'Look who's talking' Part 2 - By K Jinadu (Must Read)

If you missed the first part, please click here. Life was unbearable for Tolu, she questioned life, questioned God, can’t imagined what life would be like without Alhaji; Alhaji has become a vital part of her existence and that of her family.  

Tolu did not realise the strong bond that co-existed between them until the unexpected calamity happened.  There was a time she was so reluctant to marry Alhaji, could not imagine being his wife because Alhaji already married two different women in the past. His first wife died of breast cancer, she had five children; Second wife ran away with a secret lover, Alhaji first son’s friend (Barrister Ojo) she also bore him two children which made Alhaji a father to seven children.  It felt surreal to experience dejection, to feel damaged and incomplete without him.

Tolu yearned for an answer to why Alhaji called off the engagement and acted in such hostile manner but she could not get any; which caused an excruciating pain she had felt but was unable to explain.

Eight month later Tolu began to feel better with the support of family and sisters from a new church (Grace of God Church) she started to attend, but she was bothered about Mama’s health as she seemed to slip in and out of hospital. 

Tolu went for a job interview with a foreign UK company in Victoria Island, seated at the waiting area the news of a fatal accident along Ibadan/Lagos express-way caught Tolu’s attention on the Plasma TV fixated to the wall opposite the sitting area.  

AIT channel zoomed up on lifeless bodies, fresh trails and spots of blood evident on the road, thick dark reddish balls of inferno popped out one after the other into the sky from the blazing petroleum tank lying on its side on top of two squashed cars.   
Commuters stood by and watched helplessly, sound of men shouting, a woman crying echoed from the speaker.

God!!!!! Help us, give us good leaders that value citizen’s life, that will enforce feasible road safety, see how people’s life were wasted, Tolu thought as she moved her head consistently left to right, right to left then a sound coming from stilettos shoes hitting the marble floor startled Tolu and brought her out of reverie. 

A voluptuous woman in dark Versace sunshade, dressed in flowery Ankara flair skirt and short sleeve blouse walked in, scent of Marc Jacob perfume immediately filled the air.
The woman dropped something from the Russell n Bromley paper bag she carried; unknown to her it seemed to have a big hole underneath.

Tolu quickly stood up and picked it up, a spasm of waves like that of electric swept through her body from head to toes as she held it, then it gently slipped off her hand, she staggered backwards and fell.

Tolu could not recollect how or what she was doing lying on the hospital bed, her eyes caught a woman standing over her, “Are you okay? How do you feel now?” the lady said.
Tolu wanted to answer and asked questions but she could not get any word out.  She stared back, Tolu's face was impassive, brown skin colour of milk chocolate looked pale and dull.

Suddenly it occurred to Tolu, the image of Regina and Alhaji looking their best on the front page of the celebrity magazine was stucked in her memory, how? When? Where? It had happened are questions Tolu urgently needed an answer to.

Mrs Abayo went through Tolu’s phone and called Gbemi it was the last person she dialled, to notify Tolu’s family of her where about but nobody answered the phone, the third day Gbemi’s phone was answered by a lady who introduced herself as Aunty Joyce, Gbemi and Tolu’s Aunty.  

Aunty Joyce told Mrs Abayo that Gbemi died three days ago in an accident on Lagos/Ibadan road that she just went to collect Gbemi’s belongings which included her phone from the police station.

"What!" Mrs Abayo exclaimed, "this is woeful, oh my God, how is this lady going to cope?" Mrs Abayo said as she quickly walked out of the hospital room to prevent Tolu from listening even though she appeared to be asleep.

“Tolu’s mother is extremely sick, she’s in the hospital too,” Aunty Joyce added.  

“Tolu’s broken relationship to Alhaji has led to Mama’s sickness again, she has not being herself since the news months ago, and she is deteriorating by the day."

"The good thing is Alhaji has a prepaid account for the Falomo’s family at “Adeoluwa hospital in which they all still benefit” Aunty Joyce continued, not cautious of revealing too much information to a stranger, it was as if she was waiting to spill out her worries. 

“Mama is not aware of the calamity that has befallen her daughters Olorun ooooo,” she sobbed into the phone.   
“We cannot question God, is okay some things happen and we do not understand why,” Mrs Abayo said.

“I will send you the hospital details and this is my number you can reach me on it, please be strong and take heart Tolu will need support, I know is a difficult time for the family,” Mrs Abayo hanged up.

The next day Tolu was found by the nurse who treated her on the first day of admission into the hospital crying and walking on the main road dressed in hospital outfit without shoes; Tolu was quickly ushered back into the hospital.  

Tolu heard the conversation Mrs Abayo had with Aunty Joyce, she knew, saw the aftermath on that plasma TV; she had never imagined her flesh and blood was involved, it hurts beyond word can explain, whatever was left of her was broken beyond repair, not herself.  

Life seemed worthless not worthy of living, she wanted to sleep and never wake up but she could not close her eyes for a second, sleep became a luxury.  
At night Tolu listened to footsteps, whispers, sounds of what she thought might be a stretcher.  

In the early hours of the morning she heard the rooster croaked, far away sound of cars horning, smells of Dettol mixed with Izal antiseptic filled her nostril.

Mrs Abayo made it a daily routine to visit Tolu at the hospital with lushly cooked food in which Mrs Abayo picked up the food flask in the same state she had brought it as her condition deteriorated into chronic depression.

A number of relatives from the village also visited Tolu at the hospital.  Sisters from GOG church visited Tolu and prayed for her, Tolu was also on the church’s prayer point request list.

Five years later

Regina tidied up her desk as the clock ticked fast to closing time; she worked in a printing company as Clara’s personal assistant, started the job six month ago.  Regina does not like to keep Debo waiting whenever he decided to pick her up, besides its dinner at Golden Gate tonight; Clara spotted Debo loitering around the office lobby.

Regina gently applied the island beauty powder on her face, enhanced her eyebrows with black eye pencil when Clara’s mum (Mrs Smith) barged in waving as she rushed off to the toilet without looking at Regina who cannot be bothered, busy applying make-up.

Mrs Smith was about to enter Clara’s office when she stared in revulsion like she just saw a ghost, “it’s her” Mrs Smith muttered, “it’s her” she repeated as her voice became louder.  Before anybody realised what was happening Mrs Smith grabbed Regina by the neck as she screamed Clara! Clara! Clara!

Clara hurriedly emerged from her office with a panic look on her face, “mama what is it? I have been waiting for you” Clara said as she walked briskly towards Mrs Smith.  

“What is this prostitute doing here? Mrs Smith yelled “She is the prostitute I caught with your father, she broke my marriage” she continued. 
“Regina!”  Clara exclaimed.  

Mrs Smith stroke Regina with an unexpected slap across the face as she spoke, “oh! She is now Regina in Lagos, her name is Mercy Madam Come-chop’s daughter," Mrs Smith breathe in.
"Mercy or Regina whatever fake name she called herself was a known prostitute in Port-harcourt, she stands on Marina road to pick up useless men like your father before she opted for her mother’s restaurant as a better option,” Mrs Smith yelled into Regina's face.  

Regina staggered backwards, then placed a hand on her right cheek like it was about to peel off. 

A boom sound startled everyone and they all looked in the direction of the noise; Debo stood perplexed, dejected, beyond shock.
Debo realised the attention and focus was on him he slowly stepped away from the broken wine bottle that mistakenly slipped from his hand. 

Regina first buried her face in both hands, she could not imagine how long Debo has being standing there.  
Suddenly, Regina cried out to Debo “is not what you think, please let me explain,” she wept. 

“Oh is all you heard and think,” Mrs Smith shouted-out as she walked up to Debo as Regina’s fiancé was about to walk off.  

Tolu drove into Ikeja, I need to buy credit for my phone before I meet up with the family at the eatery Soji is not capable of keeping Lamide quiet when she begins to cry for Mum, she had better hurry up Tolu thought as she parked by a kiosk painted in yellow with MTN adverts evident all over.  

The two children and her husband Soji meant the world to her, they are so precious; Tolu had never imagined living in a world full of love, laughter, peace and comfort, it was a dream come true. 
Mama would call from the village "I just finished dancing in the church, modupe, olorun  se iyanu ni aye wa," she continued to go for thanksgiving on Tolu's behalf every-time the opportunity to do so arises. 

“Can I have N1,000 recharged card,” Tolu asked.  
“I dey come o madam” a familiar voice echoed from behind the kiosk.  
Tolu was about to collect the card when her eyes met the seller's, "Shina!" She exclaimed.  "Madam! Madam!" Shina said as he prostrated each time he called Madam.

Tolu was overwhelm with elation, she was amazed at her own reaction towards Shina. 
Shina was nothing more than a driver then, but that was a world she once belong that he was a significant part of.  
There was nothing Alhaji does without Shina and he was absolutely loyal to him. 

Shina apologised for all that had happened, he apologised to Tolu even on Alhaji’s behalf. 
The former driver told Tolu about Alhaji's affair with Regina, not sure exactly how they began the illicit affair but he started to noticed Regina when they picked her up on Ishagamu road she sometimes followed them all the way back to Ewekoro. 

Regina told Alhaji everything about Tolu; Regina told Alhaji that Tolu was a known prostitute that Tolu cheated on Alhaji with a boy called Lekan in the village.  

Shina also revealed that Alhaji sent Regina away shortly before his death, Alhaji died of heart attack.  One of Alhaji’s old friends visited from the US and Alhaji introduced Regina as his latest wife, his friend was amazed; he recognised Regina as a whore in Port-harcout and he did not hesitated to tell Alhaji.  

Tolu was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, feeling of happiness, of disappointment, of betrayal even though she knew about the affair before she met Shina but finally she has the answers; she had longed and waited for this day to come. 

“Oh my God! Look whose talking, who is the prostitute? a professional ashawo by all standard,” Tolu managed to get some words out.

****************

Locked in an embrace under the mango tree; as Lekan and Tolu gazed into each other’s eyes professing undying love to each other. 

They both spotted a rattle snake that might have fell from the tree slowly slithered into the bush which broke the entwine illusion they had escape into, both in spirit and physical. 

They ran facing opposite direction; this was the last time they ever set eyes on each other.  Tolu’s family detested Lekan’s family with passion because Lekan’s Dad was a prominent member of the “esu odara” cult most villagers regarded as evil.  
It did not deterred Lekan and Tolu from dating; they would clandestinely sneaked off to inconspicuous places to engage in romantic deeds in the way they know how.   

Lekan attended university of Ibadan, he stopped coming to the village when he heard of Tolu’s affair with Alhaji.   Tolu did everything within her power to make Lekan see reasons but to no avail and the guilt followed Tolu everywhere she goes.     

Tolu felt so guilty her conscience was troubled, her heart heavy with iniquity, she decided to share this burden with Regina who assured and comforted her as they both prayed together asking for forgiveness of sins.

The End

********************

Opinion

Regina was living in the past even though she appeared to be a Christian, negated to change, will not accept responsibility for her circumstances and she refused to see herself in others; if not she would have been able to relate to Tolu’s circumstances considering Tolu was not even as bad as she was.

Living in the past can be damaging, one is always negative expecting bad things to happen, ‘because focus is on the worst thing that had ever happen in the past.  If Regina was expecting a better future she would have waited for her own bone to bone not her close friend’s man.   Living in the past breathes jealousy, and anger one would begin to compare and contrast forgetting that individual journey in life is different some smooth, some rocky, some faster then again might be perilous but whatever it is we should hope, pray and work to getting to our destination, living our dreams, finding our purpose and happiness in life. 

This lack of attitude led Regina who was holding on and living in sins of the past, in pretence of being a Christian sister to having an illicit affair with Alhaji, she had surreptitiously envied Tolu and wickedly schemed her way into Alhaji’s life.

If Regina had changed for good, there will be no need for her to have meet Alhaji or Alhaji’s friend which ended up ruining the relationship after spending some wasteful years with him.  Regina could have broken that trail or yoke of misfortune that seemed to follow her everywhere she goes; she could have been in a better place, she may not have met Clara.

Most times the enemy or fre-enemies as they say might turned out to be a favour without one knowing, if Tolu had married Alhaji she would have eventually become a young widow for a man with seven grown-up children.   

Tolu was hurt, demoralised, broken but each time she falls though difficult she picked up the remnant of her life and kept moving while Regina lives in the past and even go as far as bringing up Tolu’s past in the village to achieve her evil plot. 

Life is full of challenges and tribulation but is how we tackle them that make an impact.

Living in the present and looking forward to the future gives one hope, reason to live and an opportunity to re-create, build, have a bigger vision and hope  for the best  thereby getting what we want becomes  a healthy habit and lifestyle.

2015 is a year of new beginnings, a year of unprecedented miracle a year of abundant blessings for all of us. 

Mi peeps, in 2015 whoever wants to live in your past shall carry the unwanted garbage you are hoping to dump if you have not discarded it already. Lol!



By K Jinadu

Note -

This article may not be reproduced, published, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior reference to the original owner.