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Chapter twenty-two
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THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-three
‘You smell so good and fresh.’ He opined, still basking in the feeling of smell of wild flowers. ‘You-u-u?’ She stammered. ‘Yes, me.’ He uttered. ‘Please, can you let me go?’ She begged. ‘You don’t practically know how good you look. You’ve practically mesmerized me, girl. You’ve swept me off my feet my love. Couldn’t sleep all through last night, you know? Haven’t felt this way before. In fact, prior to this moment, I’ve got no feeling for no girl. Tell me; what do I do with you?’ ‘I am quite fascinated at your feelings.’ Nkem found herself saying. Seems she has finally found her voice. She was no longer terrified but feels pity for this lost soul. ‘How can you really fall in love with someone you are just meeting at the first time?’ By now, it was beginning to get dark and because it was a cold evening as a result of the heavy downpour earlier in the day, people were scanty on the roads. The coldness of fear had enveloped her once again, and she became restless to rea
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-four
She didn’t utter a word but gave him a wry look instead. ‘Let me take you home. It’s risky for you going out all by yourself.’ ‘I don’t want to be seen with the likes of you. Please, let me go.’ ‘No, if you must go alone, then, I won’t let you go.’ He opined. Seeing that this will start another argument that will lead her nowhere, she gave in. She hurried into her clothes and she felt guilty all the way home. It was about 9.00pm by the time she reached home. To say that the environment at home was conducive prior to her reaching home would be an understatement. Everyone at home was worried. Her parents didn’t know what to do. Should they report her inability to reach home by then to the police? They knew that the police would ask them to wait for 48 hours before they could declare her missing. She felt that that was not ideal at all, a whooping 48 hours? By then something untoward must have happened to the victim. To her, that was a long wait. She felt that the country’s legal
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-five
I will have to run away by dawn, I can’t be here being helpless. Tomorrow history shall be made once again. She shuffled her feet to the direction of the bed, and lay her exhausted body on the bed awaiting the breaking of the new day. She stood in front of the bungalow, she didn’t know if she should go further or backward. She looked at her wrist-watch it was eight minutes past six in the morning. She was apparently not ready to go in; she had become indecisive. What to do? She had left home at exactly 5.00am. It was her decision to leave before daybreak to avoid being stopped by her parents and to avoid drawing the attention of the neighbours. The name at the gate read: LITTLE ANGELS MOTHERLESS BABIES’ HOME. She swallowed the gulp in her throat, grabbed her baggage tenaciously and knocked softly at the gate to avoid waking up the little ones. No one came to her rescue immediately or were they afraid of the stranger knocking by that time of the day? She leaned on the gate hoping to g
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-six
‘Why is he still in bed? You all know the rules here. You know that there is no exception. Why would you leave him behind Susan? Why you no bring am come here, you know say we wan pray?’ She asked in pidgin English, code-mixing her words so as to carry Susan along. Pete happens to be the latest baby there, the baby of the house. He should be around five months old. ‘Ma, you know say him be get small fever, na him make I keep am behind.’ She said in crude manner scratching her head and adjusting her skirt in the process. Madam Faith looked at her in a careless manner, doubting her preparedness to catch-up with the contemporary way of living. ‘You for bring am along, in fact, you for tell me say him get small fever. Okay, if I no too ask now him whereabout, you for no tell me? Susan, Susan, eeh, how many times did I call you?’ ‘Two times madam.’ She answered in a naive and crude manner. ‘Oh! Chi m! You will not kill me o, Susan.’ Sandra said bursting into uncontrolled laughte
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-seven
One should note that if one has a responsibility to provide parental care to one’s child, one must: Name your child Provide a home for your child Protect and maintain your child Discipline your child Choose and provide education for your child Determine the religion of your child Agree to provide your child with any necessary medical treatment Allow confidential information relating to your child be disclosed where necessary You must also support your child financially Sandra allowed herself to be in that illusion where children sometimes lose their first line of protection – their family. She felt the reasons for the separation could be displacement, inability of families to care for children due to poverty, disability, domestic violence, abuse or neglect, addiction or other forms of substance abuse, or death of parents. She felt that every child has the right to grow up in a supportive, caring and nurturing family environment. Despite the growing body of evidence relating
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-eight
The madam showed her displeasure that she couldn’t pick a child she wanted to adopt from the children there. She thought she would choose one so that they could begin the legal preparations for adoption. However, she met the opposite reaction. ‘Ma’am, please may I know why you couldn’t choose any child from our home? Could it be that you don’t like our system of operation here? Madam Faith asked Nma. ‘No, no, please don’t get me wrong. I love everything about this home, but my attention is being drifted to another place. ‘And where could this be? She asked again. ‘I would like to know one thing, could you tell me who that girl that welcomed me is? She asked expectantly. ‘Oh! You mean Nkem? Madam Faith asked heaving a sigh of relief, at least she is still within the context of her environment, her own space. ‘Yes, if that’s her name.’ By now they were back to the common room and she asked Nma to sit down while she tells her all about Nkem, at least, the one that she hersel
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter twenty-nine
After few minutes, she felt the urge to poop again. She gave one sharp push, and there she was, another cute angel. Just then, the midwife cut the placenta and cleaned her up. She always wondered if she could see her other daughter ever again, not that she wanted to take her, but it would be ideal if she could know her mother. The conversation between the two sisters had taken a great deal of their time that they hadn’t realized how the time flew. They both looked at their watches at the same time. ‘Wow! I have to get going. My older brother and the wife are expected home today from their honeymoon.’ Mirabel exclaimed. ‘Really? You don’t say. You have an older brother? There’s a lot I have to know about you and your family.’ Sophia gushed. ‘Yes, sis, I do. Mum will be waiting for me to return home by now. We have planned a surprise welcome home party for them the next day. Perhaps I shall invite you over.’ ‘That will be lovely.’ Sophia grinned. ‘Alright, may I have your ph
THE COVERT IDENTITY Chapter thirty
‘Business, you said?’ Chief asked not understanding what he meant. ‘Yes sir, some other type of business, kind of personal sir.’ He said, wishing that the discussion didn’t have to extend on his personal matter. ‘I was meant to understand by your father, my senior colleague that you were coming home to take over his business.’ Chief James said unassumingly in a business manner. ‘Yes, that I would do, but right now there is only one thing on my mind of which I will let the cat out of the bag when the time is right.’ Jenkins concluded. ‘Dear, meet my wife and daughter.’ He said beckoning on mother and daughter to get closer. ‘Good evening ma’am.’ He greeted Nma with a kiss on her right hand. ‘She is really a beauty sir.’ He affirmed. ‘Of course, dear, there is no disputing the fact and I wouldn’t have loved her less.’ ‘Hello dear. What’s your name?’ He asked Mirabel, with a strange feeling of a strong connection. He felt there was something about this girl he needed to
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