What A Life

Episode 26

Mama Samantha: “So, are you saying there is nothing that we can do about it now?” she asked, eager to leave the shrine for it was making her very uncomfortable.

Spiritualist: “Of course something can be done. There is no one who seeks help from my master that goes back empty handed”.

Mama Samantha: “So, what is the solution?” she asked suspiciously.

Spiritualist: “Your daughter will have to spend 7 days and 7 nights in this shrine after which we shall perform a very expensive sacrifice that will involve the eyes of a woman who was born blind. When the sacrifice is completed, your daughter shall be made whole again. This kind of complicated sacrifice is the only one that can neutralize what has been done on your daughter”.
“What! Human blood?” Samantha and her mother chorused simultaneously.

Spiritualist: “Don’t bother about where you will find a lady blind from birth. All you need do is drop some money and I will give it to the boys as mobilization and they will search for the kind of person that we seek and kidnap her. We have done it several times, that won’t be a problem at all”.

Mama Samantha: “God forbid that I use another person child for sacrifice all in the name of looking for healing for my daughter. I can never do it”.

Samantha: “Mum, what are we still doing here? I can’t believe that we have to kill another person’s child and cause their family grief before I can get my own healing. What if it backfires? That means I will never regain my sight again and that is too bad because I know that with time God will heal me for my hands are clean”.

Neighbour: “If you ask me, I think you should consider what the baba said. Afterall, what is the stress there? You give him some money and he mobilizes some boys who would help you look for the kind of girl he wants to use for sacrifice, it is as simple as that. Shebi we use money to get what we want? How is this different? Hian” she clapped her two hands together.

Mama Samantha: “You will not know how this is different until somebody gives some people money to kill your daughter, that is when you will know that money cannot buy life. For God sake, human being not even a cow or any other animal. Tufiakwa!”

Samantha: “Mum, take me out of here now!”

They left the place and drove home in silence.

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Eno got home very tired that morning. She was glad when the security man told her that her husband had already gone to work that morning. She ran to the bathroom and had a thorough bath for she felt dirty after spending the night with the spiritualist. After her bath, she grabbed one of her wigs and wore it, she was determined to keep knowledge of her shaven hair from Dozie and she knew that was not going to be a problem as she had enough wigs to last her months.

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After Dozie closed from work, he went to Samantha’s house and refused to leave even when she slammed the door at his face. He remained outside till late into the night, refusing to go home until Samantha’s mother intervened.

Mama Samantha: “I think you should forgive him, my dear. The young man has proven that he is truly sorry for all he did to you”.

Samantha: “To what effect, mum? What is the use of me forgiving him? After all he did to me? He is already married to my best friend and there is nothing anyone can do about it”.

Mama Samantha: “I know, my dear. But forgiveness is freedom. You will be free if you forgive him. I am not saying you should make up with him, but forgiveness is of the Lord.

Now that we are praying and believing on God for your healing, I think you should let go of this hurt so that nothing can prevent your healing”.

After much persuasion from her mother, Samantha forgave him and he came back into the house.

Dozie: “Thanks for forgiving me, bae. I want to send you to a hospital in the UK for your eye treatment. I will take care of all the bills. The three of us will fly there together, you, me and your mother. We could leave the day after tomorrow if you are ready”.

Samantha: “It is a good idea but we went to see our pastor earlier in the day and he has given us some prayers and fasting to do, I think we should wait till we finish the prayers and fasting before we travel”.

Dozie: “Okay. I will join in the prayer and fasting then. Whatever it is that will cure you, count me in”.

Samantha: “Really? You fast? What will you tell your wife when she cooks and you refused to eat?”

Dozie: “I don’t have a wife. What I have is a woman leaving with me and her time is up because she lied about being pregnant, now that the pregnancy is no more, she is leaving my house as soon as I get home”.

Samantha: “How can you say she is not your wife? Are you whining me?”

Dozie: “How can I whine you? Do you know that we have never stayed in the same room since we started living under the same roof? I have never given her a peck talk more of touching her. In fact, we don’t talk and I don’t eat her food”.

Samantha: “Okay o, I have heard you”.

Dozie: “But babe, this your swollen eyes fit you o, you look sexier, I feel like kissing you, seff”. Dozie found himself falling deeper in love with Samantha despite her condition as he ran his finger on her face.

Samantha: “Go joh. You are running your mouth because I forgave you abi? Just wait for me to regain my sight, you will see what I will do to you. Kiss ko, sex ni, you better repent and give your life to God. Yeye child.” She threw the throw pillor on her chair at him.

Dozie: “Hahaha, my baby is calling me yeye child o. Okay, mummy Samantha, I have heard you. I will repent but not until I have done this”.

Samantha: “What?” Dozie drew close to her and covered her lips with a deep and passionate kiss that lasted for minutes. It was one of the longest kisses that they have had since they started dating.

They began to tease each other and Dozie was more than glad to have their days of exchanging banters back. He stayed with her long into the night before he went home.

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Immediately he got to the house, Eno was waiting for him in the sitting room. She stopped him at the sitting room’s entrance door with her hands on her waist. “And where are you coming from by this time of the night? Which married man stays outside leaving his wife till almost 11pm?”

Dozie: “Are you crazy or you are just stupid? What right have you to ask me about the time I chose to return to my home? Where were you all through yesterday? You think your mother’s lie last night is enough to keep you safe?”

Eno: “I don’t know what you are talking about. If you think you are going to use that as an escape route or looking for an excuse to cover up for your coming home late then you need to try harder. Only an irresponsible man keeps his wife waiting in the night”.

Dozie: “Don’t you ever refer to yourself as my wife again. If you must know, your time in my house has expired, the pregnancy that you capitalized on to get into my house is no more. I am not even sure any pregnancy existed but I will find out soon. Maybe it will interest you to know that I have made up with Samantha, my true love. Before I come back from the office tomorrow, I want you gone out of my life forever because I am going ahead to marry Samantha”.
Eno: “You lie! I repeat, you lie Dozie. If you think I am going to sit back and watch you bring in blind Samantha as a wife then you don’t know me. Have you seen her eyes? Do you know how that came about? Oh, because I allowed her to be alive right? Let’s see how you will go and marry her now”. She busted uncontrollably, revealing her shocking secrets.
Dozie was taken aback by her reaction. “How did you know that Samantha is blind? What do you mean by me not knowing how she became blind? Are you implying that you know something that we don’t know? In fact, what do you mean by you allowing her to be alive?”

Eno: “Erm…I…ah…I mean”.“I don’t know what you are talking about. Excuse me”. She left the door and returned to her room.

Dozie: “All I know is that your days in this house are numbered. You are leaving my house and my life for good” he shouted after her.

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Two weeks later, Samantha although still battling with the eye ailment having being preached to by the pastor had given her life to God and was praying and hoping on him for her healing. “My daughter, I am glad that you have fully given your life to God and that you now know the power of prayers”. Her mother said.

Samantha: “Oh mum, it feels so good to fellowship with the Lord. If only I had been very prayerful before now, I am sure this sort of calamity wouldn’t have befallen me. All the same, I thank God for his mercies, even if I don’t regain my sight anymore, the fact that I have God is alone for me and I am sure that I shall see again at the resurrection on the last day”.

Mama Samantha: “I am very sure that you will see again. My God will do it because he is the impossibility specialist. Remember that tomorrow is the round off prayers for our fasting, we shall be in Church all day tomorrow calling on God for mercy”.

Samantha: “Yes o, mum. I am prepared for it, indeed a day spent in the house of the Lord is more than a thousand elsewhere”.

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The next day after work, Dozie drove to the hospital where Eno was admitted when she had the miscarriage. He wanted to send her away and he was looking for a good reason to do so especially since his parents will demand for explanations before they can approve his putting her away. “Doctor, I came in respect of my wife who had miscarriage sometimes ago. You see, she is pregnant again and I just want to ask the cause of the last miscarriage she had so that we can work at avoiding a repeat of that”. He lied.