'So, where is she now?' Ebiere asked the older woman hesitating and anticipating at the same time.
She had to hesitate, Yes. She has no right to question this woman before her, but she was glad.
Glad that she still had a good news to dwell on after the older woman already shared the bad one with her. She wasn't expecting everything to be perfect. Half a bread is better than none. She could as well be grateful she saw the woman again and luckily she would be meeting her daughter.
Yemi was mute. She was trying so hard to contain her disgust and fear. The disgust that this woman really had the gut to ask where Tori was and the fear she dreaded most. The moment this woman would come and steal her Tori from her. A girl she had grown to love like her own granddaughter.
'Why did you leave like that?' Yemi managed to say unable to restrain her hurt despite saying that in whispers.
'I'm sorry I ran off but I had no choice then. I really don't have any choice whatsover. But now is not the time to talk about the past.' Ebiere said shifting to the edge of the sofa she was sitting on as she looked into Yemi's eyes, her knee almost touching the older woman's, The woman who was sitting right beside her.
'I want to meet my daughter. Please. I know I have no right to demand that from you but can I...' Ebiere's statement was cut short by Yemi's.
'Thank God you know you have no right to ask because I know she won't want to meet you. I already told her her mother is dead. I never thought I would ever meet you again so I just had to tell her something to satisfy her curious mind.' Yemi's voice quivered on every word she uttered.
'How do you think she would see me or what do you intend she'll call me if I introduced her supposedly dead mother to her whole, alive and healthy and the new mother I introduce to her is not my daughter but someone I barely know?' Yemi asked after a long pause from both women.
'I know I can't just show up after twenty three years or so and tell her I'm her mother. That's not my intention. It's apparent she'll eventually know as we can't keep the truth away from her for ever but one thing I know is I won't approach her as a mother until I'm sure I already made up for those years I've lost...' Ebiere was cut short again by Yemi who scoffed at her statement.
'And how do you intend to make up for twenty three good years?' Yemi asked rhetorically enphasizing on the number of years before continuing. 'A thousand years cannot make up for those years she spent motherless!' Yemi yelled in a shaky voice. 'Do you even know how greatly she suffered! You can't just buy her off or anything. You should know better than that.' Yemi wasn't sure whether her anger was simply because she was scolding Ebiere or because she feared she would lose her granddaughter, the only relative she had left.
Ebiere was lost. She had great plans back then but now she realised how long it had been. It had been a very long time and she doubts it if her daughter would ever accept her as a mother. She knows the girl has every right not to and that broke her heart.
'But I need to see her. Please.' Ebiere pleaded. 'I know am not worth being called her mother. But I just have to sed her. I promise I won't reveal who I am to her until the right time comes. Just let me meet her.'
Ebiere looked pitiful but Yemi wasn't ready to sympathize with her. The only person who deserves to be pitied is Tori. They can't possibly deceive her for ever. After living a deceitful life all her life and not knowing who she actually is, she deserves to know the truth which is just staring right at her in the face.
'I named her Toriola which was the name my deceased daughter bore.' Yemi started 'She's currently an intern at the University Teaching Hospital here. I came to Lagos to meet her. She doesn't know I'm in Lagos presently but I'm going to call her now.' Yemi finally let that out after ruminating for a while.
That her daughter was already a medical intern suggested she lived a fine life. Ebiere was expecting some bad news on how her poor daughter had lived. Like some real bad news but here she was getting thrilled by the unexpected revelation.
'Can I meet her today?' Ebiere asked eagerly.
'I don't know. You may or you may not because I'm not sure she would receive the news of my arrival with much mirth.' Yemi said.
Ebiere nodded not so sure she knew what Yemi meant by her statement. In that moment of awkward silence, the door opened and Jo stepped in all knakered and exhausted with weariness strewned over her face and a hint of something else which looked so much like depression.
'You are back.' Jo mummured under her breath barely audible and not really looking at her mum. She was wearing a patterned, multicoloured short gown and she carried a blood-red bag. She clearly ignored Yemi's presence.
'I sent you a message that I was on my way...' Jo didn't let her mum finish that statement.
'I saw it a while ago.' Jo said then continued. 'Welcome back.' With that she strolled slowly out of the sitting room into another part of the building one could easily guess leads to the bedroom.
'Your daughter?' Yemi asked wondering how she could have a daughter that grown.
'Ebiere nodded then waved it off not wanting Yemi dwelling on that. 'Don't worry about her. She probably is in a bad mood.' She explained thinking Yemi's reason for asking was because of the way Jo had behaved. She wasn't disclosing Jo's adoption. She would always be a real daughter to her.
Maybe she looks older than her actual age. Yemi thought not really believing her own assertion as she fished her phone from her bag, ready to make a call to Tori.
***************
'So.....' Tobi let the 'so' lingered on hoping Tori would say something as he tried to avoid looking at her. Tori was sitting beside him on a wooden bench at a relaxation park looking at her feet which caressed the grass while her palms rested firmly on the bench.
Tobi had waited around until she got off work when she had used work as an excuse to entangle herself from the embrace they had earlier. He felt people's eyes on him as he watched her hurried away from him into one of the wards.
When she got to the car park later on and saw him waiting, the surprise on her face was a sight to behold. He had told her they needed to talk and she had reluctantly joined him in the car and here they are.
'I saw the wristwatch you got for me. It is nice.' He paused scanning her face for encouragement to continue but found none. 'Thanks for remembering my birthday.' He slowly added and Tori just kept looking at her feet as it strokedthe grass. Tobi's heart fell at her reaction but it was expected.
'I don't know what I could possibly do to make you forgive me. Go on my knees? Wear suits? Or go to the amusement park. Just name it, I would think about doing it.' He added and he could see a quick smile which disappeared off her face almost immediately.
'I'm sorry Tori. I was mad because you ignored my uncle's health and went somewhere with Marcus but whatever reason you had for leaving like that doesn't really matter. I shouldn't have sent you off like. I should have asked you to explain..' He further explained.
'So you thought I went somewhere? Presumably to have fun with Marcus?' She asked raising her head to look at Tobi for the first time.
Tobi only nodded slightly and Tori just scoffed at his reply.
'My boss and Marcus' friend got shot and we had to be there! That was why I left or why would I have left you hanging like that if it hadn't been an emergency!' She yelled at his face and Tobi was happy.
It was weird getting happy when someone yells at you but the reason he was happy was having her back.
'I never knew that was the reason but it doesn't really matter where you had been. Not knowing where you were going to is really not an excuse for me to have acted that way.' He said remorsefully. 'So how is the person that got shot?' He asked after a while.
'He is recovering.' Tori replied going back to staring at her legs.
Both were silent until Tori broke the silence.
'I'm sorry I didn't come with you to your uncle's place. How is he now?' She asked.
'He is doing great. After so much persuasion on my part and mom's, he finally agreed to go to the hospital a few days ago. He is currently receiving treatment.' Tobi explained and Tori smiled.
'That's relieving. What did they say is wrong with him?' She asked.
'The funny thing is after several tests and scanning, the doctors found nothing wrong with him.' Tobi replied.
'It's nice he is in the hospital now.' Tori commented and the duo got silent again.
'So, where do you stay now?' Tobi asked not sure whether that was a good question.
'Somewhere.' Tori replied. 'With someone.' She added.
'Marcus?' He asked his heart breaking into pieces at the possibility that she was staying with Marcus.
'No.' Tori said, a frown creasing up her face as she felt insulted. 'Why would you think that?' She was surprised at his statement.
'I didn't mean to insult you. He was just the only 'someone' that comes to mind.' He tried to explain to her.
'I'm staying with my friend. A female friend. Janice. We used to be course mates.' Tori explained and she blamed herself for seeming desperate to explain things to him. She was supposed not to care whatever he thinks.
'Oh. Okay. So, when are you coming back?' Tobi asked not sure what her answer could be.
Tori knew what he meant by 'coming back'.
'I'm not coming back. Don't get it all twisted, it's not because of US but because it's not just right. You should understand.' She said.
'But whichever way I try to see it, it seems it's because of US. It's all because of my stewpid action...' Tobi's statement was cut short by Tori.
'It's really not about us. I love your family so much and I'd give anything to be with them but it's not just right and I need to get my acts together and stand on my own place. I was going to leave your place anyway it just happens that fate had it all planned.' Tori said.
Tobi had no choice but to respect her decision even though he wished she would changed her mind.
'And about that wristwatch, you shouldn't have bothered...' Tobi started saying but was interrupted by Tori's phone's ringtone. She asked for permission to pick the call by raising her index finger pleadingly and Tobi granted her request by nodding his head.
'Good evening Grandmother... What?.. Why didn't you tell me you'd be coming!.. Where are you now?.. You never told me about having a relative here!..' Tobi heard her conversation even though he had no intention of doing so.
Tobi's phone also started ringing and he picked it up. It was his mum.
'What?' He was dumbfounded at what his mum said before hanging up. Tori was also done receiving her call.
'My grandmother is in Lagos. She's staying with one of her distant cousin.' Tori complained to Tobi who was busy looking at his phone. She didn't notice his downcast countenance. Instead she continued complaining.
'A cousin she never told me about before. I'm sorry, I have to go meet her...' It was when she was done talking that she noticed Tobi's unattentiveness.
'What's wrong?' She asked worried at his sudden change of mood.
'My uncle just died.' Tobi replied not looking at her.
©Fiyah
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