Two days had passed since the ugly fight with Femi and I, i still feel pains on my shoulder. I must have landed on it when he wrestled me to the ground.
Bidemi called nonstop making sure I’m alright and apologising for what happened . Ada called too, Wale, while bragging of being a heavyweight champion and had told her I got my ass kicked by a neighbor. The calls were embarrassing, it made me feel like a sissy, a guy who couldn’t fight, couldn’t protect himself , a guy who needed his younger brother to save him from a fight. Mom entered the room.
Mum: Omo mi, bawo ni? (my child, how are you )
Me: Mo wapa mummy (I’m good mummy)
Mum: Thank God! I just pretended not to know you had a fight but I do. I knew you didn’t fall down
Me: (embarrassed) I couldn’t tell you I was in a fight mum
Mum: I know! But what I don’t understand is why you’d be fighting in the first place ! Do you mind telling me?
Me: It was just a little misunderstanding. I was just…..
Wale: (cuts in) He fought over a girl mum
Mum looked at me in disbelief and tried to hide her amusement by rubbing her palm over her face. Wale looked at me and made his way out of the house silently as he came in. I looked at mum and she finally let out a little giggle
Mum: hahaha… Ok tell me about her
Me: No mom! I can’t !
Mum: Is she beautiful??
Me: ooohhhhh! Stop jor
Mum: hahahaha She better be beautiful o, Someone should not beat you up over an Ugly girl
Me: hahaha ! She’s beautiful and that’s all I’m telling you o
Mum: Ok my son! but there’s something you need to know. A girl who would let two guys fight over her is the one to be blamed. Because she must have given both men the impression that they both have her
ME laughing) How do you know that mum?
Mum: Look at you! I was in town when I was your age o. Boys in the village almost killed themselves. Haa! you don’t know anything. If my Papa, your grandpa sends me to fetch water in the river, boys fight each other just to help me take the pot of water home. By the way, I was very beautiful, smooth face with no pimples Abi you think the reason you’re fine like this is because of your Father? It’s my beauty o jare!
Me: ( rolling on the chair with laughter) : Mummy please don’t kill me with laughter . I have no doubt in my mind that you were beautiful, you are still very beautiful. Dad was very lucky to marry you .
Mum suddenly had a sad look on her face as I mentioned My father. I immediately felt sorry I did
Mum: (Sighed) hmmm Adedolapo temi nikan… There was no man in the village like your father, his name was Adedolapo but everyone called him “ADE”. He was a very intelligent man, we all ran to him to teach us mathematics and that got girls running after him. He was given a scholarship by the white missionary men to attain higher education in the University. I was in form 2 when we met and fell in love with me
Me: Form 2?? what’s that
Mum: You call it Jss2 . it is the second year in High school. His father and my papa were friends and they decided both of us should get married .
Me: Oooh! So your marriage was arranged. Did you love him the moment you met him?
Mum: No! I had another boyfriend in the village then. I was in love with him. He loved me too but his family were not very rich . You see,.Adedolapo was from a royal family, his father was the brother to our king. Papa wanted to become a chief in the village so he was willing to give me out for marriage to the royal family. But I was in love with someone else.
Me: You don’t love Dad but you married him, Why?
Mum: it is a very long story Son
Me: Today is Saturday, I believe we both have all day
Mum: (sighs) You’ll be 20 in few months. You are a man now Dolapo. It is time I tell you the whole truth…
Me: uhmm…Okay! I’m listening mum
Mum: I’m sorry I waited this long before telling you this. I just hope you try and understand why I had to keep it this long
Me: (confused): What is it mum??
Mum: (sighs) My late husband, Adedolapo Martins Adegbite is not……
Ada: (barges in, cutting mum off) Good afternoon Ma! Good afternoon Dolapo! I heard you’re not feeling fine, Wale said you fell down, where did you fall from? was it Okada (bike) or you were just running?? (faces mum) Haa! sorry ma! you’ve been taking care of him, I should have come earlier ma but my cousin whom I’m staying here in Lagos with , requested that I follow her to the naming ceremony of her friend’s brother, whose wife had been barren for 7 years but eventually became pregnant when she went to Redemption ground and Rev Adeboye prayed for her. So that’s why I couldn’t be here on time. Shey you understand ma??
Mum: emmm… Okay… I heard a naming, redemption ground and Rev Adeboye…. I guess I understand then!
Me: hahahaha! Ada you talk too much jor
Ada: No o! what have I said now? I haven’t said anything at all, I still have enough gist for you
Mum: (laughs) Good you can tell Dolapo, I’ll be in my room sleeping .
Ada: Haa! Ok ma! I will tell it to you whenever you wake up
Mum: No o! Let Dolapo tell ehn, shogbo?
Ada: Ok ma! (Faces me) Dolly-p how are you ?
Me: You know you have to stop asking already. Told you I’m fine, it’s two days ago
Ada: Wale told me what really happened. I don’t believe that girl would still get you in trouble even after all I told her..
Me: (confused) What? Did you talk to Bidemi? Do you girls talk?
Ada: emmm…. I mean after what you told her, you know uhm… just saying that.. uhmm
Me: Ada I’m not a fool so stop trying to do this. Tell me what you told her
Ada: I’m sorry Dolapo, your friend told me it’s what you wanted me to do and…
Me: My friend
Ada: Yes! He told me if I called Bidemi and talked to her that….
Me: (cutting her off) Wait!! Did you call Bidemi and told her i have a girlfriend?
Ada: (looking down) Yes I did
Me furious) Why??!!
Ada: (crying) He asked me to do it
Me: Who asked you to say that??
Ada: Your friend!!
Me: What friend!! I don’t have any friend here!
Ada: Oh my God! I was on my way here when I met him and we spoke and…
Me: Femi right?
Ada: (confused) Emm I think, I don’t know… Maybe
Me: It’s him! He has to be the one! That little bastard! But how could you do that Ada? You know I don’t have a girlfriend, why would you tell her I do? what girlfriend are you talking about?
Ada: (crying) I’m so sorry. I thought it would help, I had to do that…
Me: But why??
Ada: Because….. Because I love you!!
And then came the silence. There were tears in her eyes. I do feel sorry for her, I wanted to hold her and tell her everything is Okay,.wipe her tears and tell her i have forgiven her but I had other things in mind.
Me: (Sighs) I have to go somewhere.. I stood up and wore flat sanders, making my way out when Ada called out
Ada: Dolapo please wait, where are you going?
Me: I’m going to see Bidemi…. Don’t wait for me! I left the house.
**********************
The nightmare of watching two guys fight over her is far from over. It was two days ago and she still can’t get her mind off it. She blamed herself over it, she felt she shouldn’t have let this go on for so long, how did she allow it get this bad. She’s dating Femi again and yes he seemed like a new person and paid her more attention than ever. She had brought up the idea of s*x twice just to test him and he had made it clear he wouldn’t ask her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. He is her first love but does that really mean he is her true love? She sighed.
Dolapo seemed like an amazing guy until she found out he was a pathetic liar. She’s mad at him but something keeps drawing her to him and often times than not, the kiss they shared had came across her mind uninvited. The first kiss with anyone is meant to be special in a way but her kiss with Dolapo had been totally something different, something new…. Something amazing. He was gentle, the kiss was more emotional than sexual.
His hands had stayed on her waist and back even when she thought he’d grab her b*tt and br**st like Femi always does but he was just…. different! She shakes her head to get the thought off. She was about getting on her bed when her dad called out;
Mr.Adeboye: My pumpkin!! She smiled. she’s almost 18 and her dad still calls her the same name he has been calling her since she was 8.
Bidemi: Yes Dad! I’m coming!!
She made her way down to the sitting room. She saw her Dad sitting on a Sofa, next to him was Her dad’s best friend, Mr. Olatunji Adeleke…. Also known as Femi’s dad!
Bidemi: (facing both men): Good afternoon sirs
Femi’s Dad: Hahaha! How are you my very beautiful friend’s daughter??
Bidemi: (smiles) I’m fine sir Mr. Adeleke
Femi’s dad: Good! You are growing up into a beautiful lady. I’m sure boys have started whistling at you on the streets
Bidemi’s dad: Yes they have! I’ve seen your son, Femi come here more often than normal
Femi’s dad: Hahaha! That’s my boy! He knows good things like his father
Bidemi’s dad: Ehn ehn… Does he also know I have a gun?? The two men busted out in laughter as Bidemi had a little giggle too. Her Dad and Femi’s father had been really close since they are both Custom officers. They both hardly stay home too because of their work ethics so it wasn’t much of a surprise to Bidemi that both of them are just noticing the closeness between Femi and Her….
They might never know that her sister, Kikelomo and Femi had…. She shakes her head again, that’s a memory she never ever want to recall.
Bidemi’s Dad: My Pumpkin! Your mom just called and ask that you prepare Fried Rice for dinner tonight
Bidemi: Ok dad. She was making her way back upstairs when Abdul, their gateman came in
Abdul: Ehnn… Small Madam! Abeg come! I wan see you She followed him out
Bidemi: What’s wrong Abdul?
Abdul: No vex Small Madam! I no wan talk am for your papa front ni but that boy wey dey always com see you, e dey outside gate
Bidemi: Femi can enter now
Abdul: No be Femi o! Na the other one! Dohlarpu
Bidemi: It’s Dolapo jor! but anyway thank you, your rice go plenty tonight
Abdul: Haaaaa! Thank you phery much Small Madam
She went outside the gate and saw Dolapo looking frail but still good looking, she immediately felt sorry for him.
Dolapo: Look Bidemi! please listen to me. I know you got a call from a girl claiming to be my girlfriend
Bidemi: Yea I did! And that call saved me from making a huge mistake
Dolapo: No! you don’t understand! I’m not dating her, She’s just my friend.
Bidemi: but why would she say she was your girlfriend ??
Dolapo: Because Femi told her to say that
Bidemi: What??
Dolapo: Yes! He was trying to make me look bad so he made her do that
Bidemi: (crying) Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell me this before??
Dolapo: I just knew about it today Bidemi. She just told me
Bidemi: (wipes her tears with the back of her hand) I didn’t know… I should have asked you about it
Dolapo: It’s not your fault, You couldn’t have known. But please Bidemi I just need you to come back to me. Since I lost you I hadn’t been the same. It’s like my whole world came crashing down. Seeing you with Femi was my worst nightmare, I never want to experience it again. I don’t care what it takes, I don’t care how long it’ll have to be, I don’t care what I have to do but I will do everything just to have you in my life again. Maybe you love Femi, Maybe you don’t but I’m not leaving you. I didn’t wait this long to lose you to anyone else, you complete me Bidemi and a day without you in my life is like a day without sunshine. I pray for you more than I pray for myself. You, Bidemi, are all I’ve ever wanted because….. because… I love you!
Bidemi: (Tears streaming down her face) Dolapo…. (sighs)…. I love you too!! He moved closer to her as she stretched her arm and wrap them around his neck, he wrapped his around her back and waist. They held each other tight as the gate flung open.
****************
I had hurriedly walked towards Bidemi’s house the first knock went unanswered as usual but the gateman opened the gate afterwards. He had hinted me to stay outside because Bidemi’s Dad was at Home. He closed it and 3 minutes later Bidemi came out! I didn’t know what to say, never planned it but the words kept coming out. She believed me and I’m glad she did.
As I spoke I saw the tears in her eyes and when I stopped talking. she said the 5 most important words to me “Dolapo, I love you too” I couldn’t have been happier, my legs were stiff, my ears ringing and for the first time, I understood what is meant by “butterfly in the stomach”. She stretched her arms and I walked right into them. The whole Universe.paused, I could feel as both our hearts beat rhythmically. We held each other close and tight and in that moment nothing was more important, Nothing else mattered until the gate opened and two men stepped out. BIdemi and I jerked and moved away from each other. I had no doubt in my mind that one of the men was her dad. I couldn’t say a word, I looked on in fear as I felt my heart beats in my mouth. Finally the men spoke 1st Man (faces the other): Do you still have that gun?? 2nd Man: (looks at me) Yes of course! It’s right here in my back pocket!! I opened my mouth, My head rang a bell. I almost drop dead!
