The Blue House S03 E11

“Welcome!”
“Thank you! Oh I’ve really missed you!”
“Me too, I’m so glad you’re staying with us for a year and maybe longer…” Helen winked at Ada and they both laughed. “Has your brother told you about his new job?”
“Yeah he has and he said you’re not too happy about it.”

“Well, I’m not excited about it…” Helen rolled her eyes, this was a sore topic for her.
“Don’t worry we’ll have lots of fun, lots of girls’ nights out…we’ll cook all our favorite things…watch all the romance movies and crush on any guy we want…”
Helen laughed. “I don’t know about crushing on any guy, I am married now!”
“Oh don’t be a spoil sport!”
“You better not be crushing on any guy!” Obiora said walking in to the sitting room.
“We’re having a girls’ talk Obi.”
“Yeah… I get that. Helen, no crush.”
“Yes sir!” Helen gave a mock salute.
“I should go and freshen up.”
“Okay… there’s hot water running in the bathroom.”
“Okay, thanks!”
Obiora laughed as he watched his sister go. “Do you think she’s put on some weight?”
“Yeah, a little. But she’ll lose it at camp.”
“Oh yeah… come and sit by me.”
Helen moved over to the sofa and put her head on his chest. “I’m really going to miss you Obi…”
“I know, I’ll miss you too. I want to say something… don’t get upset. I’m not saying you should do what I’m about to ask you, just think about it okay?”
“Okay…” Helen frowned in confusion.
“Please think about relocating to Port Harcourt.”
Helen exhaled. “Okay.”
**********
“I’m coming to take Joy”
Kunle scoffed. “Okay.”
Banke’s mother hesitated tapping the back of her phone. “Do you need her?”
“What do you think ma? She and our neighbour are the ones who help me take care of her but if you want to come and take her it’s fine. We’ll take care of ourselves.”
Banke’s mother sighed, she really didn’t want to take Joy away from Kunle but her daughter felt she was taking sides with Kunle by keeping the maid she had gotten to serve her with Kunle and as usual her husband had agreed. “It’s not my wish to make things more difficult for you.”
“Do whatever pleases you ma but remember that Teniola is your granddaughter.”
“Do you think I’ve forgotten? I’m always on your side Kunle.”
“Thank you ma, that means a lot.”
There was an awkward silence. "I'd like to see my granddaughter..."
Kunle heaved a sigh. "I'll think about it."
"I'm... I'm not the enemy Kunle, if you don't feel comfortable meeting me in your house we can meet somewhere else. There's a children's fun place not far from your place can we meet there?"
Kunle sighed again, the woman had cornered him. "Alright ma, I'll call you."
"Why don't we settle it now?"
"Okay this weekend, I'm free this weekend."
"Thank you my son. You will receive mercy too."
Kunle laughed humorlessly. "Bye ma." He hung up debating the wisdom in meeting with his mother-in-law when his phone rang again. It was his lawyer.
"So everything is going according to plan and I'm certain that we'll win this."
"I hope so, I can't lose my daughter."
"You won't, be hopeful. The world has not come to an end because she left you, put yourself together."
"Have you ever been through a divorce?"
"No, but even if I do I wouldn't kill myself. No woman is worth dying for."
"Bye"
Kunle hung up, he had once been willing to die for Banke.
**********
"What are we celebrating?"Olayinka smiled widely as Effiong walked into the sitting room with a bottle of wine, corkscrew and two wineglasses.
"Your first event! It was a huge success, the organizers just sent me another text."
Olayinka laughed lightheartedly. "I'm really happy, I was so nervous but everything went well."
"I knew you could do it..." Effiong stared into his wife's eyes, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body. He pulled his eyes away and opened the bottle. Olayinka looked away shyly, Effiong had been looking at her differently these days.
"A toast." He declared, handing her a wineglass. "To new accomplishments and new beginnings." They clinked their glasses and Olayinka sat back reminiscing on the day's events.
"Next time I think I should have two chocolate fountains on both sides of the hall...it looked a little rowdy to me having people just on one side of the room." Olayinka carried on completely unaware of Effiong's restlessness. "Also, I think I should have more... "
Effiong's mouth covered hers and didn't let go. The pent-up emotions of the past months consumed them and they gave in to it.
"You're kissing again!"
Effiong and Olayinka started, Max and Sharon were smiling.
"Daddy you're kissing Mummy again!"
"Ah... Guys we were..." Olayinka began, how could she explain this to her kids?
"Loving each other." Effiong completed. "You know Mummy and Daddy have had some rough times, so we're... I'm trying to make things right."
"So you didn't mean to punish Mummy? You won't spank her again?" Max asked.
"No." Effiong bowed his head, he had always wondered how to address the situation with his kids especially Max. "I should never have hit your Mum, no matter what. I made a mistake and I won't repeat it."
Max nodded his head, he had closure.
"Now why don't you guys go to bed?"
"It's early..."
"Obey your Dad. Go to bed!"
"Goodnight..." They chorused sulkily and went to bed.
"Why don't we take this party in?" Effiong whispered into Olayinka's ears.
**********
Ayodele was eating his lunch, really picking at it. The prospect of being a father at his age was gloomy. The phone rang and he froze, was it his father calling or his mother or worse still Peace? Joke had gone to a friend’s house and Posi was asleep so he had to take the call.
“Hello?”
“Ayodele?”
His heart sank, it was his worst nightmare on the other line. “Why are you calling me again?”
“I want to explain something to you.”
“Explain what? What do you have to say?”
“Please let me explain… I’ll come to your school tomorrow.”
“Don’t come… Hello? Peace?” She had hung up.
Ayodele completely lost his appetite.