EPISODE 7

A CRY FOR FORGIVENESS (MAMA FORGIVE ME)by Nike Investment

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    Tears kept rolling down the cheeks of Victoria..

This is a new city, she knows no one.

Where is she going to go ?

Where will she find refuge?

Who will come to her rescue?

How will she feed herself and the child growing inside of her?

    The more the questions kept coming into the head of Victoria, the more she kept crying. She was already tired of walking… She doesn’t even know where she was actually going to !!!

      Victoria looked and noticed the wound on her leg hasn’t gone yet and it was still paining her the more she walked with it.

Why has suffering and pains decided to find her at such a young age.
Why?
Why?
     Victoria kept asking herself and crying in a lonely quiet corner where she sat down.

       She wants to really commit suicide but what about the promise she had made to her mother. She wants her mother forgive her for killing her untimely. It wasn’t her intention, she was just naive to the gimmicks of Corper Michael.

      Corper Michael…

    Victoria said aloud remembering the file the principal had handed over to her containing the information of Corper Michael.  She opened the file she has been carrying around all these while without knowing it’s content.

       She saw some amount of money the principal had neatly placed into the file with a little note attached.

      ” YOU ARE THE BEST AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN MY BEST STUDENT. MY HANDS WERE TIED IN THE DECISION TO EXPELL YOU FROM THIS SCHOOL. I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK. THIS LITTLE TOKEN IS FROM ME PERSONALLY, I KNOW IT WILL GO A VERY LONG WAY”

                                              YOURS PRINCIPAL
                                              MR DANIEL IFEANYI.

       Tears flowed uncontrollably down the cheeks of Victoria for so many reasons.

  The principal still recognized her as the best student. The money he had given her will be a big life saver to her.

        God bless you sir
     God bless you….

     Victoria kept saying with tears…

       She looked and saw the details of Corper Michael in the file. He was living the city of Lagos. She doesn’t even know the city where she is presently. But she was going to find out.

     She has to quench her hunger before thinking of embarking on another journey. Victoria wiped her tears and went in search of what to eat.

     She bought a biscuit and a sachet of water. She has to economize the money given to her by the principal. There is every chance that she may end up not finding Corper Michael.

     Victoria kept seeing signs on buildings indicating she was in the city of Aba. She asked the seller of the biscuits the distance from Aba to Lagos and the transport required. She told her all that is required.

      Victoria thought it wise to go meet Corper Michael and carry the burden he had placed on her back to him. Though he had denied it before, that was the only option that was presenting itself. He is the one solely responsible for everything she is going through.

     Victoria has no where to lay her head for the night so she decided to travel to Lagos the same day not minding the distance. She left for the park and payed for a ticket .

      About an 1hr and 30 minutes later, the bus was set to leave for the city of Lagos. Right in front of Victoria was a mother and daughter talking and laughing. She started remembering sweet memories she had shared with her mother. How her mother sacrificed any little spare time and happiness just for her to go to the best school.

     Her mother really suffered and went through humiliation just for her, but what did she pay her with? Disappointed and untimely death. The smiles that was on her face when she remembered her good times with her mother disappeared and tears started flowing again down her cheeks.

      Is everything okay ? The man sitting closer to Victoria asked her. She nodded her head ,wiped her tears and focused on her journey.

     She slept and woke sporadically.. it took a lot of hours before they finally got to the bus stop in Lagos. Lagos was quite a busy and crowded area. Finding Corper Michael was really going to be a herculean task Victoria said to herself.

     She checked and she still has some money with her though her transport to Lagos has drastically reduced the money. It was still morning and Victoria had hopes of finding Corper Michael before night falls.

      With the address she was holding, she started looking for directions to get to the address seen on the file. It took her hours but she finally got the address indicated on the file.

    She knocked on the gate and someone opened the door….

Is this the house of Corper Michael Olamide?

Yee….s

How can I help you and who are you? the man who opened the gates asked Victoria..

        My name is Victoria and he knows I am coming she lied.

   He let Victoria in and asked her to wait for Michael to come back from work.

      Victoria spent hours waiting for Corper Michael and she ended up sleeping on the chair that was given to her by the man who opened the gate for her to come in.

       A car horn was heard outside the gate.

    And the gate was opened and a black car drove in. Corper Michael, a beautiful looking lady who was carrying a Baby came down from the car.

     Michael recognized Victoria immediately as she stood up from the chair she was sitting on.

His heart skipped a bit. How did she locate him all the way from umuokpa village??
It was almost impossible for someone who had not left the village before to embark on such a journey especially a teenager.

     What was he going to tell his wife?

EPISODE 8

Oga welcome…
    This young girl said her name is Victoria and you are aware she is coming to see you the gateman said pointing at Victoria.

     Michael kept staring at Victoria..
While Victoria kept staring at the lady who came down from the car with a child .

   Is Corper Michael married to this lady?
He already has a child?
No no it can’t be… ,
He told her he would marry her and their was no other lady in his life.

Who is she ? Thelma asked pointing at Victoria and looking at Michael for an answer..

The question startled Michael whose mouth was already opened.

Both Michael and Victoria snapped out of their thoughts.

   Ummmh, sh….e

Yes shhh..e ,  she is a distant cousin of mine who came from the village to see me Michael answered with a stutter and then faked a smile.

     But you didn’t tell me any of your cousin was coming over Thelma asked looking confused.

   I forgot to tell you please forgive me… Victoria come over and greet my wife…

     Your wife??

    So you are married sir Victoria asked and the file she was holding dropped down from her hand. And tears began flowing down her cheeks.

You promised me you will marry me!!
You promised me you would take me round the world.!!
You said I was the only one you love!!
You said you will bring me to the city!!

       My mother is dead because of you!!
You are a big liar and a deceiver Micheal Victoria said boldly and tears continued flowing down her cheeks..

     Thelma was still confused hearing all Victoria was saying and how she was talking to her husband.

Who is she Mike and what is she talking about?

I don’t really understand what is going on here . Talk to me Mike what’s going on.? Thelma kept asking..

    You got me pregnant and left…..

   What!!!….
   What did you just say??

    Thelma said cutting the words of Victoria….

       Mike what is she talking about??
You impregnated her?

I can explain Babe… Michael said trying to hold Thelma.

  She quickly removed his hand.. You can explain what exactly?

Thelma asked interrupting..

You left for your service and all you did was impregnate a young girl her age?

I can explain he said still trying to hold his wife.

      What can you explain Michael? Victoria asked interrupting him. She was going through excruciating pains.

You raped me!!!
You deceived me!!
You lied to me!!
You ruined my life!!
I have learnt my lesson the hard way..
but I promise you…

I promise you Michael I will pick back my pieces one after the other. Victoria said as she kept crying buckets of tears.

      She ran out of the gate …

Michael didn’t know if he was to go after Victoria or stay and beg his wife.

Victoria was heart broken…
It never occurred to her that Michael may be married because of all his sweet words to her. She could feel those sharp pains again but she didn’t want to stop running.

   She didn’t know where she was going to. It was her first day in the city. She kept on running and wiping the tears that kept flowing down her cheeks.

   Victoria got tired of running she started walking. She walked for a long distance. Then she found a spot and sat down there crying uncontrollably. Her eyes were swollen already but the tears kept flowing.

She has not eaten since the morning…
She has not taken even water…
Her heart has been broken into pieces once again.
   It was already getting darker and she has no where to go to…
She was helpless..

    My daughter what are you doing sitting here all alone and crying…
That voice sounded like her mum. She quickly raised her face up and saw a woman who should be in her late sixties or early seventies.

     She asked her again, What is making you to cry and sit here all alone my child?
Victoria wiped her tears.

   Good evening ma she said..
Yes Good evening my daughter….
What are you doing here all alone and crying?
Victoria had no answer to give the stranger. She just shook her head.

     Go home the woman said to Victoria..
But I don’t have any home to go to Victoria answered without thinking.
The stranger asked Victoria to follow her back since she had no where to go.

    Victoria followed the lady for about twenty five minutes walk. Then she arrived to an old house. The woman led her inside and pointed her a spot where she will be sleeping for the night.

    The old lady brought out the food she has already prepared and Victoria ate it quickly. The food was strange but Victoria was so famished to even notice.

     *At Michael’s house**

     How could you Mike?
How could you ruin the life of such an innocent girl?
How could you stoop so low?
You raped her!!!
And her mother died as a result of that!!
  If you can do such to a little girl, I wonder what beast you still have hidden within you. Thelma said disappointed.

   Michael tried to hold Thelma but she warned him sternly not to come closer to her or her baby …

     Don’t you dare touch me… Don’t you dare lay your filthy hands on me Michael .
     For the safety of my child and I , I am leaving this house this minute . Because I won’t be a party to what you just started Thelma said and went inside to arrange her bags.

     Michael pleaded with her not to leave him but his plea fell on deaf ears. Thelma gathered few of her things and left Michael that same evening with her child.