The Wife ESCAPED!

Donatus walked quietly into his compound without responding to the greeting of Henry who was the one that had opened the gate. His face was expressionless and tired-looking. He stood aside and waited for the young man to finish locking the gate.

“Henry,” he called.

“Sir?”, Henry answered, running over to meet him.

“Where is Timothy? Go and call him for me.”

With that, he walked straight to his front door while Henry ran off on the errand.

Minutes later, Timmy strolled into Donatus’ parlour. He found the man seated on a couch and reading a newspaper.

“You called me?”, Timothy murmured gruffly.

“Ehen Timothy. Why have you not been picking your mother’s call? How many times has your mother called you?”

“I got my reasons,” Timmy shrugged carelessly.

Donatus eyed him in silence and shook his head in pity.

“Anyway, your mother wants you to come home. Your father just came back from the hospital.”

“What’s that got to do with me?”, Timmy demanded, looking far from pleased.

“When you see her, hmm? You can ask her. Now, go and start packing your things and be getting ready to leave.”

Not caring to see the expression on his apprentice’s face, Donatus picked his newspaper and went off to his room.

Timmy rushed into the Boys Quarters and slammed the door after him, startling Henry and Chukwuka who had been playing a game of dice.

“Ah ah, Americana. Wetin happen? You follow person fight?”, Henry asked as their grumbling friend marched past them. Timmy did not reply, instead he began throwing his clothes and other personal effects into his boxes.

“Na pack the guy dey pack so o,” Henry said as he abandoned the game to watch Timmy.

“Pack go where?”, Chukwuka, asked, jumping up to join him.

“Americana, where you dey pack go?”, Henry demanded. But Americana said nothing in reply.

After packing up his things, he locked his three boxes and prepared to carry them out one after the other, but his friends quickly jumped in to give him a hand. He picked one box while they picked the other two and all three trooped outside to their boss’ building.

Coincidentally, Donatus was also coming out of his parlour, fully dressed and looking like he was on his way out.

“What’s the meaning of this? What’s going on?”, he demanded in surprise, referring to them and the exodus.

“My stuff,” Timmy replied, frowning deeply as he dropped his load.

“Are you okay? You want to go to Abuja by this time?”

He hissed and shook his head in exasperation. He looked at his watch and pursed his lips for a while.

“Come, come inside,” he called to Timmy, beckoning for him to follow him into the parlour.

“Thanks, guys,” Timmy said to Henry and Chukwuka, effectively dismissing them.

“Safe journey o, Americana. No forget us o. Send us something o.”

But he was already walking into the sitting room.

“Sit down here,” Donatus beckoned, indicating the space beside him on the couch. “Listen to me very carefully. You will leave tomorrow morning, very early. In fact, take this clock and set alarm for 5am.”

“5am? Why the he…”

“You will leave this compound before six. Enter bike from here straight to the park. God is Great Motors park. It’s not too far. In fact, I think I should carry you by myself. This…”

“Nah. What’s the big deal? I can do this.”

“Look, this is not Abuja or America, this is Lagos. It is not a place for gentleman. You have to shine your eye otherwise… so you say you can go by yourself without help from anybody, abi?”

“Sure. I’m no baby.”

“Okay o. Remember what you have just said o, because I don’t want to hear stories. So like I said, you will leave here early and enter okada… motorcycle to the park. God is Great, that is the name. Then you go inside and pay for your ticket. Make sure you sit near your boxes o. Errr… I don’t think there’s any other thing. I hope you understand everything I said?”

“Sure. Those God is… whatever guys, they’ll be going all the way to Abhooja, right?”

“Normally, yes. But anything can happen. But still, these people are very reliable. If you have any question there, ask the staff or your fellow passengers. I think they may charge you more money since you are taking three boxes, so you better take enough money with you. And by the way, be very careful when you enter the bike from here. Tell the bike man to take it easy because of your heavy boxes. That’s why I even wanted to carry you m…”

“Nah, it’s fine. I can take care of myself,” Timmy shrugged dismissively.

“Okay o, oga care-taker. Greet your parents for me when you reach.”

“Wildo.”

***

At the very first ring of the alarm clock, Timmy’s eyelids flew open. He had not really been fully asleep throughout the night, so the alarm had only served to distract him from his thoughts which had been mostly centred on his family.

He could not believe how on earth they could reject him and then want him back again. If he had somewhere else to go, he would have headed there and totally erased Donatus and his own family away from his memory. He hated being a toy that could be turned around whenever the turner wished. Just when he was settling down to prove to them that he was no lazy failure, they suddenly decided to recall him. For what stupid purpose?

He didn’t want their apology and he would never be reconciled with them. And what was that about his father just returning from the hospital? He wished the old wizard would stay there for a much longer time or even die and be of more use since they would have his property to share. But being as wicked as he was, who knew what was in his will.

The hisses and grumblings from his friends whose sleep was being disturbed by the still ringing alarm clock jerked Timmy out of his reverie. He jumped off the bed and went over to turn it off. Then off he went to wash and brush.