Roses And Thorns episode 9

Roses and thorns CHAPTER NINE
By Jennifer Godwin
It was on a Friday, the day Joel’s fiance was being buried and as well a very hectic day for him. Mercy’s father said he wanted his daughter to be buried in his house in the city. Joel looked out from the window upstairs as fleets of cars kept on entering the compound. There were five canopies already set up outside and people had already filled them up. Joel was dressed in his full camouflage, he wanted to honor his dead fiance for the last time.
“Are you ready captain?” Ebube asked stepping into the room.
“Yes, i am” Joel replied sadly as he picked up his cap.
“Okay then let’s go, the MC is calling for you, it’s your turn to read the funeral oration.” he replied leaving the room.
They got downstairs and Joel walked straight to the MC giving him a tap on the shoulder. The MC noticed his presence and spoke into the microphone.
“Captain Joel is here for the oration, let’s listen attentively” he said handing Joel the microphone.
Joel took the microphone and let out a full breath before he started
“Mercy and i have come a long way, we planned on getting married upon my return from Somalia, we loved each other so much that we couldn’t wait to say i do at the alter, but our dreams were cut short when someone killed her.” He stopped, dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief and then continued.
“I made a promise to her that i will put her killer behind bars and i will stop at nothing till i fulfill the promise. farewell my morning Rose, goodbye my sunshine, go well the love of my life, my oyibo pepper, i will never rest until i find your killer, rest well until we meet to part no more” he said giving the MC back the microphone, he walked towards Ebube who had his hands opened for a consoling hug.
“It’s okay man, you will be fine” Ebube told him while patting his back.
“So i will never get to see mercy again? Jesus Christ !!!, it is too painful” he sobbed.
“I know how you feel Man trust me, but if only tears could bring back the dead, she would have been back to life already because her mother already cried an ocean.” Ebube replied soothingly.
“I will surely find her killer, that’s a promise” he said gritting his teeth.
“Yo man, there is this suspicious guy that is staring at you right now, he is standing beside the black Prado Jeep, just stylishly check” he whispered to Joel as he slowly disengaged from the hug.
Joel wiped his tears and lifted his gaze towards the black Prado Jeep, he saw a slim tall guy, he wore a face cap, a hoodie and a very big sunshade, his dressing showed he wanted to hide his face from people. He carefully watched him not wanting to take his gaze off and at that moment, the lady he saw at the dump site walked past heading towards the gate, then the suspicious looking young man followed her almost immediately.
“I will be back bro” Joel said to Ebube heading towards the gate.
“Where are you going to” Ebube asked but then Joel had already gone far off, he decided to follow him in case he wanted to do anything stupid.
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Melody hissed again as she walked towards the gate and outside the compound. Madam Bola, the caterer they contracted for the ceremony sent her to the company Van parked outside the compound, she was told to bring the remaining cooler of rice so that it could be transferred to the buffet. The woman hated Melody the moment she saw her because she wasn’t one of her staff, she wanted just her girls to do the job and collect the money. Melody rolled her eyes, if not that Mama Kola had put too much effort into getting the job for her, she would have gone home with anger.
She walked straight to the Van, unlocked it and almost scre-med at the size of the cooler.
“Hiaa ooo, i hope they are not expecting just me to carry this big cooler of rice? abegggii, i can not come and kill myself because of 20 thousand naira, person wey don die no dey come back to life again” she said locking up the Van.
She decided to go and call for help, she had only walked few metres away from the Van when an erie feeling got hold of her, the same strong male cologne from the other night hit her nose, her heart started beating fast, she started walking fast towards the gate. She decided to look back and check if she would see anybody, she bumped into someone and almost scre-med before she saw who it was. “The handsome soldier man that read the oration few minutes ago”.
“Thank God it is you sir, i nearly peed on my body” she said breathing heavily.
“What are you doing here? and why do you look scared” Joel asked wondering what she could be doing at the funeral but then when he saw the T-SHIRT she wore, he immediately knew that she came with the catering company.
“I was sent to get a cooler of rice that is why am outside, but then i had the feeling that i was being watched, i walked away in fear before i bumped into you.” she said trying to calm herself down.
“Wait a minute, how did you know someone was watching you?” Joel asked.
“The person followed me the other night down to my street, and when i told my neighbor to help me flash her torch, the stalker ran away” she said already breathing normally.
“Okay? how did you know he followed you today?”
“his cologne sir, i perceived it the other night when he followed me and i still perceived it today” she replied.
“What did you say you came out to do again?” Joel asked.
“I came to get a cooler of rice”
“Where is it then?” he asked
“It is too big for only me to carry, i was going to get help before you came out” she shrugged.
“Come let me help you” he said heading towards the Van.