When I saw aunty Toyin going out, I thought that it was a golden opportunity for me; little did I know that it was a trap.

As soon as she was out of sight, I rushed into her kitchen and carried the pot of soup. I turned to find her standing behind me.

“Good afternoon ma’am, welcome ma’am,” I greeted simultaneously with bows.“

“Thief ! Unrepentant criminal. I knew that you were up to something. That was why I pretended that I was going out.”

She grabbed me with the pot of soup and headed to our living room. All my pleas felled on deaf ears. Even the fact that I told her that my parents were with a visitor never touched her.

My parents were startled and embarrassed when she dragged me into our living room. Immediately we entered, she left me and adjusted her wrapper tightly to her waist as if she was getting ready for a fight. She clapped her hands and started pouring out her anger, even as my parents were watching in shock.

“Uuuuuuuhh!” She shouted, cupping her mouth with her palm.

“Your daughter is a professional thief. When I got married newly, my husband warned me that I should be careful of her because she was an armed robber but I doubted him. Could you believe that things have been missing in my house; I never knew that Judy was responsible for those acts. Thank God she has been exposed. My verdict is that she must finish the soup and pay back the money I used in cooking it, full stop.”

My father’s face turned red with rage.

“Woman, are you mad?” he thundered.

“You have the gut to embarrass me in this manner. By 6:00PM today, if I see you or your husband in my house, I will get you arrested by the police.”

Dad quickly climbed upstairs, brought some money and threw it at Uncle Kehinde.“Today is 9th but I am paying you the full month salary. I don’t want to see you or your mad wife close to my family. Dare me and see!”

Out of shame, my father tried to explain to his friend what had been going on and all their efforts to find a lasting solution to the problem.

“Ha! How can you be going through all these problems without telling me. If you have mentioned this to me, it would have been a thing of the past,” Mr. Femi told him.

“Really?” My father asked in amazement.

“Yes! Immediately you get to where I want to take you too. The man will tell you everything that is going on. If someone is responsible for it, he will tell you.” he assured my father.

“I am not really interested in knowing who is responsible for it. All I want is for my daughter to be healed,”my father told him.

“But knowing who is responsible for this, is important too. We need to know who our enemy is,” Mummy chipped in.

I sat there like a condemned criminal while they were having the discussion. My dad had earlier warned that if I dare get up from the chair, he would skin me alive.

“So, what is the way forward, my father asked his friend.”

“The only challenge is that the pastor is at the Eastern part of the country.”

“I don’t care. Even if he outside this country. I will go and see him.”

“Because of my work we need to go on flight . You know how much the flight ticket for three people, to and fro will cost you,” Mr. Femi informed him.

When Mr. Femi said that my mother shouted . She felt that the money was much but my father felt otherwise.

” My dear, don’t worry. What matters is the solution we will get. Let’s give it a try.”

My father’s friend left with the promise that he will be back the next day to make arrangement on how to take us to the pastor. I have been praying that Mr. Femi should not go because of the punishment that awaits me for my offence. But I was surprised that it seemed that my father had forgotten what I did. Infact he was in a happy mood. My mother made an attempt to find out what was making him happy.

“I’m happy because I daughter is already free. At least the period of embarrassment is gone,” my father told her.

“My dear, if I tell you that I understand what you are talking about, then I am a liar. How is she free?” Mummy asked

“This woman, calm down. I know what I am talking about. Do you see that man that just left here, don’t play with him. As far as Judy is concerned, her case is settled,” daddy said firmly.

“If you so say so, I will believe you.” Mummy said reluctantly.

“Of course you have to. To show how happy I am, I will be granting one wish from each one of you. Asked what you need,” he declared happily.”

I quickly grabbed the opportunity before it expires.

“Daddy, please can I make a wish?” I asked.

“Go ahead, my princess,” daddy encourage d me.

“I want to visit the next compound to see the new born baby.”

“Wow! You love children so much.You are free to go.” Daddy told me.

“My dear, are you sure of this?” Mummy asked. It was obvious that she didn’t want me to go.

“Why not.m? She just wanted to see the baby. Is she taking the child away?” Daddy asked.

“Is okay. If you really want her to go,” mummy said reluctantly.

“Ofcourse, let her go,”daddy said firmly.

I promised my parents that I would be back in no distance time. I kept to my word and came back as soon as possible.

Few minutes after I came back, there was a knock on the gate. Kehinde has been sacked so there was no one to attend to the person or person’s knocking.

When I listened very well, I recognized the voice of the person knocking. Immediately, I ran inside my room and locked the door. The noise of the television did not allow my parents to hear the knock and I was so happy.

But my joy did not last so long because my dad came calling.

“Judy, I know you can hear my voice. Open that door now or I break it down!” My daddy thundered.

My mum was pleading that he should take it easy with me. I opened the door slowly and came out.
My parents took me out to meet the woman I just left her house.

“This woman here is accusing you that her baby’s milk disappeared immediately you left her house. What do you have to say about that,”daddy asked. Fire was emmiting from his eyes as he spoke which made to shake nin fear.

“I didn’t take her baby milk. What woud I be doing with baby milk?”

“I thought as much. I was the one that opened the gate for her when she came back. She didn’t come to this house with anything,” mummy supported me.

My daddy became temporarily confused, ” madam please, are you sure of what you are saying,” he asked her.

“Sir, it’s not that I am really sure. She did not leave my house with anything. I saw when she left. But few minutes after she gave me money and left, the milk disappeared,” the woman explained.

“Oh! She even gave you money. The money she gave you and the milk that disappeared, which is bigger?” Daddy asked.

“The money she gave me is bigger. It’s just that when I started searching for the milk, people asked me the person’s that came to my house. Immediately I mentioned her name, they she must be the one that took it.”

“Really?Now get out of my compound!” My daddy thundered.

Ken my younger brother stood by the side watching everything that happened. The way he was looking at me made me to be confused. I tried to avert his gaze because I felt that he wanted to ask me more questions about what happened.

My father’s phone ringed and it was Mr. Femi ‘s wife. He answerd the phone call and his countenance failed immediately.

“What is the matter?” Mummy asked.

” It is Mrs. Femi. He said that I should try and come to their house right now. The challenge is that she is crying,” daddy explained.

“Why would she be crying?”

“I don’t really understand. Please get me my car keys.”

Watch out for the next episode.