“Ona, don’t tell me Albert did this to you?”
Asides from my swollen eyes, Albert’s hand had created impressions all over my face, my arms, and my shoulders. The bleeding in my nose had subsided, but it was raw and swollen.
“Okem, Albert knows you’re around. He found out that I came here.”
“Is that why he did this? And how did he find out where you were?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure how I blew my cover,” I said, staring at him. “You need to get out of here! After what you told me earlier, there’s no telling what Albert will do if he finds out your exact location. He already knows you’re here at the Palisir.”
“Don’t worry,” Okem said as he lifted me off the ground and placed me gently on the large bed. “I’ll call my men immediately to find me another place to stay, but please try to remain calm now.”
He walked swiftly to the bathroom and emerged with a damp towel, which he folded and placed on my jaw. “I have to take you to the hospital. This cold compress should calm the swelling until you can see a doctor.”
“Is it that bad?” I grunted.
“I can’t believe you just asked that. You sound like you’ve gotten used to this treatment. Your entire face is swollen, and the white in one eye is red. Yes. It’s that bad.”
“It hurts so much,” I said, running my hand across my face.
“From now on, you should never be alone with that guy. This nonsense should end now.”
“It’s already over.”
“Is it?” he asked, glaring at me.
“Believe me, Okem. It’s over!”
He paused for a few moments and let out a sigh before continuing. “Can you believe that I was just about to phone you before I heard you knock?”
“Really?”
“Yes. I wanted to tell you that I went there. It was unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything so amazing,” he said, moving the towel from my jaw to my right cheek, while I stared at him in silence.
“Where? You went where?”
“Where else? Luenah!”
“That’s not possible,” I said, attempting to sit up on the bed. He held my shoulder to stop me.
“Nothing is impossible, my dear.”
“I don’t dispute that. It’s just that I can’t believe we get to share this experience. I just can’t believe it. Did you see Papa?”
“Yes. And my father, the Ideme. He was there too. I came back with more questions than answers, though.”
“What did you find out?”
“Your eye,” he said, a look of concern covering his face. “The swelling is increasing. Let’s leave now!”
He reached out to take my hand.
“Something you told me earlier doesn’t add up though,” I said, letting him pull me up gently from the bed. “The man in Ajidi...your benefactor, why didn’t he report the incident after he escaped?”
“Ona, don’t you know how things work around here?”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Well, it was too dangerous. I found out later that these people—Ozumba and Ekema—control the Special Security Forces in the region. They also head the cabal responsible for most of the ills plaguing our society today. They have spread their evil tentacles everywhere, bribing to get their way into every corner of authority. To satisfy their greed, they pay those youths to clash and cause confusion, while they benefit from the spoils. Following these clashes, they accumulate large masses of land for themselves, which they end up holding to create artificial scarcity. In the end, they sell the amassed lands at ridiculous prices and under different fake names to conceal their connection to the scheme. You see, he couldn’t report the issue. He didn’t think anyone would believe him. And without adequate proof, he would have been thrown into jail and murdered for even daring to come up with such a ‘ridiculous’ accusation.”
“I understand. His hands were tied.”
“Very much so.”
“Something is still bothering me. We still don’t have a way of proving you’re the Ideme’s son. What should we do?”
“When we heard the King had died and Albert, his heir couldn’t lift the staff, everything my benefactor had been trying to say to me fell into place. Not that I didn’t believe him before then. The striking resemblance I bore to the Ideme was all the proof I needed to know he was my father.”
“Why didn’t you come back then?”
“I would have. My benefactor made arrangements for me to come back, but when the clashes and the human sacrifices started occurring, it became extremely dangerous for me to expose the crime without a rock-solid plan.”
“Do you have a rock-solid plan now?”
“I do.”
“What is it?”
Until now, I’d never thought the plan would involve you until you mentioned seeing Ozumba in Luenah. I have more than a plan now. I have the power to take the staff. I took it in Luenah.”
“You did?” I screeched, grabbing his shoulders with both hands.
He nodded slowly. “I did.”
I hugged him with my aching body and kissed him softly on the lips. As I held onto him, I could hear his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Tears were beginning to well up in my eyes again. This time it was tears of joy.
“What do we do now?” I whispered after a few minutes had passed.
He released me and looked into my eyes. Seeing the tear running down my cheek aroused his sentimental side.
“Oh, Ona, don’t cry. You’re safe now. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. I promise.”
“I know, Okem. I’m just happy. But what should we do now? Where do we go from here?”
“We just have to find a way to convince the kingmakers to let me into the sanctuary to pick up the staff.”
“Just like that?”
“I know people that can help,” he said rather confidently.
“I pray it all works out, and I hope Ekema and Ozumba are exposed and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“I do not doubt that they will be,” he said, shaking his head. “Get your shoes and let’s go to the hospital.”
“Okay but just a second. I’d like to use the bathroom.”
Chapter Nineteen
TWO MINUTES AFTER I entered the bathroom, I heard a loud banging on the door.
“Ona, please stay there until I figure out what’s going on,” Okem said to me.
“Who’s there?” he yelled.
The banging continued as Okem opened the door. Curious, I peered through the bathroom door and saw Albert standing there with the signature crease on his forehead. His jaw was clenched. His eyes were bloodshot, and his mouth quivered with such intensity that I feared he would have a seizure. I gently crept back into the bathroom, hoping he hadn’t seen me, and then stood in front of the mirror, pondering my next move.
“What do you want?” Okem asked, resisting the urge to punch Albert in the face.
He slithered past Okem and walked into the room.
“I know Ona is your friend. I’ve taken care of her, but she constantly disappoints me.”
“I know how you’ve taken care of her,” Okem countered. “That’s how a man takes care of a woman. That’s how your father took care of your mother.”
“Shut your mouth. I’m a king.” Albert was yelling.
“King of fools. You’re nobody’s king.”
“Are you crazy?”
I had heard enough. I opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Albert turned around, and when he saw me, he shook his head before looking at Okem, and then at me, again.
“Oh. So, this is where you ran to,” he said in an arrogant tone. “I see you haven’t learned your lesson.”
“Why don’t you teach me that lesson,” Okem interjected.
He ignored Okem and walked towards me.
“I can’t believe you,” he said, grabbing my hand so tight, it hurt. “One minute, you’re the esteemed fiancée of the Crown Prince of Ide and t
he next you’re a common tart. You were this close,” he said, pressing his thumb against his index finger, “to being a respectfully married woman, and now you’ve blown it by hiding out in this...this man’s hotel room. I should have known you would run here.”
His voice was heavy, slurred by anger or alcohol, or both, I couldn’t tell.
“Let go of me,” I yelled.
He ignored me and started to pull with a kind of ferocious intensity, attempting to drag me out of the room.
“Leave her alone!” Okem demanded.
“Or what will happen? You idiot!”
“I said, leave her alone,” Okem repeated, approaching us. “For once in your life pick on somebody your size.”
To Albert, it was like a spark that ignited the keg of powder that he was. That was when he pulled out a revolver and aimed it at Okem.
“You seriously think I’ll let you keep my fiancée? Eh? Which alternate universe did you both arrive from?” he yelled and waved his gun dangerously at both of us.”
“Put the gun down,” Okem ordered, gesturing with both hands in Albert’s general direction.
Albert ignored him and fired a shot at the television. The bullet made a hole through the glass, and fumes gushed out of the screen. I was frozen to the spot, unable to cry or scream.
“Call the police,” Okem whispered to me.
“If you move,” Albert said, pointing the gun in my direction, “I need not tell you what will happen to you. Do I?”
I stared at Albert and then at the gun. It was pointing right at my head.
“Albert, you’ll shoot me?” I asked, choking on my words.
“Without regret.”
My head reeled as I fell slowly to the ground. I remembered Okem’s visit to Luenah, and that gave me strength. Okem was destined to take the staff and nothing, no one on earth could stop him. Soon, I lost touch with my surroundings and slowly drifted away into slight unconsciousness. I thought I was about to die. As I prayed for my grandfather to come and rescue me, I was jolted by the sound of a quarrel, and I moved my legs slowly, trying to get up.
Albert got distracted by my movements, and Okem ran towards him and tried to grab the gun from his hand. They wrestled before the pistol fell to the ground, making a loud crashing noise as it let out fire on impact. I was so frightened I felt as though my heart would stop. I crawled as fast as I could to reach the gun, but Albert was faster than the rest of us. Okem lunged at him, and they struggled for a few seconds before I heard a loud pop. I screamed, not knowing which of the men, Albert or Okem had pulled the trigger.
Albert dropped the gun and sank to his knees, grabbing his throat with both hands, a wild look registering on his face.
I ran to his side in terror while Okem got on the phone with the police. While we waited, I grabbed a sheet and held it against his neck to prevent excessive blood loss. Hotel security, having been alerted by the three gunshots, stormed into the room. Okem’s driver, Albert’s security team, and hotel guests crowded the door, almost causing a stampede. It was an excruciating fifteen minutes before the ambulance drove Albert to the hospital. He had lost a lot of blood and was barely conscious when the paramedics arrived at the scene. My pleas to accompany him fell on deaf ears as they denied me entry into the van.
* * *
The policemen drove us to the police station in their car. Okem and I were taken to different rooms and interrogated for hours. I still had Albert’s blood on my skin and my clothes, and I was drained from hunger and exhaustion. After answering their questions the best I could, I felt battered and beaten in the end. It was not until close to midnight that I saw Okem again. His driver drove us to the hospital where the doctor, having been previously alerted about the incident at the hotel, asked his staff to wheel me to the examination room immediately. After a thorough assessment, the doctor kept me under observation for another hour. By the time Okem drove me home after two in the morning, there was nothing left of me. There was also nothing left for us to do. Just the dreaded talk with my grandmother to explain to her what had been going on.
* * *
As expected, news over the airwaves had alerted my grandmother of the happenings that day, so she was waiting anxiously for me by the time I got home. Despite my state, she gave me a long hug. Ifedi was standing behind her.
“Ona, what caused all of this?” my grandmother asked, her voice broken to the core. I could tell she had been crying. “How are you? Look at your face.”
I sighed. “Grandma, Okem will fill you in.”
“Yes. Ifedi told me Okem was back. Is he the cause of all this?”
I shook my head. “As I said, he’ll fill you in. Can I be excused? I need to rid myself of this stench,” I said, pointing at my bloody clothes. “Okem will soon come in. He’s outside, giving some instructions to his driver. I’ll join you after I get a thorough wash.”
“Okay! We’ll wait for you.”
I left for my bedroom, and Ifedi, who hadn’t uttered a word since I stepped in, followed me closely behind.
“Ona, what did you say happened?”
“I don’t have the energy to talk now. I’m in so much pain. I was hoping Okem will do the talking for me.”
“Okay. Will you like me to help you with your bath?”
“No thank you. I’ll be fine.”
She followed me into my room regardless and watched as I stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. Relieved to be alone, I poured a generous portion of my lemon-infused bubble bath in the tub. The sharp fragrance was strong without being overpowering. I filled the tub with water to about the half-way mark, ripped off all my clothes, and threw them into a disposal bag. After settling in, I scrubbed my skin until it almost blistered. Satisfied that I had cleansed all of Albert’s blood from my person, I pulled out the stopper for the water to run out. It made a loud gurgling noise as the liquid rearranged itself to escape from the drain. With the showerhead, I rinsed the excess soap from my body. The feeling of the sprinkles on my skin got me to relax for the first time that evening until I recalled Okem and my grandmother would be waiting for me. I got out of the bathroom and dried myself with a towel, threw on the nightgown and housecoat Ifedi had neatly placed at the bottom of my bed, and ran downstairs to meet them.
Out the window, the sky was pitch-black except for a few twinkling stars. The security lights that defined the homes in the valley were in full glow. Okem was seated silently when I got into the living room. Ifedi was standing near the door, and my grandmother was looking rather agitated, bobbing her leg, and sighing at intervals as she asked a barrage of questions: “Okem, where have you been? Why did you run away? Were you that angry with us?”
“Something was happening in my head. I just needed to get away,” Okem responded.
“Something that bad?”
As I got closer, the room seemed to be getting smaller, about to crush me. I collapsed into a chair and reminded myself to breathe.
“I was just briefing Mama,” Okem said.
“Ona, your face,” Ifedi shrieked. “I didn’t notice how bad it was earlier.”
“Let me see,” my grandmother said, edging her seat closer to mine.
“Heavenly Father!” she screamed. “What happened to you?”
I was hoping she wouldn’t notice my face in the dimly lit room. Now that Ifedi had called her attention to it, I would have to go into more detail than I needed to. But all I wanted to do was retire for the night.
“I can’t believe you allowed things to get to this point,” my grandmother continued, glaring at me. “Albert is your fiancé. What were you doing in that hotel room with Okem, and why are you not by Albert’s side?”
“Grandma. Hasn’t Okem told you?”
“Told me what?”
“I was just about to tell her the whole story before you came in,” Okem said.
“Okay. I’m listening,” my grandmother sighed, pausing halfway to grab the hem of her wrapper. “What you’re about to tell
me had better explain this mess or someone will pay. Ifedi, thank you so much for everything. You can go to bed now. Close that door behind you. I’ll turn off the lights when we’re done.”
“Okay Ma, goodnight.”
“Okay, my dear. Do you know Ifedi has been running around the whole city trying to find out where you were, Ona?” my grandmother said, turning abruptly to face me after Ifedi had left. “First, she ran to the hotel, then to the police station and then to the hospital where she was refused entry because a crowd had gathered there. Albert was taken to the same hospital and the masses had kept a vigil for him. I was about to run there myself before a nurse at the hospital called me to confirm that you had been discharged and were on your way home. Have you seen the kind of trouble you put me through?”
“I’m sorry Grandma.”
“Ngwa, okay, begin. Tell me what happened.”
I had never seen my grandmother so angry. I believed her threats, so I garnered the last ounce of strength in me to remain there. Okem and I took turns and explained everything to her. We started from Albert’s initial assault and all the things that happened afterwards and ended with the incident at the hotel. Next, we told her Okem’s story, starting from when Okem was exchanged at birth until his return. We carefully left out Luenah. My grandmother was already in so much shock. Luenah would have tipped the scale. As I spoke, she grabbed hold of me and pulled me close.
“I thought Albert was going to kill me,” I concluded, holding her shoulders to calm her down.
“God forbid.” She said, snapping her fingers before she placed both hands on her head and crashed to the floor. “Chai! Uwammebioo, this world is coming to an end.”
I took her hand and pleaded with her to get up. She finally budged and sat on the chair.
“What do we do now?” she said, looking at Okem.
“Certain moves will need to be made to right old wrongs, but until we’ve concluded the steps I need to carry out with the kingmakers, we cannot breathe a word about this to anybody.”
“No problem,” she said, hissing and shaking her head. “I’m too tired. I need to go to bed.”
“Okay, Ma,” Okem replied and helped her upstairs to her bedroom. On the way, he consoled her and wiped her tears.
The Place Beyond Her Dreams Page 15