A woman's dilemma - Episode 40

 

Daniel:

I sit inside the car I borrowed from my publicist and try to relax against the soft leather. I really don't want to be seen but I need to make sure Claudia gets here. I know I'm being a fool, helping the woman who used me. Hell, she's probably squandering the half a million I transferred to her account with her boyfriend while they laugh about how stupid I am.
"What the heck  am I even doing here?" I laugh harshly at my denseness. I should just leave . It doesn't matter to me if she finds her sister or not. Oh but it does! Claudia's eyes when she heard about her sister's problem just wouldn't leave my mind. I'm a pansy! I've never been this stuck on a woman and it turns out I'll be for the one who actually used me. Damn irony. I rub my tired eyes roughly. Maybe I should just leave. I tap on the steering wheel in contemplation just as the familiar car drives into the street.
"Sh*t" I duck out of view when they pass me and only peep out when I'm sure they won't be able to see me. I watch the fiery woman jump out of the passenger's seat before her boyfriend. I feel my hands clenching with the visual before me. He has his hand on her as he tries to maybe calm her down

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-woman-s-dilemma

. I strain my neck further when some one opens the small gate and walks out. Both Claudia and the woman freeze up. I know for a fact that it's her sister. When the man places his hand around Claudia's lower back, I've just about have enough of the show. I've helped her more than she deserves, just for me peace of mind. I turn the ignition of the car and step on the accelerator. I can't help it. I stare at Claudia's back as I pass them. She's too focused on her sister to notice me but the man beside her turns around when I pass them. I can see the recognition on his face. Call me childish, but I grin suggestively at him before zooming off.

****

Claudia:

Cassandra and I stare each other down without a word for so long. I don't just know what to say to her. She looks older than me, quite frankly and I know it's the telltale sign of her stress. Emotion clog my throat. Today has been a rollercoaster of pain.
"How__how__ how did you find me?" She finally breaks the stare but take a step back. I think about her question and answer frankly.
"I don't know." Because I really don't. If Benjamin didn't--
"I sent the note."
"What?" I turn surprise eyes to Benjamin who just shrugs.
"Didn't want you to know. Tried to play ignorant but come on babe, who would have sent it if not me?" His eyes are staring deeply into mine like he's trying to see inside my soul.
"No one." I say. That isn't the main point right now. I turn back to my sister.
"I found you, Cass. That's all that matters to me." I close the distance between us and take her hand in mine. She shakes her head.
" I'm not leaving this place." She says stubbornly and I frown.
"What the hell not!" I snap at her. Doesn't she care that her family worry about her every day. Her chin sets into a stubborn tilt and I know that face. She can be as bullheaded as I am.
"I'm not listening to this. Go get your bags Cassandra. I'm not playing with you!" I put on my big sister voice but she doesn't budge. She even starts to walk away from me, down the street.
"Stop walking away!" I scream as I pick up pace and follow her.
"Claudia!" Benjamin yells behind me. I completely forgot about him. I don't stop though. I follow behind my stubborn sister.
"Go away Claudia. I have to be here." I finally meet up with her and pull her shoulder back. She gives me her face and it's drenched with tears. My heart goes out to her.
"Why? What's in this village that you have to stay?" I have to know so I can at least understand her. She hesitates for a few long minutes before she breaks down on my shoulder.
"My children! He took them here. To his grandparents." She sobs and I stiffen with rage.
"He can't do that!" I snap. She pulls away from me, wiping her face of tears.
"He can and he has. My little girl is too small to be away from her mother. They both are." I blink back tears of my own.
"We are getting them back." I say firmly.
"That's impossible. They won't even let me see them. I just hang around the house waiting for a glimpse of them." She says.
"That's where you're going to now right?" I ask and she nods.
"Well I'm coming with you."
"What? Claudia you can't make a scene. They don't know I'm in town and I can't have them take them further away from me." She looks panicked.
"That's nonsense. Just lead the way."
"Claudia maybe you should listen to your sister." Benjamin finally butts in on our interlude and I throw him a dirty look.
"They are her children." I snap at him.
"As they are his." He says.
"I don't want to get raving mad at you, Ben. Stay out of this." He raises his hand in surrender and I look back to Cassandra.
"Lead the way." I repeat.
"I__"
"Lead the f*cking way!" I scream at her.
"Okay! Okay!" I see myself in her as usual and I'm pleased. This woman lying down for her husband to step on isn't the woman I know as my sister. She needs to step up and take what's rightfully hers.
"He's not taking my nieces." I grind out and I see her roll her eyes but she does as I say and starts to lead the way. I can hear Benjamin muttering under his breath as he follows behind me.

****

"There they are." Cassandra points to two beautiful girls sitting across a small fence. The younger one looks too young to be there.
"They're waiting for me. That's where we have been meeting for a week now." She explains like she knows what I'm thinking.
"Don't you think that's dangerous?" Benjamin asks and I wave at him absently.
"We have to grab them now." I say while looking inside the compound to make sure no one can see us. We have three minutes tops to make a clean get away.
"What!!" Both Benjamin and Cassandra yell at me. I look back to see the look on their face. They think I'm crazy.
"That's kidnapping." Benjamin points out.
"Not when she's their mother."
"Claudia. This is crazy." Cassandra says but I can see the excitement in her eyes. I know she's on board with my plan. I can even see respect in her eyes for me and my big sister heart swells. She's just like me deep inside.
"On three." I instruct.
"Claudia, don't be stupid." Would Benjamin just keep mute. He doesn't have to be here if he doesn't want to.
"Two."
"Stubborn woman." I hear him mutter again and I grin to my sister who shrugs.
"One. Go!" I fly from our hiding place and go for the older girl, grabbing her off the fence and putting her down.
"Who are you! Daddy! Dad__" She stops when she sees her mother behind me but her screaming has already alerted someone. The door inside pulls open and an older woman comes out.
"Come on sweetie." Cassandra is beside me in seconds and cooing to the little one still on the fence.
"Just grab her!" I squeal when the older woman starts to race for us.
"Can you run?" I ask the smaller version of Cassandra holding on to me. She nods and I grin. I look back to Cassandra who nods at me. Let's do this.
"Now! Run!" Benjamin beats me to the order as he comes up beside me and takes my hand. I take Cassandra's daughter's hand in mine and we run like crazy.
"Cass!" A manly voice rings from behind us and my sister stops dead in her tracks. Benjamin is still in flight mode but I yank my hand out of his.
"Come on! What are you doing?!" I try to pull my sister but she's crying so hard.
"Come!" I pull her while pulling her kid which slows us down. The big man catches up to us in long strides and grab Cass by the arm. The baby on her hip starts wailing and chaos ensues.
"You dare kidnap my children?!" The man thunders, making Cassandra flinch. I jump between him and my sister and shove him back. He raises his hand to hit me, surprising me but Benjamin catches the hand in mid air. I'm relaxing in relieve too early because before I know it, a few police men are grabbing the three of us and the children are taken from us.
"You're under arrest for kidnapping and  assault of little children." What!
"Let me go! They are my niece. Her children. I look to Cassandra for help but she just looks defeated while they cart all of us into a rickety police car. I can hear the two little girls wailing for their mother but the idiotic man hands them to the older woman who was after us earlier. That must be his mother.

****

We sleep in a dirty cell that night with Cassandra sobbing about never seeing her children again. Thankfully, I'm granted one call and I make a call to my lawyer. It's until the next afternoon when I'm hungry and cranky before I see the face of Mrs Patience. She's beside the police man who put me in cuffs yesterday and instructing him to open the gate.
"Thank goodness!" I pull the quiet Cassandra up with me as we are set free from the cell. Benjamin meets us at the counter where we collect our things.
"Make sure say we no see you here again o. Leave those kids alone or we go carry you go our headquarter, stubborn woman." One of the police men points to me. I look to Mrs Patience and nod. She comes in front of me and takes over.
"We are not going to be pressing charges against you for unlawful imprisonment__"
"We aren't?" I interrupt her. She shakes her head at me and Benjamin holds me back.
"We aren't. But Cassandra's husband will be hearing from us soon. I already filed a case for divorce and custody of the children. Tell him we'll meet in court and if he doesn't show up, the kids will be taken forcefully. Be grateful I didn't report you to the inspector general. Let this be a warning that not everything you get paid for is Justice. Thank you for your time." I grin like a Cheshire cat at the dumbstruck look on the policemen's faces. The four of us get to walk with our heads held up.
"Do you think I can get my babies back?" Cassandra asks when we are all settled in Mrs Patience's car.
"You should have filed for this before it got to this. You're a mother. The right to your kids is utmost and the law supports this. We just have to make sure the court sees that you're able to take care of them.

Read " The fill-in wife " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Your kids will be with you in no time. And quite frankly, we can get settlement for the emotional and physical stress." Wow. This surely makes Cassandra happy because she launches herself into my arms and cry into my neck.
"Thank you so much Claudia."
"Never thank me. This is my job." I try to sound steady but God, I'm bombarded with emotions to strong to overcome.

THIS EPISODE IS REALLY SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A STORY. MANY WOMEN HAVE THEIR CHILDREN TAKEN FROM THEM UNJUSTLY IN THIS COUNTRY. GO TO THE LAW. MAKE SURE YOU ARE FIT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM FOR LIFE AND YOU'LL COME OUT THE WINNER. IT'S YOUR RIGHT. FEMALE CHILDREN ARE NOT LESSER IN ANYWAYS. THEY ARE A BLESSING. I KNOW I AM