Fading Star

21

I talked to Delilah for a long time. It made me feel better. She advised me to go see a doctor if the nightmares persist. When we finished talking I called my P.A and asked her to contact the best decor establishment in town. I wanted to have Richie's room redecorated right away.
Few hours later I was in the garden when Bola came to me.
"Madam some people are here to see you" she said.
"Oh it must be the interior decor team. Let them in. I'll be right there." I replied her.
"No ma, they are just two. A man and a woman. I only saw the man. I didn't see the woman's face." just then my phone rang. It was Richard.
I picked "hey honey"
"Hey babes. Hope you're good?" I signalled Bola to leave. She left.
"Yeah I'm fine. How's work today? I'm missing you. Hurry and come home" I said teasingly. He laughed.
"I'll be home soon. I just called to check on you." he said.
"Thanks baby" I replied.
"Oh and by the way, I just found out that Blessing did not go to Lagos. I asked someone to track her, we are yet to know her whereabouts. I've to hang up now. Take care of yourself" he said to me in a rush and hung up. I sighed. If Blessing is still in town, that means trouble.
I stood up and went inside the house to see who was looking for me. A strange man was sitting on the settee with a woman standing behind him. Lo and behold!  It was Blessing. My heart skipped a beat. What does she want? I wondered. To avoid any trouble, I faked a smile.
"Hello, Blessing what a surprise! How may I help you?" I stood where I was. She frowned.
"I don't need your rotten help. Where is my son?" she barked at me.
I smiled. "Last time I checked you were supposed to be in Lagos. So what brings you here? And mind your manners because this is my house. I can easily throw you out"
She laughed. "Your house indeed" she turned to the man sitting.
"I hope you're recording this" she said to him. He nodded. I was shocked. Was he a journalist or a lawyer or even a detective? I wondered.
"Good. Now I'm going to ask you again. Where is my son?" she asked me. I remained silent.
"Are you deaf or what? Where did you keep my son?" she asked again. I just stood there looking at her. She made to move past me in an attempt to reach Richard's room but I blocked her path.
"Junior! Junior!" she called out. Ofcourse there was no response because he was still in school. I was thankful for that.
"You have no right to come to my house and talk to me anyhow. Please Leave. The both of you." I said to her.
Before I knew what was happening, she was hitting me. She slapped me first, then she hit me in the stomach. It caught me off-guard and I slumped and fell. She started raining slaps on me and kicking me. I couldn't fight back. "You will not have my son" she kept saying. I tried calling for help but nobody came. She removed her shoe and hit me on the head. She punched me in the face and my nose started bleeding. I started crying. "Stop it please" I begged weakly but she didn't stop. Before I knew it her hands were on my neck. She was strangling me and I was choking. I couldn't breathe and my vision was hazy. I glimpsed Bola behind her with a turning stick. She hit her with it before she released me. I was so weak and I felt pain all over my body.
Bola managed to wrestle her off me. I was still lying on the floor.
"Let's leave this place" Blessing said to the man out of breath. "It's not over. I will have my son and my husband back. You just wait and see. Pathetic fool" she hissed and they left.
As soon as they left Bola helped me up. My body felt numb with pain. My head was pounding, my nose was bleeding and I couldn't open my left eye. She brought me hot water and towel and dabbed my body. It hurt so much. I called Richard and told him what happened. He was so furious. He asked me to go to the hospital, that he would meet me there. I asked Bola to call the driver to take me to the hospital. He came and they helped me get in the car.
I wondered what I ever did in this world to deserve this misfortunes. From one thing to another. Since I moved back to Nigeria my life hasn't been pleasant although there have been some brief joyful moments, they never last. My 5years in Nigeria have been like hell but I was still thankful I had Richard. And now Richie, that's something to be thankful for even though someone is trying to take them away from me, I thought.