On the road from Lagos 39: The forest 6

Previously On the road from Lagos

Femi, Jamin and Remilekun reunites with Nimah while the pregnant woman goes into labor

EXT. ON THE TREE- DUSK

Cece looks at Oba-Abass who closes his eyes like he is taking a nap and she sighs deeply

CECE

You are right

Oba-Abass opens his eyes and look at her

CECE (CONT’D)

I was jealous of her, maybe am still jealous of her

OBA-ABASS

Even though she is died?

Cece chuckles as she rubs her face in frustration

CECE

You have no idea how hard my life was before I was called to bar. The first child of six children in a poverty stricken family. I had to work my ass off to provide for both my family and send myself to school. When I get admission to study law in school, I was determined to work hard and not have history repeat itself in my life… then I met Selma and her sick child… Selma was a warm woman, she was kind, loving, beautiful and extremely brilliant. No matter how hard I work, no matter how much effort I put into studying, Selma always beat me. I didn’t mind because she was the kind of motivation that drives me to do better and I also felt she was like me. So we clicked fast and became friends

OBA-ABASS

Like you?

CECE

Yes, she was a married woman with a child and also simple. There was nothing about her that says she is the wife of one of the richest men in Nigeria. I thought for her to be attending school at her age with a child, she must have gone through some hardship in her life

OBA-ABASS

But she is not like you

CECE

Yes she is not and the day I found out that she is married to Bode Johnson was the day everything went to shit. I felt that she is good at everything because she was privileged

OBA-ABASS

Privileged?

CECE

Yes privileged, even before marrying Bode, she was from a rich family and with that mentality, I doubled my hard work into beating her but still I always remain second to Selma Johnson

OBA-ABASS

Selma might have everything but her life was hard too, maybe not your type of hard but her life was difficult. Do you know what it is like to live in a family who dictates your life for you? Just for a minute, imagine yourself as Selma and put yourself in her shoes. Selma was sold off for a business deal and she married a man that she does not love. There was still hope for her because people still find happiness in arranged marriages except that she did not, the man that she married never looked at her with love and the child that should give her comfort was too busy to give her attention. Her life was not just hard Cece but it was lonely

CECE

I know that now, when I look at Remilekun, I can get a glimpse on how hard her life was. I told myself that the only reason I gave up on love was because I had too many failed relationships but the real reason was Selma. I found out that her husband was cheating on her and in this stupid brain of mind I concluded that the only reason why she was the best was because she is only focused on her job and had no distractions

OBA-ABASS

You got it all wrong, Selma is good not because she is privileged or she has no distraction but because she is hardworking

CECE

She never give up on me, she always stretch her hands of friendship to me all the time but have always been a selfish, jealous bitch to her

She hits her head with her head as tears rolls down her eyes but Oba reaches out to her

OBA-ABASS

Hey, hey, look at me… This is a good thing

CECE

How is this a good thing?

OBA-ABASS

Because figuring out the problem is the first step to finding a solution

Oba hugs her and suddenly he sees a snake hanging on one of the branches of the tree

OBA-ABASS

Oh my God!

CECE

What is it?

Oba points to the snake, Cece screams

OBA-ABASS

Calm down

CECE

How can you say calm down when a snake is crawling towards us?

OBA-ABASS

It is not crawling towards us and it will be that way if you can stop shouting

Then snake starts to crawl toward them

CECE

Oh my God it is coming, I knew the moment I heard that son of bitch’s voice first thing in the morning, I knew today was going to be bad

Suddenly a knife flies through the tree and nails the head of the snake to a part of the tree

CECE

What just happened?

Then Nimah, Jamin, Remilekun and Femi who is helping the pregnant woman move comes into view Cece bursts into laughter

CECE

I can’t imagine I will be this happy to you see you Purdah lady

Jamin looks at Nimah

JAMIN

It seems the doll stabbing is useful after all

Nimah cuts the rope that ties the net to another tree and there were screams from Cece and Oba the moment the net touches the floor.

OBA-ABASS

Oh my back!

Jamin runs to them and stretches his hand to help Oba up before he proceeds to help Cece up too. Cece walks towards Femi and the rest

CECE

What took you for so long?

FEMI

So much for thank you

The pregnant woman shouts in pain, the others pays attention to her

YOUNG PREGNANT WOMAN

ahhh

OBA-ABASS

What is wrong with her?

FEMI

She is in labor

NIMAH

We need to move fast

FEMI

It is dark already we can hardly see the ground and that is her third contraction, we won’t make it in time. We are going to have to improvise

Femi looks around him and points to a place under the trees

FEMI

Put her there

Cece looks confused

CECE

She is giving birth here?

FEMI

Do you have a better place for her?

JAMIN

But is this place even hygienic for her?

FEMI

We are going to have to make do with what we have and keep her and the baby safe.

OBA-ABASS

Do we have anything you can use?

FEMI

I need something to cut the placenta

NIMAH

A knife?

She stretches out her knife

FEMI

Yes that will do but that knife is contaminated, please is there a way in hell that someone has alcohol with him or her

Nobody talks but Oba brings out a lighter from his pocket

OBA-ABASS

I don’t have alcohol but will this do?

FEMI

Like I said, we will make do with what we have

He collects the lighter from him

FEMI

I need clothes for the baby which we don’t have (he faces Nimah) I am sorry to ask you for this but you are the only one with extra piece of cloth that you don’t need

NIMAH

My Niqab?

FEMI

Yes I won’t ask if it was not important

Nimah looks conflicted

JAMIN

Sister, it is for the baby. I am sure Baba Akeem will understand

Nimah proceeds to remove the Niqab as the other waits patiently to see her face. She removes the Niqab to show a fair beautiful face with a nose ring on. The other looks amazed

OBA-ABASS

Wow!

CECE

Is this the beauty you are covering?

Nimah stretches the niqab to Femi, which Femi collects immediately

FEMI

Thank you. Have you given birth before?

Nimah nods

FEMI (CONT’D)

Then I need your help

He faces Jamin

FEMI (CONT’D)

The night might be cold, so I need wood to make fire to warm the baby

JAMIN

On it

OBA-ABASS

I will follow him

FEMI

Please don’t go too far, so that we can help you in case you are in any danger

JAMIN

Okay

Jamin turns to leave when he sees Remilekun sitting at a corner looking into the air with a tired look. Then he walks to Cece

JAMIN

Please talk to Remilekun

CECE

About what?

JAMIN

She think her mother died because her

CECE

Well that is true

JAMIN

She was not the driver who caused the accident, she has been carrying that guilt for too long. I am afraid if she continues like this, she might harm herself

CECE

And what makes you think that she will listen to me

JAMIN

Because you manage to tell her that she is a rich spoilt brat and she accepted that about herself. I strongly believe that if you tell her to let go, she will listen

CECE

How can I do that?

JAMIN

You have to try, she just need someone to talk to her and I feel you are the best person to do that

Cece sighs, Oba calls out to Jamin

OBA-ABASS

Young man, are we still going or not?

JAMIN

I will be there with you soon (faces Cece) please you have to try

Jamin leaves with Oba

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Hello guys, I hope you enjoyed today's episode.