The deed episode 15 – 16

THE DEED……

EPISODE 15

Remi got a dm from a gorgeous girl. He showed the conversation to his cousins. They hailed him and asked him to go for it. They chatted every day and night. He liked her a lot. She seemed to understand him. When they talked about each other’s families, he discovered they had a lot in common. She was brought up by her mother singlehanded just like he was. He asked if she knew her father, she said she had never met him and would love to someday. He became interested in knowing his father’s family too.

“Mum, now I am in Nigeria, can I visit my father’s family?”

A startled Labake asked, “Why do you want to visit them?”

“I will like to know them.”

“I don’t know where they are. I thought I told you that.”

“I can find them. If I can find a picture, I can find them using the net.”

“That means we need to search for a picture of him then. I will do that.”

“In the meantime, can I get his full names? I can get that out.”

“I will get that for you too.”

Labake was scared now. Why would Remi be interested in looking for his father? What made him start thinking about it? She talked to her mother and her response wasn’t what she was expecting.

“Didn’t you expect him to know who his father is and the family he comes from?”

“I told him his father was dead when he first asked years ago. Why does he want to know the family? Something is prompting it.”

“He is becoming a man and a man feels incomplete with a father or knowing his roots. You should let him know the truth. Once he knows, he won’t want to know him. The sooner the better.”

“It will destroy him. It will make him very unhappy. How can I tell him that?”

“It is best he knows before he discovers them himself.”

Funmi was a psychologist so she knew how to get Remi to trust her as she chatted with him on Instagram. She was able to gently compel him to search for his parents and she waited patiently.

“I have found my father.” She sent to Remi. “We met today. I didn’t want to tell you until I met him.”

“That’s good news dear. I am very happy for you. She told him how far she had gone with her search and asked about his.

“My mother hasn’t given any information. She promised to get all the details when she is less busy.”

Funmi could see obviously that his mother and grandmother were not going to give him any information. It was time for them meet. “Would you like to join me for a “I have found my father” party? Just the two of us. I will buy you lunch.”

“I don’t know if my mother would agree for me to go out.”

“You can come with your cousins. They would be your cover.”

“Sounds like a plan. When and where is this party taking place?”

“Since I am buying, I stay in Surulere. We can have a pizza party. There is one on Bode Thomas. Friday ok?”

“Yeah. Do we meet there?”

“Yes.”

“I know it was supposed to be a private party. I will pay for my cousins.”

“Don’t worry about them; I will take care of them.”

Funmi was excited. Her plan had worked. She had used someone she was close to to do the job and it was successful. Now she had to arrange the meeting for Dayo’s parents to see him. At least they could judge with their own eyes.

The meeting was better than they imagined. Funmi and Dayo’s parents got to the Pizza joint in good time. They took a position where they could see all that was happening. The lady assisting for a fee was also in,side. When Remi walked in, Dayo’s mother almost passed out. She couldn’t believe it. Dayo’s father was just too shocked to react.

The lady was an actress in short or she was actually smitten by Remi. They talked like old friends while his cousins waited outside for him. Funmi decided to change the game plan. Since he liked the girl, she sent her a message asking her to invite him over to her house. She knew what the response will be.

“I would rather treat you instead. I would love you to meet my mother and grandmother. I will like to invite you to lunch on Sunday afternoon.”

“That would be after church. Would you mind if I come with my mother? She will not be comfortable with me coming to your house alone.”

“I don’t mind and I know my mum won’t mind. Sunday by 2:00 pm. Is that a date?”

“Yes it is.”

He saw her off when they were through. She got a cab and he gave her a peck before she entered it.

“Oh boy, that was cool.” His cousin hailed

“The babe is fine oh. When are you tapping that?”

“We just met. We are having lunch together on Sunday at home. She’s coming with her mum.”

“That is so unr-mantic. Mothers are getting involved? You are doing this oyinbo tinz. We would have arranged a place for you to do the thing.”

“That’s not how to treat a lady. If you like her treat her nice. Take her out, meet her family, get to know her more and if you feel strongly about each then you can have safe s–x. That is how to treat a lady.”

They all laughed at him. “This sounds like your mother talking. If there was a man in the house, you won’t be talking like this.”

“My mother had relationsh¡ps and they all treated her right. The last guy treated her like a queen. She deserved it. I want to treat my lady in that manner.”

“No wahala. Enjoy your abroady way.”

Dayo’s parents could not thank Funmi and her bait enough. “Eledumare will meet you at your point of need. Before you ask; Baba God will answer. Omo me, for doing this for us, ah anything you ask for will reach you speedily.” The prayer went on and on. They were too excited. So Dayo had a son? This was good news.

“You can see that baba knows he job.”

“He does. We will know for real when Dayo fully recovers. We cannot now go to penury. Dayo has been taking very good care of us and we have lived in luxury. I am willing to do anything for him to be alright. Anything at all.”

“I agree but we need to be patient to achieve our aim.”

“Funmi is good; very good.”

“God will bless her.”

Sunday came and Remi was excited. He had told his mother about this girl he met and her visit to their house with her mother.

“Where did you meet her?”

“I met her on Instagram. We started chatting. We met on Friday at the pizza place on Bode Thomas, she said it was close to her house. Don’t look at me like that, I went with my cousins. She was for real. She is the only child of a single mother. She only just found her father. That was what we were celebrating. I invited her over for lunch in our house. She agreed but insisted she comes with her mother. Her mother wanted to be sure whom she was meeting with.”

Labake had an uneasy feeling about this but she was also happy that Remi was considering dating a Nigerian girl. His girlfriends have always been white so this was a positive change for him. She wanted him to marry a Nigerian girl with values and it looked like it was working out.

They came in at 2:00pm on the dot. Introductions were made and they made light conversations. Lunch was served and went to the dining table to eat. Labake watched Remi and the girl. They had a lot of eye contact and exchanged knowing smiles. Ok, this girl seemed to like Remi genuinely. It was her mother who she was uncomfortable with. She asked too many questions that looked like she was not actually asking them.

After lunch, Remi excused himself and took his “girlfriend” into his room.

“So madam, you have such a well-brought boy. He says he lives abroad. But you live here. What do you?”

“I work.”

“In Nigeria?”

“Yes, I work here while schools abroad. We have to pay bills.”

“You are right. My daughter is writing her A levels. She would travel to start her studies next year. She would be going to Canada. She has chosen the school she would want to attend.”

“That’s good.”

“She just recently found her father. I wasn’t looking for him because he hasn’t been responsible. I chose not to remarry but work and train my daughter. Now he is back in the picture, he wants to make up for lost times. He is married with other children. He has asked if she could come spend weekends. What of Remi? What of his father? Is he playing a role in his life?”

“He died years ago.”

“Oh really! So sad. What of his relatives? Do they interact with him?”

“No they don’t. We were never married and I didn’t know his family.”

“Really, that’s sad. Because my daughter told me Remi would love to know his father’s family.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t have all we desire. He is happy with having just us.”

“That is fine.”

“What of you? What do you do?”

The question actually shocked Funmi. She was not prepared for it. “Em em I am an accountant.”

“That is nice, which of the accounting firms do you work for?”

She had to think of some accounting firms but since it was taking time, she blurted out a name. When the questions were getting too much, she asked for her daughter and they left.

 

THE DEED…..

EPISODE 16

Labake didn’t trust the woman that came with her daughter. She was too inquisitive. She called Remi and asked him questions about the girl. Some of the responses didn’t tally with what her mother said. She was scared and voiced her fears to her mother.

“I also suspect her. She asked questions as if she was on a mission to gather information. We have to watch out for them.” Her mother replied.

“How do we caution Remi? He seems to be taken by the girl.”

“She is beautiful. He likes her. Let us not make a fuss for now. But whatever may be their plan; they will fail.”

That night Iya Labake had a dream. She woke up sweating profusely while the air conditioner was on. She sat up and thought about her dream. She knew something was about to happen. She had to avert any dangers coming the way of her daughter and grandson. She knew what to do.

The next morning, she travelled. She went in search of a solution to what she saw. She knew it had gotten beyond what she could use her prayers to conquer. She was scared but at the same time confident that this evil will be averted if intervention comes early.

Labake saw that her mother was distressed but she refused to say why. She was more worried about Remi. She didn’t want him out of her sight. She stopped his cousins from coming over in the meantime and tried to get him to stop conversing with the girl.

“Why Mum?”

“I don’t trust her mother.”

“”Why don’t you trust her?”

“She gave me some false information when she came here.”

“Mum, I think you are getting unnecessarily paranoid.”

“If you want me to prove it; tell her I want to visit them.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“I want to know if they are genuine or not. You are my only child so it is important I know everyone you interact with. Especially since you really like this girl.”

“Will it be ok for us to hang out together when you have confirmed their genuineness?”

“Why not. I want to see them tomorrow. We will be there by 9:00 am so you both can have an early start.”

Funmi was distressed. Why did this woman want to visit very early tomorrow? Was she onto their plan? Did she know anything? She was sure she answered all her questions convincingly. She called Iya Dayo.

“There is fire on the mountain. The boy’s mother wants to visit us tomorrow morning. The girl is panicking. What do we do?”

“I think it is about time we disrupt their plans. Let us pay her a visit first thing tomorrow morning.”

“No problem. When should I come?”

“You won’t be joining us. I don’t think it is right to expose you like this. Just stay put. We will take it from here.

That morning, they were in Labake’s house as early as 7:00am. They gave the security a false name and she allowed them in only to see Dayo’s parents in her sitting room. Labake was too dumbfounded for words. It dawned on her that the girl and the woman were a charade. She couldn’t speak initially while Dayo’s mother walked in and sat down. His father stood and waited for her to be composed before he spoke.

“Labake, good morning. We are sorry we had to barge in like this. We recently discovered you are back in Nigeria and so we decided to pay you a visit.”

“Yes oh, we came to pay homage.” Dayo’s mother added giving her side eye.

“Please sit down sir. You are welcome. Can I get you tea or coffee?”

“That is not what we came here for.” Dayo’s mother harshly responded. Her husband had to caution her before speaking to Labake.

“Thank you my daughter. We do not need entertainment for now.”

‘Ok sir. To what do I owe this visit? How is Dayo?”

“It is now you are making sense for the first time. It is now I know your head is correct. He should have been the first person you should have asked for.”

“Excuse me a minute. I can see this is going to be a long conversation. May I quickly freshen up.”

She asked her cook to entertain them while she freshened up. She went into Remi’s room and woke him up.

“Remi, you know I am your mother and you are all I have got. Today my son, I am begging you to please do not come downstairs.”

“I thought we were going to see my girl and her mother? Why the change in plan?”

“Something came up. I will tell you all about it later. No matter what you hear; do not come downstairs.”

“Mum, you are scaring me.”

“There is nothing to be afraid of if you can just obey me.”

“Ok Mum. I will remain here. I will catch some sleep.”

“Anything you want, call and they will get it for you.”

She went to actually freshen up and called her mother. The network was so bad but she still tried her luck by sending her a text message.

She was better composed now. She had used the time to freshen up to absorb what was happening downstairs. She smiled now. They wanted her son and she knew it. They would never get him; never! She talked to her God and she became …….

She marched down the stairs. The Labake stepping down the stairs was very different from the one that went up. She sat down, ordered coffee and some sandwiches, ate them before she faced them to continue the meeting. She turned to them now fully and said,

“I am sorry about my initial response when you came in. You were the last people I was expecting to see. I also did not get my daily boost of caffeine. I am fine now. So, what can I do for you.”

“We have been reliably informed that you have a son by Dayo. We came to see him.”

“Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter who told us but what matters is that is it true? Is our grandson in this house?”

“I have a son. He is not your grandson. The pregnancy I had then was destroyed by Dayo when he kidnapped me and planned to have me killed. So, I had another child and I am happy we are both doing well.”

“If this is true, may we see him?”

“No you may not. I don’t have any relationsh¡p with Dayo or you so you cannot see him”

“Why? Because he is a carbon copy of his father. Madam, we will not leave here until we see our grandson.”

“Please, I have tried to show you utmost respect but you seem to think I can be bossed around. Please, stand up and leave.”

“Labake, you are walking us out? Agbalagba like us you are asking to leave your house. You will see. I promise you.”

“See what ma? You knew your son tried to kill me because I refused to have an abortion and now you are saying I will see? I left you people and your wickedness behind without pressing charges and now you come into my home to threaten me? You are looking for a child you didn’t want to be born. Please leave me alone. I am going to get a restraining order against you and I will ensure that your threat is registered and taken seriously.”

“Who are you threatening with police? Me? Stop wasting your time. This is Nigeria, you can do nothing. You lied to us and kept the pregnancy and now you are denying us from seeing our grandson. We must have a relationsh¡p with him. Dayo didn’t have other children so he has to know his father and have a relationsh¡p with him.”

They heard claps coming from the entrance door. Iya Labake walked in. “I have been expecting you,” she said “I didn’t know you will get here so soon. You came here for the boy right? Why isn’t Dayo here with you? Is it Dayo that wants his son or you are the ones?”

“We all want him.”

“Good. The only way you can see the boy is if Dayo comes here himself to ask for him.”

“Mami, what are you saying? My child isn’t going with anyone; he is not his father.”

“Labake please be patient. Iya Dayo, come back with Dayo then we can talk. Otherwise, check outside when you are leaving. I have beefed up security. If you come here without permission, you will not be allowed in. If you try to create a scene, you will be picked up by army guards and taught a bitter lesson. A word is enough for the wise.”

Dayo’s mother walked angrily away while her husband walked behind her. The situation had taken a turn for the worse