"Mom, what are you always writing in this small book?Kelvin, an eight-year-old boy, asked his mom one evening after dinner when his mom was writing in her diary.
"Baby, it's not a small book; it's called a diary," Kelvin's mom, Natasha, replied.
"A diary," Kelvin murmured.
"What is a diary, mom?" Kelvin asked his mom Natasha.
"Hmm, my ever-inquisitive baby, okay, a diary is a small book where important events and writeups are kept," Natasha said to Kelvin, who was trying to read what his mother was writing.
Natasha had been a single mother for two years; her husband, Phillip, was murdered when Kelvin was six years old, and since then, Natasha has been the cross-bearer alone.
Phillip was a well-known engineer in their community and state; he handles big projects, and he is known for his quality work. This was the envy of some of his colleagues, but since he had no beef with anyone, Phillip continued to do his work efficiently, and he was loved by many.
Ever since Phillip and Natasha got married before having Kelvin, Natasha has always documented how each day went in her diary, which her husband also knew about.
One Saturday evening, while Phillip was in his office, he received two visitors who disguised themselves as clients.
"Hello sir, you have two visitors waiting for you at the reception, but they said they don't have an appointment with you, but it's important they see you for a business conversation," the secretary said to Phillip over the phone.
"Trisha, come on, let them in; you know we ate open for all," Phillip said to Trisha, his secretary, over the phone, and Trisha sent the gentlemen into Phillip's office.
A few minutes later, the men came out of Phillip's office and hurried out. Trisha bid them goodbye but was expecting Phillip to call her if it was business for documentation.
After a while, Trisha didn't hear from her boss. She called him on the phone, but he wasn't picking up, so she hurried to his office, only to meet Phillip in the pool of his own blood; he had been murdered.
This was a shock to Trisha, as she rushed out to alert other staff, who called his wife and the policemen.
"The boss had been murdered, but by whom? one of Phillip's staff asked among themselves.
The police began the investigation and invited some of the staff for questioning, including Trisha. Trisha narrated to the police the story of the two men that came before Phillip was murdered.
The CCTV footage was checked, but it couldn't capture the faces of these two men properly as they were conscious of the camera. After several investigations proved abortive, the police gave up on the case, leaving Natasha as a widow without getting justice for her husband.
Natasha noted the date, the findings of the police in her diary, and how life had been for her since her husband's demise.
"It's time for bed, baby," Natasha said to Kelvin as she carried him to his room.
Year after year, Natasha continues to fill up her diary with her daily activities until something unexpected happens.
One of her late husband's friends, known as Mr. Ben, came to visit her two years after the demise of her husband to ask for her hand in a relationship.
"You've been lonely for two years; don't you think it's high time for you to get a man who would help you maintain your pretty skin color?" Mr. Ben said jokingly.
"Thank you for your concern, sir. When I'm ready, I will," Natasha replied.
Just as she said that, Mr. Ben wanted to put his arm around Natasha's neck, but she shrugged and shifted away from him.
"What is wrong with you? I have always loved you, even before the demise of my friend, and now that he's gone, I don't see anything bad in taking good care of you, Nat," Mr. Ben said with a smile.
"Your wife would have been waiting for you by now; kindly leave," Natasha said as she stood up towards the door to see Me Ben out.
"No problem, I will leave, but don't waste your life the way your husband wasted his," Mr. Ben said as he walked out of Natasha's house.
"What a level of shamelessness," Natasha hissed as she headed back to sit when she saw Kelvin behind her watching.
Kelvin had been sitting in the small living room, watching and listening to Mr. Ben's conversation with her mother.
"What does he want, mom?" Kelvin asked innocently.
"It's nothing, baby; don't mind him, okay?" Natasha replied to her son.
"Let's go and write it in your diary," Kelvin said happily, like he had won the lottery.
His mother smiled, and they both headed into Natasha's bedroom to document the event. Natasha wrote down everything said by Mr. Ben without excluding any.
Natasha continues with her life while Mr. Ben keeps pestering her for a relationship. Natasha got so tired of it that she threatened to report it to Mr. Ben's wife if he did not desist from the shameful act. This got Mr. Ben angry, and he said something in anger.
One afternoon after work, Natasha was resting on the sofa in the living room when she heard a knock on the entrance door. Before she could say come in, Mr. Ben had already found his way in.
"Natasha baby, my baby, I'm back again. Woman, let me take care of you, or do you like the way you are lonely?" Mr. Ben asked as he moved towards the sofa Natasha was sitting on.
"I've warned you, sir, to stop disturbing me; I will report you to the security bodies if you persist," Natasha shouted at Mr. Ben, which made Kelvin come out of his room when he heard his mom's voice.
"You are wasting away, Nat. Let me be the shoulder you cry on. Don't waste your life the way your husband did; it was this same stubbornness that killed him. He was wasted," Mr. Ben said to Natasha.
Immediately, Natasha's countenance changed. He looked at her son Kelvin and told him to go back inside. Immediately after Kelvin left, Natasha grabbed Mr. Ben's shirt by the collar.
"So you killed my husband; you killed my husband; you turned me into a widow," Natasha shouted as she began to cry uncontrollably.
Before Mr. Ben could defend himself, he realized that he had talked too much, so he decided to threaten Natasha, unknown to them, that Kelvin was peeping from where he hid when he was told to go to his room.
Mr. Ben shook Natasha's hands off his collar and harshly said, "Listen carefully, woman; it will be good for you and your son to keep your mouth shut if you want to live, or else you will be wasted.".
He left immediately. He said that Natasha was still shaking, finding it difficult to believe what she just heard. She broke into tears as Kelvin ran towards her to console her.
"Stop crying, mummy, stop crying," Kelvin said as he was about to cry too, and then immediately his mom noticed; she stopped crying and hugged him.
Natasha documented everything Mr. Ben said into her diary word for word, and Kelvin watched her as she did.
The next day, Natasha went out to get groceries needed at home, leaving Kelvin at home playing his video games. He doesn't like being distracted, which made his mom leave him at home.
Immediately after Natasha stepped out, Kelvin ran to the security post in their estate with his mom's diary and demanded a chance to speak with the police. Everyone knew him to be Phillip and Natasha's son, and they were all aware of the demise of his father.
"I have an important message, but my mom will not allow me as she is being threatened," Kelvin said, looking around in case his mom is approaching.
When the security at the post heard this, he helped Kelvin dial the emergency number of the police, and in no time, the police showed up at their estate.
Kelvin gave the diary to the police, and they glanced through it, kept it, and were asking him some questions when his mom showed up. Natasha was scared to see her son with the police; she ran there and inquired what happened.
"Madam, there is no need to panic, but you will have to follow us to the station," one of the policemen said.
"Natasha was asking Kelvin what happened, but he didn't say a word. Natasha and Kelvin entered the police vehicle and headed to the police station.
They took Natasha and Kelvin to an office for questioning, and the police brought out Natasha's diary. Natasha was surprised to see her diary with the police, then she started thinking of what might have happened.
"How do you get that, please? That's for me," Natasha said.
"Madam, your son called us and reported that you were being threatened, then gave us this diary. We are sorry to intrude on your privacy, but this (raising the diary) is very useful to us.
Then, after hearing it, Natasha explained to the police everything said by Mr. Ben. This got to the hearing of the police head of department, and then a warrant was issued for Mr. Ben's arrest.
That same day, Mr. Ben was brought in as a suspect in the murder of Mr. Phillip, Natasha's husband. After further investigation, the police and Natasha learned that Mr. Ben ordered the assassination of his friend, Mr. Phillip. Mr. Ben was asked to give information about the assasins, which he did, and they were arrested too.
Natasha could not hold back her tears when she finally got justice for her husband, thanks to her son Kelvin.
"Thank you for being brave even when I was not; you got justice for your father, baby. Thank you so much," Natasha said to Kelvin in court, where Mr. Ben and his accomplices were charged with murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
After two years, Natasha got married to another man and was living happily with her new husband and Kelvin.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.