Andrew arrived home in the evening, wearing his blue overall, and his face showed a grim expression. Chioma, stirring a pot of simmering beans in the kitchen, glanced up, her brow furrowing at the sight of him. 'Andrew?' she questioned, her voice laced with concern.
Andrew's shoulders sagged as he delivered the news, his voice strained with disappointment. 'I lost my job.'
Chioma's hand paused mid-stir, her heart sinking. 'What did you do wrong?' Chioma asked, although she knew it wasn't the right question to ask. She observed the dirt and oil stains on Andrew's body and wondered why he hadn't cleaned up at the garage before coming home.
'I did nothing wrong. There was a difference of opinion between me and my boss,' Andrew replied.
The words offered little solace, leaving Chioma grappling with uncertainty. 'A difference of opinion?' Her brow furrowed in confusion. 'What does that even mean?'
'I don't actually know, but I believe that wicked people in my village have cast an evil eye on my family,' Andrew said, his words tinged with a hint of humour, though the situation was far from amusing. However, he turned his face away, not wanting Chioma to become overly worried.
'We'll get through this. God will surely help us. You will find a better job someday,' Chioma comforted, motioning for Andrew to sit down.
'Do you think I'll get a good reference from my boss? Mr. Ali has always supported me, but I was surprised by the sudden change in attitude. It's as if someone paid him to target me. I don't understand. I dedicated my life and time to that job. Even when I wanted to wash up or have lunch, I would be trapped for another half-hour if a customer arrived. And now, all I get is being fired,' Andrew expressed, his voice filled with disappointment.
'People change,' Chioma paused. 'You can be your own boss... Let me make you a cup of tea.'
'How will a cup of tea help?' Andrew felt the urge to cry, but tears wouldn't come. 'We need to pay our bills. We need money to survive, Chioma.'
'I still have my job,' Chioma replied from the kitchen, her voice steady despite the underlying tension. She paused in her task of preparing tea, her hand momentarily still as she glanced back at Andrew. His face was etched with despair, his eyes dull and distant. The kettle of achara tea on the stove sputtered and hissed, sending a plume of steam into the air, as if echoing Chioma's internal turmoil. With a sigh, she resumed her actions, filling a mug with tea and reaching for the tin of sugar in the cupboard. As she spooned sugar into the mug, her movements were methodical, but her mind raced with worry. A chill ran through her, as if a cold sheet had been draped over her shoulders. She sensed that someone had either threatened or bribed Ali into firing her brother. The question remained: who was behind all this?
'Please, don't tell Chisom about this yet. I don't want her to worry,' Andrew requested.
'I will tell her. You shouldn't hide anything from your girlfriend. I'm sure she will understand. Tea might not solve anything,' she admitted, placing the mug in his hand, 'but at least it's warm. You were fired from a job you shouldn't have even been a part of. Don't distress yourself. Better opportunities will come.'
Andrew nodded. He stared at the mug for a moment, then slowly brought it to his lips. The warmth seeped through the ceramic, a small comfort in the face of their troubles. He took a tentative sip, the sweetness a brief distraction from the bitter reality. He felt comforted for a moment, but his phone suddenly rang. It was Chisom calling.
'Mum isn't back yet,' Chioma muttered to herself, glancing at the clock.
Andrew ended the call and turned to Chioma. 'Chisom just told me Mum was arrested today… accused of stealing a wallet. She's still at the police station.'
Chioma was shocked to hear this news. Andrew went to the bathroom, removing his overall and tossing it on the floor before reaching for the blue soap on the soap dish and began washing himself. The cold water in the bucket helped wash away the garage smell. After a few minutes, he returned to the living room, dressed in fresh blue trousers and a black shirt, and they hailed a taxi to the police station.
On the way, Chioma racked her brain, desperately searching for a solution to help her mother. She couldn't understand why someone would stoop so low as to accuse her mother of theft. Her suspicion turned to Jessica, and her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Jessica stepping out of her Porsche at the police station.
Jessica couldn't conceal the smirk on her face when she spotted Chioma approaching the entrance with Andrew. She purposefully hurried towards the entrance. 'Chioma, bet you didn't see this coming, huh?' she taunted. 'You thought you had me beaten for the few months I was in Paris. Just look at the situation now. I came here to tell a friend that I got engaged to Nathan, only to hear that your mother stole someone's wallet. And Michael isn't even here to help you with the mess your mother created.'
Jessica had orchestrated this plan to ensure that Louisa faced harassment from the police until she begged to leave Abuja and relocate with her family. Leveraging her family's power and influence, Jessica intended to use her family name to manipulate Louisa's fate. Money and authority can buy many things, she thought with a contemptuous curl of her lips. Chioma, I'm sorry, but I know that you can't do anything to save your mother. She might even have to spend her entire life here.
Chioma was frustrated that her mother was unjustly accused.
Jessica's voice dripped with mock sympathy. 'Your mother is going to suffer because of your stupidity. Don't think I did this, because I'm not as heartless as you.'
Andrew's jaw clenched. 'If you didn't do it,' he countered, his voice a low growl, 'then you have nothing to worry about. But if I find out that you're behind this plot, I will make you regret ever being born.'
Jessica scoffed, dismissing Andrew with a dismissive flick of her of her perfectly manicured hand. 'Same goes for you. Don't ever think of crossing paths with me, or I'll make you discover the true meaning of hell on earth.' A cruel glint flickered in her eyes, a predator toying with its prey. 'Even if you kneel down to lick my heels, I wouldn't let you off the hook!' She turned to Chioma, her voice laced with veiled malice. 'When the time comes, don't hesitate to lick my shoes, okay?'
A humourless bark of laughter escaped Chioma's lips. 'Me, lick your heels? Maybe it'll be the other way around.' Her eyes, just as firm as Andrew's, locked onto Jessica's in a tense stare. 'Let's go.' With determined strides, they entered the police station, a united front against Jessica's cruelty.