Must Read: To Love And To Leave

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: To Love And To Leave

Two days had passed since the ugly fight with Femi and I still feel a sharp pain on my shoulder.



I must have landed on it when he wrestled me to the ground. Bidemi called nonstop making sure I’m alright and apologising for what happened . Ada called too, Wale, while bragging of being a heavyweight champion had told her I got my butt0ckz kicked by a neighbor. The calls were embarrassing, it made me feel like a sissy, a guy who couldn’t fight, couldn’t protect himself , a guy who needed his younger brother to save him from a fight. Mom entered the room.



Mum: Omo mi, bawo ni? (my child, how are you )
Me: Mo wapa mummy (I’m good mummy)
Mum: Thank God! I just pretended not to know you had a fight but I do. I knew you didn’t fall down
Me: (embarrassed) I couldn’t tell you I was in a fight mum
Mum: I know! But what I don’t understand is why you’d be fighting in the first place ! Do you mind telling me?


Me: It was just a little misunderstanding. I was just…..


Wale: (cuts in) He fought over a girl mum
Mum looked at me in disbelief and tried to hide her amusement by rubbing her palm over her face. Wale looked at me and made his way out of the house silently has he came in. I looked at mum and she finally let out a little giggle
Mum: hahaha… Ok tell me about her
Me: No mom! I can’t !


Mum: Is she beautiful??


Me: ooohhhhh! Stop jor
Mum: hahahaha She better be beautiful o, Someone should not beat you up over an Ugly girl
Me: hahaha ! She’s beautiful and that’s all I’m telling you o
Mum: Ok my son! but there’s something you need to know. A girl who would let two guys fight over her is the one to be blamed. Because she must have given both men the impression that they both have her
ME?laughing) How do you know that mum?
Mum: Look at you! I was in town when I was your age o. Boys in the village almost killed themselves. Haa! you don’t know anything.


If my Papa, your grandpa sends me to fetch water in the river, boys fight eachother just to help me take the pot of water home. By the way, I was very beautiful, smooth face with no pimples Abi you think the reason you’re fine like this is because of your Father? It’s my beauty o jare!

Me: ( rolling on the chair with laughter) : Mummy please don’t kill me with laughter . I have no doubt in my mind that you were beautiful, you are still very beautiful. Dad was very lucky to marry you .


Mum suddenly had a sad look on her face as I mentioned My father. I immediately felt sorry I did
Mum: (Sighed) hmmm Adedolapo temi nikan…


There was no man in the village like your father, his name was Adedolapo but everyone called him “ADE”. He was a very intelligent man, we all ran to him to teach us mathematics and that got girls running after him. He was given a scholarship by the white missionary men to attain higher education in the University. I was in form 2 when he met and fell in love with me
Me: Form 2?? what’s that
Mum: You call it Jss2 . it is the second year in High school. His father and my papa were friends and they decided both of us should get married .


Me: Oooh! So your marriage was arranged.


Did you love him the moment you met him?
Mum: No! I had another boyfriend in the village then. I was in love with him. He loved me too but his family were not very rich . You see,.Adedolapo was from a royal family, his father was the brother to our king. Papa wanted to become a chief in the village so he was willing to give me out in marriage to the royal family. But I was in love with someone else.


Me: You don’t love Dad but you married him, Why?

Mum: it is a very long story Son
Me: Today is Saturday, I believe we both have all day
Mum: (sighs) You’ll be 20 in few months. You are a man now Dolapo. It is time I tell you the whole truth…
Me: uhmm…Okay! I’m listening mum
Mum: I’m sorry I waited this long before telling you this. I just hope you try and understand why I had to keep it this long
Me: (confused): What is it mum??


Mum: (sighs) My late husband, Adedolapo Martins Adegbite is not……


Ada: (barges in, cutting mum off) Good afternoon Ma! Good afternoon Dolapo! I heard you’re not feeling fine, Wale said you fell down, where did you fall from? was it Okada (bike) or you were just running??


(faces mum) Haa! sorry ma! you’ve been taking care of him, I should have come earlier ma but my cousin whom I’m staying here in Lagos with , requested that I follow her to the naming ceremony of her friend’s brother, whose wife had been barren for 7 years but eventually became pregnant when she went to Redemption ground and Rev Adeboye prayed for her. So that’s why I couldn’t be here on time. Shey you understand ma??


Mum: emmm… Okay… I heard a naming, redemption ground and Rev Adeboye…. I guess I understand then!


Me: hahahaha! Ada you talk too much jor
Ada: No o! what have I said now? I haven’t said anything at all, I still have enough gist for you
Mum: (laughs) Good you can tell Dolapo, I’ll be in my room sleeping .
Ada: Haa! Ok ma! I will tell it to you whenever you wake up
Mum: No o! Let Dolapo tell ehn, shogbo?
Ada: Ok ma! (Faces me) Dolly-p how are you ?
Me: You know you have to stop asking already.


Told you I’m fine, it’s two days ago
Ada: Wale told me what really happened.

I don’t believe that girl would still get you in trouble even after all I told her..

Me: (confused) What? Did you talk to Bidemi? Do you girls talk?
Ada: emmm…. I mean after what you told her, you know uhm… just saying that.. uhmm
Me: Ada I’m not a fool so stop trying to do this. Tell me what you told her
Ada: I’m sorry Dolapo, your friend told me it’s what you wanted me to do and…
Me: My friend?
Ada: Yes! He told me if I called Bidemi and talked to her that….
Me: (cutting her off) Wait!! Did you call Bidemi and told her i have a girlfriend?
Ada: (looking down) Yes I did
Me?furious) Why??!!
Ada: (crying) He asked me to do it
Me: Who asked you to say that??
Ada: Your friend!!
Me: What friend!! I don’t have any friend here!
Ada: Oh my God! I was on my way here I met him and we spoke and…


Me: Femi right?
Ada: (confused) Emm I think, I don’t know… Maybe
Me: It’s him! He has to ne the one! That little bastard! But how could you do that Ada? You know I don’t have a girlfriend, why would you tell her I do? what girlfriend are you talking about?
Ada: (crying) I’m so sorry. I thought it would help, I had to do that…
Me: But why??
Ada: Because….. Because I love you!!
And then came the silence. There were tears in her eyes. I do feel sorry for her, I wanted to hold her and tell her everything is Okay,.wipe her tears and tell her i have forgiven her but I had other things in mind.


Me: (Sighs) I have to go somewhere..


I stood up and wore flat sanders, making my way out when Ada called out
Ada: Dolapo please wait, where are you going?
Me: I’m going to see Bidemi…. Don’t wait for me!
I left the house.