Read The Faintest Dawn (Story) Episode 22

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 22

Tina went to the guest room and found James alone with their dead daughter saying words to her, words Tina couldn’t understand but, it seemed like, he was apologizing. She stood by the door. Tina felt like going back to her room, the question she was about to ask him was demeaning but, she had to.

Tina: James, so uhm, what are you guys doing about her body?

James couldn’t look at Tina. He was crying and wishing everything never happened. No matter how he thought about it, it was his fault. James tried to speak clearly amidst tears.

James: Don’t worry Tina. We’ll get her out of here before noon tomorrow.

Tina: Okay, uhm…. If you need help, let me know.

James: Thank you Tina.

Tina: You’re welcome. I just really need her out of here by noon tomorrow. The inspectors will…..

James was tired of her incessant reminding, he had to cut her short.

James: I’ve heard you Tina. She’ll be out of here before noon tomorrow.

He was serious about it. He would spend the last money in his account to give her a befitting burial. Afterall, the money in his account was meant to be spent on his family.

Tina astonished at his harsh response just sighed and left the room.

Tina just wanted to make it clear to avoid being seen as a wicked being the next day because, if they were not out of her house by noon, she’s throw them all out. The cops were coming to her house and probably, a search would be conducted. Her parents were due to be back the the day after the next day. She needed to put her house in order and put her life in order. She also needed to talk to the gateman, if she didn’t, there’d be a lot of trouble when her parents returned.

Tina retired to her room for the night, she had a long ahead of her the next day.

Victoria was failsafe of Ola’s arrival the next morning. She pondered if she had done the wrong thing by, exposing Tina. The deed had already been done. There was no need to feel guilty.

Next, it was the cops she needed to alert but, that was going to be difficult. She knew, the inspector’s details was with Idowu, what she wasn’t sure of, was how to get it.

Idowu’s unceasing snores was getting to her every minute. She had slapped him a million times in her heart already.

She perambulated in living like a kid in a new school unsure of her movement.

Eventually, she got tired of pacing. She decided to be bold. She walked over to Idowu.

Victoria: Idowu.

She called as softly as possible, pretending to try and wake him up.

Victoria: Idowu.

This time, it was softer than the first time.

She drew closer to him, the card was in the front pocket of his shirt. The opening of the pocket could be compared to the size of a cave as the shirt he clad himself with was incredibly wide. The pocket contained his wallet and card. It was the card she needed. She had to be smart to avoid taking out the wallet too.

She slipped her fingers into the pocket, avoiding the wallet and sliding out the card as quick as possible. She held it tightly, tip-toed back to her position, she fell on the chair like a lump of wood. She was tired and the recent action she just performed sent her heart racing. Stealing was not something Victoria was used to.

“So, you’re now a thief?”, she questioned in her thoughts.

Victoria: No, I’m doing this for Laura.

She got up and moved to the guest room. Seeing her daughter on that bed was a detestable scene. She wanted to burst out in tears again. Her six year old daughter had died and she hadn’t done anything yet to punish those who caused her death.

She wished lives could be traded. She’d trade hers for her daughter’s without thinking. The sight of James on the floor was pathetic to her. She saw his as the devil in disguise of human, Idowu and Tina as his cohorts and she would send them all to hell, where they belonged.

Victoria: James, I’m coming.

James cleared his throat. Without bothering to look at her, he replied.

James: Where are you going to?

Victoria: I need to take a stroll and clear the air. I need to think.

James: Where?

Victoria: In the sky?

She hissed.

James: I’m serious.

Victoria: If you’re ready to talk to me about how our daughter would be transported tomorrow, I’m outside.

She left right away.

James was beginning to despise Victoria’s rudeness and her excruciating replies to his questions. Did she think, she was the only unhappy person? The least she could do, was to not make his life more miserable than it already was. Besides, her defamatory remarks also contributed to one of his reasons he tried to be rich.

Victoria went outside the house. The fresh air in the premises was cleansing. She inhaled and exhaled deeply like, her life depended on it. She leaned on Tina’s car. Only then did she see the view of the pulchritudinous bungalow.

She muttered

Victoria: The must be rich.

In the past, She admired the owners of such houses but, judging from her recent experiences, her recent perspective of rich people had changed as she wasn’t sure about the source of her income.

She took out her own phone from her pocket, she wasn’t gonna use Felix’s phone to call the cops. It was time to carry out the reason, she came outside.

The gateman Saw Victoria through his very small window. He didn’t know who she was talking to. Her voice was inaudible. The only words, he heard, which he strained his ears to hear were, “Hello, I’m Victoria”. Those words caught his attention and got him peeking through the window.

The generator was way too noisy.

Victoria had to explain for the umpteenth time to the inspector that she had nothing to do with the persons she mentioned. She went as far as explaining that, her daughter’s murderer would be there too. She spoke swiftly to manage the airtime on her phone.

Victoria: Please, be here before noon tomorrow. All the evidences you need about Tina is here. If you’re here before noon, you’ll also see my daughter’s body and you’ll find my husband’s boss too, a drug dealer.

Inspector: What did you say your name was?

Victoria: I’m Victoria.

Inspector: Okay, tomorrow, when we come, identify yourself as Victoria.

Victoria: I will do just that.

Victoria wasn’t sure of tomorrow’s outcome but, one thing was clarified. The station was going to be crowded. Even if, there was no evidence found in Tina’s house to implicate them, the dead body of a little girl was enough to implicate everyone.

The gateman had retired to his bed, ignoring the hunch about Victoria’s call. Her movements were suspicious but, it wasn’t so strange to him. She was Tina’s friend and according to him, Tina’s friends had weird behaviours.

Victoria went back into the house. As she shut the door, she found James standing by the door. His posture and the look on his face was frightening. For a moment, she thought he knew what she was up to until he asked.

James: Did you call your parents?

Victoria heaved a sigh of relief.

A sigh James didn’t comprehend.

Victoria: No, I didn’t.

James: Then, who did you call?

Victoria: No one.

James: I saw you through the window. I came to check on you.

Victoria’s heart would have fluttered few months ago after hearing the words, “I came to check on you”, from James but as of recent, it didn’t touch any soft spot in her for him.

Victoria: I said, no one.

James scoffed at her reply.

James: Do you expect me to believe that you just pranced about with your phone outside like a lunatic pretending to make a call. Victoria, please don’t try to make me look like a fool.

Victoria figured she’d use James’s word to elude his questions.

Victoria: James, you’re the one, who has made me the fool. You kept me in the dark, when you joined this people and causes our daughter’s death. Listen to me carefully James. Whom I call, what I do is none of your business. The only person that linked us is dead. My daughter is dead because of you so, I am under no obligation to tell you anything.

She left the door and returned to the sofa.

James was furious. He yelled on top of his voice.

James: I have heard enough of this rubbish. Do you think, I’m not sad about Laura’s demise? I…….

Victoria: You what?? You’re not happy about it? What steps have you taken to see that, her death is avenged? Don’t you dare raise your voice at me. You’re the reason, we are in this mess so, deal with whatever way I treat you or talk to you.

Idowu frowned at Victoria and James. Their useless brawl was interrupting his sleep.

Idowu: See, let’s not forget we’re in someone’s house. Let’s not disturb her peace.

Victoria: Tell James…

Victoria lay on the sofa and shut her eyes. That was the only way, she’d ignore anything James would utter.

James felt somewhat embarrassed.

Idowu was right. It was not his house. He didn’t have the right to raise his voice. The sight of Victoria on the chair was way too annoying. That familiar pain was building up in his chest. He clenched his fists and dashed out of the living room like a bear who would pounce on anything.

Somehow, Idowu noticed the card was not in his pocket. He began searching for it.

Idowu: Ah, ah, where is the card?

Victoria heard it and opened her eyes immediately.

Victoria: Here it is. I found it on the floor.

She stood up, walked over to him and handed it over to him.

Idowu: It was in my pocket. How did it get to the floor?

Any other person would panic at the sound of that question but, not v

Victoria. She was a master at dissolving cases rudely.

Victoria: How am I supposed to know?

I said I found it on the floor. You were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you up.

Idowu smiled and collected the

Card from Victoria. He didn’t believe her. He was asleep when she dipped her hands into his pocket but, the swift movement she made with her fingers tickled his left n—-e through his shirt so, he awoke. He even saw her tiptoe to the other sofa…

Idowu: you didn’t want to wake me. That’s why you dipped your hand into my pocket….

Victoria froze. The audacity she had had crawled back into it’s shell, leaving a very speechless Victoria.