AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL – EPISODE 2

At The End Of The Tunnel – Episode 2
© Jennipher Duru

After having his breakfast, Brian called his young brother Godwin to talk to him
Brian: Godwin, I think you and I both know just how much my wife and I have tried to help you settle down. We have tried to take you to school, get jobs for you but you have completely refused to make anything good out of your life. You keep doing things that not even a 12 year old boy can do. I just want you to tell me what you want in life, because I am really tired of your situation. You were here some two weeks ago and you brought a police case after involving yourself in a fight at the bar. And now you have come back again. I told mom on phone that this will be the last time I am allowing you to visit us if you don’t change.

Godwin: Brother, I do understand you and I am really sorry for all the problems I have caused you. I know that I have not been a responsible person, but I really want to change this time around. I want to settle down, have my own home and become a better person.

Brian: I am actually surprised to hear you talk like this. This is the first time I am hearing such sense coming out of your mouth. So what do you intend to do?
Godwin: There is a friend I know who is making a lot of money doing fish business. He exports some rare species that we have here. He supplies them to some Indian companies. I am thinking of doing the same thing but I have no capital. I don’t want to ask from you because you have done a lot for me. I was thinking of doing some little jobs here in town to raise that money
Brian: How much do you need?
Godwin: About 4,000 Dollars because they deal in foreign currency
Brian: Hmmm, so which job do you think will allow you to raise that amount so quickly?

Godwin: Brother to tell you the truth, I really don’t know. If you can help me get a job, I will appreciate. I just want to do something. I am tired of always relying on the money you send to us back in the village.

Brian: Ok, let me discuss with my wife. Maybe she might have some suggestions
Mama Stella came back from the wedding in the evening looking so tired. “Oh, what a day!” She said. Florence had come running immediately she heard her voice. “Mummy, what did you bring for me?” she asked.

“There, you share with your brother these chocolate souvenirs we were given” Mama Stella said. She went to the bedroom and found Brian reading. “Hello honey, I didn’t expect you to be back this early. How was the wedding?” Brian asked.

“The wedding went on well. I danced so much that my feet are aching” Mama Stella replied. Brian laughed. She went to sit near him and put her head on his laps. Brian put his book by the bedside and car-ssed her hair. “You and dancing! Go take a bath and come join in me in bed. Tomorrow is Sunday so the kids aren’t doing any lessons. Let them enjoy their cartoons. I also have something to discuss with you” he said. After Mama Stella had taken her bath, she sat down to listen to what her husband had to tell her. Brian explained every bit of the discussion that he had with Godwin.

Mama Stella: Honey, are you really serious? So you want to tell me that you trust Godwin? After everything he has done, you still want to give him this huge sum of money, not knowing how true his story is?
Brian: Honey, don’t worry. I know what I am doing. I am planning to go and visit his so called friend and verify if the business is real before I can give him any dime. And besides, he really sounded serious this time around. Let’s just give him this last chance, and as I told you some days back, this is his last chance.

Mama Stella: Hmm. Anyway, I trust your judgement honey. I just pray that he will not play the same games he always plays
Brian: Don’t worry honey. I have it all covered. Now give me a k-ss and let’s talk about something else.

Mama Stella: Oh yes! Honey, there is a certain type of kitchen ware I saw in town yesterday. I want to buy it for my kitchen. It’s so beautiful  and…

The following day, Brian and Godwin went to meet the friend as well as his Indian buyer. Mama Stella stayed back home.
Mama Stella: Nadia, Nadia, please come here

Nadia came running from the kitchen. “Yes Mummy” she answered.

Mama Stella: Sit down. I want to talk to you. Nadia, you know you are like a daughter to me and I love you very much. Your mother has given me the authority to be like a mother to you. Nadia, be very careful with Godwin. I know he is my brother in law, but you and I both know what he is capable of doing. I overheard both of you talking in the kitchen yesterday and he was asking you for your birthday and all that
Nadia: Mummy, believe me, he is the one that came to meet me in the kitchen. I didn’t call him

Mama Stella: Yes I know and that is why I am telling you to be very careful with him. Don’t hang around him so much.

Nadia: Ok mummy, I promise it won’t happen again
Mama Stella: Good. Now get the plastic bag I put on the table. There is a dress I bought for you yesterday. I thought it would look good on you.

Nadia ran toward the table “O Mummy thank you so much, and it’s my favorite color: Pink. God bless you mummy”
When Brian came back, he informed his wife that what Godwin had said was true. He showed her photos of the fish in containers and the company. Both were convinced and decided to give him a second chance.

A year had gone by and Godwin seemed to have really changed. He was starting to make some money out of the fish business and was looking more responsible. He was frequently sending some money to his parents too. He had told his brother that he wanted to start renting his own flat, but Brian asked him to wait a little bit until he had made enough profit “Once you have enough money, you can now start renting your place, otherwise you will finish all your money on rentals because houses are very expensive in this city” Brian said
Mama Stella was finally beginning to like Godwin. She could now allow him to go out with the children and have fun with them.
One day, she left the house to deliver some cakes, but suddenly remembered that she had forgotten her purse. She rushed home to pick it up. Before she entered the house, she heard some noise coming from the kitchen. It sounded like two people quarrelling and she could recognize Nadia and Godwin’s voices. She decided to sneak on them “I hope Godwin has not done something wrong to this girl” she thought to herself. She stayed near the kitchen and listened

Nadia: How dare you ask me to abort this baby! Don’t you know that I can die?
Godwin: You cannot die Nadia. May ladies have done it and they are still alive.

Nadia: Well, I am not just any kind of lady. I can’t take such a risk. When you were asking me to sleep with you, you were telling me that you love me and that you would marry me. Now that I am pregnant, you want me to abort

Godwin: I still love you and I still want to marry you, but we need to plan ahead. If Mama Stella or my brother hear this, they will be upset, that is why I want to marry you in a respectful manner. I know a pharmacist in town that can do it for you without any complications. He carried out an abortion for my friend’s girlfriend and as I am talking to you now, she is alright, she has continued with her studies and the two are back together again.

Nadia: Hmmm, are you telling me that I am going to be alright? I am scared Godwin
Godwin: Don’t be scared baby. Everything will be fine. I can take you there now.

Mama Stella’s heart sank. She began to sweat and shake. She roughly entered the kitchen and shouted “Over my dead body! Abortion is my home! What abomination have you two idiots committed?”

Nadia and Godwin looked terrified. Mama Stella got a broom nearby and tried to hit Nadia. Nadia escaped from her hands and both she and Godwin ran out of the kitchen. Nadia went to hide in the children’s bedroom while Godwin left the house.

Mama Stella was p-nting “What is this? What is this? In my home?” she said continuously. She called the driver and asked him to deliver the cakes on her behalf. She went to the children’s bedroom and banged on the door “Nadia, come out of there you foolish girl! Come out from there before I break this door!” she shouted
Nadia was weeping and shaking out of fear. She didn’t know what to do again. “Mummy I am sorry, please forgive me. Please forgive me mummy” she cried

Mama Stella’s phone rang. It was her husband. “Honey, you don’t know what has happened in this house. Godwin has made Nadia pregnant. Godwin has made Nadia pregnant!!!” she yelled

“What! How do you know? Where are they?” he answered

Mama Stella responded “Godwin has ran away while Nadia has locked herself up in the children’s room. I will kill this girl today”

Brian: Please calm down honey. Don’t do anything that you will regret. Don’t speak such words, she might get frightened and resort to doing something bad. Please calm down. I am coming home right away”

To be continued

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