I was a little scared of what might happen next after I have opened the basket. Well, two things are likely to happen. First, It's either there's nothing there, just a harmless little basket or, second, something dangerous will happen, just like opening a letter bomb!
Hold on! A letter bomb? How the hell did that thought get to my head. Of all bad things to happen to someone by mistake, a letter bomb?
Now, seeing my Queen frightened about me going to open the basket gives me goosebumps. Well, of course, I am the only man here, so I literally do not have a choice than to be the one to open it. I think that's why it is called, being a man!
I bent over it, like I did the first time I saw it, just before my wife interrupted. I stretched out my hand to open it, but hesitated a little. Then, I turned around to look at the women watching from behind me. Sonia held her two hands to her mouth, like she was so scared to death for me. I turned a bit to my mother-in-law, she looked a bit reserved, no atom of fear. That lady is a strong lady, no wonder she joined the armed forces in her early stage of life.
After giving myself the courage, I stooped lower and opened the basket. It was locked in a way I really didn't understand at first, but I was able to crack it open.
Inside the basket were fruits of different kinds, rare fruits and of a different species, to be precise. I heaved a big deep sigh of great relief when I saw that. Atleast, there was hope for life, since it wasn't a letter bomb in it.
"It's fruits in here, come take a look." I said to them after I had taken a brief look inside of it.
The came around to peep inside of it. Sonia grabbed me by my hand and held into it so tight.
"Darling, don't take that kind of a risk again, especially for your family's sake, for your children. You know I don't have any other lover aside you. What do you think will happen to me if you decide to part, come on." She complained with a bitter temper.
I touched her on her cheek and smiled calmly. "Sweetheart, I know you are saying all these things because you care about me. The truth is, I won't take that advice, because it's my some duty to take care of my family and to protect them as well." I explained carefully to her, hoping she will understand that and accept it.
She shook her head and shoved my hand off her face in reaction to what I said to her. "No no no, you have to promise not to do that kind of a thing. Darling, some risks are not worth taking, such risks as this. I want you to promise me that you won't do such a thing again." She pleaded, sobbing softly.
"Darling, darling stop that okay. This didn't call for you to start crying, you know I don't like that. Listen babe, I cannot promise what I am so sure that I will not keep. What's the essence of lying to you then. But, come to think of it babe, if you were in my shoe, won't you do the same? I asked her.
She didn't respond but took her eyes off me immediately, so it doesn't give her away.
I continued, "you see, babe. I don't have a choice you know. If it warrants me to loose my life to save my Queen and my only children, you think I won't do it? I will, no matter what. So, I will candidly advice that you don't take it too personally, alright."
She nodded slowly, drying the tears on her face with the back of her hand.
"Come here darling, come here." I said, bringing her so close to myself, till her head was touching my chest. I kissed her lightly on her forehead and let her rest on my chest for a little while.
"Come over here, you lovebirds, look what I found in this." My mother-in-law said, interrupting our peaceful love moment.
We quickly disengaged properly, not after she called us lovebirds like we were still highschool students. We went over to her to know what it was. She pointed at a little folded paper she saw in the basket.
"Look what I found in there. A folded paper, that who knows what's in it." Mother-in-law grimaced, staring at the basket with contempt.
"A folded paper? I asked rhetorically, not expecting an answer for that. "Hmmm, it could be a message to us or something, from whoever brought this here." I said to them, then thinking about it.
"Perhaps, it's from the kidnappers, asking for their ransom? Who knows." Sonia added, staring at the folded paper.
"I guess we should find out then." I said, bending to pick up the paper from inside the basket where it was lying comfortably.
"Noooo! Both women screamed simultaneously and that actually got to me.
"What was that? I asked, looking at both of them in surprise.
Both women started to talk at the same time, with me making nothing from whatever they had just said.
"I think both of you should calm down and allow one person to speak, else you two will only be blabbing to yourselves." I adviced.
"Mom, you go first." Sonia referred to her mother, then she kept quiet.
"Okay, well. I was saying, we don't have an idea, no single idea who might have dropped this here. Someone, whoever it was, came into this compound without our knowledge. Dropped a basket filled with fruits and a note inside it. Didn't knock on the door to know who was in the house to inform us. Then, the person left without dropping a word. Now, let's look at it from this angle. Right now, we are looking for the twins and we don't know where to start from, aside the fact that the police keep cooking up excuses. Who knows if the person who dropped this here wants to kill us." She ended, almost sweating from the long speech she just gave.
She had a point in what she was saying, but I still didn't get what exactly she wanted us to do.
"Okay..." I said, staring at her, then at the basket and back to her. "So, what exactly do you want us to do? I asked.
"Well, I think what mother is trying to say now is that, we don't have to touch it, I mean the paper or whatever it is. Maybe, we should involve the police instead. Atleast, there will be no much harm in that." Sonia replied.
"Yeah, that's right. Let's involve the police. You can call detective Jide, I think he will be the best person to handle this situation properly." Mother-in-law suggested.
"I concur to that as well." Sonia said in reaction to her mother's suggestion.
"Okay okay. If you guys say so, then I will have to call the detective now. I hope he isn't too busy to answer me or come over here."
I took out my phone from my side pocket, unlocked it with my finger print. I dialed the detective Jide and put it on loud speaker as we waited for him to pick up.
Almost at the end of the ring, he picked up the call and answered.
"This is Detective Jide on the line. How may I help you? He asked.
"Good evening sir. It's Mr. Alex Tinket, your uhm, client I guess."
"Ohhh, Mr. Alex Tinket. How are you doing? I am so sorry I haven't gotten back to you in a while now. We haven't gotten anything new on the case yet, but we hope to get something soon." He explained, without being asked though.
"I understand sir, you don't need to explain, I fully understand." I answered.
By this time, my wife and her mother has started giving me signs to tell him the reason why I called instead to whiling away time.
"Thank you Mr. Alex, I knew I would always count on you."
"I appreciate that sir. Well, I actually called you here for a reason."
"Okay, please go on I'm listening."
"Yeah. I returned home from work this evening only to find a nice basket infront of my house. Not the regular kind of baskets we see. I opened it and there was fruits inside of it. My mother-in-law searched through the basket only to find a folded paper inside it. We haven't touched the paper yet, but we..."
"Talk no more, I am on my way to your house now. Please, do not touch any other thing there till I get there and make sure that everyone is in a safe corner till I get there, alright." Detective Jide said.
Before I could reply him, he had hung up the phone. I guessed that he was on his way to this place. It won't take him so much time to get here, if the traffic is okay.
I put my phone back into my pocket and started walking to and fro.
"I feel he is on his way already." Sonia voiced out.
"Yeah, me too. I think so." I answered, forcing myself not to be nervous about the whole thing.
"How long do you think he will get here? Because we will have to wait for him." Sonia asked.
"Pretty soon I hope. If there is no traffic jam, then it won't be an issue at all." I answered.
Any monent from now, the detective will be here with his colleague maybe, then we will find out what is inside that folded sheet. The more I thought about isn't, the more anxious I became.
I prayed that it doesn't end up being a sad note from those kidnappers, perhaps saying that my kids have been, murdered? Oh God! I don't want that kind of a news. I need something far from death. I don't want anything that has to do with me loosing any of them, not even the housekeeper and my driver. I prayed silently in my heart.
Seems Sonia noticed my nervousness as I noticed her staring weirdly at me. I was forced to ask why she was looking at me that way.
"Babe, what is it? Why staring at me that way? What's wrong? I asked her, trying not to show how nervous I was.
"I think I should be the one asking that, you know. What is wrong with you? She questioned, glaring at me with her wide eyes.
"I am very much okay, don't worry about me." I assured her, while my feet was trembling underneath me.
"Are you sure about that? She asked, not convinced by my answer.
"Yeah yeah, yeah I am. I'm serious, I am fine. Let's wait for the detective." I replied.
"That's actually what we are doing. Are you so tired, don't you think you need to shower quickly before they get here. I don't fancy you like this."
"Sonia, don't let that bother you okay. I will be fine. I will bathe after everything has been settled."
"I am bothered already. By the way, there is no harm in bathing twice this night."
"Come on babe. We are not doing this now, are we? I asked.
"Nope, but you are going to bathe now."
She made me go upstairs while she stayed outside to monitor the basket with her mother. Not that the basket could run, it doesn't have legs. But, to be on the safer side, that was a nice decision.
I left them outside and went upstairs to our room to have my bath, as Sonia had insisted I did. I undressed myself and kept my clothes on the trash can or the clothes basket.
I took my towel and tied it round my waist and then, I entered the bathroom to have a quick shower. I washed my body thoroughly with sponge immersed in liquid soap.
It didn't take much time and I was done with washing my body, but I had to stay under the shower for a little longer time before I finally turned it off.
I walked into the bed room, slowly drying my body with the towel I had. After that, I went ahead to change into a plain shirt and a short.
Work today was very stressful for me, not because the work or task I had to do was tiring, but for the fact that I have been mixing that up with too much of thinking lately, it was really telling on me and I could feel the impact without doubt.
I have not been myself for a while now because of me trying to be a man. I was draining so fast, but I couldn't help it.
Eddy has been of much help to me lately. The calls, the encouragement, the few hangouts that lifts my spirit and helps me to wake up every single day, with the hope that a new day could be another opportunity for a good news.
I couldn't help it at times. I find myself shedding tears for my children that are yet to be found. And I wonder, if they will ever make it home again. This is the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. You watch your kids grow only to be snatched away, forcefully from you by your fellow human, without any remorse.
That is so heartbreaking. I feel like giving up everything just to make sure that my children are home and they are sound and they are okay.
I sat down on the bed, knowing fully well that I needed to join them downstairs, since the detective guy isn't here yet. But, I was extremely nervous. I felt this paper has something very bad attached to it, something that is liable to year my family apart and I am so afraid of it.
On the other hand, I still have to go downstairs and watch while the drama takes place. I just hope it won't be as bad as how I am feeling at the moment.
I took my phone and headed downstairs to join the rest of the family outside. The detective guy was entering the compound as I opened the door to come outside.
They walked up to me and we shook hands.
"Good evening detective." I greeted, forcing a smile, which refused to adhere to me.
"Mr. Tinket. Good evening." He said to me, then turned around to greet my wife and my mother-in-law.
After explaining in detail what happened recently, as regards the basket issue, he went ahead to inspect the basket for a while.
"It doesn't look harmed to me. But, it is better you guys informed us about it, before making a move."
I nodded as he made the statements and continued to watch.
"I will go ahead and open this paper." He said, as he stopped so low to retrieve the paper from the basket. Which after he did, he started to unfold it slowly.
When he was done, he looked closely at the paper. By this time, we were coming closer to have a look at what was inside the paper.
"I'm not sure you two wants to see what's inside of this paper." The detective said, breathing heavily.
No matter what it was, I was bent on seeing what it is. So, I took the paper from him and read through!