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.
Visit www.pobsonline.com for more amazing stories
——————–
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 the office; I want him far from my life.”
“I think that will be the best idea now.”
“I think so too.” I said.
TBC
