Deborah

Episode 22

She wondered why Seline had asked to see her; she prayed she had not done anything to offend her in any way.

‘Go in, don’t be nervous, I don’t bite’ Seline smiled and pushed her gently into the room. ‘Okay’ Deborah replied coolly.

‘Have a seat’ Seline gestured with her hands and Deborah got more confused, Seline was just like Morganna, they looked down on people, how could she ask her to sit on her glorious bed?

‘I know you’re surprised, I can read you like a book, but I really mean no harm’ Seline joined her in the bed.

Deborah opened her mouth to speak, but she was speechless as no words came out, she had nothing to say.

‘I like you very much, I bought you a little gift, I hope you’ll like it’ Seline gave her the wrapped little box.

‘Thank you very much’ Debora smiled. She’d been receiving gifts since she stepped into the Briggas mansion, maybe this was a sign from God, that this house was her destiny.

‘Be nice, give me a peck to show appreciation’ Seline’s voice dropped low and seductive, lust flashed in her eyes but Debora was too naïve to see this.

‘O..okay’ she stuttered, and bent to peck Selene, what was a peck after all? Selene was well travelled from what she’d learnt from the other maids, she must have learnt pecking as a white man’s culture.

‘I love you so much’ said Selene and grabbed her b—–s as Deborah’s lips pressed softly into her cheeks.

Deborah froze, goose pimples came out from their hiding place and covered her brown skin in shock, as she realized Selene’s true nature.

‘What is it? am I too rough? Should I take it slow’? Selene was already getting out of her clothes.

‘No! I’m sorry, I don’t do this, this is not who I am, thanks for your gift’ Deborah dropped the parcel and rushed out of the room.

Selene scoffed, did that just happen? How could a dirty maid like that reject her advances, Deborah had just made the biggest mistake of her life.

Her days in the mansion was over, no one stepped on Selene’s toes and left scot free.

Deborah was so shaken from her encounter with Selene, that she forgot to notice Teju who’d been eavesdropping. She knew Selene would strike back, so she had to be prepared for the worst.

‘Who’s there’? Selene called irritably.

‘It’s me madam, Teju, I have something to tell you’ Teju braced herself up, she had known Selene’s sexual orientation since she stepped into the Briggas Mansion, but she’d kept quiet about it.

She’d been busy, cleaning all the rooms, when she’d found e—-c l£sb!an magazines in Selene’s room and that sold her out.

‘What do you want b—h’? Selene yelled angrily at her.

‘I..i want you’ Teju stammered, praying Selene wouldn’t turn her down, with Selene’s help, Deborah was going to be thrown out of the house like a common thief.

‘Excuse me? Get out of my room’ Selene was more infuriated by her ugly face.

‘I want you’ Teju decided to be bold, so she quickly unbuttoned her clothes and her b—–s fell out, just the sight of her perky b—–s ignited a fire in Selene and she couldn’t resist it.

‘Are you sure about this’? Selene asked

‘Yes’ Teju nodded and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

Eno had tried reaching out to Debora’s friend severally, but all to no avail, she wondered where her sister was.

Since Debora left home, she had noticed that her mother had not been herself and that scared her even more.

‘Mother, please tell me what happened between you and sister Deborah? Be honest with me’ Eno confronted her mother.

‘It’s all your fault Eno, if you had been a good child, I would never have compromised like I did, but no, you went sleeping around, just leave me to my sorrow’ the woman sobbed.

Deborah was the best child anyone could pray for, she was obedient and compassionate and chaste, but she’d failed her daughter when she slept with the landlord.

‘You’re digressing Mother, why do I have a feeling you’ve done something bad yourself? I hope the rumors I’ve heard aren’t true’ she folded her arms.

‘What rumors, what rumors eh? Why do you want to kill me before my time’ the woman rose up and gave her daughter a slap.

‘That you’re sleeping with the landlord’ Eno blurted out in tears.

‘Yes I am sleeping with him, are you satisfied now? Are you happy that I am as stained as you are?

That’s the reason your sister left the house, so go ahead, laugh at me, do whatever you want’ tears fell on her cheeks.

‘I did not mean it that way mother, I am sorry, all I want is for my sister to come home, I’ve been a bad child, now I see the error in my ways’ Eno sobbed.

‘I too, I wish for Debora’s forgiveness, I have offended her in many ways, I wish I had told her the truth, I am such a bad mother’ she wept.

‘The truth? I don’t understand’ Eno gazed at her with eyes filled with questions.

‘Promise me that what I am about to tell you wouldn’t change the way you see Deborah and also promise to forgive me, I did what I had to do to save my face’ the woman inhaled deeply.

‘I promise’ said Eno wondering what this was all about.

‘After I got married to your father, we moved to Benue state where he worked for a while.

I was barren for years and there was so much pressure from his family, that I give birth to a child else I be sent away.

Your father was getting impatient too, I prayed and fasted, I visited many places in search of a child, but it seemed God had not heard my prayers.

My husband, your father, later travelled home for a job on the sea which was to last for a year.’ She paused and broke into sobs.

‘It’s okay mother, please don’t cry, tell me everything, I promise to stand by you’ Eno comforted her.

‘I stole her baby, I ran away with her newborn baby, I stole Ateri’s baby’ the woman cried.

‘I don’t understand, who is Ateri?’ Eno tried to get the truth.

‘She was my neighbor, a wayward young girl who’d committed several abortions, so she’d given birth and I got wind of it, I stole the baby when she gave me to hold while she left for the market.

That was my chance, so I took it and returned home with the child, your father believed my lies as I made everything very convincing.

We never returned to Benue, as things became bad for us financially, that baby I stole is Deborah’ she confessed leaving her daughter stunned.

‘Mum? You shouldn’t have stolen the girl’s baby, even though she was wayward, you had no right to judge her’ Eno rose to her feet angrily, wondering if she’d also been stolen.

‘Enobong, please don’t turn your back on me, you promised me your forgiveness’ the woman called to her.

‘Mother, I don’t know what to say, but I think Deborah deserves to know the truth before she hears it from someone else’ Eno shook her head in disappointment.

‘Please help me find your sister; I really need her forgiveness’ the woman sobbed in regret.

‘What you did mother was heartless and wicked; do you know what it means to have a child? How could you have stolen someone’s baby?

Tell me the truth; did you give birth to me?’ Eno stared into her eyes.

‘Yes, I swear, you came out of my womb, I gave you life and nurtured you, don’t turn your back on me’ she begged.

‘Okay then. I have forgiven you, now we’ll have to find Deborah’

Eno rubbed her belly slowly, she’d thought of aborting the baby, but she decided to keep it. She was a changed person and she needed to do the right thing.