Episode 12
Lara held the phone with one hand and closed the door to her motherâs bedroom with another. Her brain was running the race of a thousand miles in seconds. Something wasnât right! She had seen several credit alerts on her motherâs phone, most of them, in thousands â hundreds of thousands at most- but this was the first time she was seeing a whooping sum of hundred million Naira as a credit alert in her motherâs phone. She shook her head as she climbed down the stairs, heaving towards the sitting room. Her mother wasnât there. The sound of cutlery came from the kitchen and she walked there hastily.
Her mother sat on a high stool in the kitchen drinking orange, with a long white saucer filled with oranges on the cabinet before her. The two cooks, both dressed in short gowns and aprons, were going about their duties, preparing dinner. Lara frowned at the image her mother posed. She was drinking the juice out of the orange but was also looking blankly out of the window. She seemed to be deep in thoughts. Lara noted absently that her mother had been completely different ever since she returned from her abductors. She felt for her mother, wondering just how much the kidnap had affected her mother.
Lara entered fully, gaining the attention of the maids but her mother didnât move. She had the orange locked between her lips as she gazed out the window, looking at something only her eyes could see. The maids bent their knees slightly and greeted Lara but she only nodded at them as worry took over her. âLeave usâ she murmured to the maids and they both scrambled out.
Lara walked quietly towards her mother and on reaching her, touched her shoulder slightly. Sewa jumped under her touch and the orange practically slipped out of her mouth and hand, rolling to the floor.
She turned to stare at Lara with a shaken look on her face. âOh Lara, it is you!â She murmured, âwhen did you arrive?â
Lara leaned her back against the cabinet, facing her mother. âA couple of minutes backâ she answered simply, then craned her head to the side to stare at her mother more closely. âWhat is wrong mother? Is everything okay?â
Sewa smiled brightly, too brightly. âOf course! Everything is fineâ
Lara shook her head. âI donât think so mum. You were lost in thoughts when I came in; what were you thinking about? You know you can talk to me right?â
Sewa smiled. âOf course I know my dear, but I wasnât thinking about anything serious; it is nothingâ
âCare to share the ânothingâ with me?â
Sewa chuckled and slid off the stool, coming to her feet. âOh Lara, you are almost as stubborn as your fatherâ she said as she picked the orange on the floor and disposed it in the waste basket.
âAnd I am almost as beautiful as my motherâ Lara finished.
Sewa picked another orange and started walking out of the kitchen. âOh, believe me honey, you are much more beautifulâ
Something flashed through Laraâs mind, making her remember her reason for searching for her mother in the first place. âMum?â She called gently, trying to put enough nonchalance into her voice. Sewa stopped and turned towards her daughter. âActually mum, I came to give you your phone. I stopped by your room when I came back but you werenât there. I saw your phone on the bed. I think you got a messageâ Lara finished. She removed the phone from her back pocket and took two steps towards her mother, before giving it to her. Was it her imagination or did her mother go a shade paler than she already was? Lara grabbed one orange and halved it before bringing it to her lips. She watched her mother from the corner of her eyes as she opened the message. Sewa seemed to grow paler as she hurriedly tucked the phone away and made to leave.
âWhat was it about?â Lara asked as casually as she could manage. âThe message?â She hinted. âHope all is well?â
Sewa shifted. âUhn? Oh yes⊠The message? Of course⊠Everything is fine. It is just that a⊠Errrr⊠A friend of mine sent me a reminder message, I am supposed to meet her in a few minutes. Can you believe it, I actually forgotâ she laughed nervously. âLet me rush offâ
Lara nodded stiffly. âOf course mumâ
Lara heard the hastened steps of her mother as she rushed off. Her mother had lied to her! She shook her head to shake off the evil thoughts creeping in. Something is wrong somewhere, she thought gravely as she discarded the half-drank orange on the cabinet and walked out of the kitchen. Her mother had received an alert of hundred million and was hiding it. This canât be good!
Tunji Banks walked out of the government Secretariat with his guards following closely. His black jeep still shone out in the nightâs darkness. The door of his black jeep was opened for him and he stepped in gallantly. The door closed and he turned his head to the left. His sharp eyes drilled the young man sitting next to him. âDid you follow him?â He asked directly.
âYes sirâ the guy answered, keeping his eyes respectfully lowered. âHe lives in a dignifying area, here in Ikeja, I was also able to trace the ownership of the property to him sirâ the guy concluded.
Tunji smiled. âThat is goodâ. Now that he knew everything about Jackâs financial capacities, all he had to do is convince Lara to also see the benefits in this joining and accept Jack as her husband, he thought with a smile. Besides, it was her fault that he lost all the money meant for his campaign, she would have to help in getting it back. As for those kidnappers, he would still get them, he vowed. He would get his money back! âThat would be allâ he murmured to the guy, who bowed his head slightly and hopped out of the car.
Tunjiâs driver immediately entered the car and drove out of the Secretariat, heading home. Maybe he even has something to thank the kidnapper forâŠ
Lara walked behind the maid her father had sent to call her. She pulled the ropes of her night robe around her and secured it firmly behind her. The lie her mother told her hours later still rang fresh in her mind and she couldnât piece up the pieces. As she got to the door, leading to the small parlor, the maid bowed her head slightly and left. Lara took a deep breath and opened the door. What she met was a heated argument between her dad and mum. She frowned. They didnât seem to notice her presence as they argued angrily.
âWhether you like it or not woman, I would make sure the person who kidnapped my daughter and extorted âmyâ money is exposedâ Mr Banks was saying.
âI canât believe you are against this.â He stated, bewildered. âThe bastard kidnapped âyourâ daughter and collected âmyâ money, without even releasing herâ he roared. âIf the poor girl hadnât escaped, she might still be with the bastard, going through God knows whatâ
Sewa had her arms on her hips. âAll I am asking is that you forget about the kidnap, for Laraâs sakeâ she yelled back. âTalking about the experience might be painful for Lara, besides, the kidnapper might try to strike again if they notice that we are taking steps to expose themâ
âWhat are you saying woman? If they notice we are trying to expose them, they would become tense and try to run. Their anxiety would be to our benefitâ
âWhy not letâŠâ Sewa turned and saw Lara by the door, standing pensively.
Mr Banks also turned towards Lara. âVery good. Omolara, come in and close the doorâ Sewa said.
Lara closed the door but stood by the door.
âI am sure you heard the argument Lara, I have been trying to convince your father to let the kidnappers go. We canât put you through the stress of reliving the kidnap dearâ
Lara stared at her mother for some seconds. âActually mum, I agree with dad. I want the kidnapper to be caught. He and the person he works for might strike another home; I wouldnât want any other person to experience what I didâ Lara said.
Sewa deflated as Lara went to stand beside her father. âOkayâ she said grudgingly. âI think you are rightâ
âOf course she is rightâ Tunji said. âNow, please leave me alone, I want to talk with my daughterâ he added, putting his arm around Laraâs shoulder. Lara stiffened. It was not like her father to openly display affection, even one as simple as putting his arm around her shoulder. Lara swallowed as her mother walked out of the room and closed the door. âCâmon Lara, sitâ he said gently. âLet us have a father to daughter discussionâ
Lara sat down without a word. Her heart was beginning to race faster. If she still knew her father well, she would bet he was on the verge of telling something very unpleasant.
âDo you want any drink?â
Laraâs anxiety rose a notch. âNo, thank you dadâ her father was being too nice for her peace of mind.
âOkayâ Tunji said, then smiled softly. âI can see you are already in your nightie, so I would make this as brief as possibleâ he said and Lara nodded stiffly. âYou see, Lara, you are my daughter, my only daughter, I would not see evil and watch you walk into itâ
Oh no! I am not going to like this! Lara thought to herself. âYou have gone through a lot in life, especially in the arms of men; you donât deserve to go through hardship. You deserve to be pampered and taken care of by a man.â
Where are you going with this dad?â Lara queried as her anxiety reached the peak.
Mr Banks looked around the room simultaneously before looking back at Lara. âJack Andrews came to see meâ he declared and Lara froze. Oh no! âHe is asking for your hand in marriageâ
For some seconds, Lara stared speechlessly at her father. Her mind literarily went blank and all her thoughts were eradicated. Jack! Getting him out of her mind ever since he left the house had been an effort. Now, even the mention of his name was enough to make her remember his perfume. And he wants to marry her? Marry her? âJust like that?â She asked as anger started setting in. âYou would hurl me into the arms of a complete stranger just because he has impressed you financially?â Lara said on raised voice as she rose to her feet.
âHow dare you insinuate that I am only after financial benefitsâ Tunji roared.
âArenât you?â Lara returned. âListen to me dad, I donât care about whatever it is you discussed with your potential âson in lawâ, but one thing is certainâ she said dramatically. âI am NOT marrying him. Never!â She deadpanned.
âYou would marry himâ
âWhat in the world is wrong with everyone? Do you all think I am an object to be pawned?â She raised her hands in the air, totally bewildered. âI have always told you dad, I am not a kid to be told what to do every now and then, I am an adult; you hear me dad? An adultâ she emphasized. She closed her eyes and tried hard to regulate her breathing. âI am tired, it has been a dramatic day. Excuse me dadâ she turned and walked towards the door.
âCome back here Laraâ Tunji boomed but Lara had never been an obedient child; she walked out and closed the door firmly behind her.
âAre you not going to tell us what happened?â Bola yelled in frustration at Lara who was busy pacing the length of the sitting room.
Teresa hissed as she grabbed the glass of juice on the side table and tasted the liquid within. âIf I had known that she would be pacing in front of me instead of telling me what the matter is, I would never have left my comfortable bed when she called.â She said to Bola
Lara kept on pacing. She hadnât been able to sleep last night. Her fatherâs words kept ringing in her head. âWhat gives him the right to think he can map my life out for me uhn?â She yelled.
âHow would we know when we donât even know who you are talking aboutâ Bola returned.
âWhoelse? My father of courseâ
Teresa rolled her eyes. âWhat did he do this time?â
âCan you imagine? He wants me to get married to Jackâ Lara yelled.
Bola and Teresa stared at each other. âJack? The supermarket guy? Your rescuer? That Jack?â Bola asked.
Lara hissed. âYes, that Jackâ
âWow. That is the most sensible thing your father has ever initiatedâ Teresa muttered with eyes wide with interest.
Lara opened her stunned mouth and was about to say something really nasty to Teresa when the door opened. They all turned simultaneously towards the door. Laraâs mouth went dry as she stared at the reason for her turmoil.
Jack stood at the entrance, grinning from ear to ear like someone who had just won a Grammy award. He held a small rose flower in one hand and kept the other hand in the pocket of his trouser. âHello dearâ he said.
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