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Part 1
Ekene is a 20year old boy whose dream is to further his education but when things became hard for him and his mum, he decided to learn a trade
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Mr Peter who is an importer and Exporter of furniture came to the village during Christmas period and Ekene’s mum Adaeze went to him to tell him about her son’s intention of learning trade and Luckily for her, Peter agreed to train him and a day was fixed when Ekene will leave for the city.
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Ekene was in his room arranging all his clothes inside the only Ghana must go bag he has when his mum came and sat him down to give him an advice any mother would give her child who is about to leave the village to learn trade in the city and in return, Ekene promised to be on his best behaviour when he gets there and never to steal from his master.
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The journey from Ekene’s village to the city took them more than ten hours and by the time they got to Peter’s house, everywhere was already dark
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Peter’s wife Kate welcomed Ekene with a welcoming smile and her husband with a hug. Kate told her maid to take Ekene to his room.
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She also told Ekene to go freshen up and come down for dinner.
After dinner, Kate told Ekene to go back to his room to have a good night rest because she was pretty sure he must has been tired after the journey.
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The next day Peter took Ekene to his shop and told one of his sales girl to put him through all the things he needs to know concerning the shop.
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Ekene coming to the city was a dream come true to him because in Peter’s house he wasn’t treated like a serving boy but he was treated like a member of the family. And Peter isn’t the type that stays home always because he do travel every now and then. Kate on the other hand, gave Ekene the freedom he needs and she has never for once complain of anything he does maybe its because she took likeness on him the very first day she set her eyes on him.
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It has been over three years now since Ekene has been learning trade with Peter and not even for once has he ever had any problem with his master, master’s wife or anybody around him.
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Kate have once told her husband that if Ekene continued being the good boy he is, that he (Peter) should settle him before that eight years he is suppose to spend with them learning trade.
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In that three years Ekene met Ifeoma who he fell in love with and also started dating. Ekene did a very good job in keeping his relationship with Ifeoma a secret.
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One fateful morning, Ekene was about opening the shop when his phone started ringing. Ekene at first didn’t want to pick the call but when the phone started ringing for the second time, he decided to check the caller ID.
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Ekene brought out his phone and checked the caller. He discovered that the caller was Ifeoma so he quickly picked the call and the following conversation took place.
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Ekene: Hello Ify;
Ifeoma: Good morning
When Ekene heard her voice, he quickly notice that all is not well with her
Ekene: Morning my dear. Why does voice sounds like you are not fine?
Ifeoma: That’s because am pregnant
Ekene: What? When did you discover that you are pregnant?
Ifeoma: I haven’t seen my period for the past three months now
Ekene: But that doesn’t mean you are pregnant now. Go to the hospital and confirm it first
Ify: I went to the hospital three days ago and I was told to come for the result today. And Am just coming back from the hospital and the result is positive which means am pregnant
Ekene: What are we going to do now?
Ify: I don’t know that’s why I called to inform you so that we can meet tomorrow since its Sunday and discuss about the pregnancy
Ekene just said “okay” and ended the call.
***
“What am I going to do now?”
“Should I deny her and the pregnancy?”
All those thought were running through his mind as he was opening the shop.
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Throughout that day, Ekene wasn’t himself in the shop. Some customers and the two sales girls who truly care about him asked him what was wrong but he told them nothing and even gave them a reassuring smile which wasn’t from the depth of his heart to assure them that he is fine.
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Finally it was time to end the day's business and Ekene packed his things, close the shop and said “good bye” to the sales girls before entering a keke that will take him home.
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Ekene got home and greeted Kate but she being a good observer, observed that there was something wrong with him so she decided to call him back to find out what it is
Kate: Ekene
Ekene: Ma
Kate: Please come here
Ekene walked to where Kate was sitting down
Kate: Ekene what’s bothering you?
Ekene: Ma there is nothing bothering me. Am just tired from today’s work *he lied*
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Kate: Ekene we both know that you are lying. For the past three years you have come to learn trade with my husband, I have been able to know all your mood and the mood you are in now clearly tells me that something is bothering you. And also remember that a problem shared is a problem half solved.
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Ekene: Ma I really appreciate your care but the truth his am just missing my mum
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Kate knew he was lying so she tried pressuring him to tell her the truth but when she noticed that no matter how she tried to pressure him, he won’t tell her what’s bothering him so she decided to let the issue be.
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Kate: Since you don’t want to tell me what’s bothering you, I won’t force you. Ekene you can now go to your room but your dinner is in the kitchen when you want to eat it.
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Ekene said “okay” and left for his room.That night Ekene didn’t eat his dinner and that was not his problem that moment.
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The next day Ekene was the first to wake up since he wasn’t able to get much sleep.
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Ekene prepared for church and went to take permission from Kate because he want to go and see Ifeoma so he won’t be coming back home straight from church and Kate allowed him to go see the friend he had told her without her knowing that the friend is actually a girl.
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Ekene went to the church but he didn’t wait for the service to end before leaving the church for Ifeoma’s house.
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He got to her house and knocked on the door. Few seconds later, Ifeoma came to open the door.
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Ify: Good morning Ekene.
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Ekene: Morning Ify. How are you ?
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Ify: Am fine. Please come in
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Ekene entered the house and sat on her bed since she has no chair in her room. I even forgot to tell you that Ifeoma is an orphan and she stays alone.
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The room was filled with an awkward silence because neither of them said a word to the other. Five minutes have passed and Ekene decided to break the silence.
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Ekene: Ify what are we going to do concerning the pregnancy?
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Ify: I don’t know but one thing I know is that am not going to do an abortion
Ekene: That means you want to keep it?
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Ifeoma: I don’t want to have an innocent child’s blood in my hands and I may even loose my own life when doing the abortion so am keeping it.
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Ekene: Ify please remember that I am still learning trade and if my master get to find out, he will send me back to the village
Ekene’s statement got Ifeoma all fired up.
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Ify: Ekene you now know that you are still learning trade because am now pregnant abi? But you didn’t know that when you were persuading me to have have s-x with you or when we were both enjoying the s-x.
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Ekene: I guess that came out the wrong way. Ify what I meant with my statement was that am going to take full responsibility of the child but I don’t want my master to know about it.
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Ify: If your master finding out is what you are afraid of, then you don’t need to worry because the baby will be under my care. All I need from you is for you to give him your name when he comes into this world and also for you to be assisting me with little money to take care of his needs from time to time.
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Ekene: I guess we now now have a solution to our problem?
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Ify: Yes
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Ekene spent some time discussing with Ify before going back back that day
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Part 2
*Six Months Later*
Ekene was in his shop attending to some customers when his phone started to ring.
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Ekene checked the caller ID but he found out that the caller’s ID is just ordinary number. Ekene picked the call thinking the caller was a customer.
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Caller: Hello!
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Ekene: Hello!
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Caller: Please am I speaking with Ekene?
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Ekene: Yes and who am I speaking with?
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Caller: Am chioma, Ifeoma’s friend. She asked me to call you for her
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Ekene: Okay. How is she doing?
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Chioma: She is fine but she is in labour
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Ekene: Okay but where is she now?
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Chioma: i brought her to the hospital so she is in the maternity ward
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Ekene: Please text me the hospital’s address and I will be on my way right but can I ask you a favour?
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Chioma: Which is?
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Ekene: Please stay with her in the hospital for me
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Chioma: Okay
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Ekene ended the call, quickly attended to the customers and luckily for him, his master traveled. Ekene lied to the sales girls that his master had just call to inform him that some of their goods has just arrived and he needs to follow the people that brought the goods to the werwhouse where they can off load the goods.
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Fifteen minutes have passed but Ekene is yet to find any keke. Ekene was about to start trekking when he sighted a keke coming towards his direction and he quickly stop and entered it without bargaining with the kekeman.
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The kekeman got to a particular junction and stop when he sees other vehicle owners stopping. He asked another kekeman why they were all stopping and the other keke man told him that two cars were involve in an accident.
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On hearing that, Ekene decided to trek if he wants to get to the hospital on time.
It took Ekene thirty minutes to get to the hospital. He hurriedly entered the hospital and met a lady sitting at the reception. His instincts told him that that Lady was the same Lady he had spoken with on the phone few hours ago so he decided to start up a conversation with her first to know if she is Chioma or not.
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Ekene greeted the lady and after they exchanged peasantries, he asked her if she is Chioma and she said “Yes”.
Ekene further asked her about Ifeoma but she replied him by saying ” The doctors haven’t told her anything for the past two hours she brought Ifeoma to the hospital”. And that left Ekene pacing back and forth in the hospital.
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An hour has passed and Ekene is yet to see any doctor coming out of the maternity ward so he decided to go meet the doctor in the maternity ward but when he was about heading there, the doctor came out and told him that Ifeoma can’t give birth on her own so he will have to deposit N70,000 for them to do an operation.
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Ekene told the doctors to carry out the operation while he goes to the bank to withdraw the money which was a lie.
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Ekene came out of hospital lost in deep thought because he has no one or anywhere he will be able to get the money from. Ekene thought about asking Kate for the money but later decided against it because he was afraid that his master will get to find out and if he does finds out, that means end of him learning trade.
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Ekene was still thinking of a way of raising the money when a thought came flashing through his mind
The thought that came flashing through his mind was for him to go and meet Franklin Chiwendu who learned his own master trade for the money. He was pretty sure Frank will give him the money because he has seen the man for like three times and he seems to him like a nice man.
Ekene has just gotten to the front of Franklin’s shop and suddenly he became nervous, Ekene even decided to go back but when he remembered that Franklin is his only hope, he gathered all the courage he has to enter the shop.
Ekene greeted Franklin and he replied him with a smile. Franklin told him to seat and Ekene explained why he came to his shop that day and he also explain what he wanted to use the money for without skipping a part.
Frank: So you got a Lady pregnant?
Ekene: Yes sir but it was s mistake
The word mistake got Franklin all fired up
Franklin: Young boy if I hear that word “mistake” from your mouth again, I will slap you. Now tell me, when you were sleeping with her, was it a mistake?
Ekene: No sir
Franklin: Then why should her being pregnant be a mistake or when you were sleeping with her you didn’t know she will get pregnant ba?
Ekene: Sir i have no reason to say her being pregnant was a mistake
Frank: Then I don’t want to hear that word mistake from you again
Ekene: Okay sir
Franklin: Can I ask you just two questions?
Ekene: Yes sir
Franklin asked Ekene the questions which was “why he didn’t deny being the father” and “why he didn’t steal his master’s money instead of him coming to him for the money” and he was really impressed with Ekene’s answers
Frank: Ekene I must confess that I am really impress with your answers that’s why am going to give you the money you need for the operation.
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Ekene: Thank you very much sir.
******
Franklin opened his drawer and brought out one wrap of N1000 notes and gave it to Ekene but Ekene thought Franklin didn’t hear the amount he told him that he needed so he decided to tell him
Ekene: Sir this is N100,000
Frank: I know
Ekene: But sir I only requested for N70,000
Franklin: I gave you N100,000 because I want you to use the remaining N30,000 to buy baby things for your child. I would have given you more but this is the only money I have with me here in the shop currently but i want to tell you that I will be giving you monthly allowances you can use to take care of your child.
Ekene: Thank you very much Sir. Am really grateful. May God continue to bless you abundantly
Franklin: Amen Ekene
Ekene: Sir please promise me you won’t tell my master that I Impregnated a girl
Franklin: Of course I won’t tell him. Your secret is safe with me
Ekene thanked him and hurriedly left the shop to the hospital to pay for Ifeoma’s operation bills
The operation was done successful and Ifeoma gave birth to a baby boy. Ekene’s was so happy but Ifeoma is to be discharge in three days time.
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Ekene suggested to Ifeoma that they should take the child to his mum(Adaeze) but Ifeoma had bluntly refused saying that she doesn’t want to be separated from her child.
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Part 3
Final Episode
It has been five years since Ekene’s son (Uchenna who he named after his late dad) was given birth to and not even for once did Franklin failed to give Ekene the monthly allowance he promised him.
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Ekene has been happy lately because he is very sure that he will be settled soon since he has completed his eight years of learning trade
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One evening, Ekene was in his room when their maid came to call him telling him that his master wants to see him.
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Ekene quickly got up from his bed to the sitting room where his master is. Ekene greeted Peter and Kate but Kate was the one that told him to sit which he did
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Peter: *clears throat* Ekene
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Ekene: Sir!
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Peter: I believe you know why I sent for you?
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Ekene: No sir
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Peter: Since you don’t know let me tell you why. Ekene you are suppose to learn trade with me for eight years right?
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Ekene: Yes sir
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Peter: And now you have learned the trade for eight years which means am now suppose to settle you but that won’t be happening.
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Ekene: Why sir? Have I done anything wrong to you for the past eight years?
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Peter: No you haven’t done that to me but what you did is far worst
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Kate: What did he do that is far worst?
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Peter: This boy you see here that we all believe is a saint is nothing but a liar and a thief who has been stealing from me
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Ekene: Sir I have never stole from you before
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Peter: Will you shut up your mouth there or did I even asked you to talk?
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Kate: Why are you accusing this boy wrongly or is any of your money missing?
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Peter: *trying to avoid answering his wife question* Kate if you think am accusing him wrongly then ask him if he doesn’t have a baby mama and also ask him if he didn’t steal N70,000 from me to pay for his baby mama’s hospital bills.
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Kate: What do you mean by Ekene having a baby mama?
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Peter: This Ekene you see here impregnated a girl five years ago under our very nose without us knowing
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Kate: *turning to face Ekene* Is it true that you have a baby mama?
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Ekene: Yes ma but I didn’t steal any money from my master
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Kate: I believe Ekene because I have tested him countless times to see if he will steal from me but not once did he steal
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Peter: If am lying then he should tell me where he got all the money he has been using to take care of his son from
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Kate: Ekene please tell us where you got the money from because I know you didn’t steal it
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Ekene: Oga Franklin has been the person taking care of my son and he is also the person that gave me the N70,000 for the operation
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Peter: Which Franklin?
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Ekene: Sir the one you learnt from
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Peter: You are lying and you know what? Am sick and tired of all your lies. First you impregnated a girl, then you stole from me and if that was not enough, you have the guts to lie with my master’s name so now I want you to get out of my house this very minute.
******
Ekene and Kate pleaded with him not to send Ekene packing but he didn’t listen
Peter: No amount of pleading will change my mind. So leave
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Peter left them in the sitting room and went to his bedroom. Kate gave some money to Ekene and told him to leave just like Peter had earlier said but not without promising to talk to her husband.
Ekene left the house to Ifeoma’s house.
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Kate entered their bedroom only to meet her husband lying on the bed
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Kate: Honey what you just did to Ekene is so unfair. That boy didn’t steal from you and I am very sure you were only using that stealing as an excuse for you not to settle that boy which is very bad of you. I want you to also remember that you stole from your master but he still settled you
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Peter: He settled me because I played my cards well. He never got to find out that I stole a lot from him.
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Kate: Peter please I beg of you to do the right thing
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Peter: Right thing which is?
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Kate: To settle Ekene
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Peter: Oh I see!
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Kate: You see what?
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Peter: You love that boy that’s why you are still asking me to settle him after we found out that he stole from us. How am I even sure you weren’t even sleeping with him under my nose
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Kate: So you are trying to accuse me of infidelity just because am advising you to do the right thing which is for you to settle Ekene.
Now I even want you to tell me how you were able to find out about Ekene’s baby mama.
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Peter: The hospital where the baby mama put to birth belongs to my friend and he was the person that told me everything.
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Kate: That means it has been long you knew about the baby mama but kept quite so that you would use it against him when you want to settle him right? But let me tell you this, Ekene’s God will fight for the justice he deserved
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Peter replied his wife with “God won’t fight for him because I did the right thing” and the left the bedroom for his wife.
Ekene got to Ifeoma’s house and explained everything to her but she only ended up blaming herself saying that if she had known this will happen, she would have aborted Uchenna but Ekene told her not to blame herself because his son’s life worth more than the money his master will settle him with.
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Ifeoma suggested that Ekene should go and meet Franklin since he is the person who has been helping them which also mean he is the only person that can make Peter settle him.
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Ekene thought about it and agreed to go to Franklin’s shop the next day.
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The next day Ekene woke up early and prepared to meet with Franklin.
Ekene got to Franklin’s shop but he was told by his sales girl that he is yet to come to the shop. Ekene decided to wait for him instead of him going back home.
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Ekene has been waiting for Franklin for the past three hours but Franklin hasn’t arrived yet so Ekene decided to go home that day and return the next but when he was about standing up, Franklin entered into the shop and he was very happy to see him.
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Franklin told Ekene to sit before asking him why he had come to see him that early. Ekene explained everything to him and he promised Ekene that Peter is going to settle him whether he likes it or not.
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Later that day, Franklin went to pay Peter a surprised visit. When he got to Peter’s house, he met his absence but he met Kate who told him that Peter will be back very soon and Franklin decided to wait since he was not in s hurry to leave.
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Peter came home thirty minutes later and was very surprise to see his master in his house.
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Peter: Good evening sir!
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Franklin: Evening Peter
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Peter: Sir this one that you came to visit me this late, hope am safe?
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Franklin: You are but I came here to discuss something with you
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Peter: What could that be important that can’t wait till tomorrow?
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Franklin: Sit down first before I tell you.
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Peter: Okay let me take my seat
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Franklin: Your boy Ekene came to me earlier today telling me that you had refused to settle him and why is that?
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Peter: Sir you see that boy has a baby and he has also been stealing from me to take care of the baby. If that was not enough, he even lied with your name
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Franklin: How sure are you that he Lied with my name?
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Peter: I know he lied with it because there is no way you could have given him money to pay for his baby’s mama hospital bill
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Franklin: You see that’s where you are wrong because I was the one that gave him the money and for the past five years, I have been the one taking care of the baby.
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Peter: Sir are you trying to tell me that you knew about Ekene’s baby mama and you didn’t tell me
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Franklin: Peter the baby mama is not what we are discussing here. You accused Ekene of stealing that’s why you didn’t want to settle him but since you now know that he didn’t steal from you, I will advice you to do the right thing by settling him
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Peter: Even if he didn’t steal from me I still won’t settle him for having a baby mama
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Franklin: Oh! I now see you don’t want to settle that boy but I will make you settle him directly or indirectly
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Peter: What do you mean?
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Franklin: Don’t worry because you will soon find out
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Franklin left Peter’s house leaving Peter to wonder what he meant with “Don’t worry you will soon find out”. Thirty minutes later, a knock was heard and Peter went to open it only for him to see Franklin with some uniform men
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Franklin: Officers! Officers! Officers! This is the person I just told you stole my money when serving me fifteen years ago,so arrest him.
The officers arrested Peter and took him to the police station while Franklin followed them from behind.
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They got to the police station and Peter was yelling at the police officers saying “They have no right whatsoever to arrest him when they have no concrete evidence of him stealing”. Peter thought Franklin had no evidence.
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Franklin came to the police station some seconds later and told the police to give him some minutes to speak with Peter alone which they gave him.
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After the police men left them alone, Franklin turned to Peter with a smirk on his face.
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Peter: Sir what is the meaning of this?
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Franklin: I told you that you are going to settle Ekene directly or indirectly and this is just a step on achieving that
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Peter: You did tell me but arresting me without any evidence of me stealing from you won’t make me to settle him
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Franklin: That’s where you are wrong because I have more then enough evidence
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Peter: If you do have any then let me see them.
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Franklin brought some document inside the briefcase he was holding and gave them to Peter. And Peter collected the documents and went through them only for him to discover that they are the photocopies of the documents of the house and three plot of lands he bought when he was still learning trade with Franklin.
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Peter: How did you get these?
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Franklin: I have my ways of finding out things just like the way you were about to find out that Ekene has a baby mama. I knew you stole from me but yet I still settled you.
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Peter: Sir you still have no case against me because these documents here are not the originals but the photocopies
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Franklin: Peter that’s where you are wrong again because I also have the originals
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Peter: You can’t have the original documents because they are with me
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Franklin: Let’s see about too
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Franklin brought out another document from his briefcase and gave them to Peter and Peter was very surprise to see the original documents with Franklin
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Peter: Where did you get these from?
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Franklin: That’s a story for another day Peter
Those original documents were given to Franklin by Kate because she too wanted justice for Ekene
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Peter knows that if Franklin should take him to court, he was going to win so he decided to beg Franklin
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Peter: Sir I am ready to settle Ekene but please don’t take this case to court
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Franklin: I won’t listen to your own pleas same way you didn’t listen to Ekene’s own.
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Now is the time for me to recover all you stole from me. See you in court.
*****
Franklin left the police station to his house while Peter was regretting why he didn’t want to settle Ekene in the first place because he was very sure if he didn’t deny Ekene his settlement, Franklin wouldn’t have arrested him for stealing from him.
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Peter didn’t allow the case to be taking to court because he knows that there is no way he was going to win it. He told the police that he is willing to pay Franklin all the money he stole and everything was calculated and the total money he paid was 8 millionaire. The police gave the money to Franklin but Franklin called Ekene to his shop and gave him the whole 8 millionaire.
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Ekene was very surprise so he asked Franklin why he arrested Peter because of the money only for him to end up giving him the money and Franklin told him that “he only arrested Peter because he wanted justice for what Peter did to him
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Ekene collected the money and told Franklin that “he will forever remain grateful to him and also indebted to him”
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Ekene use four million to start up a business which was successful and kept the rest in the bank.
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Ekene was able to give his mum, Ifeoma and Uchenna the kind of life he has always wanted to give them and he later got married to Ifeoma.
The End