TEJUMOLA - Season 1 - Episode 6

6 years ago

TEJUMOLA - Season 1 - Episode 6

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My father kept to his words.He stopped his travellings to stay with us.Maami and i.I always wondered why he had to travel all the time but each time i ask him,he will tell me his little job demands for it.

Even maami became suddenly soo nice.

She made sure I ate well, she even helped
me with exercises and massages.The little
joy i had was that i was able to write my
J.S.C.E before my tommy started bulging.I
wondered what Bisi,the over sabi-sabi
would say if she sees me pregnant.So i
always avoided her.
::::::***::::::
The day I had the baby was a great day.

The joy on my father’s face was beyond
description.I wondered if he should actually be happy but i guessed he never wanted to blame me.

“omo dada- good baby”he whispered into the baby’s ears.

He sat on my bedside.

“Sorry, mummy”he teased me.

I smiled for the first time since past months i was pregnant.

“She looks just like you, very beautiful and hairy!”he patted its hair.

“What name would you call her?”he asked

I looked away, name ke! How old am I that I should know how to name babies?! Unless if they would name her Tejumola after me.

“I was thinking of naming her Eniola or
Ayobola, but more preferrably Eniola.”he
continued, he was used to me refusing to
talk.

I simply nodded.

“Welcome to the world Eniola.”he said before whispering some prayers into its ears.

And that was how Eniola came into our
family, the identity of her father still
remained a mystery to everybody except
me. No one dared asked me unless they
want to see me cry.

**************
on Eniola’s fourth birthday, things went
sour for me.

I was alone in the house, my father has
taken Eniola with Maami to the Amusement park.

I refused to go with them despite Eniola’s pleas.

There was a knock on the door.

“Who’s there?”I queried before opening the door.

I saw a fat man with a pot-belly enclosed
inside a brocade Agbada smiling at me.

“Good afternoon sir”i flexed my knees, he should be in his early fifties.

“how are you?”he smiled again.

“Fine”I replied with a frown.

“Is Mr Benson-your father around?”he asked.

“No, He went out.”

“Okay, if he comes back, tell him Chief
OlaBadmus came to look for him o”he said before turning to leave.

I slammed the door.

Who is this one again? Of course I know
Chief OlaBadmus, he is David’s father, what does he want? Where did Baami get this new friend?
Hmmn.

I lay gently on the rug, and sleep stole me
away.

“Mummy…mummy!”Eniola shook me out of my beauty sleep.

“Lil’ cutie, you’re back?”I sat up.

“Welcome.”I greeted them.

My father handed me an envelope

“The post-man said its for Tejumola
Benson.”

I gave him a quizzed look, opened the
envelope, a beautiful flower encrusted card fell out: it read

I MISS YOU MY DARLING.

I looked up at my dad, he saw it too, his
face expressionless.

I brought out the letter, and commenced
reading it.

It was from David, he said he’s sorry for not keeping in touch,that he would be coming back next week, that he missed me,that he loved me e.t.c.

I hissed aloud, tore the letter, picked the
card and envelope, and into the thrash can I threw them.

I walked into my room in anger.

Rubbish! I muttered under my breathe.

After ruining my career…he missed me and
so what? I guess he wanted to continue
from where he stoped
I hissed aloud again.

“Teju?”

I turned to see my father holding the torn
letter.

“Is he Eniola’s father?”He asked.

I kept mute. He sighed.

“Teju sit down, lets talk.”he began

“you have to tell me, you see…you’re
getting married next week…”

I jumped up, my right hand clutching my
chest.

“Married? To who? Baami to who?”my voice
was close to a whisper .

“I’ve already made arrangements, you can’t sit at home like this..”he hesitated.

“You see…errm, that man that came
looking for me, he is your husband to-be”he concluded.

“Baami? Chief OlaBadmus? A man old
enough to be my father? That’s a joke
right?”my lips quiverred.

“No joke Teju, you’re getting married.”He
rose to leave.

“Baami, please don’t do this to me, it hurts,
Baami it hurts.”I was on my knees.

“It hurts? Hmn?when you dragged my name in the mud, threw sand of shame at my face, didnt you think how hurt I was? When you disgraced me, did you stop to think how I felt?”he shot back at me before leaving my room.

I let out a heart rending sob.

This can’t be happening to me, my father can’t do this to me

“Mummy sorry.”Eniola circled her tiny arms round me.

I hugged her tightly and we wept together.