DESTINY OR DENIAL

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Mr. Adebayo, it has been clearly shown that you are guilty of theft and fraud, you are lucky enough that the victim pleaded on your behalf, as a result of that you are hereby sentenced to three months of hard labor in prison, I rise", the chief judge announced.

I looked around to see if I was not in the dream land and absolutely I was not. I was going to spend three whole months in prison. I was taken away into the criminals' vehicle and transported down to the prison yard.All I was thinking about as we plough the road was the state of my mother and why on earth did Ella pleaded on my behalf.

*****

Four months later, in the cloth I had when I was arrested, I headed down to my mother's house. I left prison some weeks ago and I had joined in working as a laborer at a building so as to buy some things for my mother and to feed myself. Ella had sent me out of her house with my belongings calling me all sorts of names when I got there after my prison term. Having moved to her place after the accident few months ago, when she begged me to do that if am not angry with her again after I narrated my whole story to her. Back then she had paid my school fees, feed me and employed a private nurse to take care of my mother. Then I had thought "I will reach the destined place".

"Who is this am seeing? Bayo! Adebayo! Where have you been?"Iya bolaji, my mothers' friend asked as she saw me,

"It's a long story ma, where is my mother? How is her health?"

"Hmm, she is inside the house but Adebayo her health has deteriorated most especially because of you and since the nurse left all of a sudden, she kept asking about your where about", Iya bolaji explained to me as I thanked her and went inside the house. On getting inside I met my mother on the wheel chair Ella got for her, since she couldn't walk due to the accident.

"Maami, good afternoon" I said as I walked up to her, prostrating. She looked at me with her mouth agape and in tears,

"Adebayo!!! What happen to you? For more than four months now you did not check on me."

"Mama am sorry, a lot has happened, I don't even understand why," I explained fighting back the tears "but I am here now mama how is your health?"

"I am fine, thanks to mama Bolaji and some other people that took care of me."

"May God reward them, more so I got these things for you ma", I place the provisions with me at the corner of the room and positioned myself to her side,

"Thank you my son may God bless you and take you to that great height you seek."

"Amen ma, let me go and freshen up, so that I can cook your food," I replied faking a smiling face.

I lay on my bed the following day and thought about all that had happened. I had missed the school exam and had automatically earned an extra year. I had even determined not to go back to school but a friend I met in prison advised me to finish my education and get the certificate as that is the only thing I deem to possess. I reasoned with him and made up my mind to resume to school the following semester. I knew things were going to be really tough, since there would be no one to accommodate me and almost everyone in school knew what happened. Tunji would have believed me if he were to be breathing,he Knew I would never do such a thing, I cried as I thought about it all.

Earlier that day after our meal mama had asked me about Ella and why the nurse with her suddenly left after receiving a call. But I had to tell her she is doing fine that I just wish to be alone and the nurse got a federal appointment so that was why she had to leave. I dared not tell her the truth ifI don't want to create wahala.

*****

The next day was a sunny day with the sun directly overhead; I had to leave the work place early so as to tend to my mother whose sickness had gotten severe over the night. I wouldn't have gone if I had enough money to get her the drugs but had no choice.