The next morning, Tonia woke up early, took care of
her sons with the help of her mum and help. It was time for her mother
to return to the village. She'd been in
Lagos for almost three months. She had to go back home.
They bade her
farewell and left the house for work very early.
On her way to work, her phone rang.
"Who is this?" Tonia asked.
"My name is Suzzie, I'm Susan." The caller responded.
"I don't think I know you. Please."
"I'm your husband's girlfriend and I'm carrying his baby."
"What? Tonia exclaimed.
"I'm sorry to drop this on you this morning, but I'm carrying your husband's baby. He wants me to abort it but my mother knows already, so I can't. I just thought you should know. Bye." She dropped the phone.
"Bayo, turn this car around and take me back home!" She yelled at the driver.
Both the driver and nanny were perplexed, they've never seen her like this. They were scared that something terrible must have happened.
They got back home, but Usman had left. Tonia contemplated going to work, but she knew she would be of no good to anyone there.
She couldn't cry.
She was too angry to cry.
What should she do?
Though she didn't know what she would do, one thing she knew she wouldn't do was to take this lying down.
_______________________________________
"Akeem, I'm in deep trouble. I have overstepped my boundary this time."
Usman didn't even greet his brother that evening.
He could hardly get any work done at the office. He kept checking the time and monitoring Akeem's movement all day.
The moment Akeem's plane landed in Lagos, he left the office for the club. In fact, he had to wait another one and a half hours before Akeem arrived.
"Bro, what is it this time? What happened?" Akeem teased.
"This is no joking matter. Some girl says she's pregnant for me."
"What? Are you serious at all? Do you mean you sleep with a woman that's not your wife without protection? You've got to be kidding me Usman." Akeem was angry, he was mad at his brothers dumbness.
"I didn't mean for it to happen. She told me she was on pills."
Akeem was irritated. He looked at him and felt like slapping him.
"And mum always said you were the smart one. Look at you. Are you listening to yourself? I can't help you. I've never impregnated any woman apart from Lateefah. So I'm not an expert on this."
"Please Akeem, there must be something you can do. I told the girl to abort it but she wouldn't. Saying her mother knows about it. Bla bla bla."
"You do know your marriage is over right? And if not, it would never remain the same. I need to think on this.
This is too much for me to handle, besides I've had a hectic day. Airport wahala was crazy. Please I need to go home and rest.
This just worsened my day. I'm sorry. All I can say now is that you should try to act normal with your wife.
Don't go getting all emotional or crazy, at least till we can figure a way out of this mess." Akeem told him.
"Do you think I should tell mum?" Usman asked.
"You better don't try it. Have you forgotten she and Tonia are now BFFs?"
They left the club and went to their different houses.
When Usman got home, dinner was ready. He didn't feel like eating but he remembered Akeem's advise to act normal. He also needed to take his medications.
He went upstairs to their room so he could freshen up before having dinner.
Tonia was in the nursery with the children. She sat on the rocking chair, she looked so peaceful and beautiful.
Farouk was on her chest, she was rocking him to sleep and she had fallen asleep too.
Usman didn't want to disturb her.
When it was time to eat, thirty minutes after, Tonia joined him at the table. The children were asleep and the nanny was keeping watch over them.
Tonia gave Cecilia the evening off.
She didn't want any interference.
"Why didn't you call me when you returned. I didn't even know you were back. I must have slept off in the nursery."
"I didn't want to disturb you, you were asleep. I'm sorry."
"Ok. Can I dish up for you? She asked.
"Yes. A little, thank you."
"Why a little. Did you have something to eat on your way home?" Tonia probed.
"No, I'm just not really hungry. I think I might be coming down with a fever. I'm not feeling too well."
"Why are you not feeling well? What's the matter?" Tonia said as she handed him his food.
"Nothing. I guess it's just stress." He replied, avoiding her gaze. He didn't want to make eye contact with her.
They started eating. Though Tonia didn't want to eat too. She tried.
"What's stressing you? Is it your girlfriend's pregnancy? She asked.
Usman dropped his fork and choked on the food in his mouth.
How did she know?
Did he give her any inkling?
Did someone tell her?
Susan doesn't have her number.
How?
His head was spinning.
He couldn't answer.
"Is your girlfriend not carrying your child? Answer me! Where did I go wrong Usman? Where? What have I done to deserve this?" She asked him, crying, even though she had promised herself not to cry. She had spent the whole day crying.
With that, she left him at the dining table.
Usman slept alone that night. Tonia locked herself up with the children in the nursery.
He was too ashamed to face her the next morning. He left for work before dawn.
He had an important meeting at the office.
He called the spa immediately after he meeting and he was told Tonia didn't come in.
He prayed she would be home.
He went home straight away.
He prayed he still stood a chance.
He ran out of the car and opened the door.
Then he went to their bedroom, but almost all the wardrobe doors were open. He feared the worst.
Alas, the wardrobes were empty.
He checked the nursery and it was almost empty too.
He sat down on the floor and cried.
And he woke up.
He heard Tonia's voice faintly.
"Usman wake up. Why are you crying in your sleep? What happened? Are you okay?"
He woke up and hugged his wife tight.
He was sweating and crying.
He looked around, they were in the hospital ward.
"What happened Usman?" Why are you crying? You were crying from your sleep." Tonia asked.
"I was scared. I thought I had lost you, and my boys."
"What boys? Who told you our second child would be a boy?" She asked him, trying to make sense of the whole thing.
"I dreamt. It was a dream. But it seemed so real. Tell me the pregnancy at least is true."
"Of course, it's true. Fuhad is going to have a sibling. Though we don't know the sex yet."
"Thank God! It's going to be a boy." He said, affirmatively.
"Okay, I hear you, but you need to tell me what happened in your dream exactly." She said.
"I dreamt you left me Honey, I messed up and you left. I promise you I'll never betray you. Don't leave me."
"I'm glad you know I can leave if you betray me. I don't plan to leave if you don't give me a reason to." She smiled and kissed him on the lips.
All rights reserved
Written By Tolulope Fakayode-Faniran
6th June, 2017
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