SNATCHED HOME | By: Safiya T Idris | Episode 1

[AbuHossam]

Shola, don't tell my wife that a lady came to stay in this house, when she returns. Rahim said to his house help.

Rahim led his girlfriend out of the house, while shola continued with the house chores. Rahim's wife had traveled to see her sick mother in the village earlier that week, and Rahim quickly called one of his girlfriends to spend the rest of the week with him.

His wife would be returning that day so his girlfriend had to leave.

Rahim and Ireti had been married for five years, but the union was not blessed with a child. Ireti got herself tested and she was satisfied okay and could conceive but Rahim refused to visit the hospital to get tested. I am perfectly fine and can impregnate a woman, let's just wait for Gods time, Rahim often said to his wife, yet he kept cheating on her with different women. Rahim thought he could get, at least one of his girlfriends pregnant but he tried for years and didn't succeed.

On the other hand, Rahim's family, especially his mother wouldn't let Ireti be. She travels all the way from the village to her son's house just to make Ireti's life miserable. I won't let you sit quietly and enjoy my son's money for nothing. Give me a grandchild or leave my son's house, mama Rahim will often say to Ireti.

Ireti became a shadow of herself. sadness, tears and sorrow became her companions. Her mother inlaw never gave her a breathing space and her husband kept telling her to wait till God's time.

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Shola picked up a bracelet under the table when she was cleaning the sitting room. She went to her room and kept the bracelet in her bag. She went to the kitchen to start preparing food before her madam returns. Few hours later, Ireti came back home, she honked her car for few minutes before lamidi the gateman came to open the gate.

Lamidi, what took you so long to open the gate, Ireti asked lamidi who was sweating and panting like someone who ran a marathon.

Sorry madam, I was taking my bath, lamidi lied. Welcome ma, he said again after a short pause.

Ireti looked at him with and unconvinced eyes, from head to toe and simply answered, thank you. Please help me get the things in the trunk of the car, Ireti said, picking up her handbag and making her way towards the house.

Before Ireti opened the door, shola rushed out of the house. Welcome ma, she said, collecting Ireti's handbag from her. Shola was looking all flushed and sweaty. Are you okay? Ireti asked. Yes ma, welcome ma, shola answered quickly. Okay if you say so, how have you been? Ireti said. I'm fine ma, thank you, shola said. Ireti rolled her eyes. she wondered why shola kept addressing her as ma, all the time... making her feel old. She was 26 while shola was 29

Ireti who was so compassionate, took pity on shola when her friend introduced shola to her. Shola was brought to the city by Ireti's friend to look for a job. Shola had a poor mother to take care of and she was the only surviving child of her mother. her father di.ed when she was 12years old and her responsibility fell on her mother's shoulder after her father's dea"th. Her mother struggled to take care of her until she developed a long term illness and she was advised by a doctor not to stress herself too much, so that she can live longer. So her responsibility fell back on Shola.* no one was willing to help shola in the village, and there was nothing tangible to do in the village. So she was glad when funke her childhood friend, who was lucky to get married to a rich man at the city, made an offer to take her to the city where she can get a job.

Shola agreed to the offer immediately, at least she could send money to her mother for her feeding and medications when she gets paid. Shola warned her mother, not to do anything that could bring more challenges to her health, before leaving the village. Her mother was sad, and tried to stop her from leaving but she also knew that they needed the money.

Funke already had domestic staffs at her home, and she didn't even want her childhood bestie to work for her. So funke discussed with Ireti, her friend and Ireti being the compassionate one, accepted funke after hearing her sad story.

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Is my husband not back yet? Ireti asked when she stepped into the living room. No ma, shola answered. Okay just give me my bag, Ireti said stretching forth her hand to collect her handbag from shola. Please arrange the foodstuffs lamidi would be bringing in, to their rightful places in the kitchen, Ireti said and made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. Okay ma, shola answered.

Ireti took her bath and went to the dinning area to eat. Shola had already set the table earlier. After eating, Ireti went straight to her bedroom to rest and wait for her husband. She was so tired from the journey because the road from her village to the city was very bad.

I'm so tired, but the stress is worth it, as long as my mom is fine now, Ireti said and fell on the bed like a log of wood.

She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

Madam, shola called, she had entered the bedroom without permission when she knocked and got no response from Ireti. Madam, shola called again after starring at Ireti for a while. Ireti turned and opened her eyes slowly, she almost jumped from the bed when she saw shola.

Shola what are you doing Here, and what is it that couldn't wait? Ireti asked angrily. Sorry for waking you up ma, shola said, bowing her head slightly and looking remorseful.

I don't mean to shout at you shola, I was just scared, Ireti said, feeling guilty.

I'm sorry for scarring you ma, I just want to give you this, shola said, handing over the bracelet she had found earlier to Ireti. Ireti collected the bracelet and stared at it for a while. This is not mine, who owns this, and where did you get it from? Ireti asked. I found it under the table when I was cleaning the house ma, you can ask oga, maybe the lady that spent some days here when you traveled owns it, shola said, looking innocent.

*********** TBC....

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