EPISODE 10
My heart banged uncontrollably when I overheard Oluchi mumbling that she would póison my food that night.
Instantly, she heard some noises in the restroom and knocked hesitantly on the door.
"Who is this," She asked with a loud voice.
"I am Mezuo" I replied as I made my way out of the toilet.
She wreathed in a smile "Hope you're good?" she asked, "hope you didn't hear anything?".
"No, I didn't" I returned with an unsuspecting look.
"Okay, my daughter" she muttered
"You'll enjoy tonight's meal"
"Okay, I will be waiting," I said with my visage bright as a morning sun.
I went to my room afterward.
I knew she had envisioned seeing me laying lifeless the other morning.
I would be elated to see her disheartened.
At 8:00 pm, Oluchi served the food she had cooked.
The food was a Jollof rice with a chicken drumstick at the top.
Its aroma was appetizing.
"Mezuo!" Oluchi yelled my name insistently from the sitting room.
I feigned to be ill as I covered myself with the duvet.
I did that in other not to eat the póisoned food.
I knew so well that I would be criticized if I reject her food. So pretending to be seriously sick was the best alternative.
Mama immediately made her way to my room and saw me shaking like a leaf.
"Ben! Nwa moo!" Mama shouted as if Rome was falling.
Ben and Oluchi rushed to my room at the drop of a hat.
"What's wrong with her, Mama," he asked with bated breath.
"I saw her like this, shaking" she replied, "she needs to be taken to the hospital, now!"
"Yes," Ben said as he carried me up to his car.
I opened my eyes a little and saw Oluchi biting her lips.
Forthwith, I was taken to the hospital by Ben and he was accompanied by Mama.
The doctor checked me up and confirmed that I need relaxation. That I had been welled down by mental burden.
She urged Ben to leave me in the hospital so that I will recover fully.
"Okay, if you said so doctor" Ben uttered, "Mama look after her let me get something from the nearest restaurant".
"Daddy, get me fried rice and chicken," I said slowly.
"Okay, darling" He returned " be expecting me in some minutes".
Ben left while Mama was sitting close to me on the bed. "You'll be fine, nwa m," She said
She kept touching my neck to check if my body was hot.
A few minutes later, Ben came back with two polythene bags.
He bought mama Egusi soup and three wraps of fufu - that was Mama's favorite.
Then, he did exactly what I told him to do. My fried rice and chicken were already there for consumption. He also bought one for himself.
Ben stayed with us till 10:00 pm then he decided to go.
The doctor assured him that she'll take good care of me before he left.
Two days, Ben came to take us home because the doctor said I had recovered completely.
Mama was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Ben too was happy as Larry.
As soon as we tried to enter the car, masked men invaded instantly.
On the spur of the moment, they pointed a gun at mama and pulled the trigger.
Unfortunately, the bullet penetrated her skull.
Mama fell to the earth with blood gushing out effusively through her skull.
I ran back into the hospital while they took Ben away with his car.
My heart pounded endlessly and I knew truly that Oluchi was the plotter of all these.
To be continued...
