Ada had stopped coming to his house and he almost never saw her whenever she was at her house, if he didn’t know better he would have said she was avoiding him but he hadn’t given her a reason to. Or had he? On the few occasion he did see her she always seemed to be in a hurry to get away.
Three weeks ago when he had been at her house he heard her talking in the sitting room as he was about to knock on the door, but when the door was opened she was nowhere to be found. Onyebuchi had said that she wasn’t around. That event answered his questions, Ada had realized that he liked her and didn’t share his feelings. She wanted to be left alone and he reluctantly accepted the message. His didn’t stop buying the Nwachukwus gifts but he stopped asking after Ada and even avoided seeing her. He had learnt from his past mistake not to hold on to a woman who didn’t want him.
He only thought of her this morning after his mother had called with a suggestion.
“Kunle you have to start thinking of your daughter.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You can’t take of that girl all on your own.”
“I’m not alone ma, I have people who help me.”
“Your neighbours? That’s not what I’m talking about. You need people who can look after that girl properly, she’s a girl you can’t afford to raise her wrongly.”
“My neighbours are doing a good job…”
“Do you know what happens when you’re not around? And that maid who is taking care of her, do you know what she does when you’re not home? The people who you say take care of her can’t take care of her like family.” Kunle held back his back his breath trying to keep his temper in check. “This is what I suggest, let her come and stay with me or stay with one of your older siblings who are more experienced than you are at parenting.”
Kunle rubbed his forehead, he understood that his mother was looking out for him but suggesting that his daughter live with someone else was unthinkable. Teniola had three females who loved her dearly, she was in good hands. Even if he didn’t have their help he couldn’t think of living without her.
“Mummy I understand your concern and I know you’re just looking out for us but I can’t take my daughter elsewhere to be raised. I may not have the experience but I’m willing to learn what it takes to be a good father to my daughter. She stays with me.”
“I knew that you might say this but I want you to consider your daughter’s welfare above yours. She needs a woman in her life and since you don’t have one bring her to me or take her to your sister’s.”
“Mummy I can’t take my daughter to live to elsewhere…”
“Are we strangers? You don’t trust us with your daughter?”
“I didn’t say that…”
“Kunle stop being selfish and bring her to me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You’re being unreasonable. I’ll speak to those who can handle you.” And with that she hung up.
He had switched off his phone shortly after because he knew he wouldn’t be polite to the next person who called to make him feel incompetent in his role as a father. He would deal with them later. For now he was more concerned with his daughter and Banke was doing her best to frustrate him. In his view, the court was more sympathetic towards her just as he had been told they would be. He muttered another prayer under his breath for the sole custody of his daughter as he turned the corner to his street.
In the distance he saw Ada being followed by a young guy who appeared to be flirting with her. Ada turned back and snapped at him but the guy kept following her gesticulating with his hands, obviously appealing to her. Kunle accelerated and pulled up right beside Ada.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“Oh!” Ada had never been more grateful to see Kunle. “I’ve been waiting for you! Why did you take so long?” She said as she got into the car and Kunle drove off.
“Thank you! I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along.”
“Well I’m glad to be of help.” Kunle smiled and faced the road.
“Thank God! I don’t understand why some guys don’t the message when a lady says no.”
“I don’t understand it too.” Kunle muttered under his breath.
Ada fell silent, realizing the awkwardness of what she had just said. “So how was your day?”
“It could have been worse.” Kunle said with an optimistic smile.
Ada looked at him. “Bad day uhn? I had my fair share today too.”
“Really what happened?”
“Well, first of all I forgot my wallet at home so I had to go back when I discovered it at the busstop.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah, it gets worse. By the time I got back to the bus stop there was a long line. To cut a long story short I got late to work and the principal wasn’t too happy about that. Then one of my favorite students had an accident today during the lunch break, if you saw the amount of blood that he lost you would have been scared.”
“Wow, what happened?”
“He fell while he and his friends were chasing each other.”
“Boys!”
Ada shook her head. “And then the ATM didn’t dispense so I had to walk a long distance because I didn’t have enough money to take a bus and then that guy was stalking me on this quiet street where it’s dark…”
“Sounds like quite a day.”
“It was, so thank you again for saving me from that guy.”
“You’re welcome… again.”
Kunle pulled up in front of the house, opened the gate and drove in. “Thanks again.” Ada said as she opened the door.
“You’re welcome, goodnight.” Kunle said with a smile.
“Goodnight.”
Ada was settling in for bed before she thought of how sad Kunle had looked in the car. She fell asleep praying for his troubles to be over.
**********
Olayinka dreaded speaking to her mother because she couldn’t stand the thought of her still being married to Effiong, as far as she was concerned it was only a matter of time before he hit her again. This always dampened their conversation, her mother often had a snide remark or two about Effiong or her complacency. However, it had been a full week since she had last spoken to her and she knew her mother loved it when she called.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, I miss my grandchildren. When next will you bring them?”
Olayinka laughed. “I don’t know, I’m very busy and tired these days especially now that I’m…”
“You’re what?”
Olayinka exhaled, angry with herself for running her mouth. “I’m pregnant.” There was silence on the other end. “Mummy?”
“You didn’t want to tell me did you?”
“I did, I was going to tell you I just wanted to wait for the right time.”
“You mean after you’ve given birth”
“Of course not Mummy… you don’t like my husband despite the fact that you offended him. How can I tell you I’m pregnant?”
He mother sighed. “All I do is for you. I cherish you and I don’t want any man upsetting you and turning you into a shadow of yourself and that’s why I’ve been against Effiong but if you’re absolutely sure that he won’t beat you again…”
“He won’t. He loves me.”
“Alright then. Congratulations, I don’t want you to hide things from me. I’m your mother and if you can’t talk to me what is my purpose your mother?”
“Thank you mum.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So when can I expect you to come visiting.”
“I don’t know about that yet. Let’s take it one day at a time.”
“Alright.” Olayinka hung up.
“Who was that?” Effiong came into the room rubbing his head with a face towel.
“My mum.”
“Oh!” He opened the wardrobe looking for his pajamas.
“Effiong, I really want you to make things up with my mum. You guys used to be very close.”
“Have you seen my green pajamas?”
“Effiong?”
“Have you seen them?”
Olayinka sighed. “They’re dirty, I put them in the laundry basket.”
“What do I wear? What do I wear” He muttered to himself searching the wardrobe. Olayinka lay on the bed praying for a miracle.
Three weeks ago when he had been at her house he heard her talking in the sitting room as he was about to knock on the door, but when the door was opened she was nowhere to be found. Onyebuchi had said that she wasn’t around. That event answered his questions, Ada had realized that he liked her and didn’t share his feelings. She wanted to be left alone and he reluctantly accepted the message. His didn’t stop buying the Nwachukwus gifts but he stopped asking after Ada and even avoided seeing her. He had learnt from his past mistake not to hold on to a woman who didn’t want him.
He only thought of her this morning after his mother had called with a suggestion.
“Kunle you have to start thinking of your daughter.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You can’t take of that girl all on your own.”
“I’m not alone ma, I have people who help me.”
“Your neighbours? That’s not what I’m talking about. You need people who can look after that girl properly, she’s a girl you can’t afford to raise her wrongly.”
“My neighbours are doing a good job…”
“Do you know what happens when you’re not around? And that maid who is taking care of her, do you know what she does when you’re not home? The people who you say take care of her can’t take care of her like family.” Kunle held back his back his breath trying to keep his temper in check. “This is what I suggest, let her come and stay with me or stay with one of your older siblings who are more experienced than you are at parenting.”
Kunle rubbed his forehead, he understood that his mother was looking out for him but suggesting that his daughter live with someone else was unthinkable. Teniola had three females who loved her dearly, she was in good hands. Even if he didn’t have their help he couldn’t think of living without her.
“Mummy I understand your concern and I know you’re just looking out for us but I can’t take my daughter elsewhere to be raised. I may not have the experience but I’m willing to learn what it takes to be a good father to my daughter. She stays with me.”
“I knew that you might say this but I want you to consider your daughter’s welfare above yours. She needs a woman in her life and since you don’t have one bring her to me or take her to your sister’s.”
“Mummy I can’t take my daughter to live to elsewhere…”
“Are we strangers? You don’t trust us with your daughter?”
“I didn’t say that…”
“Kunle stop being selfish and bring her to me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You’re being unreasonable. I’ll speak to those who can handle you.” And with that she hung up.
He had switched off his phone shortly after because he knew he wouldn’t be polite to the next person who called to make him feel incompetent in his role as a father. He would deal with them later. For now he was more concerned with his daughter and Banke was doing her best to frustrate him. In his view, the court was more sympathetic towards her just as he had been told they would be. He muttered another prayer under his breath for the sole custody of his daughter as he turned the corner to his street.
In the distance he saw Ada being followed by a young guy who appeared to be flirting with her. Ada turned back and snapped at him but the guy kept following her gesticulating with his hands, obviously appealing to her. Kunle accelerated and pulled up right beside Ada.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“Oh!” Ada had never been more grateful to see Kunle. “I’ve been waiting for you! Why did you take so long?” She said as she got into the car and Kunle drove off.
“Thank you! I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along.”
“Well I’m glad to be of help.” Kunle smiled and faced the road.
“Thank God! I don’t understand why some guys don’t the message when a lady says no.”
“I don’t understand it too.” Kunle muttered under his breath.
Ada fell silent, realizing the awkwardness of what she had just said. “So how was your day?”
“It could have been worse.” Kunle said with an optimistic smile.
Ada looked at him. “Bad day uhn? I had my fair share today too.”
“Really what happened?”
“Well, first of all I forgot my wallet at home so I had to go back when I discovered it at the busstop.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah, it gets worse. By the time I got back to the bus stop there was a long line. To cut a long story short I got late to work and the principal wasn’t too happy about that. Then one of my favorite students had an accident today during the lunch break, if you saw the amount of blood that he lost you would have been scared.”
“Wow, what happened?”
“He fell while he and his friends were chasing each other.”
“Boys!”
Ada shook her head. “And then the ATM didn’t dispense so I had to walk a long distance because I didn’t have enough money to take a bus and then that guy was stalking me on this quiet street where it’s dark…”
“Sounds like quite a day.”
“It was, so thank you again for saving me from that guy.”
“You’re welcome… again.”
Kunle pulled up in front of the house, opened the gate and drove in. “Thanks again.” Ada said as she opened the door.
“You’re welcome, goodnight.” Kunle said with a smile.
“Goodnight.”
Ada was settling in for bed before she thought of how sad Kunle had looked in the car. She fell asleep praying for his troubles to be over.
**********
Olayinka dreaded speaking to her mother because she couldn’t stand the thought of her still being married to Effiong, as far as she was concerned it was only a matter of time before he hit her again. This always dampened their conversation, her mother often had a snide remark or two about Effiong or her complacency. However, it had been a full week since she had last spoken to her and she knew her mother loved it when she called.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, I miss my grandchildren. When next will you bring them?”
Olayinka laughed. “I don’t know, I’m very busy and tired these days especially now that I’m…”
“You’re what?”
Olayinka exhaled, angry with herself for running her mouth. “I’m pregnant.” There was silence on the other end. “Mummy?”
“You didn’t want to tell me did you?”
“I did, I was going to tell you I just wanted to wait for the right time.”
“You mean after you’ve given birth”
“Of course not Mummy… you don’t like my husband despite the fact that you offended him. How can I tell you I’m pregnant?”
He mother sighed. “All I do is for you. I cherish you and I don’t want any man upsetting you and turning you into a shadow of yourself and that’s why I’ve been against Effiong but if you’re absolutely sure that he won’t beat you again…”
“He won’t. He loves me.”
“Alright then. Congratulations, I don’t want you to hide things from me. I’m your mother and if you can’t talk to me what is my purpose your mother?”
“Thank you mum.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So when can I expect you to come visiting.”
“I don’t know about that yet. Let’s take it one day at a time.”
“Alright.” Olayinka hung up.
“Who was that?” Effiong came into the room rubbing his head with a face towel.
“My mum.”
“Oh!” He opened the wardrobe looking for his pajamas.
“Effiong, I really want you to make things up with my mum. You guys used to be very close.”
“Have you seen my green pajamas?”
“Effiong?”
“Have you seen them?”
Olayinka sighed. “They’re dirty, I put them in the laundry basket.”
“What do I wear? What do I wear” He muttered to himself searching the wardrobe. Olayinka lay on the bed praying for a miracle.
Nice
ReplyDeletegreat job omolola, u had me glued to the screen right from season 1, waiting for the concluding part of the story.
ReplyDelete