Chapter 66: Chapter 66

Friday 11:00 am

"Raliat, what is the matter with you? You've been acting cold to everyone since you came back home. You don't even speak to your grandmother." Mr. Usman half-yelled at his daughter, who was still on the bed in her nightwear, pretending to be asleep.

It was exactly a week since Raliat was caught by the police In Kaduna and she was in her bed, with her eyes closed, reminiscing about all that had happened.

Both the good and bad memories brought tears to her eyes.

The good memories were too good and sweet to let go of. The bad ones made her heart itk.

But what hurts the most was her heart.

Her heart was yet to be healed. Maybe it was too soon, she thought. She wondered how she was going to cope with academics and life in general. The zeal for everyone was gone, especially the zeal for education.

She was in pain and her family wasn't helping matters. Her first love was dead and gone, and her mother was nowhere to be found.

This was the time she needed her parent's emotional support but her father was proving to be a hard nut to crack. The stubborn side of him was out, even though Raliat knew he missed his wife already. But his pride was stopping him from going after her.

"Grandmother was here when mum left", Raliat finally replied her father, with her eyes still closed. "Why didn't she do anything about it?"

"Is that the problem?"

"Yes, dad. The woman you have been married to for 25 years and you still don't trust her? I am highly disappointed in you." She opened her eyes and sat upright, staring at her father in the eyes.

"Your mother left at her free will. I didn't send her away." He defended himself.

"Of course you did. You pushed her away." Raliat implied.

"Raliat, we are humans. Anybody can change. She was so desperate to get you married to Adam." he announced.

"Not your wife, dad. Has she given you any benefit of doubts before?" She questioned her father with wide eyes. Her father shook his head in response.

"And who is Adam?" She demanded.

"My friend's son."

Raliat hissed and stood up to go out.

Her father was tempted to shout at her and scold her for hissing at him but he refrained himself from doing that.

Her mood swings ever since the death of Ayoade were terrible and he was trying as much as possible not to add to her heartaches.

"When are you going back to school?" He asked as he followed her out of the room.

"The day mummy comes back home." She answered, still walking.

"What?!" Her father exclaimed, stopping in his track and staring at her as she walked, till she was out of sight.

*****

Friday 8:00 pm

Princess", Mr. Ademola pecked his daughter on the forehead.

"Daddy", she pouted, closing her diary.

"Yes, darling. How are you today? I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Your mum said you went to school today." He said and moved to sit on her bed.

"Yes, daddy. I went to check out how things are. I found out that two practical tests were conducted in my absence and I explained what happened to the lecturer who directed me to the Head of Department." She explained.

"Test? It's not long since you guys resumed na."

"Yes. Remember school resumed three weeks before I started getting prepared to go to Shika?"

"Oh! That's true. What did the Head of Department say?"

"He requested for a police report. I guess I would have to go to the station tomorrow to get it." She responded, going over to her bed to sit beside him.

"Alright. When are you resuming school fully?"

"Monday by God's grace but I would be going from home. I'm no longer going to Shika." She notified.

"I love that. Your mum tried discouraging you from going in the first place but you wouldn't listen." He chuckled lightly.

"Yes. Where is she?"

"She is already asleep. She went in search of a shop today so I guess she is exhausted."

"Ok. I thought you never liked business for her. Who would have thought you would allow her to go into business someday?"

"It's better than working for someone who doesn't appreciate your effort. Besides, the economy is evolving and everyone is aspiring to be their own boss."

"Yes, that's true. I hope to establish my clinic too after graduation." Salamat informed him.

"Nice idea. Have you told Saleem about it?" He questioned.

"Yes. He is supportive", she smiled.

"I haven't seen him since Monday. Why didn't he come home with us?"

"Fieldwork is keeping him busy. He didn't want to go but I advised him not to decline."

"Ok. I...I have been meaning to talk to you about him." He began.

"Me too, dad. I haven't summoned up the courage yet, though."

"What is it?" He inquired.

"You go first."

"Do you love him?" Her father's question surprised her. "Do you trust him? Do you see a future with him?"

"Yes, yes, yes, dad. I couldn't ask for more from Allah. He is my ideal man." She admitted.

"Your mother has been pestering me about this marriage of a thing. I don't know what her problem is. It seems she wants to get rid of you so she can have me to herself" He whispered and Salamat laughed loudly.

"That's the same thing I've been meaning to talk to you about. This case has opened my eyes to certain things I don't pay much attention to. Ayoade wanted to get married because of his uncontrolled sexual urges but his parents refused and then he began to find solace and pleasure in Bimpe. When he met Raliat, he was in a hurry to get married to her, in other to put a stop to the forbidden act between him and his sister and his parents refused again. Now he is dead. If he had married Chidinma, maybe he would still be alive now."

"Hmmm. Yes. That is destiny."

"Saleem is a good man, dad. I have done my istikhara on him severally and it always comes out positive."

"Alright."

"Since we've been together, the first time we hold hands was on Sunday. How many youths of nowadays can do that? 90% of today's youth exceed the bounds of holding hands after 2 weeks of dating each other. Some even have sex on their first date. I am proud to be with a man like him and I am willing to compromise my decision."

"Hmmm", her father sighed.

"Next two weeks is our mid-semester break, let's call his parents to come over for the formal introduction." She blurted with confidence.

*****

"Bimpe, how have you been, my dear?" Bimpe's mother touched her cheeks.

"Fine mum." She replied.

"I brought you your favorite." She said bringing out the food flask from her big handbag.

"Thanks, mum. I will eat that for dinner." Bimpe said

"Have you eaten?" Her mother asked.

"Yes. Banji brought me some food."

"Who is Banji?"

"We stay in the same apartment," Bimpe answered.

Her mother stared at her for a while before saying, "I'm sorry for everything."

"I should be saying that, mum." She smiled sadly.

"You are indeed a strong woman. You were going through a lot and you never said anything to me and I was too blind to see the pain in the eyes of my daughter."

"Forgive me, mum for causing you this grief and pain. I never meant for things to turn out this way." She implored.

"Let's not dwell in the past. Don't say anything again, ok?"

"Ok. I haven't seen my uncle in a while. Hope he is fine?"

"Yes. They traveled to Ijesha. They went for his father-in-law's burial."

"Oh! Daddy mi nko (What about my dad)?"

"Not fine. His health is deteriorating. He barely eats. He is also depressed because we are running out of money and it's impossible to go back home now. I have been thinking of opening a shop here but we need to get you a lawyer first. The D.P.O says you are to appear in court on Monday. I keep taking money from my salesgirl in Abeokuta and I haven't restocked in a while. I'm sure all the goods are almost finished."

"It's ok, mum", she patted her mother's hand.

"I pity dad," Bimpe muttered.

"Me too. I was tempted to leave him but I can't. The guilt of everything is eating him up. I blamed him for Ayoade's death and I am sure he blames himself too."

"Hmm."

"What should we do about the baby?" Her mother suddenly asked.

"My baby? Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?"

"This is the only trace of Ayoade, your first son. Your Ayoade is coming back to you. So I'm keeping it."

"What? You can't. It's unheard of. It's against the tradition." Her mother snapped at her.

"The forbidden has been done already. I don't care whether it's unheard of or against tradition. I am keeping this baby and that's final."