End of days

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Leah Rose for how long has your husband been physically abusing you?" Their mother asked calmly.

"For three years now"

"Desmond has been physically abusing you for three years now and you kept quiet about it?"

"What was I supposed to do mother? You all saw him as the perfect son in-law!" Tears were already rolling down Leah Rose's cheeks. ''How could I have come back just barely a year after my wedding, to complain to you that my husband was abusive?''

"You were supposed to tell us, we are your family Leah Rose, that bastard did what he did because you never said anything to anyone, he felt he could get away with it" seeing his sister cry, makes him just want to look for that excuse of a man and beat the hell out of him.

"You would never understand what's it's like to have everyone look up to you, you have no idea what it's like to be the first daughter, perfection is expected from you. Everyone looks up to me Rayford, including you. Ming calls me for advice almost every time she has a fight with her husband, because she believes my home is running smoothly. Then there is you and Dele who always call us the power couple, you guys idolize my marriage, how was I supposed to come out and say; that same marriage is a failure?''

"But my dear I never asked you to be perfect, no one is perfect, why would you choose to sacrifice your own happiness just so others won't be disappointed?" her mother said with tears in her eyes.

Rayford who could not take seeing his mother and sister cry, decided to excuse himself.

'' Rayford please don't go and do something stupid'' his mother pleaded.

''mummy I'm not leaving, I just want to get some fresh air'' he closed the door behind him as he left.

''Mummy remember you used to tell me when I was much younger, that divorce is a sin? You always said God hates divorce. I was only trying to live by the principle you thought me. I didn't want to anger God, I didn't want to disappoint you. You and dad are respected elders in the church, what will people say when they found out your daughter divorced her husband? these were the things that held me back from telling you or taking any action against Desmond all these while''

''Who cares about what people thinks? They can think whatever they want I don't care. I'm so sorry I gave you a wrong notion about marriage'' her mother wept as she spoke.

''No mother you don't have to apologize, you didn't force me to stay, I chose to, thinking probably he might change even when he was cheating on me''

"He is cheating on you too? Ha egbami... (Meaning 'help me' in yoruba) I'm finished, you are leaving that marriage"

"I already filed for a divorce"

"Leah Rose my dear daughter, you need not remain in an abusive marriage because of what people will say, people will surely talk no matter what you do. Divorced or not, you are still my beautiful daughter whom I love so much, I don't want you to ever think less of that"

"I'm sorry I never said anything mom, I just didn't want you or Dad to be disappointed"

"It's fine my dear, we will pull through this together" her mother got up and hugged her as she sat on the bed.

"He threatened to take Jonathan away from me, if I tell the court or anyone that he is abusive"

"Leave him to me, he doesn't know the family he is messing with. By the time I am through with him, he will regret ever laying a finger on my daughter. You just focus on getting better, I will handle him"

Rayford was out trying to clear his lungs, while taking a walk within the hospital premises, when Dele drove in.

''Hey bro, what's up?" Dele greeted as he got down from his car. "What is this I'm hearing about Jane and Amaka?'' Rayford could see Dele was really pained by the news of Amaka's kidnap, even if he was trying to hide it.

''I'm confused myself bro''

''Is there anyone you are suspecting?''

''I can't say, I have been racking my brain to think of someone who could or would want to do this to me, but I haven't been able to come up with any name''

Dele folded his arms and leaned against his car as he tried to think. ''And you haven't received any call from the kidnappers yet?''

''No I haven't''

''This is serious, what of Leah Rose how is she doing? I have news about her husband''

''She is fine, what news?''

''A friend of mine who works at the Canadian embassy contacted me earlier today to say Desmond was at that their office sometime last week, asking for how he can seek asylum in Canada''

''What? What for?''

''He is saying his life is under threat. His wife's family are after his life and that he needs protection, he also said he was being physically abused by his wife''

''So that was why he was trying to run away with Jonathan this morning, now I understand''

''Exactly, his plan was to take the boy with him and then seek for asylum in Canada, and none of us would have access to him nor the boy'' Dele explained.

''How come none of us ever knew this guy was this heartless?''

''We need to protect Jonathan from that man at all cost''

"Oh my God, babe where have you been? I almost went crazy looking everywhere for you" Rayford held Jane so tight in his arms, he almost cut off her oxygen supply.

" Rayford.. I can't breathe" Rayford released his hold on her and then leaned back to look at her face. "I'm sorry babe, it's just that I missed you so much. Please promise me you will never leave me again?"

''I promise to never leave you again Rayford''

He bent to kiss her, but their lips never seems to touch, the closer he came, the farther apart they went. She tried bringing her lip closer to his, but instead her face was greeted with a splash of cold water. Someone poured cold water on her face.

Jane was immediately awoken to consciousness, she was dreaming all these while. Where was she? and why couldn't she see anything? ''Oh God, please let it not be that I am blind'' she prayed in her heart. She tried opening her eyes again but was greeted with a resistance, it was then she realized she had a blindfold on.

Her wrists were aching from being tied together for so long, each time she tries to move them, the ropes ate deeper into her skin. Because of the blindfold, she couldn't see where she was. She was still trying to figure out how she got there, when she heard a faint whisper of her name.

"Amaka is that you?"

"Jane, it's me. Are you okay?"

Jane could hear Amaka's voice coming from her righthand side, and with the closeness of her voice, she knew Amaka wasn't too far away from her.

"Amaka are you okay? How did we get here?"

"I think we have been kidn*pped" Amaka whispered back.

"Oh God not again"

Someone walked in as they spoke, the person moved around Jane's chair and then stood in front of her. Jane caught a whiff of the person's perfume, it was feminine, so she suspected the person to be a woman.

"I advice you ladies to reminisce all you want" Jane was right, the voice was that of a woman. She leaned over and spoke to Jane's face. The voice seemed familiar, she tried recalling where she had heard it before, but couldn't. Whatever was used to make her pass out, was messing with her brain.

"Because soon, you won't be able to do that. You know why? Because you both would soon be dead! Hahahahahaha..." The woman's mean laughter sent cold shivers down Jane's spine. The woman must have seen the fear on her face, for she slowly caressed Jane's face. "No need to be scared my dear, I promise it's going to be a painless death'' She walked to where Amaka was, and touched her face too. ''Or...... maybe not. Hehehehehe....." As she laughed, gradually her voice faded away, and she was out of the room.

***********************

"I have decided to have a double mastectomy" Leah Rose said to Ming as they both took a walk within the hospital premises as the doctor recommended she should. Their mother had gone home to rest, and Leah Rose hasn't told her about her decision to have a double mastectomy yet.

Their mother's only sister whom she was very close to, had died of breast cancer ten years ago. She died during surgery while undergoing a double mastectomy, as that was her only chance of survival because the cancer had eaten deep into her system.