Anu and her mother,turned to see him and they both sighed. Anu was not expecting him at all. Her mind was made up to stay with her mom and suffer. Even if it's ordinary cassava flakes, she was ready to eat with her son. Lo and behold, he appeared having blackmailed her before the pastor and his wife, maybe the whole Church. Those who hold her in high esteem will see her as an immoral lady.
Oh what a pity! It's a man's world. She has no say for now. But she doesn't want to return with him. These were her thoughts as she stood, arms akimbo.
On the other hand, her Mom was somehow excited to see him and Ayomide, the boy that has no father for now.
"Ba-ba, ba-ba." Ayomide chuckled as he called Bayo, Baba, meaning Father. He stretched out his hands and opened his four teeth waiting to be carried by the man he knows as a Father. If only he knew the circumstances of his birth.
Bayo carried him from Mrs Moji, his in-law with a gentle smirk on his face, pleased that the boy missed him.
"What do you want here?" Anu furrowed her brow, facing Bayo.
"Hey my wife, my baby." Bayo teased.
"Don't you dare patronize me. Look at the way you disgraced me before my Pastors'. Ha, fear men! Now the whole Church will know and possibly suspend me. Well I am not ready to return to your house nor the Church." Anu yelled.
"Haba Anu, forgive your husband now!" Mrs Moji pleaded with her daughter.
"Maami, you don't know the gravity of his offense. Bayo cheated me!"
"I'm sorry please, my baby, forgive me and let's go home together."
"Why are you suddenly feeling sorry, after the deed is done. Go and meet your Caroline." Anu protested.
"Okay, if you don't want to go with me, then we will stay here together, until you are ready." Bayo insisted, looking serious."
"Go with him please, Anu." Mrs Moji implored,rolling her eyes to touch her heart.
"Bayo please, what do you want from me?" Anu asked.
"I've always loved you, and will always do. I know that I am not the best of guy, but I will try to be better than ever. Cross my heart."
Iyin came out of the room and uttered, "My sister please forgive brother Bayo. What he needs most is your prayers. Don't give up on him so soon. Remember that tough times never last,but tough…."
"Yea, but tough people do. Enough! Pastor, let me be. Do you know what I've been through? Bayo cheated me! Oh my God!" Anu broke out weeping profusely refusing to be comforted for some minutes until she was exhausted.
Bayo drew closer with caution, afraid of her reaction at first, he gave her a gentle touch at the back, she remained calm, then he picked her up suddenly without warning to the delight of Mrs Moji and her brother, Iyin. They clapped and jeered. She gave a faint smile.
"Okay you love birds should go home and complete the story. Its high time you left." Mrs Moji reminded with a ready smile on her chubby face.
"Hmm, this is good. I go love oh!( I will love )" Iyin uttered.
"Small boy, go and read your books please." Mrs Moji responded.
……………………………….
What must have happened to Bayo to cause such a drastic change became a mystery to Anu. They went home and met Caroline cooking dinner. Anu grew mad at her and Bayo.
"Why did you bring me back to the house when you know that your lover is still here? Why, I say why?" She screamed at him.
Turning to Caroline, her friend she gave her a dirty hot slaps. Caroline returned the slaps and a hot fight ensued. Bayo was angry leaving the two of them.
Anu gave a shout that destabilized Bayo, he rushed out of the room to meet Anu sprawled on the floor, blood coming out from below. Bayo picked her up and rushed her to the hospital.
Bayo was shaking like a leaf. "She was the cause of everything, he uttered in pain". Why did she fight her friend?
Mrs Moji on hearing the news that her daughter was in the hospital, became confused.
"Which hospital, Bayo?" She yelled at him.
"The teaching hospital ma. Please come there quickly."
"Ha Bayo, what did I do to you? This girl never wanted to return to your house. You forced her to do so. So you beat her up?" Mrs Moji enquired.
"Mama, this is not the time for blame game, or the time to regret anything. Just come over to the hospital." Bayo implored.
She went into the room, wore a cloth, removed it again. She kept on hissing and blaming herself. Ayomide was crying for food. She went to the kitchen to give him liquid pap,mixed with soya milk. But her mind was with her daughter, Anu.
"Maami, so you have not gone to see my sister?" Iyin demanded looking at her with surprise.
"Hmm, do you know that my heart is beating very fast and somehow I am afraid to go there." She replied with a gloomy face.
"Ha ha, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, of power and and of a sound mind." Iyin cried out. Maami, please go there to see your daughter. It is well with her."
"Yes oh, I'm almost ready. Take care of Ayomide. I will be back later."
She rushed out to the teaching hospital, to see her. Thank God, that she had opened her eyes.
"Ha Anu, Anuoluwa, my daughter. It is well with you. Where is the stupid husband of yours?" Her face grew wild and ferocious..
"Maami, take it easy. It's my fault. I shouldn't have fought Caroline." Anu protested gently with a weak voice.
Anu's mom touched her daughter and tears flowed. She cannot afford to lose her daughter again. Her dad is gone forever, remaining the two of them. This girl must live she spoke in her mind.
"Maami, I am okay. My body will be well very soon. Don't worry at all. I will go back with you.
I can no longer stay with him. I deserve to be happy and treated well. Let me stay with you. We will manage what we have. I may defer my education to work for sometime." She muttered with all her strength.
She has lost so much blood. She was on drip. Soon Bayo came to check on her, alongside Caroline. This infuriated Mrs Moji.
She got hold of Bayo's collar, screaming at him,
"You miserable boy, God will judge you for maltreating my daughter. Look at this husband snatcher too. (Turning to face Caroline.) It shall not be well with you. God will punish you, you betrayal. ( Whoever betrays will not go scot-free.)
"Please leave my shirt Mama. Ha ha. Respect yourself please. It is this type of stubbornness that put your daughter in trouble. Leave Caroline. It's not her fault at all. It's your daughter that gave her hot slaps, when all she wanted to do was to apologise to her." Bayo protested.
"Maami, please let them be. Caroline Please leave this place and go home. Your man friend will soon come back."
"Please Anu, I know that I have sinned against you. Please find a place in your heart to forgive me." Caroline pleaded.
"Eh, it is well. After all I have lost my pregnancy. I heard when the nurses were talking about it."
All of them shouted, "Ha"
Mama Moji held her head in pain. Bayo growled, 'Oh my God' with a trembling voice.
"I'm sorry Anu. God will give me another one." Caroline uttered..
"What did you just say?" Anu replied.
"Ah, I mean that God will give you, not me please. It is a slip of tongue."
"Slip of tongue? I feel you are intentional. Please do me a favour my friend."
"Any thing for you, ore mi." Caroline answered, willing to do anything. She drew closer to listen to her demand.
"Can you please, go away?" Anu declared to the disappointment of Caroline and Bayo. Her face was downcast and in obedience, turned to go away from the hospital.
As soon as she reached the exit door of the ward, Bayo called her by name, and uttered with blunt voice.
"Wait for me Caroline. I believe that she doesn't want me too, only she is unable to say it. So since you do not want peace to reign, so be it. I will go away too."
"Bayo!" Mrs Moji yelled his name with shock written all over her face.
"Let him go with his concubine. It's okay Mama." Anu declared with a note of finality.