TAXI DRIVER FINAL PART

 

The Taxi Driver

 Episode 8 (Final battle)

“There is something I want to tell you.” Uju said to Ajunwa. She unexpectedly appeared in Ajunwa’s house after five years. Immediately after she tried to kill Ejike, she stopped working at the hospital and since then, Ajunwa hasn’t laid his eyes on her.

 Somehow, Uju got another job at a government general hospital but she has never had peace of mind. Five years has gone but the things she did remained fresh in her heart. She woke up one morning and decided that it was time to confess so as to free her heart. This was why she suddenly went to Ajunwa’s house after five years.

“I’m actually surprised to see you here. What is it that you want to tell me?” Ajunwa asked.

“It’s a confession actually.” Uju responded.

“Confession? What confession do you want to make to me? I’m not a priest. Why not go to church?” Ajunwa said. He was deliberately sounding sarcastic. He also feigned ignorance as if he was not already aware of what Uju was going to confess.

“Stop  being sarcastic and listen to me.” Uju said. Ajunwa took time to observe her physical appearance. She is not looking bad at all. She has actually being taking very good care of herself and she returned to her formal beauty, but the only problem is that she has no peace of mind.

“I was sleeping with the DPO. It was not my fault. I did it to secure my freedom and that of Ejike, my late husband. When we were released, I didn’t stop sleeping with him because he threatened to lock my husband up again and frame him up as a thief. I eventually got pregnant for him. I could not bear the shame of living with another man’s baby with man husband, so I and the DPO planned to poison my husband so I can marry him. I killed him. I killed Ejike I was manipulated into doing these things. That’s not me.” Uju said. She was weeping like a baby and hot tears were pouring from her eyes in torrents.

“I don’t know what to say about this. I’m disappointed. I never knew you were capable of such evil. But, who am I to judge you?” Ajunwa said. He had offered Uju a bottle of coke and she had drank it halfway. The rest lay on the center table in Ajunwa’s living room.

“But all the same, I’m sure God used you for a greater purpose.” Ajunwa said. 

“What greater purpose? I killed my own husband, the man I loved and still loves till date. Slept with another man and got pregnant for him. What greater purpose does that serve? I should I actually be in jail or dead.” Uju said. She was still crying. Ajunwa offered her a piece of tissue to wipe her tears and clean her running nose. She blew her nose violently and wrapped up the mucus and threw it in the trash can beside her.

“Everything happens for a purpose. No one dies until God approves it.” Ajunwa said.

“You are speaking in parables. Please go straight to the point.” Uju said. She was getting confused.

“Ejike is not dead.” Ajunwa finally opened up. What he just said sounded strange in Uju’s ears and she felt like some shrapnels entered her ears.

“What exactly do you mean? I personally poured raw acid into his food and he ate it and even cleaned the soup plate. I saw his dead body in your office. What do you mean he is not dead?” Uju asked. She became very curious and she sharpened her ears.

“Well, did you attend his burial? Have you asked yourself why there was not burial at all? Or you were too fast to move on? Just excuse me, I will be back in few seconds.” Ajunwa said. He stood up and went behind the door of his room. Within a few seconds, he reappeared with Ejike. He looks very fresh, neat and even fat. He had just finished his Engineering course in the UK and had returned to Nigeria where he had got a very big job with a construction company. Uju collapsed when she saw him!

It took a combined effort of Ajunwa and Ejike to revive her. When she came to, she touched Ejike’s body and pinched him with her long artificial nails.

“Are you alive? How did this happen?” Uju asked. Her head was feeling hazy. 

“I did not eat that food that day. I flushed it.” Ejike said.

“Oh my God!” Uju shouted. She used her left hand to cover her face in shame. At that time, Ajunwa left the scene to allow Uju and Ejike some privacy to talk.

“I heard everything you told Ajunwa. Where is the baby? And what happened to the DPO?” Ejike asked. He was looking directly into Uju’s eyes. He still admires her just the same way he did the day he first saw her. Secretly, he missed her. It was actually Uju who took his virginity, so she was hard to forget. Now that he is close to her again, old memories rushed back.

“I miscarried the baby. I don’t want to remember that horrible episode. But the DPO is dead. I didn’t kill him I promise. He was killed by armed robbers.” Uju said. At that time, they were sitting at Ajunwa’s dinning. Uju drew closer to Ejike and started touching his beards. She drew closer as if she wanted to kiss him. Ejike almost allowed the kiss because his feelings for her once again became strong in her presence, but he quickly pushed her away.

“What are you up to? You think you can just walk back into my life just like that? After all you did? After sleeping with the DPO and trying to kill me? What kind person are you?” Ejike barked. His eyes were red.

“I did it for us. For you. I sold my body to the DPO to secure our freedom and then things got out of hand. Do you think it was easy for me? I was trying to protect you even though I was stupid and immature. Things got complicated. I’m not entirely to blame here. Besides, if you had listened to me and never offered that man a ride, all these things wouldn’t have happened to us. You know what, may be I should just leave.” Uju said. She picked up her bag and stormed out of the building.

Ejike was confused. He did not know what to do with his emotions. He wanted to call her back, but his voice failed him.

“What are you going to do now?” Ajunwa asked. He has come out from his room and was standing behind Ejike who was standing hands akimbo.

“Maybe you should give her a second chance. We all have made mistakes in life. No one is an angel. You are not a saint either. You guys can try and work something out.” Ajunwa said.

That night, Ejike could not sleep. Uju’s picture remained in his mind. All the nice memories they had before they got arrested all rushed back into his head. She concluded that Uju is not entirely a bad person.

“I’m going to look for her. I still love her. I can’t get her off my head.” Ejike said. He stormed out of the bedroom and rushed out of the compound. The time was 9pm. He removed his phone from his pocket and called Uju’s old number. Luckily for him, that is the number she still uses. She picked up.

“Where is your house. Just give me your address.” Ejike said. Uju was scared, but she still told him the address correctly. 

“No 7 Kerioka Street, Ikeja.” She said and Ejike immediately hung up. He flagged a taxi and rode straight to Uju’s house. Soon, he was knocking at her door.

Uju was afraid when she heard Ejike’s voice behind the door. She was reluctant to open the door. She thought Ejike was coming for a revenge. But whatever it is, she had made up her mind to go for it. She picked her kitchen knife and held it behind her back. She then opened the door for Ejike. Before she could say Jack Robinson, Ejike was kissing her and dragging her to the sofa. It was five minutes later that both of them realized that they had made love. It was fire for fire and it was very quick because they have actually missed each other. It was boom! That was how they reconciled. When they finished, Uju lay on Ejike’s chest peacefully. She could feel it in her soul that life had returned to her body. 

“I messed up! Thank you for coming back to me. I will never let you go again. From now on, we fight our battles and die together.” Uju promised.

One week later, they moved into a new house bought by Ejike and they picked up their marriage where they stopped. Love always wins and sometimes, people go through Egypt, cross the Red Sea, pass through desert in other to get to the promised land.

THE END.