Stolen Paradise: Perfection

Chapter Six

Mrs. Olanrewaju moved back into her matrimonial home but things were different now. The couple stopped talking altogether and avoided each other like the plague. Whenever their eyes would meet, they gave each other the coldest look and Mrs. Olanrewaju would hiss and roll her eyes at him. This went on for two months and the atmosphere in the house became hotter. Kemisola decided to move in with them to cool the burning hearts as her delivery date drew nearer and was now on maternity leave. She was mad at her best friend for leaving without thinking of how it would affect her loved ones but truthfully, was it possible to survive under so much heartache? If she had stayed and divorced Antonio, move back into her house or her parents', there would be too much attention on her and her welfare and that would only make her hurt the more.

One Saturday morning in August, Kemi sat down to eat breakfast with her parent in laws, her husband and brother in law. Her due date had passed and might deliver at any time or day. Everywhere was silent and the only noise was the metal tea spoons scraping the ceramic porridge bowls. Kemi decided to break the silence and ease the tension.

"I wish Funmi was here for the birth of her niece and nephew."

"Well, she's not here so accept it and forget about her." Chief. Olanrewaju snapped.

Mrs. Olanrewaju could not keep her mouth shut so she immediately replied, "She would be here if you didn't chase her away."

"You cannot blame me forever for your daughter's misconduct."

"My daughter? The thunder and fire that are praying to strike you are in their final meeting."

"Bimbo, mind your words."

She stood up and slapped him hard across the face.

"Dele and Derek, warn your mother."

"Or else what? You will hit me? Go ahead you fool! Don't worry Niyi, I don't have to put up with your madness any longer. I met with my lawyer, they will serve you the divorce papers very soon. You will finally have peace with your boys."

Suddenly Kemi screamed. Everyone turned around. She was breathing heavily and screamed again.

"Babies?" Derek gasped. Kemi shook her head in the affirmative.

Dele quickly helped her up from her chair while Mrs. Olanrewaju rushed inside Kemi's room to get the prepared delivery bag. Everyone were on their toes as Kemi's contractions worsened.

Chief. Olanrewaju yelled at the gate man to open the gate. Carefully, Kemi was helped inside Dele's car with her mother in law seated next to her. Derek joined them too while Dele drove with his father seated in the front seat with him.

Kemisola gave birth to fraternal twin babies; a boy and a girl, born at a healthy birth weight. Several family members from both sides of the family came and went to congratulate the new parents and welcome the new born babies to the world of love and hate; joy and mourning; pain and sorrow. The news was carried by several newspapers and television stations as the twins were the first grandchildren of the Olanrewaju clan. The pictures of the babies were not allowed to be leaked to the media, the pictures used to cover the story was the wedding photo of Dele and Kemi.

****

The Babalola couple visited the Olanrewaju to congratulate the family after the discharge of Kemi from the hospital; the first visit since the disappearance and subsequent revelation about the loan and the collateral. Bimbo Olanrewaju gave the couple weak smiles and disappeared inside Kemi's room. The latter had decided to remain in her in law's place until further notice

Mrs. Babalola pulled her friend to the kitchen and locked the door. The latter folded her arms across her chest and sighed deeply, wishing her friend would just leave things be.

"What is the meaning of this? You can't lock me up in my own house."

Bimbo Babalola walked up to her friend and went on her knees. Funmi's mother turned her eyes away.

"I am sorry for what Collins did to our daughter. Bimbo, you know Funmi is my daughter too and means the world to me. I too was greatly incensed when I found out, please for my sake, forgive Collins."

"I am getting a divorce soon so nothing will be connecting me to your family," she laughed bitterly and continued, "Funmi and Antonio too will be getting divorced too so our families will no longer have anything to do with each other."

Bimbo stood up and began to plead once again for her husband.

"Bimbo, put yourself in my shoes. Imagine those two fools using a human being, a whole child as a collateral for a loan. To them she is like a mere slave, a property to be bought and sold. They both are heartless men without the fear of God inside of them. Ah! To make matters worse, Funmi is nowhere to be found and you expect me to calm down."

"Bimbo, remember it is only God who can help us find her or at least bring her back. Unforgiveness would make matters worse. I know Niyi has never really been a reasonable husband and father but divorce is not the answer. Antonio and Funmi..."

Mrs. Olanrewaju cut her off with a wave of her hand,

"For the sake of our friendship, please don't mention your son's name in my hearing. For the sake of God Himself, please don't ever say the divorce between them will not happen because it must! I will not continue to watch my only daughter to suffer, never again!"

She walked to the door to leave but Bimbo's words stopped her in her tracks.

"Remember who Funmi is, she is a person full of love and even her leaving is so that Antonio pursue a future with Sharon. As much as what our husbands did was vile, we cannot have the future we desire if we continue to live in so much hate and bitterness. God will not answer our prayers and neither are we going to enter into His divine rest if we don't forgive."

Mrs. Olanrewaju turned around and pointed her index finger at the other woman, "You have some nerve Bimbo, to throw scriptures on my face! You know what I suffered in the hands of Niyi because of Collins! You are aware of the several DNA tests he made me do to prove Funmi's paternity! You! You were there through it all and you cannot see that I have reached the end of my rope and cannot take this wickedness anymore." Hot angry tears ran down her face as she beat her chest as if to beat out the pain in her heart. She broke down in tears and fell down on her knees and began to wail. Bimbo also was now in tears and joined her friend on the floor, both weeping and apologizing to each other.

"Let it all out Bimbo, let the pain out. Cry as much as you want, I am here my dear."

Mrs. Olanrewaju continued to cry, with each drop of tear taking out the toxic emotions that had become her best friend over the past month. The tears were for the younger Bimbo that endured an emotionally abusive marriage; for her missing daughter; for putting up with so much that she could have fought and won and most importantly, for her love that was trampled in the dust by Niyi, just as Antonio trampled Funmi's love on the ground mercilessly. She cried for several minutes, purging the tension, pressure, pain and sorrow out of her system. She asked God for the grace to forgive her husband and son in law and to put everything behind her and have a clearer mind on what next step to take, most important one being whether or not to remain in the marriage with Niyi Olanrewaju.