[4/21, 1:44 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD

EPISODE 1

“I Stacey do take you Declan to be my lawfully wedded husband , to love and cherish, for better for worse, in sickness and health, for richer, for poorer, until death do us part” the cheerful and cute bride exchanged marital vows with her heartthrob.

Declan: “Stacey, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit” the tall and handsome groom ,said and slide the silver coloured wedding ring with rare stones on the fourth finger of his wife.

She said the same words and inserted the ring on his finger, to the cheering of family, friends and well wishers as well as foes that had come to witness the solemnization of holy matrimony between the two love birds.

Pastor: “by the powers vested on me as a minister of the most high God in this Church, I hereby declare you Declan and Stacey as man and wife. What God has joined together therefore let no man put asunder. You may now kiss your bride” he said and Declan proceeded to kissing his wife for the first time as a couple.

Stacey woke up that morning feeling rejuvenated. It was exactly two weeks after their wedding and they had spent the past two weeks having a swell honeymoon. Her husband Declan had resumed work for the first time after their wedding and so he left the house early in the morning after planting a kiss on his wife’s forehead even though she was fast asleep.

She got up and went into the bathroom and had a quick shower. Then she settled to breakfast of green tea and crackers, she was not one to eat breakfast but the fact that she had made love with her husband all night had made her hungry.

She thought of her husband and a smile escaped her lips, albeit unconsciously. He was her dream man, her most handsome, he was a dream come true for her.

Her mind travelled to how they had met and she rolled her tongue over the nude coloured mug that contained that green tea she was sipping.

They had met at a friend’s wedding where she was the maid of honour and Declan the groom’s man. When she caught the bouquet that the bride threw at the end of the reception, her friends who were a part of the bridal train had reminded her that catching the bouquet meant that she was the next to get married and there was no better man than the groom’s man, and so their friendship had started.

As the months progressed, he took her home to meet his family and his father, who was in his early sixties had done all within his power to bring her home as a daughter in-law in few months despite the fact that she was an orphan and his family was rich.

Their wedding was one of the most glamorous weddings in the state as her father in law who was a top notch business tycoon made sure that his first son’s wedding was nothing short of the best. Chat MartinMartino on zero eight one eighty thirty fourteen twenty one to be added to his WhatsApp group.

She touched her stomach fondly and prayed in her heart that the two weeks of wild love they had would produce a baby in a short time because she could not wait to carry her husband’s child. She looked at the time, it was almost 10am, time to dress up the bedroom, and she sat up from the table and went into the bedroom, humming one of her favourite Withney Houstons songs.

At the bedroom, she settled down to dressing the bed and folding the clothes her husband had scattered while he was hurrying away to meet up with work that morning.

She saw that his box was opened, she was sure that he had forgotten to close it because there was no way he would have left it opened for he never did that. Out of curiosity, she opened the box and picked out a brown envelop. She saw the address of a hospital in India written on it and her heart began to pound furiously while she read the content of the letter.

“What! No, this is not possible. I must be dreaming” she said as tears began to well up in her eyes.
====

Liza sat up from the bed abruptly when her campus boyfriend of over one year attempted to kiss her. She had met Frank who was a year ahead of her when she came in for her registration after she was offered admission. At first, she had been skeptical about accepting to date him because her parents had cautioned her to be weary of boys and concentrate on her studies. But at the end, her heart gave way and she fell helplessly in love with him. But she had made it a point of note never to indulge in any immoral activity with him until they were married.

She had visited Frank that day to collect an assignment that he had helped her write and was relaxing on his mattress with a bottle of coke in her hands when he drew close to kiss her.

Liza: “what is it, why are you drawing close to me?” she asked him.

Frank: “baby, please it is just a kiss, that is not a sin, is it?” he asked, getting worked up.

Liza: “of course it is a sin. You don’t know that immorality starts that way? Before you know now you will start touching me and then we end up having sex”

Frank: “I don’t get it. Just what is wrong with us having sex? We have been dating for more than one year now and I have been waiting for you all these while. Haven’t I tried? Do you know how many girls are dying for me in this campus?”

Liza: “I thought we already agreed that there will not be sex before marriage?”

Frank: “we agreed or you made me agree? Common babe, let’s just do it once and I would never disturb you about it again. I promise” he said coming close to her again but she pushed him away.

Liza: “get thee behind me, satan! I am a virgin and I must remain so until I get married. Get used to that or go get yourself a w---e”

“That was harsh. Every other person on this campus is doing it, how are you different or better than them? What do you hope to achieve with this your holier than thou attitude?” he asked her.

Liza: “that everyone is doing it does not make it right” she said.

“Baby now” he said coming close but she pushed him hard and he fell back and hit his head on the wall beside the bed. He slumped and fell on the bed with a thump.

Liza ignored him and continued sipping her drink, thinking that it was a ploy by him to get her to plead with him. When she observed that he was not moving, she called out to him.

“Will you stop this prank and get up? I am not in the mood for all these o” she said.

There was no response from him and so she spoke to him again.

“Frank! Okay, you don’t want to get up abi? Alright, I am going. Won’t you come and see me off? Okay, I don’t blame you, shebi it is me that carried myself here, let us see if I will visit you again before this semester runs out” she said and stood up to go.

A closer look at him and she felt he could not be joking even after she had threatened to leave. She dropped her bag and went to him and touched him but he was still.

“Oh my God, what have I done?” she asked rhetorically when she discovered that he was not pretending.

“Please get up; I was only joking with you. Get up please” she said shaking him.

Liza: “Liza, you are finished, you have killed somebody and you will spend the rest of your life in jail” she said hysterically.
“what do I do now, where do I run to for help? How do I explain myself to the police that I didn’t intend to kill him? Who will believe me? What will my parents who have warned me to stay away from men say? No, I have to run away. Nobody saw me when I came in and so nobody would suspect me” she resolved.

She picked up her bag, wore her brown leather slippers with silver design on it and went out of the room and the compound, careful not to attract the attention of other students who were in their rooms at that hour.

Question: Is Liza doing the right thing by running away?

What did Stacey discover about her newly wedded husband?

WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 2

You are loved
[4/21, 1:44 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD

EPISODE 2

Frank’s roommate had just returned from lectures and was about to remove his shirt when he noticed that Frank was not lying down properly.

Sas: “guy weting dey worry you now? See as you just sleep yakata like drunkard. O boy adjust your sleeping position jor!” he teased his friend.

He had expected his friend to return the batter since he knew Frank to be light sleeper but there was no response from him.

“guy wetin do you na” he said touching his friend and noticed that he was not himself.

Sas: “egba mi o. What happened here?” he asked rhetorically and ran out to call his neighbours who came in running on their heels.

Quickly, someone grabbed a bowl of water and sprinkled it on Frank who jerked up immediately, still looking very weak. His pupils were dilated and his friend could tell that he was not himself.

“help me take him to the university clinic, please” he said and they all helped to carry him out. Outside they got a taxi and they drove off to the clinic with Frank drifting in and out of consciousness.
====

Stacey was standing at the door way, her hands akimbo, wearing a denim bumshort over a black Tshirt with the inscription “ready for war”.

Her husband came in and drew close to hug her.
“hey, how are you doing? Don’t tell me that you missed me so much and so you had to wait for me at the door” he said.

Stacey: “we need to talk” she said, ignoring his outstretched arms.

Declan: “what kind of talk will prevent my wife from hugging me? It is my first day at work after marriage and God knows that I have been dying to hug you” he said sweetly.
She went into his arms and hugged him.

Declan: “good, now can I go and shower and eat and then we can discuss whatever it is that you want to say” he walked past her without waiting for her response and went into the bedroom where he changed into his towel and headed to the bathroom.

Stacey watched as her husband ate with relish his meal of white rice and vegetable that she had managed to prepare despite the pain she felt in her heart as a result of the letter she saw in her husband’s box. She wondered how men could be so callous as to do some of the things they do.

After the meal, she cleared the dishes and sat down on the chair opposite her husband. She had chosen that vintage position because it gave her the opportunity to watch his reaction.

“I am all ears, what is it baby” he said.

Stacey: “Declan, how could you do this to me? How could you?” she said struggling with her emotions.

Declan: “and where is that coming from? I don’t get it”

Stacey: “you d--n well know what I am talking about. How could you have the heart to do this to me?” she repeated leaving him more confused than he was.

Declan: “listen, I do not have an idea of what you are talking about and it will save us lots of time if you go straight to the point rather than throwing tantrums. For Christ sake, our marriage shouldn’t start on this note” he said getting worked up.

“You don’t know what I am talking about right? Okay, no problem. I will make you understand” she said and stormed out of the sitting room to the bedroom.

She returned carrying the hospital report and threw it at him, startling him.

“now, can you explain to me what this is all about?” she said going back to her seat.

Declan was taken aback and couldn’t find his voice for some minutes.
Declan: “where did you see this? I mean how did it get into your hands?” he stuttered.

Stacey: “how I found it or how it got into my hands does not matter. What matters most is that I have seen it. And come to think of it, what were you thinking? That I would never get to find out or what? I am your wife, I see no reason why you should keep things like this away from me” she said.

Declan: “of course I would have told you in due time. I…I didn’t want you to find out this way” he explained.

Stacey: “well, you had better start talking because there is no better time to talk about it than now” he said.

Declan: “can we just put this off till tomorrow? I really had a long day at work and I need to rest now” he said, trying to change the topic.

“hell no, we are not putting anything off till tomorrow. For your information, my box is packed, if you don’t tell me all that I need to know right now, I will go back to my house where I was living happily before you and your parents came and deceived me into this hoax called marriage” she threatened.

Declan: “you want to leave me just like that? Our marriage is barely two weeks old and you are already talking about moving away? I thought we signed for better for worse, until death do us part”

Stacey: “I made that vow based on mutual trust, without knowing that you were keeping such a vital information away from me. And by the way, isn’t what is contained in this paper tantamount to death? How in God’s name can you consent to giving your father who is more than 60 years old one of your kidneys? What does that imply if not that you want to make me a widow in my prime? Few weeks before our wedding, you travelled to India with your father after you told me that you were accompanying him for medical checkup. Little did I know that you were going to carry out tests on your kidney to see if you can donate one to your father. I saw it all in the hospital report, the transplant is scheduled to take place in India in two months time, that is less than 3 months after my wedding. You and your people would not even allow enjoy my honeymoon in peace” she began to weep. wedding dresses for tall brides

Declan: “I am sorry I haven’t told you until now. I was afraid that you would refuse to marry me if you knew about it all along. As you know my father’s kidneys are bad and he has been undergoing dialysis for months now. Recently, the doctors told him that he needed a transplant. As the first son, my family mandated me to donate one of my own to him and I had no option than to accept. Please understand with me” he pleaded with her.

Stacey: “I don’t get it. Why would your people say you should give him one of your kidneys?” she asked.

Declan: “because I am his first son and it is my duty in our culture to take care of my father as the first fruit of his g---n” he explained.

“that is rubbish. Absolute rubbish, being the first child does not mean that you should lay down your life for others when you are not Jesus Christ of Nazareth”

Declan: “you have to understand with me. My father has done so much for me. He gave me the best of everything that money can buy and gave me the best of education in this country and beyond. When my mother died, he took care of me until I was more than ten years before he married my step mother who gave birth to my siblings. It is a family decision that I give him my kidney. Remember that you have promised to stand by me for better for worse on the altar, please let’s go through this together”

Stacey: “there is no way we can go through this together. So, because your mother is dead, your step mother and siblings want you to go and die? Why didn’t she say her own children should donate their own kidney? No way! There is nothing like for better for worse in this case”
She said and ran back into the bedroom.

Questions:
Hmmn… this is a very dicey situation.

If you were the wife, would you allow your husband to donate one of his kidneys to his old father?

Do you think his family means well for him by mandating him to give out one of his kidneys?

WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 3

You are loved .
[4/21, 1:44 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD.

EPISODE 3

Declan ran after his wife into the bedroom, pleading with her.

Declan: “please understand with me. I already told you that my father has done more than enough for me. This is the little I can do to appreciate him”

Stacey: “oh don’t tell me that. There is nothing strange about what he did to you. He is your father and it is his responsibility to train you. These are the things that fathers do for their children so don’t even use it as an excuse” she said.

Declan: “I know but I already agreed and it would break his heart for me to go and say that I would not give him again”

Stacey: “well, at this juncture you have to chose between your wife, whom you swore to love and cherish on the altar and your father who has enjoyed his own life and who doesn’t want you to enjoy your own because there is no way I would sit and watch you make me a widow before my time” she said.

Declan: “But we didn’t leave you out of the whole thing. Remember that my father helped you to secure an Indian visa some months ago…” he started to say before his wife interrupted him.

Stacey: “yes, he got an Indian visa for me because you said we would travel to India after our wedding for sightseeing, not to give out your kidney” she interjected.

Declan: “well, he got you the visa because you would need to go with us and take care of me after the transplant because the hospital said I would have to remain on bed rest for 3 months before I return to Nigeria”

Stacey: “no, this is so unimaginable, I can’t believe that you connived with your people to deceive me. This is not marriage, it is a sham!” she said and began to weep loudly.

Declan: “I am sorry, baby. I promise that we would go through this together, the doctors have certified that my kidneys are in perfect condition and giving my father one would not affect me in any way. Believe me” he assured her.

“oh don’t tell me that. This is a medical procedure that you have never undergone before and there could be complications along the way, that is why you need to remain on the hospital bed for three months for close examination” she said wiping her tears.

Declan: “but…”

Stacey: “no buts, I don’t want to hear any more explanation from you. Do you love me?” she asked looking into his eyes.

Declan: “are you asking me that? You know that I love you even more than my life. You are my everything and I love you dearly” he said tenderly.
====== = ==

The university clinic did their best to stabilize Frank who had suffered from severe shock as a result of the sudden contact his head had with the wall. When his condition was a bit stable, the medical transferred him to the state capital to another hospital for further treatment and scanning to determine if there was any internal injury and bleeding in his head.

His childhood friend and roommate went through it all with him wondering what had happened to his friend while he was away.

He had tried to call Liza whom everyone knew on campus as Franks’ girlfriend to inform her that Frank was in a critical condition in the hospital. Liza had thanked him for taking care of her boyfriend but she had informed them that she couldn’t visit the hospital because she was busy preparing for a presentation that weekend. For the two weeks that Frank stayed in the hospital, he had expected to see Liza visit him all to no avail. On the day he was discharged, he asked his friend if he had informed Liza of what had happened to him.

Frank: “Sas, did you call Liza to inform her that I was on admission?” he asked sitting up on the bed, careful not to move his head for he was still feeling some pains.

Sas: “I called her as soon as we got to the university’s clinic. I had expected her to come immediately but she informed me that she could not visit you because she had some seminars and presentations to prepare for” he said.

Frank: “seminars and presentations are enough reason why she didn’t visit me all these two weeks?” he asked rhetorically as his mind went back to how she had pushed him to the wall before he passed out.

Sas: “that girl is something else. In fact, I don’t understand her at all. I will advise that you take your mind off her for now since the doctor said you shouldn’t think too much. But tell me, what exactly happened to you? The doctor said you had a collision with a hard surface and that was why you passed out. Did you fight with someone or something?” he asked searching his friend’s eyes.

Frank: “honestly, I cannot remember anything that happened” he lied, all in a bid to protect Liza whom he loved so much.

Sas: “hmmn”, he sighed and began to help his friend pack up the things they had used in the hospital.
=== ======

Stacey woke her husband up at the middle of the night with a gentle tap.

Stacey: “Declan, do you really love me?” she asked when he was fully awake.

Declan: “of course love, I love you more than anything in the world” he assured her.

Stacey: “then prove it by going to your family house and informing them that you can no longer give your father one of your kidneys” she said.

Declan: “what!” he said sitting up as if he had been sitting on a pin all the while.
========

The next morning, Declan and Stacey set out to visit his family house. The house which was located in Asokoro was about 30 minutes drive from Kubwa where he and his wife lived. It was the first time they were going to visit the family house after marriage and Declan wished he didn’t have to discuss the kidney transplant with his father.

As soon as they got to the gate housing the edifice that his father and step mother lived in, the security man on recognizing the car as that of his favourite ‘small oga” who had just gotten married opened the gate and saluted them respectfully. Declan dipped his hands in his pocket and gave him a new one thousand naira note as he always did anytime the gate keeper impressed him.

His step mother was watching a series on Zee World when the young couple entered.
Mrs Ogar: “look who we have here” she said as soon as she saw them.

Stacey went on her knees immediately and greeted her respectfully. Declan bowed courteously. Ever since his father married her when he was barely ten years old, his step mother had taken a dislike for him and he could not explain why she hated him that much. The only time she smiled at him and spoke to him with love was when they had visitors in their midst, therefore he was not carried away by the outburst of emotions for he knew that she was just trying to put up appearances before his wife like she had always done.

Mrs Ogar: “come here and hug me, young man. Don’t you know how much I have missed you?” she said and spread her arms. Declan had no choice but to hug her. She went to Stacey and hugged her too, turning her all over, in feigned motherhood expectation.
“I hope I get to come around for omugwo soon?” she asked her.

Stacey: “by God’s grace, ma” she said with a little sense of embarrassment.

Declan: “where is my dad” he asked unconsciously looking upstairs.

Mrs Ogar: “oh, he is in his room” let me get him for you” she said and made to turn around but he stopped her.

Declan: “don’t bother yourself ma. I will go to his room and see him, I have something to discuss with him, part of the reason why we came” he said and ran upstairs before she could even think of asking what it was that he wanted to discuss with his father.

“So, tell me our wife, have you missed your period yet? Has my grandchild entered your womb?”

Stacey: “not yet, ma." She said shifting uncomfortable in her chair.

Declan met his father sitting before his computer in his room.
Mr Ogar: “ah, my son is here” he said getting up and hugging Declan.

Declan: “Good afternoon father. I must say that you are looking very strong today. I hope you have been getting enough rest and sleep as advised?”

Mr Ogar: “we are trying. The white man doesn’t know that I was not brought up to sleep and rest during the day. If I had been sleeping and resting during the day all these while, how would I have been able to acquire all that I have?” he asked rhetorically, going back to sit on his chair.

Declan: “well, you have acquired the properties and money and so you can afford to sleep now. Remember that the advise is for the good of your health”

Mr Ogar: “I will try. I have been trying, haven’t I? Anyway, how are you and your wife?”

Declan: “she is fine. We actually came together. She is downstairs”

Mr Ogar: “You left her downstairs without bringing her here to see me? Well, if Mohammed doesn’t come to the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammed. I am going down to see her” he said and made to get up but his son stopped him.

“Not yet, dad. I left her down purposely because I have something to discuss with you” he said taking the available chair close to his father.

Mr Ogar: “what is the problem? Are you having issues with your wife already? I mean you just got married last month. Well, you have to be very patient and understanding. That is what I have been doing with your step mother ever since I married her. I guess women were specially designed to trouble men” he said in one breath.

Declan shook his head. “It is not about my wife, father” he said.

Mr Ogar: “then what is the problem?”

Declan: “it is about this forthcoming India trip. I mean the scheduled kidney transplant”

Mr Ogar: “oh that, don’t worry about it. It will go well, the hospital is good enough, trust me” he assured his distressed son.

Declan: “it is not about the capability of the hospital. I am no longer interested in giving up one of my kidneys anymore, dad”

Mr Ogar: “what! What did you just say?” he asked again.

Declan: “I said I have thought about the whole thing and I don’t think I am willing to give up my kidney anymore”

Mr Ogar: “so what happens to me? You want to abandon your father to die? Is that it? After all that I have done for you after your mother died and left you in this cold and wicked world?” he asked.

Declan: “father, you have to listen to me please. You have come a long way in terms of age, education and achievement. You have seen your children and by God’s grace you will live to see your grandchildren even before this one kidney that you are depending on fails. But look at me, I just got married. Do you want me to die in my prime without seeing my children? Think of my wife, what happens if I die now and leave her?” he asked, stress veins appearing on his forehead.

Mr Ogar: “who wants to kill you, my son?”

Declan: “you cannot be too sure that there will not be side effects after I give out my kidney. Some healthy people did that and their lives were never the same afterwards. Just think about it father” he pleaded.

Mr Ogar: “at this juncture I think we need to get somethings straight. To say that I am shocked about your refusal to help me live again is an understatement. I give you two options, Declan. It is either you donate one of your kidneys to me and save my life or I disown you and you lose out your inheritance. Make your choice now!” he barked and Declan’s feet began to quiver.

Question:
Can a father ever do this to his own son?

What do you advise Declan to do?

WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 4
[4/21, 4:03 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD.

EPISODE 4

Few days after Frank was discharged from the hospital, he woke up at about 11pm when he was sure that his friend was sleeping. He tiptoed out of bed, wore his black leather jacket, grabbed a Nike Face cap and closed the door gently behind him so as not to wake his friend. He stepped out of his compound and made his way to Liz’ house. He knew that she would be alone in her room at that time, and it was the perfect opportunity for him to strike and take his pound of flesh.
=============

Declan tried to talk to his father but the old man was adamant and would not listen to him. Tired of trying to get his father’s attention, he raised his voice against the old man for the first time in his life.

Declan: “father, please listen to me. This is not a matter of remaining your son or not. It is about my life. If you really love me, then you should have no problem granting my desires” he screamed.

Mr Ogar: “what desire? The desire to allow me die when you have all it takes to keep me alive?”

Declan: “any other thing apart from giving you a part of my kidney and I will gladly do it. Listen, we can even pay a donor and have him give us one. We can even buy, it is no longer news that some people sell one of their kidneys to feed themselves. We have more than enough money to do that, please father” he pleaded.

“why are you talking like this? Have we not been searching for a kidney that matches mine for months now? If it were that easy to get, wouldn’t I have paid whatever amount that would be demanded? Why are you this inconsiderate?”

Declan: “father, I am sure that with more time they will find the perfect match for you” he said but his father flared up and went downstairs.

Mr Ogar: “Mr dear are you there” he said calling out to his wife from the stairs”

Mrs Ogar: “I am here” she said looking up to him.

Mr Ogar: “can you imagine what my son is saying?” he asked at the top of his voice.

Stacey’s heart skipped a beat when she heard him speak. She knew that the confrontation between her husband and his father wasn’t going to be easy but she didn’t expect him to react that way.

Mrs Ogar: “what is the problem?”

Mr Ogar: “my son who initially agreed to give me one of his kidneys is saying something else” he said taking his favourite seat in the sitting room.

Mrs Ogar: “what is the something else that he is saying?” she asked with peaked interest.

Stacey knelt down before her father in law and greeted him.

Mr Ogar: “my daughter, are you aware of what your husband came here to tell me?” he asked her after answering her greetings.

Stacey: “I…er…” she stuttered.

Mr Ogar: “my own son whom I labored to train has refused to give me one of his kidneys. Who can believe that?”

Mrs Oga: “What! How can you even think of doing a thing like that? I mean how will you just wake up one day and say you will not donate one of your kidneys to your father anymore? Are you out of your mind, Declan?”

Declan: “I beg your pardon ma?” he stuttered.

Mrs Ogar: “don’t beg for any pardon. I have always known it that you hate your father but I didn’t know that the hatred was this strong. Do you want to make me a widow before my time? Don’t you know that the doctors have given my husband limited time to live with this kidney?”

Declan: “that is the problem ma. You are thinking of yourself alone. You don’t want to be a widow anytime soon even though you have been married to my father for many years now. Have you thought of my wife? Is it right to make her a widow even though we just got married? All I am saying is that we should spread our tentacles and search for a donor rather than giving mine. Please understand with me, mother”

Mrs Ogar: “don’t you dare call me mother again. If you acknowledge me as your mother, you will not open your gutter of a mouth to call me a selfish woman” she said. Chat MartinMartino on zero eight one eighty thirty fourteen twenty one to be added to his WhatsApp group.

Declan: “but I never called you a selfish woman” he started to say before she interrupted him.

Mrs Ogar: “of course you did. What do you take me for? A dummy who doesn’t understand simple English or what? You said that I was thinking of myself alone. If that is not selfish, then I wonder what is”

Mr Ogar: “my daughter, do you speak to your husband at all? Is it fair for him to wake up one morning and decide against giving me one of his kidneys?”

Stacey: “erm..sir, I think what my husband is saying is that we should seek for a donor or a seller rather than him giving his own because he may develop complications in the process and considering the fact that we just got married…”

“shut up your useless mouth there” her mother in law interrupted her.
Mrs Ogar: “what are you vomiting from that your cheap mouth? I said it before that there is something fishy somewhere when I saw you walk in with Declan. So you are the one who advised him against giving his father his kidney right? You, an ordinary girl whose bride price we paid” she continued.

Mr Ogar: “so you are in support of your husband’s decision? I actually thought you are a good girl and that we were marrying into a good home. I didn’t know that you are very wicked and senseless. And to think I went out of my way to get you an Indian visa so that you could travel with us and take care of your husband after the transplant. I am so disappointed in you” the old man said to Stacey.

Mrs Ogar: “my dear do you now see what I was talking about? I said you should go for this kidney transplant before marrying a wife for Declan but you refused because you wanted him to get a wife that would take care of him at the hospital over there. Now see where the thing has landed us”

Declan: “why do you hate me this much mother? Why must I be the one to give my father one of my kidneys? Why didn’t you provide any of your sons for their kidneys to be tested to see if it will match my father’s? if I were your biological son, would you do this to me?”

Mrs Ogar: “you are the first son of this family and it is your duty to help your father. Oh, you think you can just sit down and claim all the glory and inheritance as the first son right? Well, sorry, nothing good comes easy. My dear, lets go upstairs and leave Declan and his useless wife alone. Whether they like it or not, he must give you that kidney and there is nothing he and his evil adviser of a wife can do to you” she said and helped her husband up leaving the young couple speechless.

WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 5
[4/21, 4:03 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD.

EPISODE 5

Frank got to Liz’ apartment and knocked on the door. She was already half asleep when she heard the knock on the door. She peeped through the window and saw that it was Frank and her heart skipped a beat. She knew that she had been unfair to him by refusing to go and visit him at the hospital even though she was the one who had pushed him against the wall and so she refused to open the door.

Frank: “I know you are in there, Liz. Open up” he said , banging harder on the door.

Liz cringed in horror.
“Oh my God, I am in trouble, he is here for revenge” she thought.
Frank continued knocking.

Liz: “go away, leave me alone, I cannot open the door” she said to him.

Frank: “why? I came in peace” he said raising his hands over his head unconsciously.

Liz: “look, I am sorry the way I treated you okay? Please forgive me, I was afraid of what you would do to me if I visit you in the hospital” she said.

Frank: “listen, I have forgotten all that. I am here because I miss you so much. Can you just open the door please?”

Liz: “are you sure?” she asked suspiciously.

Frank: “Positive. I had it in mind to revenge but now, I have decided to forgive you. If I meant any harm, I won’t come knocking for everyone to hear me” he explained.

After some thoughts, she opened the door gently and allowed him in, leaving it ajar.

Frank: “Why are you leaving your door opened? Are you not afraid of mosquitoes? Or are you afraid that I will harm you?” he said closing the door after her.

Liz: “what do you want?” she asked him, standing by the door.

Frank: “like I said I miss you and I am here to see you” he said again.

Liz: “But why are you coming by this time? I mean why this night?”

Frank: “I couldn’t come during the day because my best friend and roommate monitor my movement after I was discharged because they think that I was involved in some fight with some bad boys on campus and that was why they came to my house and jammed my head against the wall before I passed out”

“You…you mean you didn’t tell them that what happened was between me and you?” she stuttered.

Frank: “if I had told my people and my friends that you were the one who almost killed me, probably you would still be in Police detention by now” he said.

Liz: “I am sorry; I didn’t mean to do that to you. I…I didn’t mean to push you that hard. Please forgive me”

Frank: “sorry? Is that all you have to say? What if I had died? Would sorry have brought me back to life?”

Liz: “I was afraid that you had died and I knew that nobody would believe that it was a mistake, that is why I ran away” she said fearfully.

Frank: “accepted. When you heard that I didn’t die and that I was in the hospital, what did you do? Why did you abandon me? Was it too much to visit me in the hospital?”

Liz: “I am sorry, I was afraid of what your reactions would be if you see me” she said coming close to him.

Frank: “It’s okay. Do you still love me?” he asked.

Liz: “I love you more than you can imagine” she said sincerely and she meant it.

Frank: “then let’s make love, I will soon graduate and will it be fair for me to leave without touching you?”

Liz came close to him and placed her arms around his shoulders.
“You know that I am not one for sex until marriage. If you love me and have a future for me after this university, then you should wait. After all, that is what we would be doing after marriage” she said.

Frank: “baby please now, just allow me enter Jerusalem once now” he said drawing her close.

Liz: “you can play around Isreal o, that is foreplay but to enter Jerusalem, that has to be after marriage” she said.

That night, they slept in each other’s arms and Frank was contented to sleep beside her even though they was no form of intimacy between them. Spending the night beside her alone was enough to erase all the memory of pain and anger he felt about her abandoning him in the hospital.

A month later, Frank was in his room with two of his friends discussing their relationships and they could not help but make a mockery of him and his girlfriend after he told them that she had not allowed him make love to her.

Sas: “I can’t believe that you still love this girl even though she has denied you access to her body. I am sure she is busy giving it to another person free of charge” he taunted him.

Frank: “no, she is a virgin. Liz cannot be sleeping with another man” he defended her.

Tam: “if it is not the fact that it is an insult, I would have said that you are stupid. In this generation, you think that a girl like Liz is a virgin. See ehn, let me tell you, lecturers as well as students dey f--k that girl” he said.

“That is not true” Frank said.

Tam: “how do you know? There is a way to find out, though” he said.

Frank: “how?”

Tam: “we will help you organize a rape session and you will rape her, only you”

Frank: “What! Are you out of your mind? Won’t she know that I am the one?” he asked thinking about it.

Tam: “Of course we will wear mask, she will never know” he said.
=========

Few weeks after Declan and his wife left his family house, his wife seeing that his refusal to give his father the kidney was causing problems for him and his family decided to talk to her husband.

Stacey: “sweetheart, I think you should reconsider the decision of giving your father one of your kidneys” she said to him after dinner that evening.

Declan: “what do you mean?” he asked looking up at her.

Stacey: “well, I think that you should give it to him” she said and paused to see his reaction.

Declan: “what are you saying? I thought you were the one who advised me not to donate to him anymore” he said.

Stacey: “yes, but since we went there and you informed him about it, you have not been having it easy with them. Yes, I know that they have been calling you and threatening to cut off all ties with you if you don’t donate the kidney to him. In fact, your father even went ahead to say if he dies, you have no right to bury him as the first son that you are. I think this is not healthy for a family like yours so maybe you should just give in to their desires” she said.

“No, I will not. They can go ahead and cut off all ties, I don’t care. I already told them that I will not give my kidney and that is final. If my father dies and I go there to bury him, let me see the person that will stop me. That is when they will know that I can be mad” he said.

Stacey: “I understand but you have to consider me too. Already your people think that I am the one who doesn’t want you to help your father” she said.

Declan: “oh no you are not the one. You actually opened my eyes to see the reality of what could happen after I give out one of my kidney and I made up my mind against it after thinking about it for days”

Stacey: “hmmn…nobody will believe that, my husband. Remember that you already agreed to it before you married me, now they think I am the one who made you change your mind”

Declan: “well, what is wrong with it even if you are the one who made me change my mind? You are my wife for crying out loud” he said.

Stacey: “it is too early for me to start giving your people the impression that I influence your decision. Do you know that your step mother has stopped picking my calls after our last visit?” she asked rhetorically.

Declan: “and so? She can stop picking your calls even in her dream too. How does that stop you from marrying me?” he said, coming to sit close to her.

Stacey: “but baby…” she started to say before he interrupted her.

Declan: “shhh…don’t bother your pretty head over my family problems. We have our lives to live” he said and brushed her lips with a kiss.

The two couples got entangled in a passionate kissing session until a knock on the door forced them apart.

Stacey: “I will get it” she said and moved to the door.

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see her father in law’s personal assistant holding a bag and standing behind him.

Stacey: “welcome, sir” she greeted her father in law and ushered him and the personal assistant in.

Declan: “my dad? Wow! What a pleasant surprise” he said getting up.

Mr Ogar: “you may leave” he said to the personal assistant who dropped the bag he was holding, bowed courteously and left.

Declan: “you are welcome sir. We weren’t expecting you, all the same, welcome sir” he heard himself say.

“erm daddy, what do I offer you?” she asked staring at her husband.

Mr Ogar: “I am here to….”

Question:
Do you think they will succeed with the rape?

What do you think Mr Ogar wants?

WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 6
[4/21, 4:03 PM] +234 708 909 1319: HEART OF GOLD.

EPISODE 6

Frank cast his friends a suspicious glance and shook his head several times.

Frank: “I thought I had good people as friends, I didn’t know that you people are a bunch of dummies. How can you even think of advising me to rape my own girlfriend? Who does that?” he asked them.

Tam: “who doesn’t do it? Wait a minute, do you think they will come and tell you after doing it? You claim your girl is a virgin and she will not allow you touch her. I am telling you that the girl is just pretending and that she is giving it to some other people free of charge. The best way to find out is to rape her yourself” he said.

Frank: “and then what happens after I rape her?” he asked.

Sas: “guy, e be like say Tam make sense o. I been don dey reason am say that Liz no really like you. Yes, she doesn’t and that is why she refused to come and see you all the time that you were on admission in the hospital. I wonder how you two got back together” he said.

Frank: “I told you that she also fell ill that period” he defended her because he didn’t want his friends to know that she had abandoned him.

Sas: “if she truly loves you, why won’t she allow you make love to her?”

Frank: “because she is a virgin. Have you not been listening to our conversation or what?”

Sas: “so what if she is a virgin? Will she deflower herself? Abeg make I hear word jare” he said.

Tam: “Frank, me I have told you my own o, allow us arrange for you to rape this girl and afterwards you can continue dating her if you wish. If not eh, all these money you are spending on her will just be in vain and she will move on to another man as soon as you graduate” he said conclusively..

For days after the discussion, Frank thought of all that his friends had advised him to do and overcome by the pain of how she pushed him against the wall and abandoned him to die, he decided to give in to them and they planned the rape for the next week.

Frank knew all of Liz’ daily routine and so he knew that she ended her day by going to study in school till some minutes before eleven after which she will take a thorny, bushy and lonely path to her lodge since she could not get any bike or taxi to take her home at that hour.

On that fateful day, he and his friends who were masked and well covered waited in the bush in the thorny and lonely path for her.

After waiting for some minutes, they saw her approaching with her friend who was also her reading partner and they jumped out, frightening the two girls out of their skin.

They Carrie Liz and was raped and disvirgin by her boyfriend
=========

Hours later

Frank was about opening the bottles of the drinks he was to share with his friends when he heard his phone vibrating from where he was charging it close to the refrigerator. He closed the fridge and picked the phone, it was Liz calling.

“Shit!” he cursed under his breath.

“Guys, please minimize your noise, its Liz calling” he said to his friends who were laughing loudly but suddenly went mute as soon as they heard Liz’ name.

He picked the call after taking few seconds to stabilize his voice and calm his nerves.

Frank: “hello, baby. Don’t tell me you are still awake by this time” he said into the receiver.

Liz: “baby, are you at home?” she asked.

Frank: “yes, why? Are you okay? Your voice doesn’t sound good” he said, feigning ignorance.

Liz: “I am on my way to your house; we need to talk about something”

Frank: “what is it? Talk to me” he said.

Liz: “don’t worry, we will talk about it when I come” she said but he interrupted.

Frank: “you know what? Just go back to your house, I am coming right away. I repeat go back because it is already late and it could get dangerous so I will come and see you” he said and dropped the call.

Frank: “guys, there is fire on the mountain, Liz is coming here” he said and before he could finish explaining, they all scampered out of the room, running as fast as their legs could carry them.

Frank shook his head and locked the door and hurried down to Liz’ house.

After the call ended, Liz’ friend convinced her on the need to return back to the house and wait for her boyfriend and so they went back in together.

Few minutes later, Frank entered.
“Where is my baby? What is going on here?” he said as soon as he entered the house.

Liz: “I am here” she said and started crying.

Frank: “baby what happened to you? The way you spoke on phone, I was afraid you were ill or something” he said taking her in his arms.

Liz: “it would have been hundred times better if I was ill. My God will punish all those who did this to me. It shall never be well with them. They will never know peace in their life. They will di….”

Frank: “hey! Thou shall not curse, remember?” he quickly interrupted with his heart beating fast.

Liz: “no, I will curse this one. It shall never be well with him. He will never find happiness..”

“I said it is okay. Now calm down and tell me exactly what happened” he said, cleaning her tears.

Liz narrated to him all that happened and Frank heaved a sigh of relief when she told him that she couldn’t recognize any of the guys including the one who had raped her.

Frank: “what! Are you telling me that you were raped?” he asked, feigning anger.

Liz: “baby I am sorry. The bastard raped me and took away the virginity that I was preserving for you. Please forgive me” she said.

Frank: “look at what you have caused me, I begged you to allow me touch you but you refused. I pleaded with you all to no avail. Are you happy now” he said.

Liz: “I wanted to give it to you as a wedding present. I didn’t know this would happen, if I knew, I would have allowed you do it. I am sorry please” she was holding on to him as if her life depended on him.

Frank: “so what do you want me to do now?”

Liz: “I don’t want anything to change about us and that is why I am telling you first”

Frank: “so, I am the one who is not good enough to have your virginity right? Okay. So, tell me. What do you intend to do with the person who did this to you?” he asked.

Liz: “Ah, the person will pay. I will make sure I fish him out even if it means using diabolical means. The person will pay with his blood. I am going to the police right away for them to commence their investigation” she said.

Frank: “No! You cannot do that” he said suddenly and then regained his composure.

Liz: “why not?” she asked suspiciously.

Frank: “you are a Christian and God says we should leave vengeance to him. Just forgive the person and move on, God has a reason for everything that happens” he said.

Liz: “I cannot believe that you are saying this. Somebody from nowhere raped me, depriving me of the virginity I was preserving for you and you said I should let it go just like that without involving the Police? What If I have contacted some STDS from him? Or even pregnancy? I told you that the person didn’t use any protection”

Frank: “I know but even with that, you need to forgive. Do you know the scandal and stigmatization you will go through on this campus if people find out? Trust me everyone will find out once you report to the Police. People would even say that you were careless for following that lonely path late at night. And then they will begin to point fingers at me as the guy whose virgin girlfriend was raped. I don’t want that kind of attention. Let us just go to a private hospital in town and they will wash your stomach thereby flushing out any of his semen in you, that way you won’t get pregnant but as for vengeance, leave that for God” he said kissing her on the forehead and hopping that he was not giving himself away as the culprit.

Liz sighed and stared at him, eye ball to eye ball as if she was finding it difficult to believe him.
=========

Days after his father started living with them, the old man fell sick and all entreaties by Declan and his wife to take him to the hospital proved abortive.

Anytime they brought up the issue of going to the hospital, the old man would reply that they should leave him at home to die since his son had refused to donate of one his kidneys to him.

That morning, Declan and his wife knocked on the door to the guest room where his father was to greet him and ask after his health but the