Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Nkiru had been discharged from the hospital, after a week and a couple of days of observations and checkups on both her and her baby. Though Theo footed all the hospital bills, she refused returning to the house. She moved in with Veronica, a friend of hers who lived in Abuja instead. She called Vero to come pick her on the day of her discharge. And Theo was not in the know that Nkiru had been discharged. It’s when he came on his routine visit he was told Nkiru had been discharged. Theo didn’t have an idea, where she had gone. He put through calls to her, but she didn’t pick. Theo’s mother and siblings had all gone back to Lagos. Akintola too was back with his family too. And Theo didn’t know about Veronica. He knew very few people in Abuja.

Theo had alerted everyone Nkiru was missing.

“How do you mean Nkiru is missing,” Theo’s mother reacted with a pensive voice.

“I went to the hospital to check on her and the baby, only to discover she had been discharge,” he explained.

“I hope we won’t have a repeat of a marathon search for Nkiru just like we did with you,” His mother couldn’t hide her fears.

Theo was disorientated hearing his mother allude to his mistakes. It’s a stigma he would have to live with for the rest of his life and that of his changed identity. Theo sat in a bar. He had placed order for a drink. He was tired. He just had to clear burdens of thoughts that weighed his mind at the moment. He ruminated on the phone conversation with Akintola.

“I thought everything had returned to normalcy between the both of you,” Akin tried to argue.

“It’s not what you think, Akin, after everybody left, Nkiru became mad at me. She refused I come check on her.”

“This is serious,”

“I don’t know where to start looking for Nkiru. As it is now, I’m tired.”

The bartender had brought Theo’s order, pulling his mind away from his retrospection. He said thank you, for the young lad’s service.

Veronica was busy moving from end to end, picking this and replacing that in her bid to tidy her apartment at the weekend. She would walk past Nkiru in the living room, who tried to rock her baby to sleep. Veronica was a media person and Nkiru’s course mate in the university. She was more like a big sister to Nkiru. Veronica though was older than Nkiru was single at thirty-four. She took a break from her indulgence and joined Nkiru for a chat.

“Is the baby sleeping now,” Veronica asked as she sank herself on one of the chairs. The baby had been disturbing for quite a while.

“Thank God she had slept,” Nkiru heaved a sigh, “but it’s not uhuru yet... she’s not a deep sleeper.” Nkiru was quick to mention.

“Chai, her cry no be here o,” admitted Vero, “Who she take am resemble? Is it you or Theo?”

“Please I don’t want you to mention Theo here,” Nkiru retorted. Veronica broke in a chuckle at Nkiru’s sharp detest for her husband. “Are you ever going to forgive this man?”

“Never,” Nkiru was vehement.

“But he’s father of your child,” Vero reminded her friend.

“I don’t care,” she bellowed.

“Well, when you called me over to pick you at the hospital, I thought the issue you and Theo had was something both of you can resolve,” said Vero.

“Theo hurt me deeply. He abandoned me with pregnancy for good nine months. Not only that, I also found out he’d cheated on me with a banker, here in Abuja.”

“Hmm... that’s shameful,” Vero concurred.

“That day I saw him the first time, after he’d left home, I hated that face. I was so enraged to the point, I went into forced labour,” Nkiru lamented.

“But he wasn’t aware of your pregnancy.”

“The same way he wouldn’t have been aware, if I had died.”

“Nkiru, you have a point there. So what’s your next plan for your marriage?”

“I’m ready to file a divorce,” she divulged.

“Do you think it’s the best knowing you both have a child together?”

Nkiru said nothing further instead; she turned her focus on her baby mindfully.

Theo thought about Paula and a possible visit at the super market. Both haven’t seen, since that ugly saga that brought all his secrets to the open. He didn’t call her phone ever since and she didn’t call either. He boarded a bus aboard Asokoro, after he had dwelled much on his decision whether or not to see Paula. He didn’t have anyone to run to for solace, since his predicaments. Paula had been his support all the while, before everything boomeranged.

The weather was clement. The clouds shielded the sun at intervals. He alighted from the bus as he arrived at his destination. Paula’s car was parked in front of Paula Shopping Place that was the name of Paula’s super market. The business had undergone some changes over time. He walked in through the glass door and walked straight towards Paula’s office. He noticed a couple people making their shopping at the time.

“Theo,” Paula called with an estranged voice as Theo stepped into her office. She had least expected him. In her mind, he was a closed chapter.

“Hello Paula,” He whispered a greeting.

“Are you still in town,” she wondered.

“Yeah,” he heaved a sigh and walked up to the couch.

“You look matiated,” she observed. “What’s been happening to you? I thought you must have left for Lagos by now with your wife and baby.”

Theo had drowned himself in alcoholism and bitterness of heart since Nkiru disappeared from the hospital, with their baby. “I came to the hospital so I could check her and our baby, only to discover, she had been discharged. I’ve been looking for her the past one week.”

Nkiru said nothing; she cast her gaze on him, with her arm rested on her temple, supported on her desk.

“I’m confused. Don’t know what to do...” that statement by Theo brought Paula out of her momentary spell.

“I would suggest you report the case to the media and then the police.

He bought her idea.

Theo called on phone to inform his in-laws about Nkiru’s disappearance, with her baby the past five days.

“Hello,” Mama, Nkiru mother’s voice came up at the other end of the call.

“Hello mama—good evening ma, this is Theo calling.”

“Oh my in-law,” mama replied, with excitement, “Hope all is well?”

“Mama I’m sorry, all is not well,” he spoke out.

“Please tell me what is going on,” the panic in mama’s voice was palpable.

“Nkiru had disappeared with her baby. I came to the hospital to check on her and baby, only to discover she had been discharged. I’ve been looking for her the past one week.” He explained.

“What?” Mama shouted, though she had heard from Nkiru a couple of times, but Nkiru never told her she had been in hiding.

“I’m sorry—I will get to her to know where she is.”

“Thank you Mama. Please help me. Tell her she should come back home. Tell her I’m drowning right here, without her.”

Theo ended phone conversation with Mama. He hoped he received positive news about Nkiru’s whereabouts soon.