Victims of Passion (Episode 1)

Victims of Passion (Episode 1)

 Janet put finishing touches to what she was doing and decided to call it a day in the office. It was already four p.m. and it was the closing hour. Students had, about an ago, closed for the day. The day students had gone home while the boarders had gone to the dormitory.

 She opened her clutch bag and brought out her mobile make up kit. The face reflected in the mirror was a beautiful one. Janet smiled to herself as she ensured that the face was moderately made up.

   She stood up from her seat, packed her personal things in her bag and rose to go. Her office was on the ground floor of the expansive building. Apez College was a five star secondary school that occupied wide expanse of land. It offered day and boarding facilities for those who desired quality secondary education and who could afford it.

  Her parents, owners of the school, put her there to be the Administration Officer. She was to report directly to Mrs. Glory Kweku, the matronly Ghanaian School Administrator. There were other places Janet could have chosen to work, but she said she wanted the college.

   As she moved towards the car park, she saw Raphael, the English language teacher for Senior secondary classes. He was coming out of the staff room, his bag strapped across the right shoulder.

   'Hello.' He smiled, showing a set of white teeth good enough for toothpaste advert.

   Janet waved back at him, smiled and moved on.

   'Are you going to town?' Raphael looked at her briefly and looked towards the gate. 'I don't mind a lift.'

   Janet answered in the affirmative. He joined her in the car. The interior smelt nice.  She drove the Honda car while he sat beside her at the front seat. Raphael had always noted the simple and unassuming manner Janet always conducted herself. He respected her for that.  At thirty one he was a bachelor but he would not dare cross his boundary. No matter how much he liked her, he would not try it.

   'How was the job, today?' He hoped the question was not unnecessary.

   'Not bad, although not very exciting either.'

   He nodded as if he understood. There was silence. He could not find any other thing to say. To break it, she slotted a CD containing selections of popular R & B music.

   'Please, I'll like to get down at the next junction.' He offered a smile, hoping it would be a token of appreciation.

   When he alighted, he thanked her for the ride and moved on.

   'Have a nice day.' She smiled again and drove off.

   Ten minutes later, she drove inside their duplex home at Ota.

   Sule, the security man opened the giant gates for her. He was full of obeisance, as usual. As Janet parked her car, she was quick to observe that her oldest sister's car was already in the compound. It was a little unusual because Helen didn't usually come home until after eight in the night.

   Janet wanted to go to her room but by instinct decided to go to her sister's own first. Without knocking, she opened the door.  Helen was curled up on the bed, sniveling.

   Janet's heart sank. 'What's the problem, sister?' She moved over to her bedside. The anxiety in her voice was unmistakable.

   Helen would not answer her and she would not stop sniveling.

   Janet was unsettled. Had anything bad happened to somebody? Before she left for work, all was well with every one as far as she knew. She did not hear anything bad about her brother in the U.S. too. So, what could be the cause of Helen's sadness?

   Janet held her by the left shoulder. 'Sister, please speak out.'

   "It's Richard.' Helen wiped some tears from her eyes.

   'What happened to him?'

   Again, there was a long pause. 'He had a car accident and he's dead.'

   'What!' Janet's hands went to her mouth. It was indeed devastating news for Helen.

   Richard, the high flying doctor, was the one Helen was planning to spend the rest of her life with. She had already brought the man to the house and plans were on concerning fixing the engagement and wedding dates.

   As far as Janet could remember, that was the second man her sister would be bringing to the house who would be dying before the engagement. It must be bad luck, Janet decided. Helen must be having a great deal of bad luck.

   'Oh, I’m sorry about that.' The consolation was heart-felt.  'Please, take heart.'

   Janet wrapped her hands round Helen's shoulders in order to give the best empathy she could give.

Rhoda was washing the plates in the kitchen when her madam called her. She quickly stopped what she was doing and wiped her hands with the table cloth.

   'Rhoda!' The voice came louder.

   'Yes, ma.' Rhoda, without further delay, moved to the sitting room to attend to her.

   'Yes, ma'am.'

   'Don't forget to wash those my clothes I said you should wash.'

   'Yes, ma'am.'

   Madam Rose picked up her handbag. She was ready to leave. Rhoda made to help her with the bag, but the madam brushed the offer off.

   'Just come and lock the gate.  The madam briefly looked around the sitting-room, as if trying to see that all was well. They stepped out of the sitting room. The morning sunshine was bright. Madam went to her SUV car.

   'Don't also forget that no visitor or stranger must be allowed inside the compound. Do you understand?' Rose looked at her sternly.

   'Yes, ma'am.'

   Rhoda opened the gate for the car to pass out of the compound. Then she bolted it and went back inside the house. The madam would probably not be back until late afternoon or evening, as it had been in previous days. As for madam's oga, that one had travelled and Rhoda did not know when he would be back.

   She went back to the kitchen to complete her task there. Rhoda was an eighteen years old Togolese who recently started working for madam's family. The journey of life had taken her from her village to Lome, and from Lome to Lagos. She still had the ambition to be a fashion designer but she must do this domestic job for now.

   She was about to start work on the laundry when she heard hard knocks at the gate. Wondering who it could be, she went out to find out.

     'Who is that?' She moved to the gate and stopped short.   

     'It's me.' It was a male voice.  From the tone, the man was becoming impatient.

     And it sounded like oga's own. Rhoda was surprised.  She looked through the latch to confirm. Realizing that he was the one, she quickly opened the gate.

     'I've been horning the car for some time.' The man didn't find the delay funny. 'Until I banged the gate. Why didn't you answer me on time?'

     'I'm sorry, sir. I no hear. Madam say you travel.'  It was unmistakable that she spoke in faltering English.

     'Yes. Person wey travel no dey return? I’m back.'

     He went back to his car to drive in. Rhoda helped him to carry his bag and some sacks of foodstuffs from the boot of his car to the house.

     'Is there bread and eggs in the house?' He looked towards the kitchen.

     'Yes, sir.'

     'Good. Fry some eggs for me. I'll like to have fried eggs and bread.'

     Nonso went to have a shower and change of clothes. For the past two days, he had been to Benin city on business. Unlike before when his trip could take weeks, he hardly travelled now, and whenever he did, he would be back within a couple of days.

   He was a successful transporter who had made his mark in passengers’ transportation business. His fleet of buses was doing well. At sixty, Nonso had travailed the north, east, south and west of the terrain called Nigeria. He had four children, all grown up. The first two were in Europe while the third one was in Malaysia. The last born, twenty-two years old Sandra was studying Business Administration in a private university in Ogun state.

   Nonso relaxed in the sitting room, awaiting the food being prepared by Rhoda. He was yet to tell his wife that he was back in Lagos. No need to do that for now, he reasoned.

   'Food don ready, sir.' Her hands smelled of onions.

   From his seat, he looked up and nodded. Of course, he had been had been waiting for the announcement.

   He moved to the dining table. The taste of the food was as good as the aroma. Since Rhoda was employed, she had not disappointed in her culinary skills. Nonso ate the food with relish.

   'Bring the fruit juice in the fridge here.' He always asked for juices.  He would sip the drinks after the food.

    As Rhoda cleared the table, something caught his attention. He had seen it before, but pretended not to have done so. 

   Surreptitiously, he had been staring at her boobs and bums. Now that he was home alone with her, he felt it would be a good opportunity to explore.

   'So, you prepared this food or madam did?' He smiled at her.

   It was an unnecessary question but she must answer it.

   'I did, sir.' She curtsied.

   He nodded his head approvingly. 'You cooked very well. Ever since you came, I've noticed that. Did you say you still want to go to school?'

   'No, sir. I want to learn fashion design.'

   'Oh yes, oh yes.'

   He sat back on the chair relaxingly.

   'See.' He tried to look sincere. 'All those things that you want are small things. They're things I can easily get for you, plus a big modern shop.'

   Her face lit up in excitement.  'Thank you, sir. I go be grateful, sir.'

   'Don't worry. It's a small thing.' There was smugness on his face. 'I've done things much bigger than that for people in the past. It's not a big deal, as long as you're ready to cooperate.'

   The girl paused and looked at him. 'Sir?'

   'I said it's a small thing, but you must cooperate.'

   'I no understand, sir. What you mean by cooperate?'

   'Come, let me explain.' He beckoned at her.

    As soon as she came within his range, he grabbed her breasts. Shocked, she hit his hands and recoiled from him the way she would do to a mamba.

   'I didn't mean to hurt you.' The explanation was gratuitous. 'See, I really like you and I will do all those things I said I would do. Just cooperate with me.'

   Rhoda stared at him. The shock was still on her face.

   He tried what he thought was a disarming smile again.

   'I did that because I like you so much.' His smile broadened.  'See, if you prove to be a good girl, you will really enjoy in this house. I can promise you that.'

   She still looked at him uncertainly.

   'Don't you want me to take care of you? Don't you want me to treat you special?' He was intent on setting the booby trap.

   'But, madam...what of madam? She no go like it.'

   Her reference to madam buoyed him up, rather than dampening him.

   'Who will tell her? Are you a baby that you'll tell her such a thing? Listen, even if she gets to know, am I not the master of this house? You have nothing to fear, my dear.'

   The use of the last expression seemed to work on her.

   She appeared to relax. Nonso noticed this and capitalized on it.

   'You don't have to doubt me.' He touched his chest to give her assurance. 'I always do what I say I will do.'

   He said it as if he was God.

   'Listen, to show you how serious I am, come and take this.'

   He brought out some naira notes of five hundred denomination.

   Rhoda's eyes popped out when she saw the money. She first stared at the money, then at him.

   'More of this will come if you cooperate. Come and have it.'

   There was another slight pause.

   He knew he would win. There was a leer on his face as he beckoned at her again. ‘Come on.’ 

   Like a toddler with unsteady steps, she moved over to him and he grabbed her again. This time around, there was only a feigned little resistance.

The following morning, after the devastating news of her fiancé, Helen remained in her room. Her mother came to meet her and enjoined her to take things easy.

   'You need to cheer up.' She gave her daughter a pat. 'If he would not be, somebody else would be. Come on, cheer up. It's not the end of the world.'

   Julie ordered the maid to bring beverage drinks for her.

   Janet too popped in to see her sister before she left for her place of work.

   She wasn't there for long as she was conscious of not getting late to work.

   She was soon in the school. She immersed herself in her work and forgot about any remote or immediate source of worry.  During the long break, she decided to call Emma, her heartthrob.

   'Na so you dey do?' There was sarcasm in her tone. 'You didn't even bother to call me since yesterday.'

   'I'm sorry, my dear. But I called you yesterday afternoon.'

   'Since yesterday afternoon? That was long ago. That's about twenty four hours ago now.'

   He laughed across the line. 'Once again, my apologies.'

   'Apologies accepted, but don't do it again o.'

   'Yes, your Lordship.'

   The two of them laughed.

   'Don't worry. I'll make it up. This weekend, I promise to make it up.' His voice over the line was very unambiguous.

   'O.k. That'll be nice. So, how's everything at your end?'  She could even predict what his answer would be.

   'All is well, dear. Every thing's cool.'

   She nodded. 'Alright. Bye for now.'

   'Bye bye.'

   Janet cut the line. The office assistant knocked at her door and brought in the burger she had ordered for.

   'Thank you.' Janet took the pack from her. Just then, her cell phone rang. It was Emma on the line again.

   'Hello. I called to fulfill my promise to call.' There was a short laugh and he seemed to find his action very funny.

   'Not so fast, mister. I expect you to call in a couple of hours’ time.'

    'This one too is a call, darling.' He was a smooth operator but Janet would not fall for that.

    'I know, but I'll still be expecting the other call in a couple of hours’ time, or so.'

    'You win.' He laughed again. 'Alright, till then.'

   She cut the line again, smiling to herself. She decided to have her breakfast. As she munched the burger, she opened the plastic bottle of carbonated drinks she would take with it.

   Her mind went to five months ago when she first met Emma. She was at Maryland ShopRite where she had gone for some shopping. She did not know he had been observing and following her inside the expansive shopping hall.

    As she was about to pay through the POS, he came to her side and offered to pay for everything she had bought by cash. She was pleasantly surprised by the offer, but he insisted he should be allowed to do it.

   Later, he chatted her up briefly at the car park. He appeared to be a bit overbearing from the on-set. He had introduced himself as a petroleum engineer and the son of a prominent politician. He got her number and they had started dating since then.

   At twenty-eight, Janet had started looking forward to a lasting relationship. She would not mind having someone that would propose marriage to her, the one she would finally marry. Emma had not made any such proposition. Janet was still studying him, but he, so far, looked like someone who did not have marriage idea in his lexicon. But she might be wrong. Maybe he too was studying her and would soon make the move.

   While Janet was thinking about her relationship with Emma, her sister, Helen too was ruminating over her past relationship with Richard. Helen had already started dreaming of settling down with him. Richard was a consultant in pediatrics. He had looked so promising, but an automobile accident had put an end to any further dream of him.

   There was a gentle rap at the door and Helen was brought back from her reverie.