A woman's dilemma - Episode 39

 

Three weeks later

Claudia:

"N*ked came I out of my mother's womb and n*ked Sha I return thither; The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." My hand on Amy's shaky ones suddenly becomes taut. I have always nodded and agreed with a preacher anytime these words have been said in the few funerals I've attended. But right now, when my friend is the one being placed underground . I find myself battling to concentrate on the rest of the preacher's speech. My friend whose young body got burnt beyond recognition. She died an ugly death. A loud wail soon erupts from my side and I turn to find Francesca's mother being held back by her stoic husband. My eyes catch Francis on the other side of her, his eyes forward but his hands tightly wound around no other person than Tina. Daniel's sister. I feel the sudden urge to charge at him again. At both of them even.
"Don't. please." I snatch my face from the cold man to Amy whose face is soaked in tears. She's wearing a long black dress with long sleeves but her body shake beside me. I pull my hand around her shoulder and pull her towards me.
"They shouldn't be here. They killed her." I all but sob into Amy's hair.
"Today is her burial, Francesca

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. Let's not make a scene." Amy says quietly and I gulp down the fist size spittle lodged in my throat.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" I only pull my head off Amy's when Benjamin whispers this into my ear from beside me. I blink teary eyes at him and shake my head subtly. Of course I'm not okay.
"Lean on me." He doesn't wait for me to do as he's asked but gently pushes my head unto his shoulder. It's a little uncomfortable but I like that he's being so sweet and affectionate. I find myself sniffing for the smell of fresh mint and lavender but remember that he's not Daniel. Damn I shouldn't be thinking about this now. The man has been flaunting the gossip pages with various actresses and models for the past two weeks. He's not worth it. I let the smell of cinnamon calm me instead.
 The rest of the short service by the already dug out grave drags on with me zoning out.
"Hey, baby. You have to drop your flower into the grave now." I startle a little when Benjamin nudges my side to get me back to the service. I look at the white flowers he's handing out to me. They already put her into the ground?
 "Up you get." Benjamin's hand comes around my waist as he helps my limp form up and push the flower into my palm.
"Thank___ouch!" I look down at my index finger which a thorn from the rose just pricked. More tears assails me.
"You okay?" Amy takes my hand from Benjamin and leads me towards the grave where a few people walk over to and drop their flower in.
"I'm not." I say frankly.
"I know." Amy affirms as we reach the hole where the shiny white coffin looks too beautiful to be in the black soil. Just like my friend. They are so out of place out here. It's so sad.
"I can't believe you went on before me. Before us. I__I__"
"Hey. You're going to hurt yourself." I have to hold Amy back from the hole when her small form starts to waver forwards as she drops her flower on a broken sob.
"I'm sorry I just can't believe I'm burying someone else I love." She covers her face in her hands and sob into them. I pull her body into mine and hold her still. I don't even know what to say to her. People are watching us. We're the only ones still standing by the grave but who cares? We need time with our friend.
"I'll take her." I feel someone touch my shoulder lightly and I turn slightly to look into the unusually brown eyes of Benedict William. My heart starts to pitter patter in my chest but then I realize the lack of scar and calm down.
"Benson. Thanks for coming." I say and Amy stills in my arms.
"Benson?" She pulls her head up.
"Hey, sunshine." He smiles wanely at her and she pulls away from me to launch herself into his waiting arms. I sigh deeply. Benson motions for me to drop my flower before he takes Amy back to her seat. I nod then turn back to face the grave.
"I feel like I shouldn't accept that you're dead, Frances. I just hope you're okay wherever you are." I try not to look down at the coffin lest I get pulled in like Amy earlier and drop the single rose.
 I move back for the able-bodied men as they start shoveling sand into the grave. Damn! I find myself transfixed to the sight. I can't look away, yet I know this scene will play out in my dreams for as long as I torture myself. 
"She didn't tell me that you guys reconnected." I remember the voice of Francesca's mother being more cheery than the ones I'm hearing right now but I recognise it nevertheless.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs Mokuro." I say stoically when I turn to face her. I see her lips tremble as her eyes deflect to the scene behind me and I pull her into my arms. I feel like I should be the strong one today trying to put everyone else together. Frances would have expected this from me.
"It's your loss too." Mrs Mokuro says as she pulls away.
"I know." I say.
"I can't believe she's gone, y'know? Who would have thought I'll be burying my own daughter? And my grandson can't even attend. Francis said he's too young but I think it's that hussy wrapped around him who's telling him that." She says with such bitterness. My eyes shift to said hussy and I find her looking at me as well. I raise my brows at her and she looks back to Francis who's talking to someone beside him. There are a lot of uniformed security men around him. The ceremony is already over but the least he can do is look bereaved. Not love sick with another woman. I can't believe this man won the election a few days ago.
"I can't believe he brought her here. I just want to rip her wig off!" I've never seen her this livid and I try to calm her when people start looking.
"You shouldn't do that here. People are watching."
"So?! Is it because he's the governor? My husband is senator!" She's starting to scream and I notice Mr Mokuro walk up to us before she does. I nod my head at him and Mrs Mokuro looks behind her and her shoulders slump.
"Best, I can't believe our daughter is gone." Her husband pulls her into his big form and gives me a wane smile over her shoulder.
"I'm sorry for your loss, sir." I say robotically
"Me too." He says so quietly before he leaves.
"I'll go get some water. You've been crying all day." Benjamin comes up to my side and his thumb brush against my cheeks affectionately.
"Thanks so much. Where's Amy?" I look behind him to find most people gone, including Amy and Benson.
"Her boyfriend says to tell you he's taking her home. She's been inconsolable." Benjamin tells me and I nod. I don't have the strength to correct him about Benson being her boyfriend. They are just testing the waters right now but I trust that he'll take care of her.
"I'll be right back." Benjamin places a quick peck against my cheeks before walking away. Just as my hands come around myself in a hug against the cold, a small boy comes up to me and touch me lightly. I wipe the tears from my eyes and look down at him. He's barely eight if a day.
"The man over there said to give you this." He pushes a piece of paper into my palm and before I can look at the paper and back down at him, his little legs take him away from me. A man? I look towards the place he pointed and find Benjamin waving at me with a bottle of water in his hand.
 Why would he send someone to give me a piece of paper? A surprise? I curiously unfold the paper. It's a typed message and I wonder why Benjamin didn't just write it with a pen.

21 BADMUS CLOSE, IKORI ESTATE LAGOS. GO GET YOUR SISTER.

"Oh my God." I gasp as my eyes lifts up from the paper and find Benjamin jogging towards me. I run the remaining distance to get to him. I can't believe he did this for me. How did he find out where Cassandra is? I just told him about it weeks ago. I jump on him and hug him fiercely.
"Hey, slow down baby." He wraps his hand around me though and I breathe in his scent. I'm beginning to like cinnamon. I wipe a stray tear from my cheek as I pull away from him.
"You're amazing! I can't believe you found her, Ben! Let's go to her now. Come on!" I pull his hand and navigate through various gravestones to get to my car.
"What are you talking about?" He asks with a shake of his head when we reach the car and I throw the keys to him.
"What do you mean, what am I talking about? The note. My sister." He can't possibly think I don't know he sent it. His face clouds over in confusion.
"What note? I didn't send any note to you."
"But the kid pointed you and you waved. I thought__" I stop to bite down on my lips. He's staring at me like I've lost it.

Read " Intoxicated Romance " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Well I don't care who sent it. I'm going.
"Nevermind. Can you please drive me to this address? I need to find my sister." I pass the note to Benjamin. He studies the note briefly and shrugs.
"Let's go then." He says. I pull the passenger's seat open and step in. My mind wrack my brain as Benjamin starts the engine. I really can't let my head believe what my heart is telling me. It can't possibly be Daniel. Yes, that's impossible.

THERE'S BEEN COMPLETE BLACKOUT FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS. HENCE THE BREAK IN POSTING. THEY RESTORED THE POWER SUPPLY THIS EVENING SO I M MORE THAN READY TO GET BACK TO OUR STORIES.
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