The Wall Between Us

Chapter 19 - I'm not Okay

"Please, tell me she didn't mention Nathan Adakole's name to her," I asked with bated breath.

This was a pregnancy only few people could know about. Why did she have to get our mother involved. I would've been relieved if Tolani had announced it with a microphone in Oshodi market instead.

"If she did, your mother would be at Nathan's office right now demanding for grandma allowance." I laughed and shook my head. It was great that he found humour in this. I'd always prayed he moved on from the pitiable state she left him. His restaurant was still recovering from the divorce but his mind was healing and that was all that mattered.

"Come see her first, find out what she wants," he said, giving me a few minutes to reply. "Maybe she's here to offer moral support and be a mother to you during this challenging period of your life?" He chuckled.

I snorted and my face skewed in disgust. "Please!" I packed my hair into a bun and walked away from the mirror to search the closet for any dress that could cover the little bump.

"She won't leave my restaurant unless you come see her," he said in one last attempt.

"Then kick her out! She doesn't get to give ultimatums. Not after everything she's done to us." Finding a short free gown from the upper shelf, I tossed it onto the bed and knelt to select a slippers from the lower shelf.

"You know how stubborn that woman can be, please don't leave me to suffer this alone," he pleaded and I laughed lightly at his theatrics.

"Mr Steven Alaide, you got control of this," I emphasized on each word. "I promise to come see you-and with a new scrabble board whenever she returns to her husband and child."

He mumbled some incoherent words and a bitter goodbye then the line went dead.

I stepped into the bathroom and sat in the tub for a while, puffing out air and letting my worries take over a minute. I missed my old life. Sleep. Work. Long calls from the one person I cared most about. I let out an exasperated sigh and turned on the shower.

Everything will fall in place. Everything will fall in place.

***
"Jeez! I'm only five minutes late and you look this moody already?" I raised my head from my phone to find an exhausted looking Jameel giving a large closed-lip smile. The sleeves of his light blue checkered button down shirt were rolled to the elbow but the shirt still neatly tucked into his plain dark blue trousers.

When he called yesterday to ask if I could join him for lunch in the cafe close to the hospital he worked, I didn't hesitate-even though we'd only hung out two nights ago and Everest-after much persuasion-was driving me again, I needed this meeting for my sanity.

Although I'd never been to the cafe, I was thankful Jameel picked it. There was little activity and the air was thick with Vanilla scent. The small building with plush furniture and pastel colour schemes served both as a kitchen and a confectionery shop for mostly outdoor orders.

He flashed his perfectly arranged dentition and for some odd reason, it lifted my spirit. "Oh," I smiled, "this isn't you," I said pointing to my face.

"Ok." he pursed his lips and nodded. "I'm relieved. You good?" He asked, dropping his car keys, wallet and IPhone on the round wooden table before sitting.

"I can't sleep!" I groaned. "Please, prescribe something strong."

He tilted his head and looked at me with one squinted eye.

"A sleeping drug," I clarified.

"Yeah, I got you the first time." I folded my arms and waited for him to say when he would get it. "I just don't understand why."

"I just told you. It's all thanks to Zaron concealer I'm not looking like a vampire or Zombie," I said pointing both index fingers to my eyes.

My attempted joke fell flat on it's face as Jameel's expression remained impassive. "Listen. When I said you could count on me for anything, that didn't include me being your drug dealer."

"It's just a simple prescription pill," I shrugged.

"It's dangerous! You could get addicted and dependent for life." I looked into his eyes and they held so much seriousness-and concern. "Why don't we talk about what's really bothering you."

I buried my face in my palms. "I don't know. The fact that my dad may be ashamed and just accepting my child because he doesn't want to loose me like he lost my mother-or that society will never know who the father of my children is, therefore labelling me a whore who slept with too many men to know which one was responsible. I don't know."

"That's an absurd conclusion! I'm sure everyone knows you're far from being a whor-whatever." He waved dismissingly.

"Do they? Because this is Nigeria, where virginity is considered by many to be the utmost and maybe only trophy of a single woman, and one who, evidently, has lost it and worse, concieved is demonized."

He reached for my hands on the table. "If it's so important to you, I could be the father to your children. For society, I mean," he stuttered, "or whichever way you want."

Heyyyyyyy Youuuu. Yeah, that's all the authors note for this update.😂