CHAPTER THREE

Chief Mrs. Lucas looked at her husband with so many uncertainties swimming around her mind.  She snapped her eyes at him and looked elsewhere.  Chief Lucas wondered what all that meant as both of them sat at dinner in a most elegantly furnished dinning room attached to a most modern state of the art living room.  Awash with a most beautiful and most sophisticated chandeliers, adorned with the best settees and the most magnificent rugs amid the most brilliant and most eloquent decorations, the whole environment betrayed in all certainty the home of a super billionaire such as one could find in an oil rich nation like Nigeria.

The long drawn curtains, made out of the most beautiful materials, like royal cycloramas of the fairy lands swept the rich, red rugs.  The living room, grand as the royal interior of life's best resting place, was made up of some of the best and most luxurious couches and settees, glass side tables and such artistic renditions of purest craftsmanship that everything presented the best any person could ever wish for in a home.  Elegant pillars at the door ends held the high roof finished off with the finest designs of glorious plaster of Paris, below which hung some colourful chanderliers, shining in dainty ornamental lights, some glittering like eternal stars twinkling from some heavenly heights.

Outdoors, stood series of ornamental pillars, beautiful columns of the Corinthian order, lined up in pairs along the great corridors that led to the different sections of the masterpiece of a duplex, settled in the midst of some beautiful gardens of fairest flowers, all beckoning the beauty of a far away paradise.  Through the gardens and around the building, silent lights stood suspended in tall poles of iron, brushing the entire surrounding atmosphere with such serenity that spelt nothing but peace, security and natural well being.  Close by, a designed foot path led away in different directions towards the swimming pool, the games house, the lawn tennis court and finally to a large bungalow popularly known as the boys quarters where the two servants of the house and the resident driver each occupied a two bedroom apartment with the members of their families.  Only the two maids lived in the main house.

The large compound made up of approximately seven or eight plots of land was situated like a gem in a choice part of Independence Layout, Enugu, not too far from the television house around which also stood the State Broadcasting House.  Chief Lucas, the owner of the house, was a very powerful businessman, a strong stakeholder in oil and gas business in Nigeria and a quiet philanthropist of a very high repute.  He had connections with different classes and groups of people within and beyond the shores of the country.  Politicians, technocrats such as the leaders of powerful engineering firms, power generation companies, bankers and academicians, all had very strong ties with Chief Lucas.  As a man who believed that life is made up of both work and leisure, he had sponsored many people to acquire different kinds of useful skills and helped them set up their own business outfits.  The number of those he had sponsored academically were so many that he did not even know all their names.  For he did all that like a part of his business, through his Education Foundation and what he called his Lucas Trades Foundation.

As a result, many of his beneficiaries did not even know his house, including his numerous business friends.  Only the very intimate ones were permitted to get his home address.  For he treated all that as business.  Indeed, being a wise fellow, he knew the great necessity of keeping business away from domestic affairs.  Yet, as a prominent man, it was not possible for him to know all those who knew him.  At home, however, he loved peace of mind as a reward after each day's hard work.  Yet, it was not always that he had that type of peace of mind he desired without making some personal sacrifices of overlooking certain domestic excesses, especially from his beloved wife, Chief Mrs. Lucas, who indeed was the mirror through which the world saw his great riches outdoors.

As the woman snapped her eyes at him and looked elsewhere while dinner was going on, however, Chief Lucas knew she had a domestic explosive to detonate.  He leered at her momentarily and looked elsewhere as if he did not notice her.  He loved that woman most dearly, he thought to himself, he wondered why she would continue to keep him unhappy when he should be happy or disturb his peace when both of them should be happy together.

'You have not asked me how I fared with the man of God, she said to her husband, reading his mood as not very favourable for any discussion on certain issues presently.

'Ehee, how did you go,' he asked, most expressionlessly.

'Is that how you will ask me about such an important matter, looking so dry and cold all over you?'

'Dry and cold?' he asked, trying to look more cheery than he had been.  'Now, darling, tell me all about it.  Did you see him?  Any good news from him?'

'Well, that's better, if in all you are not trying to play up.  Now, honey, I will like you to take the whole thing very seriously.  The man of God said I would have a baby after all.  I do not wish to go into too many details as you seem tired.  He only said I should tell my husband to remove all doubts from his mind and believe God.'

'These men of God of yours,' Chief Lucas retorted, 'why must they always drag me into their visions and prophesies?  Tell that man to leave me out of this matter; did you hear me?  After all, they are not more righteous than myself.  If I were a priest, I am sure I will do better than most of them.  Perhaps I would be a bishop by now.  What, for goodness' sake makes them think they are closer to God Almighty than the rest of us?'

'No, honey, do not say that so that you do not incure the wrath of God!'

'What does that mean?  You can only incure the wrath of God when you do anything to unjustly hurt your fellow men or blaspheme His Holy Name.  You don't incure the wrath of God by saying the truth.'

'Alright, sir, please, lets talk about other aspects of the matter.'

'What other aspects?'

'We have to make out time to see our family doctor together.'

'Again?' Chief Lucas asked, 'looking quite unfriendly.  'Did the man of God say we should see our doctor together?'

'Well, not necessarily.  That is my line of thought.  I think we have to do everything in our hands before leaving the rest to God Almighty.'

'Well you know I am a very busy man don't you?  It is not yet six months since we saw our doctor over this issue just to fulfill all righteousness.  Supposing you go and see him first?  Then, if he wishes to see me, I will make myself available.  I do not think I am the problem here.'

'Then, who is the problem?  Am I the problem?' 

'No, you are not the problem, I am.'

'Now, honey, let's not quarrel over this matter this time around.'

'But why are you worrying yourself so much about this issue?'  Chief Lucas asked his wife.  'After all we have two beautiful children who are respectively in the senior and junior secondary schools.  But always, you talk as if you have none.'

'Of course you know I have none!  They are our children, but you know they were both adopted as babies.  I want to have babies of my own, personally for you . . .'

She was becoming emotional and Chief Lucas did not want all those series of weeping this time around.

'Okay,' he said.  'I promise I will see the doctor.  But you go first.  If he needs me, then, I will make myself available.  When are you going to see him?' trying to soften his tone.  'Tomorrow?'

'Perhaps tomorrow.  But I will get to school first and see my staff over a new development in the Ministry of Education.  The school inspectorate has started with their problem again.

'What is the problem this time?'

'They are insisting, contrary to the normal provisions, that all private schools must now use only textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education, even when such books are not available.'

'That's not being fair,' the chief said.  'How do you intend to get about it?'

After getting to school, it is most likely I will also go to the ministry to see the Hon. Commissioner myself and explain some of these issues to her.  I don't like the way some of the inspectors do their jobs as if they are paid to lord things over school proprietors and their teachers, students and pupils.  However, that is by the way.  The important thing is that I will see the doctor tomorrow.  But can you do me a favour?'

'What favour?'

'Please call the doctor and tell him I will be visiting him.'

'Is that all?'

'Just that.'

'But from what you have just said, I am not sure what time you are likely to arrive there.'

'Well, say before lunch time.'

'But why not call him yourself?'

'Well you know he will not only know you have sent me but must thereby take me most seriously.'

'Oh, is that your calculations?  But I am not really sending you.'

'Please, honey, let's not start getting intellectual about this matter.'

'Okay, I accept.'

And with this, Chief Mrs. Lucas brightened up most brilliantly and so beamed with the great virtues of womanhood, love, kindness, grace and those great qualities for which Chief Lucas adored his wife.

A Lincomn Navigator pulled off the high street of Zik Avenue and veered into a lane leading towards Robbinson Street.  In a short while, all eyes along the residential road were virtually on the car as it almost silently headed towards Solace Hospital.  When it pulled off the street and made its way into the main gate of the hospital, some of the staff of the hospital peeped through their office and ward windows to confirm if the one occupying the car was one of the very prominent clients of the hospital.  In a short while, however, the car came to a halt close to the foyer and an elegant lady alighted and walked towards the medical director's office while the driver rolled it into a nearby parking lot and switched off the engine.

In a short while, Dr. Zaki was informed Chief Mrs. Lucas was waiting.  He ordered she should be let in.  As she opened the door and entered into the consulting place, the doctor rose upon his feet to receive her, having in the early hours of the day learnt from her husband she would be there before lunch time.  He then shook hands with his long time client and showed her a seat.  And after exchanging pleasantries, Mrs. Lucas opened up.

'Doctor,' she said, turning a more serious face, 'I have come to tell you how I feel about my old problem.  Everything in me tells me I should be able to have a baby of my own.  For although my husband is not complaining, although he also loves me, I know that deep within, he has not got that satisfaction that his wife has given him a baby from his own direct blood.

'I need your assistance finally to sort out whatever this problem might be.  For I believe it must be a medical one rather than the hands of fate or destiny.  Otherwise, most men of God I have met would not continue to tell me I would eventually have my own baby.'

'Now, madam,' the doctor said in a very quiet voice, 'how do you think I could help?  You know I have done everything medically possible to get this problem solved without hitting at a success.  I am still willing to do more.  We have tried two hospitals in Britain, one in Canada and three in the United States of America, spending huge sums of money.  All the artificial methods known to modern medical science have failed while you have subjected yourself to so much hazards undergoing all kinds of treatments.  Yet, we cannot stop if you want us to go through all that all over again.

'And since there has not yet been found any medical problem within your system that points to total barrenness except factors which have been successfully treated in others.  I believe a solution might be found at the fullness of time.'

'At the fullness of time?  Well, you know how patient I have been, how long I have waited.  I am not growing younger either.  At the age of thirty-eight, you know I should have had all my babies by now if things had been favourable in that direction.  And as we are sitting here talking, I am growing older.  One of these days, menopause must naturally set in.  While I believe in miracles, I think it is better to make hare while the sun shines rather than wait for sunrise at dust.  Can't you think of something we could try medically in order to get the result we now require?  At least, let it be that I have taken in and carried a pregnancy as other women do.  Even if I am not able to deliver it, we can go for a cesarean to sort that out.'

Chief Mrs. Lucas was becoming emotional.  Dr. Zaki did not know what to tell her.  For a brief while, there was silence.

'You will give me some time,' Dr. Zaki said.  'Let me go through some new literature on gynachology concerning this issue as well as some more recent medical journals relating to this type of problem.  But I must tell you that since the time you and your husband came for the last medical check-up over this matter some months ago, I have been looking around for some solutions.  I understand how you feel.  But mind you, there is nothing impossible for God to do, so long as it falls under His Holy Will.'

'How soon would you want me to call you?'

'Well, you may not need to call.  I will call you instead.'

After briefly discussing some other running issues, Mrs. Lucas left the doctor's office, embarked on her car and the driver got her instructions about their next port of call, Lucas International Academy, somewhere in the outskirts of Independence Layout.  For one whole week running, Chief Mrs. Lucas expected in vain to hear from Dr. Zaki.  So, she decided to give him a call.  And when the call went through, instead of giving her a definite answer about whether or not a solution had been found concerning her problem, he asked her to come to his office the following day if she could.  She could scarcely wait for the hours separating her from the moments of the appointment.  The following day, however, at the time appointed, she was already sitting face to face with the doctor.

'So, what is the position?' she asked after exchanging greetings with her doctor.

'Well,' the doctor started, 'I hope you will understand what I am about to suggest.  You know that many years ago when the tension was so high about this very issue, hauling flames from all directions, from your mother in law, your own mother and your husband's relations, the adoption of your two children within a space of two years brought the situation under control, at least to a tolerable level.

'Now that the heat is coming from yourself as an individual rather than from outside, do you not think that applying the same principle could work out something healthy, at least with the consent of your husband?'

'Do you mean going in for another adoption?'  Mrs. Lucas asked, looking so skeptical and totally detached. 

'Yes, precisely, that is what I mean.'

The woman shook her head softly as tears slowly filled her eyes.

'No, doctor.  I don't think I want another adoption.'

'Try to understand me.  I am not saying you will not have your own biological baby in future.  But an adoption now could help you to remove your mind from the problem for some time which could at the same time help to create less anxiety around you.  As you may know, only very few women can take in under situations of extreme tension and pressing anxiety.'

'Doctor Zaki,' the woman quietly called out.  'That's not why I am here.  I am however not quarrelling with you for the suggestion since I know your intentions are pure and genuine.  Above all, as a person, I cannot attempt to suggest that to my husband now.  I don't want to upset him for nothing.  Already, he has accepted his lots as a man, just because he loves me very dearly.  But for the trouble of having another woman as a part of the famility, I would have long suggested to him to take another wife to see if he could get a child out of his own blood.  I have thought about it again and again.  But the trouble within our immediate societal environment is more than enormous.'

'No, no, madam, you forget all about that.  I know you are a kind woman.  But no matter how kind a woman might be, when it comes to sharing one home, so much that is unhealthy could come out of it.  That, however, does not mean I am against what we call polygamy.  For only men who are specially gifted in the art of managing human beings can make a peaceful home with more than a wife around them.  So, completely leave that out of the question.  And since you have totally rejected the suggestion, I'll urge you to still give me some more time to think about the whole situation while we remain in prayers.'

The following day, however, Dr. Zaki received a call from Mrs. Lucas.  She wished to see him in person and so wished to confirm if he was in the hospital.  They fixed their meeting time for 4pm that same day.  So, at the moment, she had already arrived at the hospital and having walked straight to Dr. Zaki's office, was already seated before him.

'I have an idea,' she said to the doctor after exchanging pleasantries.  ' I mean an idea about your suggestion.'

'Am all ears,' the doctor said, waiting to hear from her.

'Supposing I become pregnant while another person is physically carrying the baby?'

'I don't understand.'

'You don't understand?  Well, what I mean is this, if we can find a good girl who will take in for me, then you can rest assured we can make it.  And the moment she takes in, I begin to pass through all the stages of a pregnant woman with her until the day the child is born.  Before then, everybody around would have heard I am pregnant, including my husband.  Then, when the child is born, the disguise is undone and everyone would believe it is my biological baby.'

'That's a crazy idea, madam.  Pardon me for being so frank.  But let's try and answer a few questions,' Dr. Zaki said, looking very thoughtful indeed.  'How would you succeed in making your husband to continue to believe you even when the pregnancy was supposed to have advanced?  For outsiders?  Yes, one could use make-ups to deceive them.  But for a man who lives in the same house with you, how would you go about achieving such a feat?'

'Well, I have taken time to think about all the possible difficulties that could arise in the entire plot, from the beginning to the end.  I know it is possible, if only you will agree to co-operate with me.  And I think it would be a worthwhile drama.  But it will cost money.  And you know money is not in any way a problem.  I am already buggeting over ten million naira or even twenty million and above to see the whole thing pushed through to reality.'

'Madam,' Dr. Zaki said, 'I still have not understood what the plans are all about.  As for the money, I know you are more than capable.  But why budgeting so much just to achieve such a thing?'

'Let us leave that question for now.  But let me give you a break down of my plots.  First, we will get a girl who will be paid very well to take in on my behalf and so carry the baby.  She will be heavily paid.'

'And who will play the role of a father here?' the doctor asked.  'Or would the pregnancy just occur by a mere wish?'

'Well, that's a question.  But let's leave the answer for now.  After all, that could be arranged.'

'I am getting impatient,' the doctor said to her.  'I hope you won't mind if we put off this discussion for some other time in future.'

'Well, Dr. Zaki, I will pay you any amount for your time.  Just listen to me very attentively.  Mind you, I don't cherish what I wish to do.  I am really desperate and you know why.'

'Alright, I am listening.'

'Now, let's get to the top of the plan again.  When the girl takes in, I also take in, at least within the realms of my imaginations.  Then, you will send me abroad on medical grounds.  My husband could visit me at the early stages of the pregnancy.  But we will find a way of keeping him at a distance later until the baby is born . . .'

Chief Mrs. Lucas took time to explain all her plans to her doctor and urged him to start looking out for someone who would accept to be her child's mother.  In spite of the amount of money she promised the doctor to be paid in stages as the plot progressed, he rejected the whole idea on the grounds that the whole thing might turn against medical ethics.  Instead, he told her that there was a young pregnant girl of about twenty three years of age he would have liked to bring into the whole matter if she was ready to go through the normal processes of adoption.  He told her everything he knew about Nelly and the great difficulty he had had to convince her to have the baby.  But he said it was not yet certain if the girl and her parents would let go the baby when it would be born.

On hearing this story, Mrs. Lucas became deeply interested but insisted that she would only be a part of it if Dr. Zaki would accept her plans.

'Whatever they want in form of money,' Mrs. Lucas said, 'I will make sure they have it.  But that is where you accept my offer of ten million naira for your services as I have already proposed.'

Dr. Zaki was silent for a while as his mind went through so many aspects of such a move. 

'Mind you,' Chief Mrs. Lucas said, 'it is not as if I am trying to influence you with my offer.  But I think it is a fair deal.  After all, I am not asking you to go against the laws of God or the laws of the land.  It is only that I want you to organize this matter for me so that at the end of the day, people will come to believe that after all, I am the biological mother of a child.  Never mind about whether or not that is really true.'

'This is not what I bargained for when I gave you the idea of another adoption.  However, madam, give me some time to think over the whole matter.  You have made me a most generous offer, no doubt.  But you know that my reputation is also very, very important to me.'

'Well, if you eventually accept my request, remember that this is a very serious secret between both of us.  For its success absolutely depends on the level of secrecy we are able to achieve at the end of the day.  Otherwise, it could cost me my husband's love and affection.'

'I have heard all you've said.  But you must give me time to think carefully over the whole matter.'

When Mrs. Lucas eventually left the hospital after a very lengthy discussion, Dr. Zaki found himself in the midst of a very serious dilemma.  He would have liked to push the whole matter aside and out of his mind, but two basic factors held him steadfastly to her demands.  First and foremost, how best could he assist his old client under the present situation without hurting his reputation as a medical doctor?  Second was the monetary reward she was ready to make as his remuneration for his services if he accepted.  It was true he was not really a poor man.  As a medical doctor, he lived a simple life and at the age of fifty-four, already owned a hospital most doctors would be glad to make their own.  Under his employment, he had two other doctors, one physician and one specialist gynecologist.  Yet, he would be very reluctant to call himself a rich man in a special sense.  For long, his staff, numbering up to twenty-five in all, had been expecting some salary increases from him and better working conditions.  And all that, he had not been able to achieve because of the nature of medical services within the country.  Majority of his clients were from the poorest members of the society and more often than not, he had had to write off several unpaid bills or cut down on bills just to retain the patronage of his clients.  And since whatever happens within a society would always translate into how much money people would be willing to spend on their health as well as on other basic essentials of life, the end of this scenario was not yet in sight.

On the domestic scene, because of his desire to assist others, especially in the areas of education and the acquisition of trade skills for which he had a foundation, he still had not yet completed a new modern duplex he was erecting in his country home.  Should he regard this offer a blessing or as a kind of trial or temptation?  Dr. Zaki thought about so many things surrounding the present circumstances.  Yet, at the end of the day, he failed to arrive at such a conclusion that would help him make up his mind.  In the afternoon the following day, however, Mrs. Lucas' call went through to him.  She wanted to know whether or not they had struck a deal.  And when Dr. Zaki sounded undecided she said to him:

'But while you are yet making up your mind, why not find out if that girl and her parents would be willing to part with their baby?'

The doctor was momentarily silent.

'Okay.  I will do that.  Let us start somewhere at least.'

Mrs. Lucas switched off as she thanked him, not wanting to make him begin to talk about his reputation again.  To her, accepting to start talking to the girl and her parents was one big step forward.  Dr. Zaki being a man who never forgot his promise, did not waste time in opening a more serious discussion with Nelly and her parents.  For although he had already worked so hard on Nelly, even after making her the promise of a scholarship, she was yet to accept his options, whole and intact without misgivings.  And having already discussed bits of his ideas with both couple, this time around, he decided to invite Mr. Aku alone to his office.

'As I told you,' he started, 'I can arrange for a very serious person to adopt that baby in order to do away with some of the social problems that may be expected in future.'

'Such as?'  Mr. Aku asked, looking so forelorn. 

'Well, such as the fact that within our cultural setting, many girls who have babies in their father's houses often find it difficult to get the types of husbands they deserve, especially when such children live in the knowledge of neighbours, friends and relatives.  As you know, our people are too much after trifles.  So, most people would always blame a young man who goes into such a marital relationship, always afraid of inheriting the child.  Indeed, there are other factors, but let us leave them out for now.  You are a serious adult and an enlightened person for that matter.  After all, you can afford to overlook all these unimportant factors and take your decisions without putting any of them into consideration.  But the problem here is that no man marries his own daughter.  And one may never know who the suitors might be or where they would come from in future.  I am only being practical.'

'Well, doctor,' Mr. Aku returned.  'I must thank you for the great concern you have shown towards my daughter and this terrible problem that almost cost us her life.  It is not that I don't understand what you are saying concerning the social stigma that usually follow this type of problem.  For we may know the circumstances surrounding the whole situation.  But outsiders must have their own opinions and their own stories.  And I know what some of such opinions look like.  You see, the problem here is this, how can we find a reasonable fellow who would take very good care of the child these days when people do all kinds of evil things in the mane of making money?'

‘Well, that may not be a problem.  I am already discussing with a woman through whom I had given out two children into official adoption in the past.  And today, those children are so happy in their homes.  Both of them are presently in the secondary school.  These adoptions took place some twelve to fifteen years ago when I was still working in the University of Nigeria teaching Hospital.

'But you see, adoption is a very serious business.  People who have money are ready to spend any amount of money to get the right child they need.  And because this lady and her husband are very wealthy, she is ready to pay Nelly as much as three point five million naira, take care of her in her own way during the pregnancy and make sure everything comes out perfect.'

'Three point five million naira?'  Mr. Aku asked.  ‘I think that is rather too much for such a thing.  Well, the point is that bringing money into the issue would make Nelly to back off completely from the whole exercise.  She said you have promised her a scholarship through your education foundation.'

'Yes I have.'

'Then, that is enough.  Let's leave the monetary aspect out.  I know we need money.  But one must be very careful about how he makes his money.'

'Alright.  There is no problem.  Madam is sounding difficult over the possibilities of an adoption.  Am I right?'

'Well, yes.  You know women are meant to see all matters from the finer points.  That's what makes them women.  And that is natural.  But we will see what we can do about that.'

The task of convincing Nelly and her parents to give out her baby in an adoption was not an easy one.  As for the monetary reward, the couple rejected that completely.  And so, when next Dr. Zaki met with Chief Mrs. Lucas in his office, he made that aspect very clear.

'The couple completely rejected taking any money for the adoption.  You know it is an enlightened family.  And the more enlightened people are, the more likely they are to be very careful about their decisions.'

'Well, doctor,' Mrs. Lucas said, 'you may be right in what you have said.  But one thing we must bear in mind is the truth that if there is no monetary commitment between us and the family toward the adoption, then, you can be sure they could change their minds, even at the last moment.  Once you can get them to accept a monetary commitment, then, we are on the way to achieving our objective.  And once that aspect is sorted out, then, we must find out her HIV status so that we do not at the end of the day get into a more difficult situation.'

'Her status is negative,' the doctor returned immediately.  'That test is now a formality for any person admitted in this hospital.  So, there is no fear in that direction.  Moreover, a HIV positive mother could now have a HIV free baby.  Where we have a problem is with the issue of making her parents to accept any money over this matter as I have said.  But I will try the best I can to get a positive result.  It means you have to give me a little more time.'

'How about the cost of your services?  You will need some advance, won't you?'

'Well, well, well.  You may not need to bother yourself for now.  Let's get somewhere first.'

'No, doctor, I will like to make a small commitment, at least two point five million naira.  Which of your bankers would you want to use for this transaction?  UBA or First Bank?'

'Well, any of them can go.  You already know the hospital's account numbers in these banks at least.'

'Yes I do.  By the end of tomorrow, I will call to tell you which of them I have used.  Please, remember we do not need any delay now.  If we must achieve our major objective, we must hit while the iron is hot.’