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Yejide went after her son but couldn’t catch up with him. He threw the car key to her and walked as fast as his legs could carry him.

Yejide stood confused in the Owolafe’s Compound with tears in her eyes, not knowing whether to go back inside or go after her son.

She finally decided to drive home rather than face Mr. Owolafe.

Silence enveloped the sitting room as Tade walked back into his room without saying anymore word. Adenike went to sit close to her mum.

“I have never seen your father in such mood.” Adenike’s mum said.

“Me too, but what do we do? What do I do? That woman my dad hates so much is my mother-in-law. How do I get them to put the past where it belongs?”

*******

John sat in one of the cushions in his siting room, languishing in anger. He couldn’t channel it. He never had any cause to get angry at his mother. Now this!

Just then he heard a knock on the door. As the door pushed open. It could only be Deji. When it comes to Deji, knocking and opening the door without waiting for a response is a synonymous act, except the door is locked. John already put a call through to Deji on his way home, telling him he needed to talk to him, and he sounded desperate.

“Guy, how far na? You sacred me o. I thought some parts of your body will be missing by the time I get here. Whatsup man?” Deji said.

“Deji, you won’t believe what happened to me today. I have never been this embarrassed in my life”

“Embarrassed? Where and how? Thought you told me you were going to see Adenike’s parents today with your mum”

“Yes o, yes I did. And that was the embarrassment!” John screeched.

“Guy relax and tell me what happened? The girl no get house? Or why the anger? What happened?”

*************

John narrated the whole incident to Deji.“Wow! This is a huge one. But you need to calm down and take things easy. She’s your mother you know”

“My mother? Yes she is my mother. But I can’t help but feel I don’t even know who my mother is anymore or what she’s capable of doing. It’s like anyone can come in tomorrow to say she did this or did that. How can I stand up to defend her?”

“John, like I said, you need to calm down and look at this whole thing from another angle. Yes she made a wrong decision that you feel made the young girl lose her life. Remember she could have aborted the baby. I’m very sure the pressure didn’t start when she gave birth to that child. How sure are you that the baby still wouldn’t have died if she made a decision that seems better to you all now by staying with the baby’s father? Life is full of surprises, you never can tell. All we have and know right now is, ‘what ifs and it would haves’. I wouldn’t speak for her, but your mum has been a wonderful mum to me. She has always treated me like a son. If she were to be a bad person like you all are painting her to be, I am sure you and I won’t be friends by now. Even after the death of my mother, she was there for me and tried her possible best to make sure I didn’t feel the absence of my mother. I don’t care what is going through your head right now but we have to go see her right now.”

“It’s very easy for you to talk like this because you are not the one in my shoes. Do you know how I felt? I couldn’t contain the shame. I held my mum in such high esteem that I would have never believe such about my mum if she wasn’t there to confirm it. I would have fought to the last” John retorted.

“Yes I understand how you feel but it has happened. Let the past be in the past. She is human and can make mistakes too. How is Adenike?”

“Oh my God. Selfish me. I can’t believe I have not thought about her all these while. How she will be feeling with my baby.”

“That’s the more reason you should sort these things out as soon as possible. Remember the wedding has to happen soon. And from all you told me, I am very sure we have a lot of talking, convincing and begging to do on the part of Adenike’s dad.” Deji calmly said,

“O boy, you are right o. I just hope Adenike doesn’t tell him about the pregnancy yet in order to make him accept because I think that will increase the anger.” John replied.

Just then his phone rang and it was Adenike calling.

He picked up “Baby I am truly sorry. I was just so angry that I didn’t know what else to do at that point. I and Deji will be going to see my mum now and I promise to see you afterwards.”

“Ok dear, please don’t be harsh on your mum. You know she is a nice woman. No one is perfect” she said as she dropped the call.

Adenike made no move to talk to her dad. Everyone in the house minded their business, and did all they could to avoid Adenike’s dad.

********

John walked into the sitting room to meet his mother still in the same attire but distorted, and she was weeping bitterly. He moved close to her, hugged her and told her he was sorry and only acted on impulse.

“It’s okay my son, I deserve the treatment, even more.  I had secretly hoped I will see my daughter one day. I couldn’t discuss it with any one, not even your dad. Oh my Temidire! We had both agreed to name our first fruit ‘Temidire’. Now I suddenly found my first love only to find out my Temidire is no more. And to worsen it all, Tade hates me. I could see the hate in his eyes. Who wouldn’t hate me in such circumstances? And to think we are now supposed to be in-laws. Aaah!” She burst into louder tears.

“Mum it’s okay. You know you are the most wonderful woman I have ever known in my life. You are good. And just one youthful decision will not erase all that.” Deji cuts in.

“Yes mum. I am sorry. And I love you with all my heart. We will talk to Adenike’s dad and I am very sure he will let go of this angry very soon.” John added.

John’s phone rings again and this time, it was from a number he couldn’t recognize.

“Hello…who is this? Betty?!….”

Episode IX