My Desire

Episode 11

Sonia’s mum thought about all Kingsley told her and still found it difficult to understand why Francis would do such.
Knowing Francis as her daughter’s partner for over two years has made her love him so much as a son. Sonia had always been her parent’s favourite. She is their first fruit after five years of marriage. Her arrival into the family boosted the family’s status.
A boy and a girl came by easily after her birth.

Sonia’s father was out of the country on a business trip as at the time of the incident. Sonia’s mother had refused to inform him of the happenings until she sees it with her eyes. She knew Sonia’s father won’t mind rushing down to Nigeria no matter where he travelled to if he heard such news.

All through the trip to the hospital, neither Kingsley nor Sonia’s mum spoke.
Kingsley had wanted to start another discussion with her,but looking at her face, he decided against it.

Kingsley was opportuned to meet Sonia’s family when he attended her parent’s 27th wedding anniversary, which was the previous year. Since then, he had been close to them all.
Who ever walks with any of the Emmanuel’s family,is a friend to all.

Sonia had not opened her eyes or acted like she will open it soon since her arrival at the hospital. Sonia’s mum thanked Kingsley for paying the subsequent bills after she was told that Francis had first deposited seventy thousand naira. She told Kingsley to quit paying,and let her continue where he stopped.

Seeing her daughter in such a state made her cry for the first time since she heard the news. “my baby, oh my baby. I know you couldn’t have done this to yourself. Please get well soon for mummy. Please don’t leave us Sonia. We love you”… Sonia’s mum wept by her daughter’s side,holding her hands and speaking silently to her as she was adviced to before entering the ward.

Kingsley watched her cry but couldn’t comfort her. Tears were in his eyes too. All he wanted was for Sonia to get well.

Sonia’s mum and Kingsley watched her silently on the bed, observing everything being passed into her body. They left the hospital at 5pm after having spent 3:45hours with her.
Kingsley left for home while Sonia’s mum left for the police station to see Francis after getting the direction from Kingsley who offered to take her there but was declined.

On her arrival, she introduced herself and was then lead to the Inspector’s office. Francis was brought in from the cell looking extremely different.
The moment he saw Sonia’s mum, he bursted into fresh tears, prostrated at her feet and cried out his innocence, he was frustrated.

Sonia’s mum felt for him,and something told her he was innocent, but looks and actions can be deceiving they say.
She told him to get up and explain. Francis explained from her friendship with Kingsley up to the moment the police arrested him.
Sonia’s mum sighed,and pleaded with the inspector not to torture him anymore, she gave him some money to use in feeding Francis well,and also to give him a seperate cell to avoid torture from cell mates.
She faced Francis and said “I don’t know why, but I believe you. But there is nothing I can do now until her dad arrives,or she wakes up. Pray for the best Francis”. With this, she left after being thanked by Francis.

It had beeen three and a half weeks since the incident, and Francis had remained in cell (though in a preferable one with bed) all along praying for God to vindicate him. He never imagined spending his one month leave behind bars for something he didn’t do.

Sonia’s dad had been informed, and he had stayed back with his wife in Portharcourt in one of his houses pending the time Sonia who was still in coma, wakes up.
He had met with Francis, and all he had said was “I will decide when I know my daughter’s fate. Right now, I don’t know what or who to believe”.

Sonia’s parent and Kingsley kept checking on her to talk to her and pray for her. They were all scared. It’s almost a month and she hasn’t even moved.

At exactly four weeks after the incident, the trio where with her on a Saturday morning when the beeper reading her breath started rising and falling at a fast rate.

Sonia’s mum ran to call on the doctor who in turn rushed into the ward with a nurse. He sent them out to attend to Sonia.
Sonia’s breath was seizing and her chances of survival was diminishing.
After about fifteeen minutes of struggle to stabilize her, the beeper stopped moving.

The doctor knew what that meant, he tested her to confirm his suspicion, and of course, Sonia was confirmed dead.
He sighed at the same time as the nurse with him and they both shook their heads with pity and sadness.
“how do I break this news to them?” he wondered aloud…