Thirty -Nine

Apeke chose to ignore her step sister. Instead she went in search of her mother.

She passed the familiar way to the kitchen where she could hear her mother and father arguing.

Her mother ran to her immediately and pulled her into her arms. Fabumi sighed out of relief.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"I am too,mother." Apeke smiled at her mother but was surprised to see her mother's smile wavering. What was up with that? Apeke knew her mother to be an ambitious and confident to a fault so she was wondered what could have made her smile waver. Could it be...

Ajani cleared his throat in order to gain the attention of his wife and child.

"Have you forgotten your father so easily,child?" Her father joked.

"Hhhmm"Apeke did as if she was thinking deeply. "Maybe I have. Who are you again?" She feigned ignorance.

"Your father. You can't forget me that easily. Come here you silly child." Apeke laughed and went to her father.

"If you ever forget about me I'll hit your head against a huge rock until you say my name. I won't let you forget me even if you marry that white man." Apeke's smile faltered,her mood immediately changing as she remembered the reason she had come in search of him the moment she got home; she had to tell him...

Apeke saw her mother look at her and then look away, almost as if feeling guilty.

"Father.." She paused. How was she to tell him? How was she to tell him his little girl was giving up and letting people choose for her? How was she to tell him that life won in the end? How was she to tell him that she had lost and would now have to pay for it for the rest of her life.

"What is it,my child?" Ajani said as his daughter's distraught expression made him worried.

"I agreed to marry the crown prince."

..

Omowumi was busy humming as she stirred the food she was making when Alani suddenly hugged her from behind.

At first she was startled but then she looked behind her and she was relieved that it was only Alani.

"You startled me." She said.

"I'm sorry my love."

Omowumi smiled.

"Your love? Are you sure?"

Omowumi's words made Alani confused.

"Of course I'm sure."

"Then why haven't you come to see me for a while now ehn?"

Alani scratched his head. He haven't been able to see her for a while because he had been trying to look for a job. He wanted to marry her and he knew that to do that he had to have a good enough standing financially. He had later decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a blacksmith.

"I've been busy planning our future,my love." He smiled and held her face in his hands.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Don't worry about if for now. I'll tell you later."

"Ok oo."She replied and looked away.

"Are you mad at me?"

"You tell me? Should I be? You have refused to tell me what you've been up to for a few days."

"You have nothing to worry about,my love. I was only taking care of something important." Alani didn't want to tell her what he had been up to until he had set up his business.

"Something important? Hmmm. If it's that important you should go back to it then, seeing as it's more important than me."Omowumi said,still turning her back from him.

"Omowumi,please look at me. Nothing is more important to me than you." Alani was alarmed at Omowumi's response to him. He wasn't so sure he could keep his secret anymore.

"I'm really sorry. I promise to never do something of that sorts again?"

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you promise not to something of that sorts again? Why are you sorry?"

Alani wondered if it was a trick question. Was she trying to bait him?

"Omowumi," he sighed. "I was busy taking care of something important. I'm sorry I didn't inform you we wouldn't be seeing each other as often,for a while. I'm sorry I got you worried or feeling abandoned." Omowumi smiled but quickly schooled her expression.

"I won't repeat it,I promise." Alani really hoped she wouldn't be angry at him anymore.

"I forgive you." He looked so sober,she just couldn't help herself.

Alani beamed and hugged her.

"Thank you my love."

"Are you going to marry my mother?"

Arike said. She had been listening to their conversation for a while without calling attention to herself. She wanted to see if Omowumi was going to forgive him. She was surprised that she actually did. Not that she thought her aunt was hateful but she could never stand being ignored in a relationship because it made her feel insecure and this was as a result of the heart breaks she had experienced.

"I sure will,with your permission of course." He humoured Arike.

Omowumi was too shocked to give her a reply. That was the first time she had ever called her mother. It brought back memories of her sister,her actual mother. Why did she have to leave her? Why did she take the easy way out and leave her alone with all these responsibilities?

"I am not your mother!" She yelled and walked away.

Arike and Alani were shocked at Omowumi's sudden outburst.

"It's my fault,I shouldn't have said anything."

Alani feel the pain in her words.

"Don't blame yourself." Alani said and went after Omowumi.

Arike knew Omowumi wasn't her mother. She knew that no matter how much she wished she was,she wasn't. She wished her mother wasn't the one who killed herself and ruined her sister's life by leaving her a burden; her.

Arike wished she could have been born in a normal family. At least then she would be able to play with other kids. Parents wouldn't tell their children to stay away from her. She would have had an easier life,but then again it could have been much worse so she was grateful for what she had.

She had simply been caught up in a mirage and got ahead of herself for a minute but she wouldn't let it repeat itself.

Omowumi laid down in the middle of her garden,careful not to get in the way of any of the plants. She could hear Alani's footsteps.

Alani sat beside her quietly.

"You know, everything reminds me of my sister. This garden,she catered to like a mother. She told me each plant was special and should be treated as such. We made so many memories right here. The sky reminds me of her. She said the sky was like a woman always wanting to beautify herself with her ornaments and the sky sure has many, from the Sun,to the Moon,to the many stars in the sky. She — she"Wumi couldn't continue her words as she burst into tears

"It's okay." Alani comforted her.

"No,it's not. I miss her so much. How could she leave me just like that? I wish I could find out some how."

"I wish so too,Wumi. I Wish so too." Apeke said from behind them.

"Apeke,what are you doing here?" Alani said.

"Since when did I need a reason to visit by best friend?" She retorted.

"I thought you'd be too busy planning your wedding. You know? The one you didn't inform your 'best friend' about." Alani was angry at Apeke and strongly against her decision to marry the crown prince. That had been one of the reasons he has come to see Omowumi.

"Ehn? Apeke,what is this that I'm hearing?" Wumi stood up.

"Please don't be like that too." Apeke said as if she were tired. "I have had enough of that today."

"Enough of what, exactly? Enough of people trying to talk sense into you?" Alani said.

"Alani please excuse us."Wumi said.

"Fine." He huffed.

Wumi walked over to her friend and held her hand. She said,"What is it Apeke? What is going on? Did something happen between you and Michael?"

"Yes." Apeke broke into tears.

"What is it? What happened?"

"He left me,Wumi,he left me." Apeke cried out of guilt. She cried because she was feeling sorry for herself. She cried because she wished for a way out but alas,there was not.

"He doesn't deserve you, then but that doesn't mean you should be so quick to choose the crown prince."

"Why can't I choose the crown prince? Why can't I also be ambitious? Is it so hard to believe that I want to be Queen? My father found it hard to believe me too." Apeke zoned out for a while as she remembered her conversation with her father earlier that day.

"I agreed to marry the crown prince." Apeke said.

Ajani opened his mouth but find the words.

"I knew it! I knew it was all a lie!" Abeke exclaimed. "How could you? You know how important this is to your sister,get you took it away from her."

"Oh,so now she's my sister?"Apeke said. She had so much pent up frustration that she felt the need to lash out at someone.

"Of course she is. What nonsense are you saying?" Abeke replied.

"You didn't consider her my sister when she took everything I wanted this past years,when she made it her life's mission to my life hell. She wasn't my sister then and she isn't now either. She has never had my best interest at heart so why should I have hers?" Apeke said. Unknown to her Adunni was listening.

She's right. She thought to herself. "But you started it all those years ago and I'm going to end it. I will be the victor,I have to be."

"Wow! Would you look at that? I should applaud you. Your true colours are finally being revealed." Abeke clapped.

Apeke smiled. "There are no true colours to be revealed here but new ones. For the first time I'm going to be greedy because I want power." Apeke said. "Enough power so there is never a threat I can't handle against the ones I love." She said to herself.

"You little..

"What? Is it wrong to be ambitious? It's okay when you so it but when I do it. It's suddenly a sin."

"That's enough! Both of you." Ajani said. He was shocked at Apeke's outburst and so was her mother. She wondered if she had done the right thing for her child or if she has created a monster instead.

"Are you really going to let her get away with this? You heard how she was speaking to me. Did you not?" Abeke said.

Ajani sighed. Even though he didn't want to he knew he had to reprimand Apeke for speaking like that to her step mother.

"Apeke apologize to her." He instructed.

"No."

Everyone was shocked at her outburst but was even more shocked at her reply to Ajani.

It was no news to anyone that Apeke loved her father dearly. She had a lot of respect for him. She always tried her best not to disobey him.

"What?"Ajani said.

"I'm really sorry father but I won't apologize to her."

"Apeke,come with me." Ajani said.

Fabumi who had been quiet the whole time said to herself,"I hope I did the right thing."

Ajani led his daughter to his room and told her to take a seat. He was quiet for a while as be wanted her to simply calm down before he began to talk to her.

Apeke wanted to break down and hug her father. He had always been her there for her. He had always been her shoulder to cry on but she couldn't let herself cry on. No,not this time.

"My child,my beautiful daughter. The one that takes after my heart, what is going on? Talk to me." Her father began.

"It's nothing,father." Apeke couldn't look him in the eyes as she gave her reply.

"It's nothing? You agreed to marry that prince and you say it's nothing? Have you heard the whispers about him? The rumours about him being colder than the white man's snow."

"But he isn't like that though."Apeke felt the need to defend Adelaja. He had never been cold to her but then again that might be because they were to be wedded.

"What happened with that oyinbo(white) ?"

"He left me. I guess he never truly cared." It broke her hear each time she had to say such ill words about Micheal.