©️Opeyemi Akintunde
AS INSPIRED BY THE LIVING WORD
My drive back to the orphanage was a very long one as I ruminated on what the Lord showed me… Leni was not just an ordinary orphan anymore. She was the Mother of my grandchild. I had to be involved in their lives more…. I told Mummy J not to bring up my visit anytime she saw Leni. I needed to prayerfully know how to deal with the new development.
****
On getting home, I made up my mind to avoid Mummy J, who at the time I referred to as Mama. I got to know her when I newly came to my haven. I loved her groundnut oil, so I started patronizing her store. I thought of how to sort out the kids. I needed somewhere they could stay after school hours, before I returned around 9pm. She had volunteered to be of help…
My phone rang and on checking the screen, it was Promise calling.
“Hello sis” I said on picking up
“Hello sis…. I missed my babies today” Promise said
“We missed you too”
“I can’t wait to see them next week”
” Same here”
“Are you okay? You sound a bit disturbed”
“Yeah, I am in a fix.”
“Share what the problem is”
“I had a bad dream about the woman I keep my boys with during the day, so I will be needing a new person”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah!”
“Or maybe I could help you?”
“You? How?”
“I could help you pick them up after school, wait till you get back and leave afterwards.”
“No.., the distance between your place and our place is about an hour”
“Or Since it’s temporary till you find someone, I could help you stay with them during the week and return home for weekends. I am a full time housewife…” Promise said laughing….
“No…. Promise what happens to F.D for five days…. I will be fine”….
I refused her offer but Sunday evening she was at my home with the intention of staying for the week… My children were excited to see her…
“What did you tell F.D?” I asked
*****
“F.D, I am going over to Leni’s place for the week, I will be back by weekend”
“Why?”
“I am bored, you are always at work,”
“But Leni is always at work”
“Yes, I will be with the boys after school. Kira will have brothers to play with”
The word ” Brothers” did not sit well with me. I began to wonder if Promise had found out about Greg, but I pushed the thought aside.
“Do whatever pleases you” Having Promise out of my hair for five days would make me breathe.
*****
“Nothing, I just told him I was coming to your place for the week….”
“And he didn’t resist it?”
“Why would he? You are his sister”
“Yeah….. Well thank you Promise, I will find a lasting solution to this. I will find a maid preferably”
“Ok, but carefully select the maid, people are wicked these days” I said to Leni…
The next morning, I woke up to a bad news….
*******
I slept in peace knowing Promise would take care of the kids throughout the week.
I was planning on asking one of my colleagues at the office about getting a maid. She had two maids.
However, I woke up to what would have been a relief, but it was heart wrenching on the other hand.
Segun called me as early as 5am.
When I saw his caller ID, I was shocked. I had not heard his voice since the day we parted ways physically. He would only send texts informing me about the monthly upkeep and check on his son ….
“Hello….”
“Hello Leni, good morning, so sorry to wake you this early”
“It’s okay …..
“Leni, it’s time I come pick Timothy based on our agreement”
I seriously wanted to fight it, but I didn’t have the strength to, coupled with the advice Aunty Yemi gave me about giving him to his father…
“Can you give me six months more with him?”…
“I don’t think so, the truth is I have been having a strong burden for days to come pick him up. I keep hearing “Go pick him up”. Leni I wanted to leave him with you till he turned four, but the Lord seems not to agree”
“Ok….” I agreed…
“Can I come get him this morning”
“I am going to work” I said
“So how do we go about it? I have to pick him up today.”
“If you can get here before 9am, I could wait for you”
“Alright, I will be at your place, you still live in your brother’s house?”
“No, I now live in Mr. Teju’s house….”
Segun was silent…. I imagined him thinking about a lot of things…
“I am not married to him, neither am I sleeping with him, after you left that night, I also left my brother’s house and the only available place to stay was Mr. Teju’s house. I called him and he gave me permission to move in, since he wasn’t using it” I said to answer the questions in his heart….
“Okay…. I’ll be on my way”
I ended the call, and beside me on the bed was Timothy sleeping.
“Your father is coming to get you, I know you will have a better life with him….”
I stood up to inform Promise and get the boys ready…
*****
“What? what do you mean his father is coming to get him, just like that?” I couldn’t believe Tim was about slipping off my hands.
I wanted Leni to lose all she had, for conniving with F.D to dupe me….
No! Tim could not leave this house…
To be continued…
