BEAUTIFUL TROUBLE [SERIES] EPISODE 6: END OF TWISTS by EDOZIEM CV CHISOM

BEAUTIFUL TROUBLE
(SERIES)
EPISODE 6: END OF TWISTS

On seeing the papers on the desk, she recognized them vividly, in shock and surprise, she passed out.
“Help! Help!! Help!!!” Chidilim yelled. That instant, medical personels on duty immediately came to her aid. There was no time for ‘Whys and Whats’, She was
rushed to the nearest emergency ward.

Back in the cell. The news that Miss Somto Efobi had been granted bail was on the lips of every tom, dick and harry. Dupsy’s father, Minister of works, for sure had played a very big part in her release.
“So what next?” Karen asked, smiling wryly.
“School for sure. I’ve really missed it!”. Somto replied.
“No more ‘Bird’ stuffs”. Dupsy said. “Am tired”.
“Me too!” Retorted Karen. Somto was silent. Yes, they were expecting her to say something but she said nothing. She
just smiled.
“Are you alright ?” Dupsy enquired out of curiousity. “I am.” She gently answered, to kill her curiousity. “I’m just very happy about your change. I’ve always wished we could change and
use our lives for something worthwhile”.
“Somto The Preacher!”,Karen chuckled. “Pastor Somto” teased Dupsy.. “I love you girls”.
Added Somto, hugging them both tightly in a resounding laughter.

***** ***** *****

The rains weren’t much per say that night but for sure it was mizzling. Although, the lightning seemed fierce
accompanied with occasional deafening roars of thunder. Chidilim stood by Mrs Azuibuike’s sickbed, sobbing, shivering because of fear and cold. “I hope she’d be alright ?” She questioned Sandra, the nurse on duty who was administering the drip. “She will. She’s a little bit hypertensive but she will be alright”, assured Sandra in a low pitch.

School seemed very different to Somto now. After missing a chunk of the session on the run and in prison. It was certain she was lagging behind. She’d
immediately become the talk of the school, invariably becoming an overnight celebrity. Some even called her ‘Convict’. Others tagged her ‘The Sexy Killer’. Now, it never mattered nor worried Somto anymore. What counted more now was that she was out of prison, no longer on the run and was in school. Courtesy of Dupsy and karen.

Day after day, Mrs Azuibuike’s health was improving though at a snail’s pace. “What could the problem be”?
Doctor Eva asked Sandra, euthusiastically. “Her health seems to deteriorate, all necessary tests even showed that she was alright”.
“So possibly, it could be spiritual issue?” Sandra rhetoricated.
“Obviously I can’t say but Let’s watch!” Concluded the doctor.

**** ***** *****

Somto, still unaware that Mrs Azuibuike was at the hospital made her way to the house. When she got home, she met chidilim sobbing and sulking on the couch. For the first time in many months, she hadn’t set eyes on Chidilim. “What is it?” Came the instinctive question from Somto. Chidilim kept silent.
“Tell me!” She demanded, reaching out to pat her. On touching her. Chidilim sprung up. “You father killer! You husband snatcher!! What are you doing here? “. She barked at Somto like a hungry dog. Somto was calm. She understood her being oblivious of the truth and the consequent bitterness of her late father.
“Am sorry” Somto uttered a hasty apology and beckoned Chidilim to calm down. She was drowning in her own tears.
“Where is mama?”. She asked suddenly, after long minutes of silence.
“Mama is sick!”..Surprisingly, Chidilim stuttered.
“Sick? When? How?..” Somto swiftly bombarded the young lady with torrents of unanswered questions.
“Where is she?”
“The General hospital”. Chidilim bluntly replied.
“I need to see her!”. Somto said, sprang to her feet and was ready to leave.
“Wait for me!”. Somto, dazed by what she’d just heard. Wait for me?? . Has she forgiven me all of a sudden?. She let the thoughts flee. “Alright then, I’ll be waiting by the gate”..Chidilim smiled, hurriedly entered her room to get dressed.

At the hospital, Mrs Azuibuike, whose health was now improving steadily, was telling Sandra, the nurse.
“Somto has destroyed my home. The home I managed to build”. And Sandra was simply nodding and concuring in
pretence, and saying “Forgive her ma’am. She might be innocent. I heard she has been released from the police
custody”.
“Is that so? Who went behind me to do that”. Even on her sick bed, Mrs Azuibuike seemed to be infuriated, sounded a bit mean, aggrieved and unforgiving. Just then, Somto, Chidilim and Madam Lulu barged in. They’d met Madam Lulu coincidentally on their way out of the compound. She’d come to visit Mrs Azuibuike to plead for Somto’s bail, and surprisingly learnt that she was
in the hospital.

“What is this witch doing here?” Mrs Azuibuike outrageously lunched a scathing remark on Somto.
“Who brought her out of the cell!!?”. This puzzled everybody in the ward. “Calm down ma, please!” Doctor Eva
urged, rested her head back on the pillow. That moment- Somto, went on her knees, in pleas, in tears, in an attempt to win Mrs Azuibuike’s forgiveness.
“The dead cannot forgive. But if the forgiving heart of the living is big and generous enough, it can carter and
accomodate for that of the dead too.. Am very sorry”.

….. One could have heard a pin drop

Madam Lulu was already in tears. The words of Somto were sure soothing, truthful and touching.
“Mummy, please explain this papers to me”. Chidilim said in blues, neglecting the sour atmosphere of emotions and sanctimony. that had just befallen the
ward. Then Mrs Azuibuike started to weep as she held the papers.
Subsequently, she started: “Its true I can’t give birth. I lost my womb after the abortion, confirmed the doctors” .Her words came out gently and slowly but with precision. In tears she continued. “It was never your father’s intention to marry me. He was under my spell. I made him leave your mother, Udakwu”. “Udakwu?!! Wh-h-i-ch of the Udakwu?”
Madam Lulu interrupted eagerly. “Udakwu. Udakwu Njoku”, she said in repeatition. Somto, just stood there, like an apparition, unaware what was going on.
“Chim O!. Chidilim, Owu gi wa di ifa- is this you?” Madam Lulu hugged her tightly and kissed her on the forehead. Chidilim was confused but yielded with skepticism.
“I was the Mid-wife when your mother was in labour”.
Madam Lulu began her tale. “A year after or so, she came again, and I helped her in your sister’s birth”. She placed her palm on Somto’s shoulders. “What!!” Mrs Azuibuike and Chidilim exclaimed in unison.
“This is unbelievable. You mean she’s my …?”
“Yes she is.”
“For clarity, I think they should have a DNA test” suggested Sandra.
“Ofcourse they will” retorted Madam Lulu. Just then, Doctor Eva barged in
with sheets of papers on her hand, smiling the beautiful way she always did. She handed the papers to Mrs Azuibuike.
“This can’t be true. Its a joke. Am preg…???”
“Oh yes you are!”. The doctor said. Chidilim and Somto immediately rushed out and collected the papers from her..
“Oh My goodness! Mummy is pregnant!!” They jumped on her happily. “But I thought…?”
“The womb wasn’t removed. It was feared damaged and we thought it will never function. So we decided to fake its removal to prevent her from trying to
concieve so not to worsen the damage”. Everyone, except Sandra who knew about it, were left perplexed and dazed by what the doctor had just confirmed. The doctor said in all chuckles. “We are sorry “..

And suddenly, Somto bursted in laughter, singing praises and crying. Chidilim joined, followed by Madam
Lulu and lastly, Mrs Azuibuike. Beautifully, They sang in unism, as a family with a new hope, sobbing away
their dissapointments, their anger, their past and their troubles!..

***** ***** *****