NewStats: 3,264,647 , 8,184,315 topics. Date: Wednesday, 11 June 2025 at 08:35 PM 143q19

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 23


Lianater was impressed when Boma resumed at exactly 6:30 a.m the next morning. She bade her children farewell and made them promise to behave before leaving for work. Ike drove out minutes later. He was happy because his wife would no longer be too stressed up each day. The situation had greatly affected their sex life. Now, he was going to enjoy the wife of his youth as much as he wanted. Hopefully, the new help wouldn’t misbehave.

Boma was happy that his new boss bathed the children and got them dressed up before his arrival. All he needed to do was feed them, take Ify to the day care center within the estate and make sure that the twins and Ada were ready by the time their school bus arrived.

“What do you think about toast and chocolate tea?” he helped the children to sit on the high stools placed by the kitchen counter.

“Yummy!” the twins yelled and rubbed their tummies.

“Toast! Toast! Toast!” Ada screamed, ed in by her sister who was mumbling something incoherent.

He raised a hand, “Fine, fine. Toast it is.”

The new help found the toaster and everything he needed to make the sandwich. He made the chocolate tea first, served the children, before proceeding to make the toast bread. But for some weird reason, the machine refused to turn on. He checked the plug, the wiring, then opened the toaster. The bread slices were slightly warm. He frowned, closed the lid and switched it one again. This time around, it came on. He sighed in relief, but moments later, sparks flew!

“Fireworks!” the twins screamed in excitement.

“Colourful sparks!” Ada clapped her hands, while her younger sister watched in awe.

The confused young man acted quickly. He looked around for something made of wood and dry. He found the spatula and used it to disconnect the toaster plug from the socket. The sparks disappeared but smoke began to emit from the machine. His heart sank. This was his first day at work! What happened to the toaster? What did he do wrong? Maybe the last persont hat used it didn’t connect it properly. He wasn’t a novice. He had operator dozens of toasters in the past. But this particular one decided to humiliate him. What was he going to do now?

He feigned a smile and turned to the children. “Let’s give the toasting machine a break. It needs rest.”

The children stared back at him, smiling sheepishly.

He wished the children were not in the kitchen when the incident happened. They would surely tell their parents about it. What will Mrs. Briggs do? She might remove the cost of the toaster from his salary. Heavens no! He made a mental note to call one of his friends later in the day. The guy was a wizard when it came to electrical appliances. He could fix anything.

“I can also make toast with a fry pan, your sandwich will be ready in no time,” he mimicked a funny voice, in order to distract the children.

Once he was done, he served them and fed Ify, while the rest ate by themselves.

“Please don’t spill your beverage,” he eyed the twins. The way they were playing with their half-filled mugs, puddles of chocolate tea was spreading all over counter. It would be disastrous if it got on their school uniforms.

The twins giggled and whispered to themselves.

Unexpectedly, the honk of the children’s school bus rent the air. “Phew! It is time!”

“The school bus is here,” Nonso jumped down from the high stool, followed by his brother.

“Pick up your school bags and head out, I will bring your lunch packs.”

Ada climbed down from the stool and ran after her brothers.

“Give me a moment baby girl,” Boma winked at Ify. He hurriedly placed each child’s food warmer into their lunch bags. 

The honk of the bus echoed through the walls.

“We are coming!” the help yelled and ran out with the lunch bags. He found the twins and Ada running in circles outside the house. “Hey! Get inside the bus!”

The children obeyed and ran towards the opened gate.

“These are their lunch bags,” he placed the bags on the empty seat by the door. 

The bus driver gave him a stern look.

Boma eyed him and stepped away from the vehicle. He remained at the gate until the bus was out of site. “Three children gone, one more to go,” he backed into the compound and headed into the house.

The security guard shut the gate and returned to his seat.

It took him about fifteen minutes to finish up feeding Ify. He packed her lunch box and carried her out of the house. “Girl, you are heavy,” he made his way to the day care center and met other parents at the center’s gate.

“Ifunanya Briggs,” a woman waved at him.

Boma weaved his way through the crowd. “Here is her lunch box.”

The woman collected the child, along with her school bag and lunch box. “Please don’t be late. Once we close, come and pick her up.”

“Roger that, ma’am,” he tried to smile and exited. He started to think of everything he needed to get done that day. It was of upmost importance that he made a first good impression on that day. Nothing else must go wrong.

Xxxxxx

The ringing of his phone woke him up. Boma took a look at his wrist-watch and he cursed under his breath. It was already past one. How long has he been sleeping? He took a nap after breakfast and here he was, four hours later! He cursed again and got to his feet. He went into the kitchen, cleaned up the place then proceeded to other rooms in the house. 

The school bus returned at exactly two o’clock. Boma was barely done with the chores. He cursed again and ran outside. The security guard locked the gate the moment the children raced into the compound. The new help called one of the women he met at the day care center that morning and begged her to bring Ify over.

Once the children were indoors, he instructed them to take their bags to their rooms, while the help carried their lunch bags to the kitchen. Just as he was about making lunch, the doorbell rang. Boma wiped his wet hands with a napkin and headed out.

The doorbell rang again and again.

“Coming!” the new help yelled. He got to the door in three long steps and yanked it open. He sighed in relief when he saw Ify in the guard’s arms.

“One of the day care center staff brought her,” the Security guard handed the girl over.

“Great, thank you,” Boma collected her bags, used his leg to shut the door and headed up the stairs, to the room the todder shared with her sister.

He found Ada still in her uniform, jumping on the large bed.

“Madam, it is time to take your bath,” he eyed the girl.

Ada continued jumping. “What’s for lunch?”

Boma shrugged. He had the intention of stuffing the children with food, so they wouldn’t bother him for the rest of the day.

“Can I get pizza?” Ada moved closer to the new help.

“No, pizza,” he pointed towards the bathroom. “Get in there, now!”

“Fine, fine…” Ada climbed down from the bed.

Boma looked heavenwards. Fifteen minutes later, he ushered the girls down the stairway. “Wait for me in the kitchen, let me check on your brothers.”

The girls ran down the stairs, laughing and screaming for no just reason.

The new help placed both hands on his head the second he stepped into the twins’ room. The boys were lying on their beds, thankfully bathed and clothed, but, there were heaps of clothes at every corner of the room, toys scattered here and there and a mini pond flowing from the bathroom to only-God-knows-where. His day was turning into a nightmare per hour.

“You two! Get to the kitchen.”

The boys raised their heads and looked at him.

“It’s lunch time.”

“Hurrah!” they chorused, jumped down from the bed and ran out.

Boma took another look at the room, shook his head and shut the door. Maybe once he was done feeding the children, he will clean their rooms.

Back in the kitchen, he brought out everythign he needed to set up lunch. “What do you think of Semovita and Melon soup?” he looked from one child to the other.

“Yummy!” the children shouted.

“Beautiful…” Boma opened the microwave and placed a plate of soup inside. But the machine refused to come on. His brows creased in a frown. He flipped the switch again, but this time around, sparks flew. “What the hell?!” he jumped backwards.

“Fireworks!” the children yelled.

Boma watched in shock as smoke rose from the microwave. What was happeneing? He quickly brought out the plate of soup. “Let’s give the microwave time to rest,” he feigned a smile at the children. “I will use the gas cooker to warm the soup.”

The children ignored him and continued to watch the fading smoke coming out of the microwave.

The new help made the lunch quickly and served the children. His thoughts were centered around the toaster and the microwave. Those were two electronic appliances that refused to work that day. What was he going to do?

While the other children ate by themselves, he fed little Ify.

“Can we watch some TV programs once we are done?” Dozie asked.

Boma nodded. “As long as you three will share the remote without any arguments and fights.”

“Roger that,”Nonso saluted the new help.

“I am done!” Ada jumped down from the stool and ran out.

Her brothers watched her in surprise.

“The last person to finish his food is a rotten egg,” Nonso grinned and started to eat very fast.

Dozie swallowed the rest of his food and headed out. “You are the rotten egg!”

“No way!” Nonso emptied his plate and ran after his brother.

“I don’t want any noise or infighting!” Boma screamed after them.

About thirty minutes later, the new help loaded the washing machine under the stairway with dirty clothes. But, the moment he turned it on, it began to make weird noises. Soon, soapy foams flowed out of the machine and covered the whole area with water bubbles.

Boma switched off the machine and ran out of the house.

Happy Holidays everyone 🤗

The story continues...

CHAPTER 23....

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 22


“What is the meaning of this?!” Lianater screamed at the children.

The twins stopped running around. Noticing their mother’s anger, they settled in the nearest chair. Ada and one year old Ify sat on the tiled floor, amidst a heap of toys. Their gaze was fixed on their mother’s flushed face.

The woman felt like smacking each child. Maybe some senses will settle in their brains. That might do some good, but it would also result in endless non-stop crying till she ran mad.

“I have cleaned this room twice today!” hands akimbo. “Look at everywhere! This is not a pig’s sty for heaven’s sake!” her forhead began to throb.

The children remained quiet.

“Before I count one to ten, get all these toys back to where they belong!”

They scrabbled to their feet and collected as much toys as their hands could hold. Even little Ify participated, thinking they were playing a game.

“When you are done, put all the throw-pillows where it’s supposed to be…” from the corner of her eye, she sighted a puddle of water under the dining. Her dark brown eyes turned red. She took in long deep breaths and backed out of the sitting room. Once she was safe in the confines of the kitchen, she let out a shriek. “If they don’t kill me first, I will end up killing my own children,” she started to bang her head on the refrigerator.

Her wrist-watch came into view the moment she opened her eyes. It was a quarter past two. She needed to return to work. None of her colleagues knew she wasn’t in the permises. Their might assume she was in the storeroom or Audio Visual cubicle, gathering the resources they needed to air the evening news. She came home everyday in time to usher the children into the house once the school bus drops them off. Then she picks up Ifunanya at the daycare center with the estate. Once she was done with feeding them and doing a few chores, she returns to work the moment her mother arrives. Then return at seven to cater for four children and prepare dinner. And maybe continue with the house chores. The stress of it all was killing her.

Her mother has been coming around to look after the children for the past few weeks. If not, she doesn’t know how she would have coped. Maybe she would have broken down by now. Yet, she barely concentrates at work. Her mind was always wrapped up with all the things she hasn’t been able to do at home.

“I cannot go on like this. I just can’t…”

Against her better judgement, she had called the agency, asking for specifically a male help, who would come in the morning and leave in the evening. She was in no shape to deal with another female househelp just yet. Mrs. Shalewa promised to send in someone at the end of the week. But, she could hardly wait. She needed help now.

Suddenly, she felt like she was been watched. She turned her head slightly and saw Ada and Ifunanya standing by the doorway. “What?”

“Are you talking to yourself?” Ada asked her mother.

The woman blinked several times. Was she? “Can I help you? Are you donepicking all your toys? That sitting room better be spick and span by the time I check it out.”

The girls shared a glance.

“Can I help you?” she stood straight and placed a hand on her hip.

“Grandma is at the door,” Ada responded.

Relief washed over her. She threw a glance at the gas cooker and eyed the pot emitting steam. Lunch was almost ready. The sooner she got back to work, the better. “Tell Dozie or Nonso to open the front door for her.”

The girls remained where they were.

Lianater raised an eyebrow. “Why are you just standing there?”

“You haven’t answered my question,” Ada held her mother’s pissed gaze.

The woman placed a hand on her throbbing forehead. “Lord Jesus help me…”

The girls exchanged glances.

“You are doing it again!”

She closed her eyes. “Adanne, for the love of God, leave your mother in peace.”

The girl looked her up and down and led her sister out of the kitchen.

Lianater looked towards the ceiling. “She is just three years old!”

The ringtone of her smartphone filled the air. The woman dropped her head and grimaced. She hoped it wasn’t her boss that was calling.


Xxxxxx


“My name is Boma Pepper, I am twenty-two years and I can cook, clean, take of children and do almost everything.”

The couple sized up the average height, brown skin young man sent to them by the agency.

“I will resume by sixty-thirty in the morning and close by seven in the evening. I don’t work on Sundays…” he watched his new employers.

Lianater cleared her throat and crossed her legs.

“Mrs. Shalewa told me what you normally pay your employees, but I want double,” he held their surprised gazes.

She opened her mouth and turned to look at her husband who was trying hard not to laugh.

He straightened the collar of his tee-shirt. “And one more thing…”

She glanced back at her new male help.

“I work with the latest gadget. Any gadget you don’t have, you will have to buy.”

She eyed him. “Excuse me.”

Ike enveloped his wife’s hand with his. He could feel her building irritation. Her wide eyes seemed to say, ‘What effontery?’

“For example, madam, you ask me to roasted yam and pepper sauce for lunch…”

She thought of the last time she had roasted yam. The woman that used to stay by the junction close to her work place had moved. The woman’s pepper sauce was the talk of the town.

“Without an airfryer, you don’t expect me to start a fire at the back of your house. Where will I even get firewood from?”

Ike nodded with understanding.

Boma looked from one to the other. “And I don’t do laundry with my hands. I need a washing machine to…”

“I have an airfryer and a washing machine and a host of other gadgets,” her voice sounded forced.

The young man smiled. “Good to know.”

She eyed him again. “I cannot double your pay.”

The smile disappeared. “Madam…”

She raised a hand. He stopped talking and swallowed the remains of his protest. “I will add something to the usual pay, if you are worth it by the end of this month.”

Boma grinned from ear to ear. “Okay, madam. I will be here at sixty-thirty on the dot tomorrow morning. Goodnight.”

“Okay then. Goodnight,” Ike responded.

The woman leaned against the chair and watched him leave.

Ike burst out laughing.

“Can you imagine?” she hissed thrice.

He pulled his wife closeer. “It is his confidence for me.”

She hissed again. “Do these people think that we pluck money from trees?”

Ike started to nibble at the nape of her neck. “I can actually pluck some honey from your delicious body…”

She tried to push him away. “What are you doing?”

“Plucking some honey…”

“Leave me, biko,” she started to laugh. “We are discussing something important, you are here doing something else.”

“This is more important…” He closed the gap between them and sealed her lips with a ionate kiss.

New update begins today... enjoy 💃

Double0h7:
All caught up and ing the waiting for an update crew. Very well written and riveting. I would never expect anything less from shewrites. Thank you 🙏

🤗

The story continues this week...

Stay tuned 💃

metalgear11:
Before I read let me thank you for the update @SheWrites. I will tell the "boys" to chill out .

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 21


Ike drove towards the estate gate, lost in thoughts. By the mercies of the Almighty God, his wife and children were recovering at a fast pace. The doctor in charge of their case promised that they would be discharged in two, three days. He couldn’t wait.

Mmesoma’s mother called a night before, claiming that his wife’s witchcraft had resulted into the loss of her daughter’s pregnancy. The timely miscarriage brought him great relief. The initial news about the girl’s pregnancy had brought him torment and sleepless nights. But now, he needed not worry anymore. He believed that God was indeed fighting his battles behind the scene.

He warned the woman, advising her to delete his numbers. He threatened to arrest and sue her daughter for attempted murder if she ever come close to his family again. He would have arrested her already, but her sudden miscarriage was enough punishment for now. He was happy to be finally rid of any responsibility he would have incurred if the baby had been born.

“Ike! Ike!”

The sound of his name brought him out of his reverie. He blinked thrice, then looked right and left. On seeing his neighbour, he smiled and stopped the car by the roadside.

“Mr. Kola,” he climbed out of the vehicle. “Good evening,” he shook hands with his friend.

“What’s up man? How is madam and the children?”

The younger man sighed heavily, “They are getting better.”

Kola patted him on the shoulder, “This too shall .”

“Amen.”

They leaned against the vehicle, each man quiet for the next few seconds.

“That reminds me…”

His neigbour glanced at him.

“I saw Mallam Danjuma moving things out of his duplex yesterday.”

Kola smiled. “He is relocating to Europe.”

His light brown eyes grew wild. “Oh! Wow.”

The dark skinned man scratched a spot on his bald head. “He has completely sold all his properties.”

Ike nodded as the information sunk in.

“Once he sells the duplex, he will disappear,” he chuckled.

Suddenly, it dawned on him that his family needed a new home. Their present house was filled with too many bad memories. He longed for a fresh start with his wife. A new environment would surely give his marriage the rekindling it desperately required.

He cleared his throat, “How much is the duplex going for?”

Kola started to laugh. “What do you want to do with two houses in the same estate?”

“I will sell one and live in the other.”

The older man realized that his friend was serious. “Oh, okay.”

Ike looked towards the other side of the estate. “Is Danjuma home?”

Kola used his tongue to try to extract a strand of protein stuck in between his teeth. “Hmmm… not so sure.”

“Let’s go meet the Mallam,” Ike climbed back into the vehicle.

His friend hopped into the enger seat and shut the door.


Xxxxxx


Vero noticed the sad look on her daughter’s face. The girl had been through a whole lot. She prayed within, that God will settle all that concerned her. “How are you feeling?”

Lianater lifted her dark brown eyes, upon seeing her mother’s worried look, she feigned a smile. “I am okay,” she cleared her throat twice. It felt very dry and a bit painful. “Where did my husband go to?” She realized that it had been over an hour since he left her room.

Her mother turned towards the doorway. “I think he is at the nurses’ station. He said he needed to fill the discharge papers.”

“Oh…” she adjusted the pillow behind her neck.

The older woman clasped her hands together. “I am so happy that you will be going home with the children today.”

“Hmm…”

Vero watched the girl closely. “You don’t sound excited.”

Lianater tried to smile again. But it was more difficult.

She didn’t like the way the girl looked. Her daughter’s countenance resembled that of someone in distress. “Don’t you want to go home?” She had a feeling that the girl was still struggling with her marital issues.

The younger woman opened her mouth, but no words came out. Tears gathered in her eyes. How was she going to explain to her mother that she hated her house and didn’t want to go back there?

“Lily…” the woman moved closer to the hospital bed.

Lianater met her mother’s gaze.

“Trust in the lord with all your heart,” Vero reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

She pressed her lips together, forcing back the sobs that threathened to breakforth from her vocal cords. Trust in the lord? What else has she been doing all this while? She was simply exhausted and tired of fighting.

“Are we set and ready?”

Both women turned their heads. Ike stepped into the room, the baby in one hand, a few bags in the other, followed by the twins and Ada.

“I will come home with you and stay for a few days,” Vero patted her daughter on the shoulder and took the baby from Ike.

Ike sighed with relief. He had been wondering how he was going to cope. His wife wasn’t strong enough to care for the children just yet. Maybe in a week, she would be able to resume her motherly duties.

The twins and Ada got on the hospital bed.

“I don’t like these hospital beds,” Dozie frowned.

“They are hard,” Nonso added.

“Mummy get down, let’s go home,” Ada wrapped her arms around her mother.

Lianater held the girl close. “All right my darling, we are going home,” she kissed her on the cheek.


Xxxxxx

Ike smiled when he saw the puzzled look on his wife’s face. He had just driven past their house. That house was no longer their home. He sold it two days ago and bought Mallam Danjuma’s four bedroom duplex. Mr. Kola and some of the youths in the estate helped him to move his properties from the old house to the new house yesterday. His family were in for a pleasant surprise.

He stopped the car in front of the duplex and honked. A security guard stepped out, greeted them and opened the gate. The way everyone in the vehicle was staring at him, it was hard not to laugh. He composed himself and drove into the posh compound.

“Welcome to our new home…” Ike parked the car and turned off the engine.

The children stared back at him, wide-eyed.

“Daddy, what happened to our house?” Ada asked.

Ike grinned from ear to ear. “I sold it. And bought this one.”

“We have a new house!” the twins jumped down from the vehicle and started to run around the whole place.

“Do I have my own room?” Ada looked straight at her father.

“Yes, Princess. You and your little sister have a room.”

Ada dashed out of the car screaming, “I have my own room!”

Vero started to laugh. She came down from the vehicle with the baby. The new house was indeed magnificent.

Ike turned to his wife, “What do you think?”

Lianater could barely utter a word. She started to cry. While she was worrying, God was busy answering her prayers.

“Hey baby…” he drew her close.

Minutes later, her sobs subsided.

“How are you feeling now?” he placed her head on his chest.

She managed to speak. “I am happy…”

In that very moment, he knew that everything was going to be all right. He was happy that she was happy.

metalgear11:
April 9th na ihn you update last madam SheWrites. E be like say you wan make we arrange boys come carry you before you update ba?

Abeg oooo

I will update today.

Was tied down with some side hustles.

Today today, update go show.

Make those boys wait first.

Damilgodwin:
Update update up a date 🙏🙏🙏🥰🥰

On the way
On the way
On the way
🙏

Happy Easter and Happy Holidays everyone 🤗 The story continues shortly...

Damilgodwin:
Shewrite help me ooo, I need you update. That's what my doctor recommend for me

*Hands-on-my-head*
Chai
I dey come oooo

metalgear11:
@SheWrites, how far na? Anything for the boys?

I dey come oooo

metalgear11:
Madam shewrites, please don't give person stroke na. You need to feel how my heart was beating when I read this update. Lianater and her kids do not deserve to suffer for Ike's foolishness.

My heart was also jumping up and down too oooo 😂

bigbauer:


Do you have the complete book anywhere for sale?

The complete book is not edited... and it isn't ready for online sales yet.

But in the coming weeks, it will be.

I will announce once I it on https://selar.co/m/serahiyare

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 20


The security guard opened the gate and hissed when he saw Mmesoma. Why was the girl loitering around the house? He didn’t know how long she had been standing around and he didn’t care. She and her relatives had caused enough trouble. “What are you doing here?”

The girl fidgeted, eyes darting left, then right. “Erm… erm, I forgot my certificate in the wardrobe.”

The man eyed her. “Forgot what? Since when? Look here, I don’t have time for your rubbish,” he bolted the gate and headed out.

Mmesoma held him by the elbow. “Please sir,” she went on her knees.

“Get your dirty hands off me!” he pulled away and hissed again. “No one is home at the moment. You can wait for them to come back from church.”

She remained on her knees. “I cannot wait sir. I am travelling this morning. I need my Senior Secondary School Certificate. And it is the original I left in the house.”

The guard halted and glared at her.

“Please sir, I won’t waste your time.”

He groaned inwardly. “Fine, you need to be fast and sharp…”

She jumped to her feet. “Thank you so much sir, thank you.”


Xxxxx

Mmesoma hurried into the guest room and bolted the door. She sighed in relief and smiled. She needed to act very fast. The guard gave her ten minutes to get her certificate. He was waiting in the sitting room. Her certificate wasn’t in the house. She lied so she could gain access into the Briggs’ home. She needed to by him and get to the kitchen without his awareness.

She came up with a Plan B after Ike chased her and her family out of the house. She reasoned that if Lianater and her children died, her own child would be the sole heir to Ike’s wealth and properties. And maybe when he has finished mourning, he would find her as a good alternative and marry her. Her dreams were not dead yet. They would surely come true!

Xxxxxx

“You have two minutes more!”

“I haven’t seen it yet!”
“I don’t care!”

Mmesoma tiptoed out of the guest room and sneaked into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and brought out the glass jar of Hibiscus drink. Lianater and the kids always take this after church service. Ike preferred Tiger nut drink on Sundays. She opened the cold jar and poured a powdery substance into it. She stirred the drink with a spoon and placed it back.

“Where is this girl?!”

She heard footsteps. She panicked and ran out of the kitchen.

Xxxxxx

Mmesoma stood outside the Brigg’s home and laughed hysterically. Her plans were working perfectly. Her mother would be so proud of her. She had been unhappy when Ike chased them away. But now, everything was going to change. Soon, she was going to be the inlaw of a wealthy and established young man.

The girl started towards the estate gate. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell her mother the goodness. All their problems were finally solved. Nothing was going to stop them from living like kings and queens. They were going to be the talk of the town soon.

Lost in thoughts, she didn’t see or notice the opened drainage a few feet away from her. After her next five steps, Mmesoma fell into the drainage! Luckily, it was dry. But her elbows and knee were badly bruised.

“Oh God…” she began to sob.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, she started to feel wet underneath. When she looked down, she noticed that her skirt was soaked in blood! Fear gripped her. What if the baby was injured? Nothing must happen to her precious baby! She needed to get to an hospital fast.

Her sobs became louder. “Somebody help me! Help me!!!”


Xxxxxx

Ike and his family walked out of the church’s auditorium. The twins and Ada ran headed for the car park, while Lianater and the baby walked behind them.

“No running!” she called out to them. But of course, they turned deaf ears.

Ike chuckled. Then he sighted a gathering of people beside the gate. “Baby, I think you might have to go home without me.”

Lianater gave him a puzzled stare.

“I think my department have an impromptu meeting…”

She followed his gaze and saw the group of people under a small canopy beside the gate. She shrugged and quickened her steps.

“Tell the kids I will take them to the ice-cream shop later in the evening,” he called out to her.

She waved a hand in response and walked on.

Ike stared at her for a while. Things has not really being the same since Mmesoma and her family stormed their home. Even though he would never think of taking her as a second wife, the fact that he had another child on the way was like salt on the already opened wound of his marriage. He longed for the day things would start to get better. He missed the bliss he used to enjoy in his marriage.

“God please help us,” he looked heavenwards.

Xxxxxx

“Zobo! Zobo!”

“I want Zobo!”

“Zobo now! Zobo now!”

The children screamed and danced around Lianater in the kitchen. “Please, stop the noise…” She opened the refrigerator and brought out the glass jar.

“We want Zobo!” the noise got louder.

“Keep that up and say goodbye to the Zobo,” she eyed the twins and Ada.

The children kept quiet in an instant.

“Parrots…” She hissed and poured the drink into little cups, then handed it over to them.

The baby pulled at her blouse and started to cry.

“Wait, mummy will give you a little sip,” she brought the cup to Ify’s lips.

The baby gulped down some of the drink and it spilled all over her blouse.

“Calm down, Ify!”


Xxxxxx


Ike walked into the house, hungry and very tired. He pulled off his shoes, dropped his bible in the sitting room and strode into the kitchen.

“Honey, I am home…”

Like a scene from an horrific movie, he found his wife and children lying on the kitchen floor. A foamy substance covered their mouths and it seemed like they were jerking every ten, thirteen seconds.

“Jesus!!!”


Xxxxxx


Vero sat in the waiting room, praying and watching her son-in-law. The young man looked no different from a mad man on the street, except that he was better clothed. Worry, fear and despair filled his blood shot eyes. He could hardly sit still and had been pacing the entire hall for the past two hours.

Her concerned stare drifted to the emergency room glass doors. No one has brought them any news since her daughter and grandchildren had been wheeled in.

Thank God Ike brought some of the poisoned zobo drink. At least the medical team will be able to diagnose the poison, then find or create an effective antidote.

“What is going on in there?”

Her gaze drifted back to him.

Ike stood by the glass doors, tempted to start hitting it. “What are they doing in there?”

Vero breathed out loudly. How did that miserable girl from the pit of hell get into the kitchen in the first place? The security guard was already in serious trouble for letting her into the house in the first place.

“God please have mercy….” she closed her eyes, trembling hands clasped.

The glass doors swung open.

Ike stood where he was. Hoping that the doctor had goodnews for them.

Vero lifted her head. She recognized the doctor.

“Mr. Briggs…”

Ike held his breath.

Vero got up slowly.

“Your wife and your children… the antidote is flushing all the toxins in their systems as we speak.”

“Are they…”

“Yes, they are alive and well,” the doctor patted him on the shoulder.

The young man broke down crying.

Vero closed her eyes and sat back on the long chair. “Thank you, Jesus, thank you my King, my Priest…”

Damilgodwin:
Abeg madam shewrite 😎, please drop another update. I wan see how those people take survive my honorable ike 😁😁😂

🙏

Before weekend...

metalgear11:
Them for wait na. Them wan chop for where they no cook. Useless entities. I was half expecting him to come out with a hunter's rifle but two knives would suffice.

Hahahahaha...

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 19


Vero watched the younger woman standing by the opened window. She could see the unshed tears in her dark brown eyes. She wished she could take the girl’s pain away.

“Lily…”

Lianater glanced back at the sound of her name. “I need a vacation…” She adjusted the sweatshirt the baby was clad in.

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “And go where?”

She shrugged. “Right now, I don’t care. I would rather be a thousand miles away, than live in that house with him,” she locked gazes with the older woman.

Vero swallowed hard. If her daughter was thinking of escaping her husband’s proximity, his actions must have really eaten deep into her very soul. “It will take a while, but the hurt you feel right now, it will eventually fade away.”

Lianater scoffed. Her angry eyes drifted back to the window. Some children walked by, carrying buckets filled with water on their heads, heading home obviously. “A lot was happening right under my nose…”

She sighed heavily. “I can imagine.”

“He kept quiet…” She moved away from the window and sat on the closest chair to it. Her pain shadowed every movement that she made. “How could he?” She placed the sleeping baby on her laps. “We almost never keep anything from each other.”

Vero shrugged. She had no words. Only Ike understood why he didn’t tell his wife the truth until it was too late.

Lianater hissed several times, then glanced at her wristwatch. Her children’s school bus should be on its way by now.

“Will you be able to forgive him?”

She remained quiet for a long time.

Vero watched her daughter. Hoping that the girl would be able to forgive her husband and move on. Unforgiveness had a way of eating into people’s very soul, causing more havoc than necessary.

“Forgiving him might be difficult, but… but achievable,” she held the baby closer. “That’s the least of my problem,” her eyes smarted with tears. “Moving on is becoming a gigantic issue,” her voice cracked with sobs.

Her mother grimaced. Seeing her daughter hurting so much made her heart to ache.

“Every time I am in that sitting room, I see things… I imagine them, doing things in there,” She gave a shake of head. “I can’t even shower in my bathroom anymore,” She hissed. “The despicable things that happened in there… I hate that house now. I can’t… I cant live there anymore, mum.” hot tears slid down her sad face.

The older woman bit at her lower lip and began to pray. She asked God to heal her daughter’s heart and help her to forgive her husband. And most importantly, she prayed that the couple would be able to move on and remain united despite all odds.

“That house reminds me of Mmesoma and her antics and my husband’s foolishness. Maybe if we moved out, I might be able to… to breathe and then we can start all over,” she looked in her mother’s direction. She noticed the movement of her lips. But there was no sound. It dawned on her that the woman was probably praying. Her mother was always praying. Thank God for a praying mother. She sighed in relief.

“How are you coping with work and the kids?” she spoke after a while.

Lianater threw her smartphone into her bag. “It’s being crazy. My boss is always complaining now, and I can’t get anything done at home until the weekends. Ike is helping, but…” She zipped the bag and pulled her weight up.

Vero folded are arms across her bosom. She planned to helped her daughter until she has adjusted to her new routine. She doubted if the girl would be ready to employ a new maid anytime soon.

“I blame that agency for Mmesoma’s actions…” she started towards the front door.

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “The agency vet those girls as much as they can.”

“They should start vetting their hearts too,” she halted at the door.

Vero chuckled. “That’s impossible.”

“I need to go, mum, the school bus should be at my gate right about now,” she glanced back at the woman briefly before stepping out.

“Call anytime you need an extra hand,” the woman shouted, hoping she heard her.

“Sure, mum!”

Vero smiled when her daughter’s voice echoed through the walls.

Xxxxxx

The same minute Lianater was swerving into her compound, the school bus was driving away.

“Mummy! Mummy!”

The children ran into her arms the moment she stepped out of the vehicle.

“My babies,” she held the baby in one hand, then hold the other three children in the other.

“Mummy I want to eat Indomie Noodles,” Ada rubbed her tummy.

“I want yam and fried eggs without tomatoes and pepper. But maybe a little onions,” Dozie started to jump up and down.

“I want rice and stew with fried plantain,” Nonso started to spin around with his school bag.

Lianater rolled her eyes. “Let’s go in and get you all out of your uniforms, then we can talk about lunch.”

The children raced into the building, almost running into their father, who was standing on the front porch.

“Daddy is home!” the children flew into his arms.

She watched them without interest. She had no idea why he was home early that day. But, she felt better. At least, she wouldn’t be alone fending for the children and the baby at the same time.

“There is chocolate ice-cream in the fridge…”

“Hurrah!” the children chorused and ran into the house.

Ike laughed then looked in his wife’s direction. She stared back at him, lip sealed. Days and weeks after Mmesoma left their house, things had changed between them. They still lived together, but they were no longer close. It was as if a huge wall was standing between them. He wished he knew how to bridge the gap between them.

“Lily, I…” The heavy bangs on the gate interrupted his next words.

Lianater turned around. Who was hitting their gate like that? The noise had also woken the baby. Now she was crying.

“We want to see Mr. Briggs! Let us in!”

Ike saw two men, three other women and Mmesoma at the gate, struggling with the security guard. His brows came together in an angry frown. Who did the witch bring to his house?

“What’s going on there?!” Lianater addressed the guard.

“They want to see Oga, but I don’t know them. Mmesoma is also here,” he responded.

The sound of the girl’s name made her angry. She threw a nasty glance at her husband.

“What do they want?” Ike roared. “Tell Mmesoma she is not welcome here.”

The small crowd pushed their way in.

“Hey! You people are not welcome here!” the guard tried to stop them.

Mmesoma and the group of people marched towards Ike and his wife.

“I am Mrs. Chizoba Obi, Mmesoma’s mother,” the slim fair skinned woman drew Mmesoma closer. “These are my late husband’s people,” she pointed at the other two women and two middle aged men.

Lianater noticed their resemblance.

Ike glared at them all. “I don’t care. You cannot come into my home uninvited and…”

The woman hissed and eyed him. “My daughter is three months pregnant and you are responsible.”

Silence enveloped them.

Mmesoma looked up at Ike for the very first time. The shock in his countenance gladdened her heart. She was absolutely sure that her dreams were going to come true that very day.

“In our place, this child can never be born outside wedlock. It is a taboo,” one of the men spoke up. “The wisest thing to do now is to take Mmesoma as your second wife.”

Lianater paled. This was exactly the kind of problem they didn’t want or need. She backed away and stood at the front door, watching the ugly scene that unfolded in her home.

“Exactly,” Chizoba brightened. “We want to know when you are coming with your people to meet our people. We need to set the date before her tummy start to grow,” she rubbed her daughter’s tummy.

The others nodded and chuckled in agreement. Mmesoma smiled. Soon, she was going to be the new Mrs. Briggs.

Ike watched them in disgust. He didn’t like the fact that his problem was adding up. He was still trying to piece his marriage back together, now the root of their problem was pregnant!

“I want to make one thing clear to you all,” he pointed a finger at them. “I will not take responsibility of this child, until after a DNA has been conducted…”

Chizoba laughed. “That is a non-issue. We are ready for that.”

“And my belief system doesn’t taking a second wife,” he eyed Mmesoma’s mother.

The group started to complain and argue. Mmesoma groaned inwardly. She had hoped that her people would be able to pressure Ike into marrying her. But the man was as stubborn as she ed.

“What happened to your belief system when you were enjoying my daughter’s body?!” the woman flared up.

“You must marry her!” one of the women yelled.

“To hell with your belief system!” the others shouted.

Ike glared at them. “You have sixty seconds, leave my house, this minute!”

“We are going nowhere!” Mmesoma shouted back at him, hands on her hips, ready to fight for her dreams.

Ike dashed into the building.

“We are going to stay here and…”

He returned bearing two long sharp kitchen knives. “Who wants to meet God in heaven this afternoon!”

“Abba father!” Mmesoma fled without looking back.

Her mother and her late husband’s people followed without hesistation.

“Who?!” Ike chased after them.

metalgear11:
The way this Ike dey vex me ehn... Like I mentioned in my previous comment, all that "soap in the eye" is bullshit. Which man doesn't know he's having sex with another woman other than his wife?

I taya oooo

Sochee123:
Make una leave Ike for me

Na me go personally handle am

E deserve proper beating from Tinubu

Damilgodwin:
My amazing boss, your good message is well received ✅✅

I loyal 👐

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS 18


Ike stood outside his neighbour’s compound, back leaned against the green painted gate, face turned upwards. The moon light made his complexion brighter, but his mind was in turmoil and he could hardly think straight.

“Ikechukwu?”

The familiar voice brought him out of his reverie.

“I was told you didn’t want to come side…” Mr. Kola approached the younger man.

Ike cleared his throat twice, “Yeah…” he adjusted his posture and stood straight.

“What’s up man?” he noticed the strained look on his friend’s face. He hoped Lianater and the baby were fine.

Somewhere at the back of Ike’s head began to itch. “Erm… I need to see you.”

He raised an eybrow. “I am here,” hands in his pockets, face crowded with anticipation.

The younger man nodded. “I need your help,” his brown gaze met his neighbour’s dark concerened ones. “I am at my wits end. But, I know what I must do, but, I need a kind of system, so that I can forge ahead.”

Mr. Kola blinked several times. “Ike abeg, speak plainly. My brain is not in the right frame to decipher your idioms.”

Ike’s forced laughter didn’t reach his eyes. “Sorry…”

His friend folded his arms across his broad chest. “I am all ears. What’s the problem?”

He ran a tired hand through his rough curls. “It’s the maid,” his eyes grew bigger with disdain.

“The maid,” Mr. Kola repeated. He had seen the girl a couple of times in the last few months.

“Yes, she is… she is a She-devil from the pit of hell,” his voice was filled with venom.

Mr. Kola’s heart missed a beat. “What did she do?” he had heard stories about how some maids frustrated their employers. He has had a few experiences of his own in the past too.

Ike started to pace. “She… she is being after me since day one. I wanted to kick her out, then Lianater found out that she was pregnant, then one night she drugged me and I woke up with her on top of me…”

“Wait!” Mr. Kola wasn’t sure he heard the man correctly.

He halted and stared back his confused friend.

“Wait… wait, she did what?!”

Ike placed both hands on his head. “It’s messed up man.”

Mr. Kola tried to process everything the younger man was saying.

“Tonight, tonight broke the camel’s back. I was in the bathroom bathing and she came in and I thought she was Lianater…”

“Wait… wait! You thought what? How did that even happen?”

Ike looked away. “I had soap in my eyes, I…”

The older man felt like slapping his neighbour. “And you couldn’t wash your soapy eyes?”

Ike breathed out loudly. “I want her gone, tonight.”

“Obviously,” Mr. Kola eyed him. “Are you going to tell your wife?”

“Yes,” he looked his friend in the eye, “I will tell her everything.”

Mr. Kola whistled. One thing was clear. No woman would be able to digest whatever explainations Ike had concorted. “I wish luck man.”

“Thanks. I need you to come with me.”

Both men exchanged glances.


Xxxxxx

Lianater yawned loudly and stretched her arms. It had taken about an hour and half for the baby to sleep after being breast-fed. If she was lucky, Ify would sleep for the next three hours.

Where was her husband? He wasn’t in the master bedroom when she checked earlier. Neither was he in the children’s room. Thank God those ones were fast asleep.
She ed she promised to make it up to him, but she felt so tired. How was she supposed to fulfill her wifely duties, take care of a baby and three toddlers at the same time? Thank God for the maid who was handling all the house chores. If not, she would have been hospitalized.

She heard voices coming from the sitting room. Was that Ike? Who was he with? When did he leave the house?

Lianater strolled out of the kitchen and made her way into the sitting room. She found Ike and Mr. Kola seated. They both looked like they had heard a very bad news.

“Good evening, Mr. Kola,” she ed her husband on the sofa.

“Evening, Lianater. Quite an age,” he tried to smile.

“This is a pleasant surprise. We barely see you in this estate.”

Mr. Kola chuckled. “Well, business has been good.”

“I can tell. How is madam?”

He nodded. “She sends her greetings.”

Lianater smiled back at him, then glanced at her husband. Why was he looking saddened?

“Are the children in bed?” he avoided looking directly at her.

“Yes. The baby too.”

He nodded, “Good.”

An awkward silence filled the room. Lianater looked from Ike to Mr. Kola, the back at her husband.

“Are you okay?”

He met her gaze this time around. He could see the concern in her dark brown eyes. “We need to call the Agency.”

She blinked several times. Why did he want them to call the agency? They didn’t need a maid. They already had one. A hardworking help.

“Mmesoma needs to leave this house tonight.”

Her puzzled stare held his expressionless ones. “Why?”

Ike threw a glance at his friend. Mr. Kola gave him an encouraging nod. “Lily…” he looked deep into her eyes. “She had been throwing herself at me since she got here.”

She dropped her jaw. The girl had been with them for a while. If she wasn’t mistaken, Mmesoma had been chasing her husband for over a year. And he was just telling her?! Her brows came together in a frown.

“Maybe, maybe she is infatuated with you or something,” she glanced at Mr. Kola for .

Their neighbour cleared his throat thrice.

“Darling, this is beyond infatuation. She is obssessed with me.”

She eyed her husband. “And you are just telling me now?”

He pressed his lips together and willed himself to speak.

“What’s being going on, Ike?” her voice rose a notch. So many thoughts were flying through her mind.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “She… she drugged me.”

Lianater blinked. “What?” her heart beat accelerated. The dread and pain in her husband’s eyes consumed her.

“She… she… The night before the baby came, I woke up right here,” he held the chair they were both sitting on. “And, she was on top of me. I couldn’t move.”

The woman jumped up before she could stop herself. “On top of you? Doing what?!” her murderous stare sliced through him.

He dropped his head. Why did he keep quiet for so long?

“What sort of nonsense is this? Mr. Kola, can you hear your friend?” she stood beside the chair their neighbour was seated.

The man kept quiet.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” she faced her husband.

He looked up at her. The pain in her eyes was unbearable. “You went into labour the next morning.”

“What sort of nasty excuse is that?!”

Ike remained quiet.

“And all this while, you kept silent. You didn’t say a single word. What’s wrong with you?” Slowly, images began to build up in her mind. She could vividly imagine Mmesoma riding her husband on the sofa. She cried out in anger. “This is insane!”

“Lianater...” Mr. Kola reached out for her hand. “Come and sit down.”

She settled beside their neighbour unwillingly. She could barely look at her beloveth husband.

“Two hours ago, I was taking my bath and I… I had soap in my eyes…”

The room fell quiet again. She held her breath, fully knowing that whatever he was going to say next would break her into a million pieces.

“I didn’t know she was the one. I thought it was you,” Ike glanced at his wife.

Lianater placed both hands on her head and began to shake with sobs.

“I didn’t know, Lily, I didn’t know,” tears gathered in his eyes.