~HER BABY’S SECRET~
EPISODE EIGHTEEN
Arike’s POV
Being happy for Busayomi was an understatement not after what she went through in the hands of her ex boyfriend. That doucheface wasn’t ready to have a forever with her. He just wanted a bedmate even though Busayomi was deeply in love with him.
“It feels good to see you happy like this. You deserve it.” I smiled.
“Thank you.” She nodded.
“It’s plenty..The CEO’s wife.” I teased her.
“That’s me o!” She laughed.
“So very soon you’ll join Lagos CEO wives group.” I teased her again.
“Which kain yeye group? Abegi!abegi! I want a private wedding not this elaborate one you watch on TV.”
“So have you discussed it with him?”
“No we haven’t discussed yet but I am sure Paul will only do what I want.”she responded.
“Awwwnnnnn! I go love o!” We laughed before my face turned serious.
“So you won’t visit us this year because of Mr Paul.”
“I am sorry. But you know that I have to meet his parents. We are going to his hometown to celebrate Christmas and New Year.”
“So where would you be staying?” I asked.
“At the house he built there now.” She answered.
“Just be prepared to meet his family.”
“His whole family! Omo! I am nervous o! But seriously I wish you were here so you’ll go with me.” She said.
I laughed. “I am serious o so you can defend me if any matter arises.”
“Madam you are safe as long as Mr Paul is there with you.” I replied.
“I hope so too. You know how scary those Igbo elders can be and being that I am not from their tribe again.”
“Abegi! You have watch Nollywood too much!” We laughed. “Mr Paul must have planned something before deciding to take you home to meet his people.”
“Babe! I am scared jare! What if they don’t like me?”
“You worry too much.” A masculine voice sounded over the phone.
“Oh baby…I’m just saying-” Mr Paul showed his face on the screen.
“Hi Arike,” he greeted but I laughed because he hasn’t mastered how to call my name properly. But believe me when I say he calls his wife’s name better.
“Good morning,and congratulations.”
“Thank you. And help me thank her for saying yes too.”
“Please let me have my phone.” Busayomi’s face appeared again.
“See Arike,talk to your sister. She’s working herself too much about meeting my family. I wasn’t even nervous the day I went to see her parents.”
“My parents are nice plus they have always wanted and waited for me to bring a man home.” She said
“My parents are nice too and they want me to bring someone home too.” He added.
“I am meeting your entire clan!” She emphasized.
“True but it doesn’t matter.”
“It’s just that -” I interrupted her.
“No excuse me,Mr Paul will be there with you so don’t be scared.” I said.
“Exactly! I owe you 200 thousand for these words,Arike.” He said and we laughed.
“I’m serious send me your details.”
“Yes sir.” I saluted him.
“Wait what if there’s a bride waiting for you at home?” Busayomi asked.
“What? After I already informed them about you? You must be kidding!”
“I’m just saying…” she shrugged.
“Come on we Igbos are not that bad. Moreover my parents are far more educated than you think. They just want to meet you at my hometown because it’s Christmas.” Mr Paul explained defensively.
“Okay..okay if you were a lawyer and you are this defensive,I am sure you’ll never lose a case.” Busayomi teased him.
“Then my firm will be 100% win.” We laughed.
“That’s would be great!” I commented.
“Arike,I am sorry for not asking for your permission before putting the ring in your sister’s finger.” He joked.
“Oh! That’s true! Should I give it back to him?” Busayomi passed the phone to him and tried to slid off the ring.
“Come on! You don’t need my permission! I am happy it’s you anyways.”
“Yeah it’s me or no one else. And now that we are getting married…you know what that means right?”
I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“You won’t miss our wedding right?” He asked.
“Miss keh? She dare not!” The smile on my face dropped. “She is my best lady!” She said happily but soon her happiness faded and she stopped talking. A knowing look registered on her face.
“You have to come home and plan the wedding with your sister once the date is set.” Mr Paul said.
“Ye…Yes…sure. I will…definitely help her.” I stuttered.
He doesn’t know the truth.
“Baby can you excuse us for some minutes? I need to talk to my baby sister alone..Girls talk.” Busayomi said.
“Sure..no problem. Arike,extend my greetings to Iteoluwa.” He waved before disappearing off the screen.
“I am so sorry…he’s only talking like that because he doesn’t know.”
“Yes I know but -”
“You won’t come right?” She asked with tears at the corners of her eyes.
“I…I – this is hard for me. And I have to protect -”
“No…I will give you sometime to think about it.” She disconnected the call before I could say my next words.
I called her back but she declined the call.
“Please pick up your call.” I texted her.
She read the message but didn’t reply.
“I won’t miss your wedding.” I messaged her again.
An incoming call came in after she read it.
“I know this is about Dayo.” She said.
“It’s not -”
“Don’t lie to me! You can’t possibly miss my wedding because you don’t want to see Dayo. I haven’t seen him for years now. We don’t talk and he doesn’t even know anything and he may never find out you have his child.” She said with anger in her tone.
I haven’t heard from Dayo since I left Nigeria. He tried to get in touch with me through uncle Badejo but he was told that I wasn’t in the same state with them and I haven’t been in contact with them too. To him, I made it look like I lied about my dad involved in an accident just to leave the country. I deleted his contacts,deleted my social media accounts (not like I was that active) and I did my best at cutting him out of my life completely. It was really hard but I did my best at not giving in to the urge to call him cause I know his number by heart.
There are times when I wanted to just pick the phone,call him and tell him everything. Those moments when I had craved for intimacy,to share happy moments with him especially when I found out I was going to have a baby girl,when my baby kicked in my belly and down till the day I had my baby.
To be honest it wasn’t easy because I had complications during pregnancy. I was diagnosed of Hyperemesis Gravidarum,a condition of extreme,persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy which led to dehydration. It was caused by a rapid rising serum levels of hormones such as HCG which means Human Chroionic Gonadotropin and estrogen.
It had occurred during the first trimester of my pregnancy. I vomited more than five times a day so much that I lost so much weight and I had to spend a long time in the hospital under strict supervision of doctors. I had to fight for our lives. I was contantly in and out of hospital. At some point my dad was tempted to call Dayo up but I pleaded with him with the promised that I would scale through and be fine.
Later on he told me that my mom had the same complications during pregnancy and it really affected me as a baby.
Being dehydrated,scan results detected that there wasn’t enough water for my baby to survive. So they had to operate me and brought out my child months before the due date. She was premature.
Those months waiting on my child to survive seemed to be the longest of my life. It was a 50/50 chance but I hoped not to lose my baby. She spent months in an Incubator also trying to survive with an oxygen.
I could clearly remember the day a doctor announced that I could go home with my child. They did series of test on her and she was healthy. I gave her a name which I have in mind before her birth after she was discharged from the hospital. “Iteoluwakishii.” Meaning “The Throne of God can’t be removed.”
She has other names from her grandparents and Aunt who is her godmother. Uncle Badejo gave her “Inuoluwadunsimi” God is happy with me.
Aunty Sade named her Ayomidesiree. My joy comes with fortunes
While Busayomi gave her “Bright” which happens to be her English name. She truly brightened my world since her birth.
“Iteoluwakishi Bright Awosika.”
I decided that she takes on her father’s name unlike me who bears my mother’s family name. It was the least I could do to Dayo for keeping his child away from him.
My baby turned out to be what I expected her to be. Bright as her name implies, smart and brilliant. She does and says things you will never expect of a four years child. She was outspoken and never shy and I guess she got that from her father because I was never the type who talks a lot. She is my world!
“Arike…..You can’t miss my wedding.”
I nodded in agreement. “I’d love you to bring Bright but I know that’s the last thing you want to do.”
“Yes…” I mumbled.
“I want her to be my little bride but it’s impossible right?”
“We can talk about this…”
“I am sure her grandparent can take care of her.” She added.
“I can’t be away from my daughter. She needs me by her side all the time.”
“So you’ll bring her along?” She said hoping to hear a Yes from me. I could tell she was praying silently that I agree to bring Iteoluwa to Nigeria.
“I don’t know yet. I will talk to her grandparents about it.” I replied.
“I know this is hard for you but I need you by my side this time.”
“Can I get back to you?” She asked.
“Okay..we’ll talk later.” She answered
I ended the call.
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