Tseju's Bayo

Chapter Thirty - One Year Later

As she waited for her Chocolate Man to get back home, her mind moonwalked down memory lane of the past year.

She'd just submitted her project for final approval when she got the call from Dafe that the surgery had been successful and the tumor eradicated. She'd broken down in tears right there, in the long corridor of the departmental offices.

The ten months of radiation and chemotherapy following the surgery had been set up to be the most emotionally and physically exhausting months of her life. At least it would have been but for the support of the most amazing support group a girl could ask for. She'd survived ten months of watching her mom lose weight and energy like her village people were using it to sponsor village festivals, nights where her mother wept because of pain and begged to be allowed to die. The only reason why she hadn't broken down or spiraled down a pit of hopelessness had been because of the love and support she'd gotten from family and friends that had turned family. All of them - Dafe,  Jumi,  Mide, Ada, Tess, Bayo, Yemisi, Akande, MJ, Mako, Mayo, Bello, Chuks and Felicity. They'd always been a phone call away, always ready to listen, to pray, to cry, to celebrate little victories.

During this time, construction of the Ark-y-Tech head office and Bayo's personal house had resumed in Benin and so he had to be in several board meetings in Canada, be with Tseju in America and he needed to be down at the site in Benin. Her Chocolate Man had done the most. For the first six months, he'd surfed between Canada, the US and Benin. Tseju knew how much traveling back and forth cost him emotionally, physically and financially. It took a serious quarrel and Mrs Mobijilade herself speaking to him before he reduced his trips to the US and settled for facetiming them as much as possible. Even MJ and the girls came around a couple of times. The boys too.

The grand opening of the branch in Benin had been a joint pleasure for both familes. Mrs Mobijilade watched the entire event live. Tseju had flown in to surprise Bayo. It had been a beautiful ceremony.

The sound of Bayo's car pulling into the driveway stirred Tseju out of her reverie. She got up and moved towards the door, eager to hug him as he walked in.

Bayo was slightly surprised to see Tseju. He'd given her a key and these days she randomly appeared at his house a lot. He loved it! He couldn't wait until it became a daily experience. "I could get used to this." He said, both arms on the small of her back as he drew her in for a slow delicious kiss.

"And I could get used to this," She replied, kissing him back.

They soon settled in and moved on to savouring the delicious meal Mrs Mobijilade prepared and each others company.

"So I've been meaning to tell you something." Tseju said after they'd finished eating. She pulled away from him so she could seat up and see him properly while she spoke.

Bayo reached out and pulled her back in, "Anything you want to tell me, you can tell me in my arms."

Tseju smiled, "It's about my past Bayo. It's an ugly story."

Tseju could sense it when Bayo morphed into his protective state. His face always scrunched in seriousness like he was the Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Force listening to a Nigerian general dish out intel on how they could defeat Boko Haram. His eyes would narrow in on her face, actively searching for God knows what. His hands, God bless the man, his arms reached for her. They always reached for her.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

"I know that, and I'm not telling you because I feel like I have to, I'm telling you because I want to." She sighed and gave a small laugh, a sign, as Bayo had come to understand that she was nervous. "I don't know how to even start."

He rubbed her back, eyes still fixed on her. "However and from wherever. I'm all ears."

"I was raped." She said softly, but loud enough that he heard her.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! 🍾🥂

I hope this new year brings you love and light. I hope we all find happiness in everything we do.

You guys have been the best audience ever! We're almost at the end of Tseju's Bayo and I cannot can😭😭😭😭 I'm drowning in my feelings!!!

Anyways, i hope you're preparing your questions and comments for the Q'n'A.

I love y'all!!! Keep voting, commenting annnnnddddd sharinnnngggg!!!! We need to share Bayo with the worllllldddd🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾