Running Away Solves Everything

Tomilola

The semi-chewed beans gushes as the Ikogosi Warm Springs and I come alive.

"Miss. Nneka Okwuokei, do you give an oath to this court to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do." If her eyes swerve to my direction I don't give a damn.

The court doesn't even give a damn about me. "Are you aware that you would be held responsible for any statements you make here that are found later on to be false?"

"I'm aware." For crying out loud, I just fainted, and all the court did was cut out two minutes for Kamal to escort me out, and wash my face with a bowl of water.

"Good. Now, let's begin." Nneka is the only one I confessed to, so I don't ponder too much on what she's going to say. She will throw me under the bus, and give the judge no other reason, but to sentence me to life imprisonment. "What's your relationship with the defendant?"

"She is my roommate for the meantime, while I do my diploma."

"Hmm... And how did you know Late. Mr. Domshak?"

He allows her to gulp and make a face; a peaceful, saddened face. "He was my friend. We met occasionally when I visited my boyfriend in his lodge. Those two were inseparable. I could not even get between them." I don't want to shout at the nonsense she says, so I eat my feelings raw.

"Miss. Okwuokei, tell the court what you told the Plaintiff and I."

The truth in the skins of a lie was ready to be slithered from her tongue and she had the entire Court's ears. "This happened last month."

"You would have to be more specific Miss."

"Okay. Third of June. A Sunday. I was watching the news on my phone and found out that Nathan was shot at Chibueze's party on Friday. At the party that night, we all heard the gunshot, and we thought it was a gang or a cult, so we picked race na. The whole place was rowdy, but I still tried to look for Tomilola..." She gasps. "That was how the party ended and Tomi was nowhere to be found." The slime of her betraying tongue watered her pungent lips. "Just for Sunday evening to come for Tomi to tell me that she thinks she killed Nathan. I was shocked like I should have been, but I knew she had had that inside her for a long time." Her lips show she is set to sob flakily, like she usually does. "I couldn't keep that kind of secret, knowing how Nathan was nice to..."

"So, you are saying Miss. Olarenwaju killed him. How?"

"She said with a gun."

"That will be all, my Lord." It was finished. I was finished. Again, I would say, Life imprisonment. I am finished.

Locking eyes with Nneka is the last thing I feel like doing, so I stay far away from her as possible. You let someone close to you, and that's how they repay you. With a knife at your back. Kamal, I'm going to rot in jail is another set of words I digest today, as I don't want to seem too helpless.

The seat is warm and cozy enough to keep me company till I'm dragged back to a cell, and as my head is utterly devoid of thoughts, I feel two palms implement warmth in both shoulders of mine. My forehead hits the wooden table a little too hard, and that's where things get ugly.

Aunty Ngozi comforts me, "Dear, don't you cry." I don't think in my life I've ever wept to the extent that there's just bubbles of catarrh, in my nostrils. I want her to tell me why I shouldn't cry. Why my life wasn't totally over. But she doesn't.

"Tomilola, you're strong. You are empowered. Don't cry." From the right, Aunty Aruma's voice sounds like melodious acoustics.

"This is just a stumbling block you have to trample on."

"Exactly. You overcome this, and you know every other problem you will face in life is just a pebble you don't have to worry about."

I'm not too convinced, but I had disgraced myself enough. "But what I need now is a miracle. From the judge's face, I had already gotten the verdict. He is a grumpy man that is on Nathan's side. He might even sentence me to death."

"Will you shut up?" Aunty Aruma shuns me. "Don't you say that. Don't wish yourself that kind of evil." It's such a harsh scold I think a slap would be the water that downs the tablet to my belly.

"Lola, the tongue is very powerful." Lola is what I'd observed Aunty Ngozi call me anytime she visited. "And as for that miracle... pray. You don't know what will happen." She squeezes my right hand and Aunty Aruma takes the other one. Kamal is standing by the windows with his phone on his ear while this scene unfolds.

"Next tomorrow we will see. Something that you did not even expect will happen."

To close this chapter, the refrain is "Just pray." Maybe they couldn't take away the hurt I felt, but they gave me hope. And a little Faith that Jehovah is what will get me through this, even if at all I didn't end up triumphant in this lawsuit. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, He tells me. What did I have to lose?