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James and Mary had always wanted to live with their only son, Jason but, his strong affinity for his grandma, who was very fond of him made Jason to be allowed to live with her as early as when he turned 4.
"My husband", Grandma called, referring to Jason, "go and tell Peter, the hunter to ensure he preserved the hind limbs of that antelope I bought from him well until Sunday when we shall use it to prepare the Mothering Sunday delicacy".
Grandma who lost her husband in her late 50's always called Jason, "My husband". Her attachment to Jason was partly connected with the resemblance between him and her husband, Jason's grandpa.
"Yes Ma". Jason replied and strolled to Peter's house which was just after a few houses.
The relationship between Jason and Grandma was so cordial that it obvious he was not missing his parents.
Jason started his nursery class from Grandma's house, and continued to his primary education. Every morning, she woke up to prepare and walk him to school, and go to bring him back home after school.
However, when Jason turned 11, after his primary education, his father requested that he should come to live with them because he was to enroll in a secondary school, close to them in their town.
This was how Jason came to live with his parents again. Before the resumption of His Grace Academy where Jason got admission, he started noticing the friction between his father and mother. They were always quarrelling, disagreeing and arguing on very many issues.
He didn't see it all because it didn't take much time for the first term to start, and he went to school, living in the dormitory. It was during the 3 weeks holiday that he observed that his parents' intolerance to each other could easily degenerate to physical confrontation.
He was helpless because as a child there was virtually nothing he could do to bring peace. Many times he would just be sulking and crying. The burden was very heavy in his little heart, more so, he had a quiet and none violent nature.
As he carried this burden to the school for the second term, he began to lose concentration which naturally affected his performance, both academically and socially.
When the term ended, instead of travelling to Gboko where his parents were, he travelled to be with Grandma at Lafia.
"Ah!" Grandma exclaimed. "My husband, happy to see you. How about mommy and daddy, and school?" Grandma asked with wide opened arms and embraced him.
"Yes", Jason replied for want of something to say.
"I'v not even seen your parents for a long time now."
"They asked me to spend my holiday with you", Jason lied.
"Oh! That's good of them", Grandma said, and continued, "My husband has come. Just wait a bit, let me clean your room".
As soon as the room was ready, Jason moved in, and took time to ruminate over his plan.
It was very late in the evening when Jason called his father with his cellphone which he switched off since morning.
James picked the call in a jiffy because he had been dialing Jason's number to no avail.
"I'm in custody. I've been kidnapped by some people". Jason told his frightened father with a voice that sounded as if under a threat.
"By who? Who're they?" The sound of the panting heart of James could be heard a kilometer away, and his shaking hands could hardly hold the phone. Sweat instantly, erupted all over his body.
"Mary, Mary", he called out to his wife. "Come, come quickly". He didn't even wait for Mary to come rather, he rushed to meet her in the veranda where she was sitting.
"Our son is in trouble, kidnapped".
"What are you saying?" Mary asked, and asked again in order to fully understand what James was driving at. "What's the meaning of this?"
"Who did you say they are?" James asked again talking to the phone.
"They're two, with guns."
"What do they want?"
"I don't know but they say they know all our family members, including Grandma".
"So, what do they really want? Let me talk to them".
"I've told them to talk to you but, they're not ready".
"Oh! My God".
"They're saying they can only negotiate with Grandma".
"Daddy, I don't want to be hurt please, get Grandma quickly".
"Ok. We'll do that quickly". James promised.
"And they're saying you should not involve the police at all or, risk everything".
That night, James and Mary became united by a common problem. They drove off in James' car to Lafia town, to get Grandma involved. It was dead in the night when the reached Lafia. Everyone had gone to bed, so to say.
When they knocked at the door, Grandma didn't believe anyone could come to her house at such an odd hour. She was sure there was real trouble somewhere. She opened the door with her heart in her hand.
"What's the matter?" She asked in a quiet voice, expecting to hear a sad news.
"Some people have kidnapped Jason and...", James started without even sitting down.
"Which Jason?" Grandma interrupted without letting him to complete his statement.
"Our own Jason".
"What are you saying? Are you joking or what?" Grandma was trying to get the picture of what James was up to.
"He called to say he had been hijacked", Mary tried to explain.
"You don't know what you're saying. Jason, my husband is in his room. Were you not the ones that told him to spend his holiday with me?"
"Where? When?"
"Jason, Jason", Grandma called, going towards his room. That seemed to be the first time she was calling him by his real name.
Jason came out from the room. He opened up to disclose the reason why he had to come to Grandma, and why he faked his kidnap.
Everything centres on the violence and lack of peace in his parents' home.
James and Mary realized the extent their squabbles had gone to make their son to fear staying with them. On the spot, they openly apologized to Jason, and promised to turn a new leaf.
From then onwards, the unfortunate quarrels in their home became a thing of the past.
