HOUSE OF SECRETS – Episode 1

HOUSE OF SECRETS EPISODE 1

There is a house on Maryland Street, Cross River State.
It has a blue roof and its body is painted milky white.
This house is built on Secrets.
episode 1
*****
My father had just died three months earlier, his body was not yet laid to rest, this was because we had no money.
“Poverty is a sin, how can he still roam this earth when he’d departed long ago”? Mama cried and wiped her eyes with the edges of her old wrapper.
” Mama, you need to pull yourself together, there would be a way out, just believe in God” I tried to console her. I hated the way we were, the way we lived, like rats caved in a h0le, we were as poor as that but that never wavered my dreams, I had made up !y mind to conquer poverty, and thati could only achieve through education.
“I doubt if there is a way out of this one Ajunwa, there is no way, no one is here to help us, all your uncles have abandoned their brother’s body to rot, I doubt if there is a way out of this one” she sobbed louder.
I cried along with her, she was right, there was no way out. I had finished secondary school five years back, yet there was no money for me to further my education. I had hoped to find myself a job, but it was difficult finding one talk more of keeping it for a long while.
“Mama, I will find a way out of this” I inhaled deeply. I knew my mother would object to the idea, but that was all I could do to help her and my five little younger ones. My best friend, Joy, had spoken to me about it. Unlike myself, Joy was already in her final year at the University of Calabar, under the sponsorsh¡p of her wealthy Uncle whom I was to work for.
“What way ehn? What way Ajunwa? I would never allow you go into pr-stitution to save this family” she sat upright and stared deeply at me.
“No mother, it isn’t pr-stitution” I replied calmly.
“Then what”? She arched her brow.
” I want to be a maid” I replied quietly, that was the only thing I could think of.
***
“He is gone, they are all gone” Nelson rushed into his Madam’s bedroom, his boss’ wife was a very beautiful woman and he found himself to be very lucky to have her as his girlfriend.
He was a graduate of Mass Communication, he had searched for a job for more than two years, he got tired of searching and decided to find gimslef something doing, that was how he became Pastor Ita’s personal driver.
“Are you sure”? The beautiful Mrs Helen Ita asked her lover.
” Yes, he left with the church driver’ Nelson nodded eagerly, he couldn’t wait to devour her body.
Helen Ita was in her mid forties but she looked nothing like forty, though she had mature kids, she still looked very young. She was not !much of a tall woman but she had a flawless and radiant milky white skin, well rounded h¡ps and large b—–s and a face to die for.
“So what are you going to do to me today”? Helen winked and dragged Nelson’s slender body into her arms. She had grown to love him, though he was younger than she was, he made her feel young again, not her fanatic husband who had no time for his family but the church.
” I want to make you squirt, then I’ll lick you all over again” he dragged her l-ips with his teeth, she gro-ned and yanked his shirt off him, revealing a nest of dark hairs, Nelson was not just a good lover, he was a cute one.
“I love you” Helen whispered to him.
“I love you too” he replied and lifted her to the bed. They didn’t usually make love in her matrimonial bed, she had designated a special room for that.
He car-ssed her neck for some minute, then his mouth fell on her t–s while his hands rubbed her honeyed h¡ps.
“Awwwww baby” Helen gro-ned as he pleasured her.
His hands decided to explore her beautiful body further, they found a place beneath her abdomen, where she was already dripping for him.
“I can’t wait to feel you in,side me” she writhed as he touched her core with his fingers.
“Me too” he parted her legs and was ready to plunge in, when something fell down from the cupboard and she scre-med as they both found a decaying human hand.
Human Hand???


***
“A maid”? She repeated and gazed deeply into my eyes, I knew she wouldn’t agree, but she had no choice, I had to do something to help our family.
” Yes mother, please don’t say no! , this is the only opportunity I have, Joy has assured me that this Pastor is genuine and his wife is a nice person too, so I’ll be fine” I replied.
I was sure of this, Joy had so much faith in her Uncle and his family and I shared in her conviction that I would be fine.
“How can you think of being a maid? You don’t know these people, I would not Let you out of my sight, Ajunwa, do you hear me”? She rose to her feet.
” Mother, I am not asking for your permission, you are being difficult here, why do you want to stand on the way of something that would help us out eventually?” I was slightly bitter about her refusal.
“How can you say something like that, I want what’s best for you, but being a maid is out of it” her eyes brimmed with tears and this made me more uncomfortable.
“Mother, I need money for us and for father’s burial and If possible, I would save up for school, so just let me be, I’m leaving with or without your consent” I rose angrily to my feet and stormed out.
I heard my Nokia phone ring and I rushed to pick it, I knew it would be Joy, I was already prepared for the journey.
“Hello Joy, how are you doing”? I was nervous but I played cool, I prayed this worked out well.
” Aju, I am fine, there’s a little problem…” Joy paused and I panicked inwardly, didn’t her Uncle want me anymore?
“What is it”? I asked.
” My Uncle couldn’t make it to the village, you know he is a pastor, he is hosting a program on his church, but he asked me to take you there, if you are ready, we could live for town now” Joy answered and I felt relieved.
“Wow, that’s good, I’m already packed, give me few minutes, I’ll be there” I answered and threw the phone carelessly on the bed.
I quickly changed my clothes and slid on my best looking ones, I inhaled deeply and carried my bag outside, I had to do this.
“Are you really going child”? My mother cried.
” Yes Mother” I walked away from her as fast as my legs could carry me, I didn’t want her tears to dissuade me, I was doing this for all of us.
In my hurry, I failed to hear the words she whispered to herself or the doubts that were buried in her eyes.
***
“Oh my God, is that a human hand”? Nelson leapt from his lover, a strange stench filled the room and they both rushed towards it.
” I don’t know, let’s get out of here” Helen whispered fearfully.
“No, I think we should search the room, what if there’s a body here”? Nelson scanned the room, something weird was happening.
” That’s not a good idea, I think we should leave, I’ll get someone to clean up the room, let’s go” Helen slipped on her clothes and urged him on.
What was a human hand doing in the old maid’s room?
They had a maid, Grace by name, but she packed up her bags and left the house mysteriously, though she dropped a written note, explaining her reasons for running off like that.
“Are you sure that’s safe? What if I clean this up myself? You know your husband’s place in the society, if other servants should see this, something may come out of it, so let me find a place in the garden and bury it” Nelson rubbed her face gently.
“You’re always so considerate, I never thought about that, I love you” Helen k-ssed him.
“This stays between us, it’s our own secret” she quickly added.
“Really? Won’t you tell your husband about it”? Nelson was confused,
” No, it’s just a hand, God knows where that came from, I’m not really interested, just get on with the cleaning” Helen waved him off.
“Okay” Nelson replied quietly, she was not being honest with him.
She was about to speak when they heard a loud knock on the door, they both exchanged glances.
Who was it?
Helen froze, she was quite sure they were home alone, her husband was out and her kids were seldom home.
“Mum, it’s me, Mark” he rapped the door a second time.
“Okay Mark, I’m coming” Helen sighed with relief.
“Hide” she whispered to Nelson who understood and fetched the human hand and his behind the huge cupboard.
“What are you doing here mum? I heard you talking to someone? I arrived few minutes ago, been looking for you, the gateman told me you were home’ Mark smiled and hugged his mother.
” Welcome darling, I was just checking round the house, some rooms need renovation” Helen smiled. She felt more relaxed knowing her husband was still far away, she would make love to Nelson later.
“Let me see it” he tried to enter but Helen blocked him.
“Let’s have lunch first” she smiled and embraced him, she couldn’t let Mark into the room, it was too risky.
Mark was the only one in the family who was unaware of Grace’s death.
****
“Come to me baby, I really missed you, Helen is always at home and I find it hærd to come to your room” the man closed the hotel room gently and walked over to his lover on the bed.
Rose wore a bikini and folded her legs across, she ignored him at first, how could he abandon her like that for her old mum?
“Darling? Talk to me” he knelt beside her.
“What if I tell you mum has a lover? Would that make you leave her side?” Rose asked,
It all started when she was a child, her father, had given her light pecks, from light pecks to k-sses before he started touching her private areas and later making love to her. She was scared at first, scared and confused, but she later begun to enjoy it.
“No, Helen is faithful, just forgive me, I’ll create more time for you” he k-ssed her l-ips and lifted her up.
“I want you to make love to me” Rose sighed and slid off her p-nties.
They had been this way for many years, they loved in secret.


HOUSE OF SECRETS CONTINUES