CAGED ✔

《 Chapter 35 》

Dedicated to Wunmyak for following this story dedicatedly right from the very first day I began this journey.
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"Yea. . ."I tried to catch my breath. "His sons are in their rooms.  Taking a nap, I guess."

Peter who noticed everything, held my shoulder as he brought his face closer to mine, peering at me through his lashes. My heart skipped.

"Just relax and remember to breathe." He told me and I nodded.

We got into the house with Peter leading the way and the creaking of the door caught Uncle Afolabi's attention. His eyes which had been fixated on the television screen halted on our faces and a grin settled on his lips as he looked at us.

"Bee! I never knew you went out." He said and I smiled a little.

"I was at the verandah," I replied and he nodded, fixing his gaze on Peter. 

"This is Peter. My best friend." I introduced; the words feeling strange to my ears. I wished I could introduce him as my boyfriend but as it were, we were only friends.

"Nice meeting you, Peter." Uncle Afolabi threw a salute his way and Peter returned the gesture with a big smile.

Before I could say anything else, Uncle Afolabi had returned his gaze to the television screen and I frowned, not knowing how to go about this. I didn't want to ruin his mood and I could already feel the tension in the air even when nothing had been said. 

I watched Peter take big strides and in a glimpse of an eye, he was already seated beside Uncle Afolabi. Uncle Afolabi threw him a glance before looking back at the television and Peter waved me over to sit beside him.

When I had done as requested, Peter cleared his throat and sat upright and I felt like running into the room and hiding my face in a pillow.  I didn't want to do this anymore.

It was like I was being introduced to some principal as a new student and I was just so nervous. The entire setting was so awkward and I was doing all that I could do to keep calm and not freak out.

"Sir," Peter began but soon kept shut when he noticed the crease on Uncle Afolabi's face.

"Don't do that!" He told Peter. "Call me Afolabi or better still, Afo."

Peter's eyes widened and his lips curled into a small smile.

"My bad." He whispered. "Afo it is then." He stated and Uncle Afolabi nodded.

"Sorry to disturb you but we have something important to discuss with you. I and Beatrice."

Uncle Afolabi sat up then as he turned to look at us both: his eyes moving from one face to another.

"You both?" He asked and we nodded.
"I hope I'm safe." He joked with a little smile playing on his face and Peter chuckled.

I didn't know how Peter intended to break the news but I was happy he was available to carry out the task in my stead.

"You are very safe. We just want to know if Justina Effiong rings a bell to you."

I sat still on the couch,  reading Uncle Afolabi's expression and my heart constricted in pain when I saw the deep frown that took over the happy feature he once had.

I flinched at the ugly look he threw our way and I exchanged glances with Peter who looked just as shocked.  Why on earth would the happy Uncle Afolabi react this way at the mention of my mother's face?

"Why do you think such a name will ring a bell to me? Besides, why are you asking me about her in the first place?" His brows were furrowed and I could tell he had gotten really angry.

"We - - we - - " Peter couldn't form any coherent word as his mouth just opened and closed like that of a fish which had been laid on dry land.

"She is my mother." I heard a voice blurt out and I turned around in search of whosoever it was but I saw no one. I noticed Peter was looking my direction with shock written plainly on his face and I wondered why he was staring at me that way.  I wasn't the one who spoke.

Uncle Afolabi's jaw dropped as he gaped at me too.

"Your mother?" He repeated and I felt my head nod. It was like I had no control over my body anymore.

"Well," I watched him shrug. "Good to hear. Why would you think I know your mother? Did she ever say she knows me?" He looked genuinely interested in my answer though he tried feigning disinterest.

"Well, she only told me about a boyfriend she had at a productive sweet sixteen. According to her, she was with child for him but he never knew because he travelled out of the country." I heard the calm voice say again and I looked around once again in search of the owner to no avail.

Uncle Afolabi gasped, same with Peter but I sat still. My eyes maintaining eye contact with that of Uncle Afolabi, keeping track of his every movement.

"And his name was Afolabi." I continued, now aware I had been the speaker all along. I watched jaws fall.

"So if you are that boyfriend then please say so because I am that child she was with when you travelled." I deadpanned and Uncle Afolabi jumped to his feet with so much force, I flinched.

"What do you mean?!" He yelled. "Justina was never with a child. If at all she was, she would have fucking informed me. She had my number but she never called me once. We had intentions of getting married once we were done with school but she spoilt everything by abandoning me without a warning or trace."

Uncle Afolabi's face was red like tomatoes and his chest was rising and falling as he stood like a wrestler who had just finished a round of a match.

"She left the neighbourhood and couldn't be kind enough to at least leave a frigging letter or a number. Anything at all. She disappeared from my life without a trace so what is all these lies you're cooking?" He pointed a stern finger at me.

It was my mouth which now opened and closed repeatedly like that of a fish. I was speechless and so couldn't speak. All I could do was stare in astonishment at Uncle Afolabi whom I never knew had this side to him.

He was always cheerful, laughing like he had no worries in the world. To discover he was holding this much grudge against my mother was dazzling.

So they had intentions of getting married? Why hadn't my mother said so then?

"I won't tolerate this from you, Beatrice!" He said coldly, too coldly. Ever since his stay at the house, he had always called me 'Bee' which I loved even when it was meant to tease me. I loved that he had a nickname for me like he had for everyone else.

To hear him call my name in full now, made my heart shrink like a strong arm had squeezed the life out of it. Why was it so painful? The icy stare? The cold empty voice? It felt like I had unlocked some icy part of him and I didn't like that at all.

His red eyes were void of emotions and his body was rigid like that of a rock as he stared at me like I was a complete stranger.