THE BASTARD EPISODE 3 BY DE-RACONTEUR

THE BASTARD

EPISODE 3

WRITTEN BY: LIZZY OYEBOLA YAKUBU

 

(Click here for Episode 2)

 

The thick silence in the car was deafening but my heart was full of many questions. 

 

What is wrong with David?

 

How did he get to know all of that?

 

“Ma and sir, have you met David before?” I asked out of the blue. 

 

“David? Ah, yes we have” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and I smiled. 

 

“No wonder!” I thought.

 

“Yes, Dr. Zee. David has actually been a very wonderful friend to the family” Dr. Olagunsoye added and I frowned a bit, a smile still on my face. 

 

“He has never told me anything about you people before. I was so surprised when he sent me messages today as if he knows you so well.” I said, laughing at myself.

 

“Oh, he sent you a text? How do you know him? He didn’t know we were coming to your office though. Noone knows.” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and my confusion started growing again. 

 

“I am talking about David Martins, my husband, ma. Who were you both talking about?” I asked and they started laughing. 

 

“That is a confusion, Dr. Zee. We were talking about David Yusuf, the chief security at our residence estate” Dr. Olagunsoye said and I nodded, quite embarrassed. But I smiled to cover it up.

 

“We have never met your hubby before. We will be glad to meet him very soon” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and I nodded with a fake, large smile. 

 

My phone beeped and it was David’s message again!

 

Hey babe, howdy! I feel in my spirit that you are so busy since I haven’t gotten a reply from you. What time should I come pick you up? 

 

That was when I knew that I hadn’t replied to him since he had been sending me the messages.

 

I started typing. 

 

I got a client out of the blues. I am on my way to their place now. I will let you know when we are done.

 

His reply came in almost immediately.

 

Oh great! An elderly couple, right? Is the name of their daughter, Grace?

 

“What!” I almost screamed but I had to hold it in because of where I was. 

 

I started to type with a mixture of shock and suspicion and anger. 

 

Dave, have you planted something on me? How come you know all these? No, sincerely, I am scared right now! 

 

He replied almost immediately again. 

 

Iyawo mi of life! Hahaha…babe, never underestimate the Power of this Living God we serve. This case in your hands, babe, I have been waiting for it all my life. That Grace girl, hmmmm… God will give you the method, the words, the actions. .Go, girl, for you are well able to take this mountain.

 

Instead of his words comforting me, they weighed me down the more. 

 

Grace? 

 

Oh my God! 

 

Father, please talk to me. 

 

This girl is a mountain?

 

How?

 

How high Lord?

 

How tall, my Father?

 

Father, You know that I am just a little Christian. I am not even a counsellor, I am  a consultant! How on earth would….oh my God!

 

I couldn’t control the tears that cascaded my face. 

 

I retrieved my scarf from my bag quickly and draped it over my head. I needed to pray but more importantly, I needed to shield my tears from being seen.

 

I brought out my tablet and searched for my Bible App. 

 

After scrolling for almost five minutes without knowing where to read exactly, my heart melted within me. I started regretting why I agreed to take the mountain up! 

 

I didn’t see myself as someone who was spiritual even though I was a sincere child of God. I had actually been waiting on the Lord for the Gift of the Holy Spirit but since it wasn’t forthcoming, I had left the ‘Holy Spirit’ job for my husband while I focused on the little prayers I could do. 

 

And that was why when I heard the name ‘Grace’ and it was confirmed by my clients, I almost gave a shout and faint. I couldn’t believe it. 

 

“Or could that be the Holy Spirit” I whispered to myself. 

 

My phone beeped. 

 

I checked and it was a Whatsapp voice note from David. 

 

What again?

 

I brought out my earpiece, plugged into the tablet, into my ears and listened. 

 

My babe, why do I sense a deep fear in my spirit? Are you scared? 

 

I paused the audio as my head became swollen from within. I blew my nose into my handkerchief again, very gently as I tried to muffle in the tears. 

 

David is a child of God!

 

David is my head indeed!

 

David is connected to my spirit, my heart, my soul, my everything!

 

As these thoughts flowed, it dawned on me that I had never fully known nor had I appreciated fully the Gift of God in the life of my husband. It was just too real! 

 

I resumed the audio and listened carefully.

 

My sweetness, listen to what God has to say to you. That was exactly how He put it in Isaiah 41 verse 10. Listen babe, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

I nodded repeatedly as I heard that. 

 

Babe, there is nothing to fear. Calm down. Let go and let God. Let the Spirit take over, will you?

 

I nodded again with a short smile. 

 

‘Dear Holy Spirit, take over today. As I meet with Grace, let Your Grace alone take over. Take over! Help me never to glory in Your Presence, dear Redeemer’ Babe, say that prayer. Let God have His way. Don’t let your knowledge and prowess in, lock them out! God bless you. I am praying for you. 

 

 

I sighed deeply as I read those. I replied to him shortly, placed my tablet in my handbag, dabbed my face with a handkerchief and tightened my scarf. 

 

God, take over! 

 

Let Your Grace take over!

 

I will never glory in Your Presence. 

 

I was strengthened. I didn’t know why, but I was greatly strengthened after reading my husband’s message. 

 

“Finally, the journey has ended. We are home!” Mrs. Olagunsoye announced, looking back at me with a smile loaded with gratitude, since I was sitting at the back of the car. It was my first time in an Aston Martin One-77 but I couldn’t enjoy the lavishly sophisticated car to the fullest since my heart was overburdened throughout the drive.

 

I decided to pay attention to the last few minutes or seconds that I would be spending in it. I had only seen such an expensive car in movies and well, in Italy when we went to a car fair- David loved cars!

 

“Wow! This is exquisite!” I exclaimed as Dr. Olagunsoye drove into the compound. It would have to think so deeply to describe what was in front of me. The whole place looked too surreal- like a fantasy scenery!

 

 

“Oh, Dr. Zee, you make me blush. This is nothing, really!” Mrs. Olagunsoye said, smiling. I was dumbfounded as I alighted the car. Ten soldiers surrounded our car immediately. They saluted and said their welcoming greetings after which Dr. Olagunsoye handed the car key to one of them. He waved them off, dismissing them. 

 

One of them entered the car and drove off to the place where I later realized was a garage. As the car approached the gate to the garage, it opened promptly for me to see the many cars that were in the garage! 

 

Oh my God! These people are rich! 

 

I scanned the whole environment with so much scrutiny that I didn’t know that I was being called. 

 

“Dr. Zee!” Dr and Dr. Olagunsoye called and I looked back at them. They looked so worried. 

 

“Are you okay, ma’am?” Dr. Olagunsoye asked and I smiled at the worry in his face. 

 

“I am just overwhelmed by the affluence I see.” I said and Mrs. Olagunsoye smiled. 

 

“It is the Lord’s doing, Dr. Zee” She said, looking quite proud of herself. I smiled.

 

A small, golden tricycle pulled up in front of us and I wondered what that was. 

 

“Dr. Zee, this is our guest house. This tricycle will take us to our main house. It is at the far end of the compound” Dr. Olagunsoye explained and I nodded, smiling unbelievably that the finely built tower was just a guest house. 

 

What will the main house look like then?

 

We entered into the tricycle and I was shocked to see some glassy doors pull down to shield us as we entered. Then, a cool breeze started blowing from the air conditioner. I was stunned. 

 

This is not a tricycle o! 

 

I wondered how much it would cost. 

 

Ordinary tricycle!

 

As we drove on, I realized that the 30-acre estate included a massive and exotic greenhouse, four swimming pools, a large outdoor kitchen, a large hall, a helipad with two helicopters, and a guest house.

 

“Sir and ma, I must confess that you are both humble” I said, unable to contain my feelings. They smiled briefly. 

 

“These are the blessings of Abraham. We do not even have up to him yet, Dr. Zee” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and I shook my head. 

 

“This is so amazing sir and ma. This is more than the blessings of Abraham o. God bless you!” I prayed. 

 

“Amen!” They chorused. 

 

Soon, the tricycle pulled up in front of a well-lit palace-looking building. The glassy doors of the tricycle were retracted and we alighted it. The cool natural breeze of the evening was so awesome. Grabbing my bag close to my chest, I sighed in disbelief that I was still in Nigeria. 

 

The house was too exotic!

 

The shape of the house was an injection, pinned to the ground. 

 

The architect of this house sure deserves an award, what! 

 

“Welcome to our humble abode” Dr. Olagunsoye said as he waved at the ten-man army team who had gathered round us again. They were dismissed and quickly stationed themselves in front of the house, well-armed. 

 

We moved close to the door but my legs couldn’t carry me well, out of sheer excitement. I was overwhelmed. 

 

Dr. Olagunsoye swiped his card against the door lock and it scrolled up quickly. 

 

“Come in, please” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and I followed immediately.  

 

I followed them into the clear, glassy private elevator that started conveying us up. 

 

“This is a five-storey building” Mrs. Olagunsoye started. “It was completed two years ago by an Italian Architect, Adrina Agostino. It took them five years to complete the building” She explained and I nodded. It was thrilling listening to the full gist from the horse’s mouth. 

 

“In this building alone, we have a 12-seat movie theater, a double-height library, a formal dining room with seats for 40, 28-foot ceilings on a third-floor rotunda and a heated sidewalk for our early morning exercise.” She said and smiled. I nodded with a weird smile. 

 

“Dr. Zee, you are welcome. If you need to know anything more about us and the house, feel free to ask us.” Dr. Olagunsoye said and I nodded, smiling.

 

As we stepped out of the elevator, Mrs. Olagunsoye tapped my hand, gently. 

 

“I am not done telling you about our house, Dr. Zee” She said and I smiled. 

 

‘She must be so excited about this house of hers’

 

But I was wrong because as soon as she started talking, she started crying and wiping her face with a handkerchief at the same time. 

 

“We have all that anyone needs in this house. We are wealthy, Dr. Zee but we are still poor!” She said and my heart dropped. I had almost forgotten what had taken me to the house. 

 

“Our only child is sick! But being sick is not even the problem but not accepting treatment. What can we do? Dr. Zee, this is our only child! Our only child, not a bastard! Even children that are not biologically ours fill the house but where is ours? Locked up in a room pitiful and sick! We are poor!” She cried the more, holding on to her husband’s chest. 

 

“Dr. Zee, please don’t be discouraged after meeting our girl. Don’t, please” Dr. Olagunsoye said too, his eyes so red and filled with tears. 

 

I smiled and patted them both. 

 

“God will take control of everything. Cheer up!” I reassured them, unsure if what I had said made sense. 

 

They led me into a large sitting room and I sat down. 

 

“We will talk to her to see if she can come and meet you here. Let us try” Mrs. Olagunsoye said and I nodded. 

 

Pity rose in my bowels for the elderly parents who weren’t even having peace of mind after waiting for so long to have their only child.

 

Sad!

 

I looked around the sitting room and I was sad. 

 

What is the use of all these when there is no joy?

 

The door opened and a beautiful, petite woman came in, beaming with smiles. She had an apron on with the tag ‘Assistant chef’ and she held a brown, hard-cover book in her hand. 

 

“Welcome to Havana Homes, Dr. Zee. I am Amira, the assistant chef on duty. What would you like for dinner?” She asked and I was agog. She extended the book which had the name ‘MENU’ in front to me and I smiled as I waved it off.

 

“I don’t mind a cup of cold water only.” I said and she nodded, smiling. 

 

“What kind of water? Cucumber water juice? Toasted flavoured water? Iceberg still water? De l’Aubier Maple Sap Water?…” She continued and I laughed shortly. 

 

“Some water, ice cubes and lemon slices would be fine, please” I said quickly, not willing to embarrass myself any further. 

 

“Noted, Dr. Zee. Please feel at home” She said, her plastic smile still on. I smiled back, nodded and sighed loudly as she left the sitting room. 

 

“Oh my! What was that? All those names for a cup of ordinary water? Ugh!” I sighed. 

 

I looked around me again and I was dazed. The ceiling beams and joists, the extravagant drapes and pillows, a bunch of expensive, unique furniture pieces, the tasteful murals and artworks, gorgeous accent chairs, exotic flowers and vases- everything looked so amazing!

 

The door opened and Amira walked in, pulling a trolley behind her. 

 

Oh my! A whole trolley for water only?

 

She pulled the trolley to the adjoining table and came back to meet me. 

 

“Could you come to the table, Dr. Zee?” She asked and I smiled, dazedly. I didn’t know how to reject her so I went towards her at the dining table. 

 

Finely chopped and grilled chicken cutlets, well peppered, was on the marbled table; a big, glassy jar with some water and some slices of lemon was right beside it. Next to it was a white, glassy bowl of ice cubes. A bottle with the tag ‘Honey’ was right next to it. 

 

“Amira, isn’t this too much?” I asked as I settled in my seat. 

 

“No, Dr. Zee. We are very delighted to have you around and we want you to feel at home.” She said with a smile again and I shook  my head. 

 

“I beg to only take some water please. I have a date with my husband later tonight and I do not want to get full before getting there.” I explained and she smiled again. 

 

“The Lord bless your home” She said and I smiled, so happy to see she was a believer. 

 

“God bless you more, Amira” I said too, with a large smile. 

 

“Amen. Would you like me to keep you company or you would rather have me leave?” She asked again, very courteously. 

 

“Please, you can leave, Amira. I have enjoyed your company greatly.”  I said and she smiled, bowed and took her leave. 

 

As she left, I suddenly missed her presence. 

 

She must be a good person!

 

I poured some water into the glass cup beside the jug and gulped it down. I poured another one and gulped it. I was raising the third glass of water to my mouth when Dr and Dr. Olagunsoye entered again. They looked so worried and sad. 

 

I dropped the cup quickly and walked to them. 

 

“Is all well?” I asked and they nodded. 

 

“She is in a very bad mood this evening, Dr. Zee. She is threatening to kill herself. She wouldn’t even let us come close to her. She is simply not herself” Mrs. Olagunsoye said. Dr. Olagunsoye fell into a settee and buried his face in his palms. 

 

Mrs. Olagunsoye picked up a remote control and switched on the insanely large and bright Samsung 292 inch Wall TV. 

 

 

“Dr. Zee, you need to see something.” She kept pressing the remote until a screen popped up. “We are the only ones who have the passcode to this CCTV. It is the CCTV in her room. Come and see her. See her. She left her bed and sat on the floor. See her” She said and I went close. 

 

Just as I was about looking into the screen, something seemed to be thrown at the camera in her room and the screen went blank. 

 

“Jesus Christ! This girl just threw something at the camera! Oh my God!” Mrs. Olagunsoye wailed as she fell on the sofa behind her in anguish. Dr. Olagunsoye walked close to the TV with shock written all over his teary face. 

 

“Ah! Ah! Grace, ah!” He exclaimed as he looked blankly at the TV. 

 

My heart was clouded with great sorrow as I looked at the elderly couple before me who looked so forlorn.

 

“Oh Jesus! What do I do?” 

 

“Can I be allowed to see her?” I asked all of a sudden. Mrs. Olagunsoye stood up all of a sudden, shaking her head. 

 

“You can’t! This girl threw something at the camera that is so shielded and it crashed. She must have access to something dangerous. You can’t go in there” She said and I sighed.

 

“We must get the dangerous object out of her hand. That is the number one thing to do now. I will go in to see her and get the thing out. Trust me….erm…sorry, trust God in me” I said and though they tried to stop me, a sudden confidence that had come upon me insisted. 

 

Dr. Olagunsoye was asked to sit down while Mrs. Olagunjoye started walking me down the hallway to Grace’s room. 

 

Oh God, what am I doing?

 

Saviour, her parents are scared of her but I, who am I that I am having this confidence?

 

Lord!

 

‘Turn back! Tell her you aren’t going anymore’ I heard a voice say, my heart thumping with fear. 

 

‘Turn back now!’ The voice screamed so loudly. I swallowed hard as I looked into Mrs. Olagunjoye’s face. She looked so sad, her right hand on her chest. Her mouth kept moving rhythmically as though she was praying. 

 

I can’t break her heart and her trust! 

 

‘Hey, remember your children that are at home. Remember them!’ The voice came again. I shook my head. 

 

“God is with me, I shall not be moved! God shall help me and that right early” I muttered silently. 

 

“God, please take over! Glorify Yourself!” I prayed silently.

 

Mrs. Olagunsoye stopped in front of a room, pressed the remote control in her hand and the door opened. 

 

She signalled for me to go in and handed the remote control to me. 

 

“L-O-V-E is the password” She said and I smiled, nodding. “Don’t hesitate to come out if it becomes too dangerous” She added and I waved at her to go. 

 

I walked down the hallway and turned to make for the room that was tagged ‘Princess’ Room’

 

I looked up at the room and I was shocked when I could find no one in there. 

 

Just then, a cold hand touched my neck from behind. I cringed out of fear and fell. 

 

I looked at what was behind me and covered my face, so scared and shaken to my bones. 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR EPISODE 4

 

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