The Puzzle Episode 17 – 18

The Puzzle

Episode 17

FALLING APART*
Roseline ran to her husband as he walked to the bedroom. She knelt before him and held on to his feet, crying with so much pain.

“Please sweetheart, I didn’t cheat on you. I am so sorry I said what I said about me having an affair. It isn’t true, you have to believe me please. It is true that I do feel lonely because of your absence and our lack of rom-nce and intimacy but no man has ever seen my uncladness apart from you, I can swear with anything . David, my life is going to be empty without you, don’t leave me please…”

“Roseline, get out of my way. Tell me why I should believe you. Why did you go for a pregnancy test and even collected the result without informing me if truly you have no skeleton in your cupboard? Tell me, why did you hide such a thing, considering the fact that we had both been trying for another baby since Debbie clocked two. Was it not supposed to be a good news, why keep it to yourself?”

“Noooooo, I didn’t plan to cover it up. I intended telling you when you arrive, please sweetheart, I have no skeleton in my cupboard. Forgive me of my stupid utterance last night.”

“I can perceive that you are not ready say the truth, I can’t harbour a bastard under my roof. Roseline, leave me alone.

U can send hi to Lordsamuel on 0543589658 to be added to adults chat room to enjoy more stories.

Don’t let me lose my temper on you.” David replied, releasing himself from her grip.

“Have mercy on me sweetheart, please believe me, I have no other person apart from you, if you leave me, how will I live without you?” She cried on and on. All her cries fell on deaf ears, David’s mind was made up.

He walked towards the room and met Debbie as she was just getting out of her room.

“Hey daddy!” She greeted sleepily. Where’s mommy?”

“Hello Debbie, how was your night?” Your mum is in the living room. Go and get dressed, I am travelling this morning and you are going with me.”

“To where dad, is mum going with us too?”

“No daughter, she will look after the house while we are away, you know she will go to work too.”

“But Dad, how about my school?”

“Don’t worry about all that Debbie. Daddy will take care of everything. Now run along, brush your teeth and come for tea.” David replied on a final note and entered the bedroom.

“Mommy, Mommy! Where is Dad taking me to?” Debbie rushed excitedly to the living room in search of her mom but she wasn’t there.

Roseline had left the living room immediately she heard her daughter’s voice. She believed it wasn’t proper for Debbie to see her in that state. She had picked her bag and walked quietly out of the house.

“Mommy! Where are you? She called and went back to the bedroom room in search of her Dad.

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Roseline was almost running. She needed to see Pastor on time before the Sunday service starts. She must quench this sudden fire that is about to destroy her marriage. She continued trying pastor’s number all the way but it was switched off. Pastor’s wife’s number got through but she didn’t pick the calls. She quickly got a motor bike to take her to the church premises on time.

She knew the one person her husband would listen to was Pastor Daniel, and she strongly hoped all the troubles will be resolved soon.

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AT TEXAS

Eliz and her daughter Daniella were seated on the couch in the living room watching a soap opera.

“Mom, when are we going to see Dad again? I miss having a Dad so much. Daniella asked suddenly.

“Hmmmmmm, I don’t know yet honey. He is a very busy man, he is not planning to come to Texas at the moment.”

“Then, we should go to him, can’t we? I want to see Dad again. I miss having a Dad around me mom, whenever I see my friends with their daddies, I feel inferior…”

“Okay…

Okay, Daniella, you want to go to Nigeria?”

“Yea mom!” She shouted gleefully.

“Alright dear. Grandma’s burial is in two weeks. I will take you with me to Nigeria so you can see Daddy again. Is that okay by you?”

“Yea mom, that will be fine! Shall we finally stay with Dad in Nigeria?”

“No Daniella! You are stressing mommy okay? We will go there only for a short visit, then we will be back to Texas.”

“Oooooohhhhh mommy, but why? Why can’t we live together like Sharon and Catherine’s parents, why mom?”

Eliz stood up from the couch and picked her phone pretending to receive a call from a friend.

“Hello babe…” She said walking towards the stairs that leads to the bedroom.

“Mommy,” Daniella called after her smiling mischievously. “Are you really receiving a call or trying to avoid me? Look at this!” She held out a rectangular object.

Eliz felt so stupid, Daniella was holding the battery of her phone. She had removed it while they were watching Television…

“Come here, you naughty girl, Eliz charged after her daughter as she ran past her towards the stairs…”

To be continued…

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Heeeeeeeee! You can hærdly deceive children of nowadays… So, Eliz is coming to Nigeria soon. She should come quickly.

Roseline on the other hand is trying to put out the fire she started by herself. Let’s hope she will be able to…

Men who are quiet can be dangerous, when their minds are made up, forget it, you are a goner!

Understand the personality of your spouse and avoid things that can really get at them.

BACK HOME*
Fortunately for Rose, she arrived at the church premises as soon as pastor drove in. She ran to him and explained all that happened between her and her husband.

“Pastor, please help me. I know you are the only one that can stop him from leaving home. I have been careless, please help me talk to my husband. I have called him countless times, he didn’t pick my calls.” She pleaded.

“Take it easy Sister Rose, the matter will be resolved . Let me give him a call.” Pastor replied.

He called David immediately but he didn’t pick up. Both of his lines rang continuously.

“You know what sister Rose? You go back home now. I will leave here in the next 10minutes and come straight to your place.

You really made a great mistake. Why didn’t you confide in me all these while before things got out of hand? You should seek counsel instead of seeking solace in a man who is not your husband. The Bible says: ‘In the multitude of counsel, there is safety…’ Anyways, God will take control. Don’t worry, I will talk to Bro David, the devil is a liar, all will be well in Jesus name.”

“Amen sir,” Rose answered and left.

Shortly after Roseline left the church premises, a message came in on Pastor Daniel’s phone.

“I am sorry that I didn’t pick your call sir. Don’t bother talking to me on behalf of Rose.

I need to leave that house right now so I won’t misbehave. I am on my way to the house of one of my colleagues. I will call you later sir.”

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Rose got back home only to discover that David had left the house with Debbie. She searched all the rooms frantically, hoping to see Debbie or hear her voice. She wished it was all a nightmare. She tried her husband’s lines again but he ignored her calls. This is a man who hated missing her wife’s calls in time past. She knew she had bitten more than she could chew. The more the reality of what just happened dawned on her, the more tired and sorrowful she became. Her pregnancy condition is not helping matters either.

She sat on the bare floor of the living room, crying hysterically, tears of lose and regret.

It is indeed true that you may not know the value of what you have until you lose it. Aside God, family is everything…

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Dr Michael left the hospital after attending to some patients that Sunday morning. He was famished and so decided to visit a fast food restaurant in town to get something to eat. He had barely settled down to consume the plate of food he had earlier ordered when David and Debbie entered the restaurant.

David wanted to get some snacks and food for Debbie because she only took tea before they left home. As for him, his appetite seems to have disappeared…

Immediately Michael set his eyes on Debbie, he spat out the drink he had earlier sipped out of his mouth.

“Whaaaaaat?” He scre-med, calling the attention of nearly everyone present. “What the hell?!”

“Daniella? In Nigeria?”

He stood up immediately and walked up to where they both stood.

“Hello Mister, what are you doing with my daughter?” He challenged David, who stared at him like he was a mad man.

David looked at Michael from head to toe. “Are you sure you are alright sir?” What daughter are you talking about? Have you been drinking? This is my own daughter!”

Michael took a good look at Debbie again and repeated, “she is my daughter, Daniella!

Daniella, can’t you see daddy? Here is your Dad sweetheart, what are you doing with this man? Where is your mom, where is Eliz?”

Debbie looked at her dad, then the strange man and replied, “I am not Daniella, my name is Debbie.”

By now, nearly all the staff and customers seated in the restaurant were watching the ongoing drama.

“How come my daughter is in your custody Mr. Man?” Michael challenged David further and grabbed Debbie’s other hand. David shouted, “Security, it seems this man had too much to drink!”

People gathered around them and rescued Debbie from Michael’s grip. The security men soon entered. “What’s going on here? They demanded.

Before any of them could speak David’s phone rang. It was a strange number. He ignored it and turned to the security men, and replied. “This man here is trying to claim my daughter and I don’t understand why. He keeps calling her Daniella while my own daughter’s name is Debbie.”

The security men turned to Debbie and asked for her name,

“My name is Debbie,” she replied them.

“Who among them is your dad?” They asked further, Debbie replied by pointing at David.

Young man, what proofs do you have to lay a claim on another man’s daughter? One of them asked Michael.

Michael looked confused. One thing he was sure of was the fact that Daniella can recognize him very well. They do see each other often through video calls. Though, the last time he saw her face to face was when she was six, he had travelled to Texas to visit them. That was two years ago.
Since then, they had only talked on phone. ”

But why is she denying me?” He kept wondering…

When the security men couldn’t get a prompt answer from him, they whispered to each other that he might be drunk or probably a mental case…

Meanwhile, David’s phone had been ringing all these while. He decided to pick up. He thought it may be one of his clients…

“Hello, Mr. Evans, it’s Evelyn your neighbour,” came the panicky voice of the caller. “I just tried checking on your wife now on my way to church but I met her unconscious on the floor of the living room, please come over, I have been trying to revive her all to no avail.” She cried.

“What? My wife?! Jesus! He pushed Michael out of his way, took hold of Debbie and nearly flew out of the restaurant. Michael rushed after them, entered his car also and gave David’s car a hot pursuit

“For Daniella to be with this man, he must also know the whereabouts of Eliz,” he reasoned. But could it be that Eliz got married to another man without my knowledge. Could it be that it was Eliz’s body that was found on the floor? I must get to the root of this matter…”

He thought all the way.

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Come and see car race! So David was just doing shakara before. Hmmmmmm, it’s good to marry a man who truly loves you, even when you have your faults, he will love you still…

Okay guys, what do you think?

Don’t worry, we shall solve this puzzle very soon.

Tbc