There was a heavy knock on Mrs. Smith’s door around 4:00am. She opened the door and discovered that it was her husband.

“Good morning sir,”

“Bad morning to you, stupid woman. Bad luck of a woman. Do you remember today’s date? It is another anniversary of Olaedo’s death. The date that the sunshine of my life went away and you that is darkness took over. The day you contributed in taking away the only thing that gives me joy. The only good thing that would have come from you is Bob. But you transferred you stupid bravery to him, see where it has landed us to. One day, I will wake up and kill you. Then I will end it all.”

Tears started flowing from Mrs. Smith’s eyes.

“If I see tears this morning, you are gone. Go and bring out that stupid girl you brought here,” Mr. Smith commanded.

He went to the sitting room to sit. Later, Joyce and his wife joined him.

“Young lady, are you ready to resume the work you have been paid for?” Mr. Smith asked.

“Sir, I cannot do that work. Give me some time to find another job to do. I will refund the money that I was paid,” Joyce answered.

“It’s alright, go back to your room.”

Kate has been eavesdropping on the conversation. Immediately, Joyce entered the room, she ran to go meet her.”

“Joyce why are you so stubborn,” she cried out.

“Aunty Kate calm down. I’m in charge. I’ve promised to repay the money.”

She was touched, when she noticed that Kate was crying.

“Aunty Kate, what is it?” Joyce asked.

“I didn’t like you, when you came to this house. I was against the things that Nnenna was doing for you. I felt that you are not worth her efforts. But before Nnenna left, she was so concerned about your welfare; she made me promise that I would take care of you. From the day I made that promise, I saw you as my responsibility. I have tried my best to advise you, but you chose to be adamant. Whatever you see any moment from now, take it.”

“Aunty Kate, what do you think will happen to me?” Joyce asked as sudden fear gripped him.

“The moment you accepted that agreement, you turned to a sacrificial lamb. Whichever way it goes, Mr. Smith must have his way, it either he kills you or he uses your baby and your womb. You cannot go free. You have already made your choice that you want to pay with your life. So be it.” Kate turned to leave but Joyce ran and held her

” Aunty Kate please help me, I don’t want to die. Nnenna disobeyed and got scot free. That was why I decided to try my luck.”

“How dare you compare yourself to Nnenna. Do you know the sacrifices that Nnenna have paid? I don’t want to involve myself in your case. I have to go now.”

As Kate turned to go, she heard Joyce shout,
” My chest! My chest!”

She quickly turned to hold her but she slumped.

Kate ran out of fear into the sitting room to inform Mr. Smith and his wife of what happened to Joyce. As she got there, she saw Mr. Smith, holding a short stick and murmuring words that seem like incantations.

“Sir/ ma please help me. Joyce is dying.

“Are you stupid?” Mr. Smith barked. “You have to be careful in this home, what were you doing in her room by this time of the day? Now get out and go to your room.”

He turned to his wife.
“Why are you shaking like vegetables? If you step out from here, I will deal with you.”

“Tiger!”

“Sir,” He answered from his sleep.

“Lion!

“Sir!” he answered.

Tiger and Lion rushed out almost immediately.

“Check Nnenna’s former room, you will see an idiot that has just joined her ancestors. Go and waste her.” Mr. Smith ordered them.

Immediately they left, she invited Kate back to the sitting room.

“From now onwards, Bob is your assignment. Can you do it?”

“Yes sir,” Kate answered.

“If you know that you cannot do it. Let me know now,” Mr. Smith told her.

“I can do it sir. I have a passion for that kind of work. I even planned to go the nursing school it is just that it did not work out. I will happily do it,” she said, shaking in fear.

“I ask you again, are you sure that you can do it. If you don’t want to do it, let me know. Let’s end everything once.”

“No sir. Please, let’s not end it. I knew how Nnenna was doing it. I will continue from where she stopped.” Kate begged.

“From now, you seize to be the cook. Your madam will be handeling that till we will get another person.”

“Noted sir,” Kate replied.
********************

Back in Joyce’s village, the mum was still preparing for her birthday. She had sold her asoebi and bought everything she needed for the celebration.

Her co wife visited her to know how the preparation was going on but she humiliated her.

“Iya Joyce congratulations!” She called out to her but she pretended that she didn’t hear.”

She decided to draw closer to her,” Iya Joyce how is the preparation going?”

“It is going well as you can see,” she snapped at her.

“It’s okay. How is the cooking going? Have they fried meat?”

“I know that what you will ask of is meat; thief. Who invited you to this place? I sent a message to your husband this morning, that I don’t want to see his legs and yours in my house during the celebration. Are you deaf?”

“I didn’t receive such message. But why will you say that your husband’s brother and his wife should not come to your party?”

“It is my party and I have the right to choose who will attend and who will not attend. Please take your miserable self out of my house.”

Mrs. Julius managed to drag herself out of her co wife’s house in shame. Her husband had earlier warned her not to go there. But she begged him to allow her attend.

She was in tears when she got home.

“Annah, what is the problem? Why are you crying? ” her husband asked.

“Juliana thoroughly embarrassed me in her house. She said that she didn’t invite me to her house.”

“It’s okay stop crying. Juliana feels that she has arrived. She doesn’t know that life throws up both positive and negative surprises. It was because of the nonsense she was acting that I didn’t want you to go to her house.

“But what is my offence how did I offend Juliana?” she asked.

“Juliana’s problem was that she jammed cash suddenly. Don’t worry, time will tell.”

Meanwhile Tiger and Lion dropped Joyce corpse at the side of the road at the early hours of the morning.

Later in the day, someone decided to check why someone was laying in that place. He discovered that she was dead and raised an alarm.

Many people gathered around the corpse.

“Hei! I know her,” someone shouted suddenly.

“Who is she,” many voices asked at once.

“Her name is Joyce, she is from my village”.