The next day, around past 12, Kore came over again this time to pick Ayo and Itunu. As they got to the Palace, Ayo turned to Itunu who was playing game on her iPad and said in her stern voice,
"Mister man, make sure you behave yourself and do well to do everything I taught you, okay?"
"What did she teach you?" Kore asked.
Ayo asked, turning to him, "Ki la pe yin si?*"
Kore hissed then advised, "My dear, just be yourself okay? This is my second house. Do anyhow you like."
"Okay." Itunu answered.
Ayo turned to him asking, "Okay what?"
"Okay sir." Itunu said.
"Fist bump?" Kore asked and he and Itunu fist bumped then they got out the car.
As they walked in, Olori Adenike was sitting in the sitting room addressing a maid but as they both looked up, they were shocked. The maid was amazed at how wonderful and out-of-magazine the trio looked while Olori was shocked because of something else which made her thinking faculty to take a pause for some seconds before she said to the maid,
"I will talk to you later."
"Yes ma." The maid said and left.
Then Ayo and Itunu chorused, Ayo kneeling while Itunu prostrated, "Good afternoon ma."
"How are you my dear? And you must be Itunu?" Olori asked.
"Yes ma." Itunu answered.
Olori said stretching out her hands to him, "Come here. Come to Grandma."
He did and she placed him on her knees and said, "You have to tell me all about yourself and I will do the same. And then we will go make some cookies. Deal?"
"Deal!" Itunu replied smiling.
"Mummy, we nko?" Ayo asked.
"You and your husband should go and find something to do na." Olori said as she stood up and left with Itunu, hand in hand
"I like your Mum."
"Yeah. She is likable and good news is that she is now your mum too." Kore said before leading the way upstairs.
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
"Mummy, we are leaving ma." Ayo announced.
"Leavimg ke? You have not seen Kabiesi yet na." Olori said.
"We don't know when he will be back and it's going to get dark any moment from now." Ayo said.
"Yeah, that's true but wait small na." Olori convinced.
"Okay..." Ayo was saying when the man in question arrived himself and said,
"Alafia fun yin.*"
Olori said, standing up to hug him, "My dear, you came back at the right time. Ayo and Itunu were just announcing their departure."
"Mo mo rin niyen o*" Kabiesi said as he and his wife took their seat.
"Welcome Dad." Kore greeted as Kabiesi took his seat and nodded at him. Ayo also greeted kneeling down,
"Good evening sir."
"Good evening to you too my dear and who do we have here?"
Itunu greeted prostrating, "Kaaaaabiesi o! My name is Itunuoluwa Balogun."
"Wow! Who thought you that?" Kabiesi asked smiling.
"My mum and grandma sir." Itunu replied,
"Interesting. Taiwo?" The king called for his personal assistant/bodyguard.
"Yes sir." Taiwo stepped forward a little.
"Give me my purse please." The king requested and Taiwo gave him a black purse then bowed and fell back to his previous position. Kabiesi took out two one thousand naira notes and stretched it towards Itunu saying,
"Take this as a reward for learning and knowing how to greet a king."
Itunu shook his head and Kabiesi said,
"Iro o*! Your mother and grandmother didn't teach you that you don't reject a kings offer to you?"
"No sir."
"Well, now you know. Oya, take it and use it to buy something nice for yourself."
"Thank you Kabiesi." Ayo appreciated.
"I didn't give you money. I am so sorry I was not here when you arrived. I went for an emergency Kings' meeting." Kabiesi apologized looking at Ayo.
Ayo answered, "No problem sir. Mummy told me though we would like to leave now."
"Before you leave, my dear, I need to talk to you." Olori said.
Kabiesi protested, "But 'Denike, it does not affect the people that are leaving na. Let the children go jare."
"My dear, it's not going to take a while at all. Just some seconds." Olori pressed.
"Okay, Ayo, you heard the queen. You will have to wait a few more minutes but I will ensure Taiwo drive you and Itunu safe home." Kabiesi promised.
"Dad, I can drive her." Kore pitched in.
"I know. You can join them but Taiwo will do the driving. Oya, Iya*, let's get this over with." Kabiesi said and left the room for his room with Olori on his heels. When they got to his room, he asked,
"Madam, what are you up to?"
"I am not up to anything jo. Did you see that boy?" Olori asked.
"Which boy?" Kabiesi asked sitting down.
"Itunu nao." Olori said.
"Ehn, what happened to him?" Kabiesi asked.
"Can't you see he is like the spitting image of Adekorede when he was that same age?" Olori asked.
"Adenike, you've started with all these your wahala and speculations o." Kabiesi said.
"Wait, I will be right back." Olori said and dashed towards the adjoining door between her room and his room then came back seconds later with some pictures. Then she gave Kabiesi and said,
"See for yourself."
"Iro o*!" Kabiesi exclaimed looking at the resemblance.
"Tooto ni*." Olori confirmed.
"Korede actually looks like the boy o. Could it be that...?" Kabiesi trailed off.
"How? Judging from the boy's age,
Adekorede was in the university and if you recall very well, he didn't come back all the time." Olori said.
"What do we do now?" Kabiesi asked.
"I will talk to Adekorede."
"Please do, so we can get to the root of this matter."
"Okay. Let's go back na so you can send this children off."
"O ti re mi o*."
"Hahan, it will be bad if you don't bade them goodnight o. They've been waiting since na."
"Okay." Kabiesi said and they both went back to the sitting room. He opened his purse and said as he brought out five N1,000 notes.
"Ayo, come and take this."
"Daddy, this is too much o."
"Come on, I should be able to take care of my daughter. Take and let Taiwo take you home (Ayo collects the money). Kore, Taiwo please ensure they get home safe and ensure you get back here in one piece."
Taiwo nodded while Kore said,
"Okay Dad."
Then they trooped out.
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
Olori waited till Kore got back to his room and even gave him an ample time to shower and do other things before going to knock on his door.
"Come in." He answered and she went into the room.
"Mum?" He asked wondering why she was here.
"I just came to talk to you."
"Okay." He said and shut down his system. She sat down at the edge of the bed and said,
"Adekorede mi."
"Yes ma?"
"Have you asked Ayo who the father of her child is?"
"Mum? No! Why should I?"
"Don't you think you should know? I need to know and you need to know too. It won't be good to start off a marriage on secrets."
"Mum, I love A.Y, I don't want to upset her by bringing up the past."
"It will be upsetting if in the future things go south because you don't want to upset her now."
"I will do something about it Mum."
"When?"
"Soon."
"You must tell me."
"I will."
"Okay. I will leave you to sleep now."
"Thanks Mum." He said and saw her off to the door and then he locked the door and went back to his bed.
He picked his phone and called Ayo. After three rings, she picked it,
"Hey. Were you sleeping already?"
"Yes, why aren't you asleep?"
"I was working on a proposal before Mum came to see me. She just left and so, I decided to call you."
"Okay."
"I wish I could have you in my arms right now."
"Me too."
"Lets go out tomorrow."
"No. I have to at least stay with Mama for a day."
"How about next tomorrow? I want to take you out."
"Okay o. We will see next tomorrow."
"Good. What about Tunz?"
"You don't trust him ni, he is out like a feather."
"All right. Let me leave you to sleep."
"Thanks love."
"I love you."
"I love you too." Ayo replied and ended the call.
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
Hello Boos and Baes,
😂 Sorry to disappoint, shit didn't hit the fan. More like a fart. 😂
Starred Words
Ki la pe yin si - What did we call you to?
Alafia fun yin - Peace be unto you
Mo mo rin niyen o - I know how to walk o
Iro o - That's a lie o
Iya - Mother, Woman
Tooto ni - It is the truth
O ti re mi o - I am tired o
Leave me a comment, let me know what you think.