Reaper’s Loot Episode 13

Angela: “I swear I did nothing to her. Those might just be allergies of some sort or baby rashes. Please believe me. You are hurting me” she cursed under her breath as he pulled harder at her hair.

Ifeoluwa: “I think I made a mistake leaving my baby with you. You have done your best so far and I am grateful. It’s high time you left my house” he still wasn’t convinced it was any of the things she said it was.

Angela: “So you want to send me out of your house after all I have done for you? You know I have come to take Boluwatife as my own daughter, I have come to love her as mine and you want to snatch her away from me over something I know nothing about? Do you know what that would do to me? I don’t even have a job any longer. That is how much I have sacrificed for her. Now tell me how on earth will I want to hurt her?” tears drizzled down her face freely as she gave her speech. A speech which melted his heart instantly.

“She might actually be saying the truth. Did I over react? It’s probably the wine I took” he told himself in his heart.

Angela: “But if you want me to leave, I will. I cannot force myself on you and your daughter can I? I guess I will never have a place in your life anyway. I was just grasping for the wind. I will leave” she stood up like one whose soul is under torture while her eyes danced to the tune of her assumingly broken heart. Every part of her was playing their roles well and she knew it.

Ifeoluwa: “It’s okay please don’t leave. I guess I over reacted due to the alcohol I took on my way home. You know I don’t take alcohol. I am sorry” he apologized, drew her into his arms with his free hand and placed a light kiss on her forehead. “I am sorry okay?”

Angela: “It’s okay now. I am sorry I didn’t pay more attention to her too. That is why I wanted to put the dusting powder on her face in case it is rashes” she said and smiled triumphantly as her face nestled under his arm-pit. Things were going even better than she had anticipated. His resolve had started to melt.

Ifeoluwa: “Thank you” he released her when the baby started to cry. She was being made uncomfortable in his bid to hug the two of them at the same time.

Angela: “Don’t worry girl, your daddy will soon become mine. I will do unto you as It pleases me then” she thought and smiled mischievously.

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She wandered about aimlessly at an unfamiliar path. She saw other wandering souls also who were just as dejected as she was. No one spoke to the other, they were all preoccupied with the thoughts in their heads, the worries of the world they didn’t want to leave behind just yet or that they had left behind untimely. The unaccomplished dreams and unfulfilled lives they had lived. Everything seemed glaring to them at those moments and they longed restlessly that they could be given another chance.

Bolatito was tired of just watching, she had witnessed the exchange between Angela and Ife. She had kept screaming at him not to believe her, that she was just as sly as the devil himself but her tears had melted him so easily. She was happy when he asked her to leave but then he quickly changed his mind too. He was not listening to the voice within or to her voice which kept telling him she wasn’t what she portrayed herself to be. She quickly left them when he drew her into his arms not wanting to witness more than that. It felt like she was taunting even her lingering soul.

“God you know I have never really asked for much in my entire life on earth. I was grateful to you for the little I had even though it was never enough, please I want to go back home to my mum and daughter. I know I did wrong but this is enough torture as it is, please send me back, give me another chance tol hold my daughter and protect her from the world myself like a real mother should. But if you will not listen to me, please take me, call me back home so I can at least find rest and peace. So I can stop witnessing the evil I am not able to do anything about”

She prayed out loud making the rest of the souls there stop and stare at her indifferently. They wondered if God could hear them, if he could answer even the prayer of the hopeless like them. Some of them started giving it a try too rather than complaining endlessly about their state.

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She sneaked out of the room with the plate of half eaten food she had gone to feed her captive with. Her husband saw her coming out and grew suspicious too judging from his brother’s earlier assumption that his daughter was inside one of those rooms. He walked to the kitchen where she was busy washing the plate she had brought out with her.

Charles: “Mmesoma don’t be angry by the question I want to ask you now o” he grimaced knowing he was taking a very huge risk.

Mmesoma: “If you know it will make me angry then don’t ask it, just a friendly advice” she replied without looking up at him.

Charles: “I still want to ask. Please what is inside that room you just came out from? I keep seeing you going in there with food then coming out with half eaten or empty plate. Please tell me the truth”

Mmesoma: “And you have the guts to ask me that? I told you I go there to eat my food atimes, it is a room where I go to relax and think about life. How much of that do you not understand? Don’t ask me any such question again, do you understand?” she shot him an angry look and his knees went weak immediately.

Charles: “I am sorry, I will not ask you again, sorry for making you angry” he had to say but somewhere in his heart, he knew he was still suspicious of her and he will find out what she is hiding. Aftrall it was his house.

Mmesoma: “Now leave this place and go change that wrapper on you. I told you I hate it when you tie wrapper like that. Have you washed the car I’d be taking out? I prefer you washing it to the gateman so go do it now if you haven’t” she ordered.

Charles: “I have washed it. You know I don’t disobey your orders. I will go and remove the wrapper now” within him, he knew something was amiss with his recent behavioural pattern but there was nothing he could do about it. He kept acting like her dog and footstool anyway.

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He decided to linger in the bathroom a bit longer in order to wash off the effect the alcohol was still having on him. He had just put the baby to sleep. As he closed his eyes, letting the water drizze down his head to his body in cold succession. He opened his eyes and saw Bolatito standing before him, her naked body brought memories of the many times they had spent making love under that same shower.

He didn’t know when “Bola” escaped his throat, he drew her closer and engaged her in a very passionate kiss muttering “I have missed you so much” in between kisses.