Runs episode 12

Runs
(Episode 12)

Kere had fallen ill after Senator Odin's funeral.
She had traveled to his hometown in Benue for the burial ceremony to pay her last respect to the man she loved.
She had wanted to introduce herself to his sons and tell them that their father was her lover, and that she had given him a kiss the morning of the plane crash, but she was felt they were going to blame her for their father's death. If he hadn't visited her in Lagos, he wouldn't have died in that plane crash.

She wept uncontrollably as the coffin that had only his photo frame in it was lowered into the grave.

And that night at her hotel room, she drank herself to stupor. She sat by the window of her hotel room to see if she could see him walk through the hotel gate, she was dying to see him for the last time. Her eyes were blurred with tears, and her mouth was filled with soft whispers of his name, "Odin, Odin," She was beginning to behave like one who was mentally derailed as she imagined him make love to her at the Lagos oriental hotel.

It was overcast, and a rainy mist hung low in the sky as she fell into her warm blanket and slept off, drowned in whiskey.

She had seen Odin in her dream that night, and they'd made love, kissed passionately and after that he told he wasn't going to be a part of her life anymore. She wept as she held his hand, "Don't leave me baby please, stay with me." She cried out. But he shook his head pitifully, "I can't, I am no more mortal." He'd kissed her for the last time, and then she woke into reality. Her eyes were clouded with tears. It was the last time she'd seen him in her dreams, and then she realized he was truly gone. He had really died in that plane crash and she blamed herself.

She reluctantly left for Lagos that day, and her son couldn't recognize her anymore when she alighted from the taxi. She was pale and sick, not her usual self. Ndiana ran hastily toward her and held her, "Mom, are you alright?" He asked, but she struggled to say something he didn't understand. And suddenly, she fell to the floor, he screamed, "Mom!" His voice echoed thunderously through the streets, as he held her. People rushed to the scene and helped him carry her into the car. She woke up on the hospital bed, and after few moments, she struggled to open her eyes, she panicked when she realized that something was connected to her nostrils, it was the oxygen tube. Her son held her hand firmly, his eyes were wet with tears. "Mom," He called out softly.

She managed to see his face, her heart broke. "Mom, get well soon for me please, you're all I have." Her son's words broke her heart, she told herself she needed to be strong for her son alone. She held her son's hand and tried to say something, but the oxygen tube wouldn't let her.

Few days after she'd gotten medical care, she had started eating and talking well.

"Mom, I miss you so much. Be strong for me please, I know you loved him." Ndiana said calmly, tears dropping from his eyes. She cried softly, she wasn't sure if it was going to be the last time she was going to cry for Odin.

Six months after Senator Odin's death, Kere had started getting used to the fact that he wasn't in existence anymore. She had resumed her business, and taken Ndiana to the British boarding school in Ikoyi.

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Akudo and Fadad were much in love than they'd expected. Fadad had taken her to his big house in Victoria Island, where she packed all her belongings to live with him. She didn't go back to Baba, nor Barbara to tell them of the charm's potency.

Fadad was a wealthy young man who lived in a big mansion, just the kind of man Akudo always wanted. He'd given her one of his cars, and promised to marry her after his course at the Lagos business school. He'd also promised to take her to America and Dubai, the countries she'd always dreamed to go.

One afternoon, she'd returned back from the market, and as she drove into the compound, she met a new car parked by the corner of the car garage.

"Mummy, it's not daddy!" A toddler of about two to three years said shrilly as he peeped through the window.

A fair, and lanky woman walked out with a baby in her arms, and an old woman nanny walked behind her.

"Who are you?" The woman asked, Akudo laughed, "Na me suppose ask who you be for my house!" She said insolently.

"Your house?" The woman asked sardonically.

"Yes, na my house be this."

The woman chuckled.
The nanny wished she could tell Akudo to just shut up, and be alert of the much trouble she was about falling into.
"Are you asking me who I am in my own house that I built with my own hard earned money?" She asked, "well, let me Introduce myself, I am mrs Eunice Fadad, and this is my house, and that car," She pointed at the car Akudo drove in, "Is my car."

Akudo laughed out loud, putting the shopping bags on the floor and clapping her hands into the air. "Akudo, you don see finish! Chai, chineke god of nnewi!"

Mrs Fadad smiled and handed her baby to the nanny, "I can always tell you the stance of a military woman, with or without uniform."

Akudo looked uncomfortable at Mrs Fadad. "I am aware that you've been living here for months now, while I was aware to have my baby abroad, you were right under my roof, sleeping with my foolish husband on my expensive water bed, how did you feel young woman?" Mrs Fadad asked, as she pulled out koboko sharply from behind her trouser pocket.

"Madam, or whatever you call yourself, you no go fit threaten me at all, I no be that kind girl..."

Before Akudo could complete her sentences. Mrs Fadad walked toward her as she got ready to grab the koboko, Mrs Fadad held her firmly on her neck and carried her to the air, "How dare you cheap whore challenge me?"

Akudo hung on the air, mutely amazed that a woman like her would be so agile enough to pull her that way.

©vicky Bon
July 2018
Ikengachronicles.com