Click here for previous episodesGaren“A package arrived for you yesterday” Garen told Mavwe placing it beside her on the kitchen table, Mia gave him a knowing look.Mavwe read the contents and squealed in excitement, she rushed to Mia and hugged her.“Mia!!!! I am going home”“Really?!” Mia asked looking Garen“Yes Mia, I finally got through to the godfather and he’s working on my father’s release from prison”“I think there’s a catch, he can’t let you go just like that”“Who? The godfather? I know he has been watching me for long and whatever his reasons are, am glad he’s letting my father go. Which means am finally going to get my family complete again, I will be with my family again and this time we will be complete” Mavwe said grilling with happiness“You are leaving? Did I hear you correctly?” Mr. Smith asked entering the kitchen.“Yes and to think the godfather didn’t put on a fight, is rather unusual and odd” Mia said still looking at Garen to be sure she’s hearing correctly.“Can’t say for sure but…….. I thought we were complete just-”“It’s best we let the godfather decide” Mia chipped in cutting off her husband’s statement.Garen left the room, Mia and Smith puzzled on what’s going on and Mavwe still engrossed in excitement.****************“Spill now!” Smith yelled at Garen the moment he entered his study.“Nothing to spill Smith”“What’s the catch? Why the sudden loss of interest in Delphine? You want her to walk away just like that”“No”“That’s a relief, so there’s a catch. Am listening” Smith said sitting opposite him.“The godfather put Mr. Edewor in prison, his daughter fought a good course, she’s doing well in training camp, her father will be released in two months, settle back into life or his company stuff about same time Mavwe leaves training camp, the godfather thus completes it all. So if by that it means a yes, am letting her walk away then yes am letting her walk away”Smith couldn’t believe his ears, is Garen actually letting Mavwe walk away?“That’s it?” Smith finally managed to ask“That’s what the godfather has been doing right?”“First of, stop referring to the godfather like he’s far away and secondly are you out of your mind?”“Too much work does that to a person”“You love her doesn’t that count for anything anymore?” Smith asked.“Everyone deserves to be happy Smith, you know that. I have deprived Mavwe of that for a very long time by keeping her here and it’s up to fate to bring Delphine to me if-” Garen paused, he wasn’t sure of what to say next.“If what godfather? Mavwe and Delphine are one and the same person, plus she’s happy here. This is our family, your family too and you are tearing it apart”“Delphine wasn’t part of our family, she came into our lives because her father had issues-”“With his company right?” Smith chipped in“Correct”“Whatever the circumstance that brought her into our lives doesn’t matter anymore and it doesn’t count either, you seem to forget that a certain situation brought you into our lives too”“Seriously memory lane?” Garen asked slightly irritated.“My point is something brought you to us and we became a family, Mavwe is here and she’s family now. Nothing else matters”“There’s a difference, Mavwe might not be the same if you do this…….. Heck!!!!! Our family won’t be the same, don’t destroy what took us years to build” Smith said and left Garen more confused.Garen was sure he was doing the right thing but now it didn’t feel so right anymore. What if Smith was right, ‘could I be tearing my family apart?’ He thought to himself, ‘will I ever be the same? Will I ever get to be happy the way I have been since Delphine started living with us? Am I being selfish? Am I doing this for my family?’***********Mavwe could hardly contain her happiness and excitement as she waited for father in the visitors’ room of the prison.“Mavwe, how you doing?” Her father asked entering the room.“Great dad, it’s so good to see you”“How have you been? How’s the godfather treating you?” Her father asked gently squeezing her hands.“I haven’t seen him but I know he’s watching me and he sent a package for me about you of recent”“Really?”“He’s releasing you from this hell hole” Mavwe said happily, but Mr. Edewor was taken aback, he didn’t think he heard well.“He’s what?”“He’s releasing-”“What’s the catch?” Her father chipped in“Seriously? Why is it so hard to believe? Mom asked same question”“It seems so……. so unreal like an illusion”“Unreal? Illusion?”“Listen sweetheart, you have no idea what the godfather is capable of and no day or night passes by that I don’t pray to God for your safety”“He’s letting you go that’s all am sure of dad” Mavwe confirmed again.*************“Care to spill the drill?” Smith asked barging into Garen’s office.“Morning Smith, how was your night? Mine was great, thanks for asking”“As if I care, Emilia was supposed to visit like……….um…….I don’t know three weeks ago?”“I can handle it alone, give me some credit Dad!!!”“Credit? The only credit am giving you, which am not sure you deserve is lying. You’re covering it up and guess what FAMILY LIVES is at stake” Smith said emphasizing on family lives.“Ems will visit soon”“What’s the new threat?” Smith asked giving Garen a knowing look. Garen took a deep breath, relaxed on his chair before speaking.“I think someone is unto me, I don’t want Mavwe, Dolly or Mia involved. It could get real messy”“What about me?”“I couldn’t care less, you are already involved”“Was wondering when the love-father would leave for the godfather to return” Smith said chuckling“You still ain’t funny”“Mia won’t like this”“It’s your call, tell her everything and risk her involvement or protect her at all cost” Smith said with a stern face.***************The argument was now getting to Mavwe, she had wished to sleep the day away hoping to take away the pain she felt. But she couldn’t understand what the whole scene causing so much noise was about. Although she couldn’t pick the words but she recognized Smith’s voice and there was another voice……….Mavwe followed the direction of the voices, she could now hear the voices clearly. Though she now knew the other voice which was a female.“Come Dad, history is repeating it and you are not doing anything”“You are just being scared Ems”“Shouldn’t I be? You chose his side time and time again, even when it practically tore our family apart. Somehow God answered my prayers and sent Delphine and now you and mom are doing nothing while he sends her away!” The female voice said yelling angrily“It’s not like that”Mavwe got to Smith and Mia’s room, only to meet the door open. She quietly listened to their conservation which was pretty heating up.“Please tell me am wrong, please do. The only person that has tamed the godfather is Delphine and now that she’s leaving can you imagine what he will do?”“Delphine won’t be focused to stay against her wishes”“So it’s going to be like old times, Garen gets to choose being the godfather with you then me and mom live somewhere else then visit when it’s holiday?”“Emilia……..??” Smith called quietly“It’s ok dad, you have always been with Garen helping him scare people and clients and train their daughters………..but dad am tired………am so tired of it. I admit am partially involved but I got clean, I came out, I can help Garen come out too. It doesn’t have to be like this. All characters die dad so will the godfather but all this……….. I don’t want to live it anymore. I and mom are not like other women who loves the rush of adventure and am sure Delphine would feel the same way when she finds out that her trust buddy Garen is the invisible yet present godfather”“Too late” Smith said pointing at Mavwe in the door way who he was sure heard the last part of her statement due to the expression on her faceMavwe stood in the door way not sure she heard correctly……… ‘Garen is the godfather?’ Mavwe thought to herself, though it didn’t move her.“Emilia meet Mavwe or rather Delphine like Garen calls her. Delphine, my daughter Emilia” Smith paused before continuing his statement “I thought you were out Delphine”“I am going out, tell mom not to wait up” Emilia said leaving. Written by Gere Ochuko