Sold (Christian Romance)

Chapter Sixteen

Caressing Jesse's small frame in her arms, Remi watched Sisi with a smile on his face. Jesse had been awake for a few hours and had refused to let go of Sisi until she fell asleep again. The good news was, her fever had broken. The bad news was, she clung to Sisi and he wanted to be the one holding Sisi in his arms. He glanced at her. She would make a wonderful mother.

“We should go to bed” He said.

“I can't leave her” She gave him a disapproving look while clinging to Jesse. “I'll sleep here tonight”

He frowned but didn't argue. While he was worried about her nightmares, she didn't seem to have experienced any nightmare for the past couple of weeks and Jesse might need the companionship tonight.

“Okay sweetheart” He leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. “I'll be in my room if you need me” He said and she nodded.

“Goodnight” She smiled.

He strolled out the bed room door and made his way towards his own room. He was about to go inside when he heard a loud knock downstairs. Who could be at his door this late at night? He changed direction and walked down the stairs to the front door. He opened the door. Mrs Joke stood, her wrapper tied carelessly around her waist, her hair scattered, her face stained with tears. For a minute, he was confused then he regained his composure and ushered her inside. She obeyed, making her way to the living room where she sat down.

“Mrs Joke, is everything alright?” The woman looked like she was running mad.

“Jummy... My Jummy... I killed my child” She stammered. He stared at her, confused. Had she just said she killed her child? It had only been a week since she took Jummy home, what on God's green earth happened.

“Calm down and tell me what happened”

“That child, that child ruined it all, it ruined our lives. I had to do something, I had to do something to stop it, to kill it. Now, Jummy is dead. How was I to know the abortion pill would kill her?” She cried.

Remi almost passed out. Abortion?! Jummy took an abortion pill for a seven month old pregnancy? What on earth?! His mind was spinning.

“Why would she try to have an abortion, she must have known it would be dangerous at seven months”

“She didn't” Mrs Joke shook her head tearfully. “I put the pill in her food. I thought it would kill the child alone, I didn't know I would end up killing my own child! Yes, she said she was dying but I thought she just wanted to save the child. I left the room and locked her in. When I returned, I found her dead!” She let out a loud wail.

Remi was angry. He had placed Jummy in danger by giving her back to her mother. He had practically contributed to her death. But how was he to know that her own mother could be so wicked.

“You what?” Sisi said, her small frame standing by the door. She wore a white floral night gown with a look of horror on her face.

“Sisi, what...”

“Did you hear her Remi, she killed Jummy!” Sisi yelled, anger written on her face. “This selfish, old woman killed Jummy!” She fell to her knees and wept.

He was dumb founded. What was he supposed to do? He stood up.

“Mrs Joke, we need to go to the Police” He announced. Fear reflected in her eyes.

“Remi, please” She fell to her knees. “I didn't kill her intentionally. ”

“I know. You did it out of greed. We'll go to the Police and you can tell them what happened then we can think of getting you a Lawyer” He said and Sisi shot him an angry look. He walked over to where she sat on the floor with tears in her eyes. “My love, I need to drive her to the station. Do you think you will be fine till I get back?” He asked. She nodded and shot Mrs Joke an angry look.

He ushered Mrs Joke out the door to the car. When they were both settled in the car, he realized he hadn't asked her where Jummy's body was.

“Where is Jummy now?” He glanced at her. Her hands shook in fear and her gaze was fixed on nothing in particular. “Mrs Joke, where did you leave Jummy?” He touched her hand.

“Home. There was blood, blood everywhere. Blood of a bastard.” She glanced at him and let out a loud laugh. “I finally killed the disease growing in her belly. Oh Remi, you should have seen it, you should have heard her cries. ” She laughed. “She tried to crawl out. Of course I couldn't let her go. That girl was ungrateful. If only her father were alive... ” She muttered to herself.

He stared at her; she was losing her mind. Turning to the road ahead, he drove her to the Police station. She didn't need much probing to give a confession, by the time she got there, she seemed not to be able to keep quiet. She told everyone that she had tried to kill the child and had ended up killing her own child. One minute she would be laughing, the next she would start crying. She was reprimanded into  custody and Remi was asked to give a statement. By the time he got home that night, it was past mid night. He made his way to his room and tried to get some sleep.

.........

Sisi stared at nothing in particular, her mind fixed on Jummy. Her only friend had been killed and she was to blame. If only she had fought to keep Jummy around, if only she had insisted but no, she had turned her back on the poor girl and now she was dead. She cried, she mourned another loss in her life. Jummy had been a good person, a good strong woman with a heart that was so much more beautiful than anything Sisi had ever come across. Her mother was a monster, the same specie as Chief and her own parents. They were all monsters and Mrs Joke deserved to be locked up for the rest of her miserable life but Remi thought differently. He was getting her a Lawyer.

What was wrong with him? She folded her fist in anger. He had no right to pervert justice. Mrs Joke deserved every punishment the law had to offer and even more.

Remi sat beside her and put his arms around her. She was afraid to look at him because she knew if she did, she would get into another fight with him. She was angry and needed an outlet for her anger but she could not afford to hurt him with her words so she sat still and said nothing.

“I know you blame yourself” He spoke. “You are not responsible for her mother's actions”

“And you are?” She turned sharply to him. She was angry. “Why do you insist on getting her a lawyer, why are you fighting the war on the wrong side?!”

“Sisi, this is not a war” He said calmly.

She said a fowl word and pushed him away.

“I'm trying to do what is right. Jummy has been buried, I paid for that. Mrs Joke is running mad. What she needs is a psychiatric hospital, not a prison”

“What gives you the right to think you can decide what she needs?”

“My love, I grieve for Jummy too but being angry won't change what has happened. Mrs Joke has worked for me for over six years, in those years, I have seen a woman who loves her child. Her love was misapplied, that's all. I can't turn my back on her. ”

She stared at him in disbelief. Common sense told her to walk away but she ignored it.

“Let her rot in jail, leave her to die or run mad, I don't care! If you choose to fight for her, you have chosen a fight against me and Jummy!” She faced him, fire in her eyes. “And Remi, you do not want to pick a fight with me” She stood up from the couch and made her way up stairs.