I HAVE A DREAM

GUEST POST : OSENI FOLAKEMI

I sat in a corner of my room and read the text from my son’s kidnapper. They wanted some documents that belonged to my late husband. I knew about these documents but I had no idea where they were kept. I pleaded with them that they take money instead but they refused. I knew he didn’t keep the documents at home, that I was sure of. I was very confused and had no idea what to do.

He must have told someone where he kept it at least but who? Apart from myself,  the only people he was very close to was his mother and childhood best friend, David. I got up, picked up my car key and drove to his mother’s house. His little sister, Ash opened the door and I walked in.

“Is mother home?”

“Yes in her room”

I ran up the stairs to his mother’s room. She laid in her bed reading a book and sat up as I walked in. She motioned for me to sit and she held my hand.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine mother, I got a text from Dylan’s kidnappers today,they want the documents. He must have told you about some documents. Where are they?”

She looked at me sadly and spoke

“I know of the documents, they have been passed from generation to generation but where they are, I know not of”

I couldn’t stop the tears that came running down my face. I lost my husband at such a young age and I had no idea where my son was. I cried for some time then got myself together.

“Mother”.

“Yes daughters”

“You have to know where it is mother,you have to know” I squeezed her hands, she pulled me closer and held me in her arms.

I woke up and saw that I was cuddled up in mother’s arms, it was some minutes to 8. Mother was sleeping peacefully and I didn’t want to disturb her so I quietly slipped out of her arms and went downstairs. Ash was watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn and orange juice. I sat beside her and she held my hand reassuringly.

“Everything will be fine okay?”

” I hope so  I miss my son so much” I said shaking with fear

“We’ll get him back, we all miss him”

“I should go now”

“You should sleep here, for the company”

“I want to go see David”

I got into my car and drove to David’s house, we all lived in the same estate. His wife, Rachel opened up the door. She pulled me into a hug as soon as she saw me.

“Oh Rebecca I was thinking of you just now”

She ushered me in, got tea to drink and sat beside me.

“How are you holding up?”

“I’m trying Rachel, this is hard. I miss my son so much”

“I’m so sorry Becca, we’ll find him”

“Where is David?”

“He got back not long ago,, he’ll be down in a moment”

We made small talk before David came down.

“David I need to speak to you, my husband he told me about these documents, the kidnappers want it. You both were really close,you should know we’re he kept them “. I rushed him with my words without even asking how he was.

He looked at me thoughtfully. I had hope he knew where they were.
“So you want to hand them over to the kidnappers?”
“I don’t know, I’ll do anything to have my son back”
“Do you really understand the value of these documents”
I sighed and looked at him pleading with my eyes. “I’m sure my son’s life has more value”
“I can’t Becca, we have to find another way”
Rachel spoke “David her son’s life is in danger, how can you say this?”
He sighed, stood up and walked to me then held my hands “Allowing you to give those documents to the kidnappers will be betraying your husband and the legacy his ancestors left behind”
I looked at him shocked, did he really think I just wanted to hand over the documents?

“Oh God David, but I never said I was going to just give them the documents, we’ll work out a plan but I need to have it at least as a proof”
He looked at me and thought for a while “What If the plan backfires?”
“We’ll have backups. I need my son”
He went back to sit and stayed silent for some minutes
“The documents are not in Nigeria”

It felt like the walls came crashing on me, I just wanted to die. Why did you do this Dane? You could have at least told me, your wife. You could have trusted me, look at the burden you have left me with. Our son is in danger and I have no idea where he is. Dane I love you so much and I wish you could have trusted me, this would have been a whole lot easier, maybe you’d still be alive. I don’t know how to go on, I don’t know how to move on. If you’re listening Dane, if you’re listening, please let me have our son back.  I didn’t realize I was crying until Rachel came closer and wiped my tears.

“I know this must be very hard on you and even though I could never fully understand, I’m a mother and I understand the pains of a mother.” She turned to David “who will get it?”

“I don’t know”

I looked at him shocked. “You don’t really expect me to leave the country in these circumstances. I know you don’t”
“I can’t leave at this time either Becca, with Dane’s sudden death the office is in chaos. I need to get things together”

“Jesus, David” Rachel screamed “who would have thought?  Your best friend’s son is in danger and you talk about work? If you can’t do it for his wife then do it for him, for that little boy”.

” Wake up dear” I heard my husband as he tapped me. I ran to my little boys room to realise he was still there. With a sign of relieve I went to bed in realisation that it was just a dream.