THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 25
“Let’s find out the truth, okay? All you nee-d is the truth.”
Silence stretched between them, and then after a while she nodded, and gave a sad smile.
“Good. So do you remember anything about your mother. Enemies, fights, anything?” Francis asked, bringing out his tablet to write down whatever she would say.
“I don’t know. I was five at that time. I ha-rd ly even remember her sef.” Abena said.
“Anything at all?” Francis pushed her.
She stared at nothing for a while. Thinking and searching her memory for anything. Then suddenly, she looked at Tobi, with a triumphant glint in her eyes.
“My father. Every time we had a memorial service for her, he always said that before she died, she spent her last moments with her family and her best friend.” Abena said, giving a small smile at the thought.
Then suddenly, it struck her like lightening.
The day she left home, the words of Bridget, her step mother.
“You’re just like your mother.”
“We were best friends, yet she stole him.”
“My mother’s best friend was my step mother.”
___________
“Why do I have to be blindfolded?” Tobi asked as Abena led him towards the stairs, a bandana was tied around his eyes.
“So that when we reach the nursery, the full effect of my awesome decorating skills would hit you with full f0rç£.” She explained, holding his hand as they slowly walked up the stairs.
“Yes, but when we reach the nursery, the door would be closed and when we open it and enter, I would still see the full effect of your apparent awesome decorating skills.” He argued, as he let her lead him throu-gh the corridor.
“Yeah but if you enter the room blindfolded, by the time you open your eyes, it would hit you like a ton of bricks.”
“One, I really hope the ton of bricks thing is being used metaphorically. And two, it’s the same thing with what I said about not using the-”
“Tobi Ademi, one more word and I would sl@p you ehn.” She warned, now dragging him. They stood in front of the room.
“Nawa! Such a violent pregnant woman.” He whined and she laughed, rolling her eyes. She fished out the key from her pocket, and unlocked the door. Opening it, she pushed him inside.
“Very violent.” He muttered.
“Okay, and open!”
He re-moved the bandana and looked around the baby room. The walls were painted in yellow and white str!pes, and the baby cots were at a side, beside each other, with a yellow be-dsheet and a white pillow. There was a frame of letters arranged on the wall, and a cabinet at another side. The couches were white with yellow sp©ts, and the centre rug was yellow. On the couches and around the room, different stuffed animals were arranged everywhere.
“Wow. It’s really good.” Tobi complimented.
“Uju did a really good job oh.”
She glared at him and hit the back of his head. He pouted and ru-bbe-d the place she hit, before going to seat down on the couch. “Be careful, don’t wrinkle anything.” Abena warned but he just rolled his eyes and patted the space beside him, gesturing for her to seat down. She sat down beside him.
“It’s really good Abena. The kids would love it.” He said.
“Good. Because I put my heart and soul into this.” She smiled.
“Abena-”
“Who is going to take care of the children?” She suddenly asked, afraid of what he was going to say.
“I would start interviewing Nannies when you’re in your eighth month.” He replied and she nodded.
“Make sure she’s pretty.” Abena started, looking at nothing in p@rticular. “She has to be pretty, and friendly, and funny and random. But also strict when it’s necessary. She must be fun to be with. Speak good English. Like music and dancing. She has to know how to sing, so she can sing them to sleep. She has to be an excellent cook. She has to be patient and calm. She has to re-ad them books and let them watch all the cartoons so that their childhood would be complete. She must care about them, not because she’s being paid to, but because she’s pas-sionate about kids. She must pick them up from school on time. And when their sick, she must take very good care of them.”
“Abena.”
“Promise me you’ll have time for them Tobi. You won’t bury yourself in your work, but you’ll create a lot of bonding time to spend with them.”
“I promise Abena. Nothing would happen to them.” He pu-ll-ed her towards him, and stro-ked her hair. She hung unto him, resting her head on his legs, and blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.
“Thank you.”
…
“Why can’t you just be with her?”
“Because we signed a contract Joseph. She’s here to give birth and leave. No strings attached. You can’t just forget the point of all this.” Tobi replied.
They were at a restaurant, waiting for a very late client, and Joseph just had to bring up Abena as a t©pic.
“Why? You like her. This is the first time you’ve liked someone.” Joseph argued.
“I never said I like her Joseph. St©p jumping into conclusions.” Tobi gro-an ed, ru-bbing his temple.
“But you care about her. And don’t tell me it’s because she’s carrying your baby.” Joseph pointed out.
“Fine. I care about her. But that’s what it would be. Nothing else.”
“Why don’t you want a family?”
“Well, because families break.” Tobi snapped. “And if mine breaks, it would be my fault. So it’s better to prevent it, than to get hurt after.” Tobi said, avoiding his gaze.
“You’re not him. You’re not a cheat like your father Tobi.”
“Well he didn’t know he was a cheat until he bec@m£ a cheat.” Tobi shrugged, hoping that the client would arrive soon.
Joseph was about to say something, when Tobi pointed at a lanky man walking into the restaurant.
“Mr. Dotun is here, get the do¢v-ments re-ady.”
Joseph rolled his eyes, and said. “You should know one thing. When life breaks your family and takes a member away, God rebuilds it, and gives you someone else.” …
____________
“Tobi!”
“Yeah?” Tobi replied, moving the phone away from his ear because Abena was shouting.
“Are you still at the office?” She asked, and he smiled at the sound of her soft voice. “I’m leaving now. Why?”
“I nee-d bre-ad.” She simply said.
“There’s bre-ad at home.” He replied, amused.
“I don’t want that one. I want agege bre-ad.” She explained and he rolled his eyes even if she couldn’t see him.
“Bre-ad is bre-ad Abena. St©p disturbing me.”
“No it’s not. I want agege bre-ad. No wait, let me rephrase that, the twins want agege bre-ad.” She pointed out.
“St©p using my children to get things from me.” He gro-an ed, starting his car.
“Technically, your children are in me, so I’m the only one that can speak for them. Unless you want to carry them yourself.”
“Thats impossible.” He said.
“Exactly. So I’m the one who un-derstands what the children want, and they want agege bre-ad.”
“Whatever. Fine. I’ll get you your stupid bre-ad.” He replied childishly but she just chuckled.
“Good. And buy chocolate and snacks on your way. I’ve finished the ones at home. And bananas too.”
“Abena! I bought five of the large toblerones, seven maltesers and ten boxes of Maryland cookies. Just yesterday!” He said surprised.
“Oops?”
…
*In the evening*
“What do you want to eat?”
“Rice.” Tobi replied without looking away from his l@pt©p.
“Thats what we ate yesterday. I’m ma-king sweet potatoes.”
“Then why did you ask me?” He asked exasperated.
“So that you can think you have a say in what I cook.” She shrugged and left, going to the kitchen. He dropped his l@pt©p on the centre table and followed her.
“We’re going out tomorrow. Have you thought of where you want to go?”
“Can we go to the beach? plea-se?” She smiled broadly at him and he chuckled.
“Do you have a beach wear?”
“No. We didn’t buy that day.” She frowned.
“Okay. We can go. We’ll st©p by the mall on the way to get you a bikini.” He was the one smiling broadly this time.
“Should I be worried?” She lifted an eyebrow.
“If you want to go to the beach, I get to pick your bikini.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Tobi! You’re so… ugh!” She complained although she was laughing and he joined in.
“I promise you, it’ll be S-xy.” He shrugged and she laughed.
“Shut up your mouth!”
…
“Wake up. We have somewhere to be.” Abena said, shaking Tobi who was still asleep.
“Go away. It’s too early.” He mumbled.
“Stand up jare! We have a beach that’s calling my name.”
“Beaches don’t talk. Now go away. It’s 5:30 in the morning. We’re not leaving till like ten.” He grumbled.
“Yes but we have to get re-ady. And pack all our stuff, and eat breakfast, and you still have that stupid morning run, and we also have to st©p by the mall first.” Abena whined.
“Shut up. Your voice is disturbing my sleep.”
She stood upright and placed her hands on her w@!st. She looked towards the bathroom and was about to go there.
“If you pour water on me ehn, you won’t even see sand.” He threatened.
She stomped her foot on the floor like a child and folded her arms against her che-st. Then, lightbulb.
“Tobi. If you stand up right now, you’ll pick my bikini when we get to the mall.”
He stood up immediately.
…
“I’m so excited. Aren’t you excited?” Abena asked.
“Yes I am. And very sleep deprived too.” He grumbled while opening the sto-re room to bring out umbrellas and other things they would nee-d at the beach.
“You’re such a grouch.” She laughed. “How can you be so happy when you woke up that early?”
She shrugged and then her phone rang. She looked at the unknown number before answering the call.
“Hello?” Tobi had entered the sto-re room.
“Yes. Abena? This is Francis.”
“Oh. Hello. Is there a problem?”
“No. No problem. Is Tobi there?”
“Yes. He’s with me.” She replied, confused.
“Oh good. I just cracked your case.” She heard him say in a very excited tone.
“Oh!”
“Yes. Your mother was poisoned when she had dinner at her best friends house. She was poisoned by your step mother.”
Abena’s hand suddenly felt sweaty and the phone dropped, breaking into pieces on the floor. Tobi ran out of the room worriedly.
But he was too late.
She fainted, and fell down the stairs.
Tobi ran after her, down the stairs, and crouched beside her, checking her for any wounds while he called the doctor. “Yes? This is Mr. Ademi. s£nd an ambulance to my house right now!”
He held her to him, shaking in tears, then something caught his eye.
Blood trickled out from between her legs.
THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 26
Abena f0rç£d her eyes open, then suddenly wished she didn’t. She could hear Tobi shouting at someone, and she just wanted to open her eyes again.
“I didn’t ask you to tell her anything you idiot! I told you to report to me directly!”
“Well if I wasn’t picking my calls, why didn’t you just wait till I called you back?!”
“Well now she’s in the hospital because of your stupid mistake!”
“I don’t care if she told you she was with me! You were to report to me dammit!” She heard something fall and clatter on the floor, presumably his phone.
“You nee-d to calm down.” She heard another voice. Joseph?
“She’s not waking up man. The doctor said she’ll wake soon.”
“Shut up Tobi. You’re ma-king noise.” She muttered. She f0rç£d her eyes open and saw him in front of her, looking at her with worry in his eyes.
“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” He asked softly.
“I feel weak.” She replied and then the events that happened c@m£ rushing into her mind.
They were going to the beach, Bridget killed her mom, she fell down the stairs. She fell down the stairs.
She turned to Tobi frantically and asked, alre-ady dre-ading the answer.
“My babies. Tobi, how are my babies?”
…
Silence hung in the air, so heavily. Abena was only focused on Tobi’s face, his reaction, and most importantly, his answer. Silence stretched for a while, that Abena wanted to cry. And she would have, if Tobi didn’t suddenly have a wi-de grin on his face. “The babies are fine Abena.”
She let out a breath of relief, and wiped a traitor tear with the back of her hand. He pu-ll-ed her into a hvg, and she laughed.
“Oh God you scared me!” She said.
“I scared you? You scared the hell out of me. I thought I lost you.” He whispered into her ear but Abena couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was talking to his children, and not her.
“You should be facing your children, not me.” She whispered back.
“Why?”
“Well, you were scared of loosing your children. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have overreacted and fainted or something. I alre-ady had a feeling it was her, so I don’t really know why I-”
“Abena! I care about you. Isn’t it obvious? What more do you want me to do to show that I care?” He asked, re-leasing her from the hvg and looking at her.
“I know you only care, not because you love me, but because you love what is in me.” She said and turned away, afraid of what he was going to say, how he was going to reject her.
He hushed her and pu-ll-ed her to him so they was no space in between, and placed hisl-ips on hers. He pu-ll-ed away and looked at her, a whirlwind of emotions in his eyes, and then spoke again.
“At first, I only cared about the baby, not you. But now I want you. Because I’ve fallen in love with all of you. It’s no longer my baby; it’s now our baby.”
Then she pu-ll-ed him back to her, to finish what he started.
Theirl-ips moved in sync against each other, and Abena held him by his n£¢k, trying to stay in place. She got tired of her uncomfortable position, so she gro-an ed and l@ydown properly, pu-lling him with her. He smiled against herl-ips, and held her by her w@!st, hovering over her.
They finally pu-ll-ed away from each other, and he grinned at her wi-dely.
“So? How amazing of a k!ss£r am I?” He tea-sed.
“Tobi!” She laughed.
“You have no idea how ha-rd I’m falling for you. C’mon. Let me show you again.” He whispered against herl-ips and was about to press hisl-ips against hers when someone cleared his throat in the room.
“You guys seem to have forgotten that we’re still here.” Joseph said, referring to him and Dera, and having a mischievous smile plastered across his face.
“Pay up. You owe me 10k.” He turned to Dera.
“You guys bet? On us?” Tobi asked, a look of surprise on his face.
“Well she thought you would be too much of a snob and an idiot to admit your feelings, but I thought you would eventually break.”
Joseph shrugged. “And as I always say, love triumphs over all things.”
“I’ve never heard you say that.” Tobi lifted an eyebrow.
“Shut up. You’re ruining my moment of amazing-ess.” Joseph replied and Dera just rolled her eyes.
“I’ll be right back. Let me call the doctor.” Tobi said, and gave her a pe-ck on thel-ips before leaving the room.
Joseph wheeled himself towards Abena, still smiling. “So, future sister in law. How are my god children?”
“Who said they’re going to be your god children?” Abena asked, still smiling.
“They have to be! I insist.”
“Joseph. St©p disturbing her jare. She’s probably extra tired after that heated k!ss.” Dera win-ked at Abena and Joseph high fived his wife.
Abena was about to say something when Tobi walked in with the doctor.
“Okay Miss. Omotosho. Let me check you out.” The doctor said with a wi-de smile. Abena sat up slowly and the doctor checked her vitals and any other injuries she sustained.
“You’re very lucky. Some pregnant women don’t live throu-gh that kind of accident. I’ve asked Mr. Ademi to place you on be-d rest for the next week since he doesn’t want you to stay in the hospital.”
Abena nodded.
“So you can change out of what you’re wearing, and I’ll bring some papers for you to sign before you leave.”
The doctor left and Abena lifted an eyebrow at Tobi. “You don’t want me to stay in the hospital?”
“Well yes. I can take care of you by myself. I don’t nee-d all this male doctors coming around you.” He replied, giving her a bag of clothes.
“You do realise that my doctor is male. And he would be the one that would help me deliver the babies?” She asked, amused. “Well I’m getting you a female doctor. I can’t just let males look at you, in that area.” He replied, whining like a child. “And that, my dear, is the beginning of all the disadvantages of being loved by Tobi Ademi.” Joseph said and Tobi sl@pped him at the back of his head.
“Who said anything about love?” Tobi asked, while Joseph ru-bbe-d the back of his head, feigning hurt.
Dera ignored the two men and helped Abena out of the be-d, following her to the bathroom to change.
“I swear, the both of them are children.” Dera commented with a laugh.
“Shayy.” Abena agreed and they bur-st into laughter.
“We can hear you laughing at us oh!” Joseph called from the hospital room, which made the women laugh even ha-rder.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 27