"Yes. I ate on my way and it seemed the soup was smelling all over me." He lied.
"Hmm. I hear you. I want to eat suya and sardines." She declared.
"What? What sort of combination is that? Is that even healthy? He queried her.
Mrs Danladi came in with Fuhad just after that.
They exchanged pleasantries, Tonia was happy to see them, especially Fuhad. She wasn't happy they couldn't throw a big party for Fuhad' s first birthday because of her health. She missed her son.
She had been forced to stop breast feeding him due to her ill health. She just couldn't help but feel like she had abandoned her son.
"He's grown taller than he was two days ago. I was told you brought him yesterday while I was sleeping.
You should have woken me up."
"Grown taller in two days? Tonia, you play too much. We were instructed not to wake you up, we had to leave. It was a well deserved rest, you look much better today. I'm happy."
"Thank you so much ma. Thank you for taking good care of Fuhad. I hope we are not stressing you too much though.
Between taking care of Fuhad and the hospital visits. I feel so useless. My mum even offered to come so she can help out."
"Don't say that my love." Usman cut in.
"No, you are not useless my Dear, you are bringing a new life into the world. That is the most important duty that could be thrust on any human being.
Just relax and save your strength. Don't bother your mother, we are fine."
"Yes. I ate on my way and it seemed the soup was smelling all over me." He lied.
"Hmm. I hear you. I want to eat suya and sardines." She declared.
"What? What sort of combination is that? Is that even healthy? He queried her.
Mrs Danladi came in with Fuhad just after that.
They exchanged pleasantries, Tonia was happy to see them, especially Fuhad. She wasn't happy they couldn't throw a big party for Fuhad' s first birthday because of her health.
She missed her son.
She had been forced to stop breast feeding him due to her ill health. She just couldn't help but feel like she had abandoned her son.
"He's grown taller than he was two days ago. I was told you brought him yesterday while I was sleeping.
You should have woken me up."
"Grown taller in two days? Tonia, you play too much. We were instructed not to wake you up, we had to leave. It was a well deserved rest, you look much better today. I'm happy."
"Thank you so much ma. Thank you for taking good care of Fuhad. I hope we are not stressing you too much though. Between taking care of Fuhad and the hospital visits.
I feel so useless. My mum even offered to come so she can help out."
"Don't say that my love." Usman cut in.
"No, you are not useless my Dear, you are bringing a new life into the world. That is the most important duty that could be thrust on any human being. Just relax and save your strength. Don't bother your mother, we are fine."
Tonia put to bed a couple of months after that, she had to go through a cesarian section. It was an emergency as her life was as risk. But all went well. She gave birth to a handsome baby boy.
Usman was beyond panic. He almost went crazy. Tonia's mum was brought to Lagos immediately she was told.
"Where is my baby?" That was the first question she asked as she came around.
"He is fine." Usman answered.
Usman and Tonia's mother didn't go home since the previous night. They've been keeping watch over her.
Mrs Danladi had to go home so as to take care of Fuhad. She had checked on her earlier too.
"Mum, she's awake, she's fine. Please tell Akeem and my sisters, My wife is awake." He said on the phone, breathlessly.
He couldn't imagine life without his wife.
Tonia was discharged five days after under strict medical supervision. She was not to do anything other than nurse her baby, rest, sleep and eat.
A nurse was assigned to her so she wouldn't need to come to the hospital for dressing.
"Usman, please take good care of her. Make sure she takes her medications as prescribed and she maintains zero stress.
This pregnancy and delivery was really difficult. She is a strong woman, if not, anything could have happened.
Please avoid anything that could agitate or stress her." Dr Ajewole warned Usman in the presence of his mother and mother-in-law.
Mrs Danladi rolled her eyes. She knew what Usman might get up to. There's no way she was allowing that.
After the Doctor left, she warned Usman.
"You heard what the Doctor said. Please don't go near her room. If you do, just greet and leave."
"My in law, what do you mean?" Tonia's mum asked. She was surprised at Mrs Danladi's utterances.
"Since the thing started working, he doesn't give Tonia any breathing space." Mrs Danladi whispered into her in-law's ear.
"Mum, you're embarrassing me. Please stop."
Their mothers laughed loudly.
Tonia was wondering what they found funny.
Both Mrs Danladi and Tonia's mum made sure Tonia and the baby were well taken care of.
The baby was named and called Farouk.
"Babe, how are you feeling? Hope the surgery scar is healing well." Usman asked his wife that night as they laid on the bed.
It's been six weeks after she gave birth to Farouk.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She answered.
He began to kiss her on the lips. He touched her hair. He had been craving to have her for weeks. Susan had travelled, and with the birth of the new born baby and Tonia's fragile health, their mothers had practically moved in with them.
His every move was being watched, especially by his own mother.
He had been masturbating almost every night. He needed to have sex with a real woman.
"Usman, please, if anything is going to happen tonight, you need to be gentle. I'm not strong enough, neither am I healed, but I want to do this for your sake.
I don't want to give you any excuse to be unfaithful to me." She pleaded with him.
Usman had his way with her that night. Though he was gentle, Tonia was too weak to enjoy it. But she was glad she satisfied her husband.
"He has been patient with me for months, it's about time I compensated him." She thought.
Susan was back the following week. Usman was happy. He made out time during work hours to see her as usual without anyone at home being the wiser.
He was proud of himself, his home was under control, his business was flourishing, he had a side chic who knew her place. What more could a man wish for?
But he wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.
After three rounds of hot, sizzling sex with Susan, he was getting dressed, ready to leave.
" I have something to tell you Usman."
"Be fast, what do you need? I need to get back to work. I have an important meeting this afternoon."
"I'm pregnant. It's five weeks old."
Usman was shocked!
Unknown to Usman, Susan had wanted more than being a side chic to one of the richest men in the country.
She wanted more.
She had bided her time.
She made him believe she wanted nothing more from him.
She made him comfortable enough to have unprotected sex with him, claiming she used family planning contraceptives and they had nothing to worry about since they had run blood tests the moment they decided to be exclusive.
"What do you mean you are pregnant? For who? Was that part of our agreement?" He barked at her.
"It wasn't intentional, I used my pills, I swear. It was during my visit to my hometown that I discovered. I didn't want to tell you on phone, hence my being quiet about it."
"You have to get rid of it. I'll transfer three million naira into your account, get a good doctor and abort the pregnancy."
"I can't." She sobbed. " My mother knows already. She was the first to see the signs. She wants you to come with your people. You know my Dad is dead, please don't let his kinsman blame and mock us." She begged him.
"I can't talk about this now. I have a meeting to attend. We'll talk about this later." He left for the meeting in a hurry and confusion.
Usman called Akeem while he was on his way to the office.
"I need to see you as soon as possible. When will you be available?" He asked him over the phone. He was confused and worried.
"I'm not in Lagos at the moment, I went to Porthacourt for business. I should be back tomorrow. We can meet at the club tomorrow evening. Hope it's nothing serious?" Akeem asked.
"It's a bit serious, we'll see tomorrow. I have to go now. Bye." He ended the call.
Usman was pensive through out the meeting.
This cannot be happening. How do I face Tonia? What do I tell her? Is this how I ought to pay back her patience?
"Welcome honey, how was your day?" Tonia greeted her husband.
"Fine." He whispered.
"Hope all is well. You don't look or sound too good. Did you take all your meds this morning?" She asked him, worried.
"I said I'm fine!" He barked at her, and stormed off.
Tonia was shocked, she was startled. She regained her composure and followed her husband into their bedroom.
"Usman, what's wrong with you? Did something happen to you at work?" She asked him, concerned.
"I just said I'm fine. Look, someone annoyed me on the way home. It's nothing. Sorry I snapped at you." He replied, removing his shoes.
"Are you sure? Are you sure it's not more than that?" She asked him yet again.
"I said I'm fine, woman. Leave me alone." He stood and entered the bathroom.
He felt ashamed.
He felt like a betrayer.
He was afraid Tonia would see through him. He needed to get a grip on his emotions before he died of guilt.
All rights reserved
Written By Tolulope Fakayode-Faniran
5th June, 2017
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