Alacrimia | √

Chapter Twenty+Six

05:59 am, October 10.

Very early on Thursday morning, Eartha and Mide happened to be the first couple to pass through any of the roads leading to Enugu State. But that wasn't a feat they were going to sit back and revel in.

As soon as they arrived at Nsukka, they headed for the police station where they were being expected. There the police officers confirmed that, indeed, they were the parents of the lost girl.

Then they were given some forms to fill and then the contact and location of the couple the children were with and told to expect their call anytime soon. Apparently, the couple had been informed since that Monday of their imminent arrival.

Although it wasn't daybreak yet, they still insisted on heading for uptown, where the couple resided, all the while waiting for the their call.

None of them had the energy to drive, they were both terribly washed out and drained of energy from worry and lack of sleep. So they put Mide's car on autodrive and tried to relax at the back.

Eartha didn't know when her nerves started acting in. She just found herself fidgeting out of restlessness as she sat beside her husband at the backseat.

Mide noticed her state and gently picked up her trembling hands, placing a deep kiss to each. She smiled at him but wouldn't stop the nerves.

'We're going to see our baby again!' she finally blurted out, relief and pleasure washing over her features.

'Yes, Raspberry Ripple. He gripped her hands more firmly. 'We're seeing Pea Blossom again.'

Eartha turned and glanced out the rear window, she could barely make out the police car's headlights tailing them in the fog.

She turned forward, sighing. 'I still don't think the escort was needed, they're only drawing attention to ourselves.'

'Well, they did insist.' Mide shrugged and smiled.

The car turned off the lane into the next highway, following the input location and Eartha watched as the red dot on the satnav glided closer towards the blinking green dot that denoted their destination.

They could barely see out in the morning mist save for the car headlights and the white streetlights flooding the whole vicinity. But still everywhere had a close resemblance to late night, with the streets being quiet and all.

She sighed, turning to look at her husband. 'When do you think those people will call? The police said they have given them our numbers, aren't they going to call? Why can't we just call them instead?'

Now she was tapping her fingers on her thigh in anxiety. One could tell she really couldn't wait to see their daughter again.

'Hush, Dandelion Fluff,' Mide said softly, drawing her into him. He held her hands to quell the jitters.  'Do not worry,  Lollipop. They should call anytime from now. Besides if they don't, we're just' — he glanced at the satnav — 'nineteen minutes away from them. We'd be there in no time.'

Eartha nuzzled against him like a kitten, her face still holding the slightest nuances of worry.

Just a minute after, a video call came through on Mide's Samsung phone, from an unknown number.

Eartha was the first to snatch the phone up from the front seat.

She held the phone and blinked as a young man's face came into view. By God, she had been expecting an old, friendly couple.

'Hello,' said the guy, 'good morning.'

Before any of them could respond a woman's face appeared into the screen.