Mavwe watched helplessly as the judge declared her father guilty, to serve forty years imprisonment which, according to her for crimes he did not commit but to the judge, guilty as charged.

She watched as police escorts followed her father out of the court room, nobody was doing anything to protest, not a word or action just nothing. She couldn’t take it anymore, it was killing her. She blurted out to no one in particular.

“Mom? Dafe? Helen? You are all sitting here watching while dad is given life imprisonment? What will he do in there for forty years? There’s an higher court we can appeal to right?”

“It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie” Her family attorney chipped in from behind her

“I don’t recall you being here before I left, you are not the attorney my father had while I was still here”

“Mavwe keep quiet and let’s go” Mavwe’s mom Mrs. Edewor said hoping to shut up Mavwe.

“Seriously?!” Mavwe exclaimed in disbelief

“Thanks for everything attorney” Dafe said, shaking hands with the attorney before walking out of the court room with his mom.

Mavwe was left alone in the court room with Helen, Dafe’s wife to be, they remained silent. Helen felt bad about everything going on, she didn’t know how to start mending. “Mavwe, you have to be strong-” Mavwe cut her off. “What’s going on Helen? Did my brother tell you anything? The sentence he got is outrageous for his stated crimes.”

“I really don’t know Mavwe, your brother doesn’t know much. Your dad ask him to leave the company to set up a different company which he did but he never told me why” Helen said nervously rubbing her palms together.

Mavwe was deep in thoughts and didn’t notice two men in suits walk in, Helen dragged Mavwe with her as she made her way out of the court room quickly. She and Mavwe stopped running when they got to the car were Dafe and his mom stood talking. They were surprised to see both of them running. Helen kept pointing at the court room but unable to talk as she was breathing heavily and fear written all over her face.

“Helen? Mavwe? What’s wrong?” Dafe asked while his mom inspected Mavwe to see if she was hurt.

“I am alright mom, i don’t know why Helen dragged me out of the court room” Mavwe told her mom looking at Helen hoping to get an explanation. “He’s here” were the only words Helen could mutter in between breaths.

“What?!” Mrs. Edewor shouted before sobbing “why does he take everything I have?”

“We have to go mom, get yourself together. You too Helen” Dafe said getting into the car

********

“Mom who were those men Helen and I ran away from?” Mavwe ask her mom sitting beside her on the couch in the sitting room. “Don’t ever go near those men, it’s not safe for you” Her mom reply tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Mom, i reviewed dad’s files and the charges did not anywhere match the sentence he got”

“Mavwe we have talked about it, let it be please” Mrs. Edewor pleaded.

“I don’t understand why you want to let it be when your husband is in jail for crimes he did not commit, do you want to live your life a widow?” Mavwe ask almost yelling.

“No and I don’t want to lose my child because she isn’t thinking properly”

“Mom, am fighting so our family can be whole-” Her mom interrupted her. “Our family is whole, you are the one breaking it” Her mom told Mavwe and walked away.

Mavwe got up and went to where her family picture portrait was and picked it up. “What happened to the strong family I left behind? What went wrong?” Mavwe ask herself.

“I don’t want mom to end up like Nana, it will be history repeating itself. I don’t want her lonely, whose family is never complete. She said family first, and I will do everything possible to make my family whole the way I left it three years ago before going for my masters.” Mavwe said as her tears watered her face. “I will make our family whole dad, I promise.”

***********

Mavwe got another attorney to handle her dad’s case, she felt very happy as this is a step closer to dad’s release and a complete family. Mavwe got home and met Dafe consoling their mom. “Why are you being stubborn Mavwe?” Dafe yelled at her angrily.

“Mavwe, I warned you to let this matter rest but you won’t listen. He’s coming after you Mavwe, that envelope was sent earlier today containing pictures of you with the new attorney you got with a note.” Her mom said sobbing

“If you want to make everything worse for mom and I then you should return aboard” Dafe told Mavwe and left.

“Your brother is right, you have been going against everything we say and do. You are making us seem like we are not keeping our word. Please Mavwe you should stop this madness. I don’t want to lose you” Mrs. Edewor said before leaving Mavwe to join Dafe

Mavwe picked up the envelope and went through its content. Its pictures of her with the attorney she just hired and a note which read: ‘Fire is beautiful to look at but it hurts when close to it and it burns when touched.’

“Who is this? It’s cowardice to threaten my family when am the one fighting for justice for my father” Mavwe said to herself. She sat down and stared at the picture, she flipped it hoping to see a number or address, anything to enable her trace the person who brought the envelope but nothing.

***********

Mavwe stepped out of her office to give her mom a file needed for a meeting to commence in a few minutes. She came back and saw a note on her desk; she picked it and read it.

‘You don’t find me, I find you, you don’t search for me because I am watching over you. Mavwe Delphine Edewor’

She went to her secretary and asked if she saw anyone entering or leaving her office, but her secretary didn’t see anyone.

Mavwe went to her office wondering when she will finally see the one that has her mom, brother and Helen frightened. The one who obviously sent her father to jail.

To be continued….

Written by Gere Ochuko