01:41 pm, October 5
Tokyo, Japan.
'It was our utmost pleasure doing business with Pengine Motor Corporation and we hope to have many more in the nearest future,' the head of the board of directors said.
'The pleasure is ours,' Mide replied, shaking hands with the man.
At this all the board members stood up and shook hands respectively with the two representatives from Pengine.
'On behalf of the whole board of directors, may I interest you in a light dinner party at the company's conference center, later in the evening?' the head further said.
'To celebrate our success in the collaboration of our companies,' the CEO explained.
Eartha looked at her husband and he nodded his affirmation.
'Of course, sir. We're much obliged to attend,' she replied, smiling.
'It's our utmost pleasure,' the board replied.
♟️🍒♟️🍒♟️🍒'Home, sweet home!' Eartha threw her arms around and breathed in deep. 'Do you smell that?'Mide, who looked grumpy reluctantly sniffed at the air.He hadn't slept well enough before they had had to head to the airport for their flight to Nigeria, and he hadn't been able to sleep well on the nineteen-half hour flight either, so it was no surprise that the poor guy was dead tired from lack of sleep.'Smell what? All I smell is the damn airport,' he said, tired. 'Babes, please, can we go look for our car now?''You're a spoilsport,' Eartha chided playfully. 'Smell the Nigerian soil joor.''This early morning? I'm tired sef,' Mide murmured, running a hand over his eyes.Eartha took a proper look at her husband. 'Ehya, pele dear. Did you sleep at all?''No!''Sorry o. Let's get goin
'I know, right,' Eartha agreed, already reaching for the door. 'Do you think something happened?''I don't know.' Mide turned off the engine and undid his seat belt, pushing open the door, too.Eartha realized that it was now very dark outside and couldn't see her feet except by the car interior lights that were still lit.She shuddered, turning on her phone flashlight and started towards the older woman sitting at the porch.'Good evening, Mama. Ẹ́ káalẹ́ mà,' she curtsied very low in front of the woman.Silence greeted her in reply.'Welcome, ma,' Taiwo said, prostrating on the porch. 'You didn't tell us you were coming o.' He chuckled nervously.He had a sickly sweet smile plastered on his face and Eartha's inner warning bells immediately went off like a bullet. She could practically hear the peals echoing in her cranium.
It was well past eight when Olumide pulled up in front of the motel described to them by a passerby. By then he'd finished telling his wife the whole story and in that timeframe, she'd cried and calmed down.He booked them a room overlooking the parking lot and ordered for dinner to be served at nine. Then he started to dial the number on the piece of paper.Eartha splashed cold water on her face in the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror above the washbasin. God, did she look a pathetic mess!She sighed and scrubbed at her face again then dried with a towel. Yes, she had on a cool demeanour now, but it was all for show. Inside she was a panicked mess, she'd only forced herself to calm down for her husband. He did have do much on his shoulders already, and she didn't want to add her own problem to it.So she knew she had to be strong for herself. For her husband. For Adekunbi. After a
Very early the next morning they signed out of the motel and got on their way to Enugu State. Mide drove the car, while Eartha dialled the police station. The call went through quickly, now that they were well out of the town, almost on the highway.They both sighed in relief as the call got picked.'Yes? Nsukka Police Station.''Good morning, officer,' Eartha started. 'We called yesterday night, concerning the case of two missing children but —''Ho ho, it's you! But a different number called yesterday, and then I heard the call got disconnected because of poor reception. We've tried the number many times since then but it was saying switched off.'Eartha turned to give her husband a quizzical look. The latter blinked in confusion and reached for the phone. 'I didn't know it had died,' he whispered.'We are sorry, sir. The phone was dead.' 
05:59 am, October 10.Very early on Thursday morning, Eartha and Mide happened to be the first couple to pass through any of the roads leading to Enugu State. But that wasn't a feat they were going to sit back and revel in.As soon as they arrived at Nsukka, they headed for the police station where they were being expected. There the police officers confirmed that, indeed, they were the parents of the lost girl.Then they were given some forms to fill and then the contact and location of the couple the children were with and told to expect their call anytime soon. Apparently, the couple had been informed since that Monday of their imminent arrival.Although it wasn't daybreak yet, they still insisted on heading for uptown, where the couple resided, all the while waiting for the their call.None of them had the energy to drive, they were both terribly washed out and drained of ene
Somto set the laptop in front of her and hugged his wife.'Yes, Eniiyi, it's Daddy and Mommy.' The guy and his wife were also moved to tears.'Mommy! Daddy!' Eniiyi screamed again.'Adekunbi!' Mide's emotion-filled voice came out scratchy, like it had been graveled?'Oh my God! My baby!' Eartha sobbed.'Mommy! Daddy!' Eniiyi screamed for the third time, not quite believing her eyes. She looked up at the couple beside her. 'Mrs Okenwa, am I dreaming?'China stared fondly at the girl, at her eyes as it went wide in surprise and disbelief. She knew that if she was capable of shedding tears, her ash nightdress would be soaked up by now.'Of course, not, Eniiyi!' she said, wiping away tears of joy and hugging her husband.Eniiyi turned back to the screen. 'My mommy! Where have you been? Where are you? Daddy? Are you still
09:53amMide wouldn't stop pacing around the vast living room and Eartha was starting to get worried. He had been doing that since they came back from the teaching hospital and that was several minutes ago.'Mide, sit down na,' she cajoled.He stopped pacing and stood still. Eartha thought he had heard her and relaxed back in her seat.But he didn't seem to have. He combed his hand through his hair and looked deep in thought."I mean, how is that even possible? How couldn't we have noticed?" He turned to stare at Eartha.Eartha cringed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It wasn't as if guilt wasn't eating up her own insides as well.Mide continued pacing. 'Alacrimia,' he muttered. "But nobody ever had in our family.'Eartha sighed, slightly annoyed at his peevishness. 'Mide, didn't you hear anything the specialist
08:36am, October 11Eniiyi had woken up, after a troubled sleep, with mixed feelings. She was very happy her parents were back and they were going home, but she'd miss the Okenwas. She had rather grown on them and now it was painful to have to leave them.Now, she watched as her mommy neatly folded her clothes into her box. Watching the box made her miss her black holdall. She hadn't thought she would get it back ever again, the highway robbers had probably thrown it away. She made a mental note to ask her daddy to get her a new one.'But, Mommy, it's just Wednesday. We can leave by weekend,' she whined.'No, Adekunbi.' They had been at this for minutes now and all Eartha did was mumble back her disagreement.She looked distant as she tucked the polka dot powder-blue dress into the box. She'd looked distant since yesterday, Eniiyi had noticed. Like she had something bothering on