I was worried about the pressure my mother was giving me. It was having its toll on my relationship with Ola. We were arguing a lot as I felt he wasn't taking me seriously enough. Troubled about the lack of concern on his part, added to the demands my mother was making, I eventually took a week off from work just to relax.
During that time, my mother paid me a visit. Luckily Ola had gone to work and I was for the most part always in the house. It was a secret kind of visit as she never told me she was coming.
When I opened the door for her to come in, she rushed in and looked at me.
"Tola are you alright?" It was the first question she asked me. I couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief. She had barged in as if I was in urgent need of help.
"I'm okay mum, and you?
"Your father and I are fine. But we are worried about you."
"Worried about me?" She nodded.
"Worried when you decided to fix my marriage so soon?"
"Abeg Tola, no go dat side. Are you not happily married? What if he had changed his mind?"
"Who Ola?" She nodded, as she sat down. I sat down next to her. I had a feeling their going to the village was to make sure Ola didn't change his mind. But I didn't want to think of it as the possible reason for them going there.
"And how did you know he would have changed his mind?" I asked her.
"I'm only saying supposing he did? Anyway that's not why I am here."
"So what brought you here?"
"So what is happening, Tola? All these years, I was expecting you to say you have stomach upset." I knew she had come for just one thing. And as worried as I was, I didn't have the strength to argue with her.
"I'm fine and I have no stomach problems."
"So you mean you've not been to the doctor for a check-up?"
"Aha, mummy, I'm okay. Why would I need a check-up?" She clapped her hands and sighed.
"So Tola, I will not see my grandchild or what?" I was lost. I couldn't think of an immediate answer to give her and so I just stared at her.
"Tola no look me like dat. Wetin dey happen. Abi you no dey raise your legs up well?"
"Aha, mummy?" I laughed at her comment.
"I'm serious o, Tola. Because once you pass this age and no child, man na man. He will go outside. And before you know, he will be telling you to leave the house." I looked at my mum and the reasons she was giving me for having a baby so quickly.
As much as I and Ola had tried over the years, a baby wasn't coming. And now that we were having arguments and discussions, I gave what my mother was saying a thought. Could Ola decide to go out and impregnate another woman? And would he really do so? I shrugged.
"Mum, I'll keep raising my legs up well, o." I replied to her delight.
"Now you are talking. Continue dey disturb am, day and night."
"Na food, mummy?"
"It is the only food wey pikin go take come dis world. So chop am well, well."
"Ha mummy, daddy said you are stubborn. So truly you are stubborn to that extent?"
"Abeg leave your father for one corner jare. Talk to me." There wasn't much to say. I could only promise her that I would get to work on having her first grandchild. When she left I heaved a sigh of relief, and went back to bed and relaxed myself.
Her worries wasn't my worry as I knew, with time and patience, a child would come. Now I had to stop worrying and get over it. I was hoping Ola could help me. But with the arguments and discussion we were having, this wasn't possible.
It was at this time that Kemi proved a life saver. Thinking of how best to occupy my time during the week I wasn't going to work, I called her up to know what she was up to.
"Tola, baby, what's happening?"
"Kemi you seem too happy for my liking o. You get visitor make I no disturb?"
"Me Kemi, ke? You mean I will be with a man in my own house?"
"Anything wrong with that?" I asked her.
"I might go to a man's place but a man coming to my place? I don't allow it."
"Kemi since wey you open eye your character don change badly."
"Ah? I 'm strict these days. No guy will give me bullshit." she said
"Mellow babe. All dis one now, when you see one fine boy, you go cry follow am." Kemi laughed making me also laugh.
"Well it might happen. I mean to say the truth, you are right. But not to the extent of being a mugu."
"So what's happening now? I just dey for house alone."
"You didn't go to work?"
"I took a week off just to relax."
"Tola? This is quite unlike you. What's happening?" This was one thing about Kemi. She could tell when I was worried about something.
Even when we were in secondary school and I told her I didn't want to attend classes, she knew there was something wrong. I used this opportunity to ask her to come over.
When she came over I told her about how much my mother's insistence was causing discussions and arguments between me and Ola.
"So what are you going to do about it now that you have to produce a baby at all cost?"
"I told my mum I'll raise my legs up well." Kemi laughed
"See bad girl. Abi you no dey raise am up well before?" She asked.
"Now you sound like my mother who asked me the exact same question." She laughed.
"Okay jokes apart, can I say one thing, Tola?"
"Go ahead."
"If you worry too much, you will worry yourself to death. This life na one. I hate to stress myself over such things." She said.
"So what are you saying, that I should live more and worry less?"
"Enjoy life when it hasn't come yet. When it comes na you go find where you want keep pikin go enjoy."
"Abi?"
"See some of my friends abroad. They are hiring babysitters just to take care of their babies so that they can go to the club."
"Anyway if it comes, I'll take the baby to my mother."
"Forget. Maybe that is the time she would also want to enjoy life o."
I gave some thought to what Kemi was telling me and decided to change my attitude towards life. I had to stop arguing with Ola. I had to stop worry about everything and live. Yes, Kemi had a point, and I took it to heart and decided to follow it.
I got up and told her I was coming. I went into my room and dressed elegantly. I wore my make up, put on my favorite perfume and went to meet her.
"Tola, you look cute dressed like that. Where are you going?"
"I'm going out. No, we are going out." I said smiling.
"To where?"
"Take me anywhere I can enjoy life and stop worrying." Kemi looked at me and laughed.
"That is it baby. Now you are speaking my language." She got up and carried her bag.
I had to send a quick message to Ola.
'I'm suffocating in the house and need fresh air."
'Where are you off to?' He messaged back.
'Where I can free my mind and look at life more positively.'
'I'm sure that was you're twin sister's idea.'
'Well if you come home and don't find me, you know who I am with.'
'Just let me know it won't be tomorrow you're coming back.'
'Let me go out first and then I'll let you know.'
Kemi and I left the house and went to her house. It was the first time I had ever gone to her house since meeting her. We got there and parked our cars. After staying for a few minutes, we left her house. I left my car behind while we used her car.
We were going out and I had no idea where we were going. I had to leave Kemi to suggest places we could go to. After all, she knew the ins and outs of the Lagos lifestyle much better than me. And so I relaxed my mind. I suddenly felt alive again and was less worried about my mother wanting a grandchild. I felt free but was worried about how Ola would take all of this when I told him about it.
I spent the whole day with Kemi and felt happy with myself. When I got home, it was close to 10 pm. As I entered the house Ola came to meet me.
"How was it out there?" He asked looking suspiciously at me. I had a feeling he was a little jealous about my outing.
"Yes, your madam is feeling good." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders while his hands quickly sought my waist. I gave him a quick kiss and tried to free myself from him embrace, but he held me.
"You are looking happy while you keep me worried." he said.
"Am I keeping you hanging?" He shook his head and laughed. It was good seeing him finally happy with me. For a moment, the discussions, the arguments we were having seemed never to have existed at all. He held onto me and looked into my eyes.
"I've decided not to worry about anything anymore. About giving a grandchild to my mother, about the arguments and discussions we've been having. I'm not allowing anything trouble me anymore."
"What a radical change, for a woman who recently was bent on having all the reasons in the world to argue with me. What happened to change you, Tola?" I could only think of one reason why I changed-Kemi. She gave me an advice that I took to heart and followed.