Flawless

OH No!

"I told you to destroy all the evidences in that God-forsaken place . How on earth did they find an evidence?!"

I froze and released my grip on the door knob. Mom.
I didn't wait to hear the rest, I went back downstairs all the while stabilizing myself with the wall and rails. The revelation that threw itself at me was too much for me to stomach - Mom knew about what happened. How?
Then I recalled the day I got back, I didn't tell her I lost my memory but she knew! She knew it right from the start. She knew everything.
The end is near.

"Karleen, what's wrong?" Someone was asking but I wasn't listening.

The only word I could hear was Joshua's from yesterday, RUN. And I ran like never before , to Mom's room.

F scream was deafening. "Don't act stupid , Karleen. Karleen!"

But I wasn't having any of that 'take it slow' vibe. I flung the door open, panting heavily and searched effortlessly for Mom. The room was empty. I spent the next few seconds calming down before I saw Chichi walk through the hallway.

"Where's Mom?" I gritted.

"Don't you know? She isn't at home," she busied herself with the hem of her skirt.

"What do you mean? I saw her few minutes ago!" I was frustrated.

She frowned and eyed me. "See ehn Aunty Karleen, me don't know who you saw o but I swear down Madam no dey. She don commot te te (she's not at home, she left since.)"

Am I losing it?

*
Everyone was present except Dad. There was a more important press conference he had to attend at Abuja. Not like he would have been present either way. Not that I cared also, the people I needed most were here with me.

They called this a mini trial. If I was found guilty, then this would become a court case. My fate would be decided there.

"Just calm down dear. It'll just be questions and answers but be as honest as you can," Dara whispered and I nodded. "I'll go to meet the crew. We're still waiting for the Minister."

"Okay."

They came in few minutes later. Jumoke's Mom, Lara was supported by her husband as they walked in. They were dressed in matching purple Ankara. As Lara spotted me, she fought her way out of her husband's grip and ran over to me.

"My daughter. Baby, why did you make Mama wait for some long... Why? Why? Don't you miss Mama..." She pulled me into a bear hug and her tears fell on my forehead.

I felt her pain, grief and heartache. A strong hand snatched her from me and everyone watched in pitiful silence as she was dragged away. She shouted incoherent words and threw her legs in the air in protest but it had little or no effect on the huge man that carried her.

She was pinned beside her husband who looked so frustrated but still tried to calm her down. After minutes of trying to no avail, the white figure that was part of their entourage stepped forward with a hypothermic needle.

"Sweetheart the needle hurts. I'm not mad. Tell her. It hurts... It ... Hu...rts me..."her voice trailed away agonizingly as she pleaded with her husband to stop the Nurse. Dele took her two hands and kissed it as the Nurse injected her left shoulder.

She slept.

Dele shot everyone a forced apologetic smile. "We can start the session now. The last thing I want is for her to witness err this."

His words were laced with the grief and pain his physical appearance lacked. I owed my head as tears threatened to fall. Intentionally or not, I caused it. That was too hard for me to bare.