The fill-in wife - Episode 34

 

Maya:
"Thanks for helping me out with Derrick."I squeeze Jordan's shoulder lightly as he holds the door open for me. His hand come to rest on the hand I have on his shoulder and our eyes clash. There's this strange look he's giving me. I pull my hand away quickly only for my eyes to spin under the sudden movement. Soft hands are going around my waist in seconds.
"Are you okay?" I look up into a pair of worried eyes . Why do they look familiar?
"is she okay?" The middle aged man who rode with us hurries to my side and I quickly try to regain my balance. I was so busy crying my eyes out in the car, I didn't bother to look at the middle-aged man who now that I look, has the same firm set of lips as Jordan. He must be Jordan's dad. Maybe the familiar lady is his mother. Three pairs of eyes are now staring at me. 
"ummm I'm fine. I'm probably causing a nuisance for you guys. I apologize. I'll be going now. " I say uncomfortably as I pull away from the woman's hold of my waist. 
" No! Don't leave!" Both middle-aged people say at once and my brows furrow in confusion. 
"Jordan... " I watch the woman give Jordan some kind of sign language as she push Jordan towards me

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-fill-in-wife

. What's with the awkwardness?
" Hey, do I have something on my face?"I whisper to Jordan while wiping my face a few times. Does the dried up tears on my face make me look weird? 
"Look Maya, there's a reason why I brought you here." Jordan starts and I raise my brow at him. Right now, all I want to do is go home and cry my eyes out.
"Can't it wait? It's already late and I gotta go home."I say impatiently. 
"Home? You and Derrick seem to be having problems. Why don't you sleep here for the night huh?"
"What? Thanks for the offer but I can't. I don't think it's appropriate. I'll just go home. My grandma Lola would be happy to let--"
"What did you just say?!" I'm cut off from my rambling by the middle-aged woman's sudden outburst. She's looking at me strangely. 
"ummm. I just said I would go home."I repeat. 
"No. Not that. You just said a name! Your grandma?! Lola?!" she cry out and I frown. 
"Calm down. Why are you fixated on the name?" the middle-aged man try to hold her. 
"No! Don't you get it? Lola! That was our laundry woman's name back then! She was the one who helped me run away from home back then when I realized that I was pregnant!"
"What is she talking about?"I turn to Jordan for explanation. He just shakes his head. 
"are you sure?" the middle-aged man inquires and she nods. 
"Of course I'm sure! I can't forget anything from back then. I dream about how she was taken from me every night! That wench took my baby!" she exclaim to both men, all the while shaking like a deranged woman. 
"excuse me. My grandmother is not a wench. And she won't take any body's child. You don't know what you are talking about!" I fire at her. She is just a crazy woman. This can't be right. 
"Sweetheart listen to me. She took you away from me." the woman take my hand in hers as she will me to believe her. 
"That's not possible." I grind out.
"it's the truth. She stole you then brainwashed you!" she yells but I pull my hand from her hold. 
"No. It's not true." I shake my head profusely, like doing that would stop my ears from ringing and my world from crashing down on me.
"Listen I - - " she tries to get close to me but I take steps back from her. A hurt expression cross her face but I don't let that stop me. I turn right on my feet and start to run away. I can't stay in this place and let my grandmother be slandered. 
"Stop! Isn't this yours?! This locket!" at the mention of the locket, I slow down to a halt. Could it be my locket? After Jordan left earlier I couldn't find it. I startle when soft hands hold unto my arm from behind. 
"I gave you this bracelet. I'm your mother." My eyes go wide as the bomb is dropped on me. My head fly back to face her. She's holding up my locket in her hand and that's when I see the resemblance. She's the woman in the locket. Grandma said my mom gave it to me. 
"yes baby. I'm your mother." she sob out as she pull me into a tight embrace. I just freeze up in her arms.
"m--mom?"I manage to get out. 
"yes baby girl. It's me." she say amidst tears as she rub my back soothingly. Emotions overwhelm me and I burst into tears too. 
"shhhhh. Don't cry baby. I'll make them pay. They did this to us and I swear to God, they'll regret it even if it's the last thing I do."There's so much venom in her voice. Grandma Lola isn't a bad person right?
"No. I can't believe this." I pull away from the woman who's supposed to be my mother. I am tired of being lied to. I'll get the truth from my grandmother. She has always been my personal person. 
"I'm sorry but I have to find out the truth myself." I say and race out without stopping. Surprisingly, she doesn't hold me back. 

Jordan:
"Why did you let her go? If that woman really kidnapped her, why let her go to her still? It could be dangerous." I request from Maya's mother who shakes her head. 
"she's not the one." She says. 
"What?!" my dad and I exclaim at the same time. 
"I said she isn't the baby I lost." she repeats 
"but the bracelet. The grandmother. The resemblance."I point out. 
"it's missing." she muse and for the first time, I think maybe she's lost her marbles. 
"I had my doubt when I saw how young she was earlier but I confirmed it. Her birthmark is gone." she ramble. I'm just more confused. 
"what are you talking about?" dad inquire. 
"Our baby had this huge birthmark on the back of her neck. I checked when I hugged her but Maya doesn't have that. There's no sign of it."
"You let her go on the basis of a birthmark that could have worn out with the passing years?" dad ask. 
"I didn't let her go. If you would let me finish!" she yell. 
"we are going to follow her. She may not be my baby but Lola . That bitch knows something." she continues as a determined look cross her face. 

Maya :
"Grandma! Grandma!" I barge into the house I used to live in without my usual fear of Tom. I don't care if he's home or he's testy daughter as well. I'm here for answers and I'm not leaving without it. 
"Grandma?!" I yell again as I let myself into the tiny sitting room.
"What's with all the yelling?" I grind my teeth in annoyance when angy greets me with her signature scowl. 
"oh the mighty slut blesses us with her presence tonight." she mock. 
"I don't have time for your antics angy. Where's granny?" I grind out. She just shrug.
"He has kicked you out hasn't he? Finally realized you're just trash huh? It Figures! Your mom did leave you. Why would he stay?" she gloat. I know I shouldn't be stressing myself out right now in my condition but I can't help it. She's hit a sore nerve. I grab a fist full of her hair before she can draw another breath let alone avoid it and slam her head against the hard wall. This reminds of a similar situation only the is positions are reversed. 
"Let go!"
"I'm not trash!" I yell as I slam her head one more time for good measure. 
"What's the commotion out there?!"grandma's familiar cracked voice yells before she rolls her wheel chair out. Angy swear at me before storming off. I don't pay her any attention. 
"Maya?" I let go of angy to grab both sides of grandma's wheelchair. 
"you're back. You look pale? Have you eaten? I should get you something to - - "she stops rambling when she notice my stare. 
" What's wrong?" she inquire 
"she's lying isn't she?"I ask while trying to bite back tears. 
"who?what are you talking about?"
"the locket. I met it's owner." I say quietly. 
"Maya." she breathe out shakily as she turn her gaze away from me. 
"why can't you look at me grandma?"I grab a hold of her face mildly and pull it up to meet my gaze. 
"Maya... " There's guilt in her eyes. 
Something is not right. 
" They were lying right? Tell me it's not true grandma." I sob out. 
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me." she say amidst tears. 
"You took a baby from her mother?! Jesus Christ!"
"Maya listen I needed the money. Your dad. I mean Tom, he needed the transplant. I couldn't say no. I-i-ive been dying inside for almost three decades from keeping it inside me. All these lies."
"You have been dying?! You took me away from my mother! I have been suffering for years unending because of Tom? He needed surgery?!" I'm shaking with rage and grief right now. 
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I always wanted to make it better for you. I gave you the locket so you could finally have peace and all the luxuries you deserve." she sob then try to hold me. 
"What about the truth she deserves, Lola?" we both turn around to see my mother in the doorway glaring hard at grandma. 
"Pri-pri-scilla?" there's a look of utter shock on grandma's face. 
"it's me you old hag! I'm gonna kill you!" she spit as she lunge at my grandmother who keeps sobbing about being sorry. 
I try to grab my mom before she does something she'll regret but she's not having any of it. 
"This woman is a lying hag. She took you away from me." My mom grind through her teeth as she grab a hold of grandma Lola's wrapper. 
"Get away from my mother you crazy woman!" Tom's familiar bellow vibrate through the room.

Read " A woman's dilemma " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. He's suddenly rushing towards my mother and pushing her away from his mother. My mom land on the floor beside me. 
"You?! I know you! I could never forget your face. You were the sickly kid back then! You kidnapped my baby! You took her from my arms." Tom's face falls in confusion but I can see shock registering in too. 
"shit!" he curses as my mom grab his leg. 
"I'm not letting you go this time! I'm calling the police." she release her grip to pull her phone out only for Tom to use the opportunity to pull away. 
"I don't know what you are talking about." he ramble before taking off, out of the room. 
"Come back here!"my mom yell. 
"yes,  a shack just close to the cemetery. The kidnapper is trying to get away . Hurry!" mom say into the phone before ending the call. 
"Wait! Please no!" grandma Lola plead. Mom doesn't pay her any attention though. She starts to get up but grandma grab unto her arm. 
"please don't arrest him. It's all my fault. I'll tell you everything." she plead. 
"Let go of me! How can I believe anything you say?" mom try to free herself to no avail. 
"Don't you want to know about your daughter. You know Maya isn't her, don't you? You know Maya is too young to be her. I'll tell you everything." she ramble and this seems to get both grandma and my attention. 

One episode to go.