CHAPTER TWO

The concert was Sammy’s biggest dream come true. She and Sammy prepared so much for the show. They wanted to drop a performance better than his previous bests. Sammy was known to always deliver something different all the time and his fans loved him for it. She left the radio station early to support her hubby. She stood by the gate encouraging people to get their tickets. Sammy never wanted her to do this kind of thing because her bump was getting bigger. But she just wanted to support him in her own way.

She was happy to see the show sold out by his fans. She jumped in excitement when he mounted the stage. The joy in him resonated through his voice throughout his performance. It was like a show from another world. The show was such a success and everyone loved it. Those moments on stage will be played back for a long time in the media. Everyone got a value for their money.

Pat was talking to Richie, one of her colleagues from the radio station, when the show ended. Richie and Pat co-hosted the same show on the radio. They were chatting and laughing about the fun they had before someone interrupted. Sammy had, through one of his aides, requested that Pat join him backstage in the changing room. She rushed down hurriedly thinking he might be needing something. The euphoria of delivering this performance had made him anxious for days now. He had been unable to sleep well. The nights were long because he looked forward to the show.

He was scared of getting bad reviews and comments. She knew now that he would feel some sort of relief after the night. She was also anxious to celebrate with him. She rushed into the room with anxiety without knocking. But the joy in her melted immediately as she stepped in. She held the door knob tightly for support. She turned dizzy all of a sudden. Tears that should’ve been joyful were sad.

There in the room was Sammy with a lady with pink hair sitting on his lap. They were so into each other that they did not quickly realize her presence. Sammy flinched as he noticed her standing there. He stood pushing the lady away from his body. Patricia recovered from her shock. She apologized, stepped out and hurriedly locked the door behind her. She rushed back to the hall to meet Richie.

“Please can you drop me off at my house?” She requested trying to hide the shock she experienced.

She tried hard to hold back those tears but her eyes failed her. Just one blink and the whole water fell like a dam. Richie saw this and Didn’t ask further questions. Obviously something had gone wrong in there.

“Sure. But I thought your husband would take you home.” He said.

“He needs to do some things and it will be late before he is done.” She lied, feigning a smile.

She thought Sammy had changed. She thought he was truly in love with her. She had dreamed of her being his wife. When it became true, she wanted to stay even as it became obvious that the feelings were one-sided. Ever since he heard about the baby in her belly, he had been nice and showed more love. He slept in her room more often and also bought her gifts. He never confessed his feelings to her though. She might have expected more from him but it was now obvious he did all that for the love of the baby in her belly.

Richie drove her home that night. She held the doorknob of Richie’s car. She felt nauseous all of a sudden. She couldn’t control her system so she threw up by the side of the car.

“Are you okay?” Richie asked as he rushed to support her.

“Yes, I am. Thank you. It’s probably the pregnancy. You know? And moreover, it has been a very long day.” She responded.

“Are you sure you will be okay by yourself?” He asked looking at the story building as if he was in search of something. The gateman was not also around to help either.

“My husband will soon be home. Believe me, it’s nothing serious.”

Richie drove out of the driveway after he waved at her. She had insisted he leave before she went inside. She locked herself in her room and buried her face in her pillow. She cried uncontrollably. Suddenly she heard a heavy knock on the door. She heard when someone drove into the parking lot. She knew it was Sammy. No one could come into the house late at night. The gateman had been instructed not to open the gate for strangers. She remembered the gateman wasn’t by the gate when she came in. But she was not scared anyway.

“Please open the door, my love. I can explain.” He pleaded.

She felt like jumping for joy. Every color of the rainbow bursting behind her eyes. Sammy just called her love. If it was another day, she would have been dancing on cloud nine. She could not believe her ears. Whenever Sammy introduced her as his wife, in her head she would say; it’s because of the baby. He wanted to keep her because he is scared she might take his child away. He would frown whenever his friends remind him that he is married. Though she understood later that it was because of Lisa. He was madly in love with her. Only God knows what went wrong between them. But these days, when he even told reporters about her in his interviews. She did not know if the talks were true because he never for once defined their relationship. He only looked after her and the baby inside her.

“Believe me, I truly love you. I can’t cheat on you. The lady you saw was forcing herself on me. I was a little tipsy when she came. I swear I don’t know her. I wanted to push her away when you came.” He kept shouting from behind the door as if she was miles away.

“You can’t believe his words. He is trying to manipulate your mind. Few months ago, he told you to give birth to his baby and leave. He is saying this because he knows you’re in love with him.” She kept thinking to herself. She was frustrated, which made her throw the pillows. She wanted to be in Sammy’s embrace and suffused with his fragrance. She wanted to cry on his shoulder. But she let the chance slide away because she is scared he might not feel same way she does. She decided to sleep it off and talk to him in the morning.

Pat was woken by a knock on the door the next morning. She refused to go and open the door. She thought it was Sammy again until she heard an angry voice yelling at her to open the door. She quietly opened the door to see four police force standing before her. The female police officer who looked fierce, stepped forward. Pat took some steps backward cowardly in reaction.

“We are Police from Area G command. You’re under arrest.” She said without a blink. “You’re to remain silent because anything you say will be used against you in the court of law.” She added.

“Where is Sammy? Why are you here?” Patricia asked.

But she was bustled out by the police who refuse to respond to her series of questions. When she got to the police station and was taken to the investigating room. Two police officers came in to join her.

“Please someone should explain. What is going on here? I don’t understand why I was brought here in the first place.”

“Woman, stop pretending.” The woman said banging the table.

“Don’t be like that with her.” The other officer pleaded. He turned to her and continued: “Talk to me, Mrs. Davies. Why did you kill your husband?” he asked leaning on the table which stood between them.

“What are you talking about? Where is Sammy?” She became alarmed.

“Madam, please stop this act. What did you do to your husband?” The officer asked again.

“Please tell Sammy I am no longer angry. I forgive him. Let’s stop this crazy prank you’re playing on me.”

“Tell us the full story, madam. You hurt him because you’re angry right?”

“Please, I am lost here because you’re driving me crazy. I know Sammy sent you to do this. Just tell him I’ve already forgiven him since last night. I was only playing hard to get.”

“Please do not waste our time here.” The man reacted in frustration. “Sammy is dead. Now why did you kill him?” he asked again.

Tears dropped from her eyes like rain under the cloudy clear day.

“”I Didn’t kill Sammy. I’m carrying his baby.” She caressed her big tummy.

“It seems you don’t want to confess. We don’t want to inflict punishment because of your condition.” The woman intervened.

They both left, leaving her wondering. She still could not believe Sammy was dead. What happened to him was a mystery While they were leaving the house, upon her arrest there were blood stains from the doorstep, stairs and the living room. “Sammy can’t be dead.” She murmured.

She covered her face with her palms. “No, it can’t be true. What will happen to our baby?” She screamed out loud. She imagined giving birth while in the jail and her child being taken to the orphanage after three months. She felt dizzy and nauseous afterward. That was all she could remember in the cell before she opened her eyes to find herself on a hospital bed. She had fainted in the cell and the Police had rushed her to the hospital. She was struggling to reconcile all that had happened.

She called her friend Marie and narrated the incident to her. Marie promised to visit. Later in the evening, she was given a chance to call a lawyer. So, she called Barrister Fasasi. He came immediately to the police station. He pleaded for her bail but the police refused. She was charged to appear in court after six days. Barrister Fasasi, in her defense, pleaded that her condition would require that she gets proper medical care. More so, there was no evidence yet to point to the fact she killed her husband since the police failed to provide proof of Sammy’s death. Not even his corpse. The case was thrown out and she was exculpated of the murder charges.

Because the Court was a little far away from the house, Barrister Fasasi had suggested that she stay in a hotel that day. She was supposed to return home the next day when he came to break the news about the house being placed under check by the police. Now she has snuck in and she is picking some valuable items she needs before the police take full custody for the investigation. She went back to where the puppy was eating. She held it to her arm and left the house still crying.