It was hot in the car, despite the cool air blowing from the AC. Sweat poured out on Babatunde’s chest, as if it was emanating from the extra work his heart was doing.
She left me because I didn’t have money. Your mother is in Lekki. Women are not loyal.
Babatunde had left his father and walked out of the house. He had driven to the island and back, oblivious to the dangers of the night. He wasn’t sure what to do with the revelation his father had blurted out. How would Bolu handle it? Would he want to see his mother? Would Mawon leave him if he didn’t find the money she needed? She talked about her new boss so much that he thought he could see it happening.
This was why he was sitting in front of Mrs Coker’s house, trying to summon the courage to go in and do her bidding for the last time. As if her senses could detect his desperation, she had sent him a message while he was driving around, asking if he could come one last time.
He couldn’t lose Mawon. Being in her life had given his life purpose. Besides, he wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. When Gina had gotten pregnant, they had both decided to terminate the pregnancy because they weren’t ready. He had just dropped out of school and was in a bad place with his father. Going to tell him he was going to be a grandfather would shatter what was left of their sour relationship.
Gina’s mother was terminally ill. There was no way Gina could tell anyone at home that she, an undergraduate, had gotten pregnant while the rest of the family was looking for ways to raise money for their mother’s treatment.
It was supposed to be a quick procedure. They travelled to a private clinic in Osogbo, where no one knew them, and planned to be back by late afternoon. Babatunde sat in the reception, waiting for hours for what should have taken less than an hour.
Eventually the doctor appeared in the lobby, blood on his shoes. “My brother, you need to go and get some blood. It seems she went into shock…”
“It seems? Is she in shock or not? I don’t understand.” The doctor dashed back into the theatre and returned shortly after. “You need to take her to a general hospital quickly.”
Babatunde had been driving blindly around the streets of Osogbo when the police stopped him and found a cold Gina in the back seat. When he led them to the clinic, it was empty. Everyone, including the few patients he’d seen, was gone. Babatunde kept blinking in disbelief until they reached the police station and his hands were cuffed. It was his father who eventually came to his rescue. I can’t let Mawon down. Babatunde refused to let money shame him again. He refused to be like his father. He wiped his face and got out of the car
