~HER BABY’S SECRET~
SERIE THREE
Arike’s POV
FEMI AFOLABI LAW FIRM
A beeping ~sound from my phone distracted me. I rolled my eyes at the caller’s ID – Busayomi. She was my very goo~ d friend and I can also say that she was my big sister. We’ve been friends for years. Busayomi was my roommate back in University days and we bonded almost immediately at our first meeting.
I met her on the day I wanted to get some books from the library. I wasn’t familiar with the campus yet as a fresher unlike Busayomi who was in 200 level. She helped me to the library and that was how we got talking. As at that time I needed a place to stay because I didn’t like the fact that I was living with Mr Gbadamosi (he was a close friend to my uncle) and his family. Busayomi offered to allow me stay with her and her roommate Bunmi. I talked with my uncle who agreed to let me stay with Busayomi and Bunmi after so much persuasion.
Busayomi was like a big sister which I never had. She was two years older than me that’s why I have so much respect for her.
“Hello big sister.” I said after accepting the call.
“The law! The law! My incorruptible Attorney!” She hyped me as usual. “How have you been?!”
“I am good. What about you?!”
“Not bad o baby girl,since you have forgotten that you have a sister somewhere.”
“Ahn ahn sister Busayomi why would you think like that?”
“Why won’t I have such thought? When was the last time you called to check on me?”
I closed my eyes to remember. “Ermm..I think..” but I couldn’t
“You can’t remember because it has been long!”
Feelings of guilt stirred up in my mind. “Sister I am -”
“Did you reply the last text I sent to you?” She asked
“Sister which text again?”
“Ahhh!! Arike! Tell me haven’t you been checking your phone?!”
“Sister…I have been really busy lately. See I can’t remember the last time I logged in to my social media accounts.”
“Eh..I know I shouldn’t be accusing you like this because of nature of your job cases here and there but at least always try to reply your messages. I have been so worried about you that I have made up my mind to come over to your place this weekend if you don’t answer your call.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“If I don’t worry about you then who should I worry about? You don’t know that you’re now my responsibility!”
“I know sister mi, but I am alright.”
“Good to hear. And congratulations on your case.”
“Thank you.” I smiled brightly.
Actually I won my case! We were able to find Chidinma’s killer. It was who I predicted it to be. Senator Johnson’s political opponent was the master mind of the whole incident. We wouldn’t have found any tangible evidence against Senator Jackson if one of the men he had paid to kill Chidinma hadn’t turned himself in to the police.
Chika, a young man of 20 years old revealed that Senator Jackson’s PA paid him and four other men to murder Chidinma. Chika also disclose that his mind hasn’t been at rest since the death of Chidinma. He claimed to have seen her in his dreams so many times that was why he decided to turn himself in to stop the nightmares that has been haunting him for months now.
Senator Jackson was apprehended after Chika’s confession and he revealed that he had ordered the killing of Chidinma because her father refused to step down even after accepting a huge amount of money from him. Long story short, my client was released from prison after all charges against him was dropped.
“In this country one have to be very careful. Imagine! They just wasted that Innocent girl’s life!”
” May her soul rest in peace.” I muttered.
“Amen o! Ehen ehen wait o lest I forget!”
“What is it?”
“I have been seeing some shocking news online lately.”
“About what?”
“It’s about someone you know.”
“Who is the person?”
“She hissed. “Oh! I forgot you haven’t been online lately. It’s about Adedayo!”
“What’s about him?”
“Is it true that he’s dating Actress Shalewa Oriola and that they are getting married soon?” She asked
“Yeah,it is true.”
She gasped out. “I thought it was just rumors o!”
“Shalewa is Dayo’s girlfriend.”
“Eh ehn I told my friends at the office that I would get the truth from someone very close to Adedayo Awosika but they thought I was lying. They all refused to believe that my sister is Dayo’s best friend until I showed them a picture of the both of you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I had to do so they would all believe me. Please how long have they be dating?”
“Three months now…”
“Ahhh! Three months and they are already set to get married?”
“Na so we see am o! It’s not how far jare but how well is their case.” I sighed.
“And I am just finding out. What about that his half-caste girlfriend? What’s her name again?”
“Joy.”
“Yes! Yes! Joy!”
“That one?” I laughed.
“I thought Dayo was serious with her.”
“He was serious with her but Joy had something else in mind.”
“She’s like the other girls right?”
“Her case na high class o!”
“Aburo gist me na!” She sounded excited. Sister Busayomi likes gist than her life. I am sure she called to find out if the news about Dayo and Shalewa was true, checking on me was just the perfect excuse to know the truth.
“Miss Joy asked Dayo for 3million naira.”
“I know Dayo has a lot of money but 3million? For what na?!” She exclaimed.
“To start a business.”
“Ehn that’s acceptable. But I thought Joy was from a rich home.”
“Yes..but..not rich rich like that.” I replied.
“So Dayo ended the relationship because of Shalewa?”
“No! He ended it because Joy threatened to break up if he didn’t give her the money.” I narrated everything Dayo told me.
“No! No! No! That’s unacceptable. It’s obvious she was after his money too. Moreover I don’t really like that girl, she’s kinda proud jare.”
“All of that is over now. Dayo is happy with Shalewa.”
“How come? Shalewa?! I am still surprised o! Like how dem take jam?! Who created the connection?! Abeg give me full gist na!” She pleaded.
“Mr Awosika is friends with Mr Oriola. And they are business partners too.”
“Oh! Oh! Oh! I think I understand what’s going on! Business matter!”
I hummed in response.
“Oh! This is not good! Chai! All these rich people! So have you met her?”
“Yes, Dayo brought her to my home for Introduction!”
She laughed. “And was she nice to you?”
“That’s another drama on it own o.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Dayo was so excited about bringing her to meet me but it seems Shalewa isn’t happy about my relationship with her boyfriend. I can tell she doesn’t like me.”
“Hmm Arike! How do you know?”
“You need to see the way she was talking to me when Dayo left us in the kitchen. She thinks we are more than besties because I know so much about him.”
“Like she thinks you’re having an affair with Dayo?”
“Exactly! And that’s because Dayo doesn’t stop talking about me anytime he’s with her.”
“But do you think Dayo likes her?”
“Well at first Dayo wasn’t interested but now the case is different. He has gotten to know Shalewa better..so I think he has fallen in love with her. And Shalewa loves him too,like too much. She’s possessive of him plus she’s excited about getting married to him.”
“Yes I can tell from all her stories on Instagram! Dayo’s pictures are all over her account.”
Shalewa admitted to me that Dayo has been her crush since forever so being with him now seems like a dream come true for her.
“What about you?” She asked.
“Me? What about me? I don’t understand.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes..yes..I am happy.”
“I know you are happy but I am talking Dayo getting married.”
“Of course! Yes!.. yes I..am happy for him. I mean since Adedayo loves Shalewa then I have to be happy for them. And at least he has finally found the right woman for himself.”
“Arike? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay o…so how is it going with Bamidele?”
I rolled my eyes. Please how many hours have we been on phone?
“Are you guys together now?”
“No! We are not together!”
“Why? Don’t you like him? Is he not nice?”
“Bamidele is a nice guy but I don’t think I want to be with him like -” I paused.
“Like what?”
“The feeling is not just there like it’s supposed to be.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you intend to remain single forever?”
“Of course not.”
“Listen to me, I haven’t seen you with any man in years except Dayo. You keep turning every man down as if your body is made of steel. Don’t you want to be happy like Adedayo?”
“I am happy sister Busayomi. I am doing well at work.”
“Pele o career woman. Listen to me! I can’t let you continue living like this..and if you are not going to be serious with a relationship,I will start hooking you up on dating sites.”
“Ahh no! Sister mi there’s no need for that.”
“Then give a man a chance to love you.”
“Okay I have heard you.” I sighed.
“You have heard me or you’ll do it.”
“Both.”
“Bamidele is there o.” She added
“I know….sister mi please…”
“I should shut up right?”
“I didn’t say that now.”
“So when are we meeting?”
“For now I am not too busy at work. So you can come around any time you want.”
“Okay I’ll visit you this weekend.”
“I’ll be expecting you.”
“Take care of yourself.”
She disconnected the call. I heaved a sigh of relief.
Some minutes later the offline line rang.
“Yes Chioma,”
“Ma’am someone is out here to see you.”
“Who is the person?”
“He is not a client but claimed to be your friend.”
“Doesn’t he have a name?”
“Barrister Bamidele.”
“Oh! Let him in.”
“Okay ma.”
A knock sounded on the door after some seconds.
“Come in,”
Bamidele walked in. “Hello Damsel.”
“How are you Bamidele?”
“I am okay and you?”
“I am fine too. So to what do I own this visit?”
“Well I just came around to check on you.” He replied.
“That’s so nice.”
“Can we go out for dinner?” He asked. It wasn’t the first time Bamidele was asking me out for dinner but I have always turned him down.
“Ahm..ahm..Bamidele..I -”
“Please don’t say no again. We already won our case.” His eyes pleaded with me. The case had been an excuse to not have dinner with Bamidele.
“Arike, I know you already made it clear that we can’t be more than friends and I respect your decision. But having dinner with me as a friend is not a bad idea.” He said calmly.
Bamidele was indeed a gentleman, any woman’s choice but something isn’t right between us. The spark you feel when you love someone isn’t there in me. And I am still yet to figure out why Adedayo doesn’t want me to have anything to do with Bamidele. I should turn him down but then I remembered Busayomi words.
“Well it’s alright if you don’t -”
“Yes! I mean…I’ll have dinner with you.”
His face lit up in sheer surprise. “Seriously?”
“I just said yes Bamidele.”
“Okay…so what time should I come pick you up?”
“Let’s meet up by 7 and you don’t have to come and pick me up just send me the address.”
“Okay..if that’s what you want.”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“So what case are you handling now?”
“A rape case, a young girl was gang raped at a birthday party. The boys involved are sons of notable men in the country.”
“So they are likely to get away?” he asked.
“Not when I am involved. They claimed that they girl gave her consent.”
“Is that true?”
“No! My client is minor and she never gave consent to such terrible act!”
“This is really bad.”
“I have evidences that she was raped.”
“Let me see.”
I gave him some paper files. “Medical reports and a recording of one of the boys apologizing to her.”
“This is enough evidence to put them in jail.”
“I will get more and make sure those bastards are put behind bars!” I spat angrily.
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