SAKADINIA - Episode 3

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“Do you like the food? If you’d informed me of your home
coming I’d have prepared something for you dear” Helen
poured some juice into his glass.
“Thanks mu’m okay with this” Mark smiled sheepishly at
his mother.
“Where is dad? And Rose? It’s almost evening and none
of them is yet home” Mark checked his watch.
” Your father went for a programme, I know that for sure,
but your sister? I don’t know where she is” Helen sighed
and settled into the chair. By now, Nelson had found a
way out of that cursed room, she trusted him, but she
wouldn’t drag him into the secret she shared with her
husband and her daughter.
Pastor Ita, her husband was a good man, she believed
this strongly, he was too good for her. He was prayerful,
loving, caring and he took his responsibility as a father
seriously, that showed how nice of a man she was. That
was why she felt guilty for dragging him into the mess her
daughter had created.
It happened one hot sunny afternoon, Rose had rushed
into her room looking frightened, she follows her
daughter to Gracy’s room and realized the maid had
written a note and was ready to run when Rose had
found her and they had fought, Gracy’s head had collided
against the wall and she died instantly.
As a mother, she knew she had to protect her daughter,
and as a wife, she had to protect her husband’s
reputation as a pastor, so it was her whole idea they
discard the body, they had cut the corpse into bits and
buried it in the garden.
“They will be back soon” she forced the memories out of
her mind. She didn’t feel guilty, she only did what was
necessary for her family to survive.
“So why didn’t you go along with him”? Mark asked.
” I had other things to attend to” she replied curtly.
“Okay, I guess you have to do all the chores now, since
Grace vanished” Mark gulped some water.
The mysterious disappearance of Grace had hurt him
greatly as he had fallen in love with her, he was deeply
hurt when he realized she had left without saying
goodbye.
“Yes, but your father, told me he would get us a new
maid” Helen replied, she tried to change the topic of
discussion, hearing the mention of “Grace” made her feel
uncomfortable.
“I hope she would be as nice as Grace” Mark said.
Though Grace had been a maid, she was very smart and
intelligent and he had vowed to help her with her
education before she disappeared. He still hoped he
would see her once again.
They had fallen into silence for a few minutes, each to
their own thought when the door bell rang and Helen rose
to her feet to answer it, she knew her daughter must have
been the one, they still had a lot to discuss.
Rose had not told her what had led to her fight with Grace
that afternoon, she needed to speak with her daughter in
private and she needed to warn her to keep their secret,
else it could destroy their family.
“Good afternoon Madam” my lips quavered nervously as I
looked into the eyes of a woman whom I knew instantly
would be my Madam.
“Grace?” Helen held her breath as she stood face to face
with the maid her daughter had killed.
“Grace”? I was confused, I could see the fear and shock
in the woman’s eyes but I couldn’t comprehend it, I
couldn’t understand why she looked so scared.
I had arrived Calabar with Joy, but she had left me after
receiving a call from one of her numerous boyfriends who
resided in that part of town. So she had left me with the
address and some money for my fare down to her uncle’s
house.
I was so confident that everything would be fine, that I
would get this job and work for some money, but one
look at the woman before me, I really doubted that.
Tbc