Heart Of Gold

Episode 8

Frank was about opening the bottles of the drinks he was to share with his friends when he heard his phone vibrating from where he was charging it close to the refrigerator. He closed the fridge and picked the phone, it was Liz calling.

“Shit!” he cursed under his breath.
“Guys, please minimize your noise, its Liz calling” he said to his friends who were laughing loudly but suddenly went mute as soon as they heard Liz’ name.

He picked the call after taking few seconds to stabilize his voice and calm his nerves.

Frank: “hello, baby. Don’t tell me you are still awake by this time” he said into the receiver.

Liz: “baby, are you at home?” she asked.

Frank: “yes, why? Are you okay? Your voice doesn’t sound good” he said, feigning ignorance.

Liz: “I am on your way to your house; we need to talk about something”

Frank: “what is it? Talk to me” he said.

Liz: “don’t worry, we will talk about it when I come” she said but he interrupted.

Frank: “you know what? Just go back to your house, I am coming right away. I repeat go back because it is already late and it could get dangerous so I will come and see you” he said and dropped the call.

Frank: “guys, there is fire on the mountain, Liz is coming here” he said and before he could finish explaining, they all scampered out of the room, running as fast as their legs could carry them.

Frank shook his head and locked the door and hurried down to Liz’ house.

After the call ended, Liz’ friend convinced her on the need to return back to the house and wait for her boyfriend and so they went back in together.

Few minutes later, Frank entered.
“Where is my baby? What is going on here?” he said as soon as he entered the house.

Liz: “I am here” she said and started crying.

Frank: “baby what happened to you? The way you spoke on phone, I was afraid you were ill or something” he said taking her in his arms.

Liz: “it would have been hundred times better if I was ill. My God will punish all those who did this to me. It shall never be well with them. They will never know peace in their life. They will di….”

Frank: “hey! Thou shall not curse, remember?” he quickly interrupted with his heart beating fast.

Liz: “no, I will curse this one. It shall never be well with him. He will never find happiness..”

“I said it is okay. Now calm down and tell me exactly what happened” he said, cleaning her tears.

Liz narrated to him all that happened and Frank heaved a sigh of relief when she told him that she couldn’t recognize any of the guys including the one who had raped her.

Frank: “what! Are you telling me that you were raped?” he asked, feigning anger.

Liz: “baby I am sorry. The bastard raped me and took away the virginity that I was preserving for you. Please forgive me” she said.

Frank: “look at what you have caused me, I begged you to allow me touch you but you refused. I pleaded with you all to no avail. Are you happy now” he said.

Liz: “I wanted to give it to you as a wedding present. I didn’t know this would happen, if I knew, I would have allowed you do it. I am sorry please” she was holding on to him as if her life depended on him.

Frank: “so what do you want me to do now?”

Liz: “I don’t want anything to change about us and that is why I am telling you first”

Frank: “so, I am the one who is not good enough to have your virginity right? Okay. So, tell me. What do you intend to do with the person who did this to you?” he asked.

Liz: “Ah, the person will pay. I will make sure I fish him out even if it means using diabolical means. The person will pay with his blood. I am going to the police right away for them to commence their investigation” she said.

Frank: “No! You cannot do that” he said suddenly and then regained his composure.

Liz: “why not?” she asked suspiciously.

Frank: “you are a Christian and God says we should leave vengeance to him. Just forgive the person and move on, God has a reason for everything that happens” he said.

Liz: “I cannot believe that you are saying this. Somebody from nowhere raped me, depriving me of the virginity I was preserving for you and you said I should let it go just like that without involving the Police? What If I have contacted some STDS from him? Or even pregnancy? I told you that the person didn’t use any protection”

Frank: “I know but even with that, you need to forgive. Do you know the scandal and stigmatization you will go through on this campus if people find out? Trust me everyone will find out once you report to the Police. People would even say that you were careless for following that lonely path late at night. And then they will begin to point fingers at me as the guy whose virgin girlfriend was raped. I don’t want that kind of attention. Let us just go to a private hospital in town and they will wash your stomach thereby flushing out any of his semen in you, that way you won’t get pregnant but as for vengeance, leave that for God” he said kissing her on the forehead and hopping that he was not giving himself away as the culprit.

Liz sighed and stared at him, eye ball to eye ball as if she was finding it difficult to believe him.

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Days after his father started living with them, the old man fell sick and all entreaties by Declan and his wife to take him to the hospital proved abortive.

Anytime they brought up the issue of going to the hospital, the old man would reply that they should leave him at home to die since his son had refused to donate of one his kidneys to him.

That morning, Declan and his wife knocked on the door to the guest room where his father was to greet him and ask after his health but the image that greeted them on the bed shocked them.

The old man was lying on the bed with a sharp knife in his hands and his pupils were dilated. Declan ran to him and helped him to sit up.

Declan: “father you don’t look good. Please allow me take you to the hospital” he said to him.

Stacey: “yes dad. Please allow us take you to the hospital for treatment and that knife you have in your hands is very sharp. Please bring it” she said and stretched forth her hands to collect it but he jerked away.

Mr Ogar: “I am not going to any hospital in Nigeria. You have always wanted me to die of this aliment right? Allow me die in your house” he said weakly.

“That is not true father, how can I wish that my own father dies?” he said in a sad voice.
“Move away from me, the two of you” the old man suddenly said, startling the young couple.

Mr Ogar: “since my own son has refused to help me regain good health, I have decided to kill myself and end all this pain. Yes, I am tired of living in this world with the reality that my own son whom I struggled so hard to train will not help his old and dying father. I will stab myself to death so that you can live to enjoy your life with your wife” he said and raised the knife up, aiming at his stomach.