SHADOW OF THE PAST

13 Femi's Return

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“Are you out of your mind? Don't tell me you haven't found the body yet…and you know how risky that is to me…” Olanrewaju screamed at ‘Dennis’ his errand boy.

Dennis has been working for Olanrewaju for years.
He did all sorts of dirty jobs for him. He was responsible for the accident Tomisin had. Dennis happened to be the truck driver that hit and push Tomisin's car below the mountain.

Olanrewaju was so furious when he came back to inform him that Tomisin's body was not found in the car yet.

He was in his office when Dennis came back with the news that her body is yet to be found.

“I'm giving you twenty-four hours to search for that body, if not found within that period, find yourself a dead man,” he warned sternly and Dennis promised to come back with the news of finding the dead body.

°°°° °°°° °°°° °°°° 
“Dad, since Femi has decided to leave for the States, I guess we should look for someone who can take over his place and manage it well…” Olanrewaju suggested to his father. He had gone into his father's study to address the issue.

“You are right, so how do we find someone competent enough to fill in the space?” father asked curiously

“That shouldn't be an issue, I will make sure I get someone capable enough to handle his position,” he replied.

“How about Tomisin's mother? I hope she's responding to treatment?” Father asked worriedly.

“It's getting worse than we thought. It's not easy to lose an only child. And, the father too is trying his best possible to make her come back to her senses.” Olanrewaju explained.

“I need to go visit the family. Or, what do you suggest?”

“It's a great idea. But I believe she will surely recover with time.” Olanrewaju replied.

His mind was still not settled with the body yet to be found. He only buried an empty casket when he was asked to take charge of the burial.

He was so lucky that both families were not with him all through the process of the burial. But he still needed to confirm the body dead, before he can have peace of mind.

••• ••• ••• •••

Tomisin stood at the gate  for a couple of minutes, staring at the building. She tried to recall if she had lived in the house and taken care of her baby there for three years before she left. But it was difficult to recall such memory as it never exists.

She took a few steps forward to knock on the gate, but a woman who had been noticing her standing in front of the building from afar walked up to her.

“Hello madam,” her voice interrupted Tomisin's steps and she halted. “Do you come to make inquiries about this building?” the woman questioned from behind her and she turned to face who was talking to her.

“Good evening ma, I'm here to see Mrs. Esin who lives here, and not here to make an inquiry on any building,” Tomisin responded politely and the woman's facial expression suddenly changed as she wore a sad look.

“The woman you just mentioned died a few months ago.” the woman said and Tomisin was dumbfounded. “She was buried by her only child, Zoe who had traveled abroad to study before the incident occurred. She had to travel back and gave her last respect.”

Tomisin was surprised to hear that Zoe was studying abroad. She imagined who was sponsoring her education. Because mere looking at the house Mrs. Esin lived in before she dies, it doesn't seem that she could afford to send Zoe abroad to study.