Fredrick entered the compound and looked around. It was a duplex. The compound was very neat and beautiful with trees and flowers everywhere. There were two cars parked, a Peugeot and a Mercedes Benz. Those two cars spoke money or at least comfort. The gateman who let him in was looking at him strangely.
“May I speak with your madam?” he asked
He looked at Fredrick, dump-struck. “Oga Ikem, no be you?” he asked, looked around, obviously confused. “But, you comot now. I see you comot. How you come go come back like that?” he was walking around Fredrick, looking at him from head to toe.
Fredrick kept his cool. “May I speak with your madam?”
“Oga, who you be? Make I just go call my madam.”
“Please, sir. I really need to see her and I assure you she’ll want to see me too. Just say her son wants to see her.”
The gateman still stood back, apparently unsure what to do. “Please?”
He looked at Fredrick once more and walked towards the front door. He stopped, looked back for a few moments, shook his head and walked the rest of the way. He knocked.
The door opened and Fredrick could see the man gesticulating and pointing in his direction. He went on for a few moments and then the person he was talking to stepped into the light and Fredrick could see she was a woman. The gateman was still talking but she wasn’t listening anymore. She walked slowly towards Fredrick and he saw her face. This is definitely my mother, he thought.
She stopped after walking a few steps and just stared at him. Tears trickled down and she resumed walking until she got to him. No words were needed. It was very glaring who he was. She put her hand on his right cheek and stared into his eyes. Fredrick couldn’t hold back the tears.
“Mum?” he whispered
She nodded and pulled him in for a hug. They held each other tightly for a few moments. After a while, she withdrew, held his hand and led him into the house.
Few minutes later, they were seated comfortably in the living room. Fredrick’s dad had joined them and they all sat there staring at one another, totally lost for words. The twins looked like their mother; same eyes, same cheekbones and same mouth. It was unnerving for Fredrick sitting there looking at his parents after he had thought about it for many months. It was surreal.
Finally, his dad broke the silence. “How did you get to know about us?” he asked
Fredrick told them the same story he had told Ikem the other day. By the time he was finished, they were dumbfounded. His mother was crying while his father looked very furious.
“Those snakes. That stupid doctor!” he fumed. “How can they do that? That is inhuman and terrible. I’m going to prosecute them to the full extent of my power.”
Fredrick hung his head. He knew now was not the right time to plead on behalf of his adoptive parents. They had been as good to him as parents could be but what they had done was unforgiveable. He couldn’t bring himself to punish them though.
“No, Leonard. Let’s not pour petrol on this burning fire. What’s done is done. Let us just thank God our son is back home.” His mum said.
“Nkechi, how can you say that? Look at him, he’s a grown man. We missed twenty eight years of his life. And you ask me to forget it? How can I?”
“I know, dear. But we have the next forty years or so to make up for that. What is fighting going to solve? Please, let’s just be thankful we have our son back.”
Fredrick’s dad looked at his wife. She looked at him imploringly. He finally shook his head and looked down. Fredrick could tell he was not satisfied with his wife’s decision but he was going to respect it nonetheless. Fredrick was relieved.
His mum turned to him and smiled. “Come, my son. What’s your best food? Let me prepare it for you. Dear, can you bring out a bottle of wine? We need to celebrate.” She stood up and came to sit beside Fredrick. “Tell me, what food do you like best?”
He smiled. “I’m fine with anything you make, mum.” It felt good to say that word.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Okay then. Leonard, what are you still waiting for? The wine?”
“Oh yes.” He jumped up and went out of the room.
“Actually, mum I have a friend waiting outside for me. Could I bring her in?”
“Yes, of course. Why did you leave her outside all this while?”
“Let me go get her.”
“Please, do.”
Fredrick went out of the house. He felt elated and very happy. The reunion had gone a lot better than he had hoped for.
“Oga, well done o.” the gateman said as he stepped out. He was still scratching his head in confusion.
Fredrick smiled and went out. He saw Ugochi leaning on the side of her car. She had obviously gotten tired of sitting in. She walked towards him and a very big smile split his face.
“I take it it went well?”
“It went perfectly.” He took her hand and led her into the house.
To be continued
Comments
Post a Comment