(Present day)
I could hear muffled sounds all around me, but when I tried opening my eyes, it was as if something held them shut. Still, I could feel the presence of several people around me, after numerous attempts, I finally opened my eyes; at first, the lights appeared too bright. For a second, I thought I was in heaven, but then I died a sinner so I figured this couldn’t be heaven. My eyes readjusted, and I could see, I could feel my whole body heavy, my throat dry and a drip line on my hand, then it dawned on me that I was in the hospital, I tried sitting up. Still, I saw my mother and a man I didn’t recognise trying to caution me not to try seating up, and I was delighted to be with my mother finally then I heard her call someone outside the room.
Suddenly my friends came inside the room, and they were led in by Shuaib, Baptista and Isaac came in last when he entered he went straight to me. He gave me a tight hug, I was taken aback by this till he said, welcome back ‘Brother.’ Then I knew something was wrong because Isaac never calls anyone Brother.
Then Isaac introduced the strange man standing beside my mother, as his father, Dr James (SAN), I began wondering what he was doing here, and it seemed like he knew my mother, till I heard him say to her, ‘Bolatito I think it’s time we told him’ I asked, ‘Tell me what?’ My mother’s voice began to tremble, 'Son, this is your father James’ at that moment, I stood up by myself.
I had a million questions to ask him, but I could only summon the courage to ask him, just one, ‘Where were you?’ He replied, 'Son, I just knew also about you’ I closed my eyes at that moment and slept off.
By the time I woke up, my mother and James...my father, or Isaac’s father was not in the room, Only my friends were, they assisted me in seating up after I was seated comfortably, Isaac began speaking, ‘I know this all is a shock to you, and it might take awhile for you to process it, especially when you just found out that I’m your brother, which I find very delightful, but all the same I implore that you take your time, and focus your strength on having a full recovery, all your questions would be answered’ I just managed to nod my head in affirmation. Shuaib on the other hand was just quiet mostly, looking at me with pity while Baptista was his usually jovial self, talking about the Nurse he met at the reception and how he wanted to marry her, he managed to crack a few more jokes which made me laugh and loosen up a bit, but then I still had questions, so I asked them, 'Guys, what really happened’ Isaac began, 'Before you called we had been searching for you, both Simbi and Iya-Toheeb’ both claimed they didn’t see you come home the previous night, but some of your neighbors did, but still no one knew where you went, we had visited all the police stations but they denied knowing your whereabouts and we couldn’t even file a missing person’s complaint till after 48 hours’ we were all wondering what happened till you called me and we were relieved, but by the time we got the station where you were held, the police men denied us access and even denied your presence there, they also denied the call you placed till I dialed the number you used calling previously and it rang inside the pocket of one of the officers did we understand what was about to happen.
I had to stay there and called my father since they didn’t believe I was also a lawyer, Shuaib also placed a few calls to people he knew. While we were waiting, a woman entered and introduced herself as your mother, we introduced ourselves to her as your friends and said we were there for the same thing. Still, the policemen wouldn’t budge, your stepfather, which I just got to know, Our uncle Uche was there with your mum, even after he introduced himself as a lawyer he was also turned back by the police. My father came with the police commissioner, and you should’ve seen how the officers were behaving when they saw him. The commissioner, fear gripped them, but when your stepfather saw our father, an argument ensued as our father began asking what she was doing there with him, he called him a ‘snake’, and then your mum screamed at both of them to pull themselves together and sternly told our father that you were his son. The policemen had you locked up, you should have seen him change from surprised/petrified to angry, that moment your stepfather stormed out of the station, and we’ve not seen him since then. You were finally brought out from the cell, and the state in which we all saw you broke everyone, we all had tears in our eyes, the last time I saw our father cry was when my mother died. Well, let’s just say the police station doesn’t exist anymore and all the policemen from the station are in prison presently. Your mother also told our father about the whole mess you were in, because of one Bidemi lady, well he’s already handling it, your stepfather/ our uncle Uche engineered the entire thing, to get rid of you our father figured it out, he had found out whose child you were and decided to transfer the hatred he had for our father on you, and exact his revenge, he’s on the run now, I heard, and the entire contract you signed is null/void.
However, you’ve almost served its full length, but father also managed to negotiate a suitable compensation for you not that it would bring back the years you lost, but it’s enough, for all the misfortunes they caused you. So that’s the full summary of all that happened’ by the time he was done, I was out of words, it was funny how all the misfortune that befell me was due to my parent's actions and not even me. 'Before I forget, Uche had blackmailed our father with a fictional story about some fraternity president, to make run away and leave your mother, just because he wanted her all for himself, such a callous man’ Isaac said as he interjected my thoughts, I couldn’t help but ask, 'What about Simbi and Iya-Toheeb’ Baptista cuts in, 'Those? They don run comot for the area, as them dey fight, na, so they carry the fight enter the street. You know say na for night Iya-Busola Dey always load, her crates of eggs, na, so they carry their madness go that one side, break all her crates, about 1 million eggs’ Shuaib and Isaac shouted in unison ‘Baptista!!!!!’ Then he corrected himself no vex, 'well wetin I hear from mama-Chinedu na say e be like 500 crates o’ Isaac cuts abruptly, ‘like 200 crates’ Baptista grumbles ‘wetin be the difference between 500 and 200? Ona no Dey ever believes me’ Isaac replied, ‘300’ Baptista replied, 'You go just dey mess up, like say na only you, Sabi book pass the story na my story, I no disturb you when you dey talks you own, e reach my own now you dey form Ben Einstein’ myself and Shuaib just watched them in silent smiling, my friends never change, as Isaac was about to reply Baptista the doctors interrupted and asked that they leave, it was time for ward rounds.
I slept after the round, and I woke up with Shuaib by my side, he said to me, ‘I’m sorry for all that has happened to you, and I also know you were curious towards my past life and now I understood why you wanted to exploit my past towards your favour but my dear friend, I want you to know that some stories don’t have an end, and no matter how much you may try there are some stories that might elude you because you don’t have the stomach to handle them, maybe you can’t even handle the truth about my life, so on that note, I’ll just wish you stop trying because I value this friendship and I don’t want you to realise what a monster I was or still am’ after the statement he smiled at me, gripped my shoulder, and left the room, ‘walahi I love sane Shuaib, he was too cool.’
Few minutes after Shuaib left, I was sitting on the bed. When I heard a gentle knock, and then when the door was opened all I saw was Bidemi standing at the doorway, I was petrified for a few seconds till she moved closer and uttered ‘Hi’ I managed to mutter ‘Hi’ back, even after ten years she still looked beautiful and radiant as ever, she did the most unbelievable thing ever she gave me a tight hug which lasted minutes it suddenly dawned on me how much I missed her, she still smelled the same and her skin soft. Then she sat beside me, and we stared at each other for a while in silence till she broke the silence and said, ‘I told you I’d wait.’ Then I heard another knock, and a young teenage girl entered. She looked exactly like my mother. At first she stood by the door, till Bidemi said ‘I forgot, Adepeju come and greet your father’ I stood up. However, I felt a sharp pain in my left rib; I saw my daughter run towards me and embraced me. Throughout the day, we were inseparable, as she held me tightly as if I was going to run away. Bidemi had told me how my mother had always taken care of both of them. Fortunately, my mother and my daughter Peju were also close since childhood. Later that night, my mother and father both came, both apologising for their actions, which they claimed jeopardised my life. I explained that it was time to tie up all loose ends and move on, now that I’m reunited with my love and daughter. I hugged them tightly.
The next morning, after breakfast, Adepeju told me, ‘Daddy let’s go home’ then I checked my watch, and I saw that it was Christmas, tears rolling down my cheeks while I held Bidemi Adepeju in my embrace. I’m finally satisfied.
The end.
You owe me😒. What is this character's name? You can't keep me up at night wondering biko. Oya, please, just tell us. I loved the ending but it's so sad how hate could cause a ripple effect of things in people's lives❤
Tears in my eyes. I love the ending!