Chapter 75

"Hold on..." Mr. Michaels finally spoke again. "Are you saying that you were actually pregnant before you came to Nigeria?" He asked Grace.

"Yes, sir, I was." Grace bluntly replied and Mrs. Michael gasped. "My mother here is selfish, overbearing and evil. After her white husband raped and impregnated me, in order to hide his deed. She prevented me from reporting to the police then brought me down to Nigeria to marry me off to Stephen and also use the pregnancy as a trap. She told me that after Stephen marries me, I was free to abort the pregnancy and lie that I had a miscarriage. In order to make me comply, she used my drug addiction against me by forcing me to do things that I didn't want to. She made me force myself on Stephen but when I met Eric, I fell in love with him, and with his help, I was able to get some drugs which helped terminate the pregnancy."

By the time Grace finished, Mrs. Michaels had her hands over her open mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. "MERCY EWEALA!!!" Mrs. Michaels uttered in shock but Mrs. Eweala sheepishly lowered her gaze. "So this was your plan all along?! Jesus! So you were going to lure my son into a marriage that your daughter also didn't want?! Ha! You are very wicked! How could you?! So you were going to pin your husband's pregnancy on my own innocent son?! Just how callous are you?!"

"Oh, sorry, did I mention that Mrs. Eweala also promised to pay me the sum of seven million naira if I agreed to refuse Stephen's proposal and also pack up and leave before the anniversary?" Violet revealed now.

"You liar! You have no evidence!" Mrs. Eweala refuted.

"Really? Don't I? You seem to forget so quickly, ma'am." Violet pulled out a cheque from her flat purse, straightened it, placed it on the table and pushed it towards Mr. Michaels. "That's two point five million naira, sir, in dollars. She promised to balance up today."

Mr. Michaels examined the cheque then passed it to his wife. "It's true!"

Fuming, Mrs. Michaels glared at her friend with contempt. "I'm glad that we are not going to be in-laws after all. Know what? I want you to go upstairs, pack your things and get the hell out of my house now!"

"Honey, you just used the word- hell." Mr. Michaels murmured.

"I don't care!" Mrs. Michaels replied. "She's a bitch!"

"Fine, I'll go! But I'm leaving with my daughter!" Mrs. Eweala stated.

"No, you are not! She's going to remain here with us and we are going to take her to the rehab since you failed to do just that as a mother!" Mrs. Michaels countered.

"You must be silly if you think that I' am going to let you take my daughter away from me!" Mrs. Eweala said coldly.

Mrs. Michaels stood up now, walked around the table to face her friend eye to eye then quietly stated in a menacing tone. "Grace is an adult and she can decide where she wants to stay and whom she wants to be with, and from the look of things, you do not deserve to be her mother. You are not worthy, so I'll advise you to return to that rapist husband of yours in Amsterdam before I tear you to shreds. As for the money, Grace will cash out this two point five million naira to take care of herself and start a new life in Nigeria and you and your husband will send the balance of four point five million naira so that she could start a business of her choice or sustain herself with the money until she can get a better job. Failure to do so, I'll not only put my daughters to the task of calling out your rapist husband on social media, I'll so report you to the police for being in possession of hard drugs, and you know just how ugly the situation can become because your so-called preacher husband will divorce your sorry ass just to save his face! And just in case you think that I'm only bluffing, dare me, Mercy, and I'll gladly show you the other side of Eucharia Michaels!" 

Glaring into her friend's eyes and unable to say a word, Mrs. Eweala finally turned and angrily walked out of the dining room. "Yeah! You better run, bitch! Run!" Mrs. Michaels yelled after her.

"Mum!!!" The twins called in surprise.

Mrs. Michaels turned to look at her daughters then asked with open hands. "What?" Then she waved a dismissive hand towards them. "Let mummy be jare. She's in the mood today!" She had barely finished saying this when Grace suddenly caught her off-guard by suddenly wrapping her in a hug.

"Thank you so much, ma." Grace said emotionally, with her eyes squeezed shut. "Thank you so so much!"

"It's okay, dear." Mrs. Eweala patted her on the back. "You have always had a mother in me since you were a child. It's just unfortunate you have my friend for a mother." They finally separated and Mrs. Michaels returned to her seat and found her husband giving her an amused look. "What?" She asked with a smile as she resumed eating.

"I must say that I've never seen this part of you before, Eucharia." Mr. Michaels whispered. "It's like that gbiish-gbiish we had yesterday morning had reset your brain." 

Mrs. Michaels laughed quietly then whispered back. "As a matter of fact, I need another one immediately after dinner... The one you called wheelbarrow. I need to try that."

"And someone will think that you are not spoilt like this!" Mr. Michaels pulled her cheek.

"Abeg, leave me jare." She shrugged his hand away, laughing. Then she turned to Violet and said. "Violet dear, I've seen you practicing and I must say that your flexibility skills are very impressive. Old age is making me all stiff and rusty in places and I'll like you to teach me some kegel exercises, that's if you don't mind."

Violet exchanged surprised looks with Stephen and eagerly replied with a smile, "I don't mind, ma."

"Thank you. When do we start?"

"We can start whenever you are ready ma." Violet answered.

"Mum, can we join?" Laura carefully asked now.

"Taah! What do you want to be using your waists for at this age?! Do not think that I've forgotten about those boyfriends you have. As a matter of fact, I want you to invite them to the anniversary tomorrow so that I can see and assess them properly." Mrs. Michaels said.

The two girls stared at their mother in surprise. "Really???"

"Really!" Mrs. Michaels answered and they jubilated in glee, hitting their folded hands together and hugging each other.

"Don't get too excited, I might not approve them." Mrs. Michaels shot them a look and they quickly quieted down.

"Um...mum..." Emmanuel cleared his throat now. "Can I also invite a friend of mine over?"

"Who? I thought you do not have a girlfriend. You are the shy type, Emmanuel... I was already thinking of sending you to the seminary." Mrs. Michaels asked as she cut into her chicken.

Emmanuel stared at his mum in surprise. "I'll pass, mum. This friend is actually a nurse whom I met two nights ago at the hospital. She's a very nice person, mum. You'll like her." Emmanuel said.

"Fine, invite her too." Mrs. Michaels said, her voice muffled a bit as she munched on her chicken. "And she had better be beautiful like me!"

"She is." Emmanuel replied, smiling.

Thirty minutes later, Mrs. Eweala came down the stairs dragging her luggage behind her, and after pausing in the living room to glare at them all, she turned and angrily walked out of the house.

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Three Days Later...

Anne, Doris and Violet who had come to visit Susan in the hospital rushed to the reception in alarm after they found her bed empty and luckily, Emmanuel's newfound girlfriend was one of the nurses on duty when they reached the counter.

"Sally, please where's the patient in ward seven?" Anne asked without bothering to exchange pleasantries.

"Is she not there?" Sally asked, confused.

"No, she's not. Her bed is empty." Violet answered.

"Have you checked if she's in the toilet?" Sally asked again.

"No, we checked around but she's not. Her belongings which she requested that we bring yesterday is also gone. There's nothing at all in the room." Anne said, perturbed.

"Even though we didn't really know why she requested for her stuff, the doctor said that she's supposed to be discharged today and that's why we came here to pick her up." Doris stated 

"Oh! I remember now!" Sally said now. "I saw her leave the hospital two hours ago! I tried to ask her why she was leaving but she didn't answer me, she just slipped on her sunglasses and left the hospital without a word."

"And you didn't think it wise to give us a call?" Anne flared.

"I was very busy and I totally forgot about her by the time I was done with my work. I'm sorry." Sally apologized.

"Alright, thank you." Violet said to the nurse and they all walked out of the hospital to the car, wondering what to do next. All three women including Grace had grown even closer because they now lived in a duplex Mr. Michaels had gifted to Violet, so due to Mrs. Michaels' advice, Doris stopped cohabiting with Rufus while Violet quit her job. The three women waited by the car until Anne was done putting a call through to Susan's mother while Violet did the same to Laura. By the time Anne was done with her call, she still looked very worried.

"Any luck?" Violet asked.

"No, the mother said she didn't come home." Anne replied. "You?"

"Laura said that Susan didn't come to the house either." Violet answered.

"Then where could she have gone to?" Doris asked in concern now, glancing around as if hoping that she would see any sign of Susan.

"I wish I knew but I know that she'd definitely not return to the Major's house." Anne replied.

"Then where do we begin our search from?" Violet questioned.

"I have no idea." Anne said, staring at the roadside then she suddenly asked, "What if she went back to the barrack to meet Stephen?"

"No, I don't think so." Violet shook her head. "Stephen would have called to inform me the moment she showed up at his place."

"Let's just drive around and see if we will be lucky to see her on the road." Doris suggested and they all agreed and got into the car.

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A Month and Three Weeks Later...

A knock came from the door and Nosa entered the office. "Sir, a woman is here to see you, sir." He said after saluting.

"A woman?" Colonel Anthony who was seated, facing away from his desk, frowned. "What woman? I'm not expecting anyone today. Did she state her reason for requesting to see me?"

"No sir, but she said it's urgent." Nosa replied.

"Very well then, bring her in." Col. Anthony beckoned with his fingers.

"Yes sir." Nosa stood at attention, turned and left and soon returned with Mrs. Eweala following him.

"Good morning, C.O." Mrs. Eweala greeted while Nosa stood aloof, waiting to take any orders if need be.

"Good morning, madam." Colonel Anthony replied, trying to figure out if he had seen the face before.

Noticing the way that he was scrutinizing her face, Mrs. Eweala smiled and told him, "No, don't stress yourself, Colonel, you don't know me and we have never met before. I'm supposed to be out of the country two months ago but I stayed back for some reasons."

"Please, sit down." Col. Anthony offered her a seat, wondering why a strange woman had come to see him.

"Thank you, Colonel." Mrs. Eweala said as she heaved herself down on one of the chairs and it creaked.

"May I know the name of my unexpected visitor?" Col. Anthony asked now 

"No. That won't be necessary." Mrs. Eweala refused. "I came here for something quite out of the ordinary and I don't think giving my name is a good idea, colonel, so take no offense."

"Alright then, state your business. What's the purpose of your visit?"

"I'm sure that you are familiar with First Lieutenant Stephen Michaels." Mrs. Eweala carefully began now.

"Yes?" Col. Anthony said, his eyes narrowed a bit.

"And also a certain stripper named Violet?"

"Of course." He tilted his head a bit to the side now, wondering where this was heading to.

"And having done my research very well, It came to my notice that you hold a grudge against those two, although, I was told that you quite fancied the stripper." Mrs. Eweala said, carefully looking out for even the slightest reactions that the colonel might give away.

"That's correct. I still fancy her as a matter of fact." Col. Anthony said frankly. 

"If so, do you still want her?" Mrs. Eweala asked.

Col. Anthony paused now and glanced at Nosa before suspiciously asking Mrs. Eweala as he leaned forward, placed his elbows on the edge of the desk and locked his fingers, "Why these questions, madam? Are you a reporter? Is this some kind of setup?"

"Not at all, Colonel. Believe me when I say that you can trust me. I'm on your side. Like the popular saying goes- an enemy of my enemy is my friend." Mrs. Eweala assured him and being rest-assured, he relaxed into his chair again and swiveled sideways while he kept his eyes on her. "I've been scorned, Colonel. I've been dragged through the mud simply because I want to save my family name. I've been ridiculed and I have long-decided that I shall not take this defeat quietly." Then she dipped her hand into her handbag and pulled out several bundles of money then placed them on a pile on the desk.

Colonel Anthony's eyes slowly widened a bit now as he fully swiveled back to face the desk again, sitting up and greedily eyeing the money. "What's the money for?"

"That's one point five million naira, Colonel, and it's for you." Mrs. Eweala answered.

Colonel Anthony lifted his eyes to look at her. "And why do I have the feeling that you are not just giving out this money as an act of generosity?"

Mrs. Eweala smiled again. "Of course not, it's not an act of generosity. As a matter of fact, there's something attached to it. I want you to facilitate the kidnap of two people."

"A kidnap?" Colonel Anthony scoffed now and relaxed back into his chair, leveling a gaze at her. "Madam, did you see the big sign at the top of the gate before you drove into the barrack?"

"Yes, why?" She asked, puzzled.

"Then I should do well to remind you that this is a barrack, madam, not a kidnappers' den." Col. Anthony stated.