“Complicated”
Episode 11
As arranged by Chief Akinola, Darasimi was married off to Toluwani, the son of one of his business associates. Toluwani was known for his infidelities, and Darasimi found him repulsive. The wedding was a low-key ceremony, attended only by close family and a few friends. Ore attended with Adetola, and under the watchful eyes of their parents, they made an effort to appear as if they were getting along.
Darasimi entered into this marriage with a resolve to exact revenge. Any reservations she might have had about retaliating against her father dissipated after experiencing the type of man her father had chosen for her, coupled with the dreadful ordeal she endured with Tolu on their wedding night. He was cruel, and though Darasimi outwardly complied, she was determined that they would all pay for their actions.
During the ceremony, Ore was feeling unwell throughout the day. As soon as she could, she asked Adetola to take her home. However, as she attempted to step out of the car at their house, she collapsed. Adetola, panicked and with the help of the driver, tried to revive her, but when she didn’t respond, they immediately rushed her to the hospital.
While waiting in the hospital, Adetola considered calling her parents but decided to wait until he knew more about her condition. When the doctor invited him into the office to discuss the diagnosis, Adetola was taken aback and burst out laughing in response to the news, much to the doctor’s surprise.
Ore lay on her hospital bed, still trying to comprehend the news the doctor had delivered: she was pregnant. How was she going to explain this to her husband? She knew her father would be furious. If his response to Dara’s situation was anything to go by, Ore feared for her own predicament. She was carrying Farouk’s child, and she had no idea how to reach him. Confusion swirled within her, but she steeled herself for the inevitable confrontation with Adetola.
When Adetola entered her ward, they locked eyes. Breaking the silence, he said, “Tell me there’s been a mistake and you’re not pregnant.” Ore just stared back at him silently. “I’m talking to you, Ore, and you better start talking before I call your parents.”
“Go ahead, and then you can explain to them how you took your girlfriend on our honeymoon and abandoned me,” Ore retorted.
He paused, trying to regain his composure. “Are you saying you got pregnant in Dubai?”
“Yes,” she affirmed.
“How?”
“I met someone who treated me with kindness and affection, something no man has ever done for me before. And it just happened.”
“It just happened? You should have been more careful. You should have known all he wanted was to get between your legs, or at least use protection.”
“At least he wanted to get between my legs. Can I say the same about my husband who wants nothing to do with me?” Ore snapped back.
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I only know his first name, and that he’s Nigerian. That’s all I know about him.”
“You are unbelievable,” Adetola said, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration as he stormed out of the hospital ward.
That evening, Adetola discussed the hospital incident with his friend Jaiye.
“Dude, are you not seeing that this is to your advantage?” Jaiye asked.
“How? It’s a mess.”
“It’s a good thing she has no information about who got her pregnant. You can both pretend the baby is yours.”
“That girl is very stubborn; she will not agree to that arrangement.”
“You have to find a way to convince her.”
“What if the father shows up tomorrow?”
“What if he never shows up? Or if he does, how will he know the child is his?”
Adetola was quiet as he pondered Jaiye’s points. After a while, he agreed and promised to talk to Ore about it.
Since the night she was rushed to the hospital, Adetola hadn’t returned home. Ore had to call Temi to pick her up from the hospital. When Ore explained what happened, Temi was shocked and angry that Ore had gone so far with Farouk.
“Why didn’t you ask him to use protection?” Temi asked.
“I don’t know, I was tipsy and wasn’t thinking that night.”
“This is so crazy, and it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t encouraged you to hang out with him, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“You don’t need to blame yourself. What’s done is done; the question is, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Adetola left in anger and I haven’t heard from him.”
“Looking for Farouk is an option, but what if he is married and doesn’t want anything to do with the baby? What if Adetola insists on an abortion?” Temi asked.
“God forbid! I can never have an abortion. This is my child, and no one will harm it.”
On the third day after her return from the hospital, Ore received an unexpected visitor at home. The visitor and the reason for the visit left Ore even more confused.
Thanks for reading,
Tbc
