Jeff is still thinking of what to say to his mom when he gets to the village. For two days he's been home. Things have not been going well for him. His financial recklessness has reached a crescendo. Realities have set in, and he has been strategising on how to coerce his mom to give him yet more money. He stopped going to work when his boss questioned him for coming to work late. He felt insulted and told his boss aggressively that he wouldn't resume work the following day. Jeff hardly retains a job beyond six months. The highest he has worked is seven months. That happened after his previous boss, his uncle, decided to take his excess. You dare not correct Jeff on his job; if you do, it will be his last day on the job. All efforts to put Jeff on the right track become a mirage.
No wonder people say that a fool at forty is a fool forever. Before his 40th birthday, which was three years ago, his mom gave him a huge amount of money to start a business. The money came because he told his mom that he couldn't get married without having a thriving business. His mother had to borrow money from a microfinance bank for him. He took the money to the city and in less than a year, all the money was gone. As the only child, his mom pestered him to get married so she could carry her grandchild before she died. All of these meant nothing to Jeff.
No one understood what he spent his money on, despite good-paying jobs, Jeff still lives from hand to mouth. Having issues with bills and many other financial challenges.
While still lost in his thoughts, he suddenly remembered what his mom told him about Granny's Golden Bracelet. He sprang to his feet and immediately began a journey to the village to visit his mom.
His mom had told him that Granny's bracelet was worth a huge sum of money. Granny Mrs Elizabeth, as she was fondly called by the White men, worked for many years. She was lucky to be one of the first people Queen Elizabeth of England met when she visited Nigeria. Amongst the five women who were selected to receive her at the Airport, Granny was highly favoured by the queen. It might be because of her beauty. From that time, everyone decided to call her Elizabeth. She later left the bracelet in the custody of Martha, who later happened to be Jeff's mom. The instruction was for Martha never to sell out the golden bracelet but to pass it on from one generation to another as a reminder of Queen Elizabeth's kind gesture.
Jeff got home some minutes past 8:00pm many people had already gone to bed. He knocked on the main door to the building and no one responded. He went through the calendar to the back door, which is close to his mom's room, and he saw a glimpse of light as he was about to knock; his mom called out.
“Who's there”?
“It’s Jeff”
Immediately, the door was open, and his cousin Michael welcomed him.
“Jeff, why did you decide to embark on a night journey? I have cautioned you many times not to travel at night, but you wouldn't hear” his mom queried.
He dropped his small crossed bag and sat on her bedside.
“I left early, but the vehicle broke down on the way, so I had to take another vehicle,” he responded.
“How are you, I hope you're fine, this one that you didn't inform us that you were coming”
“Mom, I am fine,“ he paused for a while. He wanted to spill out how life has been difficult for him. He remembered that he had just arrived and his cousin was there, hence he kept quiet.
“There is food in the kitchen”, she said still lying on the bed
He entered the kitchen and he was served his portion of the meal.
In the night while everyone was asleep, Jeff began to search the house for a golden bracelet. Obviously, it was nowhere to be found. He searched all the rooms. He spent the following day quietly looking for the bracelet.
He didn't care about his mom's ill health, all he needed was the golden bracelet. He knew his mom would not give him access to it. Suddenly, he had an idea; he went to his mom's old room, opened her box of clothes, and beheld the golden bracelet. He immediately took it, and about to dash out, he stumbled on his mom, who stood at the door.
“Give it to me,” she said, stretching her hand. He maintained his movement, shame wouldn't let him look at her face. He gave it to her grudgingly. He walked out and felt disappointed. Straight away, he went back to town.
After some time, the old woman opened the box to confirm the bracelet, but to her greatest surprise, it was nowhere to be found. All efforts to reach out to Jeff became abortive.
Who stole Granny's Golden Bracelet?
A few days later, Jeff's mom could not stand the heart attack from the missing bracelet. He passed on and was given a befitting burial.
After the burial, Michael and Jeff lived together in an expensive apartment.
Image source: MetaAi