Dapo sat beside his mother on the bed, his expression suddenly serious. "Ame? Mother, she is not my type of woman."
Abiola folded her arms across her breasts and looked at her son in a strange way, with her eyebrows raised. "And, who is your type of woman, my son?! Those free women you go about with?! They are simply for the fun of it, if you want to hear the bitter truth! Ladies like Ame are well bred and would add prestige to you!" Abiola told her son in a firm voice.
Dapo bent his head and shook it slowly. "Ame is not interested in me either, mother," he explained to her. "She always acts elusive too," he complained. He was startled by his mother's laughter.
Abiola tapped her son's shoulder when her laughter subsided. "There is your perfect example of a well-bred lady, my son! The easy going ones are the cheap ones. You have to dig deep to find diamonds, son; you don't find them strewn on the streets or at every corner, my son." She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them as she looked at her son squarely, eyeball to eyeball and declared, "Marriage to Ame is the key to unlocking your father's favour, Dapo Adejare! Take my unsolicited advice and act on it!"
Dapo was quite amazed to hear his mother talk to him so candidly. Marriage to Ame would unlock his father's favour?! Ame was the type of woman you don't toy with. She was like porcelain; fragile and to be handled with care. Yes, they were good friends but Dapo had left it at that after she had pointedly ignored the several innuendos he had dropped her on the several dates they'd had in the past. Truth be told his father had shown a bit of interest in the supposedly budding romance when tabloids had hinted at one between him and Ame Obasogie in the past but when the same tabloids had splashed pictures of him and well known 'loose women', his father had lost interest in his love life, claiming Dapo was a 'son that shames' and threatening to disinherit him if he 'brought shame on the good name of the family'!
He sighed audibly, making his mother, who sat beside him, watching, give a satisfactory nod as she smiled, knowing that the seed that she had cunningly planted, was taking root deep inside of him. Dapo looked at his mother. "Are you very sure my father will let me head the oil wells when he discovers that I'm serious with Ame?" He wanted to be sure.
Abiola nodded. "Yes, and even more! You just make the move and leave the rest to me. Rosa and I are club members, don't forget!" she answered triumphantly.
Dapo nodded and rose up from the bed. He walked to his study table nearby and placed his hands on it, bending forward. He spoke without turning to his mother. "Go and convince him then. I shall do my own part." He turned to face her.
"So will you eat now?" Abiola asked her son hopefully as she rose up too. "I shall prepare the meal myself," she said eagerly.
"Not now, mother; I'm not in the mood," he replied as he walked towards her. "Right now, I need a loan of two million Naira," he said off handedly.
Abiola gasped in shock. "Two million Naira, Dapo?! Whatever for?!" She turned to him, appalled at his incessant demands, which was rising higher by the day!
Dapo looked at her in irritation. "And how much is two million Naira to the mighty Chief, Mrs Abiola Adejare?!" he asked in derision. He spread out his two hands sideways as he shrugged. "Okay, reduce it to one million so your Shylock of a husband won't become nosy!" he said rudely.
Abiola grew annoyed. "Don't talk of your father in that derisive manner, Dapo!" she shrieked, turning to face him. "I won't give you a kobo!" she screamed at him.
"Wao! Wao! Wao!" Dapo clapped his hands in mockery. "You won't give your only son a kobo, mother?!" he asked in mock incredulity as he put some distance between him and his mother. "Then, pray tell, who you're toiling for?! Other parents put millions of Dollars and Pounds at their children's disposal, yet the only child of the high and mighty Chief and Chief Mrs Adejare has to grovel on his knees to get a paltry one million Naira! Even though I've been considerate enough to reduce it!" He raised his voice. "We're talking about Naira, mother, NAIRA!" he stressed as he balled his arms into fists.
Abiola too was angry now. How dare he! Her husband had always said that she would regret over-indulging Dapo, who had come after a rather long wait for children in their marriage. And she had gone through a life-threatening ordeal to have him. Her husband had been so scared of losing his wife that he had instructed the medical team back then to 'save my wife if it comes to choosing, please.' He was unlike his contemporaries, who valued children above all else in a marriage. 'Otunba' as she fondly called her husband, had loved her with a passion that was still evident, even after three and a half decades of marriage. No one, not even a much cherished child, would take her husband for a fool! "You are nothing but irresponsible, Dapo!" she bristled. "I know you use all these money for gambling! Aside from what you earn working for your father, I also give you a monthly allowance of three hundred thousand Naira! If you are not a wasteful spender, you should have more than enough in your account! The last time I checked, YOUR ACCOUNT WAS IN RED, RED!!!" she bellowed in anger.
"Okay, then," Dapo raised up his hands in a mock surrender. "Don't blame me for 'shaming the family name' when it comes out in the open that the only child of the Adejares is in a huge debt. If I can't bear it, then I'll kill myself, after all, I have nothing to lose, since I'm a nobody!" He shrugged as he began to pick one or two things of his.
Abiola stopped in her tracks when she heard her son threaten to kill himself. She quickly rushed to him and clutched him close, halting his movement. "What are you talking about, Dapo?! Has it come to this?!" she appealed, tears welling up in her eyes.
Dapo tried to disengage himself from his mother's clutch but she would not let go, so he remained in her arms, resigned. "Please leave me alone, mother," he begged quietly.
Abiola refused to heed his plea. "You know that you're all I have, Dapo..." she began but he cut her short.
"You have your husband, mother. That is all that matters to you!" he replied firmly.
"No, Dapo," his mother disagreed. "You matter to both of us. We love you," she persisted.
Dapo managed to break free of his mother's hold but she tailed him, carefully ensuring he remained in the room as they conversed.
"Don't worry, mother. I'll be okay. I won't ask you or anyone else for money again," he said as he looked at her evenly. "I'll just pick a few of my necessities and leave for good," he said as he headed to the wardrobe.
Abiola got to the wardrobe before her son and blocked it with her body. "It doesn't have to come to this, my dear," she coaxed, giving him a conciliatory smile which Dapo ignored as he stopped and then turned towards the bed but she followed him. "Where do you want to go now, Dapo?" she asked in concern.
"Don't worry about me, mother," he quipped as he sat down on the bed. His mother walked up to him and sat down beside him, and put her arms around him. "O daa, se tori one million ni? Is it because of a mere one million? I'll give it to you, my son," she said.
Dapo smiled inwardly at his success but outwardly, he continued with his drama. "Don't bother, mother. I'll manage," he insisted. He placed his head in his hands as he bowed forward. Abiola shook her son slightly, fear written all over her.
"What is it now? I said that I'll give you the money! Okay, go and take the fifty thousand in my room and add it as jara," she beseeched. Dapo looked up at her inquisitively and she nodded at him, smiling. A smile broke up on his face and he hugged her tight.
"Thanks, mother," he said and he got up to leave the room but his mother put a restraining arm on him, stopping him.
Abiola looked up at her son. "Promise me you won't do anything silly," she implored. Dapo smiled boyishly.
"I won't, mother," he assured her.
"And, you will go ahead and propose to Ame," she stated further.
"I'll do my best," he said and he left.
Abiola rested her head in her palm and closed her eyes as she fell back on her son's bed. Her son's emotional blackmails was reaching unpredictable dimensions. She sent a silent prayer to God to hep her son.
Hours later, it was the maid, who had made sure that Dapo was well out of the way, and had come to clean up his room, that woke Abiola Adejare up from her slumber with a gentle tap.
Nwakaego Kaodiliye, popularly called 'Ego' for short, was a fun-loving, strong-willed and hardworking lady. She was the only child of her parents still living at home with them. She was light-skinned, of average height and 'fleshy'. She liked to change her hairstyle often because she always wanted 'a new look every time'! She was Ame's best friend and was in a relationship with Jide Alatise a six-footer who was a dedicated banker.Now until he met Ego, Jide had been a seriously boring individual, lost only in the doldrums of his career as a banker. But all that changed when fate thrust Ego into his life 'by design' as Ego would always describe, for they had met at a fundraising event, where Ego was one of the speakers and Jide had gone there to represent his bank.Jide thought the world of Ego and the feeling was mutual. Jide began to see the world anew through Ego's eyes and he liked what he saw. He vowed to have Ego for keeps. He eag
The gate of her house was opened abruptly and an armed guard came out, no doubt to investigate what the noise was all about but Philip waved him back inside. The fellow gave a smart salute and nodded, then went back inside.Oh, Philip's pride has ruined everything! Her father had pulled heavy strings to see him get a better-paid employment and had even offered to send him overseas where he could pursue his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, at no expense, and had also offered them a house, when they got married, 'in any part of the world' that Philip desired but an egocentric Philip had TURNED IT ALL DOWN! Claiming he was 'fighting for our future'! when Ame had dared to challenge him! He had persisted in pursuing his God-forsaken scholarship, AND now that he had it, their young relationship would be the sacrificial lamb on the altar of his proof of self-worth! "Oh, Phil, you just ruined everything!" she wailed amidst her sobs.Philip ju
Jide watched as Ego cleared the remaining shrimp on her plate and then washed it down with her drink. He enjoyed watching her eat. And he was thankful that he was a great cook, so he could spoil her with his delicacies. He burst out into a soft laughter, attracting Ego's attention.She smiled as she made a face at him. "Something funny?" she quizzed as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.Jide shrugged. "I was just imagining what it would look like to prepare a feast for you!" He laughed.Ego made a funny face and quipped, "He prepares a table before me..."Both of them laughed out loud, drawing a few stares from fellow clients around. Jide nodded and raised his hand apologetically at a couple of them then coughed slightly as he became serious once again.Ego sipped her drink quietly.Jide took Ego's left hand and planted kisses on each of her finge
Osahon rang for the maid who brought three bottles of water to them. The maid cleared the remains of the half-eaten food and left the room."What's wrong with her?" Ego whispered to Osahon when Ame left the room to do her toiletries."Philip," Osahon replied in a conspiratorial whisper. Ego nodded knowingly and signaled for Osahon to leave."Hey sis," Osahon called to Ame, who was brushing in the bathroom. "I've got errands to run for mom, okay? I'll see you around!""Okay, Osahon. Later," Ame replied from the bathroom. Osahon left the room, shutting the door gently after him.Ego helped Ame to open her windows in order to let the rays of the morning sun filter into the room. Ame met her at her task when she came out of the bathroom."Thanks," she muttered as she sat on the sofa to the right side of her wardrobe."You're welcome, de
Ego gave her an odd look then shook her head as she continued with what she was doing. "He'll be a fool not to, but if I know Phil well, then you'll come back home with his ring tonight! Otherwise," She raised her hands up, a devilish twinkle in her brown eyes, "skin me alive!"Both girls burst out, laughing."My, I don't believe how hungry I am!" Ame exclaimed as she sat before her dressing table to allow Ego fix her hair for her. Ego nodded and laughed as she combed her friend's luxurious hair."That's the spirit, babe! Love does wonderful things to one's appetite!""And our graduation party is next week!" Ame said joyously, her face brightening up."Yes, babe! Think on only happy things," Ego replied as she looked at her friend's reflection in the mirror.Hours later, Ame w
In a rage, Ame jumped down into the water beneath them, causing a huge splash of salt water to settle on her and Philip with some entering his partially opened mouth which was his shocked reaction at her impulsive behaviour."You dare to, Philip Omagbemi!" Ame cried angrily as she hit him with her feeble blows continuously until he overpowered her and held her in an embrace. She began to weep as he rocked her. The waves continued to pound on them as Ame continued to weep. Philip carefully led her out of the water and onto the shore where he made her sit down. Her clutching at his shirt pulled him down with her and so he made her lie down with him on the cool sand of the beach."I'm sorry, my love. Please forgive me," he pleaded as he patted her back affectionately. He knew he had touched a raw spot and that had hurt her deeply.Of all the things she hated most, it was the fact that she was an Obasogie. That n
Ame's graduation party was well attended by the creme-de-la-creme of the society. She looked radiant and beautiful in her shimmering emerald green dress that had been made for her by a course mate of hers who was an excellent seamstress. Ame had often joked that Daisy would end up being contracted by 'top madams in the echelons of society'!And of a truth, everyone wanted to meet her seamstress on discovering that Ame's dress was not 'imported' as erroneously believed on first contact with her. The lace work on the dress was so intricately woven into the material that one finds it hard to tell where the material began. Daisy was that good!Ame went round the invited guests, greeting them sweetly; a hug there, a peck here, a bit of chit-chat, almost all of the guests were well known to her. Ego was noticeably absent as the two friends had agreed to have separate parties in their re
Dapo was quite taken aback by her speech. He merely opened his mouth and closed it without any word coming out of him. From behind them, someone called Ame's name and she turned and then squealed in delight as she ran past Dapo to get to the caller.It was Philip Omagbemi!The transformation in Ame was rather amazing. She flitted like an excited schoolgirl as she got scooped up and twirled in the air by her Romeo. Dapo watched' horrified as Philip took Ame in his arms and gave her a long, passionate kiss.He didn't wait for the kiss to end as he turned back angrily the way he had come. The humiliation was too much for him to bear. He knew it was time he left before the love struck Ame burst his bubbles.Dapo went hastily to the party area and soon found his mother amidst her clu