THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 11
Tobi got into the house at a few minutes after three. He had spent the day with Joseph at the hospital, standing in for Dera when she had to go and bring his kids from his mother’s place.
Abena was laying on the couch, lazily eating crackers and bananas. She sat up when she heard him walk in.
“Hey. How’s Joseph?” She asked
“He’s… Joseph. He doesn’t act like anything is wrong.” Tobi said with a smile. “Sounds like him.” She commented.
“I got you some roasted corn.” He said handing her a bag.
“No thank you, I don’t eat corn.” She replied, shaking her head.
“Oh. Well, more for me.” He said bringing a cob out.
She shook her head vehemently, and swallowed.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Yes. It’s the smell, it’s-”
She couldn’t finish, because she ended up puking over his imported rug.
…
“Abena. It’s no big deal.” Tobi said knocking on her door again.
She had ran to her room after the mess she made, and after calling someone to get rid of the rug, he wanted to know if she was alright.
“Are you sure? It looked really expensive.” He heard her say. Her voice cracked and it was obvious that she was crying.
“It’s no big deal. Trust me. It was just like ten million naira. I’ll just buy another one.” He shrugged although she couldn’t see him. He heard her cry again.
“Abena? Are you okay?” He asked while trying to open the door.
“You let me puke on a rug that expensive? It’s not even supposed to be put on the floor for us to walk over it. It’s supposed to be hung up like a precious painting.” She shouted.
“Abena, calm down. How about you come out, I’ll get you some caramel popcorn, then we watch a movie?” He said softly.
He heard the door cli-ck and open. She looked at him expectantly, her brown eyes glas-sy from crying.
“Caramel popcorn?” She asked like a child.
“Caramel popcorn.”
…
“You don’t know where your cinema room is?” She asked with disbelief.
After getting the popcorn, they were about to watch a movie when Tobi realised that he didn’t know where the cinema room was in the house.
“It’s your house!” She exclaimed.
“I didn’t build it.” He replied with a shrug. “I only use my be-droom, study, kitchen and sitting room.”
“You’re a very boring person.”
“You don’t look at me like I’m boring Abena.” He leaned in and whispered. “You look at me like there’s something exceptionally special about me.”
Her breath hitched and she had no idea what to do.
“St©p saying ru-bbish and just take me to the cinema room.” She said, as though she was unaffected by the sudden clos£ness.
“Yes ma’am.” He said tea-singly and started walking.
“We alre-ady checked there.” She laughed and he turned around.
…
After a while, they found the cinema room. They decided on Ghostbusters and sat down together, while Abena hvgged her bags of popcorn.
Halfway into the movie, she sle-pt off. Gently, Tobi carried her, bridal style, and took her to her room.
He placed her gently on the be-d and just stared at her, a genuine smile on hisl-ips. “I have no idea why I can’t get you out of my mind Abena. You’re not even my type. So what in the world are you doing to me?” He placed a k!sson her forehead and left, closing the door. At the sound of the door closing, Abena’s eyes fluttered open. He had forgotten that she was a light sleeper.
…
Abena sat down to eat breakfast, while Tobi made himself a smoothie. Her phone rang and she answered the call, after peering at the caller ID with recognition.
“Hello.”
“Yes, this is Abena.”
“Okay. I would be right there.”
“Thank you.”
Tobi looked at her phone after she hung up.
“Whats that?”
“My phone.” She replied with a quizzical look.
“Or what’s left of it.” He added referring to her beat up phone.
“Tobi. I don’t have time for this.” She said wearily as she placed her plates in the sink.
“Okay, you’re going out?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“One second.” He said before running up the stairs. He returned with a box.
“You’re giving me an iPhone 6. And you think I’ll collect it from you?” She smiled.
“plea-se?”
“It’s not in the contract.” She simply stated averting her eyes from his handsome face.
“See it as a gift. From me to a friend.” He added.
“If you say so.” She said hiding her excitement. “I’ll think about it.” She added and left the house with a smile on her face.
The smile disappeared when she remembered where she was going. It was her turn to go to the hospital, to see the one she was afraid to lose.
…
Bargain – Episode 15Byt©pster Generallord
onNovember 24, 20200 COMMENTS
Episode 15
Tobi watched Abena as she stepped out of the house. He knew something was bothering her, and it had to do with the phone call she had just received. She always left the house, every Wednesday, although today was Saturday, and she never said where she went.
He t©uçhed his temple, contemplating on whether to snoop around or not. He decided to.
He dialled a number on his phone and waited for the other person to pick up.
“Hello?”
“Good day to you too, Mr. Ali.”
“No, I’m not conducting any business transactions. I nee-d you to do something important for me.”
“The account that I instructed you to pay ten million naira to, every time I give you a call, I would like to know how much is in that account. s£nd the bank account statement to my mail.”
“I’m very sure that if you don’t have a job, you won’t be worried about business ethics and constumers confidentiality.”
“Thank you.”
He stared at his phone and waited for the mail to come in. After a few seconds, he received it.
Miss. Abena Omotosho.
Main balance: N 0.00 k
How can she have no money in her account? She was supposed to have, at most, twenty million.
He re-ad the two lines over and over again in shock. Where was all the money going to?
THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 12
Abena walked into the hospital with a flood of memories hitting her. She hated hospitals.
She hated the memories that c@m£ with them. All her memories were here, in the hospital.
She had once heard a joke that when doctors prayed to make a lot of money, they were praying for people to get sick.
But there was a little consolation, she wasn’t going because something bad happened, she was going there because, finally, something good was happening. Something small, but good anyway.
She took a de-ep breath and walked to the reception and smiled at Feyi, the nurse she had seen a lot in all her years of coming to the hospital.
“Good morning Miss. Omotosho!” She smiled brightly at her. All the nurses in the hospital knew her, and she hated that.
When she was young, she said wanted to be well known, but when she said that, she didn’t mean in the hospital.
“Good morning Feyi.” She gave her a strained smile.
“You’re here to see Doctor Karo, aren’t you?” She asked sweetly.
“Yes.”
“He’s been waiting for you. Go right in.” She said.
She didn’t nee-d to describe the doctors office for Abena, she had been there a million times.
She knocked gently and walked into the office, smiling at the doctor.
“Miss. Omotosho, good to see you again.” Dr. Karo said looking up at him.
“Doctor, good morning. How is he?” Abena asked as she sat down.
“re-ady for transport, you can see him before we leave.” He replied.
A young woman walked into the office just as Abena was about to speak.
“Miss. Omotosho, this is Miss. Joy, she would be the care taker of Demi while he’s in India.
Abena stood up to shake Joy. “plea-sed to meet you. plea-se take care of him.”
“I would. It’s my job.” Miss. Joy replied.
“Can I see him?” Abena asked looking at the doctor.
“Of course. Right this way.” Dr. Karo said and stood up, leaving the office with Abena and Miss. Joy trailing after him Abena entered the hospital room, and although she had been there a thousand times, she still felt the same way.
Sad.
Depressed.
Nostalgic, and not the good type.
She walked beside the be-d and stared at the innocent face of a two year old.
“Demi.” She started talking, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.
“You’re going to go to India, and get surgery, and you’ll be much better after. And when you come back, it would be just us. The two of us, we’ll start over. Our little family. I’m sorry I can’t come, I have to keep working,” she wiped the h0t tears on her cheek with the back of her palm. “I’ll keep working for us, so I can keep on s£nding enough money for your surgery.” Demi’s eyes fluttered open and he gave Abena a weary smile. She choked in tears and gave him a hvg, trying to avoid the tubes that were attached to him, the tubes that were keeping him alive.
“Miss. Joy would take good care of you, and I’ll call everyday, to make sure you’re okay.” She said once she pu-ll-ed away.
Miss. Joy gave him a friendly wave, grinning at him, and he smiled back.
After sorting out all the do¢v-ments, Abena said goodbye to Demi again, trying to be strong for the both of them, and then she left the hospital.
Doctor Karo had stared at her pregnant belly, and then at her index f!nger, but she pretended not to notice.
…
“I’m back!” Abena shouted as she walked into the house and straight into the kitchen looking for a snack.
“Don’t make noise in my house.” She heard Tobi say sharply.
“What’s the matter with you?” She asked with her mouth full, poking him on his shoulder. He was sitting on a couch, with his l@pt©p right in front of him.
“Don’t talk to me except when necessary. Don’t break my rules Abena.” He warned and she rolled her eyes.
“I thought we were past that.” She asked sitting down beside him. “And why are you working? It’s Saturday.”
“Well some of us have actual jobs.” He snapped and she glared at him.
“If you’re so cranky, because you didn’t get your favorite lingerie, you don’t have to take it out on me!” She said, raising her voice a little before storming up the stairs.
She c@m£ back after a minute and gr@bb£d the whole bunch of bananas before storming up the stairs again.
What was up with him and his mood swings anyway? Acting like it was his time of the month!
…
Tobi watched Abena leave and fought the urge to go after her, she was messing with his head, and he nee-ded her as far away as possible. He knew it was impossible to keep her away, but after seeing her bank statement, he didn’t know how to react.
But then he realised, why does he care anyway?
It was none of his business. She was here for his baby, and nothing else.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 13