The Puzzle - Episode 25

The End

It was a tough job keeping Daniella calm for the night. She kept crying for her mum. Rose tried to console her from time to time, but her efforts failed. The only person she talked to was Debbie. When the parents noticed this, they decided it will be better to leave them to be alone. Rose served them dinner. Daniella ate little, then she led them to Debbie's room to retire for the night. She could hear their low voices after she left the room. She went straight to their own room to join David. 

"Mummy twins!" David hailed her. "I can't wait to tell the whole world that I am now a twins' dad!" He added with excitement.

Roseline looked gloomy. The way Daniella avoids her griefs her so much.

"Don't worry Rose, what the girl is doing is normal. Now, think about it, imagine Debbie taken away from you tonight and introduced to someone else as her real mother, and to start living with the person immediately, will she agree?" David asked.

"Certainly not!" She replied..

"Exactly the way it is with Daniella too. It all happened too suddenly. She's been with this woman for eight good years, such memories cannot be easily erased. Let us give her some more time to adapt okay?"

"Okay dear, I understand."

They both knelt by the bed to pray, thanking God for the recovery of their child and for the restoration of their marriage...

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AT DR MICHAEL'S HOUSE

"I have to leave now," Loveth said shortly after the Evans left

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. Eliz had since locked herself up in Daniella's room, still mourning...

"Okay Loveth, thanks so much. I will see you at work on Monday. I need to take out some time to rest tomorrow being Sunday," Michael replied, then saw her off to the verandah.

He went straight to his bedroom, where she thought Eliz was but she was no where to be found. He later went to check at Daniella's room but found the door locked. Silent sobs could be heard from the entrance. He was sure she was in there. 

"Eliz sweetheart, please open the door, don't injure yourself with too much tears." He called.

"Go away!" Eliz screamed. I don't ever want to see you again Michael." She cried.

"Eliz, please hear me out. It is not also easy for me to lose Daniella at this time. We need to comfort each other, I am really sad too. Please open this door. Do not bear the grief alone."

After some seconds, Eliz opened the door. Her eyes were as red as blood and swollen. She held on to Daniella's picture and sat tiredly on her bed. Michael pulled her to himself. They both wept for some minutes.

"Please forgive me Eliz, it was the time of ignorance. I regret all I ever did to you while we were courting. But Eliz, I have come to realize that you are the only woman I love. I love you truly Eliz, if not I would have had an affair with someone else all these while that you left me alone to be in Nigeria. I was tempted at different times but somehow, I sailed through them all. As for the lady whose message you saw on my phone, claiming to be pregnant, if you had confronted me about it, you would have known the truth. She actually sent that message to a wrong number. I deleted it immediately I saw it because I knew the sender must have made a mistake. Please Eliz, believe me. Up till now, I never had sex with any other lady since we got married. I know we have been careless in our past, the way we both handled the pregnancies, the abortions, how I stubbornly refused to allow you keep the last one and all that... But in all of these Eliz, I promise to stay by you. This cross is not yours alone to bear. We shall have our own children by God's grace. Eliz looked at her best friend of eleven years who is also her husband of nine years, she knew quite well that no one is in the best position to console and love her the way Michael would. She threw her arms around him and they both hugged each other for a long time...

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AT THE EVANS' FLAT

Roseline couldn't sleep well through the night. She was the first to wake up that Sunday morning. She quickly went to the twins' room and to her utmost surprise, they were up already. Probably, the excitement was all over them too. They weren't only up but they were already in the bathtub, having their bath. 

"Wow! So early. It's just 6am. Hope you both had a nice rest?" She greeted. The girls nodded their heads. Eliz was surprised at their quiet reaction. She went closer to them to talk to Daniella but to her utmost amazement, she couldn't tell the difference between them. She decided to apply a little bit of wisdom. How can she be asking that "who is Daniella among you?" Isn't that funny?

"Debbie." She called.

"Yes mommy," they both answered simultaneously.

Rose was confused, she turned back to fetch David who was still in bed.

Yes, it was Daniella's plan. She had told Debbie that they could catch some fun by confusing their parents...

"Well, you know of course that Debbie has dimples on her cheek and I noticed yesterday that Daniella has a gap in between her upper teeth," David replied drowsily. 

"Oh honey, you are a genius, do you know I haven't even noticed the gap in her teeth yet? Those girls are naughty."

They both entered the girls' room again. David called, Daniella? Debbie answered in her place. 

"Yes?"

The parents looked at each other, they have gotten their answer already. The girl that answered has no gap in her upper teeth, that is Debbie of course. 

"Stop the huge joke, ladies. We already got the difference between you two. Debbie, you are not Daniella, why should you answer for her?" David asked, lifting them out of the bath tub. The girls started laughing.

"Now get prepared. We shall soon be going to church. Today is Sunday. Debbie, you can allow Daniella to wear any of your dress," David instructed the girls.

Their mum stood watching at the entrance of the bedroom door. She can't just wait to share her testimony at church today. She could imagine how surprised the whole congregation will be on seeing the twins!

********************************* 
After church service that afternoon, David and Rose decided to pay Mr and Mrs Ernest a visit. They kept the girls at Evelyn's place. She was so happy to host the new twins.

They arrived at Dr Michael's place and they were warmly received. They chatted for a long time. The Evans were happy that the couple had settled their misunderstanding.

"Eliz, Rose called. I do not want you to be depressed okay? I believe in the supernatural power of God to perform miracles. I want you both to re-dedicate  your lives to Christ, ask for the forgiveness of your past sins, I am very sure that you both will soon share your testimony, your babies will come soon for HE is a miracle working God!"

"Oh yes!" David concurred.
He led the prayers. The couples prayed together fervently, asking God for mercy and surrendering their lives to Christ in totality. 

After the prayers. They all went to the Evans' place to drop Daniella's stuff and also take the girls out for a family picnic. They all enjoyed the outing, especially the girls, they had so much fun.  Daniella and Debbie were permitted to spend the night with the Ernests.

Roseline and Eliz later met the next day at Debbie's school to register Daniella too at school. The pupils and teachers were all surprised to see the wonderful twins.

"Mrs Evans, thanks for allowing me to spend time with mommy last night," Daniella whispered to Rose when she was about to leave.

"You are welcome Daniella but you know you are coming home with us this evening?"

"Sure ma."

"That's my girl, and I hope you will soon get used to calling me mommy." 
She nodded her head and ran off to play with Debbie and the other girls after saying goodbye to Eliz.

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EPILOGUE

Two months later, Rose sat in front of the mirror of her dressing table one Friday evening. She was applying some cleanser to her face with cotton wool. David sat behind her on the bed. He is more available these days, he made sure that he reduced his frequent trips away from home.
The twins were in the room with them too. 

"Won't you go to bed, you two and give mom and dad some privacy?" David said to the twins.

"What does adults do with privacy anyway? They always needed privacy." Daniella replied.

Read " The Agony Of Beauty " by the same author ( Moyosore Teniola )

. She is the most outspoken of the two. 

The couple burst out laughing.

Just then, Roseline's phone rang. It was Eliz. She was talking excitedly on the phone. 

"The Lord has done it Rose, you said it, it has happened. I am 4weeks gone. It's confirmed, I  am going to be a mother soon!"

Tears clouded Roseline's eyes, she was happy for Eliz beyond words. 

"HE is indeed a miracle worker, she replied. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you..."

The line went off...

 Debbie and Daniella were about being ushered out of the room by their Dad when suddenly Daniella turned back again and walked to Roseline at the dressing table.

"Mommy! Is that a boy or a girl?" She asked pointing at Roseline's baby bump.

"Did you just call me mommy?" Roseline whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt so happy like she had never heard such before.

She drew Daniella to her and gave her a warm hug, tears trickling down her face. At last, the girl is hers.

"Me too!" Debbie screamed and ran into her mom's arms."

"Oh, don't be jealous Debbie!" Roseline chuckled and they all laughed...

Roseline gave birth to a bouncing baby boy few months down the line while Eliz also put to bed some months later, a beautiful baby girl!
They had so much love and  joy in their homes. 

It is good for couples to love and cherish their matrimony no matter what. 

"Two are better than one, for they will have a good reward for their labour."

The Bible also says, "One shall chase a thousand, and two shall chase ten thousand! There is power in unity. 
Glory be to God!

****THE END****

I am grateful to God, the author and finisher of this story. I thank all those who had been reading and following, especially those who have been dropping their wonderful comments, they motivated me a lot. I hope you all learnt some lessons?

A very big thanks  also goes to Kasie and all the Ebony story crew. You all are the best!