DIARIES (ENTRY #48)

HELP !!!

Dear Diary,

I was in a fix. I had to go and have my baby in peace but my brother had decided to go on a one man mission to bring down Chief Badmus for reasons best known to him. In all fairness to Afolabi, I didn’t have memories of what the Badmus family had done to my mother but he did and obviously was still being haunted by the trauma. I did not know whether to tell Chief Badmus about Afolabi’s plan. He was determined to ruin the family fortune and leave Chief Akin Badmus penniless and helpless, like he had done to our mother.

I told TK about Afolabi’s plan and his answer was simple

TK: You have started Anjola. Stay out of it.

So I decided for once to listen and mind my business until I got a phone call from Chief Badmus.

Chief Badmus: Hello, Anjola. Thank you very much for your interference in the matter between Afolabi and me.

Me: What matter sir?

Chief Badmus: Are you being modest? Afolabi came to see me earlier today. He has agreed to resume as CEO of the family company immediately so I can retire and focus on getting my health back on track. He has also promised to ensure everyone gets what they deserve so I am confident you and your half-sisters would be well taken care of.

Afolabi had sent Chief Badmus a subliminal message he did not understand, he wanted everyone to get what they deserved and for Chief Badmus that was good news. My brother had set in motion a plan that I knew would destroy him. I did the only thing I could think of to do; I called my aunt who was now like a mother to us.

I explained Afolabi’s plan to her and TK’s instruction that I was to stay out of it. She told me to listen to my husband and go and have my baby in peace she would take care of the situation. I was glad I had someone to count on.

We were on our way to the airport – Oladunni, my sister in law, my niece and I – when my phone rang. It was Afolabi

Me: Hi Bro Missing me already?

Afolabi: Anjola, I have something to tell you.

Me: What happened?

Afolabi: I know it’s not the best timing but you would be out of reach for the next 14 hours and by then it may be too late so…

Me: What happened???

Afolabi: I just got a call; Chief Badmus was rushed to the hospital about an hour ago. I don’t have all the details but they are saying he might not make it. I just wanted you to know by the time you get to America he may be gone.

Me: I thought he was feeling better, I thought his condition had been stabilized. That’s what he said!

Afolabi: I don’t know Anjola; I am on my way to the hospital. I was only called because he replaced Jaiyeola’s name with mine as his emergency contact and next of kin. Let me know when you land I should have an update then.

He hung up. I couldn’t control the tears that started streaming down my face. What if he was dead by the time I got back? I was to be gone for at least three months. He might even have been buried before I was back in the country. I tried to remember our last conversation, the last thing I said to him…I couldn’t. Then it occurred to me that I wanted a relationship with this man. I did not want him to die; maybe he hadn’t made all the right choices in the past. He may have deceived my mother, and almost ruined TK’s family but he was trying to make up for it. He had brought Oladunni back to us, entrusted his entire family wealth to Afolabi. Even if I never got to have a relationship with him, I wanted to have say a proper goodbye.

Me: Akpan turn this car around now. I want to go back.

Apkan: Madam this place is one way, I cannot turn here.

Me: I don’t care. Turn back.

My sister-in-law spoke

Lily: Anjola what is it?

Me: My father is dying; I have to say goodbye to him. I have to say goodbye to him.

Akpan: Madam we are already at the airport.

Me: Oladunni and I are not getting on that flight!

We dropped my sister-in-law and niece off at the airport and headed back to the hospital in Victoria Island. I knew that was where he would have been rushed to. When I got there, I met Afolabi and two ladies that were undeniably my half-sisters. I didn’t have to be told, the resemblance was obvious.

Afolabi: Anjola what are you doing here?

Me: How is he?

The ladies eyed me and didn’t respond.

Afolabi: Bad.

Me: Can I see him?

Afolabi: We have been waiting to see him. They won’t let us in. These are his daughters Atinuke and Doyin.

Me: Hello. I am Anjola, nice to meet you.

They did not respond but they were the least of my problems. We all waited until the doctor came out.

Doctor: We need to start prepping him to travel out of the county immediately, we have done all we can to manage the situation. He needs a transplant. If he doesn’t get one soon, he may not be with us much longer.

Me: I don’t understand, I thought he was feeling better.

Doctor: On the contrary I have been telling him that he needed to leave the country urgently but he insisted on waiting till a family matter was sorted out.

Atinuke my half-sister turned to me and spoke,

Atinuke: I hope you realize that if he dies it’s your fault! He should have left the country weeks ago but he was hell bent on helping you sort out your family drama!

Afolabi: Family drama that was brought about by your lunatic brother!

Doyin my other half-sister spoke

Doyin: The only lunatic here is you if you think we are going to sit back and watch you take over our family fortune simply because you were born a male child!

Afolabi: Get used to it. You will all get what you deserve.

Me: Listen to yourselves! Our father is dying and you are only concerned about his fortune. You should all be ashamed of yourselves! We should be talking about how to get him out of the country and get a donor before it is too late!

Doctor: Actually that brings me to my next point. Someone has to accompany him to India for the transplant, he would not be allowed to travel for the transplant alone. I’d advise it should be a family member that shares his blood type because he would probably need a blood transfusion and it would be easier if there is a donor already at hand because his blood type is not very common. Atinuke and Doyin were tested the last time he needed a blood transfusion and they were not matches.

He turned to me,

Doctor: You are heavily pregnant so that’s obviously out of the question.

Everyone’s gaze fell on Afolabi; obviously he was the only one left.

Afolabi: You must all be out of your minds! I am not going anywhere with that man.

Eventually, Afolabi agreed to do a test. He was a perfect match and even though he was not very happy about it. He agreed to accompany Chief Badmus to India for the transplant. His name had been on a donor list for a while and the hospital in India had confirmed they would have a donor by the time he arrived there.

That evening when I arrived in the house, TK was stunned but I was relieved he understood my decision and didn’t make an issue out of my not leaving the country as he had instructed.

With Afolabi agreeing to accompany Chief Badmus to India, there was need to nominate someone to act as the CEO of the family company while they were both away. The next day we were all allowed to see him, he requested to see his four children at the same time.

He looked small and frail and my heart went out to him.

Chief Badmus: I have called you all here today because I am not sure if the transplant would be successful; this might be the only opportunity I would have to address all of you. Doyinsola, you are the eldest of my daughters, please take care of things till Afolabi gets back. First of all, Afolabi and Anjola I want you to know your mother was the love of my life. Not to ridicule my marriage to my wife but if I had had the guts to stand up to my family I would have done right by her, that is why I admire you Afolabi. My wealth and fortune never swayed you into just accepting me after what I did to you and your family and I want you to know that I am proud of the man you have become even without a father figure in your life. I pray the resentment you have in your heart for me would eventually pass when you realize that if I could turn back the hand of time I would and I would have been a part of your life and made better choices. I am handing over everything the Badmus family has ever worked for to you and I know you will do right by your sisters. I have one last request of you; I would like you to adopt the Badmus name. I have no right to insist but it would make me rest better in my grave if I know that my name and legacy is living on. I know you will do better justice to the name than I ever did, you are now the sole custodian of my legacy.

Anjola, you have turned out to be a strong woman just like your mother was. I am so honored to have spent these last few weeks getting to know you even though it was under rather unfortunate circumstances. Please continue to hold this family together. You are the only one with the resilience to do so, please help your brother and in his time of doubt be the voice of reason as you have always been.

Doyinsola and Atinuke, I have watched you grow into the successful women you are today, please I haven’t been the world’s best dad but I have spent the last few years trying to make up for it. I hope you have forgiven me for the wrong choices I made along the way. I understand your feelings towards my need to ask Jaiyeola to stay away from the family, he is still your brother but he cannot be a part of this family after what he did. It is my way of securing your future, I do not trust him and I cannot leave you exposed and vulnerable.

Someday you will understand but for today I beg you, please make sure the stories you tell my grandchildren about me make them think of me with fondness. I may have been a monster to my children and the world but I want them to have a grandfather they would think of only with fondness.

He brought out two envelopes from his bedside drawer. They were both sealed.

He handed one to Afolabi

Chief Badmus: Afolabi guard this with your life. They contain family information only you should be privy to for now.

He handed the second one to me.

Chief Badmus:  I want you to personally deliver this to your husband’s parents as soon as you can. Afolabi’s determination to stand for the truth has convinced me to do the right thing before I die.

He asked for his grandchildren to be brought to him. It was a truly emotional moment and we all left the hospital in tears. Afolabi was remorseful about his earlier bad intentions and I knew his anger towards Chief Badmus had been replaced with sympathy.

I went straight to The Villa to deliver the sealed envelope to TK’s parents. I met the Duchess in the garden sipping her afternoon tea. I handed her the envelope and she waved her hand at the seat next to her, her own way of telling me to take a seat while she opened the envelope.

The Duchess: Wow… he is returning the amount my husband lost to him all those years ago and he is returning the equivalent of the money as at today.

She looked truly surprised, but I was ecstatic. I was worried Oladunni and her brother on the way would grow up hearing horrible stories about their grandfather from the Ayo-Kessington family, now he was trying to clear his name.

Me: That is great!

The Duchess: Hmmmm…may be people do change after all. Speaking of changes, my husband is still insisting on a divorce even though I have tried to talk sense into his head. You know I would never condescend to admitting this but Anjola I need your help.

Me: I don’t understand ma.

The Duchess: You are the only one I can trust with this for some reason I cannot explain; please I need your help to win my husband back.

The Duchess needed my help; I never thought this day would come!