UNGUIDED

Chapter Three

Jane got to her office so lost in her thoughts. The call she received from her childhood friend Rebecca earlier had got her way back to eighteen years ago.

Jane and Becky were best of friends. Back then in the village, no one could separate them. They do everything together, attended the same school, had crushed on the same guy and they even shared the same dreams of becoming nurses.

After high school, both girls got married the same year. Jane married a recruit in Abuja and Rebecca married a construction worker in Ugbokolo a city in her state Benue.

Marriage then was a thing of pride for every girl in their village. They planned to live in the same city and raise their families together.
They were so happy to leave the village and promised to keep in touch.

Rebecca loved her new life. A new wife in a city with water stored in tanks, not like in the village where she would have to go to the river many times a day to get water because they lack containers to store them.

Her husband James though very quiet but a very caring man who provided everything for her. He also promised to enroll her in a nursing school after their first child.

She wrote to her friend in Abuja through waybill and informed her of every thing happening in her life.

* * *

Jane was so happy to live in the barracks with her husband. Even though she rarely sees him at home because of his work. Whenever is off duty he spends all of his time with her. He takes her to lovely places and never allowed her to cook. Her husband always told her that he wants her fresh and beautiful to show her off to people in the barracks who discouraged from getting a wife from the village.

Jane's  sweet husband died after two years of their marriage in the battlefield against the terrorist group, Boko Haram. She was still nursing her son when it happened. Three months after the burial she was given a quit notice to vacate the barrack.

Her dreams of becoming a nurse was buried with her husband. Life outside the barracks was so tough, because she had never lived by her self before.

The entitlement from the military was shared among his brothers and a share of #5000 was give to her to take care of her son. She managed to get a room apartment outside town. Jane paid for three months with a promissory note to complete the payment before the end of the three months.

Jane thought of going back to her parents in the village but quickly waved it off because of her son. She wanted him to have a better life so she will do anything for him.

She hawked almost everything just to survive with her son. She did that for ten years and decided to take a job in a beer parlour as a sales person. There she met Jack who came in to Abuja for a business, they became attracted to each other. Jack promised to help Jane only if she agrees to move to Lagos with him.

Lagos has changed Jane's life, she owns her own beer parlour now with lots of workers, her son a senior in high school. She felt so grateful for the decisions she had made in life so far.

* * *

Now her friend is in need of her help, Becky may not be a widow like her but it makes no difference at all.

She stopped visiting Rebecca for some times because of her refusal to see the truth.

"But I have to help her" Jane said to her self, reaching to her handbag on the table.

She brought out her cellphone and dialed a number.

"Yes please, can you give Mrs James a message for me? Ok thanks, I will call back" Jane said to Mrs James's neighbour.

Mrs James hurriedly left her house when her neighbour's son came to inform her of the call.

"Thank you Mrs Amabem"

"You're welcome Mrs James" she handed the phone to her after she picked it

"Jane, I'm glad you called back. Please help me before I go crazy"

"Becky, I told you to leave that hellhole you called home but you would'nt listen!"

"Jane you don't know this man, he's hardly home, Jacob and John will starve to death"

"Nothing will happen to the children, he is their father, my dear, you can still check on them from here or anywhere you are. Just let me know when you are ready and I will handle the rest"

"But...

"But nothing Becky, Sarah is old enough she will be sixteen soon. Just think about it alright and let me know".

"Okay, bye"
Mrs James thanked her neighbour who was just a metre away ears dropping. She smiled weakly and handed her the cellphone.

* * *
For weeks, Mrs James didn't care about her children as before. She stays in the room till noon takes her bath, eats what ever Sarah prepares and goes back to the room.

The kids kept wondering what had gone wrong with their mother but dare not ask. The last time Sarah asked, she got a slap that left her with a black eye for days.

Sarah became the care giver to her siblings. She continued with the normal chores they do daily. She prepared the boys for school and hawk the fruits till afternoon, prepare lunch and goes back till evening.

Mr James comes home once or twice in a week mostly weekend evening or night. He will walked in straight and send the children out of the room for about 40 to 50 minutes after which he will storm out muttering curses on the kids.

They children will watched their father walked into the dark street and return to the room quietly and listen to their mom sobbing for hours.

Rebecca James had thought about many things. Her children and what will become of them if she leaves. Her staying, which will mean more hardship. "It's better to send money home to them" she said quietly to herself.

After a month of speaking with her friend, She called her and informed her of her decision. Jane sent her a bag with some nice clothes, transport fare and a note for directions.

Mrs James prepared herself for the trip. "It's still very early, it's better this way, so I won't have to explain myself to anyone". She thought and looked at the children and wished she had another option.

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