Both the dead and the lost will meet one day – Yoruba proverb. Throw stone into the market with caution, it might just hit your brother – Yoruba proverb.
The whole sitting room went dead silence as Aramide and I looked at each other. The scenario on our birthday quickly play itself on my head especially uncle Ben’s statement “who are you?”
Ben: Who’s the are you talking about?
Mother: I’m sorry, you’ve left before I discovered I was pregnant but I told your brother.
Mum: That’s true, she told my husband. I knew too.
Mother: I’m really sorry. Aramide, Opeyemi your father is alive, this is your father. I’m sorry about everything (crying)
At this point Aramide has joined our mother crying while uncle Ben was forcing not crying. I kept mute and cool and was just ruminating on the thought of me calling Uncle Ben “Dad”. I’ve not call anybody by that since I my former father died. Only God knows what was going through uncle Ben’s mind as he just stood there looking like a lost sheep.
How does a man who does not have children and is not capable of giving birth do when he realize he’s having full grown twins? What a life! He looked at me and smile while u smile back to him. Our relationship just change from uncle nephew to father son, which means he doesn’t need to adopt or announce me anymore. However, having a daughter is new for him as he had never met Aramide before.
He changed his gaze at me and look at Aramide who now look more like him in my view. He gazed such much on her and forced out words to her.
Ben: It’s okay, I understand, God knows about everything. (facing Aramide) Can I call you daughter?
Instead of Aramide to answer him, she went to him and hug him still while crying on his chest. Uncle Ben, I mean my Dad, kept on rubbing her back saying the words “Daddy is sorry”.
After some minutes, I started to lose my stability, I had stood for so long I did not even know I was no more with the crutches. I took a step closer to the nearest chair but almost fell down trying to take the second step but Temmy was at hand to grab and help me to the chair. I expect the crying competition to round up but it kept increasing as Aramide won’t stop crying on the chest of her father. I don’t blame her though, I had it easier than her. She has been a subject of abuse from her step father all these while, it is only normal for her to be in need of father figure and now that she’s in the arm of her own father, nobody can take it away from her.
I got tired of the crying crusade so I decided to start laughing out loud. My laughter caught attention of everybody including Aramide. I’m sure they’ll be thinking “hope something has not enter this boy’s brain”.
Me: Ah, thank God, I now have your attention. Aramide that chest isn’t only yours, but you’ve occupied the whole place. Where do I stay there now?
Everybody went into laughter at my remarks but instead of Aramide to stop crying, she left our father and hugged me on the chair sitting on my laps. I pet her and told her to stop crying or I’ll join her. She did stop crying but wasn’t letting go of me.
Uncle Ben, D–n! I mean our father, don’t mind me, I’m not used to it yet. Our father just stood there looking at both of us. Aunty Joy joined him and stood in his arms. Later she left him and came to us where we were sitting.
Joy: Will, you are already a darling but I need a request from you both. I know I’m not as old and I can’t be your your mother because you are both grown up now any your mother is still alive but I still want to be. Can I be your mother?
Aramide smile and nod her head to say yes but I pranked her.
Me: You said yes? You people are not considering me o, how will I manage between three mothers?
We all laughed as she hugged both of us. Happiness they say is a state of mind, what we have is Joy. We forgot all we’ve went through and embrace the moment. We do not have time to be arguing about Vera’s Dad who came to ask for forgiveness, we do not even know he existed at that moment.
How I wish both my mother and father had not remarried at that point. How sweet will it be for the four of us to enjoy a nuclear family life we deserved. Life has got a different thing in mind and I’m happy we are all alive to see this moment.
Orire: My friend, my daughter is marrying your son
Ben: (smiles) Why have I not meet that your daughter all these while?
Orire: You have, here she is (Pointing to Funmi who was sitting close to me)
Ben: Are you kidding? Funmi is your daughter?
Orire: I was surprised to see they were already dating.
Ben: (shaking his head) What they call destiny is really strong. It’s better for one to love life day by day and not trying to be smarter than God. Destiny just outsmart us.
Orire: All I know is it’s a win/win thing, kids are happy, we are happy.
Aunty Joy received a call and went outside to pick it. It took her up to one hour before she returned back inside. I guessed she was outside the compound as uncle Ben also received a call during her absence telling the person “No”. I guessed he was talking to Aunty Joy on phone as she eventually came back with a funny look while Uncle Ben, I mean my Dad also frown as his countenance changed. Before he could say anything, my Dad’s Sister (DS) came into the sitting room. I guess there is more to the day than we’ve witnessed and indeed there was more.
DS: Ben, I am so sorry about everything, I regret evert of my actions and inactions. I don’t know how much you know but I’m really sorry. It’s as if Samanja hypnotized me. My husband did nothing wrong to me and I lied saying he was abusing me, he did not. He cared for me and love me but greed pitched me with Samanja. Now the same Samanja want me dead if I can’t get all what he wanted which is why I’m here because I’m sure you won’t want me dead. I have damaged every relationship I have and therefore have nowhere to go again.
Before she could continue with her crying talking, Uncle Ben hugged her and asked her not to talk anymore. She released herself from my Dad and faced me. Meanwhile, Aramide was still on my arms.
DS: I can’t remember your name but I want to apologize to you. I’m really sorry. That you are alive is a blessing to me. I was not okay since the day Samanja shot you because I know your father, my younger brother will never forgive me for been involved in your death.
Dad: I am not your younger brother and I’m not dead
DS: (smiles) I’m not talking about you his adopted father but his real father, our younger brother.
Dad: I am his father, the real father. They are my twin
DS: (looking confused) I don’t understand you. You mean he’s indeed your son?
Dad: Yes, and that’s my daughter, the girl that was kidnapped that day.
DS: Since when did you know all this?
Dad: Since two hours ago
DS: Oh my God! What have I done? (She paused for a moment and cleaned her tears) Ejire, I am very sorry
Dad: Aramide, William, I know most people don’t know this, not even my best friend Orire, nor my lovely wife Joy. I want you guys to meet my twin sister. She’s Taiwo while I’m her Kehinde.
Orire: Wao! This is interesting!
Me: God must really give me power to erase so many things on my head.
As we were still relishing on the newest of realities in two days, a rather unexpected and unwelcome visitor came in. No it wasn’t Samanja, I don’t think he knows our place, and No it wasn’t Victoria, she’ll probably be back at PH by then. It was Uche, yes the same Uche that supposed to be on the hospita bed receiving treatment. She came in looking so dull, lacking energy I wondered why she left hospital because I don’t think she’s been discharged. She was almost falling down as she tried to talk. She came with a woman whom she has a striking resemblance. I guess she’s her mother.
Me: Uche why did you leave hospital? You don’t look okay
Uncle: I’m sorry Will, I’m really sorry for everything, for betraying your trust. Yes I did love you, but I shouldn’t have done what I did. I followed bad advice and it’s wrong on all counts. I’ll understand if you don’t forgive me. I know fate doesn’t want me to have that child and I’m embracing the fate, but I can’t afford you not forgiving me.
Me: Uche ice forgiven you since, you just have to forgive yourself. Thank God you are alive, it could have been another thing entirely. I think you should go back to the hospital, you are obviously not yet okay.
Woman: Are you Will?
Me: Yes ma’am
Woman: I’m sorry for intruding your house, I’m Uche’s mother. She has told me everything that happened, and all that she did. You are a kind person, please forgive my daughter from your heart. I came down from Lagos today after she called me she’s here. Imagine the person we all thought is in PH, even her sister is still expecting her. I’m the one that insisted we ask for your forgiveness before leaving. Please forgive her,take it I’m the one that offend you. I beg you in the name of God.
Before she could continue and before I could answer her, my Dad’s twin (Taye) confronted her
Taye: Opakrite! (Referring to Uche’s mother)
Opakrite: Aunty! What are you doing here?
Taye: I should be asking you the same thing
Opakrite: Uche is my daughter, I’m here because of her. She just finish her service year and then ended up here
Taye: This is Uche?
Opakrite: Yes, it’s been long you see her. The last time you came to our place she was in school.
Taye: I remember, Wao, kids grow faster this day o. Ben you don’t know Opakrite?
Dad: I’m trying to remember
Taye: Ah! This is not good o. Opakrite you too don’t know him?
Opakrite: No Aunty, I don’t
Taye: I think we need a big family meeting. Ben can’t you see her face? Can’t you see our mother’s face on her? She’s the first daughter our mother had for her new husband
Dad: Are you kidding? This is Phebe?
Opakrite: Yes sir I am.
Dad: Oh my my, I know her as Phebe I don’t know she’s also Opakrite
Taye: She stays in Lagos which is why we don’t see often. Opakrite this is your eldest brother, my twin brother.
Human are indeed water, we can flow anywhere. Our roots have similar connections one way or the other, no matter the tribe or race we all come from. Each one of us are related to each other on way or the other, no matter how long the chain might be, at worst it’s traced to either Noah or Adam. Why don’t you treat the next person you’ll meet as a family, don’t forget we all live in glass house, cricket shouldn’t be our game. Treat men the way you want to be treated. Do good to that stranger and you might be helping your own brother.
Let me quickly imitate you with the Albert family tree. Mr Albert (my grandfather) has four kids, three boys and a girl. His first issue were twins, Uncle Ben (my father) and his twin sister (Taye). Born next to them is their brother, who took care of me as a father (Debby’s father). Their father had the fourth son out of wedlock but the woman died while giving birth, so the boy was taken care of by my grandmother. The last born was the one that died in Asia.
After their father (my grandfather) death, their mother (my grandmother) remarried a kalabari man and left to stay with her new husband going only with my father’s twin (Taye). She (my grandmother) has children with her new husband (I don’t know how many) of which Opakrite (Uche’s mother) is the first born.
This means Uche’s mother (Opakrite) is my father’s maternal younger sister and that makes Uche my Legal Cousin! What a life!
What if Uche’s pregnancy had stayed? I would have been expecting my first child from my own cousin, Abomination!
That is the story of my family and my love life. We all got married to our respective sweethearts and life is as peaceful as it can be.
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I was having a wonderful dream when somebody jumped on me, and before I could defend my self another jumped on my chest.
Girl: I am an Elephant!
Boy: I am a Lion!
Me: And you guys have turned me to donkey!
Boy: Daddy you are not a donkey
Girl: Yes Daddy you are Gorilla
Me: What? You mother!
Funmi: Stop that Mr Gorilla (we all laughed)
Yes it’s not dream. That’s my family, Funmi my beautiful angelic wife gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. By next month we’ll have our fifth wedding anniversary.
I don’t know if we’ll live happily ever after, but we are currently happy and it can only be better. We have a date with Temmy and Rachael, today’s their 6th wedding anniversary. Yeah, they tied the knot before us because we were waiting for my automobile and agricultural company to hit the ground running. Yeah, I did not inherit my father’s company, at least not yet. He’s still alive enjoying Aunty Joy my third mother.
Debby has already taken the kids to my mother (Debby’s mother) for the weekend, so I have the whole time with Funmi MY FINAL YEAR LOVE
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GLORY BE TO GOD ALMIGHTY WHO KEPT ME AND MY READERS THROUGHOUT.
Shout out to the 6 pens, three 60 leaves and one 40 leaves that I consumed in composing this (Lols), and to my phone that I turned into a computer for typing and uploading (winks)
Thanks to everybody. Please permit me not to mention names or monikers because *in Tiwa Salvage voice* If I start to talk… I’m obviously gonna write more than three pages. I appreciate you all.
Till my next inspiration, I remained my humble self @Babsopey on every social network, even Google (winks) except the one I don’t use.
Do good to all men and expect less from all men, with that you’ll be happy.