I fainted! I was revived by a splash of water hitting my face. I got a small towel as compensation. Sitting on the sofa with a police man beside me. I heard Kunle’s confession pour out of his mouth like acid as his memory came back. Cynthia was cursing all the way and shifting positions every second. The lady I later came to know as Barbara rushed to Kunle’s side, throwing her arms around him, she began to sob ‘Kunle mi …..sob……Kunle mi…..sob….she leaned backwards to look at his face….stroking it gently…..I bo lo rin lo?’ ‘Mo tin duro de e Kunle mi…..oshe o Jesu……oshe’. Cynthia snapped, ’Save your tears Barbara, you’ll need them’. Kunle moved from the sofa and knelt down in-front of Barbara holding both her hands in his. You could see the strain in his face as he recognised me for who I was, Cynthia and then Barbara.
Barbara knelt down in-front of him and he pulled her close. A tormented grief stricken voice rose from Kunle saying, ‘Forgive me, jo….’, he gasped. Barbara just nodded….sobbing and saying …..’I do…..Jesu Oshe’. ‘Do you?’ Kunle asked. ‘I’ve lied my dear……she kissed his face sobbing and nodding. Cynthia hissed and gave me a venomous look , ‘I told you I was not the only one, now you know the truth Barbara, see where he has been hiding’. Kunle went on, tears trickling down his face. He and Barbara were in a world of their own. ‘I never told you about Cynthia’. Barbara nodded sobbing, ‘I know Kunle’. Kunle heaved, shaking his head from side to side. ‘It’s not all….Shade here is pregnant Barbara……SSHhe is preg….nant…’. ‘Oh Kunle’, Barbara said, ‘I still love you Kunle’. Cynthia looked at me again snarling’, you witch, manipulator, l’ll remove it with my bare hands’. She lunged at me in an attempt to scratch me. I screamed and jumped out of her way. The officers restrained her as she struggled to break free.
She faced Kunle. ‘ME NKO EH?’ she shouted then hissed. Barbara looked at her with pity in her eyes and turned back to Kunle. ‘Oko mi, all is not lost’, wiping a tear with the tips of her fingers. ‘A child is a good thing, let’s do what is right’. Kunle had started to sob. My boss had been standing by the door shaking her head the whole time and saying, ‘o ma she o’. Barbara said,’je ka lo’. They both stood up. Barbara turned to say quietly,’ I’ll be in touch with you. The police wanted to arrest me but Barbara stopped them. ‘It’s not necessary Mr Shabiru’, she said. ‘Fi le’. They let me go. Kunle and Barbara walked out of the house followed by the police. Cynthia followed suit almost immediately, incensed, muttering…… ‘stupid meddling slut’. My boss looked at me long and hard and said three words. ‘Shade, I’m disappointed’. She walked out and closed the door placing an envelope on the table as she left.
I was alone, dejected, downcast and drained. I reached for the envelope and opened it. I knew. I was not surprised. It was all over. This chapter was closed.
