Water Under the Bridge

Chapter 17

Lagos, Nigeria.
2nd February, 2023.

"I've told your principal. All gifts that are not from me should be rejected instantly. Look at how porous it was. It could have been a bomb!," my mum gasped dramatically as she drove us home after school. After showing her the hamper yesterday, she threw a fit. She gave the hamper to our gateman to dispose off and called the principal to schedule a meeting.

"Mum, you're being dramatic," I laughed and she stared at me with mock surprise before stepping on the brakes as we got to a traffic light which turned red.

"I'm not being dramatic. Mide is crazy and capable of anything," she said with a distant look in her eyes before turning to me.

"I can assure you, baby girl. I won't let him get to you," she said with determination, referring to the creepy note the man had composed.

"By the way, you need to change your braids. It's getting really rough."

"We don't have a hairstylist. We just got here remember?"

"Right. I'll call one of my friends to do a home service for you on Saturday," she answered.

"It's Benji's birthday on Saturday. Let's make it Sunday."

She nodded and started driving again as the light turned green. We soon got to the estate gate and when the guards saw the resident sticker on our car, we were allowed in. We got home and my mum honked the car horn twice. Normally, Suleiman, our gate keeper would have opened the gate immediately he heard the horn but he didn't. My mum kept hitting the horn but there was no reply.

"What's wrong with this Suleiman?,"she asked, irritation laced in her voice.

"I'll go knock the gate," I alighted from the vehicle and started knocking on the gate but there was no reply.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that the passenger gate was slightly opened and I went closer to it, pushing it open and walking in cautiously. When my mum saw what happened, she came out of the car hurriedly.

"How is the gate open?," she asked behind me.

"I just got here with you mum. I don't know," I said in a matter of fact manner and she lightly hit my head.

"Mr Suleiman?" I called as I walked into his small apartment. We saw him sleeping on his bed and when I called him, he only shifted slightly.

"Suleiman!," my mum screamed and he jolted awake.

"Ah madam, you don come," he said sleepily.
(Madam, you have arrived.)

"Stand up, my friend," my mum kicked his foot and he stood up.

"Why did you leave the gate open?"

"Gate dey open when you reach?"
(The gate was open when you arrived?)

"Walahi madam, I no know when sleep carry me go," he said with his head bent.
(I swear madam, I don't know when I fell asleep.)

I almost laughed at the situation when I saw a familiar soda bottle on the floor. I picked it up with wide eyes and gave them to my mum.

"Suleiman, what happened to the basket I told you to dispose off yesterday?" my mum asked calmly with a deadly glare directed at him.

"I throw am away oo madam. I just carry that drink make I use am chop my morning food," he said guiltily.
(I threw it away madam. I only took the drink so I can drink it when I'm eating breakfast.)

"Mide," my mum whispered before running into the house and I followed her. The front door was removed from the hinges and my mum gasped in horror. We walked in and nothing was amiss about the living room. Except, in place of my mum's portrait, a middle aged man's picture was hung and my mum's portrait was placed on the floor.

We walked closer to it and my mum carefully removed it from the wall. A note fell out as she picked the picture.

She deserves to know her father too. Doesn't she?
                             ~M.

My mum smashed the picture on the floor, stomping on it angrily. Then, as if she remembered something, she froze. She ran to her study and I followed her again. I gasped at the sight in front of me. Her study was  scattered like they had been searching for something. My mum ran to her desk.

She pulled open a drawer with a false back panel.  She pushed the panel and it slid to one side, revealing a hidden space behind it. A file fell out as she pushed the panel and she picked it up checking it's contents quickly before sighing in relief and dropping on her chair.

"He knew."

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"He knew we would dispose it and hoped someone will pick it. Suleiman was an easy bait. It was a trap."

"Oh."

"Go and have your bath, honey. Let me call the security men at the gate and find out how they even entered the estate in the first place." I nodded firmly before walking out of her study like a robot.

"Riri," my mum started and I stopped walking, turning to face her.

"It's going to be okay honey," she said sweetly with a smile which I returned stiffly.

Is it?

‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹
Hey fam!

How did you like this chapter?

Also, pardon my pidgin. If you have any corrections, please state it in the comments so I'll read them and use them when I'm about to edit this book.

Thank you so much!

I love you all. You're chosen by God and He has amazing plans for your life.

See you next chapter!.

...don't forget to show that little star some love.
Okay bye!