The Blue House S04 E14

Dear reader, this is the final episode of the series. I'm sure that you've enjoyed it. If you still haven't shared it with your contacts, please get to it!!!

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Merry Christmas!

Banke walked into George’s hospital room and saw him lying on his stomach, his head was facing the opposite direction. His skin was baldly scalded from the hot rice Joy had poured over him. She stood still not sure what to believe, Kunle had told his version of the story and so had George but why would either of them lie? Don’t be so quick to judge she told herself, he loves me. George had heard someone come in but whoever it was wasn’t saying anything.

“Banke?” he called out lying still because of the pain on his back. “Is that you baby?”

“Yes George it’s me.” Banke replied weakly turning to his side and facing him, she saw the agony of his suffering on his face. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m in a lot of pain. What took you so long?”

Banke pulled a chair closer and sat beside him. “I went home to check on Teni and I heard some stories, I want you to tell me the truth, what happened George?”

“It’s just like I told you, she attacked me.”

“But why would she do that, Joy is not a violent person?”

“I was surprised too. I thought I’d look after them for you because you had already told me that you’d be home late.” He winced, bobbing his head every now and then as he spoke was painful.

“Take your time.” Banke said gently.

“When I got there I was hungry, so I told Joy to cook me something and that’s when she started acting up.”

“Acting up?”

“Yeah, she got disrespectful, telling me that I had no right to ask her to do anything because I’m not her boss. I wanted to scold her but I let it go. An hour later she still hadn’t brought me anything to eat so I called her and asked what was up, but she was rude again…” he winced again. “Eventually I told her to watch how she was speaking to me… it’s all hazy but we started to argue then she went into the kitchen, came out and poured hot rice all over me.”

The story made no sense to Banke, Joy was far from being confrontational and she had always known her to be respectful. That she would pour a hot pot of rice all over George because they got into an argument was a hard thing to believe. George could sense her doubts.

“You don’t believe me right?”

Banke sighed. “It’s a hard story to believe George. I heard that her clothes were torn and she had bruises on her private part, how do you explain that?”

“Babe you have to believe me, I didn’t touch that girl. She’s younger than my youngest sibling for crying out loud! She must have torn her clothes herself…”

“And her private part? Did she do that to herself?”

“Is it going to be her word against mine? You know me!”

“I don’t know George…” Banke said looking away, she wanted to believe George was telling the truth. The problem was that she did believe George was lying.

**********

Banke drove home thinking about the events of the past months with George, wondering if he had ever shown any attribute of a molester. He had been a good friend to her and lavished her with the attention and gifts that Kunle hadn’t. He never nudged her or made her doubt her own convictions, he had let her be herself. He was good looking, smart, rich and from a wealthy family. What more could a woman ask for? On the other hand, she thought of the fact that George hadn’t seemed the least remorseful after the first time they had sex despite the fact that she was still married. But that was a male thing right? She also thought of the morning he had a strange lip allergy and Joy had coincidentally gotten into a fight that got her lips bruised. Had that been a sign she ignored? She thought of all these as she got home and surveyed everywhere.

There was no single grain of rice on the sitting room floor but Joy had probably swept it clean to corroborate her rape story. It wasn’t until she go into the kitchen that she saw the rice on the floor. Hadn’t George said that Joy attacked him in the sitting room?

She dialed Kunle’s number.

“What is it?” Kunle asked agitated.

“Please let me talk to Joy.”

“What for?”

“Please Kunle, I need to talk to her.”

Kunle was silent for a while. “I don’t believe you, you actually think he’s innocent! Hold on for her.”

After a while Joy came to the phone. “Hello ma.” she spoke in a subdued voice.

“Joy… what happened? Tell me the truth.”

Joy told her everything and she finally believed that George had been lying to her. “Thank you.” she said in a choked voice, hung up and slumped to the floor. What kind of man had she been sleeping with? What kind of man had she left Kunle for?

**********

It was the weekend again and Dapo was glad to be resting from the stress of the week. Watching TV in the sitting room, he laughed out loud with the rest of his family enjoying the comedy that was showing. Ronke came into the sitting room with a tray of prawn crackers and they all helped themselves to it. It was a family time like never before.

“Dear, I heard of this family picnic that is holding on the island next week. Should we go?” Ronke asked.

“How much is it?”

Ronke laughed. “I knew that was the first thing you’d ask!”

Dapo smiled. “And the fact that you’ve not answered me suggests that it’s expensive.”

“It’s worth it, trust me. My friend…”

There was a knock on the door.

Ayodele got up to answer it, it was Peace’s father at the door. “Good morning sir.” he greeted awkwardly and swung open the door.

“Good morning.” Dapo greeted rising up.

“Good morning sir. I have come to see you. Can we talk privately please?”

“Let’s go inside.” Ronke said to the children and left the room.

“Please sit down.”

Baba Ibeji sat down, amazed at the warmth in the home. Something had happened here. “I have something to tell you, I just found out about it actually. If I had known, things would be different.” He took in a deep breath. “It appears that your son did not impregnate my daughter after all. She was raped by your barber…”

“Tunji.”

“You know!”

“I recently found out too. My son eventually confessed, he said Peace told him no one would believe him if he confessed and we didn’t tell you anything because I knew you wouldn’t believe us unless your daughter confessed to you.”

“These children…” Baba Ibeji said shaking his head. “Well, there’s nothing that can be done now.”

“What do you mean? You can go to his house, I can take you there, and demand that he accepts responsibility or you’ll take him to the police.”

“It’s too late, Peace lost the baby early this week.”

“You don’t mean it!” Dapo said unbelievingly. “How? What happened?”

“It’s a long story but I thought I should let you know everything so that we can all move on and accept that it’s the way fate has planned it.”

Dapo didn’t believe that fate had planned that his son would sleep with the maid, that had happened as a result of several things but he didn’t want to argue with Baba Ibeji who was visibly disturbed by the events of the past week.

“That’s what I’ve come to see you about.” He said rising.

“I’m sorry about everything.”

“Thank you.” Baba Ibeji replied without any conviction that Dapo was sorry about how things had turned out.

After closing the door, Dapo sat down and thought about the events of the past months, reminded of the fact that none of it would have happened if he had done his duty as a father.

**********

“I wonder who that is. Are you expecting anyone?” Olayinka asked Effiong, they were about to watch a movie and had settled on the couch for an hour and a half of comedy.

“No I’m not. Let me see who it is.”

Effiong opened the door to see Mrs Adepetu standing in the doorway. He stood still for a few seconds as if deciding whether to let her in or not, then opened the door wider.

“Mummy!” Olayinka said stunned, she hadn’t expected to see her mother so soon after their last conversation.

“Grandma!” the twins ran to her and hugged her.

“Hello my darlings, can I get a few minutes with your parents? We can play afterwards okay?”

“Alright grandma.” Max said.

“Talk quickly okay?” Sharon admonished, reluctant to let her grandmother go.

“Can I sit down?”

“Please.” Olayinka said rising.

“Where are you going?” Effiong asked.

“I think I should give you two some privacy.” She said without looking at his face.

Effiong became uncomfortable, why would Olayinka put him in this awkward situation? He shifted in his seat.

“I have offended you.” Mrs Adepetu began. “You’ve proved to be the more mature one.” Behind the curtain Olayinka heaved a huge sigh of relief. If Effiong could forgive her affair, he would forgive her mother’s behaviour.

**********

One month later

Banke knocked on the door and waited. Joy opened it and gasped, was she back to cause more trouble?

“Joy, how are you?”

“Fine ma.” she answered guardedly.

“Who’s that?” Kunle asked from behind Joy.

“Kunle it’s me.” Banke said brushing Joy aside and entering the house. Ada was seated beside him eating fried potatoes.

“Why are you here?” Kunle asked looking outside the door to see if she was here with any law enforcement agent.

“I just want to talk. Can we step outside?” She answered with her arms upraised.

“Excuse me.” he said to Ada who was also worried about Banke’s presence in the house. Teniola was watching Barney oblivious to her mother’s arrival.

As soon as the door was shut Kunle asked again. “Why are you here?”

Banke removed her shades and he saw that she had been crying. “I know the court has granted you custody now but I want to be a part of my daughter’s life. Please let me be a part of her life, I’ll take whatever conditions you give me but please give me something.”

Kunle ran his hand though his head. “This isn’t something I’ve thought of. I never thought I’d see you again but you’re Teni’s mother and I don’t want her accusing me of putting the distance between you two in the future. I’ll think of a plan and get back to you.”

“Thank you Kunle, I really appreciate it. I know I don’t deserve your kindness…”

“You got that right.” He muttered.

“I’m grateful.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, bye. I’ll call you.” Kunle held the door knob.

“Kunle?”  He raised an eyebrow in response. “You’re a good man.”

Kunle scoffed and opened the door.

**********

“She looks sad.” Helen said behind the curtain, watching Banke walk out of the compound.

“She made her choice.” Obiora said unsympathetically.

“I’m going to miss this house.”

“Me too, but I’m going to love having you with me.”

“What about Ada?”

“She’ll be fine, our rent here won’t expire for the next five months.”

“And afterwards?”

“She’ll be fine! She’s made her choice to be with Kunle, they’ll sort things out.”

Helen laughed. “It’s all about choices isn’t it?”

“Oh yes my dear wife, it’s all about choices.” He put his arms around her and kissed her neck.

**********

The boys emptied the cans and surveyed the place.

“Are we ready?” Segun asked.

“Yes we are.” Folarin lit the match and threw it to the ground.

They took off running as soon as the fire started, their father had said that they should accept Joy’s fate and they had, the barber would have to accept his too.