DEEPER THAN YOU THINK
She walks in slowly and takes a seat without permission enunciating her features more or her expressions more.
"Good morning Miss Favour. It is truly a surprise to see you this morning. How can I be of help?" Principal Catherine said formally but with a light tone. Favour stared around the office pretending not to hear the woman. She lifted her bag with grace and placed it gingerly on her thigh.
“How are the children? I hope they are studying and eating well?" She asked, emphasizing on the eating part.
Catherine smiled with a relief and said with a practiced cheery tone. "Of course. We make sure they are well taken care of. All thanks to you by the way." She smiled some more.
Favour nodded lightly and smiled in return but it did not reach her eyes. "But, are they?" She asked. Catherine raised her eyebrows to suggest she was confused.
"Well taken care of." Favour offered. Catherine shifted slightly on her chair and hesitated a second before asking.
"Why do you say that? The school management are going above and beyond to make sure these children are given the very best. Is there any reason to your question, Miss Favour?" She asked, almost worried, slightly anxious. Her guest just gave a non-committal 'hmm'
"Yes there is. I just need to hear what you have to say. I am glad you are putting my money to good use. I love to see my investments and labour, that’s why I took the initiative to see the school’s cafeteria before coming to your office. I am surprised nobody informed you I was around."
The minute Favour mentioned the cafeteria, Principal Catherine’s blood ran cold a few degrees lower. Favour smiled as she noticed her pale face. She wanted to say something but words failed her at that moment.
Finally, a raspy, 'Miss Favour' struggled to shine as she adjusted her rather bigger than normal glasses. Favour smiled sadly and looked at Catherine with something close to pain and closer to disappointment.
"I have so much to say but I just don’t know what to do with you after. An arrest or a murder but something will happen."
Today is Friday. The children always have their lunch shortly before their final period. So, what is in the menu today?" Favour asked calmly. Catherine stammered and swayed her hands facing her neckline to conjure some cool air as she immediately felt hot. "Hmmm, Ofada rice with Turkey, Plantain, and a bottle of Sosa." She answered while pleading with her eyes.
"Excellent choice. And, what was that i saw back there?" Catherine was about to respond when Favour raised her hands and said, "Criminals do suit up now. You have committed three offences in three hours. Not only are the children not eating the food that I PAID for, they are selling white rice with that yellow fever stew and a measly egg for N450. Even the 'drink' is pure water. Thankfully, that is free." Favour tuts and sighed.
"That’s wickedness that even the worst criminals will stone you for. I took responsibility for them and trusted you with my children and you willingly scam me?"
“Scam? I didn’t scam you Miss Favour." Catherine objected. "Really? How much did you collect from me last time we spoke. I was in Italy, you said the foodstuffs are really expensive in Nigeria and you need to get more food. I made a transfer of $2000 apart from the €1000 I sent the second day so they can afford the school excursion you planned. Mrs Catherine, you showed me pictures of them eating the right food. Today, I met with the children and some of them has not taken breakfast. The food you are even selling wasn’t even enough to go around. How could you do this?" The silence that floated in the room mixed with a spoon of anger made the soup of tension very thick and very dark. "I also noticed a disgruntled foundation pecking out of the field when you showed me the picture of an hostel you 'built' but that’s by the way. I want to see your record and account books."
Catherine slowly stood up from her desk and walked like a drunk model to her rather obscenely expensive and huge shelf. She rumbled through the piles of paperwork for a decade or two then finally submitted a rather lean and empty file. Favour laughed and laughed as she stared at the file then at the Principal. She didn't even bother to open it. "Open it!" She ordered. "Ma?" "Open the 'file' and tell me what it says." Catherine reluctantly opened the red file and a single paper fell out. "How long have I been the major shareholder and sponsor of this school, Mrs Giwa?" She asked staring ahead. "Two years ma." "How long have I been sending 10 million every month?" A gulp was heard. "Three years ma. I am so sorry ma. I didn't - I am" Catherine tried to plead her case. "What about Nimi? The girl that needed a kidney transplant. How is she? I went to her Parent's house but no one was there. When I asked a neighbour, they said they had to find a way to get the remaining funds for the surgery I paid in full."
Favour turned to look at her. "Why was her parents looking for 50% of the money when it was fully paid for? It wasn't totally from me alone. My friends went through the valley of the shadow of death to look for the best donor and you just..." She had to pause because a little tear was peeking out from the corner of her eye. "Ma, I gave them the - money. There were other responsibilities and I had to sort the children out ma." She heard a slam that made her jump. "You dare lie to my face. Her parents called my assistant yesterday. I rushed to the hospital only to...it was late. Nimi is gone, Mrs Giwa. She passed away in the early hours of this morning. She is the only child of her parents and the only hope of this older couple. Do you know what that means?" Catherine gasped when she heard and placed her hand on her mouth. She slumped to the floor and tears poured out freely. Favour stood up and walked to the window staring at the road outside the school. Like an old commandment, she declared, "You killed her. You are a murderer and her blood is on your entire bloodline. "
I didn't know. I am so sorry Nimi. I just thought I had time. I was so selfish. I am so sorry." Catherine pleaded while sobbing quietly. "Not 'Was' you are still selfish because your crimes against nature, man and God doesn't end here. You genuinely had the audacity to exchange life for life. A daughter for a Mother. Blood for blood." Catherine immediately looked up at her in surprise. "Yes Mrs Giwa. I know what you did what that money. Like how? What were you thinking? I don't even know if you are an idiot or it's just the bleaching cream you are using."
Favour faced the stricken principal and said, "Your mother is 67, Nimi is just 8 years old. I am not saying you shouldn't take care of your sick mother but come on! With another's person's money ? For someone is slowly reaching the age of Methuselah. I can't even fathom the kind of person you are. I thought I knew you." She paused and let that sink in.
"You know what? There is no use crying over spilled milk. It has happened but actions carry consequences. "You can't just apologize and move on like nothing happened. I invested so much and I am a business woman. I have to see fruits on the tree else I burn it down.
So, two options face you Mrs Giwa or three. One, you pay me all the money you stole from me and apologize to Nimi’s parents. Two, you apologize to Nimi’s parents and get arrested for fraud and murder. Three, you get to be a donor. You must donate an organ in your body willingly to save a child’s life. How about a Kidney?" Favour suggested casually like friends do when picking out a dress.
"Ahhh Miss Favour! Kidney ke? Ahhhh please now. I am sorry. I have family." "You know that yet you committed all these atrocities without batting your eyelash. If you don’t fear me, at least Fear the Almighty God." She walked around Catherine and picked up her bag, walked slowly to the door and stopped after opening it. "My offer is open for 12 hours. In that time, you will have shadows tailing your move in case you plan to Japa. Choose wisely." She looks then shuts the door.
You might wonder what Mrs Giwa picked eventually. Well...I can comfortably tell you it was certainly not option A neither was it C.
She is a Nigerian, of course, she can’t just walk around hoping that the surviving kidney she is relying on will last her to 90 years especially given the fact she was a professional and verified smoker in the good, young and stupid days. So, that leaves us with option B.
She couldn’t pay close to a billion dollars worth of debt but she still had to transfer her savings, funds and estate to her benefactor. She lost her job of course. Surprisingly, there is a shapely twist in this rather engaging story. Let’s say there was a change of heart after her life was scrubbed inside and washed outside.
Miss Favour decided to leave the issue of court charges to the. Parents of the young girl who lost her life prematurely. It was so hard forgiving her but they eventually did… painfully as well. An endless gratitude and an eternal debt to the ones who averted her fate as a prisoner and as such, lives like an hermit in her shell the rest of her days.
