The Blue House S03 E14

The atmosphere during the drive to the church office had been tension filled. Dapo wondered about his reputation and what the Pastor would say to him; would his position as a deacon be gone? Ronke wasn't at all bothered about what the outcome of the meeting would be; she had nothing to lose. Her children and her life were more important than whatever anyone had to say about her conduct. She was at peace so she leaned back in the chair and slept off. Dapo glanced at her in the rearview mirror and hissed, he didn't know this woman anymore.

Not wanting to have to wake her, he slammed hard on the brake in front of the church office building and the car rocked violently. The baby began to cry. Ronke woke up startled wondering what was going on till she saw the smirk on Dapo's face.

"You have problems!" She said to him and carried the wailing baby.

"Ronke don't provoke me." Dapo warned.

"Be provoked if that's what you want, I'll say whatever I like.”

"I'm warning you!" Dapo held up his index finger threateningly.

"Please get your crooked finger out of my face!"

"Ronke! Ronke!" Dapo stood in front of her yelling in her face. The baby began to cry again.

"What? Do you want to beat me here in front of the church office so that everyone can see what a hypocrite you are?"

Dapo's body trembled in anger, he knew she was baiting him and enjoying it but the temptation not to strike her face was great. Ronke stared at him, daring him to hit her.

"Brother Dapo! Sister Ronke!" The pastor called from his office window having heard the argument downstairs.

"Sir!" Dapo jumped.

**********

Olayinka was glowing, she felt like a newlywed. She and Effiong couldn't get enough of each other. Last night they had even planned a vacation, the only problem was who to leave the twins with. Effiong's parents were far away in Calabar and even though her mother was in Lagos Effiong hadn't even mentioned her as an option. Olayinka was at a loss of what to do about the falling out between her mother and her husband. Effiong never even mentioned her, if any peace was to be made the efforts would have to come from her and her mother and she doubted that her mother would apologize. Asking her siblings to intervene would only complicate matters, they would want to know what had caused the rift in the first place and Olayinka had no intention of letting them know.

She had picked up her phone several times with the intention of calling her mother but thought it best to actually visit her. But then she had no way of knowing if she was home or even in the country for that matter. Eventually she decided that she would take her chances and pay her a visit. Now she sat in front of the house and saw that she was indeed not home, the gate was locked outside. She decided to try her office, her mother sometimes worked during the weekends.

She was right, she pulled up her car right next to her mother’s and sat in the car apprehensively. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her thighs and breathed out. What would she say? I’m sorry. Please come and beg Effiong, he’s still bitter.  Your grandchildren miss you. Then she thought of Helen, she should have come with her. Helen always knew the right thing to say but didn’t she have problems of her own? Besides she was busy taking of her kids and Kunle’s, how could she ask her to accompany her here? She sighed in resignation and decided she couldn’t go through with this visit then leaned forward to start the car.

“Are you really not going to come down?” her mother asked outside the window beside her.

Olayinka was startled, she had been unaware of her mother’s presence. She looked at her then lowered her gaze. “Good afternoon Mummy.”

“Get down.” Her mother ordered and marched back towards her office.

Olayinka scrambled out of the car and locked the door then briskly walked behind her mother. The plaque on the office door had changed from Dr Adepetu to Prof Adepetu. They got inside her office, she sat in her chair and pointed towards the chair opposite her. It was the position she took whenever she had done something wrong. Olayinka sat calmly trying to gather her wits, staring blankly at the files on the desk.

“Well? Why are you here?” Her mother asked staring straight at her.

Olayinka cleared her throat. “Good afternoon Mummy. How are you doing?”

“Fine.”

Olayinka sighed, “I’m sorry about what happened. I’m sorry I wasn’t truthful with you and led you to believe the worst of my husband. I was ashamed of myself and didn’t know what you’d think of me. I’m sorry…”

“I am disappointed in you because I raised you to be better than the woman you’ve become…”

“That’s not who I am anymore. I made a mistake and I thoroughly regret it, it has cost me a lot but I’m not that woman anymore.”

“Well that’s good for you. You still haven’t told me why you’re here.” Prof Adepetu folded her arms across her ample chest.

Olayinka exhaled again. “Well I… we want you to be part of our family again. We all miss you and I want the relationship between you and Effiong to be better…”

“So you want me to go and beg him?”

Olayinka stated unbelievingly at her mother. “You slapped him, you slapped a full grown man in his house for something he didn’t do. He’s not at fault here.”

“Oh so you’ve come here after all this time just to accuse me?”

“No Mummy, I just want there to be peace…”

“So why isn’t he here?”

“You’re the one who offended him. All he was trying to do was to protect what was left of my reputation. He knew that you’d be disappointed in me.”

“So you want me to go and appeal to an abuser, a man who beats his wife?”

“It was just one time and I taunted him…”

“You’re so weak!” Prof Adepetu shook her head. “I’ve heard many women say that about their husbands and then go back to them. A few months later, they are either dead or severely injured.”

“That’s not who Effiong is. He made a mistake just as I did and we have forgiven each other and moved on.”

“Of course you have.” Prof Adepetu sneered and shook her head disapprovingly. “Is that all you’ve come to say?”

“Mummy…”

“How are my children?”

Olayinka’s shoulders sagged. “They’re fine. They ask about you all the time.”

**********

“Brother Dapo, Sister Ronke what is really going on?” the pastor asked perplexed, this couple was supposed to be the shining example of marital bliss but all that the Elders had told him had greatly shocked him to say the least.

“Ronke has rebelled.”

“Is that so Sister Ronke?”

“I guess so, if fighting for my life and that of my children’s is rebellion then I have rebelled.”

“Fighting for your life?”

“Yes sir.” Ronke went on to narrate how she had gone into premature labour.

“This is serious, and is it true that Ayodele has impregnated your house help?”

“That is what they have said but I don’t believe it…”

“But was he truly sleeping with her?”

“Yes…” Ronke answered with less confidence.

“But how is that even possible? You hold fellowships in your home every Sunday, your children have been taught the word of God…”

“That is exactly what I told her!” Dapo cut in happily.

“Yes it is true that they have a good foundation but that is not enough Pastor. The boy is a teenager, he has feelings that he’s just discovering and he needs someone to talk to about them. Someone who can give him godly advice and that is what I was trying to tell this man here.” She jerked her head in Dapo’s direction “But he was too afraid to talk about sex with his son. All this could have been avoided if he had just done the right thing.”

“Do you hear the way she’s peaking to me?”

“And how is she speaking to you Brother Dapo?”

“Can’t you hear the tone of her voice?”

“What tone Brother Dapo?” The pastor asked irritated. “Anyway we will address that later, the most important issue at hand is that of the pregnancy. I was told that you met with the girl’s parents and they asked you to acknowledge the child as yours?”

“Yes sir but that is impossible…” Ronke cut in, ready for a fight.

“Please listen to me first, there is no way to prove that Ayodele isn’t the father of the baby since he was sleeping with her. This is what I advise, accept the child now to avoid any more trouble with the girl’s family members and then demand for a paternity test when the child is born. Does that sound fair?” It did. “Now I will speak to each of you individually. Brother Dapo, please excuse us.” Dapo got up to leave. “Why don’t you take the baby?”

“Sir?”

“I said why don’t you take the baby?”

“Sir?”

“Brother Dapo, take the baby.” Dapo took the child from Ronke, carrying her for the very first time.