Jasmine help!
At 1:15pm, in the building where Peju was, there was hot atmosphere, as angry faces fell on Peju.
"How can you say you don't know your parents' number? Is this a joke to you?", the gang leader shouted fiercely.
Peju who was now more angry than scared at the man who killed Dauda screaming at her resorted" I don't know their numbers ok?! They were never around. I only know Dauda's number because he was there! Whenever an emergency came up it was Dauda!" She paused. "And now, he's gone, because you killed him."
The building was quiet, everyone was shocked. No one has ever spoken to Baba Comrade like that before. Even Peju's eyes were misty.
"Okay, isn't there any other number you know apart from Dauda's Baba Comrade asked softly and every other member of the gang was shocked again. Peju sniffed,
"I know my best friend's number, she's not living far from my house." Baba comrade nodded," That's not useless, let us have it. What's her name?” He asked.
"Jasmine, her name is Jasmine." She replied.
Sunshine estate was one cool neighborhood. Most of the rich men in Lagos were residents in it. It had enough trees, restaurants, religious places, schools for formal and informal education. In it, Jasmine's and Peju's houses were located, a little far apart. Driving through Sunshine estate was exciting, but driving with Mrs. Okeke; Jasmine's mum could be annoying.
"Amaka, did you see the number of gifts that Toba collected… bout five or so? And your sister collected just one, for what? Best behaved," she said irritably while Amaka rolled her eyes. Jasmine shifted uncomfortably, "Jasmine, your dress outshone the others, really lovely. Beauty queen." Amaka teased trying to change the topic. Mrs. Okeke frowned "Oh! So, I don't deserve a reply, right? It's not your fault. When I was telling you to stop taking her to those talent shows, you didn't listen. Thank God she even passed WAEC with credits in all subjects. Instead of her to study, you encouraged her to sing and draw. Now, let's just pray she would pass JAMB, so someone would finally study Medicine,” Mrs. Okeke hissed. "Yes, Medicine, your dream career.” Amaka retorted and an argument started. Jasmine swallowed hard.
Mrs. Okeke had wanted to become a doctor, but her parents changed plans when they married her off to Mr. Okeke. At first she hated the young man for destroying her dream, but as time went by, she saw how loving he is and gave him a chance. Amaka could have been forced into science, but she knew and stood for what she wanted. However, Jasmine was taught from the first day could understand anything, that she was to become a doctor. But the girl was an amazing artist, Amaka would sit for hours so Jasmine would draw her. Amaka was proud of Jasmine, but angry that she couldn't take her stand. Goodness! Could Jasmine sacrifice.
Jasmine's ringtone brought silence to the car. Jasmine kept staring at it, "Pick up already" Amaka snapped." It's a private number..."Jasmine started, but she saw Amaka's red shot eyeballs and received the call. "Hello, is this Jasmine Okeke?" Baba Comrade asked. "Yes", she replied, he told her someone wanted to speak to her." Jasmine! Jasmine please help!” she recognized that voice,"Peju! Where are you? What's going on?" Jasmine asked alarmed. "She needs you to go to her house in 15minutes, not a minutes more. Give her parents your phone, so we can speak to them. I mean it, 15minutes." Baba Comrade dropped the call. “Who was that?", Amaka asked almost immediately. "Mummy drive to Peju's house now! She has been kidnapped" Jasmine yelled. "Kidnapped? By who? When? ”She asked as they drove into the next juncture that led to Peju's house.
Jacobs house was getting fuller as people trooped in. Friends, neighbours and families arrived trying to console Folake who laid helplessly on the floor." Ah! Peju! I can't find Peju anywhere "She wailed to her mother who tried to calm her down. Toni, Uncle Thomas, and even some aunties Peju barely knew were around. Bose too was shedding tears and Uncle Thomas became disgusted “What is this nonsense?! Is Peju dead or missing? Are we mourning her?”, he yelled. "No sir, she is missing and we've gone to the police station. An investigation is going on sir”, Toni replied. "And you thought it right to sit here and watch your mother make a scene of herself?”, Uncle Thomas sounded more disgusted. “Didn’t you graduate from that school too? Don't you know the routes? Help the policemen. Instead of sitting here wasting time, just do something! "He said and afterwards spat" Dumb, spoilt brat as he settled down. “What did you call him?"Folake asked protectively. Uncle Thomas laughed "I called him a spoilt brat, what would you do?",Folake became furious." Toni is not a brat Thomas, he's not you", she yelled. "Of course not, I was smarter than this at his age. Maybe I was spoilt, I wasn't dumb Elizabeth "He returned enjoying himself. "Never call me that name Thomas. "She yelled fiercely. Thomas and Folake were siblings. Folake was the first child and was really cared for until Thomas was born. Their mother picked her favourite and cared less about making it obvious, she'd call Thomas 'The golden child', treated him specially. Their father left them after he was born, and Folake blamed the separation on the birth of Thomas. Their mother rose up, "It’s Okay! Get back to your seat Folake, we have to talk about finding Peju",Mrs. Adegbesan addressed her daughter. "There we go again mother, even in my house you still take sides with your son. And you know he started it." Folake hissed. "Don't talk to mother like that." Folake was about to reply when Jasmine dashed into the house, screaming "Mrs. Jacobs, Peju has been kidnapped!".Folake grabbed Jasmine" Where? How?" She questioned." Ma, I don't know, a number called and he has Peju, he has her. "Jasmine's phone rang again, she tossed it to Folake, It was a private number. With unsteady hands she received the call, and the conversation was over in five minutes "They want five million Naira for her release." she told them shivering...
"I wasn't born when my father died, and my mother died when I was three months." Felix was trying to have a conversion with Peju who wasn't interested. "Baba Comrade is my mother's brother, he took full responsibility of my life. He sponsored my education, fed me, and gave me shelter in his little house. He is a good man "Felix said. Peju turned to look at him "Good men don't take people's life for money." she told him. "O, you're listening, nice. Baba Comrade had a job, he was a security guard, and he loved it!” "He continued, smiling.”He got fired for no reason, for no reason at all. His boss was aware he needed that job, he did. Baba Comrade has five other children, how would he survive without a job? Well, that night, before his new security guard could resume, he showed him how dangerous it was to live in a mansion without a security guard, we taught him well..."He forgot himself, smiling at his thought. "You attacked him, you robbed him "Peju frowned.”Yes, that was the first time, we had enough so we relocated. We rarely go for operations, just once in a while when it’s needed." Felix replied and Peju scoffed. "So, your turn. Tell me about something. Your parents are alive, right? Tell me how that feels.” Felix said. Peju was mute for a very long time that Felix decided that she wasn't saying anything. He stood up to leave, but she stuttered;"Mmmy mmum...." Felix sat himself down again gesturing her to continue." My mum is a business administrator, and my dad; a doctor. Although my mum and I live under the same roof, we are not close, same with my dad. They are always too busy.” she sighed," But i was getting over that when Dauda arrived. "She smiled as she continued” I remember the first day he entered that house for a job. My dad was on vacation, so he interviewed him." she smiled " When he mentioned his name ,I'd thought he would sound like the northerners did, substituting 'p' for 'f', but his English was just so fluent. He was graduate of the University of Lagos, lost his family in the Boko Haram terrorist attack at Bornu. He didn't want much, just a job and a place to stay. My father asked if he could drive, and that was how he got the job. He slept with the old disgusting gateman." she giggled. "He was hardworking. Smiled a lot and I hated that, every morning he would greet and try to start a conversion as he drove me to school, I wouldn't respond but he didn't stop. Until one afternoon."Peju narrated as the scene played again in her thought.
That afternoon Dauda had delayed to pick her from school. When she saw him, she was raging with anger, she screamed at him and he laughed at her. At first she was disgusted, but his laughter was infectious, she smiled and laughed too and they talked for a little while before he drove her home. The more she spoke with him, she trusted him. She shared her problems with him, he did the same and they were two inseparable buddies. "He was like a big brother "She whispered as tears filled her eyes.”Ok... That's just cute. I am sorry about his death." Felix started; "Birthday girl, I have a little sister. She is everything to me. Last month she got really sick, we rushed her to the hospital and she was diagnosed with leukemia." Felix said with sober eyes." Why are you telling me?" she asked. "They said she needs chemotherapy as fast as possible...His voice shook, "Birthday girl, we need that money. She's all we've got. Baba comrade would kill thousands of people to keep her alive and I wouldn't judge." Felix said in desperation. "Why are you telling me all these?" Peju asked again. Felix took his time, "I know you are so angry, the next thing you would do when you get back to your parents is to find a way to arrest us. My sister needs her family by her side, she's dying. “He inhaled, “Tell the policemen that I was responsible for everything; I killed Dauda and kidnapped you. It's not a request." He concluded. Peju was angry and sad at the same time, she rose up, and “I think you should just leave" she demanded bitterly. "Please..."Felix started but he decided not to spoil things, he turned closing the door behind him. And again Peju was alone in the dark, caged...
