SOCHIMA
Sochina – Episode 17
Theme: My Only Sister
Written by Ndozi Nuellitta
ABOUT three policeman in police uniforms entered, a woman and a man on casual wears followed
“Yes, that’s the girl”, the woman said, pointing at Timi, who was visibly shaken and petrified
Two of the policemen walked to her, with handcuff
“Officer, good….. good morning”, Iya Timi, Timi’s mom greeted
She was dumbfounded, what was going on?
The man on casual wear looked at her
“Afternoon ma’am, your daughter here is under arrest”, he said
Her eyes widened in surprise, under arrest? Her daughter? For what?
“Excuse me, you can’t just come in here and apprehend my daughter without saying anything to me”
The man sighed
“Well, we’re from the state CID”, he showed her his identity card, “your daughter here is responsible for the attack and planned murder of one miss Annette….”
“Oluwa o!”, Iya Timi shouted interrupting, her hands on her head, she looked at Timi, she was ashamed
The man speaking cleared his throat and continued
“Not only that, she planned the rape of another miss Cynthia, we’re taking her to the station immediately”, he concluded and ordered the policemen to handcuff her
“Mobe! Timi”, her mother exclaimed, “I should have known. I said it, that call I caught you making the other day was suspicious, there’s more to it than meets the eye, heii!”
Timi was so shocked, so shocked. The station? Police custody?
It was a place she never wanted to find herself, what has she put herself into? What?
Then she remembered she wasn’t the only one involved
“Emm, the Cynthia you spoke about, was also involved, we planned it together”
The man looked at her
“Everyone would be punished accordingly, besides she’s already at the station”
Timi kept mute, there was nothing else she could say, then she remembered the boys who carried out the act
She wouldn’t be the only one to be punished
“I can take you to the boys who…..”
The man laughed, interrupting
She thinks she’s smart, talking of others who were also involved so they would have pity on her and release her
“You shouldn’t take the police for dafts, we’ve been to complex city street, and the boys have been apprehended, so I’ll plead you just keep shut otherwise, whatever you say here would be used against you, let’s leave here”, and they whisked the almighty Timi out, into the police wagon waiting outside
Timi’s mom continued wailing and wailing until the wagon was out of sight
Annette sat on the dining, reading a novel. Sochima walked up to her
“Bigger sister”, she called and winked, turning the novel she was holding over to check out the name
“Ohh Sochi, I’ve warned you several times against turning over novels you see I’m reading, you’re disturbing me with that act”
Sochima smiled, hugging her sister
“I’m sorry, you should know I’m a novel freak”, she winked
“I’ve told you, better listen”, she continued with the reading
Sochima laughed
“Anyways”, she folded her hands, “I was informed to tell you that, the perpetrators have been apprehended”
Annette looked up, surprises written all over her face
“What!”, she exclaimed, her hands on her mouth, her mouth moved, but no words came out
She was astonished
Sochima smiled
“Yes sister, they’re in the police custody as we speak”
“Oh my God”, she placed her hands on her head, she couldn’t believe it
Since the attack, no efforts to investigate the matter had been made by her parents, they all seemed comfortable with it, so the news was very much nice to her ears
“Who told you?”, she asked
“Favy did”
“Wait, does it mean her parents investigated?”
Sochima nodded
“Absolutely”
“Ohh my goodness, those people are sweet, so they went as far as investigating the matter”
“Well sister if you must know, the almighty tolotolo has fallen”, Annette’s eyes widened, “she master planned it”
“What!”, Annette shouted, she couldn’t believe it, Timi?
“To my whole surprise, Cynthia wasn’t exempted”
Annette looked at her, Cynthia?
“Cynthia? I mean our Cynthia?”, she asked not too sure
“Yes, I was shocked when I heard it”
“But what have I done to them? What?”
“Of course you did nothing, it’s just jealousy I guess. Well…..”, the doorbell interrupted
“Who’s that?”, Sochima asked and went to answer the door
“Coming”, she replied as she walked to the door and opened it, goodness gracious! It was Fred
“Uncle Freddie”, she happily called and jumped on him
Fred smiled and caught her
“Sochima”, he called
“Welcome, please come in”, she motioned
They walked into the sitting room and she made him sit
“Please make yourself comfortable, let me go ring my sis”, and she happily ran into the dining
“Sister guess what?”, she asked at the instant she barged in
Annette looked up
“I can’t”
She smiled
“Well Fred is here”, she announced
“What!”, her eyes widened, “what does he wants?”
Sochima sighed
“You should calm down sister, this is what you have been wishing for”
Annette made a face
“That was before not now anymore, besides I have been warned to stay off him”, she said in sarcasm
Sochima heaved a sigh
“Take it easy ok? Just come out and greet him, I guess you are the one he’s looking for”
“He should better go back to wherever he’s coming from”, she hissed and turned back to the novel
Sochima exhaled, she knew it was gonna be like this, that she was gonna play hard, she decided to plead
“Sister please, he’s waiting for you just come and greet him, please o”, she pouted, giving that baby face
Annette sighed and stood up, walking to the sitting room
Fred was sitted on the sofa, surfing the net, he noticed her presence and looked up
She was just coming in from the dining, in her splendid beauty
“Hey Anne”, he smiled
“Hi”, she folded her hands
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. To what do I owe this visit? Should I get you something?”
“No, no”, he shook his head, “I’m okay thanks. I just came to see you, to see the girl that had captured my heart for the past few days”, he smiled
Huh?
Indeed, she made a face
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Fred”, she say down beside him
Fred sighed, now was the time, now was the time to tell her what has been disturbing him, giving him sleepless nights
So surprising, she gave him her time today
“Annette, I have come to realize that you….I mean you Anne, that you mean more than just a girl to me, I mean you mean everything to me”, he paused
“Annette every of your affairs matters to me a lot….. I’m really sorry for what happened to you some nights ago, it was really because of me as you said, it was my fault and I’m sorry”
Annette sighed, what was wrong with him? What has come over him?
She looked at him
“Are you done?”, she asked
Fred smiled, he expected her to be rude
“If you want me to continue, I will”
She shook her head, tears threatening to run down her face
When she wanted him at all cost where was he?
When she went through heartbreaks because he refused to notice her, where was he?
Because of him, she was attacked, no she can’t take it
Immediately she got up and ran out, towards the back of the building
“Anne? Annette”, he called and ran after her
“Annette, please, please”, he pleaded and caught up with her
“What’s preventing you from doing this?”, he shook his head, “okay okay, I’m sorry it’s all my fault, but please don’t use it against me”, he placed his hands on her shoulders
She was crying, she looked into his eyes, she felt worthless before him, she shook her head and ran into her room, locking herself up
“Ann ….”, he paused and stood arms akimbo, running his hands through his hair
He walked back to the front of the building and met Sochima
He pleaded with her to talk to her sister for him
“Please Sochi help me talk to your sister please”
“I will, but she asked me to tell you to leave that she doesn’t want to see you”
He sighed
Ohh Jesus, why all these problem?
“But all the same I’ll talk to her”, she turned to leave
“Please tell her I’m waiting for her here, and I’m expecting to see her before I leave”
“Okay”, she nodded and went into the house
Fred waited and waited at the balcony for Annette, but she never showed up
He waited for about an hour, still, no sign of her
In heartbreak and sadness, he turned and left.
Tbc
