He was visibly shocked. ‘Why? You both seemed so happy.’
‘We couldn’t make it work. He has moved on, and so have I.’
She wanted to make it clear that she was available again and hoped he caught her drift. Wittingly, she veered the conversation away to a more pleasant topic and he took the cue. As they reminisced on old times, neither one noticed as the afternoon flew by. Imade was serving him a second round of chilled fruit juice when the door bell rang.
‘Mummy is back,’ she announced, placing the tray by his side.
Her heart fluttered lightly as it dawned on her that Taye was about to meet her son. For all their catching up, she had forgotten to mention Ehis. Well, she now had a son, so what? She was still the same sweet young girl he had always loved. She began rehearsing her introduction as she unlocked the door, but stopped midway. Her knees almost buckled when she swung the door open to find Dapo standing there.
‘Hello Imade,’ he said with a smile.
A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed hard. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’
‘May I come in?’
When she didn’t reply, he stepped across her and entered the living room. He paused when he saw Taye, a look of recognition crossing his face. Both men attempted a friendly handshake.
‘Where’s my son?’ Dapo demanded, turning back to her.
‘Could we talk outside?’ she said, feeling embarrassed. ‘I’m sure you’ve noticed that I have company.’
Dapo didn’t move. ‘Why didn’t you call me when you got back to Nigeria? You know I would want to see him. I flew in all the way from Port Harcourt when I heard you were in the country.’
Taye rose from his seat. ‘Umm, Maybe I should go.’ He picked his keys and stepped out of the living room. Imade watched tongue-tied, as he left.
‘Rekindling an old flame?’ Dapo asked as Taye exited through the front door. ‘I see you haven’t lost your charm on that guy.’
‘Dapo, you can’t just show up at my house unannounced like this!’
‘I tried your old number, but it didn’t go through. It was Aisha who told me you were back.’ He looked around the room. ‘Where’s my son?’ he asked again.
‘He’s not here.’
‘Then I’ll wait till he gets here.’
He looked ready to make himself comfortable on the couch that Taye had just vacated but Imade stopped him quickly. She needed to clear her head. But Dapo insisted on remaining there until he saw Ehis.
‘Maybe you should come back tomorrow. You’ll get to see him then.’
Anything to get rid of him. After much persuasion, Dapo agreed to come back the following morning. Imade stood motionless as he walked out, her hand still resting on the door knob as she tried to regain her composure.
~~~~
The night passed slowly. Imade lay awake, rolling the events of the previous evening over in her mind. How dare Dapo barge in on her like that? What right did he have to come here, asking for Ehis? She knew she should have given him a tongue lashing, but she had been so shocked by his sudden appearance and something within her held back. She got up long before daybreak and began cleaning the house, working away her agitation. She was still watering the plants when Dapo arrived. It was Iye who brought Ehis out to meet him, neglecting to mention who Dapo was. The boy was too young to understand anyway. Ehis rested comfortably as Dapo balanced him on his lap.
‘He takes to people easily,’ Iye explained.
‘Of course he should take to me,’ Dapo said proudly. ‘I’m his father.’
Imade stood aside, arms akimbo and willing herself to remain calm as she watched father and son play with each other. Dapo drew Ehis closer to him.
‘I want him to come and visit me in Port Harcourt,’ he told her. ‘It would take the burden off you for a while.’
Ehis’ mother bit her lip and stepped forward. ‘I never told you he’s a burden.’
‘Yeah, but it must be difficult pursuing a career while tied down with extra baggage.’
She winced, as his words stung her. ‘Extra baggage?’ she repeated. ‘Is that how you see your son?’
‘Of course not; I’m just trying to make a point. Or don’t you sometimes feel like you could have achieved more if you hadn’t had him?’
Frowning at his careless utterances, Imade let out a short breath. ‘I have no regrets,’ she replied. ‘And no, Ehis can’t come to see you. He’s too young to make the trip.’
Dapo glared at her and she stared back defiantly. Ehis chortled loudly, cutting through the tension. He slid off his father’s lap and scurried towards his mother with arms outstretched, forcing both of them to turn their gaze towards him. Eventually Dapo left, promising to visit him again soon. He offered Imade money for Ehis’ upkeep but she declined. For the past two years, she had handled the responsibilities alone. She didn’t need any favors now.
~~~~
The storm clouds gathered over the city of Port Harcourt and the sky grew dark and gloomy. Inside the Kolade’s home, Dapo called his wife into their living room and sat her down.
‘There’s something you need to know.’ Letting out a deep breath, he announced to her that he had a son.
She grimaced, trying to make sure she heard him correctly. Dapo explained to her that he had been estranged from his son’s mother since the birth, but now, he decided it was time to find them.
She was enraged. ‘Why did you keep it a secret all this while?’ she fumed. ‘We receive some unpleasant news from the doctor and then suddenly you remember you have a son?’
‘I never forgot,’ he corrected. ‘I’m just trying to bring some hope into this hopeless situation.’
Bolts of lightning flashed through the sky accompanied a few seconds later by loud crashes of thunder. A steady rush of rain began to pour. Tara felt tired. It wasn’t physical tiredness, it was an emotional fatigue. When the doctor told her some months ago, that she wouldn’t be able to conceive, she was shattered and had looked to her husband for solace. But now, he seemed to be referring to her when he called their situation hopeless.
‘He’s my son,’ he said. ‘And he could be our future.’
Tara sank into a nearby chair and folded her arms in her laps, her eyes fixated on the ground.
‘Dapo, are you planning to leave me?’ she asked.
He was jolted by her question. ‘No! Why on earth would you think such a thing?’
‘Is there hope for this marriage?’ she continued. ‘I mean if I can’t give you a child, then...’ her voice trailed off and she sat there, staring blankly at the floor.
Dapo went to her. He tried to hug her but she pushed him away, her anger resurfacing despite her fears.
‘Don’t expect me to accept this boy of yours with open arms,’ she snapped at him.
‘All I want is for you to meet him and get to know him,’ Dapo continued. ‘I’m arranging with his mother to bring him over.’ He paused and bent down beside her. ‘He’s adorable, Tara. You will love him.’
He said the last statement like an order rather than an intuition. Tara sprang up from the chair and pushed past him. She wanted to get out of the house. He called to her to wait, but she dashed across the living room, through the front door and into the pouring rain.
~~~~
Taye deserved an explanation, maybe even an apology. Anyone would have been embarrassed to find themselves caught in the middle of a clash between two exes. Imade only hoped she could find the right words to say to him. She dialed his number and waited anxiously. Taye seemed cheerful enough when he answered the call.
‘I’m really sorry about yesterday,’ Imade began. ‘Dapo’s visit was so unexpected. I didn’t mean to cause you any embarrassment.’
‘It’s you I’m concerned about,’ he replied softly. ‘Are you alright?’
He had always been so caring. She assured him that she was fine.
‘Dapo asked for his son?’ he continued.
‘Yes, w
e had a child together. I wanted to tell you earlier, but the timing wasn’t right.’ She paused. ‘I would love for you to meet him.’
‘Meet who? Your ex?’
‘No Taye, I meant my son.’
‘So, are you guys planning to get back together?’ he asked, as though he hadn’t heard her last statement. ‘He mentioned that he came all the way from Port Harcourt to see you.’
‘To see his son,’ Imade corrected him. ‘Dapo is married now and I have moved on with my life. The only thing that could make our paths cross is Ehis.’
The line was quiet for a while, with only the sound of Taye’s breathing. She waited for his response.
‘Imade,’ he said finally. ‘Things are different now. We’ve both changed so much. There’s a lady I met at the hospital, her mother was a patient of mine. We’ve grown quite close and she means a lot to me.’
It was Imade’s turn to be shocked. ‘Why didn’t you mention her before?’ she asked with a frown.
‘The same reason you didn’t mention Ehis. The timing wasn’t right. Besides, nothing is settled yet, I’m just about to pop the big question.’
Taye joked that since he and Imade were sworn best friends, they should break tradition and make her his best man when he and the young lady were ready to tie the knot. The joke fell flat as a stab of jealousy pierced her heart. It seemed unimaginable that Taye could be interested in anyone but her. He had loved her for as long as she could remember. Was he backing out now because she had a son? Had her life become too complicated for him to handle?
‘I am not sure how to react to this,’ she told him frankly.
‘You could start by congratulating me,’ he replied. ‘I am about to marry the woman of my dreams.’
She thought she was the woman of his dreams.
‘Congratulations Taye,’ she said without enthusiasm.
‘Listen,’ he concluded, his voice serious again. ‘You’re a wonderful woman. I may not be the right man for you, but I’m sure you’ll meet that special someone soon.’
Taye had meant to comfort her, but his words didn’t produce the desired effect. Imade felt broken and left in the cold.
CHAPTER FOUR
Dapo continued to shower affection on Ehis. He arrived earlier than Imade had anticipated for a second visit and told her about his plans. ‘My company is relocating me over to the Lagos branch, so my wife and I will be moving here soon. That’s one of the reasons I came; to settle our accommodation.’
He was so keen to know every minute detail about his son that he asked Imade to take him, the next morning, to Ehis’ daycare. The matron, a portly dark complexioned woman in her mid-fifties, greeted him with a wide smile. Imade left them talking and dashed off to work. For the rest of the week, Ehis took a break from riding in the school bus, to ride with his father. Dapo picked him up in the morning, and after school, took him out for snacks before dropping him off with the nanny at home. Imade was grudgingly impressed with his efforts.
‘I don’t want you over pampering him,’ she cautioned.
Dapo smiled to himself. He had missed out on the first two years of his son’s life. Now, he was much wiser and with only one week to spend before he returned to Port Harcourt, pampering Ehis was exactly what he intended to do.
~~~~
A stream of complaints had been recurring at Ehis’ crèche; this troublesome boy was throwing tantrums again. His incessant outbursts were becoming a source of worry to his teachers. The other preschoolers were afraid of him; he would habitually pull the little girls’ hair and push the boys against the wall. When any of the teachers tried to stop him, he lashed out at them, thrashing his fists in the air and yelling in protests. Most of the preschoolers kept a safe distance from him.
It was 11a.m when Imade received another message about Ehis’ unruly behavior. His teacher threatened to isolate him in a little room if Imade didn’t come for him immediately. The project meeting had just kicked off at the bank. It was a key account and Imade couldn’t leave. She only recently secured these clients after chasing them for so long; it would be unthinkable to abandon them, now that she had their attention. She pleaded with the teacher to do anything she could to calm Ehis down till she got there. Thankfully, Dapo was still in town. Stepping outside the boardroom briefly, Imade called him to let him know she needed his help.
‘Could you attend to Ehis? I’m stuck at work. I’ll call Auntie Doris to let her know you’re coming.’
Dapo was glad to step in. He arrived at the crèche in a jiffy. Packing his car in the spacious compound, he hurried up the flight of stairs, hoping his little boy was keeping himself out of trouble. Auntie Doris, the teacher on duty, shook her head sternly when he stepped into the reception.
‘We’ll have to do something about your boy!’ she exclaimed, as she led Dapo to the nursery.
Surprisingly, Ehis was fast asleep. He seemed to have exhausted all the energy inside him and now lay spent in his cot, while the other preschoolers played quietly among themselves. Dapo tried to wake him up, but he didn’t stir.
‘I’m glad he’s calmed down,’ he said, as he lifted Ehis and laid him across his chest. ‘He’ll behave better tomorrow, you’ll see.’
The boy snoozed. It wasn’t until they got home that Iye pointed out that something was amiss; Ehis was unusually tired. She studied her grandson carefully, wondering why his snores were so pronounced. Vicky, the nanny prepared his favorite meal of noodles and sausages, but it lay uneaten as he bent over the dining table drowsily while they tried to feed him. He seemed to be in a state of stupor, quite unlike his boisterous self.
‘Call the daycare,’ Iye instructed. ‘They should have an explanation for this strange behavior.’
Dapo did so immediately, putting on the loudspeaker so Iye could participate in the conversation. ‘The Ehis I took home is a very different boy from the one you say was causing commotion this afternoon,’ he began.
Auntie Doris immediately became defensive. ‘I didn’t notice anything unusual. Maybe he’s just worn out after all that activity.’
Dapo was ready to drop the matter and get back to attending to his son, but Iye was not as gullible. ‘Even if he ran a marathon, he wouldn’t be this tired,’ she insisted. ‘You said that you would do your best to calm him down till his father got there, how exactly did you do that?’
Auntie Doris remained adamant. ‘Why not allow him to sleep it off tonight?’ she suggested. ‘I’m sure by tomorrow, he’ll be his bubbly self again.’
Iye grunted in disagreement. ‘We’ll take him to the clinic for a test. But if there’s something you’d like to tell us before we go, now would be a good time to do so.’
Auntie Doris was taken aback when she heard that Ehis might need some medical attention. In a panic, she admitted that his behavior was not normal. She told them how he was especially rowdy that afternoon. The children were trying to have their lunch, but he wouldn’t let them eat in peace as he jumped around and knocked their plates over. Auntie Doris was fagged out; Ehis was working her nerves, so she decided to take some drastic action.
‘I put some tranquilizers into his beverage to curb his excesses,’ she said quietly, confirming Iye’s fears. ‘I hope I didn’t overdo it. I really didn’t mean any harm.’
Dapo was alarmed. Iye tried to calm him down. She had dealt with this kind of issues in the past and her experience told her the situation wasn’t critical.
‘I’ll flush his system with some fluids,’ she said. ‘Then we’ll just allow him to sleep it off.’
At Avery, the project meeting finally wrapped up at 2p.m and Imade was able to tear herself away from the office to attend to the brewing crisis. Dapo was waiting for her when she got home. ‘What’s going on?’ he demanded. ‘Are they trying to poison the boy?’
Imade was just as alarmed as he was. ‘Iye told me what happened,’ she said. ‘I called the owner of the crèche and she assured me the teacher in question will be severely dealt with
, but I’m withdrawing Ehis from there immediately.’
‘Is this how you leave him at the mercy of every inexperienced sociopath?’ he continued.
‘I said I’m dealing with it,’ Imade snapped. What right did he have to scold her like this?
Dapo paused for a while. ‘There’s something on my mind,’ he said, more gently. ‘Something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.’
He suddenly looked troubled.
‘What is it?’ Imade asked.
‘Early this year, my wife had to undergo an operation. She was three months pregnant when the doctor noticed an unusual growth, which had to be taken out. Unfortunately, things went wrong and we lost the baby. The doctor said her womb was damaged and she couldn’t have another child.’
‘Oh dear,’ Imade shook her head. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘I love my wife dearly, but the incident has put a strain on our marriage. She’s always depressed. I want to make things right again.’
‘Make things right,’ Imade repeated. ‘What do you mean?’
Dapo looked up at her, his eyes piercing. ‘I want you to give me custody of Ehis, so that we can raise him as our own.’
Imade shrank back, certain that he had lost his mind. She stared at him, mouth agape. Wasn’t this the same Mr. ‘I’m not ready for a baby’, who walked away from her over two years ago? He had never been interested in his son before, even going as far as asking her to get rid of him before he was born. The events of the past month; his sudden appearance at her door and his enthusiastic efforts to get close to Ehis now made sense to her.
‘Did I hear you right? You’re asking me to give up parental rights to my son?’ she asked. ‘Have you gone insane?’
‘I’m not asking you to give up your rights,’ he argued. ‘All I’m asking is for you to let him grow up with me. He’s my son as well.’
‘Yeah? Why not tell your son how you wanted him aborted?’
‘That was in the past. Let’s focus on now!’
She shook her head vigorously. ‘You can’t have Ehis. He’s my life.’
‘Your life?’ Dapo retorted. ‘The boy is throwing tantrums at school because he’s being neglected. All this unruly behavior is his way of clamoring for attention. His teachers have resorted to drugging him just to keep him under control. Your career is your life. You don’t have time for your own son.’