Sister Deborah. - Season 1 - Episode 22

5 years ago

Sister Deborah. - Season 1 - Episode 22

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‘Blackmail.’

I marked that word in quote. Blackmail was a strong word to use, for a cheat who claimed to be a victim of rape, despite the evident proof of a video tape that clearly exposed her outrageous and inhumane act.

In spite of my profound dislike for Deborah, somehow, a tingling s£nsat!on evoked emotions on my conscience, overwhelming me with guilt and causing me to see reasons with most of her words. Deborah claimed to have been raped, and supposedly blackmailed, too. I found it humorous and ridiculous, partly because of her reactions in the video tape. A rape victim, as she claimed to be, was not supposed to m0an with pleasure and ecstasy in her situation. Whereas, Deborahʼs case was the actual description of how she reacted.

Thoughts upon thoughts streamed in my head in numerous waves all through my ride in a taxi, which I had chartered to Annabelʼs hostel. I needed someone to talk to — to clear my head and relax in comfort and peace.

“Oga?” The taxi driverʼs voice jolted me out of my unpleasant reverie. “We are here, sir.”

Without saying a word, I paid my fare and got off from the taxi. Normally, I would have called to inform Annabel whenever I intended to visit her but my foul mood had pushed me to act on impulse.

After walking past the gate, I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor of the building where Annabelʼs room was situated. She lived alone in a small apartment on the outskirts of the campus. I placed a gentle knock on the door while I waited there, by the doorstep. I could hear loud music playing from inside the room.
I intended to knock again before the door opened up and Annabel showed up, dressed in a very transparent gown that barely stretched above her knees and revealed much of her cleavage. She looked amused and somewhat surprised to see me.

“Neche!” Annabel walked closer and wrapped her arms around me, with a broad, bright smile. “You didn’t tell me you were coming early.”

She withdrew her hands away from me after noticing my countenance. “What’s up, dear? You look too moody. Is anything wrong?”

“I am fine.” I faked a smile. Despite the evident concern laced on her voice, I still couldn’t compel myself to tell her anything that had transpired between me and Deborah. Annabelʼs birthday party was a few moments ahead. I had no intention to ruin her day or her mood as well.

“Are you sure you are fine, dear? Honestly, you don’t look too good.”

“Annabel I am okay, trust me.” I assured her.

“Okay then, letʼs go in.” She said after a moment of hesitation, lacing her hand with mine as she gestured towards the door.

Annabel led me into the room and shut the door behind her. She ushered me to a seat and turned down the volume of the loud music playing from the DVD player. Thereafter, she joined me on the couch where I was seated, absentmindedly admiring her fancy apartment.

“You are my first guest since today, Neche.” Annabel announced. “Where is my birthday gift?”

“So soon?” I responded jovially. “It isn’t even time for your birthday party yet.”
“Does it matter?” She countered. “I am dead serious — no kidding. Whereʼs my gift?”

“Annabel, I am hungry.”
“You dare not change the subject. I need my gift, now!” She pestered on adamantly.
I was about to respond back to her when a loud beeping sound buzzed from my phone. I removed it from my pocket, clicked on the message icon on the display bar and my countenance changed instantly. Annabel noticed my moody countenance and collected the phone from me to have a view too, and her facial expression turned sour at the message which reads thus:

“Bro, this is unfair! This is really inhumane! What couldʼve prompted you to act the way you did to her? Where are you now? Deborah just had another asthma attack and fainted. She is been rushed to the school clinic as I text this message. You need to rush down here, as soon as possible!”

“Who sent this?” Annabel demanded, evidently curious. She glared at me with keen curiosity.

“Timi.” I replied genuinely.
“I don’t understand. How come?” She pushed on inquisitively. “What has Deborah got to do with this?”

“Annabel, itʼs a long story. You won’t understand.”

“Then make me understand, Neche!” She was sounding annoyed. “Don’t tell me you are still seeing that w---e after all sheʼs done to you!”

“Is that what you think?” I was irritated by her flimsy assumption. “Annie, you of all people should know me too well by now. Whatsoever I had with Deborah died on that same night she betrayed me. How can you think this way? I am disappointed.”

Despite the severity of my words, Annabelʼs doubt and curiosity only worsened. She stood up from the couch, crossed her arms with a fixed, sour look and an intent gaze on me, and muttered the least of all questions I expected from her.

“Do you love me?”
I was with no doubt taken aback by the sudden, unexpected question. Do I love her? It was a complicated question to answer.
“I do.” I hesitantly responded.
“Why did you hesitate?” Annabelʼs sour look and the frown on her face grew worse. “For you to hesitate alone before saying it, it only means that you are simply insincere. You still love that girl, Neche. Admit it.”

“What are you insinuating?” I was getting annoyed. “Annabel, I am more than disappointed in you. You seem not to know the kind of person I am. Once I am done with something, I am done with that thing for life. I don’t go back to my vomit. You disappoint me.”

With those words, Annabelʼs curiosity and doubt gradually lessened after she realized the sincerity from my voice. She sat back on the couch, shifted close to me and put her hand on my hair, caressing it lightly.

“I am sorry.” She apologized genuinely.
“Annie, I am disappointed to be honest.”
“I am sorry na!” She ruffled my hair softly with a sad, guilty look. “I was only curious. Don’t be offended.”

“Itʼs okay. I forgive you.” I assured her. She gleefully shifted closer to me and sealed her lips on mine for a brief kiss. After withdrawing from the kiss, she continued caressing my hair tenderly.

“What would you like to eat?” She asked, smiling.

“I am at your mercy.” I smiled back, too.
“Noodles?”
“Noodles will do.” I affirmed.

“Give me a minute then.” Annabel said and kissed my cheek, before getting up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. She swayed her bums as she walked and sent me arousing stares until she eventually got into the kitchen.

While alone in the living room, none of the programmes showing on the TV caught my interest, so I stood up and searched a small shelf by the edge of the room filled with books instead to get something to read. Along the line, I found a small book with the inscription “My Diary” on the front page. Annabelʼs full name was boldly written on it, so it invariably had to be hers. I had a decent respect for peopleʼs privacy a lot. I was intent on keeping it back when something, in form of a SIM pack slipped out from the diary.
I picked it up and to my surprise, it was an Airtel SIM card with a familiar number. The number was too familiar so out of sheer curiosity, I took out my phone and cross-checked it with an unknown number on my contact list, and to my utmost surprise, it appeared to be the same exact number with the SIM card. I was beyond shocked and baffled. I was bewildered.

Partly because, this same number had sent me the videos and photos of Deborahʼs alleged rape. The same unknown number had told me a lot of spiteful, unpleasant things about Deborah through text messages mostly. How possibly could it be Annabelʼs?

In the heat of that tense moment, Annabel walked out from the kitchen and at that instant, she froze still on her spot after noticing the SIM pack and her diary I held.

She looked utterly horrified beyond measures!