Hotel Palava

Hotel Palava – Episode 42

Hotel Palava – Episode 42

Deji’s POV
After I messed things up with Lilian, I went back to Ekiti. I bumped into mom and Dad arguing. Mom has never been the kind to raise her voice. I walked in and they stopped immediately.
“Oko mi, Ka’abo (My husband, welcome back), but so fast? You didn’t even spend up to a day”
“I ..” I suspiciously looked at the both of them.
“Why were you too arguing?”
“Arguing ke” Dad asked, “I heard you guys from outside.
“It’s just your mother and her wahala that I should take drugs”
“Wahala wo? (What kind of problem)?” She asked and dad bliinked his eyes at her continuously as though I was blind and will not see him.
“What’s going on?” I asked and Mom sat down singing a song, it was definitely self composed. She sang with a popular Yoruba beat.
The song connoted the idiom, “One day for the thief, another day for the owner”
I watched the two of them for a while

. “Wo oko mi, what would you eat jare?” She asked.
“I don’t have the appetite”
I hope all is wel”
“All is well”

****
“I dey Ekiti oh” I announced to Henry the following day.
“When did you get there?” “Last night” I answered.
“I screwed up when I saw Lilian and I made her cry again. I can’t be doing this to her, it’s hurting me.” My voice broke and came out in a huskily.
I withheld my tears.
“I’m just really angry at myself,” “What happened?”
“I was happy when i saw her, I really was and we k-ssed and…

. Then I screwed up”
“What did you tell her” he asked and I shut my eyes, “She thought I came back for her but I told her I came to get her forgiveness, I felt stupid. Mehn I don’t know why I keep screwing every thing up. I’ve been screwing up with dad’s company, I’m a mess. I need to get my life back and I don’t think I can do that without Lilian.”
“Are you trying to say you’re in love with Lilian?” He asked and there was a brief silence at the other end. I heard mom’s footstep so I turned back.
I sniffled, “It’s mom, I’ll call you back later” I whispered.
“Was that Henry you were talking to?” She asked and I nodded.
“Are you crying?” She asked and I cleared my throat. “Wh..wh..why would I cry?” I asked.
“You haven’t eaten since last night” “I’m not hungry”
“Lai sepe nkan sele? (Not as if something happened) Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes” I answered and she gazed in disbelief I saw her raise her nose. “How was your visit to apologize to that girl?”
“I didn’t see her” I lied.
“Seriously?”
“Yes she travelled, there was no point waiting”
“Is that so?” She asked again, “When would you go again?” She asked and I shrugged. “Maybe next year” I answered.
“Okay” she answered leaving.
I began to wonder if she was eavesdropping on my calls before she entered. Perhaps she knew I was lying to her.

****
Mom informed me later at night that she would be going to Lagos the next day. “What are you going there for?” “To solve someone’s problem”
“When did you turn into a problem solver?” I asked, “In this life some people cannot solve their problems themselves. Some are not man enough to deal with it. Some people don’t have the grace to deal with problems but God has given me the wisdom”
“When would you come back”
“After I’ve done the wh0le thing” “Are you leaving cause you’re angry with Dad?” I asked, “That too.” She answered. She didn’t like, “What happened?” I asked, “I’ll tell if you’re ready to tell me what happened in Lagos” she answered and I disagreed.
“I’ll drop you at the airport” I volunteered, “Airport ke? I will use the car, i have called Lateef to drive me there. I don’t like the turbulence of airplane, the last time I entered with your father, I almost got sick. I don’t know what you and your father likes in it”
“Shey e binu? (i hope you’re not angry)” I asked and she chuckled.

Lilian’s POV

I went over to Mr. Henry’s house in the evening after Adesuwa informed me that she was looking for Mrs Babalola who packed out of the house.
“Have you guys seen her?” I asked and she nodded.
“Henry just called me, she’s with her husband oh”
“Thank God” Lilian sighed.
“I didn’t understand the story you were explaining about Mrs. Babalola on phone , abeg come give me full gist”

****
“So what you’re saying now is that Mrs. Babalola knew your mom and dad in the past and now you’re dating her son” she an-lysed and I nodded.
“Your life is a soap opera”
“Your own nko?”
“I guess my case would be like those single mothers who end up looking for love, it’s not going to be a fairy tale”
“What if Deji comes back running into your arms”
“The same Deji that i know? Two days ago I let my guards down and I welcomed him back with open arms cause I thought he came back for me. Deji just needs a miracle in his life”
“Or he needs to mature up. Henry’s justification is that he’s a player and he’s scared of commitment but he needs to be ever committed with a baby on it’s way”

*****

The next evening while I slept in the room, Bright woke me up then informed me that I had a visitor. “Who is it?” I asked.
“An old woman”
“Seriously? Are you sure it’s not Mrs. Haruna?” I asked, “I know Mrs. Haruna but I don’t know this one. She’s with Mommy in the sitting room”
“I didn’t even know that there was a child, I would have brought gifts” I heard a voice say. It sounded so familiar.
“There’s no need for that” I heard Felecia reply.
I raised the curtains passing underneath then I saw Deji’s mom right in the living room. I blinked my eyes severally in amazement then I turned to Felecia.
“Ha! It’s even you. So you’re the Lilian” she smiled. ” Good evening dear” Mrs. Omojola greeted, “I’m sorry, good evening Ma, I was just…”
“Shocked, anyone would be shocked. I know you must have questions running through your mind. How did I get here? How did I hey your address?” she asked and my heart thumped in fear.
“Who is she?” Felecia asked, “She’s erm….” I stammered and my eyes scattered the wh0le room in search of what to say.
“Is she the grandmother of your unborn child?” She asked, “Sister” I cut in.
“Is she here to do the proper right?” She asked and I rolled my eyes. That was so intentional! She definitely wanted her to know.
“You weren’t supposed to say this in front of her!” I snapped, “But you had to do this intentionally shea? Are you that desperate for me to leave your house? I don’t want the support of anyone to raise my child, I’ll do it on my own even without your help. You shouldn’t have…” I hesitated and I watched Mrs. Omojola gaze in shock.
Suddenly she smiled, the next minute she started dancing and singing. For a moment, I began to wonder why she was dancing.
Suddenly she came up to me touching my belly and I moved back. “I’m sorry, I’m just excited” “Why are you excited?” I asked and she chuckled.
“This would be my first grand child from the son I gave birth to. Don’t get me wrong my dear, I have grandkids but I’ve always thought Deji would be up to forty or fifty before..” she paused when she noticed me frowning.
“You don’t look happy. You don’t want the child ni?”
“I do Ma, I’m not just comfortable with you being happy over it” I snapped and she sighed.
“Lilian!” Felecia snapped and i faced the wall.
“Leave her, I understand where her pain and anger is coming from. Can I be alone with Lilian please?” She asked and Felecia left with Bright.
“I came precisely because of Deji but I never knew you were pregnant. I wanted to find out who this Lilian was but I’m fortunate to find you and find out about this good news.”
“This isn’t a good news, it’s a mistake, a stupid mistake i made”
“Shhh” Mrs. Omojola snapped, “No child is a mistake, becareful of what you say. How long gone are you?”
“Barely two months” I answered.
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for someone to trap my son with pregnancy?” She asked and I felt angry.
I just couldn’t describe the way i felt, I just felt as though Deji was right in front of me. I was transferring my anger to the mom.
“What are you here for Ma?” I snapped, “I’m here because I overheard a call my son made with his friend Henry and my son severally mentioned the name Lilian. I heard that he broke your heart” she paused.
“He didn’t say what he did, Deji can be too secretive at times. I have never seen Deji cry over any woman but for the first time in history, he does over a woman named Lilian. My coming here was to find out who this Lilian was and find oit how my son have hurt her and I have also come to seek forgiveness” she asked and tears poured down my eyes.
Suddenly i saw her go on her knees.
I knelt down too, “Please Ma” I begged, “Don’t kneel” I added.
“Please leave me to be on my knees. My son has hurt you and you have refused to forgive him”
“I don’t understand”
“You’re angry over him, I’m not spiritually blind Lilian. You’re holding something strong over him and you have to forgive him”
I felt insulted, was she assuming that I’ve used charms? I thought. “I swear to God that I’ve never been to an herbalist home”
“I don’t mean that. Hell has no fury like a woman’s scorn.” She pointed out and I shut my eyes In tears.
“What happened between you and Deji, did he refuse to take responsibility for your pregnancy?”
“He doesn’t even know”
“What happened then?” She asked, “Please my daughter, tell me let’s see how we can remedy this situation”

Adesuwa’s POV

“Can this week get any worser?” Henry asked in his singlet and boxer and i chuckled. “I’m sorry about your mom and ….my mom.” He added and I nodded.
“This week has been trying, there has been temptations here and there, trials to break us apart, to drive a wedge between us… Adesuwa I know whatever I say cannot change what happened.” He mounted on the bed and I moved close to him.
We both took kneeling position in bed. “Henry we have a future before us, I know it’s going to be hærd to forget all these things, I just want us to put this behind us so we can move on. We’ve been jumping over every obstacles and I’m sure we’ll jump over more. I don’t want you to hate your mom because of me”
“I don’t”
“Your mom is a new person, hopefully she has learnt a lot these past few days. We’re going to start a new family. A family, even with our different backgrounds, we’ll be stronger and united than ever”
Henry held my hands k-ssing the back of my palms. “I have to be the luckiest man on Earth to have an amazing woman like you. I want to have as many kids with you. My children would be lucky to have you as their mother” he k-ssed me on the l-ips wrapping his hands on my wa-ist and I moved my hands over to his er-ction and I bit my lower l-ips sed-ctively.
“You’re sick”
“Says who?” I asked and he chuckled. “Are you scared? I promise to go gentle” i added and he scoffed.
“Okay you asked for it” he replied taking over his singlet and we resumed k-ssing.

****
The next morning, I received a call from Aunty Maggie. “Abeg help me thank your mother-in-law oh” she began and I creased my brow in thought, I wondered what she did.
“Wetin she do?”
“She come back our house con find me for night. She sign check give me with six zeros. Adesuwa I don turn to millionaire over night” she whispered.
“Seriously?”
“She con beg serious beg. As a humble person we I be, I tell her say I no collect the money. This woman do like say na by force say I go collect. I tell her like six times if no be seven times say I no want her money make e no be like say she dey bribe me” she answered and I raised my nose in disbelief.
“As the beg con be like say…” She stalled, ” I con collect am. I being no want tell you in case say the cheque bounce. As I take dey so, your mother-in-law send consultant make him con see me. I follow am go bank and my dear. It is real, I’m a millionaire” she answered and I smiled.
“Congrats” I said to her.
“See as I con take be millionaire before you Adesuwa.” She added and I laughed.
“Thank you ehn” she added and I wondered why.
“Why you dey thank me”
“Na you God use save me, now I go commot for that nonsense house, go house we better. My God go bless you”
“I hear, oya send my fourty thousand come back” I joked and she became quiet.
“Ade, you don commot for network coverage oh” I heard her make static noises. “Ade I no hear..” she added hanging up and I laughed.
“Once a cunny man, forever a cunny man” I muttered laughing.

I called Mrs Babalola to find out where she was and she told me she was still at the hotel. I felt bad for her.

****
Later in the evening, i got a call from Mr. Babalola to be at the house. I called Henry immediately.
“Your dad just asked me to be at the house”
“He called me too”
“What’s going on?” I asked, “We’re about to find out” he answered.

****
I was the last to walk into the house. Tosin was already there with her kids.
“Hey dear” I moved close to Henry and he k-ssed me on the cheek.
Mr. Babalola was with Mrs. Babalola. He had his arms around her wa-ist. I didn’t know what was going on, so I turned over to Henry.
“Anything I should know?” I asked and he smiled.
“They’re back together” he answered.
“When?”
“Since yesterday”
“She told me she was still in a hotel” “It’s supposed to be a surprise” he answered and I chuckled.
“I called for this meeting to formally announce that I’m back with my husband and to also apologize to everyone I’ve hurt.”
“Grandma why are you apologizing?” Kehinde asked, “Cause your grandma has been bad all these years and when you know you’ve done something bad, you should apologize for it” she knelt down before Kehinde.
“That’s one lesson i had to learn” she paused rising up.
“To you Henry, Tosin, Adesuwa and Ife mi” she turned to her husband. “I’m apologizing again. Even if I don’t deserve it I ask for mercy.” She paused walking towards Henry and I.
“Adesuwa, Henry I know you’re both mad at me, you have every reason to be. I’m sorry, I can’t change the past I can’t have Adebimpe arrested but all I have is this show of guilt” she apologized and Henry hugged her.
She busted into tears and I joined in the hug.

. “Thank you” she muttered then she pulled back cleaning her tears.
“I’ll try to be better, it’s not going to be easy but I will try to be the mother you all deserve; a mother that shows support to her children even if she’s not totally comfortable with all their choices” she added and Tosin rolled her eyes.
“This calls for celebration” I suggested, “We should celebrate this I mean, it’s the beginning of a new system. Henry once told me there used to be an annual Thanksgiving”
“We haven’t done that in a while” Tosin answered skeptically.
“Let’s have it this year” I suggested and Mrs. Babalola smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea,” she clapped. “I better start making invites list” she said walking away.
“Mom gets too excited about things like this” Tosin ch¡pped in and I smiled.
Suddenly I felt cold in my heart and I moved away from Henry and he followed me. “Babe are you okay?”
“Yeah… My heart felt heavy, I’m having cold feet. I haven’t felt this since we started dating”
“Like?”
“Like things are going too smoothly, what if something bad happens?” “We’ve had a messed up week. What could go wrong again?” Henry laughed and I sighed.
“Things don’t usually go smoothly in my life, I told you already”
“Hey” Henry nudged my chin up. “It’s going to be fine, just push away your superstitions and all. Nothing is going to stop us from being happy; nothing”

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