THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 27
“We have somewhere to go first before we go home Tobi.” Abena said.
They had left the hospital, and Tobi had helped her into the car. He did her seat belt firmly, but not ha-rd enough to hurt her stomach while muttering something about ‘not loosing any one else.’
“Where? And don’t say the beach Abena. We have to postpone that one.” He replied, doing his seatbelt and starting the car.
“No. Not the beach.” She laughed. “I want to see her.”
“Who?” Tobi asked with confusion.
“Bridget.”
“No. No way. You just got out of the hospital because of her. And now you want me to take you to a police station?” Tobi barked.
“I have a right to see her! I just want to face my past once and for all. I just want to be able to keep everything behind me. You have to respect that.” She replied, raising her voice a little.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.” He said quietly.
“I won’t. Not any more.” She shook her head and looked out of the window. He sighed and nodded.
“Fine. But one wrong happening and I’m getting you out of there.” He finally gave in.
“Thanks.” She whispered.
“Good day sir. I’m sorry but Mrs. Bridget Omotosho isn’t seeing any visitors.”
“Tell the Police Chief that Tobi Ademi is here. And make it quic-k.” Tobi simply said, his famous glare intimid@t!ngthe Police officer.
“Right away.” He replied, picking up the landline.
“Gosh! Nawa for you. Even police men are afraid of you sef.” Abena tea-sed, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah well they should be.” Tobi shrugged, not smiling at all.
“Tobi. Calm down. I’ll just talk to her, then we’ll leave.” Abena said, placing her hands on his n£¢k and looking up at his face. He pu-ll-ed her to him and buried his head in her hair.
“Yes ma’am.” He whispered.
A police officer looked at them and coughed to get their attention. “I’ve been instructed to take you to Mrs. Bridget Omotosho. plea-se follow me.”
They followed him to a room where they were asked to seat down. The walls were all white, and in the middle of the room, was a wooden table, and two chairs on both sides.
Abena sat down on the chair, knowing that her back would hurt later on, and Tobi sat beside her, ru-bbing circles on her back.
A police officer walked in with Bridget, and sat her down. He looked at them. “Ten minutes.”
As soon as the police officer left, Bridget glared at Abena and sneered at her.
“I see you got yourself pregnant for a very rich man. Just like your mother. Such a gold digger.” She spat out.
Abena stood up and did what she had always wanted to do. She sl@pped Bridget across her cheek, while the latter winced.
“You have no right to talk about her. Especially after what you’ve done. You destroyed my family. You ended us.” Abena replied, sitting down and staring at her straight in the eye.
“I was simply taking what was mine.”
“And how did that end up for you?”
“I should have ended you too.” Bridget scowled causing Tobi to stand up.
Abena pu-ll-ed him back down and gave him a look. It was her fight. Her family. Her revenge.
“I always knew you were a twisted unhappy b—h from the day my dad brou-ght you home. I just wish he would have seen it too. But he didn’t. You took my mom and my dad from me. But that’s okay. You’re getting the death s£ntence. I hope you know. You can’t afford a lawyer, so the state would give you one. But the lawyer wouldn’t really care, because it’s so obvious that you’re guilty. You’re finally going back to where you c@m£ from: hell.”
Abena stood up, and Tobi followd suit, leading her out of the gloomy room.
“I’m sorry!” Bridget called out before they left.
“Too late for that.” The police officer said to her, forcing her to stand up.
Tobi led Abena out of the station and into the car. He made sure she was comfortable with the seat belt, then went to the other side to seat down.
“Dont let her get to you love.” He said after a while.
“At least, you’ve helped me get what I’ve always wanted: Justice. Thank you Tobi.” She said, removing her seat belt and hvgging him.
“Anything for you love.” He said, stro-king her hair.
“Anything.” She leaned back into her seat.
“You better do that seat belt exactly how I did it for you because it took a lot of skill and Tobi Ademi awesomeness to get it done.” He joked and she laughed.
At that moment, Abena knew that they were going to be okay.
…
When they got home, Abena went straight to be-d, and Tobi went to the kitchen to get dinner re-ady.
He was alre-ady blending the tomatoes and peppers for the sauce, when his phone rang. He grimaced at the caller ID, but answered the call anyway.
“Yes?”
“Tobi darling! Its been so long since we’ve spoken. Have you been that busy?” He heard Eniola’s voice from the phone.
Why didn’t this woman just take a hint? Every other woman left him after a night, two at most.
“How do you have my personal cell number?”
“Is that what you’re going to say? You didn’t even miss me?” She whined.
“I’m too busy for this.” He said.
“Tobi.” She started firmly, and Tobi could smell a threat coming. “We’re meant for each other. And there’s no way you’re leaving me, especially not for that pregnant girl I saw at your house. You’ll come back begging, I lo-”
Tobi hung up and blocked her number. Then he placed his phone back into his back pocket and put on the blender.
…
“So. Is my Jollof rice as amazing as yours?” Tobi asked, looking at Abena eagerly. She had insisted on coming downstairs to eat, when he wanted to bring her food up to her room.
“Ehn. You could have done better.” She shrugged and he frowned.
“I spent hours in the kitchen trying to make it perfect.” He gro-an ed and she laughed.
“Chill jare. Its good. Not as good as mine but you tried sha.” She tea-sed.
“Hm. Well let me show you something I’m really good with.” He sm-irked and leaned him towards her.
She just rolled her eyes and placed a f!nger on hisl-ips.
“Control yourself man. Besides, I’m still here struggling to eat your food.”
“Wow. Just wow. You just broke my heart.” He said feigning hurt.
“Hm. Oya come let me fix it for you.” She smiled, placing her plate of food on the table and pu-lling him towards her.
Then his phone rang.
“What?” Tobi growled and Abena laughed. He put the phone on speaker, and Joseph’s voice filled the air.
“Why do I have a feeling that I interrupted something very S-xual?”
“What do you want?” Tobi asked.
“This is so unfair. You used to have my time, and you guys get together this morning and all of a sudden, I’m no longer important?”
Abena laughed and rolled her eyes.
“Joseph? Have you told them yet?” They heard Dera ask.
“Oh. Right. You guys should turn on the t.v.” Joseph said.
“Why?” Tobi asked annoyed.
“Its alre-ady on.” Abena added.
“No like, the news channel.” Joseph added.
“Oh.” They both replied simultaneously.
Abena took the remote and changed the channel.
Then they both stared at the main t©pic of the entertainment news. BILLIONAIRE TOBI ADEMI FINALLY HAS A GIRLFRIEND, OR SHOULD WE SAY, A BABY MAMA?!
The newscasters were talking about how Nigerian girls were gold diggers and Abena, or as they called her, Mystery girl, finally ‘tra-pped’ Tobi Ademi with a pregnancy that is probably not his.
“Why are we on t.v?” Abena asked panicky.
The picture there was a picture of when Tobi and Abena were leaving the hospital. His hands were on her w@!st and she was laughing at something as he whispered in her ear.
Tobi shrugged, looking calm. He expected it. He sm-irked at her and said. “I hope it isn’t a bad time to say, we look really good in that picture.”
THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 28
Abena walked slowly while looking at the different maternity dresses. Her clothes were getting small again, and she was too angry at Tobi to ask him to tag along.
She frowned again, thinking of the argument they had had the night before.
How could he be so nonchalant about what the press was saying about her?
About the both of them?
…
“This isn’t funny Tobi. Can you hear what they’re saying? Nob©dy cares about what we look like!” Abena shouted.
“Calm down Abena. After a while, they’ll just forget about it and move to a new story.” He replied, visibly frustrated.
“They’re calling me your baby mama! They say the pregnancy might not even be yours because apparently, Tobi Ademi can’t make such a ‘mistake’.” She snapped.
“But you know it’s my baby!” Tobi cried in exasperation. “Why do you care about what they say?”
“Because!” She sighed.
He looked at her expectantly, waiting for further explanations.
“I don’t know! I just don’t like it. Look at all the horrible things they’re saying about me! And it’s true.” Abena finally said.
“Who cares what they say?” Tobi asked again.
“Me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m pregnant! When I’m happy, I’m elated. When I’m sad, I’m f—–g depressed!” Tobi winced at the sound of her swearing.
“Abena. What they say doesn’t matter. You and I, that’s all that matters.” He held her shoulders and looked at her. She looked away from him, averting her eyes to anywhere but his inviting gaze.
“Look at me ife mi (my love).” He whispered.
Her heart beat quic-kened at the sound of the new nickname.
“plea-se, st©p them from saying all those things about me. I don’t want to be seen as that girl.” She replied, herl-ips quivering as she spoke.
“Okay.” He replied and pu-ll-ed her into a hvg that she happily accepted. …
Although they had resolved it, Abena couldn’t shake off a feeling, that someone was setting them up to fail.
She pu-ll-ed out another dress and took them all to the dressing room to try them on. Although she was in love with her unborn children, she hated the fact that she was pregnant Or fat, as she called herself sometimes.
She wished she had accepted Tobi’s offer when he wanted to accompany her to the mall, but she wanted some time to think.
They were both from two separate worlds, and someone was trying to make that fact known to her.
…
After trying all the dresses, and hating each one, Abena walked out of Mr. Price and decided to go to Shoprite to get herself ice cream. She had finished every single tub at home and although she loved ice cream, she hated the fact that she was eating like a pig.
She picked two large chocolate ice cream tubs and dropped them in the trolley. She wondered why she had decided to take a trolley when she wasn’t buying much, but after inhaling the scent from the Shoprite bakery, she couldn’t help but follow it and forget about every other thing.
As she made her way to the bakery, someone st©pped her; a woman who was a few inches taller than her. The only thing Abena noticed, was her blazing redl-ipstick, which clashed badly with her very dark skin.
“Hey! I know you!”
Abena froze in her sp©t and thought of whether to turn around or keep walking.
Before she could decide, the woman, accompanied by three other women that Abena just noticed walked up to Abena and smiled at her.
But it wasn’t a warm smile. Instead it was intimid@t!ng, threatning.
“I told you she looked familiar!” One of the girls hissed to the other.
Abena stared at them, not sure of what they wanted. All that was going throu-gh her head was the thought bakery on the other side and the four strangers that were blocking her way.
“I saw you on t.v. You’re Tobi Ademi’s baby mama aren’t you?” The woman with the redl-ipstick asked, giving her a disgusted sneer.
“Tobi Ademi! You mean the billionaire! Lucky girl. I thought he doesn’t d@t£?” Another girl asked, feigning innocence.
Abena’s heart was thumping now, against her che-st. She had never been confronted this way before, and she hated the way they looked at her. They looked at her like she was cheap. A s–t.
“I heard that the baby might not even be his.” ‘Redl-ipstick’ said, talking as though Abena was not there, and all Abena wanted to do was wra-p her hands around her n£¢k and choke her out of anger, but she clenched her fists and watched quietly.
“Yeah, this isn’t the first time someone would claim to be pregnant for him, but when paternity tests are done, you’ll find out that the girl was just lying.” A girl wearing a cap said.
Abena’s eyes wi-de-ned at the statement. She never knew that Tobi had had other women lying about being pregnant for him, and now they were so sure that she was just like that.
They had cornered her now, and the mall was so crowded that nob©dy noticed the interaction between them. A few people looked at them with suspicions, but nob©dy bothered to intervene.
“Yeah that can be true. Gold diggers are everywhere nowadays.” A girl said, chewing her gum noisily.
“Can you plea-se excuse me? I nee-d to leave.” Abena finally spoke up, anger flowing throu-gh her veins.
“Is that child for Tobi Ademi?” ‘Redl-ipstick’ asked. “Or is it just another b—–d?”
Abena gave her a resounding sl@p on her cheek, which caused heads to turn and other people finally st©pped to watch the drama that they hoped would unfold. Some alre-ady had their phones re-ady to catch every second on video.
“How dare you?” Abena heard the ugly black girl snarl.
‘Redl-ipstick’ raised a hand to sl@p Abena back but surprisingly, Abena held her hand back and glared at her. She gave her another sl@p, feeling good with herself.
“Don’t you ever, ever in your miserable life, call my children that name.”
Abena gr@bb£d her trolley and stormed over to the bakery, now feeling embarras-sed because of the attention that she had attra-cted. She couldn’t help but wish Tobi had come with her.
Not only would she have found the right dresses, but if he was with her, the rest of the world would finally believe her.
…
Abena l@ydown on the couch, watching a comedy show and sipping Orange jui-ce lazily. Tobi had gone to Ibadan, and wouldn’t be back till the next day.
It was still afternoon, and although she wanted to go out, she couldn’t help but remember what happened the last time she did.
When she got home, she was eager to see Tobi, to ask him to clean up the mess that was beginning to expand, but he wasn’t around, and he left a note saying that he had gone to Ibadan for urgent business.
She had called his mother after a while, just to know how she was doing, but after a while, she just felt lazy and decided to l@yaround a bit.
A few months ago, her life was drama-free. Though, but still drama-free. But she was willing to go throu-gh all the drama, because she was sure he was going to stay with her throu-gh it all.
She placed her hand lovingly on her stomach, and smiled.
Tobi loved doing that, he would k!ssher stomach before she went to sleep, talking to the twins as though they could hear him. He was totally convinced that they could.
He was also totally convinced that they were both girls.
Abena smiled to herself and suddenly missed him. She had never been dependent on anyone, but she found herself leaning on him more and more every day.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the front door, followed by the continuous ringing of the doorbell.
Abena walked towards the door with caution, and opened it slowly. Before she could say a word, and angry Eniola stormed in, burning with anger.
“Where is Tobi?” She snarled at Abena.
Abena rolled her eyes at her, still surprisingly calm. “He’s not home.”
“He wasn’t at the office too.” Eniola pointed out.
“He’s out of town for a while.” Abena shrugged.
“I’ll pay you.” Eniola said out of the blue. Abena looked at her in confusion, wondering what the witch of a woman in front of her possibly meant.
“I’ll pay you to leave Tobi for me.” She explained and Abena looked at her, not with anger, but with disgust.
What was the limit to her desperation?
“No thank you. I don’t nee-d your money. Not everything can be bought with money.” Abena replied confidently, although her words seemed to bite back at her too.
After all, she was pregnant for money.
“You wouldn’t last. You’ve seen the news. The both of you aren’t meant for each other. You’re dirt poor, and he’s filthy rich. You’re low clas-s, and he’s highly sophisticated. All he nee-ds is that child, and when he finally gets it, you’ll be gone. Out of his life, and out of my way. He wouldn’t have the courage to tell the world that he’s with someone like you Abena. Wake up! This isn’t some American cliche novel. This is Nigeria. Naija ! It doesn’t work that way. Poor people like you don’t mix with the rich guys like us.”
Abena shut her eyes firmly, and opened them again, looking at Eniola with pure hatred.
“Get out.”
Eniola sm-irked at her, knowing fully well that Abena was affected by her words. She walked out of the house elegantly, and Abena wondered why Tobi was with someone like her, when he could have someone better.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 29