Tayo’s car horn blared as he approached the gate. He had left the hospital alone in a rage, the moment he realized Osato had forgotten Johnson at home. What type of mother forgets her child in a duplex for hours? While he was driving down to the house, he almost knocked down a crossing pedestrian, but he couldn’t get himself to apologize to the almost accident-victim; all he wanted to do was get home.
“God please have mercy, I can’t afford to lose two sons in less than 24 hours; please God.”
He prayed in his heart as he sped home.
He was finally in front of the gate and was honking the car horn, but Musa wasn’t there to open. “Where is this idiot?” he yelled behind the wheel before making his way out of the car.
At this point his anger hit boiling point. He slammed the car door and jogged towards the pedestrian gate; Musa’s cubicle was just beside it. He was either in deep sleep or was having his bath. Whichever it was, Tayo hoped knocking on the gate will send the awareness of his presence to Musa. He soon arrived at the gate to find a padlock on it,
“Ah, Mogbe! Where has this one gone to? Why does it have to be today? Why, God why?” he questioned with his voice trembling with echoes of tears. There was no getting in. The fence and gate were securely laced fence with barbed wire. Without much consideration he decided to break the padlock. He hit a button on the car remote that opened the trunk and collected a wheel spanner. He hurried back to the gate and swung at the lock with the spanner as he cursed Musa’s name, breathing heavily.
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Osato sat transfixed beside Osasu as they drove home. She knew better than to have followed Tayo; he was angry and her presence would only make him angrier. They had left the hospital when he did, but Osasu couldn’t drive at a similar speed. As a result, they were several minutes behind him. Osato had just lost a child; she was supposed to be in the comforting arms of her husband, but she was condemning herself. How could she forget her son because his brother was dying? She soon broke the silence with tears,
“This is what desperation has led me too. I wasn’t ripe for it; I wasn’t ripe for this marriage. Now I have killed John and left Johnson to his own fate. Please God, kill me already! The wages of sin is death, abi?” she sobbed on.
“Hey” Osasu cut in carefully, “nothing is going to happen to Johnson. I am almost sure Tayo has him by now, and to think that Musa is in the house. I know he is in safe hands. And please, God isn’t wicked, He forgives. Please stop talking about dying; all will be well.” She concluded by patting Osato on her shoulder with her right hand while she navigated the car with the other.
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Musa used to be the gateman for the Idemilis. His humility and diligence earned him the love of every member of the Idemili family. Above all he was very funny, a character that made the girls persuade their father to let him live with them as their gateman after they put to bed. Musa has been with them for about 5 years; he has become a part of their family and has been entrusted with certain responsibilities. The girls were so fond of him while growing up. They taught him how to read and write, and always complemented his efforts with gifts whenever he showed improvement. Furthermore, he has good instincts. He always knew what to do and when to do them, but on this day he was nowhere to be found.
Tayo was sweating profusely; he let out a grunt as each hit landed on the lock. Their duplex was the last house in the close, so no one noticed what was going on with him. Tayo’s shirt and tie were no longer on him, both lay wildly on the car bonnet. After seven minutes of intensive labour the padlock finally gave way. He rushed into the house in a search of Johnson.
“Johnson!” he yelled. Tayo combed all the rooms, including the kitchen and the store, hoping to hear the scream of a child, but it was all futile. Johnson was missing. He sank helplessly into a couch in the sitting room, breathing heavily as he whispered, “Johnson.” He removed his phone from his pocket and had just dialed Musa’s number when Osato walked in behind Osasu. “Where is my son?” she asked as she gazed into Tayo’s eyes for an answer. The only response she got was from Tayo’s speakerphone,
“The number you have called is currently switched off.” She asked again, “Tayo please where is our son?”
“Don’t you dare ask me such a question!” He screamed at her.
“Easy dear, easy, don’t shout at her. She just lost a son and that wasn’t her fault. She was under intense pressure. So, please, do not shout at her! Calm down!” Osasu countered in defense of her sister. “Okay. Alright, I am sorry. But I didn’t forget the boy, and I can’t find him either. I cannot find Musa too.”
“Have you called his number?” Osasu retorted, “I just did and it is switched off.” Tayo declared.
Osasu walked up to her husband, knelt before him and wrapped her hands around his neck, “I understand that you are worried, I am too, and so is Osato. If Musa and Johnson are missing, then I’m sure they are together and safe. Let’s exercise little patience, they will be back soon.” She kissed his forehead and then walked over to her sister and held her close.
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They had left the gate ajar earlier, and so he gained an easy entrance. He just walked straight for the duplex, opened the door and let himself in.
“Who are you?” Tayo asked giving him a ferocious look,
“Me I be Sule,” the Hausa-Fulani man responded,
“Sule, did nobody teach you how to knock where you come from?” Tayo further asked. The man looked clueless for a minute before finally letting out a response,
“Musa I say make he give am for oga this liter.” He threw the letter at Tayo and ran out of the compound.
Tayo opened the letter; a rumpled paper that smelled of onion and cigarette smoke and read it out spontaneously:
“Oga, I have taken my boy. The mother keep one and I keep one too. Ask the mother who is the boy’s father. Don’t find me, you will not see me. Goodbye. Musa.”
