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Yesterday Lives – Chapter 4

Kevwe asked Ayo to drop her off a few metres away from her house but he refused. He told her he wanted to be sure she got back home safely. Kevwe told him Madam would be upset that a man was dropping her off but Ayo was adamant. If Madam decided to get upset, then so be it. He did not want her in the business any longer; so she could as well start planning her exit.

When Kevwe noticed that Ayo was not going to heed to her pleas, she took out the tee-shirt she had put in her bag when she was leaving home. She unhooked her seat belt and began to remove the transparent blouse she was wearing. Ayo was too shocked to speak. He stopped, parked the car off the road but left the engine running. Kevwe was unfazed by his look. She held on to the tee-shirt and refused to put it on. The underwear she was wearing barely covered her bust. She locked eyes with Ayo and held his gaze. She stretched her left hand and placed it on his laps. She noticed how his body responded instantly to her touch and she glided her hand to and fro his laps teasing his senses.

Ayo shivered as he struggled to control his body. He held Kevwe’s hand to stop her but his body had taken a mind of its own. ‘Kevwe.’ He called; almost in a whisper. He closed his eyes as his mind fought against his body; the excitement it felt increasing as Kevwe continued to tease him. Kevwe unzipped his trousers and her hand on his bare skin made him shiver again. ‘Ke…..’ He tried to call her name again but it came out as a moan. Kevwe knew it was time. She stretched her hand over him, pulled the lever of the driver’s seat and dragged it backward. Before Ayo could understand what was going on, she had swung her legs over him. Her bare skin on his caused him to take a deep breath as he realized she was not wearing any underwear. Kevwe took control of his body and mind as she gripped him and locked her legs around him. Ayo’s excitement reached a crescendo and he gave himself wholly to her. Kevwe took over showing her dexterity in what she was paid to do daily.

When they both stilled from their throes of passion, Kevwe lifted the driver’s seat which she had laid down during the heat of the moment. She swung her legs skillfully and sat back in the passenger’s seat. She wore the tee-shirt she had abandoned earlier and looked at Ayo.

He had a look of confusion on his face.

‘Wetin?’ She asked him nonchalantly.

Ayo shook his head. ‘Do you sleep with your clients without using protection?’

Kevwe shrugged. ‘No. If person no get rubber, na no show be dat.’

‘So why did you….’ Ayo was asking before Kevwe raised her left hand to stop him.

‘You like to dey ask queshon oh. My house no far from hia. If you wan see me enter my house, come waka with me, no carry moto, abeg.’ She said as she opened the passenger door to let herself out.

Madam was already asleep by the time Kevwe walked into the house and she thanked her stars. She only hoped she would not be queried on what time she got in. As she lay on her bed that night, she reminisced on her encounter with Ayo. She had longed for this and his initial rejection had upset her. She was therefore bent on having her way when she had a second opportunity. She smiled as she remembered the look on Ayo’s face when she removed her blouse. He had been captivated by what he saw and she knew then that that was the opportunity she had been waiting for. He had moaned and shivered under her touch and held her tightly like someone who had been starved. She knew she was supposed to have used protection but she had made up her mind long before now that her relationship with Ayo was not a business transaction. She wanted to have him for keeps. She thought about the possibility of getting pregnant for him and shrugged it off immediately. E no fit happen.

Ayo drove home entranced. He thought he had been able to keep his guards up when Kevwe was in his apartment. He did not understand how he had fallen so cheaply. And more confusing was the fact that Kevwe had not asked him or used any form of protection. He sighed as he thought about her. What exactly was he doing with her? He wasn’t sure he had an idea but one thing he knew was that he liked her a lot. Keeping her was still a long shot for him.

******

Ayo and Kevwe became more attached to each other as the days went by. No day or night passed without them talking to each other. They shared text messages when calls were impossible to be placed. Ayo opened a bank account for Kevwe and began to put in a monthly stipend for her. He told her it was for her upkeep and that he trusted her judgment not to spend the money recklessly. Kevwe smiled as Ayo gave her the ATM card attached to the account. ‘Ayo, why you dey do all these things for me?’ She asked.

Ayo sighed. He loved her but he was scared of telling her. She had told him a number of times that she was not worthy of his love and attention. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted from her. He just knew that his heart skipped a beat anytime he heard her voice or saw her.

‘Ayo?’ Kevwe called him again.

‘Hmmm.’ He said coming out of his reverie.

‘I dey ask wetin you want.’

Ayo smiled. ‘I don’t want anything Kevwe.’

‘E no possible nau. You go dey credit my phone every time. You dey give me money anytime we see. Now, you open bank account for me and you dey tell me you no want anything?’

‘Kevwe, it is possible to do all these for you without wanting anything. Why do you believe every man wants something for money spent?’

‘You neva hear Shina Peters song?’ Kevwe sneered.

Ayo laughed. ‘Which song is that and what has he got to do with this?’

‘He sing money for hand, back for ground.’ Kevwe sang as she demonstrated with her fingers.

‘I know the song Kevwe but I don’t believe this relationship is based on that.’ Ayo said getting serious.

‘I hear you oh.’ She shrugged as she put the ATM card into an old wallet in her bag.

Ayo had decided to take her to the cinema again to watch a movie. It was becoming a norm for him to take her out on her off days. As he was about to drop her at the end of her street, he switched off the ignition and looked at her.

‘When are you going to drop this business?’

‘Ayo, na every time we go out you go dey ask me this queshon? You no dey tire?’

‘I care about you, Kevwe. Don’t you understand?’ Ayo asked, breathing hard.

‘I don hear. I go dey think about it.’

‘Thank you.’ Ayo said as he leaned in to give her a peck on her cheek.

Kevwe anticipating his action turned her face to him and kissed him fully on his lips as she held on to him.

When Ayo eased away from her, Kevwe smiled.

‘You should go home now. It’s getting late.’ He said as he looked at the time on the dashboard. It read 10.30pm.

Kevwe nodded as she eased out of the car. She waved goodbye and started walking towards her house, while Ayo drove away.

A few metres away from the house, Kevwe was startled by someone who walked out of the dark corner beside the house.

‘Tutu, wetin be dis nau?’ She shouted as she placed her hand on her chest trying to still her heartbeat.

‘Who be dat bobo wey you dey go meet every time?’ Tutu, her housemate asked.

Kevwe hissed. ‘How that one take consine you?’

‘How e no go consine me? Madam don dey ask where you dey go anytime you dey off. She say you no dey siddon for house.’ Tutu lied.

Kevwe’s eyes grew big. ‘Ehen, she don dey ask?’

‘Yes nau. She dey ask me last week and I don see you with that bobo before but I just no wan tell Madam the truth.’

‘Abeg, no tell Madam anything. Na my boyfriend.’

‘Hmm.’ Tutu wrinkled her nose. ‘You no say Madam say we no fit get boyfriend.’

‘I know. Abeg, Tutu, no tell Madam anything, abeg.’ Kevwe pleaded.

‘Ehn, no wahala. I no go talk but you suppose drop something for me every week when you dey see your bobo. You no nau, so that if Madam ask again, I fit look for lie tell her.’ Tutu shrugged.

‘So you wan dey collect money from me every week be dat?’

Tutu looked at her in fake astonishment. ‘No be you wan make I keep quiet. Na for free you wan make I no talk?’

Kevwe sighed. She dipped her hand into her bag and handed Tutu a five hundred naira note.

‘Ehen, na now you dey talk. He no give you something chop too? Wey my own?’

Kevwe hissed as she ignored her and walked into the house.

******

Three weeks later, Madam received a call from an old friend that girls were needed for a party. She picked about five of her girls and prepared them for the party. She gave them a stern warning to make sure they gave returns of everything they were given. She threatened them that they knew she had friends in high places and whoever lied about her returns would spend three nights in the police station.

Tutu was amongst the girls chosen and she told Kevwe excitedly. ‘Me, I dey look for opportunity to comot this business.’ She whispered to Kevwe. ‘If I see one fine sugar daddy, I go give am well well and psyche am make im comot me from dis house. If I get luck sef, e fit make me second or third wife. This work don tire me. Na Madam just dey chop all the money. Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.’

Kevwe was quiet. She also wished she was amongst the girls chosen. She was also tired of the job but she had no real source of income. She couldn’t afford an apartment of her own. Even if she did, she had no form of education and could not get a job.

‘Wetin you dey think?’ Tutu tapped her. ‘You don get bobo nau.’ She said loudly.

Kevwe hushed her as she looked around. ‘Why you dey do like dis? You wan make other girls hear?’

Tutu faked a shiver. ‘Ah, no vex abeg.’ She replied in a whisper.

******

The party was organized by one of the top government officials in the country. It was held in Kings City Hotel in Banana Island. Drinks, food and music flowed freely. A chaperone received Madam’s girls and assigned them immediately. The girls went ahead and straight away attached themselves to the pot-bellied men who held on to them indecently. The night wore on and soon some men began to make room reservations. The man Tutu was assigned asked to be excused in order to receive a business call. He asked her to hang around while he attended to the call. Tutu waited for the man to finish his call as she watched others. Her colleagues had already gone to the rooms with their men and she was beginning to get bored. She noticed the man had walked into another hall as the conversation on the phone became serious. She decided to go outside to get some fresh air. She stood outside looking around when unexpectedly, she saw Ayo sit up in a black Toyota Land cruiser. She looked closely to be sure he was the one.

Tutu looked back to confirm she wasn’t being watched before walking towards the Land cruiser. She quickly opened her purse, took out a pack of chewing gum and popped one into her mouth. As she got to the car, she smiled. ‘Hey Handsome.’

‘Hi.’ Ayo replied as he gave her a quizzical look.

‘I noticed you were sitting all alone and I decided to come keep you company.’ She said as she rested her arms on the door. The dress she was wearing had a deep cut and her bust became exposed as she bent down slightly.

Ayo looked at her bust and looked away. ‘How may I help you? I am fine and I don’t need company.’

‘Oh c’mon. A handsome young man always needs company.’ Tutu said as she glided her right hand on Ayo’s face.

Ayo looked at her as he removed her hand gently. ‘No, thank you.’ He replied as he made an attempt to open the door of the car.

‘You don’t have to get out of the car because of me.’ Tutu said as she tried to stop him from getting out.

‘I need some air.’ Ayo stepped out of the car and started walking towards the hotel lobby.

Tutu, seeing that Ayo’s attention had been drawn away from her, picked up the phone which was lying on the passenger seat. She punched her number on it and dialed it in a jiffy. Just then, a man walked out of the hotel. He was a short man with a slight pot-belly. He was wearing a white buba and sokoto and was about placing his mobile phone to his ears when he saw Ayo.

‘Let’s go Ayo. I was about to call you. I need to go home and rest.’

‘Okay sir.’ Ayo replied.

Tutu quickly threw the phone into the car as Ayo turned towards the car. Tutu stood a few metres away from the car as she saw Ayo get into the driver’s seat while the man walked towards the back seat. ‘Good evening sir.’ She smiled at him.

‘Good evening.’ The man replied as he kept a straight face.

Ayo started the car and was about driving away when the man Tutu had been assigned to walked out of the hotel lobby. ‘Oh, I have been looking for you.’ He said as he looked at Tutu.

Tutu smiled at him. ‘I decided to get some fresh air since you were on the phone.’

‘Ah Chief, you are leaving so soon?’ The man asked when he noticed Ayo driving away.

‘Yes, I need some rest.’

‘But that’s why the ladies are here.’ The man laughed as he tapped and squeezed Tutu’s bum.

Tutu giggled.

Ayo had stopped driving and he looked back at Tutu with a blank stare.

‘Thanks Ugo. I would rather go home to rest.’ Chief said as he looked at Tutu and Ugo who was touching her indecently. ‘Let’s go Ayo.’ Chief continued.

Ayo shook his head and he began to drive.

‘Why are you shaking your head, Ayo?’ Chief asked.

‘Chief, you won’t believe that this same lady came here to meet me and was trying to seduce me just now.’

‘Just now?’ Chief asked.

‘Yes, before you came. That’s why you met me outside. I had to come out of the car when she was touching me.’

‘Ehen? Do you know her?’

‘Know her ke? For where?’

‘You too for do quick one with her nau.’ Chief laughed.

‘Ahn ahn, Chief. You know I am not like that nau. Besides, not when I am on duty.’

‘So what if I give you the night off?’

Ayo looked at Chief in the rear-view mirror and smiled.

‘Is that smile a yes?’ Chief asked as he smiled back.

‘It is a No. I am not interested in her.’

‘Hmmm, but that smile means you are interested in someone else?’

Ayo grinned. ‘Yes Chief.’

‘Ayo, Ayo, so you don dey cut show behind my back and you no tell me?’

‘Chief, it is not what you think oh. I have not cut any shows. I am still trying to get her out of her business but she keeps resisting.’

‘Her business? What does she do?’

Ayo sighed.

‘This one wey you dey breathe like person wey run. She be thief abi she be runs girl?’

Ayo looked at Chief in the rear-view mirror again and looked away.

‘Ayo?’

‘Yes sir.’

‘Is she a prostitute?’

‘Chief, I…I…I don’t know….’ Ayo stammered.

‘It is okay, Ayo. You know the ultimate decision is yours. Just be careful; you are a graduate and I know you did not go to school for nothing. That’s all I can say.’ Chief said as he picked up the Ipad beside him.

Ayo took a deep breath. ‘Yes sir.’

——

The story continues…

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Yesterday Lives – Chapter 2

Ayorinde and Ayotunde ran towards the dark alley just opposite the bridge. When they got to their regular spot, Ayotunde handed over the mobile phone to Ayorinde before throwing out all the contents of the bag on the ground. She picked out the wallet and opened it. It was filled with one thousand naira notes and she whistled. Ayorinde was already taking out the sim card from the phone and fixing the back cover of the phone into its place. Ayotunde started counting the notes. She counted six notes. She nudged her brother and smiled. It was going to be a good day for them. She handed over the notes to Ayorinde who put them in the back pocket of the jeans he was wearing. He dropped his shirt which looked two sizes bigger and made sure his back pocket was well covered.

Ayotunde bent down and started rummaging through the items she had thrown on the ground. A make-up bag, some chocolates in a Ziploc bag and a hand sanitizer. She opened the wallet again and found two ATM cards. She took them out and dropped them on the ground. She was about putting the wallet back into the bag when Ayorinde stopped her.

‘Drop the wallet. You can’t take it.’

‘But why? It’s a beautiful wallet.’ Ayotunde asked.

‘It may put us in trouble. Leave it and take any other thing you want in there. I will get you a wallet if you want one.’

‘Thank you.’ Ayotunde smiled as she put back the items she had initially thrown on the ground into the bag except the wallet and the ATM cards.

She trusted her brother’s judgment and would dare not go against whatever he said.

Ayorinde turned the phone to the right and to the left. The silver lining on the phone glistered in the dark. ‘Let’s go home and eat first. We would sort this out tomorrow morning.’ He said to his sister.

She nodded her response.

He stretched out his hand and she took it as they passed through the dark alley and crossed over to the shanties behind.

As they edged closer to their abode, they heard a woman screaming. ‘You go kill me today oh. You go kill me.’

Ayorinde and Ayotunde looked at each other. Tears gathered in Ayotunde’s eyes but Ayorinde signaled a no with a wave of his fore finger and head.

She nodded as she looked at her brother with admiration. He always knew how to handle any situation.

Ayorinde took a detour and avoided the entrance of their house. He went towards the back of the house and led his sister in.

The voice of the screaming woman rose above the night breaking the peace and quiet of the environment.

Ayotunde put her hands on her ears trying to block the vulgar words spewing out of the woman’s mouth from filtering into her ears. Ayorinde noticed and hugged his sister. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. ‘I have told you not to cry. It will soon be over.’ He reassured her.

Ayotunde sniffed as she wiped the tears that were now spilling onto her cheeks. Even though she was just twelve, she understood everything that was going on around her. Her brother, who was five years older than her, was her only source of comfort in the crazy world that she lived in.

At the age of seven, she was about to be sold into prostitution but for the timely intervention of her brother, Ayorinde. He had overheard the conversation between his mother and the prospective buyer; Madam Something Nice. Everyone knew Madam Something Nice bought girls from their parents and flew them out of the country to prostitute but their mother had been indifferent. She had always told Ayotunde that she was her cheque out of poverty. She always sang it into her daughter’s ears that she was the one to take her out of the valley of wretchedness which their father had thrown them into. Ayotunde never really understood but she always nodded and smiled anytime her mother said so. At a very young age, she believed she would get her family out of poverty.

The night she was to be sold, Madam Something Nice had come knocking on the door of their room in the decrepit face to face apartment where they lived. Their father was out on night shift where he worked. Kevwe had jumped up immediately she heard the taps on the door. She had instructed Madam Something Nice to tap three times so as not to wake her children up. Kevwe opened the door quietly and stepped outside. She spoke in a whisper to Madam Something Nice asking her if she came with her bodyguard as agreed. His job was to carry her daughter while she slept. Madam Something Nice had confirmed in the affirmative. Kevwe asked for her initial deposit and Madam Something Nice had told her she needed to see her daughter first before she could make any payment.

The whispers from outside the door had roused Ayorinde from sleep and he had listened intently to the conversation. When he realized what his mother was about to do, he had woken Ayotunde up. She was still groggy and he told her she needed to go pee. She had only nodded as her brother half-carried her. As Kevwe opened the door to reveal her daughter to Madam Something Nice, she was shocked to see Ayorinde fully awake with his sister half-asleep. Ayorinde’s arms were wrapped around his sister as he dragged her up. Kevwe asked where he was taking his sister to and Ayorinde said Ayotunde woke him up saying she wanted to pee. Kevwe had no reason to doubt her son and she told him to make it quick.

Five minutes later, when Ayorinde and Ayotunde refused to emerge from the bathroom down the hall, Madam Something Nice became impatient. Kevwe pleaded with her to hold on as she would go check on them. Kevwe got to the stalls down the hall and knocked on the stall that was occupied. She called her son’s name and he answered her. She asked what was taking them so long. Ayorinde responded that his sister had decided to poo. Kevwe became edgy and asked him to get his sister to hurry with her toilet business. She walked back to Madam Something Nice to apologize to her but Madam Something Nice would have none of that. She told her she had other places to go to and if she was truly ready, she would have to bring her daughter herself. Kevwe knew this was near impossible as Madam Something Nice was hardly in the country. She only travelled home when she needed more girls.

Ayorinde came out of the stall a few minutes later to confirm if his sister’s abductors had gone. When he noticed the coast was clear, he called Ayotunde out of the stall and warned her never to go anywhere with their mother alone. He told her that going forward, they had to stick together.

Kevwe had been furious with Ayorinde when he came back from the bathroom with his sister. She slapped her son and asked him why it took him so long to make his sister use the bathroom. Out of anger, Ayorinde had spoken up. He asked his mother what Madam Something Nice was doing in front of their door at that time of the night. He asked his mother what business she had with Madam Something Nice as everyone knew her reputation. Kevwe had been shocked as Madam Something Nice had hidden in the dark and she did not realize that her son knew she had a visitor. She had been lost for words and unable to gather her thoughts together after the accusation.

She had not envisaged that she would be caught in her act. She had everything planned out or so she thought. Their father, Ayo would leave home for work where he worked as a security guard attached to a service company. He would go for the night shift at 6:00pm as usual. The kids would have dinner at 7:00pm and by 8:30pm, they would be in bed. By 11:00pm, they would be fast asleep and Madam Something Nice would come with her bodyguard, carry Ayotunde to their car while she slept and be gone before anyone noticed.

Ayo would be back at 1:00pm the next day and would ask about his daughter. She would respond that her cousin, Ejiro had arrived very early from Ghana that morning and taken Ayotunde with her so she could enroll her in school and also take care of her. Her husband would have believed her and would have been happy because even though he longed for his children to be educated, he couldn’t afford to send them to school right now.

Everything would have worked out as premeditated but all her plans had been thrown into disarray by Ayorinde. She looked at her son with anger blazing in her eyes. Ayotunde crouched behind her elder brother as he stood chin-up to his mother daring her to answer his question. When she refused to give him an answer, he took his sister’s hand and led her back into the room. He lay on the bed and hugged his sister just in case his mother tried to play a fast one on him while they were asleep.

Kewve refused to go back into the room immediately. She stood outside the door as she deliberated on the night’s event. What if Ayorinde related what had transpired to his father? No, he won’t. She thought. He wouldn’t dare. He knew what she was capable of doing. But what if he did? She sighed. It would be his words against hers. She would never own up to wanting to sell her daughter. She opened the door quietly and lay on her side of the bed. She looked at Ayorinde who was already asleep but had his arms wrapped around his sister. She turned towards the wall as she bit her lips. She wasn’t a bad mother, she just wanted the best for herself and her family; she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

———-
The story continues…

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Yesterday Lives – Chapter 1

The traffic light turned red. The grey Peugeot 405 inched slowly towards the white line and waited. The time on the dashboard read 7:45pm. Aderemi tapped her feet and the steering wheel impatiently. Her father had warned her not to stay out late but she had been so engrossed in her gist with Folake that she lost track of time.

Folake was leaving for Canada in two days and her parents had decided to throw her a farewell party. They had recently graduated from the secondary school and Folake had gotten admission into a University in Canada. Even though, Aderemi was happy for her friend, she was also sad that she was leaving. She had pleaded with her father a number of times to allow her study in the United States but he had insisted that she was going to study in Nigeria. She had just been offered admission into a private university.

As she bid Folake farewell, her eyes filled with tears. She held on tightly to her friend as she hugged her. She knew her father was going to be upset with her as she had stayed beyond the agreed time but they had not even realized that time was far spent. Her father had asked Mr. Solomon, the driver to take her but Aderemi had stamped her feet as she told her father she was no longer a baby. ‘Besides, Daddy, I don’t need a chaperone. Do you want my friends to laugh at me that instead of a boyfriend, I brought a body guard?’ She had asked as she pouted her mouth. Her father had reluctantly allowed her to go alone but with a promise to leave early. ‘Well, leaving at 7:00pm was early.’ She said to herself as she considered her other friends who were still at the party. She was engrossed in her thoughts as her mind unconsciously counted down the seconds on the traffic light and waited for it to go amber.

Suddenly, she was shaken from her reverie with a bang on her wound-up window. Terrified, she turned to see a gun pointed at her face through the glass. She started shaking as she looked at the face and dropped her eyes to the gloved hand holding the gun. A finger signaled to her to look in the other direction and she saw another person standing at the passenger window with a hand movement telling her to roll down her windows. She fumbled with the power button beside her in trepidation and a gloved hand dipped its hands into her car and retrieved her handbag and her mobile phone which were lying carelessly on the passenger seat.

Just like it had happened, she was left alone and she saw the traffic light turn green before her. For a few seconds, she sat in shock with her leg still on the brake pedal. The honk from a car behind her jolted her and she sped away. What had just happened? She kept on thinking over and over.

In ten minutes, she was at the entrance of her house. She honked continuously until the gateman rolled open the gates to let her in. She parked the car, switched off the ignition and jumped out as she broke into a run towards the house.

‘I’m sorry Daddy.’ She said as she ran smack into the father who was fuming at the door.

‘Aderemi!’ Mr. Johnson called out to his daughter who was running towards her room. ‘Will you get back here?’ He shouted but he got the slam of her bedroom door as a response. ‘What is wrong with her?’ He soliloquized as he stormed towards her bedroom in anger.

Aderemi rolled into a fetal position, covered up herself with her duvet and burst into tears. She replayed the events of a few minutes ago over and over in her head. She should have listened to her father and taken Mr. Solomon with her. She should have left earlier as she had promised her father. She should have been more observant of her surroundings; her father had told her that times without number. Her father opened her bedroom door and she jumped.

‘Aderemi, what is….’ Mr. Johnson was saying and stopped short when he saw his daughter’s face. His countenance changed immediately and he walked towards her bed. He stretched out his hands and Aderemi sat up and fell into her father’s embrace. ‘Aderemi my love, my princess, the joy of my world.’ He said as he lifted up his daughter’s chin and wiped her tears with his thumb. ‘What is wrong?’

‘I was robbed Daddy.’ Aderemi said as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

‘Robbed? Where?’

‘At the traffic light at Kingsway junction.’

Mr. Johnson sighed.

‘I’m sorry I came home late Daddy. I should have listened to you and allowed Mr. Solomon to take me. I’m sorry.’ Aderemi said sobbing.

Mr. Johnson pulled his daughter closer and hugged her. ‘It is okay, my love. It is okay. I’m glad you are home and safe.’

When Aderemi ceased from her tears, her father asked her to take a hot bath and go to bed. She nodded quietly as she obeyed her father.

 

Two hours later, when Adeleke Johnson was sure his daughter was asleep, he retired to his bedroom. As he lay in bed, his mind travelled to when Aderemi was just six years old and expecting a baby sister from her mother, Grace. She had been excited as she saw her mother’s tummy grow into a big ball; as she called it. Each day, she put her head on her mother’s tummy as she talked to her baby sister. She was already in love with the unborn child and she showed it daily by kissing the big tummy. She was a precocious child and everyone including her mother marveled at her wisdom.

Grace’s labour had come in her thirty-eight week and everything had seemed normal. She put to bed a healthy baby girl and Adeleke had been filled with joy. His joy was however short-lived when Grace and the baby developed complications the next day. The doctors battled to save the life of both mother and child. Adeleke was confused. What could have happened between when he left them the night before and the next morning when he came to see them? Doctors ran from one room to the other as they struggled with each patient. After about two hours of frenzied activities, the medical director called Adeleke into his office. He had both good news and bad news.

Adeleke asked for the bad news first. They had lost Grace. The good news was his daughter had survived the ordeal and was hale and hearty; even though she was still under observation. Adeleke had bowed his head as tears streamed down his cheeks. His daughter was discharged two days later and he named his daughter after her mother.

He tossed and turned on the bed as he thought about Grace sleeping in the room next to his; separated by an interconnecting door and Aderemi in the room opposite his. After the death of their mother, Aderemi became a recluse and struggled with nightmares. Even at the tender age of six, she understood that her mother was no more. It had taken him years of constant love, care and trust to get her out of where she had hidden her emotions. He refused to send her to a boarding house for her secondary education as he wanted to be a part of her everyday life. His job as an automobile engineer allowed him time to take care of Grace and still do school runs with Aderemi every day. Over the years, the three of them formed an unbreakable bond. He steered clear of relationships as he did not want to risk breaking the bond he shared with his girls.

As he began to doze off, he prayed in his heart that the event of this night would not herald another set of nightmares for his daughter. He also prayed that she would not go back into the deep where he had had to get her out from years ago.

 

The story continues…….

Posted on

Pursuit of Happiness

Kemi had a frown on her face as everyone smiled at the photographer. Her mum looked at her briefly and nudged her. “Smile. The pictures have to look perfect.”

As Kemi opened her mouth to respond, she saw her father’s face and immediately dropped the idea. She faked a smile and looked at the photographer her dad had paid to cover her graduation.

*****

Ten minutes earlier, her father had told her to start preparing to go for her PhD. She was sick and tired of being controlled by her father but she could not bring herself to stand up to him.

Her father was the reason why she had studied Mechanical Engineering for her first degree. He was also the reason why she was graduating today with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. She had discussed with her mother the previous night about following her passion which was creating art but she had been told that her father must not hear of it.

She was reminded by her mother that her father had said his two children must be inventors in the field of engineering.

“Mummy, if you are after inventions, I will be an inventor as I create art.”

“Gbé ënu ë sóhùn jàre. Kí lo mò.” (Keep your mouth shut. What do you know?) Your father wants the best for you and your brother.

“And what if his best is not good enough for me, mum?”

“Kemi, of all the things to think of; it is colouring, when you are not a baby.  Whatever your father says is final. I want to go to bed. Tomorrow is your graduation.” Kemi’s mother had concluded.

*****

Kemi felt disgusted as she thought about her discussion with her mum and her father’s PhD proposition. The thought of spending about four years doing her PhD when she could be following her passion upset her. The thought of not being allowed to be independent in her decisions at almost twenty-five annoyed her.

As she lay on her bed later that evening, she began to detest herself. She began to hate her parents and her life began to lose meaning to her.

Will Kemi eventually decide to stand up to her father and pursue her own happiness?

Do you have a similar story to share? Please use the comments section below.

——

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Identity Disaster

Mr. Olaiya’s jaw dropped as he looked at the lady standing before him. She was dressed in a skimpy dress that barely covered her thighs. The man holding her by the waist was wearing a white jalabia and the expression on his face was irritation.

“Moriamo, you deny me your father?”

Chief looked at Stella and also at the strange man. “Mr. man, she say she no know you. What is your problem? You are constituting a nuisance and I fit call the police.”

“Ah! Moriamo, èmi bàbá ë. Ayé mi!”
“Moriamo, I am your father.” The man exclaimed.

“Chief, let’s go. I don’t know this man and he is embarrassing me.” Stella said.

“Ah! Ah! Sèbí, mo sín gbéré sí ë láyà ní ìkókó. Jë ki n ri?
“I made an incision on your chest as a baby. Let me see it.”

“What is he saying?” Chief asked as he looked at Stella.

“I don’t know Chief. I don’t understand what he is saying. Please, let’s go.” Stella said as she pulled Chief away from the scene. The strange man was beginning to garner a few stares.

Chief and Stella left Mr. Olaiya whose hand was on his head in lamentation.

********

The next day, Chief and Stella flew back into Nigeria. Stella convinced Chief that she wanted to cut short her vacation as her encounter with the strange man had made her homesick. She wanted to go home to see her mother and also visit her dead father’s grave; she told him.

Immediately they arrived into the country, Stella took a cab to see her mother in Akute. As the cab took her to her destination, she kept thinking about the encounter she had in the United States. She shook her head to dispel her thoughts as she approached her house.

Stella eased out of the cab, paid the driver and took out her hand luggage from the boot. A woman stood outside an unpainted bungalow throwing corn grains at some chickens. She stopped when she saw Stella walking towards her.

“Ëkáàsán màámi.”
“Good afternoon my mother.” Stella said as she knelt down.

“Moriamo, ökö mi. Káàbò.”
“Welcome, my husband.”

“Báwo ni ilé-ìwé?”
“How is school?”

“Adúpé mà.”
“Thank God.”

“Bàámi nkó?”
“What about my father?”

“Jë ka wö inú ilé náá, ògiri l’étí.”
“Let us go inside. The walls have ears.”

Moriamo dragged her hand luggage into the small living room and put it by the side. As she sat down on the single couch, she looked eagerly at her mother.

“Bàbá ë ti lö fa gbùrù ní ilú òyinbó.”
“Your father has travelled abroad to hustle.”

Moriamo bent her head as she thought of her encounter with her father. She knew he was her father. A man knew his children but how was she supposed to explain her business in the U.S? How was she supposed to explain that she had told Chief she was bored in school and wanted to go on vacation? She had had no choice but to deny knowing him. He was right that she had been given an incision on her chest as a child. When she kept falling ill, her father had taken her to visit a herbalist who had give her the incision and her bout of sicknesses had ceased immediately.

As she went to bed that night, she decided the United States was no longer a country to visit.

——–

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Stages of Life

Lara saw her best friend on TV and smiled. Yemi was anchoring a game show and she was good at it. Lara remembered how close they were in secondary school. They had been best friends and other students had envied their relationship. A few friends had even tried to come in-between them by telling tales but they had seen beyond the envy and jealousy and stuck together.

Lara went on to study Chemistry at the University of Lagos while Yemi had studied Mass Communication in a University in South Africa. They had tried to keep up their friendship through phone calls and text messages but after a while, Yemi became unreachable. All efforts made by Lara ended fruitlessly and she concluded that Yemi must have changed her number. She had also tried to search for Yemi through Facebook but that had also been unsuccessful.

 

*****

Ten years after graduation from secondary school, Lara watched her friend on TV and was proud of her. Watching her now, she realized the reason why she hadn’t been able to find her on Facebook. Yemi had dropped her first name and was now identified by her second name, Joyce. She did a quick search on Facebook with the new name and found her. She immediately sent her a friend request.

 

A week passed and Lara was yet to get an acceptance from her friend. She decided to send her a message. She was however shocked when she got a rejection to her friend request and a response to her message. The message read; “I have moved on from teenage friendships. Get a life.”

Lara must have read the message a thousand times. She wondered what could have come over her friend. Had she written something that resulted in such a response? She went back to read her message to Yemi again. She had congratulated her friend on the TV programme and told her she was doing a good job. She had also mentioned how she had searched for her for so long; not realizing she had dropped her first name. She had asked her to keep in touch.

As Lara deleted the message, she made a mental note to move on and forget she ever had a friend named Yemi.

—–

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Close shave

Adetutu looked at the clock on her dashboard. It read 9:30p.m. The cars before her slowed down and red tail lights flashed all the way down. She sighed.  She wasn’t expecting traffic on the bridge at this time of the night. She was tired and hungry. What she really longed for right now was to zap into her bed; clothes and all. She was not even sure her mouth could do the job of chewing anything.

She was in this state of lethargy when she noticed strange movements around her. Two young men were walking in between the car lanes; one on her right and another on her far left; two lanes away from her. The one on her right was walking up the bridge while the other moved swiftly in between lanes towards her rear.

Adetutu looked around her and considered it unusual. There were hawkers milling around but these men were not carrying anything to signify that they were hawking. The man on her right went to the car adjacent hers and knocked on the driver’s window. Adetutu’s senses awoke and she immediately tapped her central lock. It was quite dark and she was not sure whether she actually saw a pistol pointed at the driver in the red Toyota Carina ahead or not. The driver’s window was wound down and Adetutu saw a shaky hand with a mobile phone in it. There was a ring with a massive stone on one of the fingers and it glistered in the dark. Adetutu reckoned the driver had to be a woman.

The driver of the Toyota Carina handed over her phone to the man. Adetutu looked to her right. There was a black Toyota Highlander beside her. She saw that a man was behind the wheels. This was happening right in front of him and he wasn’t making any attempt to stop the robbery. Adetutu noticed he was even trying to maneuver his way to the right. She wished she was behind the Toyota Carina because she would have bumped into the car intentionally. She wasn’t sure if the car in front of her was driven by a man or a woman but whoever was behind the wheels was also trying to divert to the left. Was this how everyone was going to leave the lady to her fate? She thought.

The movement of cars trying to save themselves opened up traffic a bit. Adetutu noticed that the lady in the Toyota Carina was about to hand over her handbag to the thief. She slammed on her accelerator and diverted to her right. She hit the Toyota Highlander from the rear and headed straight for the Toyota Carina. The thief saw her too late. Adetutu brushed the Toyota Carina, careful not to cause too much damage before diverting back to the left and speeding off.

She looked in her rear-view mirror and saw the man in the Toyota Highlander getting out of his car. She also noticed that passersby had gathered and were looking at the ground while someone was handing over a handbag back to the woman in the Toyota Carina.

As she sped away, she took a deep breath and hoped she had saved the day.

——
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Death wish

The aroma of Tolu’s food wafted out of her kitchen into the nostrils of the other students in the block. It was a block of six flats occupied by students of the University of Lagos. While some students stayed on campus, some preferred to have a home away from home. They rented apartments outside which were close to the school campus.

Tolu heard the knock on her door as she prepared to settle down to consume the bowl of semovita and ilá àsèpò that she had just cooked. She knew who was at the door. There was no need asking. She ignored the knocks.

As she put each chunk of semo into her mouth, the intensity of the knocks increased. She got upset and walked to the kitchen to wash her hands. The persistent knocking continued as she strolled towards the door and opened it.

“Haba Tolu, why didn’t you open the door on time nau?” Feyi asked as her eyes searched round the room like a thief looking for something to steal.

“Ahn…ahn, so you are eating without me now? No wonder.” Feyi continued as she walked to the kitchen, washed her hands and settled down before the bowl of food. She dipped her hand in and began to cut the semo in large chunks, swallowing them in quick succession.

Tolu looked at her without a word.

 

The next day, Tolu walked into Feyi’s flat without knocking. She knew the door was always open during the day.  It was locked only at night. Tolu cleared her throat to announce her presence. Feyi, who was lying down on the floor reading a novel looked up.

“Wassup?” Feyi asked as she dropped her novel on the floor.

“Nothing much. I came to pick up a few things.” Tolu said as she walked towards the kitchen.

“Ehen! You did not keep anything here.” Feyi replied as she stood up and followed Tolu.

Tolu had come with three big polythene bags. She opened the kitchen cabinet and started to empty everything she saw into the polythene bags. Garri, rice, beans, spaghetti, curry, thyme, maggi etc.

“Ahn…ahn…what are you doing nau?” Feyi shouted.

“I am packing the foodstuff we would need for the month.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Tolu stopped and looked at her. “Pick one. I pack the foodstuffs we would need and you can continue coming to eat your lunch in my place or I poison the meal, so you can die and leave me in peace.”

Feyi’s jaw dropped. “Haba! It hasn’t come to this nau. You should have just told me that you don’t need my company during lunch.”

Tolu burst out into hysterical laughter.

“What is funny? Please just drop my foodstuffs. I won’t come to your flat again.”

“No ma. This is to replace everything you have eaten in the last one month. You can decide not to come again from today.” Tolu said as she began to walk towards the door.

Feyi stood in front of the door and tried to stop her from going out.

“Feyi, don’t try me. You know me from way back in secondary school and you know that I can redesign your face if I get upset.”

Feyi frowned as she moved away from the door. Tolu was known as “mama fighter” in secondary school. Feyi watched helplessly as Tolu strolled out of her apartment with all the foodstuff in her kitchen cabinet in the polythene bags.

As Feyi locked the door to her flat, she decided she did not want to die yet. It was better to stay away than get poisoned.

——

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The Choice of Freedom

Bisola looked at her husband of thirteen years with confusion clearly written on her face. “Was he serious about what he just said?” She thought. “Where had she missed it?” “Was this a result of something going on that she had been blind to?” So many questions that begged for answers.

Ikechukwu walked out of the house and slammed the door behind him. Bisola looked on unable to stop him. Her husband’s statements had torn her and she wondered what she was supposed to do.

******

Ten years ago, Ikechukwu and Bisola had a registry wedding followed by a small reception for close family and friends. It was an agreement between both of them to cut out the unnecessary expenses associated with large weddings and save for their future and that of their kids. They had both prevailed on both families to agree to their decision. It had been difficult for Ikechukwu’s family to accept as he was the first son of the family but he had been adamant. His family insinuated that Bisola was the one manipulating  him do a small wedding. He however explained to them that Bisola’s father also wanted a large wedding but after consultations, her father had agreed to what he proposed. He therefore, told them if his proposed father-in-law could agree; they had no choice but to consent as well.

Ikechukwu worked as a top executive in a commercial bank while Bisola was a sales executive in a pharmaceutical company. In four years, Bisola gave birth to three boys in quick succession. Ikechukwu asked her to take a break from work so that she could give their kids undivided attention. He said he did not like the idea of maids taking care of his kids. Bisola agreed and resigned her job to take care of the home.

However, Bisola knew that she couldn’t sit at home and do nothing while tending to her kids. She therefore, wrote professional exams and acquired entrepreneurial skills. She started bead-making from the money she had saved over time and soon, she became sought after by all and sundry because of her penchant for durable products.

 

Everything was going well for the family of five until last year when Ikechukwu lost his job at the bank as a result of a mass restructuring programme. Ikechukwu became depressed. Bisola tried to cheer her husband up by asking him to invest their joint savings in a business. Bisola advised that they invest in a poultry business which would bring steady income but Ikechukwu wanted more. He couldn’t wait for a gradual increase in their profits. This caused a friction between them as Bisola was skeptical about the business he wanted to invest in.

 

After many weeks of friction in their marriage, Bisola agreed reluctantly and signed the cheque authorizing Ikechukwu to withdraw eighty percent of their savings. In four weeks, Ikechukwu realized he had been scammed and their whole savings of about ten years went down the drain. Bisola was devastated. Their last son had just gained admission into the secondary school. Their upkeep at home had been solely from her bead-making business which had expanded over time.

 

Just when everything seemed to be going downhill, Bisola received a call from an old friend. Her friend told her that a marketing manager was needed in her organization. The company was a pharmaceutical company of repute and she asked Bisola to forward her CV to her. Bisola immediately brushed up her CV and sent it to her friend by email. She hoped and prayed for the much needed break.

Two weeks later, Bisola was invited for an interview and in a month, she received a letter of appointment with a decent salary and an official car. She got home to share the good news with her husband. She had intimated him about the call and had carried him along but she noticed he had been indifferent.

 

Bisola looked at the letter of appointment opened on her laptop. Ikechukwu couldn’t be serious about her having to choose between the job and him. She had listened to him when he asked her to resign her job years ago to take care of the kids. The kids were in boarding house and the last one was going to join them in September. “Why was he being selfish?” She thought. She understood that his inability to provide for them like he used to was depressing for him but now that she had an opportunity to assist financially, why was he giving her an option of choosing between him and a job.

Bisola put her hand on her head as she contemplated on what to do. No, she wasn’t going to reject the offer. She would plead with her husband when he returned to listen to the voice of reason. She prayed in her heart that his ego would not stand in the way.

——

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Pregnant Imaginations

The pregnant lady sitting in the swivel chair at the salon section shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

The manicurist attending to my nails looked at her. “Aunty, you want water?”

“No, thank you.” The lady replied.

“Are you okay?” The manicurist asked; concern written on her face.

The pregnant lady smiled and shifted again; probably trying to find a comfortable position. “Yes, I am fine. Thank you.”

I looked at the pregnant lady and weird ideas for a story just flew into my head. I grinned as my imagination went on overdrive.

I imagined the lady drove to the salon herself.

I imagined this being her first pregnancy and being a little anxious and naive.

I imagined her water breaking while she sat there and going into panic mode immediately.

I imagined me telling her to calm down while I asked for her car keys.

I imagined the whole salon suddenly going abuzz with the salon attendants running helter-skelter wondering what to do and how to help.

I imagined the lady puffing and panting as tears streamed down her cheeks.

I imagined myself driving with crazy speed to the hospital where she was registered (after getting the information from her).

I imagined one of the salon attendants calling her husband through her phone and explaining the situation to him.

I imagined us (myself and one of the salon attendants) waiting patiently in the hospital (after she had been taken into the labour ward) till the arrival of her husband.

I imagined her husband arriving at the hospital with worry lines deeply etched on his forehead.

I imagined her husband calling me hours later that his wife had been delivered of a baby.

I smiled and shook my head as my mind ran different thoughts.

I guess this is one of the reasons I call my mind a creative machine ?

——

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