[b]::::::****Episode 9***:;;;;;:;
After a meeting with the Heads of
Departments of my husband’s company, I
followed Busayo to her house before going to
pick up Odin from school. I was pressed, so I
went to the comfort station to pee when my
phone rang. It was a message and Busayo
read it before I came out.
“Tony-baby, what the hell are you doing with
Kayode?”
“Like what?” I pretended as if nothing is
going on between I and him.
“Don’t lie here joor, you think you can spoil
what Ray laboured to establish?”
“Where are you going? Better stop it.”
“Stop what, c’mon, take your phone and tell
him where you two will be meeting tonight.”
She threw my phone at me and I saw the
message.
“Bussy-baby, you have to understand.”
“Understand what? That you want to crumble
Ray’s family and company or what?”
“I know you will not understand. See Busayo,
I’m a woman and need some good man to
touch me. I can’t stay masturbating all by
myself jare.”
“Is that all you can say?”
“See, the issue here is that I have feelings
for Kayode, even though I was kind of
wondering why he sent me the parcel he did
send.” I did as if nothing had happened
between us two some lovely day before my
husband’s demise.
“My friend, Tony-baby, I know you have a life
to live. You’re a young widow and your things
are still in shape but you have to be careful.
Look at your son and see a replica of Ray.”
“If you can’t get a man and marry, don’t be
telling me rubbish about life. What do you
know about life?” I spoke to her as if we’ve
not been friends for quite some years now.
“Listen to me Tonia or ruin your life joor.”
She told me as she went into her bedroom. I
called her but she wouldn’t answer, so I left
to pick up Odin from school.
“Mummy, I love you but I know something
about the bomb blast that mummy does not
know.”
“That’s my boy.” Truly, in him is a replica of
Ray; his pointed nose, lovely brown eyes and
dark hair. My son is just like his father; like
father like son, they say.
In the evening, I forgot to fry some fish for
my son. He had been piscivorous all his small
years. What is happening to me?
“Mummy, where’s my fish. Ooh, mummy is
selfish; she prepared chicken for only
herself.”
“No baby.” I rushed to the kitchen and fried
some fish for him but he was gone before I
came out. I followed him to his room and
saw him crying. Getting closer and wiping his
tears and telling him I have special fish for
him tonight and I wanted to surprise him, he
burst out laughing and we went back to the
dining eating. Surprisingly, Kayode showed up
and I went to open the door for him as Odin
went upstairs.
“Baby, I came to take you out for party.”
“What party? You know I have a son to
protect?”
“I know but you have to get my point naah.”
“Which point is that?” I said and saw his lips
approaching mine.
“Mummy, mummy.” My son called from
upstairs.
“Oh, my son.” But before Kayode could get
up from me because he was already on top
right there in the sitting room, my son
shouted as he fell down from above, breaking
his hand. Odin was breathing loud and I
raced him to the hospital after asking Kayode
to leave my house.
In the hospital, the doctor said my son will
get up soonest; it was not a complicated
medical case just that he broke his hand.
“Madame, don’t worry, your son will be up
and doing very soon.”
“Thank you doctor, I really appreciate your
work.”
“It’s my pleasure ma’am.” I stared at the
doctor when he called me ‘ma’am.’ I
wondered as I pondered what people see in
me that they address me with such respect.
——————–
In the morning, Odin woke up smiling. As I
watched him closely, I saw the photocopy of
my husband.
“Mummy, where am I? What happened to my
hand?”
“Don’t worry honey, you will be fine.”
“I love you mummy but I don’t know that man
that was on top of you.”
“Ooh…don’t worry about that baby.”
All of a sudden, Odin closed his eyes and I
jumped up.
“Oh, thank God, he doesn’t know what’s
going on. Besides, he’s only a child.” I said
smiling, moving from one end of the hospital
room to the next before the doctor came in.
“Madame, what happened to your son?”
“I don’t know, we just spoke now before he
closed his eyes.”
Checking my son’s eyes and his pulse rate,
the doctor discovered that he was no longer
breathing. The doctor looked at me and
shook his head.
“Doctor, what has happened to him? Don’t tell
me he’s dead.” I started crying.
“Madame, your son is gone? Maybe there
was internal bleeding we didn’t discover
early.”
“Gone to where? Doctor, tell me you’re
kidding. Doctor, no, no, no.” I started crying
as I touched my son’s body looking at him.
Indeed, he was the photocopy of his father;
his replica. Holding him on my laps, I saw his
eyes opened and closed and breathing in and
out.
“Doctor, doctor.” I shouted. A nurse came
saying the doctor is doing his ward round, I
should not be disturbing the whole hospital.
“What are you saying? My son’s life is at
stake and you are telling me not to disturb
the whole hospital, you must be out of your
mind.”
“Madame, don’t say rubbish to me ooo, I’m
not any girl you just speak anyhow to ooo.” I
felt like slapping the nurse but I didn’t want
to call attention. Besides, my child’s life is
far more precious than a petty quarrel.
“I’m sorry nurse, I was really worried because
the doctor declared my son dead.”
“Dead? But look at him smiling.”
“Yes dear, he just opened his eyes now.”
“Sorry ma’am, I never meant to be rude to
you.”
“I understand your job nurse.” I said to the
nurse as my phone rang. It was Busayo.
“Hello Bussy-baby.”
“Hello Tonia, I didn’t see you in the office and
I was really concerned.”
“Ooh, an accident happened yesterday, I’m in
the hospital at the moment.”
“What happened?”
“My son fell down from upstairs and broke his
hand.”
“How? Where were you?”
“It’s all my fault but I’ve learnt my lesson.”
“Tony-baby, I’m coming right away. Which
hospital are you?”
“The Covenant Hospital.”
“Oh, I will be there soon.”
When she came, I narrated the entire story to
her and she looked at me. Odin was sleeping
when she arrived, so we talked and chatted,
remembering our university days even.
“But you were a hot babe, no guy could get
you that easily naah, what has changed you?”
she asked, smiling.
“Don’t mind me joor, I just can’t explain it
jare.”
“So what are you going to do about the
Kayode of a man before he destroys you and
your son?”
“I’ve made a fundamental decision.”
“And what’s that?”
“I’m removing him from office; I want him far
from my life.”
“I think that will be the best idea now.”
“I think so too.” I said.[/b]
