EPISODE TWO PR2
“Today I finally met my biological mother but it wasn’t a Hollywood sweet moment where mother and son re-unite with much jubilation. I strongly believe there was a reason I felt that way because I don’t think it supposed to be that way. Whatever it is, I will unravel it so I can at least feel her embr@ce, smile with her and have opportunity to love her.”
We all went to Funmi’s side where guys were recalling and laughing about the verbal abuse we were dished at Aramide’s side while I just l@ythere on the mattress with so many thoughts going throu-gh my mind. My phone rang and it was from Aramide but I ignored it. It rang again and Funmi picked it this time around. She spoke for a while and then faced me.
Funmi: It’s Vera, she want to speak with you.
Me: (I took the phone from her) Hello
Vera: Brother Kehinde, sorry about the other time.
Me: No problem dear, I’m good. How’s Aramide, I saw her call earlier?
Vera: I was the one calling, she and mum has been crying profusely since you left
Me: Crying? Why are they crying?
Vera: plea-se can you come over? I’m getting fed up
Me: I’m really not in the mood right now.
Funmi, obviously listening to my conversation with Vera, snatched the phone from me.
Funmi: Hello Vera, he’s coming very soon (she terminates the call and faced me). Will, what’s wrong with you?
Me: What did I do?
Funmi: You are too emotional Will. Common you are a man, behave like one.
Me: Do I have any fault here?
Funmi: Yes you do. When you should have spoken up, you chickened out. You kept running away from situations, you can’t keep living like that. You have to be facing situations headlong baby.
Temmy: She’s right Will. You can’t be running away every time. St©p allowing the fear of unknown to st©p you from doing the right thing. You know this attitude almost cost you your relationsh!pwith Funmi. Go to your mother now and talk to her.
Dan: See BB Will (we both smile), remember what mum told you. She asked you to love her. I know you have some dislike towards her but do not let those words that were spoken earlier bring out the hatred.
Temmy: Exactly! I know you love her. Take up courage and work on that love. Solve this issue once and for all Will.
Dan: If you want it, we’ll still go together
Me: Let me go alone
Funmi: I’ll go with you
Me: No dear, I don’t want you involved again. Let me face whatever it is alone.
Funmi: Will you be able to drive?
Me: I’ll call if I’m not able to.
I took Funmi’s car and headed back to Aramide’s side. My friend words gave me the necessary strength I nee-ded to face the hurdle. I knocked on the door but was greeted by a lady we did not meet there the other time. I guess she’s one of the two other student nurses staying in the other rooms. I went straight to Aramide’s door and knocked, Vera welcomed me in and that was when I realized the other two women had left. I did not meet them crying but their face was still designed with the aftermath of the cry. I stood there looking at my mother while she stood up to face me. She kept repeating “my son” until she almost started crying again but I moved closer and prostrated. She lifted me up and hvgged me while she cries on.
Me: St©p crying mother, I’m sorry about the other time
Mother: You just called me mother? (She started crying the more)
Me: Yes mother, can I keep calling you that?
Mother: Of course my boy. You don’t know how much I’ve wanted to hear that all my life (we both sat down). The last time I set my eye on you; you were still an infant and can’t produce any meaningful word. I am so sorry my boy, I made a mistake and I am regretting it. I offended you; I offended both you and your father.
Me: It’s over mother; you don’t have to apologize anymore.
Mother: Thanks for coming back to me and I am sorry for all I said to you earlier. I am sorry son, mother doesn’t hate you. I love you so much and I never meant to make you feel bad.
Me: (I had to caution myself here to avoid crying. Funmi is right, I’m indeed emotional). No problem mother, I un-derstand.
Mother: May God bless your mother for me. She’s the reason why I could even locate you. She’s a great woman.
Aramide: Mum you said the other time that you offended our father. You never told me that before. What did you do and where is he? Is he really dead?
Me: Aramide, I don’t think this is the best time for mother to start talking about that. We’ll find another time when the atmosphere is less tense.
Mother: No son, I’ll tell you some now. It was my selfishness that caused your separation from us. It wasn’t after your father left that I started d@t!ngmy husband. I was cheating on your father with my husband even though I was engaged to your father. Your father wasn’t really well to do but my husband was a free spender then. I never told your father I was pregnant, so I don’t think he know he has twins, except if his brother, your step father was able to reach him before he pas-sed away. Your father told me what his plan was and gave me enough money to travel down to Ghana to meet him, but I spent the money and refused to even look for him. I was the only one that knows where in Ghana he was heading to, but I refuse to tell anyb©dy. All I told people was he run away when he discovered I was pregnant. I only hope he’s still alive so he can forgive me.
Me: You don’t know if he’s alive?
Mother: No, I don’t. Nob©dy heard anything from him since he left, and nob©dy cares to look for him since they all thought he ran away.
Me: Do you have any of his pictures so that we can at least know how he looks like.
Mother: I used to have a picture we snapped together that I kept inside my box, but my husband has destroyed it during one of our fights. He burnt everything inside the box, including the picture.
Aramide: I remembered that time, but that means there is no way we can trace him or try to find him.
Mother: I’ll help you in whatever way you want if you decided to look for him. I still have the address of the place he was going to in Ghana.
Aramide: That’s twenty-five years ago mum. I’m not sure he’ll still be there if he’s alive.
Me: I have a feeling all is not right with him. If all mother says about him is true, it’s either he’s dead or he’s in bondage somewhere, because he would have at least look for us.
Mother: He might not; he didn’t know he has children. He’ll think I just decided to leave him.
Aramide: Which means, he might still be alive
Me: Positive, although I never heard from my mum if my dad was able to contact him at any point. I think we should let everything rest for now; we can try to search later.
Aramide: Everything has been resting for the past twenty-five years Will. That’s enough rest.
Me: What if he’s married now and we showing up destroy his home?
Aramide: He never knew we existed, so I don’t think it will destroy his home.
Me: What if he rejects us?
Mother: He can’t deny you if he sees me.
Me: I think we can try then, after your exams.
Aramide: Yeah, service year is okay.
Mother: Kehinde, whenever you want to see me, let me know. I’ll love to be seeing you, although I’m not too at peace with you coming over to my side.
Aramide: Why is that?
Mother: You know my husband, the kind of person he is. He was the one that decided we should drop him and have you alone in the first place. Now he didn’t have a male child, even three kids he had outside are all girls. Seeing Kehinde might make him bitter and I don’t trust him at all.
Aramide: There is nothing he will do mum
Vera: Dad is not that wicked mum; he only br@gs about, he can’t harm a fly.
Mother: All I’m saying is we should tre-ad carefully. I’ve lived with him for twenty four years now; I think I know him better.
Me: No problem. Will you still be able to make it home today?
Mother: Yes my son, others will still be waiting for me. I’ll join them soon.
We saw her off while I conveyed her along with Aramide and Vera to where she joined her church members who were alre-ady in their church bus. I was surprised to see the other two women c@m£ down from the bus to greet me, eulogizing us as a twin. I guess they are the closest pal of my mother and she probably had told them who I am. We waved them off and I dropped Aramide and Vera back to her flat before I headed to Funmi’s side. I met only Funmi as Dan and Temmy has taken Sewa back to her lodge.
Funmi: At least you drive home, so I want to believe it went well this time.
Me: (Smiling) Yes it did. She has gone back home.
Funmi: I’m happy to hear that. You will have to look for another day to fulfill your promise.
Me: Which promise is that?
Funmi: You said we’ll spend today together
Me: we did now
Funmi: But not alone. Half of the day you were moody and sad, I want a full day with happy you.
Me: We weren’t d@t!ngwhen I made that promise you know, but now you have me all to yourself.
Funmi: I know, but I still want a day with you alone.
Me: No problem love. After my defense next week, we have all the time in the world. I’m thinking we should go to a waterfall or a beach, with Temmy, Rachael, Dan and Sewa.
Funmi: I said a time with you alone.
Me: We’ll always have that dear. Like I said, we have the whole time but I think the waterfall or beach plan will be fun.
Funmi: Okay, I’m watching and expectant. Can you sleep over tonight?
Me: That won’t be advisable dear
Funmi: Why? I sle-pt at your place while we were not even d@t!ng.
Me: Yes we were not d@t!ngand Temmy was there, but you and I alone in the room on the day we cement our love? We are calling for William junior. I’ll sleep over sometimes but not today dear, I don’t trust myself.
Funmi: Hmm, okay promise?
Me: Yeah sure, why not. I will, let’s just take it step by step.
The truth is I’ll love to sleep over but it’s very dangerous that night judging by the volume of emotions running throu-gh my b©dy. Since I know myself, I had to prevent a sorry case as protec-tion might not even come to mind in situation like this.
The guys c@m£ back and we had our dinner before we left for our lodge in Dan’s Jeep. It was a fulfilling day for me and I should be able to sleep well. A day I met my biological mother and cement my love with the mother of my unborn children. But this question lingers on, “who and where is my father?”