End of days

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When they got to the hospital, the doctor examined Amaka's bruises, and ran a test to see if she suffered any form of internal bleeding. The test came out negative. So she was placed on some pain killers and asked to come back after a week.

When they got back to Michael's place, Rayford was about leaving the house in the company of Black and Michael.

"What's up?" Dele asked as he got down from the car.

"Black's men have been able to track down one of the locations, we are going to check it out and see if that's where he is holding Jane" Rayford told Dele.

"I'm coming with you guys then" Dele got back into his car to drive out with them.

"Alright then, Amaka you stay home with Ming. We will keep you both informed of anything"

"Alright, please be safe" Amaka hugged Rayford before she went inside to find Ming nursing her son.

"Have they gone?" Ming asked.

"Yes, they just left"

"Okay, what did the doctor say about your bruises?"

"He said, it's nothing serious, I will heal in a matter of days. Though he asked I come back after a week"

"Oh that's good, would you like something to eat? There is rice in the kitchen"

"No I'm good for now" Amaka declined

"Don't worry, once I'm done nursing William, I will go serve us some, you need to eat something to hold those drugs you were given"

When Ming was done nursing her son, she put him in his crib and then, went to the kitchen to dish out some food for her and Amaka to eat.

"Now eat up, so you can take your drugs" Ming said as she placed a plate in front of Amaka.

"How do you do it?" Amaka asked.

"Do what?"

"How do you manage to know what everyone needs and still enforce it on them even when they're being adamant?"

"I wouldn't say I enforce anything on anyone. I just tell them what to do"

"No you do, look at Rayford for example, when every other person was scared of talking to him, you still were able to force him to eat"

Ming smiled as she ate. "When my parents died in a plane crash 15 years ago, I was forced to be strong, not just for myself, but also for my brother Dele"

"I'm sorry, how old were you then?"

"I was just 13 and Dele was 15. But Dele took their death so hard it almost affected him mentally. So I knew I had to be strong for us both. Before Rayford's parents took us in to start living with them"

"That must have been very hard for you both"

"It was actually, but thank God for the Ademolas, they made it less painful. They never for once made us feel like we weren't part of their family. Up until now, some people don't know they aren't our biological parents"

"Oh that's very nice"

"Yeah, growing up with Rayford and Dele in the same house, made me realize those two require strong hands if you are ever to have your way with them"

"Hmmm.."

"You need to make Dele realize what he would be missing by not being with you"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know Amaka, I see things"

"I really don't know what you are talking about. But if you don't mind, could you tell me how you and Michael met? I have always been curious about you two" Amaka said trying to change the line of conversation.

"Of course. Do you know, I never really liked him in the first place?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I actually hated Michael. He always got on my nerves whenever he came over to the house with Rayford and Dele"

"So how did you both end up falling in love?"

One day, after their graduation from the University, Michael came over to the house but Dele and Rayford had gone to play golf with their father, and Leah Rose who was dating her husband then, had gone out on a date with him. While their mother had gone for a church meeting. So Ming who always loved to stay indoors, was the only one home.

"I think you should leave, no one is at home" Ming said as she opened the door to find Michael there.

"When you say no one, aren't you someone?" Michael asked as he pushed his way past Ming into the sitting room.

"I don't have time for this, so please leave" Ming still held the door open.

"No I'm not leaving, I'm going to wait for Dele and Rayford to come back" he took a seat and crossed his legs.

"You know you can actually go over to the golf club and meet them right?"

"Yes, but I choose to wait here instead"

"Whatever" Ming closed the door and left the sitting room to go upstairs but Michael stood in her front blocking her way.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ming tried getting past him, but he kept blocking her way. "Get out of my way"

"I will, if you come back and continue the movie you were watching before, I came in"

"I'm no longer interested, you can watch it on my behalf"

"Please, I really don't want you to leave"

Ming finally obliged him and they watched the movie together and after that, they watched another movie, before the rest of the family came back and they all ate dinner together.

"So after that day what happened? Did you both continue talking?" Asked a curious Amaka

"After that day, I didn't see him again, until two weeks later when he stopped by the house again"

Ming was watching a movie in the living room, while she munched on some popcorns, when she heard the door bell ring. She got up to answer the door only to find Michael standing there.

"They are not home, you should already know you can't find them home by this time on a Tuesday, they have gone to play golf"

"I know that already" Michael replied.

"Then why are you here then?"

"Please can I come in?" He asked

Ming stepped out of the way and allowed him to go in.

"Now you are in, what do you want?"

He was tiptoeing on the spot nervously with his hands placed his pockets.

"What is the problem Michael?" Ming became concerned.

Michael grabbed Ming and kissed her, at first she was shocked but then relaxed herself to enjoy it. She opened her lips for him, and as she yearned for more, he stopped.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me" he started to apologize.

"It's okay" Ming said as she looked down.

"I actually came here to ask you to go out with me on a date?"

"Really?" Ming looked up with expectations in her eyes.

"Yes of course"

"I would love that" Ming said.

They ended up going for dinner later that weekend and one date led to another and another and before Ming knew it, she was head over heels in love with Michael.

"Like you already know, the rest they say, is history" Ming cleaned the dishes Amaka washed, and placed them in a cabinet.

"Awwwwwww, that's so sweet, but why did you hate Michael so much?"

"I really don't know, I guess because he was a geek and was always reading and I hated to read, except it was for exams. So I didn't like the fact that he reminded me of what I hated"

"Hahahahahaha Ming you are very funny, so you hated him because he likes to read?"

"Yes now, you should have seen him when is talking about books he had read. He was always a constant reminder of what I hated"

"I can't believe this, well thank God he kissed you on that day"

"Yeah, look where it brought us"

*Some hours later*

It was 10pm and there was still no call from Mr. Okafor's son. Rayford looked around the sitting room, his heart swelled with pride at the sight of his friends and family seated. None making any attempt to go to bed. Even Leah Rose who just got back from Japan and was supposed to be resting was there too.

Amaka who's face was still bruised, was seated agile, her face showed she was exhausted but she couldn't get herself to rest.

Ming, his beautiful troublesome sister has been nothing but a darling hostess to them all. She has taken to serving them food and making sure their energy level is optimal like she likes to call it.

Michael and Dele had decided to keep watch over a game of chess.

Black had to ask for the best tech guy in his agency to come help him track Timothy's location, when next he calls. They were both constantly typing away on their laptop.

Rayford felt grateful, that he had his family with him at a time like this.

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

Jane's whole body ached from being in one position for over 24hrs. The only time she was allowed to stand up, was when she requested to use the restroom. And Timothy stood in front of her with the door wide open.

"Could you at least give me some privacy?" Jane asked as they got to the restroom.

"So you can devise a means of escape? There is no way in hell I'm letting you out of my sight, so I suggest you better do whatever it is you want to do, because you only have a minute"

Jane stood looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Come, are you going to pee or what? Or do you want me to take you back?what are you even hiding? It's not like I haven't seen it before"

Jane finally sat down on the toilet seat and eased herself with Timothy standing and watching her. When she was done, he led her back to the chair and tied her to it.

"What do you intend to achieve with this? For how long do you intend to keep me?"

"For as long as I deem necessary, I can keep you for as long as I want"

"For what it's worth, I am sorry. Please just let me go, I beg you"

"Sorry you said? Did you just say you are sorry? Because of you, I can never see my father again! Because of you, my mother died of a heart attack. You Jane, are a murderer"

"I'm truly sorry for your father's death, I never meant to kill him, but your father violated me. And I'm sorry for your mother's death too but she wasn't innocent herself, she watched all these happened and did nothing"

Timothy angrily stood up and poured a chilled water on her face. "You must never speak ill of my mother again. You are lucky I'm waiting to get money from your boyfriend, I would have killed you this very minute!"

Timothy stormed out of the dark room, Jane could hear him conversing with someone outside. She is yet to see anyone else, but she knows there are about two other men with Timothy.

Rayford knew he needed to rest but he couldn't, he couldn't get himself to rest when he didn't know if his baby was doing okay, everytime he thought about her, his heart broke.

The location they had earlier gone to, was an abadoned warehouse, and there was no trace of Mr. Okafor's son or Jane there.

"Why hasn't he f*****g called back yet?" Rayford got up from his chair and paced the living room staring at his phone.

"Amaka do you think we need to pray again? Perhaps God didn't hear us the first time?" He was desperate and didn't know what to do.

"I'm very sure God heard us the first time, he is not deaf" Ming was serving everyone in the room a mug of hot coffee, since none of them were willing to go to bed, she thought they could all use some caffeine.

"I just think we should pray again, probably remind God about our situation" Rayford insisted.

"Okay, let us all pray" Ming placed the tray she was with on the center table, and this time Rayford went on his knees and every other person including Black and his partner followed suit. Ming led them in a short prayer and continued to serve them afterwards.

"Ming I think you should go get some sleep, you have been serving us all day" Dele said.

"You should give yourself that advice, I'm not the one looking like he could use some caffeine"

Dele tried arguing but Ming shut him up with a raise of her hand. "Please don't argue just drink up your coffee, God knows you all need the caffeine"

"Ming, I think Dele is right. You have been serving us all since. Please have a seat" Leah Rose got up and took the tray from her and served the remaining people.

They were all quietly sipping on their coffee when Rayford's phone rang. They all kept quiet as Black's partner connected it to his laptop, picked it and placed it on loud speaker.

"Hello?" Rayford answered

"You should have gotten my money by now"

"Yes, I'm talking to my bank already and you should get your money by tomorrow morning"

"Good, remember no foul play. If you want to see her alive, you must not inform the police"

"Yes I totally understand, but please can I speak with her? Please?"

"Okay, you have just thirty seconds" Timothy placed the phone on Jane's ear.

"Hello" came Jane's weak voice.

"Baby how are you ? Are you hurt? Is.."

" Rayford calm down, I'm okay "

"I promise to get you out of there very soon. I love you and..."

Timothy took the phone away from Jane's ear. "Now you have spoken to her, if you don't want this to be the last time you speak to her, I suggest you get to work and get my money ready by 9:am tomorrow. I will call you and tell you where to drop it" Timothy ended the call.

"Did you get anything?" Rayford asked, immediately Timothy hung up.

"Yes I did" Black's partner said "give me a minute"

They all held their breath, waiting patiently for him to tell them his findings.

"I was able to track his location, they are in Ikorodu"

"Good, now we have a location so let's move" Rayford was already on his feet as he spoke.

"Not so fast, we need to ask for more men, we can't just go busting in on them without being fully equipped" Black said, as he got up to call his agency for more men to be sent.

An hour later, Black's agency sent five more men to Michael's house to go get Jane back.

"I'm coming with you guys" Rayford got up and took his car keys.

"I'm sorry sir, but you would have to wait here, I promise you, we are going to get her back safely" Black tried persuading Rayford to stay.

"You would have to tie me to a chair, because nothing is stopping me from coming with you"

"I'm coming with you too" Dele said.

"Me too" Michael got on his feet and placed a kiss on his wife's forehead.

Black knowing clearly he couldn't win a fight against them, decided to oblige them.

"Fine, but you will all wait outside, when we get there"

"Let's get there first" Rayford said.