AS I ILLUSTRATE MY STORY {AIIMS}… 15

The first thing I saw when he came on screen was skin.  I mean, the much chiselled washboard abs. Semirah screamed. I changed the direction of the laptop.
“Babe?” I whispered.
“What was that? What’s happening? Heh Jola!” She shook her head in warning, lifted Itoro and marched out.
I sighed looking around like a thief before resuming position in front of the laptop. DS was seated drinking from a cup. He had donned on a shirt. He wasn’t looking weird or funny. He may not have known sef that I had seen him. A smile played on his face and I knew I had appeared on his screen.
“Hey you.” He smiled waving some more. His hard features softening. “I was beginning to wonder if anyone was home.”
“Hey, what’s up?” I tried steadying my breath. Yes I saw Etim’s midsection every day, which I must say is a lot more appealing to the eye that DS’s yet it was taking me time recovering from the shock.

“Are you alone?”
I frowned in defensive, wrinkling my nose. “Why?”
He moved his face closer to the screen. “Is he home? Are you there alone?”

“No. He’s at work!”
First he frowned and then burst into laughter.
“What work?”
I was confused. Is Etim not working?
“I meant Itoro! My god son?” He emphasized. “Can I see him please?” he drawled.
I heaved trying on a fake smile. “Oh sure!”
As if on cue, Semirah spied in. I signalled at her to bring him. She stayed off the screen while placing Itoro in my hands.
“Wow!!!” DS cooed. “He’s adorable. Oh! You have a help already?”
“Da’m buroo ba! Da’n iska kawai.” Semirah cursed.
“Help? Don’t be silly DS, that’s Semirah helping out.”
“Oh, her? Good.” His face was slightly distorted. I knew he had heard her.

Semirah gave a loud hiss and walked past the screen so DS could see the disgust her face wore. He couldn’t be less bothered as he kept looking at my son. “Wow, I think he looks more like Etim.” Itoro gave a loud shriek and then smiled. “Oh, that is your smile. This is a new you I’m seeing and motherhood sure suits you. “

“Thanks. When are you paying us a visit? It’s been a while, you know?”

“Hmmm…” Semirah muttered in warning. I spied at her.

He smiled too rolling his eyes. He just did not like Semirah.

“I’ll come. You know we bought the Apollo, my company. I’ve moved offices now to Madison.”

“Oh cool. Very tasking now, eh?”

“You don’t wanna know. How’s work? How long more do you have for your on maternity leave? Or are you quitting work altogether?”

Itoro started crying.

“Look at his mouth.”

“Hey Deji, can we chat later? I need to feed him.”

“Can’t you feed him whilst we chat?”

“Dude, I’m breastfeeding.”

“And?”

“And you are her husband, right? Since you demand she exposes her breasts to you?”

“Look Semirah,” DS was trying to say. Too late. Semirah shut the laptop.

“You best be careful. There’s nothing called ‘friend’ in a man who is unashamedly attracted to you. All he does is ogle at you. He even steals glances at you every time. Even in Etim’s presence and you know it. I pity you.”

“What are you saying? Can you even hear the words coming out of your own mouth? There’s no attraction. That’d be foolish. DS is Etim’s best friend. He’s also my friend. You need to cut him some slack.”

“Honestly? There’s anyone still so naïve? Can’t you just take time out and see what I see?”

I heaved. Itoro wasn’t concentrating any more. He kept looking from me to Semirah so we just shut it.

“Eat my dear.” She caressed his eye brows. “Someday, we hope your mum understands.”

I rolled my eyes.

My mother came in weeks later. I couldn’t have been happier and relived to see her. I even got emotional and cried. She was finally around and she was really spoiling me. She said breast-feeding Itoro reminded her of when she had Tofat my younger brother. I couldn’t remember sleeping with so much ease since we returned from the hospital. Itoro had a healthy appetite just like his dad and no sooner, breast milk didn’t suffice, so mum advised we introduced bottle. The first time he ate it, he slept so soundly, mummy and I kept going to check on him at intervals, to make sure he was still breathing. He was also adding some pounds too. Tough and strong young man.  And very cuddly too.

None can honestly match one’s mother. My mum? Exceptional! She made me take a break and did all the cooking. Like Etim, she ate fresh too. That meant she did all the cooking from the scratch. breakfast, lunch and dinner. She also bonded with Itoro during bathing and feeding times. He’ll start to cry when he’s being prepped for his bath but then mum will launch into some beautiful songs and with soap suds all over his face and body, he’ll giggle. The day I tried to give him a bath, the moment he didn’t hear any songs, we had a really rough time bathing. My dad was almost jealous calling a bit too regularly. He said mum was the only one having the fun. He’ll call and hang on for minutes waiting for Itoro to make at least one sound. Daddy called him Mofe.  Tofat was also hoping to visit soon. He also was anxious to see his nephew whom he believed looked like him.

After giving mum a hint of what I had been going through, she promised to host Semirah in Lagos when she got back. She couldn’t thank her enough for her assistance and kept praying for her. We insisted on dropping her off at the airport even though she wanted to take a cab. It was quite emotional for me seeing her leave. She was giving me the strange look seeing me cry. She didn’t understand why I was crying. Her pretty big brown eyes were dry.

“How I’ll miss you Aahil?” She turned to look at him in his seat. Mum sat beside him while Semirah was with me in front. “Will you come to Nigeria to see me? I live in Abuja o.”

“Aa waa. He’ll surely come. Iwo lo shey ju. I can’t even thank you enough.”

“I’ll miss you to mummy. Kai Jola, so I’ll miss seeing what Bundo’s baby will look like.”

I looked at her shock. “Na wa for you oh Semirah, so I don’t deserve to be missed?”

“I will miss you naw. It’s just this crying that’s making me feel uncomfortable. So I decided to shut it.”

When we got to the airport and her flight was announced, she hugged and kissed Itoro as scurried off. I shook my head registering her weirdness and then she ran back like a school kid holding me very tight and kissing my cheeks. Her face was wet. Mummy kept nodding her head, hiding her face.

“Be good to yourself dear.” She whispered and walked off.  The drive back home was very silent but reflective. Itoro may have guessed and kept still. He wasn’t asleep. He was just very quiet as we drove back home. After lunch, mum went in with Itoro. I cleaned the apartment and the kitchen up. By the time I was done, I didn’t hear a sound from the room. Were they asleep? I had intended strapping Itoro into a carrier and taking a walk with him down the road, so mum can have some free time, when my phone rang.

Unknown number. “Hello?”

“Jola!” She broke into tears. Oh no! Let it not be what I’m thinking

“What happened? Why’re you crying Bundo?”

“It’s Femi o.” She wailed…

Goodness!!!

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AmOy

Photo by Oyster