Grateful heart, all that we possess, all that we feel, all that we can think of.

The year 2021, the year we had entered, not sure of what to expect, not sure if we will make to the next day.

A year we had entered, filled with nothing but fear, terrified by what we couldn’t control, scared of what might come next.

Gradually it went by, speeding as much as it could, driving us to our various destinations.

Now we are here, the second half of the year, healthy and bubbling, enjoying the ride, as we keep moving.

In the midst of all these, only one feeling is sure: a grateful heart!

The uproar in the court room was immediately silenced as Judge Iheme made his way in, his face expressionless as usual. The Clerk immediately performed his duty and everyone was almost simultaneously on their feet, waiting for the Judge to settle down.

The days proceedings began shortly after, with the swearing in of the accused who was also the first witness on the plaintiff’s list. Mrs. Mornica Dogoyaro was sworn in and asked to enter the witness box. The marks on her face still very distinct and evident.

The deep bass voice of Judge Iheme filled the court room once more, drawing everyone’s attention away from the accused and back to himself. “Mrs Mornica, you have been accused of taking laws into your own hands by the single act of murdering your husband, Mr. Dogoyaro. Murder, I’m sure you know is a capital offense. How do you plead?” He asked, readjusting his glasses as though to get a better look at the accused in front of him.

“Not guilty your honor”, came the calm but terrified voice of Mrs Mornica. Even though she was innocent, she knew it was going to be a tough battle, if at all she stood a chance of wriggling out of this steaming escapade in one piece. She didn’t know much about the law, the lawyers and the proceedings of the court but she has always been a very observant person. The look on her Attorney’s face when he sighted the plaintiff’s Lawyer was enough to double the fear that had already filled a huge chunk of her system.

The incident came afresh in her memory. It had been one of those worrysome afternoons when her husband got angry over nothing. He had stormed into the house, screaming her name like she had caused him a tankful of fraustration. He had descended on her the moment he laid eyes on her. It wasn’t the first time neither was it the second. She was fast becoming his punching bag,a place where he let loose his anger, a place where he vented his fraustration.

Mornica had scurried off the moment the chance presented itself. She had run without looking back. She could remember hearing her husband’s footsteps for a short while as he chased after her. She had gone straight to her friend’s house to seek solace. Grace hasn’t only been a friend but had also become a sister. She has always been there for her like a sister would. Some persons in the past had in fact refused to accept the story of them not being related. The police had come to Grace’s house an hour after the incident to arrest Mornica for the murder of her husband.

With the marks and even the black eye from the beating still evident, how then could these people still acuse her of killing her husband?

She stood in the witness box, fighting so hard to hold back the tears. If anyone had told her that she would be tried for the death of an abusive and battering husband, she would have called the person a liar. She managed to tell the story, at least, the ones she remembered. Everyone in the court room pointed accusing fingers at her. They insist she was the last person seen in her husband’s premises prior to the incident.

Some witness, a young woman whom Monica could swear she had never seen in her life had testified, her testimony in synchrony with all that Mornica had been alleged of. The Judge adjourned the case with an advise that the defense counsel put in more work on the case as all they have done so far is hear say, with no concrete evidence to support his claims.

The days that lay between that first hearing and the next where not just tragic but traumatic for Mornica. She cried her eyes out, day in, day out.

The worst of her fears was confirmed when Judge Iheme, after taking the second and final hearing, having observed due process sentenced Mornica to life imprisonment according to section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution.

The arrival of the autopsy result Mornica’s Attorney had requested for but had been told that it wouldn’t be ready that day was all that was needed to turn the case around. The single most important evidence she needed to vindicate herself. It turned out her husband had died of ruptured coronary artery aneuyrism.

The flowers in the garden blossomed in synchrony with the fruits in the orchard as the cool weather graced its magical effect on them. It was that time of the year when Ella Thompson didn’t have to go through the stress of watering the flowers nor the tiring periods of checking on the orchard to ensure they don’t wither. Her daughter, Beverly was always helpful whenever she was around. She had grown so attached to her grandmother that she always preferred to spend time with her, especially her holidays.

As Ella walked across the garden, inhaling the sweet fragerance of the rose flower, the Memories of Beverly’s father flooded her mind. She could still remember how they met. It had been a very sunny afternoon and she had strolled up and down Beverly hills with no luck on locating the address she had. Tom, Beverly’s father had taken note of how she wandered and had offered her a helping hand.

They had gotten well acquinted and their relationship soon blossomed like they had known each other for years. Ella was then a beautiful young lady, smart and friendly. It was difficult for any man who came close enough to drift away. Now that she thought about it, it seemed the reason Tom didn’t want to let go even when he realized she was pregnant. He had categorically told her that he wanted nothing to do with the baby yet he wanted their relationship to never see its end. She had even named her daughter “Beverly” an inscription of the place they had met, on a bid to get Tom to change his mind and accept her, yet nothing!

Ella had been heartbroken and worse. She couldn’t describe the feeling that piled up in her chest especially when she discovered that Tom was married with children. She had taken it upon herself to pay the family a visit in pretence to be new in the neighborhood and in need of a job to at least feed from. She had been told that Tom’s wife was not just beautiful but kind, a report she had refused to believe until she met her. “Why would a person in his right mind want to cheat on a woman like this?” She found it difficult to believe.

She wept as the Memories flooded, her emotions getting heavier by the minute. The wail was like none she could remember. The pain came afresh like it was yesterday. “Why did Tom do this to me? I had tried to keep a straight path since I was a little girl…I don’t deserve this treatment” she cried in between each sentence. The pain in her chest tightened into a big knob making it difficult for her to continue crying.

As she lay at one side of the garden, she drifted into a deep thought. Its been five years since the incident with Tom. Five years of having to both deal with the pain and also fight off Tom. For some funny reason he had not let her rest. His inceasant calls had made Ella change her line. She had threathened to call the cops on him the last time he barged into her house-the only reason he had given her daughter and herself some moments of peace. She knew how much she loved him. Moreso was the fact that if she was ever going to get over him, she had to ensure that all ties between them were cut.

For five years she had wallowed in self pity, hung her head in public, felt like the end had come for her. For five years she had waved off every man that tried to come close. For five years she had avoided close relationships with anyone, burying herself deep in her little farm work. She was fast becoming that alone tree in the forest with no one to talk to. Maybe her recent choices drifted her daughter into the arms of her mother.

She took a deep breath, stood up from the ground and dusted her clothes. It was time to brace up. Time to soak herself once again in the glorious feel of the sun and let it rain its magical strength on her skin every morning-something she always looked forward to. It was time to pick up from where she left off. The thought alone made her feel so good that she smiled. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt that good. She couldn’t wait to bring Beverly home!