One Chance IV
ONE CHANCE
Mayowa Ojo
6/10/20265 min read
He was falling through a hole in the earth, screaming as he went along. Signs in neon flashed before his eyes: infidelity, insincerity, hate, vengeance, murder… despair drenched him like torrents of rain, fear clung to his soul like muscle to bone. He started to feel faint and then the tug came; short but emphatic, paced but urgent.
Banjo opened his eyes and right before him was Temple, his second daughter. He sighed deeply and hugged her in a warm embraced till she asked for some air to breathe. He was grateful everything was a dream until he asked for Kara.
Temple looked at him like he was crazy, stretched out her hand and gave him the phone.
"It’s been ringing daddy," she said and walked away.
Banjo looked at the phone and saw that his daughter had picked Liz’s call.
"Hello Liz?"
"I thought we agreed to keep everything hush after yesterday’s meeting. The DPO will be really upset cos it will look like we’re not…"
"What are you talking about?"
"The kidnapping. It’s all over the news. The…"
"I think I know how it leaked. Damn it! I still had that microphone on from the interview when I got the call about Kara’s kidnapping yesterday."
"Now the entire country is aware of it but all hope is not lost. In fact, I think it’s great because we can…"
Banjo held the phone away from his ear, appalled by the excitement in Liz’s voice. He knew she was only doing her job but that did not make the nightmare that was Kara’s kidnapping any less atrocious.
He ended the call and just as he was about to put it down, it rang. He almost flung the device against the wall when he saw the Private caller ID.
"Get out and drive to ikeja. You will get instructions as you approach the chosen location. Be there in thirty minutes if you ever want to see your daughter again."
Banjo jumped out of the couch where he slept off after yet another heated argument with Jummy around 3am when NK first called. Jummy had done a good job of playing the victim and when she asked NK what she wanted, the response was "Pay back" before NK ended the call. Those two words led to an argument that lasted almost an hour and left both parties worn.
**************
"Please get in," the chauffer said to Banjo when he arrived at the venue.
They were in the middle of a public parking lot for many eyes to see and the audacity of the move terrified him. A third person relieved him of his car key and cell phone. Banjo looked like he was asked to walk naked in the middle of Oshodi or Time Square in broad daylight. Once in the car, a cell phone in the back seat rang.
"Hey boo," she said when the chauffer gave him the phone and told him the boss wanted to speak with him.
"What is this madness?"
"You’re trying to get your child back. That’s not madness, that’s love!"
"You’re…" he stopped himself.
"Oh come on. Be a man and say what’s on your mind."
Banjo held his tongue firmly in his mouth.
"The driver will bring you to your destination. Try to play a smart one and your baby girl’s lifeless body will adorn the front pages of newspapers."
"You would do that to a child?"
"No. You would… if you try anything stupid."
******************
Banjo looked at his watch for the umpteenth time. They’d been on the road for four hours out of Lagos approaching Ondo state. He tried to engage the driver and so far the only information he got out of the man was his name – Pius.
Pius looked like life had aged him faster than normal and so he drove like he had nothing to lose. Banjo considered the trip suicidal but had no choice than to comply. He admitted at some point though that Pius was a really good driver and maybe it was the state of the roads that made his driving come across as bad.
NK made it hard to focus on anything else but her. She engaged him on whatsapp on the phone she left for him. Initially he was rude and unyielding but she threatened him with his daughter’s life and so he complied. She started sending suggestive messages to him and he tried his best to appear interested. They talked about how much they missed each other and how they were dying to be in each other’s arms regardless of how long it’s been.
Banjo almost started to believe their chat after a while. He did miss her but he would never admit it, not without this kind of coercion. He found himself enjoying their conversation once he settled in and gave her some attention. He always liked how smart she was and how she could be playful one second then cerebral the very next.
Pius’ phone rang and he picked it up, listened for two seconds and swerved the car around instantly.
"What are you doing?"
"Obeying instructions, sir."
"And that is?"
"To return you to your pick up point, sir."
Banjo wanted to ask why but he doubted Pius would know and even if he did, that he would tell. He switched back to whatsapp but NK was gone. He tried to call her using the phone but all calls were barred. He asked Pius to let him use his phone but the only response he got was a glance in the rear mirror for all of one second!
*****************
Banjo watched Pius drive off, his car key and cell phone in his hand. He saw that he had over 200 missed calls and most of them were from his wife and Liz. He winced and dialled his wife.
"Hello?" Jummy said sounding cold.
"Hey, I just saw all your missed calls. You won’t believe the day I just…"
"I’m sure she told you to sleep with her and you did just to get your daughter back."
"What are you…?"
"You know what? I’m done. I’m taking the girls to my dad’s for a while where they’ll be safe. Let me know when you’re done reigniting old flames."
"Did you say daughters? Is Kara home."
"See, that’s what happens when you ignore your family and disappear on them. We got an anonymous tip and the police helped in finding Kara. She’s home now. But I bet you also don’t know that your jolly lovey conversation with your old lover and kidnapper of our daughter has leaked. Why don’t you just call her and spend the night with her. You have my blessings," Jummy said and hung up.
Banjo wanted to cry. He felt used and foolish. He knew he should have told someone about NK’s instructions to get to Ikeja in the morning but he also wanted to be the hero by saving Kara. He got into the car so he could have a few minutes of solitude and maybe even cry. He pushed the start button but it would not come on. He tried again but nothing changed. He found it shocking for a new car.
Banjo stepped out to open the bonnet and found that his engine block was filled with water. There was a note on the roof of the bonnet: And I haven’t even started with you.