Chapter 7

Lewa stared at the register in front of her. She was to thick present or absent for each person. She was staring at Rotimi's name with her mouth wide open. His full name read Rotimi Diekolayomi Macauly. It was too much of a coincidence. She had managed to get into the bad book of Dieko's child. ' no wonder he looked familiar ' Lewa muttered under her breath. She felt very depressed all of a sudden. When she had called Dieko earlier today he had sounded distant. She had thought he was probably caught up in work or something but seeing Rotimi's full name she had a new worry.

She wished she had never even come to this school in the first place. How was she supposed to explain what happened to Dieko? Putting that thought aside she remembered she had an appointment with a gynaecologist by 5 pm.

....

Dieko came out of the office of one of his trusted friends who happened to work in the hospital in a hurry. He had left Rotimi in the car and he didn't have a good feeling about it. There was security here but this was Lagos after all and one could never be too sure. As he exited the building he caught a glimpse of Lewa exiting the gate. He remembered what she had done to his son.

It must've been a mistake but she should have known better than to get rid of her nails whenever attending to children. He made a mental note to speak to her about it later but right now he had decided not to interfere in her work at the school by confronting the issue. The best he thought he could do for now was to request the headmaster to switch his son's class.

As he opened his Prado jeep his mind calmed on seeing his son staring out the tinted glass.

' I saw aunty big bombom ' Rotimi said on seeing his father.

Dieko opted to keep quiet, Rotimi could be a handful at times. He had told him repeatedly that it was rude to address someone that way but Rotimi had argued that he didn't remember the aunty's name and she did have a big bum.

His mind drifted away momentarily, what had Lewa been doing at the hospital? Was she sick? She had sounded fine over the phone earlier. As he sat in the driver's seat he picked up his phone hesitating to call her. He finally did. When he finally caught sight of her standing at the gate talking to a man whom he recognised as James, he called her.

She picked on the last ring.

' Hello ' her tiny voice came singing in his ear.

' Where are you, babe? '

' Are you coming tonight? ' he noticed a hint of fear in her voice.

' That's not the question '

' I'm at ' he heard her take a deep breath. ' I'm on my way home '

He furrowed his eyebrow upon hearing this, he could see her better now as she approached the parking lot area. It was clear she was lying as she had just entered James' car and except if James was taking her home which was unlikely, something was amiss somewhere.

He cut the call and sat down dejectedly for a while. James only ever drove women when the destination led to his bed. He had a reputation among women. So what was he doing with Lewa? And why was Lewa lying to him?

His mother's voice came back this time, not in warning but in taunting ' I want you to stop parading around with that slut on your arms ' He started the car with annoyance.

He didn't want to believe that Lewa was like that. She was a decent girl. Or did his mother find out something about Lewa that he had failed to notice? When he had started seeing Lewa the same James she was enjoying a car ride with had told him to at least do a background check on her.

He had brushed it aside respecting her privacy. He had thought then that it was rude to intrude into the personal business of the woman he loved. He still felt the same way but the conviction was fading away.

' Dada are we not going home?' Rotimi's voice jolted him from his thoughts.

....

Nike looked at her husband who looked very much unprepared for work this morning. They had not spoken since they had gotten intimate and he had resumed his usual late-coming.

In fact, she hardly ever saw him except when he made himself available for their usual morning kisses. Although since Rotimi had gotten injured at school she had been seeing his face more often. She stole a look at her husband who was present in body but his mind wasn't there. When Nike had found out Dieko was seeing someone else she had been devastated, she had tried to find reasons to hate him but she couldn't just stop loving him.

When Rotimi finished his breakfast of toast and tea, Dieko stood up from where he had been seated, carrying his son and jiggling his car keys as he headed out of the house, then as if remembering something he dropped Rotimi, headed for Nike intending to kiss her lightly on the lip, how it had turned passionate was something he had no control over. If not for their son coughing behind them to remind them of his presence he was sure their kiss would not have ended there.