Adunni's Tales

“Layo please wake up” “Layo… Layo please. I am sorry” I could hear Bola crying faintly. The more she cried and begged me to wake up, the clearer her voice became. I opened my eyes to see both Bola and Uncle Jide hovering over me. I felt so cold. It was obvious they had been trying to resuscitate me with water. Bola kept on crying and apologizing for acting in the manner she acted. It was Uncle Jide that first noticed that I was awake. He shouted my name with joy and sternly told Bola to move away. I got to know that when I fainted, Uncle Jide had threatened Bola that if anything happened to me, he would personally make life a living hell for her. Bola kept on crying uncontrollably. She kept on apologising. “Bola… I didn’t do anything wrong” I said looking up at her. “Layo my baby…I know now. Can you ever forgive me? I am sorry, I thought you were me” “what do you mean by that?” Uncle Jide looked up when she uttered the last statement. That was when Bola started a story...

The day I got to Abuja, Uncle Jide was the one that came to pick me at the airport. I had high hopes that it would be Bola but here was I facing the first man I ever loved who also happens to be my brother-in -law. I quickly reminded myself of my decision and walked towards him with a smile on my face. “Good afternoon Uncle Jide, thanks for coming to pick me” “Layo Layo…welcome to Abuja. You don’t know how happy I am to see you. I have missed you so much. I am sure you have missed me too… See your cheeks are coming out…” Uncle Jide kept on rambling till we got to their house. He was obviously excited; I just didn’t know what the cause of his excitement was. Just as Uncle Jide drove into the house, Bola flew out. It was like she was waiting close to the entrance to hear the sound of the car. Bola ran to me, hugged me and led me into the house. “Layo my baby…welcome to our home. We are going to have so much fun together” That day, Bola and I kept talking till late in the nig...

For the next few months, I pretended that everything was okay with Uncle Jide and I. I ignored some of his calls and tried my best to pick some. Since I made a decision to keep Bola happy, I had to stick by it. It was hard not to burst out one day and call him all the bad names I had reserved for only him in my head. It was harder not to ask him why he chose Bola over me. To make matters worse, Uncle Jide was completely avoiding the issue and acting like everything was normal. Tayo, on the other hand, became angrier by the day. On the day she couldn’t hold it any longer and bursted out in anger at Uncle Jide when he asked of me, I saw it coming. She said Uncle Jide was shocked. She wasn’t sure if he was shocked at her audacity or at everything she was saying. Frankly, she didn’t care. Tayo said he didn’t utter a word to interrupt her while she rambled on and on about how she was disappointed in him for hurting me so badly. She said when she finished, Uncle Jide told her he woul...

Bola looked up and saw me where I was glued to and she immediately ran towards me. “Layoo my baby, I am so proud of you…Congratulations” She hugged me and took the award from me. Just then Uncle Jide moved closer to us and also congratulated me. As he was about to hug me just like Bola did, I mumbled one excuse and started walking away from the two of them. Bola told Uncle Jide she would see him around and followed me. “Layo Layo, this your Uncle Jide is not bad o. why didn’t you tell me he is as handsome and intelligent as this?” “Bola he is…” “And he is such a good person” Bola cut me short before I could tell her I was in a relationship with Uncle Jide. “Layo… on a second thought, I need to talk to him about something. I will meet you in the hall” Bola turned back to go and meet Uncle Jide. I wanted to stop her but I felt really weak, like I would faint. I couldn’t afford to have another health crisis especially not on my last day in High school so I kept on walking ...

After the incident with Michael, Uncle Jide called me in the night and apologised for any embarrassment he might have caused me. He told me I wouldn’t understand but that he did that to protect me because he loves me. That was all I needed to hear. I was smiling uncontrollably for days.  Even though, Uncle Jide never asked me out but that was the confirmation I needed that we were in a relationship. I mean, why else will he tell me he loves me? I have always had a huge crush on him anyways. As far as I was concerned, everything was perfect. For the next few months Tayo never kept quiet about how Uncle Jide will marry me and I will be her best friend/ sister-in-law. She told everyone that cared to listen that I was in a relationship with her brother who is a corper in Abuja. Truth be told, I never genuinely cautioned her. I could no longer hide that I liked Uncle Jide and I was enjoying the respect my friends and classmates were giving me anytime they heard of my relationshi...

Uncle Jide kept his promise. He was around for all our visiting days. Sometimes he would come straight from school and go back to school the same day.  Tayo had once hinted me that Uncle Jide wasn’t very close to his Mom. She didn’t understand why but she was happy that she was the centre of his attention. Few times when my parents or Bola came for me, Uncle Jide would wait for me till they leave. Uncle Jide never came empty-handed. A day to our visiting day, Uncle Jide would call us through the house mistress’ phone and ask for a list of what Tayo and I specifically wanted him to buy for us. Because of Uncle Jide, visiting days became what I looked forward to. On the first visiting day in SSS3, Uncle Jide bought phones for Tayo and I. We had told him we could use phones in SSS3, but we didn’t imagine that he would buy for us. He bought the same phone for us and loaded both with airtime. “I will be going for my Youth service soon. I was posted to Abuja. Even though I’m far ...