Love By Deception

Chapter 2: He can do anything

Maria ran like never before until she ended up in an unfamiliar street. She was breathing really hard and needed to rest for her sake and for the sake of the babies as well. She didn't expect she would be able to run that fast carrying the twins. All through the way, she never thought of anything else but how to save the babies but when she got far enough, she paused.

'What could be happening back there? What if something bad has happened?'

Tears rolled down her cheeks as confusion sets on her. What was she going to do? Her husband was still there.

She saw a local shop used for selling products, bit since the seller was not there and there was no products in the shop, she enters in and sat down on the floor. She cried until she fell asleep on the cold floor inside the shade.

"Madam! Madam o!" Maria squinted her eyes open as she heard someone shouting.

Looking up, her eyes were met with two angry ones that belonged to an advanced woman.

"You don't have a house?..." The woman continued shouting. "Why are you sleeping in my shade?(shop) Where do you expect me to sell? On your head?" The woman shouted glaring at Maria without considering the babies in her arms, who had endured through the cold night.

"I'm sorry ma. I will leave now." She quickly got up, carefully carrying the babies in her arms.

Her arms were aching badly as she had been carrying them for hours without any rest but that's nothing compared to the pain she would feel if anything were to happen to her husband.

Should she go back? Would the men still be there?

As she walked by the side way thinking about what to do, she overheard two women, a chubby and a slim one, discussing as they walked pass.

"I still can't believe that the same man I saw yesterday had been killed. " The chubby woman said shaking her head. "-And seeing how they broke down the door, I'm sure it was robbery. But it was the fair woman lying dead with him I'm confused about, I don't think that was his wife."

Maria slowed down her steps so she could hear all what the women were saying, hoping it was not her suspicion.

"That was not his wife." The slim woman added, "Although I haven't seen his wife before as she never comes out but I hear she is darked skinned and not light skinned."

Maria bit her bottom lips nervously and walked up meet them.

"Sorry to intrude but may I know the man you are talking about?" She asked.

The chubby woman shook her head, "I don't think you will know him but he owned a mechanic workshop at Abede street and his name is Ken......."

At the mention of her husband's name, it was as if Maria's world had come to an end. She didn't even realize the babies she was carrying were about to fall off her arms if the women hadn't tapped her.

"Please madam, be careful, what are you thinking about?" The chubby woman scolded her as she stared at the babies.

"Or do you know the man?" The slim one asked her.

Maria's eyes became teary and she couldn't find her voice.

"No! It has to be a coincidence. It can't be my Ken!" Tears ran down her cheeks and she turned around to ready to walk away but she paused at once when one of the babies started crying.

She looked down at her right arm and her eyes met the lovely pitiful eye of one of the twin who clutch her shirt asking to be breastfed.

"Don't worry,I'm taking you back to your mother, nothing will happen to her. Nothing should happen to her." She said trying to convince herself as she smiled at baby and started walking away but she felt a hand pulled her back.

"You seem distracted and weak. Are you okay? Do you know the man?" The chubby woman who had pulled her back asked her.

Maria tried to swallow her tears but they kept flowing non stop.

She could have simply told them that he was her husband but she didn't want their consolation or pity.

"Not really but I have to go see for myself." As she turned again, the other woman stopped her.

"The bodies have already been carried away by the police. A stranger came and claimed to know the woman and the man so he asked for their bodies to be taken to the mortuary. It was strange because 'that' Ken cannot have such an affluent man as his relation but who are we to judge?" The woman shook her head and sighed.

Maria was dumbfounded. What was this woman talking about? What stranger?

"How many bodies were found there?" She asked.

The chubby woman answered, "Just two. The man's and the lady's but the police said they suspected an additional body because the shape of person was spotted but well, there was nobody found so, two were recorded but I'll still say that something was not right, especially with the stranger; he looked affluent and scary. The police did not even question him at all, I wonder if we're safe again in this country."

"So you mean to say that the bodies have been taken away already?" Maria asked again in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Yes o, just like that."

"One more thing. The man was saying something like he was looking for babies and the man's wife...I wondered why but the police didn't ask any further questions. They simply said they will help him search for them."

"That man was suspicious and I think he has something to do with their deaths." The slim one said nodding her head.

"Watch your tongue, you don't want to get in trouble." The other woman warned her.

Maria felt like her heart would explode from the severe pain she was feeling at the moment. What in the world was happening? What was she going to do?

"Please rest first and take care of your babies."

The woman said to her and she looked at the babies in her arms with clouded eyes.

"Thank you." She said to them and started walking away.

She has to go and confirm for herself, she can't accept the whole thing like this.

Few hours later, she found her way back to the street and went straight to her house. On reaching there, she saw police barricade tape all over the place. She peeped through the house and saw blood all over the sitting room.

"No..no..It can't be Ken..." Her legs trembled as she fell on her knees and burst into tears.

"Oh God! What have I done to deserve this?! Why?? I never complained about my sufferings, why add more to it?! " As she cried hard, the babies started crying as well and that drew attention as people started coming to console her.

An advanced woman is her late 50s suddenly approached her and bent down to her.

The woman reached to her and lifted her chin up, "Why are you crying child? Your babies are crying as well."

"They took him from me. He......he.......was all I have and now I don't even have the chance to see his body? Tell me, is this fair?"She looked at the woman with glossy eyes.

"Come now, get up and follow me." The woman pulled her up from the ground as Maria kept on crying.

She led Maria to her old camry car which was parked at a space and opened the door for her.

"I can't come with you..." Maria started to say withdrawing her hand from hers. "I have to go to the police station to know what's going on. The bastard that claimed my husband's body, I must know him as well."

"Come with me first, you look pale and weak. At least, if not for yourself, come for the sake of the babies, they don't look well." The woman said looking at the babies with sympathy.

Maria sighed in frustration as she gave in and entered the car.

The woman started the car and drove through the street.

Maria sat in the passenger seat with her head rested as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I saw what happened there..." The woman started but that didn't get Maria's attention as she was still focused looking through space. "-I knew at once that the rich man wasn't related to those bodies and that something was up..."

This time, Maria slowly turned to the woman still in tears.

Maria bit her bottom lips and sniffled, "I have to find out who he is."

"You shouldn't push this matter forward young lady. I may not know your story but one thing I'm sure of is that these babies aren't yours." The woman said as she looked at the babies in Maria's arms.

"And what made you say that?" Maria asked in a cracked voice.

"It's obvious my dear. Although, you seem to care for them but you are not caring for them like a mother would. But I will not ask you to tell me your story, you need time to recover from your loss."

Maria clenched her fist, "More reason I have to find out who that man was."

"Why I said you should rest for a while is because that man wants you and the babies. I don't know why but I don't think you should be anywhere near the police for now, it would make it easier for him to find you. If he could cover the whole issue up by claiming those bodies without questioning, he can do anything."

"How did you know he wants me and the babies?"

"Who doesn't? Even the police are searching for a black skinned woman with babies and that's obviously you." She shrugged.

Maria sighed frustrated.

The woman was right, if that man could claim bodies that aren't related to him, he could easily get her and the babies.

"What do I do with my life now? Will I keep running with these babies when their mother is dead? I don't even know how I am going to fend for myself, how will I take of two kids?"

"If you are willing to hide for sometime for the matter to die down, I know of how you can care for the kids."

"And where will I hide?"

"Do you think that man knows you physically?" The woman asked her.

"I don't think so since he had never seen me before. I am not sure who he is but I'm guessing he was the one who sent those men. According to the babies' mother, he must be the ex lover she told me about."

The woman nodded, "Then that's great."

Maria added, "But those men, I think they will recognize me anywhere."

"I don't think they will search the whole state for you..."

Maria scoffed at the woman's words.

"That man...... like you said, he is capable of anything."

"Well......you can hide in my place for the time being with the babies until you recover."

"Would that be okay for you? Those men might come back."

The woman smiled, " It's fine my child."

"I would have said you shouldn't bother but I don't have a place to stay so thank you for the offer."

The woman smiled and shook her head, "You are a strong lady. The lady that died as well, is the babies' mother right?"

Maria only nodded in reply.

"It must be painful for her to die without getting to know her children......life." The woman shook her head.

After a while, they arrived at the woman's house, it was a small bungalow. The compound wasn't too big but spacious. The environment was a peaceful one and not much people seemed to move around frequently.

"Here we are, please come inside." The woman said as she stretch forward to carry one of the babies from her.

As they got inside the sitting room, the woman placed the baby in her arms on the sofa and also took the other one from Maria's arm.

"Should I get you food?" The woman asked her.

"No, I'm good. I want to lie down, could you show me a room?"

"Sure" The woman took her to a vacant room.

"You can use this room."

"Thank you.." Maria said but paused before adding on." What do I call you?"

"You can just call me Sarah."

"Thank you Mrs Sarah, I'm Maria."

"Its nothing Maria." She smiled

"What about the babies? They haven't eaten since and I can't breastfeed them." Maria asked.

"Of course you can, we will visit the hospital tomorrow for the babies' sake, to.......well, check on them."

Maria sighed and nodded.

"For now, I have nan for them."

Maria turned to her in surprise, "How come?"

"I work in an orphanage home and I care for newly admitted babies so I tend to have these things......."

Maria nodded and slowly walked into the room.

"Don't cry too much" The woman said with a knowing look before shutting the door.

Maria sat on the floor close to the bed as numerous thoughts started coming to her head and images of her husband replayed before her.

She bit her lips hard to stop herself from crying but failed as she burst into tears squeezing her chest tightly.

(It's not real, just my imagination or probably a nightmare that I'm finding hard to wake up from. God why?)

The next morning, Maria managed to open her eyes for she cried herself to sleep. She slowly stood up from the cold floor she had slept on. Her head ached badly and her eyes were puffy from crying.

"Maria! Please let me in." Maria turned to the door as she heard the voice of Sarah.

"Give me a minute." She replied weakly.

"Okay. Please do come out and eat something."

Maria walked to the mirror and stood before it. She could see how terrible she looked and her puffy eyes which made it obvious that she had been crying. She sighed and wiped her eyes trying to at least remove the redness but it seemed it would take a while to come off. She walked up to the door and opened it.

Stepping out, she saw Sarah dressing up the babies and she watched her puzzled.

"Where did you get clothes for them?"

"I ordered it."

Maria nodded, "Wow, you received it quite......well....on time." She sighed before adding on, "Where is your husband Mrs Sarah?"

Sarah kept mute for a while before replying.

"My husband is dead. He died two years ago from cancer."

Maria nodded and quickly regretted asking. She walked over to the couch and sat down.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, it's been two years now and before you also ask if I don't have a child, I do. Two at that, but they are both married off." Sarah smiled.

Maria nodded and sighed.

"But where are you dressing up the babies to?"

"If you recall, I mentioned that we will take them to the hospital today, they need to get them checked."

Maria shrugged, "They don't look sick to me, why don't we go to the police station instead and......"

"Maria! That's not fair! These babies just lost their mother and you are all they've got, but they have to be strong for you to care for them." Mrs Sarah said to her.

Xoxo