The Exchange
Episode 15
He said his mum was outside…so I stepped out to welcome her. It was more of an entourage. They must have come in like, 5 or 6 cars because they brought gifts and things that made it look like they came for a traditional engagement ceremony.
I noticed a brand new car (a 1982 Subaru GL) the only person in it was the driver. Baba T’s mum almost swallowed me as she hugged me and kept showering prayers on me.
“Èmi lo sè yí fún tán? (You considered me worthy of such a wonderful gift?) Wàá gbá dùn mi (You will be glad you did this for me). Don’t worry o…consider us, Babatunde’s dad and me, your husband and the father of this child…anything you need, just let us know ” Baba T’s mum said.
I was too dumbfounded to reply or respond. She said her husband was out
of the country but she already called and informed him. She just
couldn’t wait for him to return and that was why she made sure they came
over to see us as soon as possible. She said they would have come the
day before, but they had to get some things as they couldn’t come to
their ‘in-laws’ empty-handed.
They came into our house and met my
mum. Baba T’s mum was obviously very happy with the turn of events, her
joy could not be contained. She hugged my mum and called her ‘Àna mi’
(my in-law).
Brother Dipo was also at home; he came to get some
money for his final year project and was really confused at what was
going on. He excused himself and went inside
Baba T’s mum was
already talking to my mum about ‘the wedding’ and how they would make it
memorable. My mum was as confounded as I was, at what was happening.
She had to tell Baba T’s mum that she didn’t have much say in this and
would have to contact my dad’s relatives to set something up.
“No
problem ma, just let us know what you want us to do and when you want us
to come…tí ise ò bá pe ni, A ò kí npe ise (We are ready whenever you
are)” she said in response to what my mum said.
My mum promised
to get in touch with members of my dad’s family and that she would send
me to Baba T’s mum once something concrete was agreed on.
My mum
offered them food and to my surprise, they stayed and ate. Baba T’s mum
said we’re family now and although she wasn’t really hungry, she would
eat the food all the same. I went with my mum to prepare the food…she
didn’t say anything but I could tell she had lots of questions.
When it was time for our visitors to leave, Baba T said the new car was for me and that he wanted me to be comfortable and not have to walk around or stand at bus stops in the scorching sun. I reminded him that I once told him I couldn’t drive…he asked if I could get a driver in Abeokuta and he would pay the salary because it wouldn’t be sensible getting a driver from Lagos. He promised to come back in a few days to see me, so we could arrange how to go about the ante-natal care. I was really startled and couldn’t say much because of how fast everything was happening.
The moment I got back in the house, it was a torrent of questions. My mum wanted to know what was happening. She said it looked like someone already planned everything out and was merely following the scripts.
It took a while to convince her that my story was true and that the pregnancy was a result of one reckless night. I told her that Baba T was an only child and that his parents almost lost him some years back. I also told her what Laide told me about how Baba T’s parents could not wait for him to get married so they could have grandchildren. My mum responded with “Okay o, if you say so…Ol?run òní je a kábàm? (I pray God will not let us regret this)”
“You sure will regret this…it’s not a matter of prayer ” Brother Dipo
yelled as he stepped out of his room. Apparently, he had been listening
to our conversation and had been trying to make sense of what was
happening since the visitors came.
“I reject it in Jesus’ name…none of my children will regret in life” my mum fired back.
It became a heated argument between them…Brother Dipo was never the
sentimental type. He said things the way he saw them without caring
whose ox was wounded. My mum told him that the role of family was to
support one other especially when options were few.
“
That’s
sentiment Maami, what if Tunji was your son…would you have said the same
thing? You don’t do that to people…Karma has a way of coming back to
get you”
“Nítorí owó? (Because of money?) I knew this was going to
happen…I said it when the ‘Father Christmas’ era started” My brother was
really angry and he promised not to be part of it in any way. He even
threatened not to attend any ceremony or gathering for the cause. He
left the house in anger…I could tell that my mum didn’t like what was
happening but she kept encouraging me that everything would be alright.
My mum decided to go talk to members of our family (both paternal and
maternal). She said there was no point wasting time as we needed to come
to a conclusion and reach out to Baba T’s family with definite answers
and dates. I couldn’t go to work because I was avoiding Aunty Betty
(Tunji’s aunt who trained me as a beautician)…also because the morning
sickness had gotten worse; I would throw up till there was nothing left
in me.
Brother Dipo was not talking to me and he would just walk by
when he saw me throwing up. My mum said he would come round and I should
not make a fuss about it.
I was wondering why I had not seen
Tunji (since he said he would be back in about a week) but deep down was
hoping he would just walk away. May God forgive me for this, I almost
wished he got involved in an accident so that I would not have to face
him and explain myself.
I wasn’t sure how my mum did it but that weekend, all my brothers came home.
After being brought up to speed, Brother Kola couldn’t hide his
excitement…it was obvious he was on Baba T’s side (Can you blame him?).
My other two brothers had some questions but still showed their
support…however, Brother Dipo would not budge.
He lambasted everyone
for supporting an evil plot and reminded them that my dad would never
have supported something like this, if he was alive. My mum argued back
that she knew her husband would not have supported having an abortion
either.
“Tí edá ò bá gba kádàrà à gba kodoro (people that struggle with the tide of fate, end up drowning)” my mum argued.
Brother Kola stepped in and said as the eldest son and heir to my
father, he gave his support and blessings. My other brothers had to hold
Brother Dipo down as he was ready to fight our eldest brother
In
the middle of the brouhaha, my worst nightmare came true…Tunji walked
in and I could tell that he knew what was happening. The look on his
face said more than a thousand words could have said.
Somehow,
Brother Dipo in his anger had visited him (not knowing he was out of
town) and left a note at his house telling him what happened and how he
(Brother Dipo) wasn’t part of it.
With the silence in the room, one
could almost hear hearts beating…Tunji looked at me for a while and went
down on his knees. He wrapped his arms around my waist with his face on
my belly.
“Please tell me it’s a joke…
tell it’s a dream and that I would wake up at some point ”
“Tell me you are not leaving me for another man…
tell me it’s all a figment of my imagination ”
“Tell me we can go back in time and fix this…
tell me there is a way around this ”
“Tell me this is not the end…it can’t be, it just can’t.
I was told love conquers all; tell me Love can conquer this ”
“Tell me life is worth living…tell me my ‘Ajike’ (a pet name Tunji called me) is not becoming someone else’s ”
When I didn’t respond he said “Okay, tell me the pregnancy is
mine…please do, nobody has to know it’s not. I promise never to tell
anyone ”
He kept asking all these questions while crying…he would sob, hyperventilate like he was having a panic attack and continue.
My cloth was drenched in his tears…I couldn’t push him away, I couldn’t hold him either. I couldn’t help but cry with him but I didn’t say a word.
“When I met you, I promised myself that life had taken enough of my loved ones and nothing would take you away from me.
Please don’t leave me, I will do my best to also make it in life…I will
take care of you. Àjíke má se bá yi (Àjíke, don’t be cruel)”
He turned to my mum and started to plead.
“Mummy, E bá mi be (plead with her on my behalf) I know she listens to you. Tell her it’s me Tunji…tell her to say something, anything…tell her to talk to me. If it’s because I delayed marrying her, I will marry her. I can even marry her tomorrow ”
My mum did not know what to say or how to respond to him. She was only able to say “Tunji ní sùúrù (Tunji calm down)”
“Don’t let me calm down ma…this is where ‘calming down’ has led me. E kàn bá mi be ni (just help me plead with her)”
Tunji turned to my brothers too and started to beg them, promising to
never make them regret supporting or vouching for him. They were equally
stupefied while Brother Dipo stayed aloof from us all
“You just have to be a man” Brother Kola said as he tried to pull him up.
“Don’t let me be a man sir…I just want to be with Àjíke. Let me stay
like this…E má je kí n’dìde sir (don’t let me get up sir)” Tunji
responded…sobbing, slobbering and panting
It was so sad watching him
go through this but I didn’t have anything to say. I couldn’t even make
a sound…I only had tears running down my cheeks.
I knew this day would come but I didn’t expect it to go like it did. My mum had said we would think of a way to break the news to him but we had not even started thinking, so it was shocking and I was totally unprepared.
In the middle of this,
my dad’s immediate younger brother walked in..
