Islanders (Nigerian) #3

Chapter Thirty Four

"What are you talking about, Marcella?" her father asked as he loosened his tie. Her uncle took his seat behind him on one of the long couches, a wine glass in his hand.

 

"The truth about the death of Grandma and Grandpa and my mom"

"Where are all these coming from, Tamilore?" Ola asked her

"Let the girl speak" Grandfather's said under his breath but loud enough for everyone to hear. He sat in an armchair resting his weight on his walking stick.

 

"You killed my Grandparents"

 
"Marcella!" her Grandpa said firmly

"Grandfather, Father I apologize" Timi said to his grandfather "Marcella apologize immediately

"Who told you all these?" Ola asked

 
"It doesn't matter who told me. You all know about it so don't pretend!" She yelled
"Marcella" her father yelled firmly again

 
"I did what had to be done" Grandfather said softly as he looked up from the ground he had been staring at to see his Great-Grand Daughter crying.

"You did what had to be done" she said in disbelief. He didn't even deny it or try to convince her it was a lie

"Enough" her father yelled

"Let her speak" he said softly "she was going to find out soon enough"

"You all knew Grandpa, aunty Ola, Uncle tobi even you dad and No one stopped him" she yelled as she looked from one blank face to the other in disbelief

"Everybody in this family has suffered greatly for one thing or the other he has done for his own selfish reasons masked as the greater good of the family"

The door came open and everyone turned to look at Dara come in.

" and even tonight you were not bothered to even come to me when I had almost died, Dad."

"Marcella, you need to calm down" her father said in a soft soothing voice.

"Don't tell me to calm down when you watched him declare tobi as the heir instead of me. You didn't say anything. Don't tell me to calm down when you watched as your cousin took me away. Don't tell me to calm down when you watched as they let an hypnotist make me forget half my life. Only to blame it on cancer"

"Marcella..." her Dara said firmly when deep down she hoped she didn't have her share of the wrath Marcella was lashing out.

"don't call my name ... and aunty Ola you think I don't know you enough to know when you are lying to me. You knew and you still lied to my face. Assuring me that it was all fine."

"Marcella..."

 
She looked away and closed her eyes. She looked at her uncle and thought to say something but she had nothing to say to him.

 
Her uncle had never portrayed himself to be the good guy since she had known him. He had his reputation.

"When you knew you didn't want me why did you choose me over my Mother!."

"I did what had to be done" He whispered under his breathe to himself. The same words he whispered to himself very often.

"Anyone, Answer me!" She yelled again

"I did what had to be done" he yelled firmly.

"You didn't have to kill my family to have things done Grandfather"

"I did what had to be done and I will do what needs to be done" he yelled firmly again making Marcella even more terrified than she already was.

 
The room felt hot despite the air conditioning blasting from almost every corner.

 
Everyone was on edge. Tobi took the last gulp of his drink before sitting back into the chair. They had all feared that this day would come and had only wished it had come a little further into the future.
The door parted open but no one paid any attention to it.

"Because of you my friend is in danger. Her father was the co pilot on that plane. Then you throw her a scholarship. Does that make up for anything. What if it was my Dad would a signed check have been enough for you to move on"

"How dare you..." Grandfather had yelled lifting his stick as he attempted to stand up abruptly and charge towards her.

 
His son held on to him and helped him sit back down. Marcella couldn't help but think about how crippling old age was. Even if he had been able to stand up he wouldn't have made it over to where she stood without taking time to catch his breathe. Their living area was wild and a few short strides wasn't enough to get to where she stood on the other end of one of the living areas they gathered around.

She watched as her grandfather's face changed.

 
"What!" A voice said making them all turn to look at the person standing by the door.

"Who let her in" Tobi asked aloud, rubbing his hand across his face to the back of his head as the door came open again. and Dara walked through

"You must have missed your way let me help you back" Jemila said

"Where is my daughter ?"

 
"Ma'am your daughter is fine I assure you of that" Ola had said as she approached her

"Marcella, I heard what you said. Where is Azeezat" she asked holding on to Marcella's hand as she cried.

"I-I...." Marcella tried to let out

"I know you" Jemila said "I never forget a face"

"Good. Excuse me" Debola said as she walked past the woman who had come towards her earlier

"I am sorry but you can be here" Timi said softly"I promise you nothing will happen to your daughter

"Mayokun, where is my daughter" she yelled as tears ran down her eyes.

 
Everyone gasped, Tobi sat up, Timi let down his guard. Dara held on to her bump as she found her seat next to Tobi. They were shocked and the best of them couldn't hide it. They looked from face to face before looking at Timi's father who sat close to Grandfather. After all he was "Mayokun Junior"

"Excuse me...?" He said firmly, only he maintained the blank look he had started the night with despite the bombshell of a news they had just received

"Mayokun, where is my Daughter" she cried. "Why would you put your own flesh and blood in danger, Mayokun"

"What are you saying ?" Marcella asked from behind her. Debola took a deep breath before walking back to the girl and pointing at the old man.

"Your Great- Grandfather here is your friends father"

"What!" They chorused before looking over at Grandfather who had been looking at everything that had been happening since she walked in blankly.

The doors came open and Ola's mom walked in "father, we need to send off our guests now. We can continue our little family meeting later"