Retroviral Chronicles 10- Behind the counter.

The hours she spent behind the police station counter were the worst in her entire life, the air was heavy with the scent of urine and sweat and the noise from the holding cells caused her stomach to rumble in fearful echo.

The police officers hadn’t even told her how she’d attempted to kill Jesse or when she was supposed to have been killing the dude, was it when she was out with Peter, or when she was asleep or when she was on her way to work. Patricia hadn’t been of any help either, she alternately moaned and cried until she sent her to get a lawyer and when she came back with the lawyer, she sent her back to work telling her she’d be more effective answering phone calls and dealing with their combined work load.

She was still sobbing as she left and Martha wondered how she had managed to be so calm even in the face of her troubles. But when Jesse ambled in, she jumped with her hands outstretched to pluck his eyes out. He dashed into the office of the DPO and he was shrieking “she still wants to murder me” as he ran.

 Peter came in while he was still with the DPO, the police officers snapped into a subservient stance.

“Good afternoon Oga Peter” was their refrain.

“’Why didn’t you let me know you were here” he rushed to her, ignoring their effusive salutations and the grooves on his face that had been formed by worry broke her heart. She sobbed into his shirt and his heartbeat soothed her ears.

“Oga Peter we no know say she be your person, she fit go home with you now.”

“What if she did not know me? She would have been locked up here for no just cause right?” Peter’s voice shook.

“We’re sorry Sir, please don’t tell…”

“Peter how are you?” the DPO’s voice boomed.

“Sir my girlfriend was arrested for attempted murder, I don’t understand how she could have done it. We were together yesterday evening, she spent the night in my flat and I dropped her off at work, how the hell could she have tried to kill someone when she was with me all night.”

Martha gasped and Jesse tried to jump on him but the DPO restrained him even as he threatened to deal with Peter.

“Shut up, do you want to be locked up?” one of the officers thundered.

Jesse breathed hard and burst into tears, the officer to his right smartly gave him a hard slap and he was shocked into silence.

“Let’s go darling” Peter said and pulled her to his side before guiding her out of the station without a word to anyone.

“We don enter gbege, serious gbege” the DPO muttered as he watched them go. \

The silence in the car made his ears ring, he tapped the steering wheel and stole glances at her. Her eyes were closed and her face looked peaceful, he wished the peace was real.

“Is your father a police officer?” she said suddenly.

“No he isn’t”

“How come you made this case disappear so spectacularly?”

“My father is the governor”

“Holy shit!”

“Calm down please, he’s the governor and not God” He said with a smile

Her phone rang before she could respond, she was smiling as she rummaged her bag in search of the phone and he noted the exact second her expression changed, it was when she saw the name on her phone’s screen.

“God punish you Jesse! Thunder fire you! You will rot in hell.” She shouted into the phone and disconnected the call.