Episode 24

Miguel

When Ella rushed out that night I ran after her very fast, I guess she hid somewhere cox I lost track of her. I called out to her many times but she wouldn’t answer. I returned home after waiting all to no avail.

Mom was crying, she blamed Dad for everything. She said that he shouldn’t have told Ella the truth. Dad said not to worry, that she would come back. All she needs is time to accept the truth.

We all went to bed hoping that Ella comes home the next morning but she didn’t. Dad left early to work as usual, he said that we were just worrying for no reason. Twas when he returned at night and found out that Ella’s not yet back, that he started looking into it. The next day he didn’t go to work as early as usual but he’d go to work.
Ella’s phone was at home, so we couldn’t contact her sef.

Dad came back early….

Mom: Honey, my daughter is not yet back oh

Dad: Our daughter you mean?

Mom: I told you, let’s report to the police but you declined

Dad: Ella’s fine

Mom: If any thing happens to my daughter, it’s your fault oh

Dad: Nothing will happen to her. Just relax

Mom: Honey pls, biko kwa. How can I relax when my daughter has been missing for two days now?

Dad: You worry too much haba! If you want to lament, go to the room upstairs. Don’t disturb my peace here abeg. No welcome, nothing, nothing, you just started nagging at me the moment you saw me.

Mom goes to him, took his brief and headed upstairs.

Dad: Miguel

Mike: Sir

Dad: Don’t you have any idea of your sister’s whereabouts?

Mike: I’ve checked the places she could be but she is not there

Dad: Did you try calling her?

Mike: She left her phone at home

Dad: Hmmm… Don’t worry ok. She’ll be fine. Let me goan meet your mom before she commits suicide in that room.

Dad left the parlour, I was all alone. Mom hasn’t talked to me since Ella’s disappearance. She’s been behaving strangely towards me, when I asked why she’s snubbing me, she said “Mike leave me alone oh. If I talk now, you’ll people will say I’ve talk. Just let me be, if yunno what’s good for you, you and your father should better goan find Ellie for me”. There’s nothing wrong with what she said right? But why do I feel like she’s changed towards me of late?

Am I beginning to feel like she’s changed or is it because I realized that she’s not my biological mother so I started feeling that way? But I don’t feel like that with Dad. To me, Dad hasn’t changed a bit.

Well I dunno, but I think I prefer the time my identity was hidden. If the truth didn’t come out, none of this would be happening now. Don’t you think?

The next day I didn’t wake up early. Twas the first time I had a good sleep since Ella ran out of the house. I came out downstairs to see Mom and Dad arguing again. I see, Dad didn’t go to work today …

Dad: Through out the night, Ella, Ella, Ella, Oya let’s go to the police station if that will bring you peace

Mom: Are you not even worried?

Dad: Why should I worry when I know that Ella is doing fine wherever she is? She just wants us to search for her

Mom: Then we should look for her

Dad: That will only warrant her to keep hiding

Mom: Maybe I I didn’t slap her, she wouldn’t have run away. It’s all my fault

Dad: Just calm down, everything will be fine

Mom: But why is Ella being punished alone? Both of them were in the act

Dad : Who’s punishing Ella? She ran away on her own accord

Mom: So we should just forget about them kissing, my kids?

Dad: Find Ellie first, then we can talk about that later.

Mom : I slapped Ella, Mike deserves a better slap too

Dad: Why are you diverting? If you’re not going to the station again, tell me let me go to work jareh. It’s not yet late

Mom: Work? By this time? If it’s not yet late then tell me why you always leave house around 6am for work.

Dad: To avoid your unending wahala. Abeg gimme the car keys

Mom: I didn’t take it. I thought you were with it nah

Dad: Bia, if I change my mind. I won’t go to that police station even if Ella doesn’t come back for a year.

Mom: Like seriously? Are you really not worried?

Dad: Do you think am you that cries over every little thing.

I could see it, Dad was just as worried as we are. He’s just trying to be the man of the house. Just then, my phone rang. Twas granny, we used to call her Amama…

? “Amama good morning”
? “Morning Mike, how are you?
? “Am fine, and you?
? “Good. What’s wrong with your sister?
? “My sister, how?
? “She arrived two days ago, in the evening. she’s been crying and sleeping since yesterday. What did you guys do to her?
? “You mean Ella’s in the village?
? “yes nah. I wanted to call you people yesterday but she seized my phone. Just that she’s still sleeping so your little cousin sneaked in and took the phone No clothes, no bag, nothing, nothing. Did she run away from the house?

? “don’t worry Amama, when I come I’ll tell you everything ”

? “hurry up and come oh, Am dying of curiosity ”

? “yes Ma, please make sure she doesn’t find out that you called me, else she might run again ”

? “alright my husband, take care”
? “thanks for calling Amama, I really appreciate”

? “bye”

All this while, I was in the stair case so I rushed down to the parlour….

Mike : Mom, Dad

Mom: what is it?

Dad: Yes my son

Mike : Amama just called me and said that Ella is in the village

Mom & Dad : Village?

Mom wanted all of us to go to the village with daddy’s car but Dad insisted that I am the only one going. “goan bring your sister home, I trust you ok”

And that was it, I set out to Ebonyi state…..

What will Ella do when she sees me???