Joy At The End

Chapter 20: Joy At Last

After saying this, Mr. Jack left the house, got into his car, and sped away.

"God, I need money to take care of my family. Please make them pay my salary before the end of this week," he prayed silently as he continued his journey.

*******

Samba was driving to the office, listening to music. As she drove, she spotted Joy, her stepsister, wearing a copper uniform and holding her baby. Joy was waiting for a ride.

Samba pulled up beside her. "Hello, sister, how are you doing?"

Joy didn't recognize her because Samba had changed.

"Fine," Joy replied.

"Do you remember my face?"

"No, ma."

"Alright, where are you headed?"

Joy told her the destination.

"Come in, I'll take you there."

"Okay, thanks," Joy said and got into the car. Samba drove off.

"You said you don't remember me."

"Yes, ma."

"Alright, do you remember your sister Samba who left home when she was young?"

"Yes, I remember very well."

"And you said you don't know me?"

"Are you Samba's friend?"

"No."

"Then how do you know about her?"

"Joy, the person you're talking to right now is Samba."

Joy turned to Samba, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wow, Samba! I'm so excited to see you today!" Joy exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands, overwhelmed with joy.

"Samba, my dear sister, I've missed you so much! Since the day you left, we searched everywhere for you but couldn't find you. I thank God for letting me see you today."

"Let me call Dad so you can talk to him."

"Alright, take my phone and dial his number," Samba said, handing her phone to Joy.

Joy took the phone and thought to herself, "This phone Samba has is worth 1.5 million. After my service, may God make me rich as she is."

She dialed her father's number and handed the phone back to Samba.

The phone rang while Mr. Jack was still driving. He pulled over to answer it.

"Hello, who is this?"

"It's Samba."

"Samba! My daughter, I'm so glad to hear your voice. Where are you now?"

"Dad, I'm in Abuja."

"I wish I could see you."

"Don't worry, Dad. When the time is right, I'll visit you. Meanwhile, send me your account number so I can send you something."

"Alright, I'll send it. I'm eager to see you. Send me your address so your mother and I can come."

"Which mother?"

"Your stepmother, of course."

"Okay, I understand."

"Alright, I'll send you my account details," he said and ended the call.

"God, I thank You for making my dreams come to pass. At last, I heard my daughter's voice." He said this and sent his account number to Samba.

A few minutes later, he received an alert for 100k and a message from Samba.

He was amazed when he saw it; he hadn't been expecting such a large amount of money from her.

So, he called Samba, and she answered.

"Hello, thank you so much. I am truly grateful."

"You don't need to thank me for that. You did far more for me when I was young. You can give Mummy Joy 10 percent of it and keep the rest."

"Okay, my daughter. What work are you doing?"

"I am the assistant director at Johnson Radio Station, while my husband is the CEO of the company."

"That sounds great. It's a significant achievement. I thank God for your life."

"Alright, Daddy. It is the work of God."

"Okay, we shall come to see you soon." And he ended the call.

"Samba, I don't like what you've done."

"What is it?" Samba asked.

"You asked my dad to give my mum 10 percent of the amount you sent."

"Don't worry about that. I will send the payment to your mum as well."

"Alright, let me give you her account number."

Samba asked her to call out her mum's account number. After she did, Samba promised to arrange the payment.

As Samba continued driving, she thought to herself, "God forbid, I won't send a kobo to her account apart from the 10 percent I told my dad to give her."

The following day, Mr. Jack and his wife prepared to go to Samba's house. They packed their luggage and set off on the journey.

Mr. Jack had already called Samba to inform her that they were coming. The journey took them five hours before they arrived at Samba's compound.

When Mr. Jack and Angelina saw the building where Samba was living, they were amazed.

"God, this is a palace," Angelina said, her mouth wide open in surprise.

Mr. Jack parked the car outside the gate. They got out and knocked on the gate, which Samba opened immediately. She had already seen them on the CCTV camera and went to welcome them.

When Mr. Jack and Angelina saw Samba, they didn't recognize her at first because she had changed so much. But as Samba opened the gate, she hugged Mr. Jack.

"Daddy, welcome, sir."

"Samba, my lovely daughter, I'm glad to see you."

After hugging, Samba invited them in and asked the gatekeeper to carry their luggage inside.

When they entered the living room, they found Johnson sitting on a three-seater sofa. As soon as Johnson saw them, he stood up to welcome them.

"You are welcome. Please have a seat," Johnson said, and they all sat down in the living room.

Samba then introduced Johnson to her parents.

"Daddy, Mummy, this is my husband. Honey, these are my parents I told you about," Samba said.

"You are welcome," Johnson said, smiling at them.

"Thank you. Samba, we really missed you so much since the day you left the house. Thank God we found you," Mr. Jack said.

"Yes, Daddy, it's God who made me see Joy when I was driving to my office. God is wonderful."

"Anyway, why did you leave the house like that and not come back?" Mr. Jack asked.

Samba breathed heavily and said, "It's because of your wife."

"What do you mean, my wife? How?"

"She mistreated me when you traveled because of jealousy. She even punished me for things I didn't do."

"Angelina, why did you do that? Was it because of the gifts I bought for her when she came first in class?"

Angelina couldn't answer her husband but instead begged Samba, weeping.

"Please, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it would lead to you running away. Please forgive me."

"Daddy, I really suffered. I left your house and worked as a housemaid. If not for God directing my love to me and bringing me out of poverty, what would we be saying now?"

"Please forgive me," Angelina said as she wept.

She wanted to kneel down, but Samba stood up immediately and helped her up.

"Mummy Joy, you don't have to kneel for me. I forgive you."

"Thank you," Angelina said as she wiped her tears.

"Well, in everything, let us give thanks to God. God knows why it happened, but next time, Mama, let this be a lesson. Be kind to anyone who comes to live with you because nobody knows what tomorrow holds," said Johnson.

"Thanks for the advice. I really learned from what happened in the past."

"Anyway, let's thank God for making me somebody in life. If not for God, who am I? I also thank God for making it possible for us to come together like this."

"Glory be to God in the highest," said Mr. Jack.

"Let's forget about the past. Let's go to the dining table. The food is ready; let's eat before it gets cold."

They all went to the dining table to eat. They ate and drank together happily.

Mr. Jack and Angelina spent three weeks with them before traveling back home.

During the three weeks, Samba took Mr. Jack out to buy a car and asked him to choose his favorite. Mr. Jack chose a Highlander, and Samba paid for it. Samba also promised him that she would build a house for him, and she kept her promise.