Her Baby’s Secret

Arike’s POV

(Flashback Continues)

“Arike? You have to -”

“I promise. I won’t engage in premarital sex.”

“Pinky promise?” She smiled.

“Pinky promise.” She locked our fingers.

“I will buy you a big house and a car too when I have a lot of money.”

“The I can’t wait for you to grow up.. my baby.” She kissed me on my cheeks.

(FLASHBACK ENDS)

She didn’t stay alive for me to buy her a car or a house. My mom died a year after and she didn’t get to fulfill some promises she made to me like telling me who my father was, attending my graduations and buying my law outfits.

And what about me? I failed her! I only got to become a Lawyer but I didn’t fulfill my promise of not engaging in Pre-Marital Sex. That promise has be the reason why I never had a boyfriend. I was scared that I would be compelled to lose my virginity if I got involved with any man.

I couldn’t control my tears at the realization of how I had ended my life. I didn’t get to know the man who fathered me and the second thing was repeating itself but the only difference was that I know the father of my child, he won’t deny our baby but I could never be with him because he was married to someone else. My baby will never get to be with her father. I have ruined my life and the life of the innocent soul in my womb.

A glint of hope stirred within me when Busayomi opened the door. She walked in with a tray in her hands.

“Sit up… you need to eat.” She said.

I shook my head. “I.. I.. am not hungry.”

She frowned deeply. “My friend sit up before I beat you up now.”

I did as she instructed. “I am not doing this for you but for the baby. So don’t feel like I have forgiven you.” She placed the tray filled with tea and bread on the bed.

“Oya madam eat up.”

I picked a slice of bread. “I.. I thought you.. left..” I sniffed.

“Yeah… I feel like leaving but you have no one else to turn to. If I leave now who will take care of you and the baby? So I am stuck with you.”

She was right. Uncle Badejo was the only family I know with my mom aside the day Grandma came visiting after my mom died.

Tears spilled down my cheeks. “I.. am.. sorry.” I mumbled with the bread in my bread.

“It’s alright.” She said.

“No, It wasnt… supposed… to happen.”

I dropped the bread in the tray. I couldn’t even swallow the portion in my mouth. I felt like my throat was closed.

“Am I eligible to know how it happened?” She asked.

I shook my head. I couldn’t dare look up at her because I was afraid to see the look of disappointment in her expression. I know that I fucked up big time.

“I will tell you everything.” I sniffed and wiped my face clean.

“Okay.. I’m listening.” She said.

“I was asleep that night when I heard the doorbell. It was so late that I couldn’t even tell who it might be. And it turned out to be Dayo. He was so drunk that I couldn’t ask him to leave.”

Busayomi was aware that I was trying to avoid Dayo because of Shalewa.

(FLASHBACK TO FOUR WEEKS AGO)

“Why can’t they be like you?” He mumbled into my ears.

“W.. what are you talking about?” I asked. But no response came from him.

Maybe he already dozed off. I thought.

“Dayo?” I tried to get away but his hold on me was tight. I stopped trying.

“I.. erm… I keep wondering why they can’t be like you.” He moved away from me to look into my eyes.

“You’re drunk. Stop saying nonsense.”

“I am talking about all the women I have dated.. including Shalewa.”

“You are drunk. I will go and boil water so you shower to relax your body.” I tried to stand up but he pulled me back to the couch.

“I don’t want this relationship with Shalewa.” He said soberly.

Okay! He’s seriously drunk! That’s why he’s saying nonsense. I concluded.

“She’s not the woman I want to be with.” He stopped to study my expression.

At the same time, I have heard that a drunk man tends to speak the truth in such state.

“I don’t like her at all.” He said.

“You told me that you guys are getting along well. And that you love her.”

“I.. I.. was only playing along. I have to act like I am in love with her.”

“You know this is wrong.”

“Yes.. yes.. I know.. but -” he paused. “I can’t do this anymore.” A tear slipped down his right cheek.

And it breaks my heart to see him cry. And now I see the reason why he has been avoiding Shalewa.

“She’s cheating on me.” He added.

My forehead creased. “What?!”

“Shalewa is a cheat!” He spat out.

“Wait.. are you for real?” I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Yes.. yes.. she’s not honest with me.”

“Well.. you can’t be so sure.”

“I am 100% sure.” He wiped his face and stood up from the couch. “I saw her with him.”

“Who?”

“The movie she acted one month ago.”

“Yeah… I checked out the thriller.” I nodded.

“She has been cheating on me with the lead actor in that movie. What’s his name again?” He tried to remember.

“Charles Adams.” I answered.

“Yes! It’s him! I suspected it at first but had to check her phone to confirm. I asked her about him but she denied it.”

“Maybe it’s not true.”

“Did you not hear me say that I saw her with him! I saw him coming out of her apartment when I went to visit her yesterday. She tried to deny it but I showed her the picture of him which I snapped while he was driving out.”

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“And he hasn’t been the only one. Over the months I have suspected her having affairs with co-actors but she would never admit it anytime I confront her.”

I tried to control the anger that was trying to stir up within me. Now I get the reason why Shalewa always ask me if Dayo ever told me anything about her! That bitch has been lying to me! She said Dayo has been her crush forever the first day we met. She acted like Dayo was the only man she has ever loved. Such a cheat and a liar! She tried to make me think that I was the reason why Dayo couldn’t pay attention to her whereas she has been sleeping with other men! Shalewa is a Sly!

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?” I asked him.

I wouldn’t have tried to stay away from Dayo if I knew she was a devil! Sleeping with half of the men she has acted with! Wow! Unbelievable!

“I didn’t want you to worry about me.”

And now that I know won’t it bother me? Won’t I be worried?!

“So you decided to drink to stupor because of her?”

“I was so angry. Not because she cheated but she blamed it all on me.”

“Why would she blame you?!”

“She cheated because I haven’t gotten intimate with her.”

My jaw dropped slightly. “What? And is that true?”

“Yes…” He scratched the back of his neck. “I haven’t slept with her. I can’t do it. I don’t love her and she knows it too. I am only in this relationship because of my family business. This is all business!”

“It’s a lame excuse for her to cheat because you refused to sleep with her.”

“She’s doing it to get back at me for not loving her. God! I shouldn’t have agreed to get married to that witch. And now it’s too late.”

I went to him. “She would definitely cheat on me if we get married.”

“Why don’t you try to talk to your dad? Tell him everything she has been doing… I am sure he would understand.”

Dayo shook his head. “No.. he doesn’t understand me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I told him what Shalewa has been doing yesterday but he doesn’t care if she’s a cheat or not. He already spent so much on the wedding so nothing can be done.”

Wow! Wow! What a father?! How could he do this to his son? He doesn’t even care about his son’s feelings! What a selfish father! All he cares about is money, and his business! If all fathers are like this then I don’t regret not having one.

I felt pity for Dayo, so I wanted to comfort him. I wrapped my hand around him for a tight hug.