Literary Corner:The Mistake Of My Life Ep7 & 8

: THE MISTAKE OF MY LIFE

(EPISODE 7)

Mady sent for me later in the evening.Ona led me to see her, leading me directly to Mady’s room. A well furnished spacious room adorned with beautiful red curtains and a goldstar colour TV. I couldn’t help but feast my eyes on the beautiful things surrounding me.

Mady was comfortably sitting on her bed when we got there. A newspaper resting on her laps, making her look like a female military administrator. She smiled as soon as she noticed our presence and nodded to Ona.

“thanks for bringing her, you can now leave us” she said calmly to Ona, who quickly obeyed and left the room.

“come sit here my dear” she said to me, pointing to a small chair facing her bed. I nervously obeyed without a word.

“hope you are getting acquainted with your new home?” she asked curiously, examining me with her eyes.

“oh yes, thanks alot, you are so kind” i replied gratefully.

“Ona did a good job with your hair. I like your new look” she said smiling, while i blushed.

“anyway i invited you here for something important. I really can’t wait till tomorrow because you know time is money, moreover i will like you to sleep over what i have to tell you” she said slowly, keenly observing my reaction.

I nodded calmly, my heart beating furiously. I couldn’t imagine what could be so serious for her to invite me by that hour. 10:30pm the wall clock in her room displayed.

“i invited you here because of your daughter Winnie. I will very much love to adopt her. She’s very cute and i promise she will have the best life can offer. I will give you N200,000 ” she said.

A cold shiver ran through me. That was a huge amount, i reasoned. At least with that, i could start up something. But i beheld my daughter’s image and shook my head.

”I can’t accept it Ma, i want to be with my daughter” i replied.

“Go and think about it and talk to me tomorrow. Remember, you don’t need the child now. you don’t have anybody to take care of you. you have to move on with your life as a young girl that you are” she finally said and dismissed me.

“N200,000!?,” Ona exclaimed, you are lucky. the other time, she gave blessing N100,000 to have her child” I was suprised at what Ona said and i asked “where is the baby now?”

“nobody knows”she replied.

”and where is blessing now?” i asked

“Few days from now, you will start doing what she is doing. you have to survive. use what you have to get what you want” Her explanation baffled me.

“prostitution? God forbid. Over my dead body.” That night, i didn’t get enough sleep, i was looking at the time to know when it will be dawn, so that i will go to Mady and demand for my daughter and leave this place. I know God won’t
reject me if everybody does.

But do i think i would get back my daughter so easily?
*************

EPISODE 8

I knocked on Mady’s door thrice before she opened it. I greeted her. she yawned, looked at the wall clock hanging on the wall. It was 5.45am.

“How was your night?” she asked.

“fine” i replied.

She made to usher me in, perhaps to hear me tell her ‘yes, i will accept the offer’ but i was reluctant. She noticed and asked if there’s any problem.

“I want to see my child” i told her.

She looked at me intently as if she didn’t know it was i. After much staring, she told me that my child is with the nursery mistress.

“Where do i find her?” i asked.

She said nothing. All she did was to walk into her room and come back with a little bag. she handed it over to me.

“This is the money we talked about. take it and leave. I have taken your daughter as mine already. Go and get ready with the rest girls, you are going on your first outing with them today?” She said and shut the door.

“Noo i don’t want your money. I need my daughter. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Give my my daughter so i can leave” i kept shouting as i hit the door hard. I threw away the money. I can never exchange my Winnie, the first fruit of my womb for money.

I was still there when three Hefty men came out from nowhere and ordered me to keep quiet. I refused. One of them gave me the hardest slap i ever received since i was born. I had no other choice than to keep quiet amidst sobs.

They locked me in one room. I knew Mady ordered them to do that. I cried bitterly. I prayed to God to hearken unto my cries for i know i have sinned. I cursed the day i slept with Nnamdi. I cursed the day i met him.
Throughout that day, i was locked up with no food nor water. I became very weak.

It was around 10pm that i heard the door open slightly. Ona creeped in and signaled to me to keep quiet. She locked the door and gave me the food she brought for me.

“I saw what happened. I have been looking for a chance to bring you something but i found none. Please eat the food fast before Mady finds me here” she whispered.

After eating, she told me that Mady locked me up so that i will die of starvation. Ona said Mady has killed countless girls in that manner. I was really surprised at this that i gave out a loud gasp.

“But because i found out you are a nice person, i decided to help you. I put something in that ”three men’s” drink to make them sleep. I want you to escape”She said.

I was really touched with this kind of kindness.

“But how do i escape without my daughter?” I asked.

It was then Ona told me that my daughter has been taken away. She gave me some money, led me carefully out of the house and bade me safe journey.

“Thank you so much Ona. God will bless you” i said as i left.

I looked into the darkness of the night with a great fear, not knowing where to go. I wondered if i could survive that night and if i can ever see my daughter again.

FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN EPISODE 9