throws a frown my way, but I shake my head and mouth something unintelligible.

As we drive away, Segun's form gets smaller and smaller and so does my rapidly shrinking heart. I continue watching as he walks to his car, unlocks it and gets inside.

He disappears altogether as we drive away from the street.

The Discovery.

12 : 00 PM --- En route to the supermarket.

"Babe, you're so damn lucky." Ebere gushes. As usual, her enthusiasm is quite apparent from the ringing in my ears. I make sure to keep the phone at a safe distance away from my ear.

"You know I had the good mind of just sending it back, that and the offer of being his girlfriend."

"Thank goodness you didn't. You wouldn't have been driving that powerful car, right about now." A meaningful silence takes over and just when I think the line has been disconnected, she speaks up again. "Some people might call you a kept woman, but I know that is not who you are. You've always been so level headed, so upright. Thank God you're doing something different for a change."

My reply is not far behind, and it comes out terse. "Listen Ebere, I'm not a kept woman, far from it. What I am though, is sensible and --- "

"Oh you're sensible, all right. Imagine the weight of the unlimited spending debit card sitting in your wallet right now. Mr. Faseun is a very generous man, if not a bit ahem . . . lecherous. So no, no one can say he's not taking care of you. No way!"

A silence so heavy fills my ears. It's punctuated with horns from impatient drivers. Unfortunately, horning can't erase the heavy traffic everywhere, unless their cars suddenly develop wings. Cars are practically lined up bumper to bumper.

Is Ebere implying I'm a gold digger?

She knows I'm definitely not that inclined. All my life I've worked for my money, never relying on any man. So why this sudden statement of her's.

And then I hear an indistinct noise.

Looking around I wonder where it's coming from. The noise doesn't stop, however, it becomes clear that someone is chuckling, until it becomes full - blown laughter.

And then I realise Ebere is hysterically laughing. "I wish I could see your face right now. Girl, I'm just kidding. You are the last person on earth that would lay with a man for money. I love yanking your chains."

"Is that right? Well you'll have to stop with the yanking for now, because the traffic just let up. Talk to you later." When my phone is put back on charge, I smile to myself, reminiscing on Ebere's words.

The car purrs to life beneath my hands, as it glides effortlessly forward.

Best gift ever.

Minutes later, I land inside thicker traffic and suddenly notice with trepidation, that the car is low on fuel.

I had hoped I could breeze into a petrol station after going to the supermarket to buy some food supplies for mum, but no such luck.

What to do!

Luckily, traffic eases up and with the help of google map, I locate the nearest petrol station. On getting there, there's already a long line of cars waiting for their turn at the fuel pump. Deciding to save some fuel, I put off the air conditioner, wind down the glasses and breathe in the humid smell of Lagos air, as well as the strong smell of fuel.

The car's exhaust pipe in front of me keeps sputtering out smoke. Guess where that infernal smoke keeps wafting to?

Cough! Cough!

There. I've gotten enough smoke inside my lungs to last me a lifetime.

Isn't that just wonderful?

Thankfully, it's my turn at the pump machine and I drive into the slot.

"Madam, how much?" The grumpy bleary - eyed attendant growls, obviously tired from having to stand on his feet all day.

Throwing a sympathetic smile at him, I hand him my ATM card and tell him to fill up my tank. Rifling through my bag for some change, I'm victorious when I spy a hundred naira note.

When the tank is filled up, I hand it to him and wave his profuse thanks away. "Ah! Thank you madam. God go bless you well well. You go find better husband."

And he had to go there, really?!

I drive away, allowing someone else to fill up my recently vacated slot. I don't get very far, when my bladder chooses this precise moment to fill up.

Nice. . . Not!

Luckily, there's a super mat in the fuel station, so I can kill two birds with one stone, by using the loo and checking if they have the food supplies mum needs.

Femi is coming over for dinner tonight.

Yayyy! yeah, not really.

Mum and dad had practically forced me to invite him, because, in my father's words; "your mother and I want to meet the man who keeps taking up your time."

Now I know for a fact that mum is definitely the force behind his words. Dad is very laid back. He trusts me to be responsible, but mum being who she is, always has to make a force about everything.

So with trepidation, I'd invited him, hoping, praying and keeping my fingers crossed he'd tell me he was too busy to come. But God has never really answered any of my prayers, and that's the reason why I'm shopping for fancy food items that I don't even know half their names.

After finishing with my toilet business, I make my way into the mini mart. I fish out the list of food items written down in mum's neat handwriting, and scroll with my eyes . . .

Say What!

Forty food items?

Is she trying to feed everyone on our street?

Huffing dispassionately, I look to the first item on the list.

Gorgonzola?

What the heck is that?

My huffing turns into a groan -- a very long drawn out one. And then I turn to the shelves to start the gruelling task of checking for Godzilla.

It might as well be Godzilla I'm looking for, except he wouldn't be on any of the shelves, neither would I be anywhere near the supermarket either, if he were.

I lift the paper up, against where the light is brighter. Maybe the words might change.

But no such luck. The words stoically remain the same.

Gorgonzola.

Oh mother!

Thank God for technology.

Whipping out my phone, I decide to use Google. I'm just about to say the word, when I hear sniggering behind me. A woman's voice follows shortly after. A voice that sounds eerily familiar.

"Look what we have here? If it isn't the boyfriend snatcher."

I stifle the urge to turn around, but decide to busy myself instead, looking at the items on the shelves. I believe if I ignore, the voice will go away.

But the voice creeps even closer.

Remember when I told you I had shitty luck?

Well, the above is the proof right there.

"Oh! She's even playing dumb." And two hard tap lands on my shoulder. "Is it not you I'm talking to?"

I close my eyes against the sudden hammering of my heart against my chest, take a deep breath and slowly turn around and come face to face with the girl Segun sleeps with, the same girl who he told to buzz off at the strip club because of me.

Chioma.

A tall, long - legged ball of slime.

Yup. That sounds about right.

She's smacked on an evil smirk. One that stinks of retribution and rage.

"We meet again, under different circumstances, though this time I'm the one with the man, while you. . ." Her sentence trails off and her smile becomes more evil, if that were even possible. Studying me with a beady eye, she taps her chin with a finger. When she's gotten it into her head to break her silence, the next words she utters, knock long nails into my rapidly cold heart. "Well, you're with an old man who is rich, yes, but, he can't be like my Segun who is young and virile. Very virile."

Her smile is vindictive as she looks at me with malevolent glee. Her eyes are like two marbles freezing me to the spot. She looks like the cat that licked too much cream. She looks constipated and I hope she chokes on her glee.

I say nothing, except to stare at her. I know she's trying to rile me, but I won't rise to her bait.

No, I won't. Never will I sink to her level.

So I steeple my fingers and cross my hands, one on top of each other and lean against one of the shelves as I gaze at her evil slimy face. A yawn threatens to slip past my lips, so I let it, but instead of covering my mouth with my palm like a proper lady that I am, I yawn, right in her face.

The smile slips off from her face as she stares with loathing at me. "What did you think? That you could waltz into his life, capture his heart and body and get pregnant for him? Good thing I handled it, eh, I squashed your little bugger like a bug."

She is full on smirking now, gloating from her evil statement, unable to hide her glee.

Something nags at the back of my mind just then.

It tickles my senses and climbs up to the forefront of my brain, refusing to stay away.

One word.

She mentioned one word.

Pregnancy. My pregnancy.

How did she know I was pregnant . . . and for Segun, too.

I had told no one about it. Not my parents, not Ebere and most definitely not Segun.

Unless. . . .

It can't be. No!

Yes, it can.

But could she. . .

The gears in my head shift. . .

And then it clicks.

Slowly, I straighten up, narrowing my eyes and placing all the force of my gaze on her.

Realising the error of her wagging lips, her mouth clamps shut. . . firmly and she begins to walk backwards.

And I follow her. Step by step. Toe to toe.

She throws scared looks left and right, looking for a way out, an escape route, but I'm right on top of her.

Just when I reach out to grab her arm, she stumbles against a shelf and falls down as items begin clattering from it onto the ground, some hitting her head in the process. This doesn't deter her though, because she scrambles up, rights herself, turns round and runs off.

She's like a scared rabbit as she scampers away as fast as her long legs are able to carry her.

And that's very fast.

Before I can say boo, she dashes out of the mini mart and out of my sight.

I chase after her, but by the time I run out, she's nowhere in sight.

Filled with rage and indignation, I stand uncertainly, wondering what to do.

I can't call Tomide because he's been running around trying to come to an agreement with his lawyers on the best approach to get his father's property from his conniving girlfriend's mother, without taking her to court.

While I stand, my mind wanders, and so does the time.

What to do. What to do.

And then a light bulb goes off in my head.