MY HEARTBEAT
****EPISODE 13****
Justice Bola Arowolo sat in her son’s sitting room as she sipped the hot cocoa Ose had made her and chatted with her children and grandchildren. They were all there including Seun’s husband, Austin Nnabuife, an ict engineer, Jire, Bolu’s fiancée and Femi, the one she was really watching.
Nathaniel and Andrew were busy trying to make a ship in a big bowl of water behind the chair, she saw them but didn’t bother to tell them paper doesn’t float on water, let them learn. Bolu was sitting on Jire’s lap, talking wedding plans, she for one couldn’t wait for Bolu’s wedding, it was going to be huge society wedding, and the first since her Husband became a Minister.
Seun was talking animatedly and spreading the latest gist, that girl, always laughing and happy, a perfect opposite of her husband, Austin, a very quiet, unassuming man. Very deep too. Fiyin was contributing to the comment and asking if he was allowed best man functions at his friend’s wedding.
Femi was by the chair, holding Amanda and chatting with her. When she had started at first, she watched her to see if she was trying to get into her good books but the girl wasn’t even particularly conscious of what she was doing and Amanda obviously had great chemistry with her
So did the boys for that matter, since she got here with the children yesterday, she had seen that Femi was a natural with them. She got them to do things even their parents had a tough time getting them to do and she made them do it with glee.
She also saw that all her children liked her. Bolu bought gifts for her and asked her opinions on things, Seun really enjoyed talking to her, but then Seun enjoyed talking to everyone. Seun, despite all her talk was a very intelligent and introspective person too and she usually had a correct opinion on everyone so she intended to ask Seun about Femi later.
She could see Jire liked her. She had known Jire for years as he and Fiyin had been friends since they schooled abroad together years ago and she trusted the boy. Even Austin, who was usually uncomfortable around people seemed to like her very much and was very comfortable around her.
And Fiyin, her poor son, his eyes lit up whenever he saw her and he was happier than she had seen him in years. For no other reason, she liked this girl because she made her son a very happy person. The happiness also transcended to Amanda, she could tell that her granddaughter was much improved from before, quicker, more confident, more independent and if Fiyin was to be believed, she had Femi to thank for it.
Of course, when she arrived yesterday, she had immediately gone over to see her old friend, Justine Ingalam, Proprietress of the Reign Academy, Femi’s employer and someone she trusted to always tell her the truth. According to Justine, Femi was well behaved, well trained, kind, diligent and so forth.
She had also stopped at the school to talk to the security man who also gave good reviews on Femi, reviews that matched the Femi sitting before her now. Reviews that did not match her husband’s report. Now, she was curious to know who had given her husband a report about her because the person appeared to be holding a singular opinion.
“Dinner is ready.” The cook called out and they all trooped to the dinning where more chairs had been added to the big six seater table so everyone could seat.
“Nate, Andrew. Take that bowl to the kitchen and throw those paper ships away!” She heard Femi say to the boys who began grumbling and she smiled to herself, so she had seen them too.
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They sat down to eat after the grace and conversations started flowing. Soon, she noticed Femi was talking quite comfortably with the rest of the table and she decided she didn’t believe that report one bit except if the girl was an Oscar winning actress.
She was watching her when she excused herself to answer a phone call and then screamed almost immediately.
What is it?” Fiyin asked, getting up and running to where Femi was, everyone else looked in concern.
“It’s Ronke!” Femi was saying, tears streaming down her face, “she just had her baby”
“Really? Is that why you screamed?”Fiyin laughed and hugged her and everyone relaxed.
“I’m sorry” She said, still crying, “I’m so sorry, I’m just so happy.”
“Who’s Ronke?” Jire asked.
“Her best friend…”
“Aww, congrats!” Bolu said and soon the table was awash with congrats from everyone including the children, although Femi was still sniffling and was just mumbling thank you from her position on Fiyin’s chest.
“Aunty Femi cries a lot…” Amanda whispered to her grandmother, “….daddy says she’s motional!” And then, “Daddy, if you marry Aunty Femi, what will happen to me? Your name is Fiyin, Aunty Femi’s name also starts from F, will you use F for my brother too? Will I be the only A?” She asked, suddenly disturbed.
No one laughed and everyone turned to Fiyin and Femi. He came to her seat and held her hand “No, baby, of course not, we won’t use F if you don’t want F.”
In fact, Femi said, “We will ask you to pick 5 names you really like, then we will use one of them.”
“Really?” Amanda screamed, running to Femi, “Really, really?”
“Yes, really!” Femi laughed.
“Okay, I will go and write them now.”
“Not now oh! What are you writing them now for?” Femi asked as everyone started laughing.
“So, i won’t forget it when my brother comes” Amanda said with determination.
“So, i guess that means you guys are definitely getting married, abi?” Seun asked mischievously, Femi’s cheeks went pink and everyone started laughing.
Justice Bola, however noted her son’s comfort with the whole idea. In fact, if she was reading her son correctly, he was already working on that.
After dinner, Femi said she would be going to Abuja in three days to be with Ronke and Bola insisted they travelled back together as she was also due to return the same time. The truth was she had planned to go the next day but she wasn’t going to pass off an opportunity to spend alone time with Femi.
After everyone had gone, Fiyin to drop Femi, Jire with Bolu and Austin with the boys, Bola sat Seun down to ask her about Femi. She explained the report to her and her reluctance to bring it to Fiyin’s notice.
“Oh, God, I should have known she would do this!” Seun exclaimed.
“Who?” Her mother asked.
“Its Tiwa, mummy. She liked Fiyin and was chasing him, the entire hospital knows, and yes, Fiyin was showing some interest but when he decided to go after Femi, she got jealous and she started slandering the girl. She told Fiyin exactly the same thing you’re saying and Daddy might admit who told him because he likes her”.
“Eh, ehn? So it’s Tiwa but how did she know all this?”
“She’s Femi’s cousin!”
“They are cousins?”
Yes oh and there’s bad blood between them. Fiyin didn’t really ask Femi all those things but he told me she started telling him about them. About her parents, her brother and her ex. He believes her and now that I know her, I believe her too.”
“That’s good to know, I liked her when I spoke to her over the phone and I like her more now. I will talk to your father when I get home, he trusts Tiwa, you know.”
“Well, he shouldn’t. Tiwa is very pretentious.” Seun said matter-of-factly.
“Really?” her mother asked.
“Yes oh, she is. She someone I enjoy talking to, she’s very smart but she’s proud, ambitious, pretentious and she looks down on people a lot. Most of the staff at the hospital don’t like her, her roommate doesn’t talk to her and even her parents will call Femi before they call her.”
“Hmmm, I see!” Her mother said, and she saw indeed.
************
Femi was packing up for her trip to Abuja the next day and she was looking for the perfect baby gift to get for Ronke. She waited till 3:30pm for Fiyin to follow her since he insisted on buying a gift for Ronke’s baby too. He said he was sowing into their future and she had laughed.
They got lovely gifts at a huge mom and baby store and stopped at a fast food to get ice cream for Amanda. While Fiyin went into the fast food, she waited outside with the car and snapped some nice selfies. She was still snapping when she heard David’s voice
“Femi! Femi!” He called.
She turned around reluctantly, “Hi, David, how are you?” She noted now that he was more orange these days than just light skinned, his hairline was receding, he was developing a paunch, probably from sitting down all the time and he was only 33. From where she stood, she could see the top of his head, since she was just 5”7, she was wondering what she ever saw in him.
“Why are you snapping beside someone else’s car? Do you know they can arrest you?” He asked her. Same old David, small minded and delirious.
“Hi, David, nice to see you.” Not!
“Nice to see you too…..this one I haven’t seen you around, i will change my mind about you oh. I cannot marry a woman I don’t see often.” David said with feeling.
“Really?” Femi giggled, “Is it a woman you want to marry or a slave?”
“Have I ever asked you to do anything extraordinary? Ehn? Femi, I’m serious, I reported your attitude to Ronke last month, how can I be with a woman who doesn’t call? Who doesn’t inquire about my health? You too, reason it now.”
“Ha, sorry David, I saw all your missed calls, I just chose not to answer!” She said sarcastically.
“You see how you are talking, I told Ronke, I don’t want to cheat but at this rate, I will.”
“I’m not surprised Ronke did not mention this conversation of yours to me, she knows I have moved on.”
“Moved on to where? Because you are now borrowing clothes, you think you are special, better come and lemme manage you before you become old without prospects.”
She smiled, feeling bigger and stronger. Of course, he would try to put her down, that was where he got his own high from. Months ago, she would have been in tears by now but that’s what the tender loving care of a good man does to you, it makes you confident.
No, David, don’t manage me, okay? I have good prospects and I like them like that, thank you.” She looked up and saw Fiyin coming, already frowning at David’s back.
“Sup?” He said when he got to them.
“Fiyin, meet David, David, meet Fiyin, my boyfriend.” She said to both. They stared at each other aggressively and refused to shake hands. “Fiyin, let’s go!” she said to him before they both started anything funny. She opened her side door and turned around to better see David’s reaction when she got into the car. His mouth was agape.
“You dated that guy?” Fiyin asked he entered the car, loud enough for David to hear, “Femi, you have no taste whatsoever.”
“I have taste jor, am I not correcting my errors now?”
“True!” Fiyin said as he started the car. By the time he drove off, they were laughing at David still standing staring at them.
Femi’s plane ride to Abuja with Mrs Arowolo turned out to be fun. They actually kept up a steady stream of gist from the Airport in Lagos till they got to Abuja. Mrs Arowolo had been a teacher during her youth service and they exchanged lovely anecdotes of teaching children and their misdemeanours. When they got to Abuja, they were sad to part and Fiyin’s mother insisted she come and stay with them for a few days before she returned to Lagos.
In Ronke’s house, she met a very ecstatic Ben proudly showing off his cute Son. Femi was so excited and spent a long time carrying him and crying until Ben’s mother collected the baby from her. Afterward, she spent the rest of the day with a very tired Ronke planning the baby’s naming ceremony which was barely 4 days away.
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