THE EXCHANGE
Episode 32
On Monday morning at 11am, my lawyer had arrived to prepare for the divorce proceedings while one of the family lawyers arrived a few minutes later. We had a meeting to discuss the divorce, and my mother in-law explained to them that she wanted the divorce to be quick and quiet because schools will soon be in session and the children should be settled in before then. After studying the facts of the divorce my lawyer confirmed to it was okay with the way the family lawyer had presented it, but he needed two things clarified. 1. Why BabaT was not being asked to pay anything for the trauma he had caused me. 2. Why custody of the children should go to my mother in-law. My mother in-law explained that we wanted a peaceful settlement out of court so we did not want to get Babatunde agitated rather, we wanted him to give his full cooperation. I also added that I had been well compensated by the family so I did not need anything from Tunde and as for the custody of the children, I am not waiving my rights but looking out for the best situation that would favour them, keep them away from danger and give them a settled life. If Tunde knew that the children would be in my custody, he would want to contest it in court and even if I won the case my mind would still not be at rest because he could become sadistic but if they were with his mother, he would be better controlled. My lawyer then said there should be an agreement between my mother in-law and I to that effect. This was agreed to by everyone present so my lawyer said we should reconvene the next day at about the same time to look over the agreement and if it’s ok, we will all append our signatures. This brought the meeting to a close.
Just as the lawyers were driving out, in drove BabaT and immediately I saw him, I took my children and rush upstairs away from his sight. He walked into the house in the company of two lawyers and his mum went into the living room to meet him. They exchanged pleasantries as he kissed his mum on both cheeks, then asked for a glass of brandy which he received amidst small talk. When the servant was out of earshot, he took a sip of his brandy before delving into the matter which he came for. He said “mum, Toun is requesting for a divorce and by the time I am done with her, she would wish she wasn’t born.” He went on and on about how he was prepared for me. He said he had evidences, even “witnesses” to “show” that I was emotionally unstable, had mental issues, and therefore I was an unfit mother; how this prompted them to take the children from me after I had forcefully taken them
away from their father’s house. They would prove in court that Ayomide almost died when I had him in my care and his sickness was due to my negligence and
incompetence. They would prove that I was the abusive one and that I once threatened Baba T with a knife. They wouldn’t let the children come to the court or testify because of the emotional scar it could give them. He said that he was clean, incase I tried to use his drug problem to say he was the unfit parent and all the test results would show that he was clean… I just sat upstairs, listening to all his plot and wondered how they would do it. At a point I thought this would almost drive me crazy and probably give me an emotional breakdown in court. I covered my face with my hands to block out the images which danced in front of my eyes.
Suddenly, I heard his mum say “Babatunde, there won’t be a court case. The divorce will be settled in house and that’s why Toun had not sued you but requested for a divorce. You know the state of my health so I don’t want any noise over this issue. Yoy will grant her the divorce in the court of the Chief Justice tomorrow; it’s going to be an amicable agreement between the two parties based on incompatibility and possible danger to one another. The children would be left in my custody, like I’ve earlier told you, they would be relocating with me to London, when I leave next week.
BabaT jumped up and started pacing the floor, muttering to himself; “no mum”, he finally said, Toun cannot go so freely. She has to pay for all the pain she caused me. She stole my father who has now made her rich enough to want to contend with me in court. She stole my cousin, she stole my life. . No mum, she has to pay”.
“What did she ever do to you more than loving you and making you a father? So all you can think of is how to ruin her with your filthy lies?” His mother asked him. “Look Babatunde, this is the life line your father gave you if you don’t want to be locked up in a rehabilitation centre for heaven knows how long so I advise that you take it. He left all he worked for to you and your children so be grateful and don’t let your father fight you from his grave”. She concluded. Baba T sat down again like a deflated balloon, with his head in his hands, like a little boy he asked, “so what do I do now?” “Let her go”. His mum said.
The next day we were divorced. He didn’t look at me, he just signed and walked away out of my life forever…
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