Sinners and Saints II

Chapter 7

Two weeks later...

"Olivia," Olivia could feel the warmth of Adaora's shaky hands as she attempted to straighten her wrinkled nightdress. "B-baby,I need you to listen to me okay, your Daddy and I,"

She paused.

"We've decided that we can't stay here anymore. So we are going to go somewhere better, somewhere safe okay? Mummy needs you to stay awake till we get into the car, can you do that for me?"

She looked into Adaora's eyes and all she saw was panic as she yanked her up from her bed without even giving her a chance to ask questions. She wasn't even fully awake yet.

It was so cold that night and the rain was hitting so hard on her dad's Peugeot. Olivia wasn't sure she understood why her parents looked so afraid that night. She wasn't sure why they suddenly had to leave and she sure as hell wasn't sure why her parents were busy arguing so loudly in the car, right in front of her.

They never did.

If there was one thing she knew about her parents, it was the fact that they never argued in front of her. They barely argued at all but on that day, it was like she didn't even know them at all.

"I don't like this. I don't like this idea at all. " she watched Adaora rake her hair with her fingers in frustration. she could see the way she stared earnestly at Steven who didn't look like he was interested in having the conversation she was trying to initiate. He had his eyes glued to his steering, and a huge frown on his face. The hardest frown she had ever seen on him.

"We don't have to leave." Adaora pushed on. "We don't know anyone in Johannesburg. Lagos is our home, Nigeria is our home. How on earth are we supposed to explain this to everyone? Steven, we are leaving everything behind. What about my mother? your brother and my sister? What about Olivia? How do we ever explain any of this to her."

"I already told you Adaora, we can't stay here and you know why. "  Steven's voice wasn't as calm and loving as it usually was. He was upset, she could see it "Johannesburg is our only chance of starting over. We don't have a life here anymore, not with everything we know. I can't even pass one normal day at work without everyone looking at me as a sick joke and having something to say about the fact that my wife is in every single copy of the Tribunal walking out of one of the most popular hotels in the city with her boss. I mean, providence hotel, really? Of all places it had to be providence." He chuckles uneasily, almost sarcastically.

"I already told you," Adaora started after letting out a frustrated scoff. She couldn't believe the words she had just heard. She couldn't believe that even after telling him her truth, the truth about what really happened days ago, he still didn't believe her. She shut her eyes for a second. "Nothing happened between Randy and I at the hotel. The company chose me to accompany Mr Okonkwo to the Sylvester fundraising meeting and on our way home, you already know about the demonstrations that took place that evening, irate youths and so much smoke . It was raining and there was news about robbery and vandalism ahead. We had to take refuge in the first hotel we saw. We didn't even share a room together talk more of-"

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I tried to, the house phone wasn't reachable."

"Yeah, sure, then what about the most recent? How do you explain how there are photos of you and Randal all over Wednesday papers?"

Olivia could sense the tension in the car. She could sense the hurt in her father's voice.

"I didn't have an affair with Randy and you know it. I'm being framed, I was kidnapped by someone on my way to turn in my resignation letter. It was a set up."