Hotel Palava – Episode 40

Hotel Palava – Episode 40

Adesuwa’s POV

Mr Babalola quickly mounted on the stool holding her up.

He probably did it to stop the rope from strangling her in case she was still alive.

I saw him struggled to remove the rope.

The stool was shaking too.

I was nervous, I didn’t know whether to hold the stool or get something to cut off the rope.

“Get me a knife or scissors”

Mr. Babalola demanded and I rushed into the room, i opened the third drawer in the dresser table then I removed a scissors.

I carried a longer stool, I placed it side to side with the stool Mr Babalola stood on then I mounted on it cutting off the rope.

Mr

. Babalola brought Mrs. Babalola to the bed then he tapped her cheek.

“Doyin”

he called out, then he felt her pulse.

“Is she still breathing?”

I asked,

“Come on Baby you’re still there, please don’t die on me, please”

he begged pressing her chest with his palms then he blows air into her mouth.

Tears pours down my eyes.

I didn’t want her to die.

“Come on Doyin”

he cried and went through the process again.

This time she gasped then coughed. “Thank God” I sighed

. Mr. Babalola sighed hugging her.

“Thank God” he added and Mrs. Babalola held him tightly.

****

Tosin came in ten minutes later.

She came running after she saw the similar message her mother left her.

She had a feeling Mrs. Babalola was going to do something crazy.

She came in late because of the traffic.

If Mrs. Babalola’s life was to depend on her she would have been long dead.

Thank God Mr. Babalola came in just in time.

Tosin has been pacing side to side since she came in.

“Stop it you’re making me nervous”

Mrs Babalola snapped.

“Nervous? Mom I can’t believe you just said nervous when I rushed here only to find out you almost committed suicide.”

“Wouldn’t you have loved it?”

She asked and Tosin scoffed.

“Mom, you don’t even feel remorse that’s what I hate about you.”

“Wouldn’t it have made you happy? Wouldn’t it have made you all happy”

Henry was on his way, probably stucked in a traffic too.

“I did it cause I wanted one less problem out of your lives”

“If I had come here and you were dead, I would have spat on your corpse, I won’t even attend your burial. How would you think I’ll want my own mother dead?”

Tosin broke down in tears,

“How would I have explained it to Taye and Kehinde?”

she asked leaving the room into the kitchen. I went into the kitchen to check the food I was cooking.

“She just went through a lot, you have to take it easy on her”

I said opening the pot and she busted into tears again.

“I almost lost my mother, and the best she could say is, wouldn’t I have loved it? How does that makes sense to her?”

“She thinks you hate her. You act like you hate her most times”

I ch¡pped in closing the pot and she cleaned her tears.

“If her life depended on me getting here, she have died”

She added,

“the same thing I thought”

I answered and she laughed admist her tears.

“Henry told me she tried to kill you”

she added and I nodded.

“There’s hope with your mom, she’s not entirely bad. I think she’s just being influenced and she’s just bottling up a lot of crap that isn’t healthy for her. She needs therapy”

“She has a therapist”

Tosin answered and I raised my brow in shock.

She didn’t look like someone hmthay has ever gone through therapy.

“Mom is naturally stubborn, you’re not wrong about the friends part, I don’t like any of her friends. Except mummy Deji. That woman is amazing, she’s my dream mother”

Tosin confessed and I laughed.

“I’m serious, she’s so down to earth”

“Seriously?” I asked and we continued conversing. She helped me with the cooking too.

Mrs. Babalola’s POV

My heart broke when Tosin mentioned the twins.

I busted into tears after she left.

“Don’t listen to her, she doesn’t mean it”

Theophilus assured.

“She meant every word, she’s my daughter and I know what she’s capable of. Why do you think she hates me, apart from the fact that I told her to get married to Clem, what else did I do wrong?”

“You watched her leave the house, you went back to threaten her about her kids”

“Don’t you see how ski-ny those kids became since she left? They’re probably not eating the right food”

I complained and he laughed.

“You don’t even see the wrong in what you did. That’s why she’s still angry with you. You justify every wrong with a righteous reply. They are just excuses and until you admit it, you’ll have your daughter as an enemy”

he answered and licked off the tears that had made way to my lip. I placed my palm over his,

“Thank you saving me. I saw my life flash before my very own eyes. I still love life”

I confessed and Theophilus laughed.

“I still have a long way to go. Henry has not even started having kids, I realized that I want to see the grandkids Henry would give me even if it’s from Adesuwa, Tosin would get married to someone influential.”

i added.

“She’s dating a chef”

“Henry is a man and he can carry Adesuwa along, what will this chef have to offer?”

“He’s our daughter’s choice”

“I’ll just die of heart attack because of these kids. Didn’t she see lecturers to marry?”

“If she hears you she’ll be angry”

Theo warned and I looked towards the kitchen.

“You’re right”

I whispered.

“Have you officially met this guy?”

I asked and he shook his head.

“The last time I met him I may have said cruel things to him”

“May have?”

He asked,

“Okay I said a thing or two. Urgh! I just want a situation where I can introduce my son in law as this, the civil engineer in one big company. Not meet Badejo Fatai, my daughter’s girlfriend, he’s a chef”

“You still remember his name”

he teased and I hissed playfully.

“He makes our daughter happy”

“Will she eat happiness?”

I hissed again.

There was a brief silence git a moment.

“What about us?”

She asked,

“Why did you come back for me?”

I asked and he laughed.

He brought out his phone swiping through it,

“Aya mi (My heart), Ife mi (My love), The first and last, i have been your companion and we’ve had good times and bad times but through it all, it was nice knowing you. I’m sorry”

he read out the message I sent to him before I attempted committing suicide.

“Aya mi, ife mi, those were the names you used to call me. You never called me by my name. Three ago, you said you would only call me those sweet names when you’re dead”

he paused.

“I was scared there for a moment; I thought I had lost you”

he added and I hugged him.

“Thank you Theophilus”

I added and he gave a disappointing nod.

I recognize that look on his face.

He thought I would call him by those pet names.

“You wanted me to call you call you by ….”

I stalled and he scoffed.

“No. God you were really heavy when I lifted you up so the rope could strangle you less. I was so sure you were dead”

he added, it was his way of digressing bit I didn’t stop him, I only laughed.

Tosin’s POV

I walked into the sitting room Mom and Dad were laughing.

I haven’t seen that in a while.

“I better go back to the kitchen”

“Wait”

she turned over to Dad,

“Can we speak?”

She asked and I shrugged.

“This Henry’s house does not have where to …I’ll be outside”

he left us alone.

“I’m sorry I tried to commit suicide”

“Sorry doesn’t count, what if Dad didn’t come in time to save you? it would have been a different story entirely”

“I know and I’m sorry for even thinking of it. I felt like you guys would feel better off with me out of the way.”

“You’re my mother, I would have been devastated”

“So you don’t hate me as much as I think you do”

“No, I don’t . Even if I’ve said it before, I said it out of anger”

“We all say foolish things out of anger, like when I threatened you”

she added and I chuckled.

“I know i haven’t been the mother you’ve always wanted. I haven’t been supportive of your choices, even if I don’t agree with you dating that chef.”

“Mom!” I rolled my eyes,

“What’s your point?”

“I’m going to try to be that mom. I can try even if it’s going to be difficult. I’ll support you in anyway I can and I just wanted to say you can go back to the house with me away. The twins do not like that new house, it’s small”

“It’s best thing I’ve ever done for them. My twins are learning how to appreciate the little things that life has to offer”

“I’ve tried my best”

“Yeah…”

I paused then I laughed.

“I know, it’s the closest you’ve come to an apology and admitting your wrongs”

I said with a wide smile then she hugged me.

“For a moment there I felt like I wouldn’t see you again”

she cried and I patted her back.

“It’s okay” I tried not to cry.

Adesuwa’s POV

“Lunch and dinner is served!”

I announced,

“Is it is served or are served?”

I asked and Tosin laughed.

“I’m not an English major oh”

she answered placing a jug on the table. Mr Babalola checked the time on his wrist watch.

“That’s what anyone would do to avoid eating a person’s food”

I answered and he laughed.

“I have to go dear”

“I won’t forgive you if you don’t at least eat one spoon out of it, you probably haven’t had lunch yet”

“Seriously Adesuwa”

He looked at Tosin who laughed arranging the table.

“I’m not a world class chef, at least I can add curry and spice together to make jollof rice so…. you have to eat”

I smiled and he walked up to the table eating from a plate.

“See, I’ve taken one spoon”

“Just one spoon?”

I asked and he laughed.

“Dad that’s my food” Tosin complained.

“Women and their problems”

he ch¡pped in and Henry walked in.

“Thank God there’s a man in the house now”

he left tapping Henry.

“Good evening dad”

he greeted and Mr.

Babalola walked out the door.

“Hey Babe”

he said wrapping his arm around my wa-ist and I wrapped my hands around his neck.

“How are you?”

He asked,

“I’m better”

“Your temperature is still high, the AC is on, why did you leave it on?”

“I can’t inconvenience them for my sake. You didn’t even ask of your mom”

“How’s she?”

He asked and then I saw him looking at someone.

I turned to find out it was Mrs. Babalola.

“You should talk to her”

“I can’t”

he whispered.

“She almost died Henry”

“It doesn’t matter”

“So you would have preferred her dead.”

“I didn’t say so Adesuwa, you know I didn’t. I’m still angry”

“This should overrule everything she has done. The woman felt remorseful about what she did and how you reacted”

“In order words it’s my fault she almost committed suicide”

“I didn’t say so” “So what are you saying?” “I’m saying you should show a little concern, Tosin is even trying.” I answered then I paused.

“I made dinner,”

“I’m not eating if she’ll be on that table”

“Are you being serious right now?”

I asked and Mrs. Babalola walked up to us.

“You guys should not argue because of me, please. I’m begging you it’s not worth it”

she clasped her hands.

“I’ll be in the room. Someone just managed to put me off dinner”

I snapped walking into the room.

***

I turned on my data to check if I had messages from anyone.

I had a message from Lilian, she wanted to know how I was doing.

Henry walked in with a tray of food.

I almost rolled my eyes.

“Room service”

he said and I tried to keep a straight face.

“Just laugh it out”

“Laugh what?”

I asked and he dropped the food on the bed.

“I’m sorry for being a jerk”

“I don’t trust mom anymore and it’s going to take a while to trust her. Just because she tried committing suicide does not change the fact she tried to poison you”

“Just let the matter go”

“I wish you saw her when she was hanging from the fan. It was a terrible sight, I was so scared”

“I’m sorry about the way I reacted, I brought dinner in bed” he replied and I smiled. “I’m sorry about the way I reacted too”

“You need to take your drugs and get well quickly”

he added pulling my l-ips close to him them we k-ssed. “Let’s eat together” I suggested and he smiled.

*****

The next day, I walked into Mrs Babalola cleaning the flat screen television.

“Are you cleaning?”

I asked and she scoffed.

“I’m farming with my hoe and Cutlass, what else do you think?”

She asked and I chuckled.

“I needed the distraction. I haven’t done the cleaning in years, I’m just looking for opportunities to humble myself”

“Let me help out”

“You need to recuperate faster, you won’t want to inhale dust and all.”

“Weldone Ma”

I answered sitting on the chair.

“Thanks” she answered. “How long has it been since you cleaned?”

I asked and she turned to me.

“More than twenty years, after we had kids and I wanted to go back to school fully so we employed maids”

“Go back to school fully?”

“I got married at the age of nineteen, I was so young, I was in school in London, Theo was done with school already and the parents were looking for someone he would get married to, I was pushed to him. My parents were typical African parents. I didn’t decline, I married him.”

she answered laughing.

“Wait we were talking about cleaning here and I’m already talking about Theo”

“Tell me about him, I’m interested”

I asked and she she sat close to me.

“I remember the first time I met him. He was a stranger to me, he was handsome and funny. He would make me laugh. Theo looked at me and he was like, hey, if you’re not comfortable with this arranged marriage, it’s fine by me and that moment I knew if I wanted to spend my life with anyone, it would be him”

she laughed.

“We were so good together, I lost my V-rginity to him that was why I called him my first and last.”

She paused in tears.

“Things suddenly turned bad and here we are”

“What happened?”

“I haven’t told Henry yet, I don’t want him to think the worse of his father. I’ve always threatened Theo that I would tell. I mean I make a lot of threats, it’s not a first time”

she paused and my heart melt. Of course I knew what she wanted to say.

“Three years ago I found out Theo cheated on me. My friends have always told me but I refused to believe until I got an address and I decided to check it out. Tell me Adesuwa, if you were the one, won’t it make you crazy to know the husband you’ve been holding high all these years has been cheating”

She asked and I gave it a thought. It’s really not that easy. I can relate with her.

“Fine I admit a bigger part of it was my fault”

“How?”

I asked as though I didn’t know.

“After Tosin’s birth I had phobia for giving birth. I pushed a wh0le day and nothing happened. I was in pains and the next day the doctor talked about operation. Months later, Theo wanted s€× but I told him I didn’t want it cause I was still healing. A year passed, two years passed”

“That was way too much”

I complained.

“I finally agreed but it was once or twice in a month. Theo wanted to have more children, I had my womb removed and he got angry. Maybe that was when we cheated, I don’t know. I felt hurt because I didn’t expect it from him, being the person he is, I expected him to talk to me about it. He didn’t, he just….”

“I’m sorry but the deed is done, you can’t let your past dictate your future. We have to move on one way or the other” I paused. “Do you want me to be honest Mrs.

. Babalola”

“Please”

“Every man wants s*x, especially when you’re in a relationsh¡p, if Mr. Babalola could last that two years without cheating. He has tried a wh0le lot. No man in his right sense would not cheat. I’m being sincere, except you stopped loving him”

“Not once, that’s why I’m hurt. I love the idiot, I love him so much”

she cried and then we heard a knock on the gate.

“Are you expecting anyone?”

She asked and she cleaned my tears.

“Yes… My aunt”

I answered then I walked out of the door down to the gate.

“Adesuwa”

she called out, and I opened the gate

“Good morning”

“How body? See as you take fresh, you sure say you no well? Boyfriend dey take care of you well oh”

She added barging in.

“Na wa oh, na only una dey live for this house?”

She asked and I nodded. She didn’t stop chatting even till I opened the door to the house.

“As you take open the door, the first thing we hit me na the AC. Adesuwa you’re living the life”

“Because of AC wey I dey receive for work.”

“AC is different from fan”

she added and I laughed.

“Aunty abeg no do like village woman abeg”

I begged and we walked into the sitting room where Mrs. Babalola was.

“Jesus!” She exclaimed shutting her eyes.

“Wetin happen?”

I asked, “Where do I know you before?”

Mrs Babalola asked and Aunty Maggie turned towards my direction.

Suddenly I remember how she reacted the other day she saw her.

“Why you no tell me say this witch dey around now?”

She asked and I turned over to Mrs. Babalola who seemed clueless about who she was.

To be continued…