Growing Wings Episode 14

‘One, two, Buckle my shoe; Three, four, Open the door; Five, six, Pick up sticks; Seven, eight, Lay them straight: Nine, ten, A big, fat hen;’

Olamide recited the poem happily as Martha prepared him for school. He took to her and practically forgot about his mum. Yeside felt a little pang of jealousy. How could her son quickly take to a stranger like that?

‘Martha, I’ve dropped the list of chores I need you to complete today. You did well yesterday, well done. Please ensure that Olamide gets to school in time, okay?’

‘Okay ma. Have a nice day’

Yeside popped into the room and said goodbye to Wole. He quickly said goodbye to the person he was talking with on the phone. The way he ended the call was a little suspicious but Yeside was running late. She had an 8am meeting with Barrister Ikedia so she had to hit the road immediately; she would check up on Wole and his suspicious behavior later.

‘Goodbye darling. Have a nice day’

Wole was so relieved that Yeside was not very discreet when entering a room. He thought she had left so he was making plans on how to spend the day with Kunle when she came in. That was pretty close! He had to be more discreet with his plans.

‘You can ask Martha to make you some eggs when you’re ready for breakfast. I bought some bread on my way home yesterday. Please ask Martha to serve you breakfast when you’re ready, I’ve told her where things are. I have an 8am meeting with Barrister Ikedia. Have a great day. I’ll ping you as soon as I can’.

She gave him a quick peck and practically ran out of the house. Wole wondered why their case was different. In the movies he watched, it was usually the husband who would rush out of the house and leave a sleeping wife behind. Welcome to the home of a ‘High Flyer’… Well, we’ll see how high Madam ‘High-Flyer’ would fly when he was done with his plans…

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Adekunle Agunbiade had an urge to pray. He wasn’t sure why but these days, he was often woken up by the Holy Spirit to intercede for his family.

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”

He had woken up about a month ago with that word ringing in his spirit. He quickly searched his Bible and discovered that it appeared twice in the same book of Proverbs – Proverbs 22:3, Proverbs 27: 12.

He knew that a storm was brewing against his family but he didn’t know where it was raging from. He knew he had to pray. He called his prayer partners and they agreed on a 21 day fast. He knew Anjola would disregard what he was sensing and would mock him. She was a Christian by religion but definitely not by practice. He had resolved to keep interceding for her. A couple of his friends had advised him to divorce her. He quickly distanced himself from everyone he believed was not favourably disposed to his marriage. He knew that he indulged Anjola; that was a weakness he kept confessing. He had resolved to just seek for opportunities for peace and not tick her off. They had been through so much together and weathered so many storms. He knew that marriage was a lifetime journey between two forgivers. He was in it for life.

Today, he had an urge to pray for Wole and Yeside. He wasn’t sure why or how so he spent some time praying in the spirit. He also prayed for darling Olamide, his little prince. Gbenga, his first little prince was resting in heaven with his Maker.

Kunle remembered his darling son and the battle with leukemia. It was a traumatic experience for all of them. Gbenga died in his laps. That was a day he would never forget. He was about Olamide’s age when he passed away. There were so many similarities between Gbenga and Olamide. Kunle couldn’t visit Olamide in the hospital when he had that horrible fall because he wasn’t sure he could handle the strain again. He wasn’t a young man anymore. Gbenga took a part of him to heaven when he died. He hadn’t fully recovered but he had to soldier on. Anjola appeared to fare better than he did. As Yeside recounted how Anjola ran the show while in the hospital, Kunle realized that she never really healed from the loss of their first child. Yeside was born two years after Gbenga died. She was their comfort from God. It pleased God to bless them with only that child. Kunle remembered the pressure he had to endure from his family when they realized that Yeside would remain their only child…

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Growing Wings Episode 13

‘Please ensure you get Olamide to school in time. The school operates a point system; lateness will result in point deduction for Olamide and impact on his final results. Please, it’s very crucial to get him to school in time and make sure his uniform is very clean. I’ll make a list of the chores you need to complete before I get back home’

Wole watched Yeside reeling out instructions to the help like the ‘madam’. He wasn’t too sure if what he felt was pride or resentment. She was in charge. If he didn’t know her well, he would have fallen in love with her just watching her speak with the help. She seemed to be decisive; he only wished she was this assured when dealing with her family members.

His grandparents had kept a distance after his marriage. They grudgingly showed up at his wedding and quickly kept a distance once Yeside’s family members began to bare their fangs. Aunty Sholape, his aunt in Lagos, had tried to blend with his in-laws but after a few disastrous attempts, she also kept a distance. Justice Anjola thoroughly disgraced Aunty Sholape at the last function she came for. They had served everyone else on her table and somehow managed to skip her. When she complained to Justice Anjola, her response and demeanor thoroughly embarrassed Aunty Sholape.

‘Please help me find something for this woman’, Justice Anjola bellowed to one of the service boys.

At least, that was what Aunty Sholape told him about four months later when he paid her a visit. She had refused to pick his calls before then and after that, she avoided him. None of his family members wanted anything to do with him since he chose to rub shoulders with the Agunbiades. They essentially washed their hands off him. As much as he tried to brush it off, it hurt him deeply. He laid the blame for that where it rightly belonged – with Yeside and her family members. He made a mental note to visit Aunty Sholape pretty soon.

Wole was amused at how Yeside expected the help to complete so many tasks within the 8 hour period they would be away – clean the house, wash and iron clothes, get Olamide to school, make food, get to the market etc. Yeside couldn’t accomplish those tasks herself in 24 hours. She was definitely going to make his job easier. He would just wait for the right time to strike.

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Yeside felt Wole watching her intently. Only God knows what was going through his mind. He almost had a smile while she gave Martha instructions. He looked handsome, yet so unreachable. She should have felt relieved as Martha resumed but she had a nagging feeling that all was not well. She couldn’t place it so she kept going over her ‘To-do’ list. Something was amiss and she didn’t know it.

‘Are you okay, darling?’ Yeside asked Wole.

‘Do I look like I’m not?’ Wole barked back at her

He quickly caught himself and muttered a muffled apology. He couldn’t let her suspect that he was up to something.

Yeside waved goodbye and headed off to work.

Wole decided to wait a bit before going to work; he needed to study how Martha worked so he would plan his move. Thankfully, his boss was on a business trip and he had actually been suspended for two weeks as a result of the issue with the Igbaje residents. His boss told him that the suspension was the best he could negotiate for him, considering his past track record. If he was better connected, he would have got a transfer instead of the suspension. His boss suggested that he should speak with his in-laws to see if they knew anyone that could mediate for him. Wole thanked his boss and promised to check if there was anyone that could speak for him. He had no intention of asking for help from any of them; hell would have to freeze over before he would ask for help from any of the Agunbiades. If he tried it, he would keep paying for it for the rest of his life.

Yeside couldn’t stop talking about how her opportunity with Barrister Ikedia was a good thing for her as a ‘High Flyer’. Why could she not just keep quiet and let him eat in peace. He had to smile and appear to be happy for her. He learnt that Justice Anjola was already in the picture, as usual. They spent the weekend going over similar case files. He wondered what they would have done if he told them about his suspension. He could imagine their response – fake ‘It is well’ from Yeside and false attempts to help by Justice Anjola. He was so sure they would be so happy that their evil plans were succeeding. He was tempted to tell them just to dampen their moods but no, he won’t be stupid enough to deliver himself to his frenemies...

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Growing Wings Episode 12

'Good morning, Yeside. How was the holiday? How is the family? Please can we have a quick chat whenever you're ready?'

Mabel had a very wide smile as she spoke with Yeside while in the elevator. They were heading to their 6th floor office.

'Sure. I have meetings till 11am. Can we meet at about 11:15?'

'I have a meeting from 11-12. How about having lunch together? My treat. '

'Sure. Can we do this more often?'

They both laughed as they got off the elevator.

'Do I get a hint on what the chat is about? Is it an appraisal session? Come to think of it, I need to find a mentor for my High Flyer Program. Please will you be my mentor?'

'Na mentor you call like that? Isn't there a particular level one must be at before you can mentor High Flyers like you?'

'Ah ahn na. Don't you know you're a Big Madam? Only your eyeliner sef will buy my entire make-up kit. When I grow up, I want to be like you ooo'

They both laughed as they went into their respective offices.

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'Mrs Akingbade, what are your thoughts on how to approach this case?'

'I believe the prosecution has no concrete evidence against our client. Everything that has been presented so far is speculative. No one saw Mr. Haruna firing the fatal shot.'

'Thank you, ma'am.'

 

Yeside was so thankful that she had taken some time to read through the case files before the public holiday. She had been lost in thought when Barrister Ikedia threw the question at her. She couldn't afford any slips; all eyes were on her as a High Flyer.

 

She had to always be on point, organized and prove that she was competent. She had to prove that she wasn't rising as a result of 'bottom power' as some of her male contemporaries had crassly put it. She had to make those that nominated her for the High Flyer program proud. She had to make mum proud. She had always heard how it was her duty to pave the way for other women by ensuring that she did her job exceptionally well. She had to prove that "What a man can do, a woman can do better". She had to make her 'sisters' proud.

 

She had been thinking of yesterday's events. How could a day that started on a promising note end so poorly? She wondered who Wole spoke with in the morning. He seemed ready to take her to 'Jerusalem', even after Olamide's interruption. Then there was that phone call. Who called him? Could Wole be seeing another woman? She had to get his phone somehow and get the identity of the caller. She was beginning to plot how to get the phone when Barrister Ikedia interrupted her thoughts with his question.

'Research on how to get call records', she included on her 'To-do' list.

 

Her answer must have impressed Barrister Ikedia a lot as he asked her to wait behind after the meeting. She had 30 minutes between this meeting and the next. As she waited for Barrister Ikedia, she quickly checked her phone. Wole had sent a BBM message about dropping off Olamide at school. Mum had asked her for their decision concerning the help they interviewed yesterday. She quickly sent a message to Wole and they agreed that Mum could take the help for the necessary tests while they worked out the living arrangements once the help moved in. She asked Mum to go ahead with the tests. She was just about to send a message to Olamide's teacher when Barrister Ikedia asked her to come.

 

As they discussed the details of the case, Yeside observed that there was no wedding ring in Barrister Ikedia's fingers. He was a handsome man in his early forties. He was the youngest partner in the firm. He asked how the High Flyer program was going. He offered Yeside an opportunity to help him with research on a similar case he was handling. He had only come around to check up on this case as it was a high profile/high risk one that required Management involvement. She didn't think twice before accepting the offer. Barrister Williams, who was handling this case, was only an Associate Partner; working with Barrister Ikedia would definitely be a wise career move.

 

As she hurried for her next meeting, she quickly sent a message to Olamide's teacher. She also sent a message to Mum, telling her about Barrister Ikedia's offer. As she copied the message to send to Wole, Emeka distracted her when he asked her to stop 'pinging' on the stairs. He went on to lecture her on stairway safety. Well, he had a point.

 

She went on to the High Flyer Topical Session. Today's topic was "Dealing with children living with abusive parents/guardians'. It was quite enlightening and interesting. As she left the meeting to return to her seat and wait for Mabel's lunch offer, she quickly checked her phone. She forgot to send the message about Barrister Ikedia's offer to Wole, thanks to Emeka's Stairway Safety lecture. She quickly sent the message. Mum had sent her a message with links to sites she could visit to read more about such cases. Yeside could tell that Justice Anjola was more excited about this offer than even Yeside.

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'How are you doing, dear?'

Mabel smiled as they settled in and started their lunch 'date'.

'I'm doing well'

They continued eating and talking in the most ladylike way they could.

'You are too focused on your goals and plans. You need to give God room to work.' Mabel said gently to Yeside 'Really? Why did you say that?' Yeside asked.

'Actually, I was led to talk to you along these lines. That's why I offered you that ride a few weeks ago. I prayed that God would give me an opening with you. I noticed you didn't drive that day so I offered you the ride. I wasn't going home directly but I decided to drop you off before going back to where I had planned to go. Everything you've said now confirms all that I've been led to share. It's good to make plans and have goals. However, if they do not originate from God, you will not find lasting satisfaction even after achieving them.'

'Have you considered my mentoring request'? Yeside quickly changed the topic.

Mabel smiled at Yeside's poor attempt at changing the topic. She had to be really patient with her. God sure had a sense of humour, sending her to work with Justice Anjola's daughter. She'll just have to trust God on this one and not try to force things to go her way.

 

Yeside excused herself and went back to her seat. She had to research how to get call records from a service provider. She would explore that option while trying to get Wole's phone to know who called him yesterday. She also had to check out those links Mum had sent to her.

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Wole was amazed at how many messages he got from Yeside that day. She seemed too happy for a woman whose plans to seduce her husband didn't go as planned. He knew The Witch was up to something and he wasn't going to be fooled this time. He couldn't wait for the help to resume so he could continue his plans. He had to tread carefully and play his cards close to his chest.

He checked his phone again and saw another message from Yeside. Things must be really slow at her office today. Usually, he got only one message from her at about 3pm asking him what he would like to eat. When he decided to marry a rich spoilt brat, he had expected to be her cook and cleaner as he knew he couldn't afford to hire either. She had surprised him with her interest with cooking. She was one rich girl that could cook. That was one thing that remained consistent even as he discovered how wicked she truly was. She didn't let him down in the cleaning area. He was glad that the help would come and help them keep their apartment clean. That was a bonus.

'A partner in the firm has asked me to work with him on one of his high profile cases'

He knew he ought to be happy for her but he couldn't bring himself to rejoice. He sent her a 'Thumbs up' reply. Why should she be making such progress while he had to respond to another query this morning?

He hadn't turned in his report on the status of the transformer the residents of Igbaje requested for 7 months ago by the deadline. The suppliers kept coming up with excuses and they were the only ones approved to supply them. He had done all he knew to do. The residents had written about their case in the dailies. The case had suddenly become a high-profile one and he was the scapegoat to bear the brunt. He now had to explain why he had not escalated the issue to his superiors when things were not going as planned. He remembered bringing the issue up in a meeting but there was no minutes of meeting to prove that. Only God could help him here.

A text message came in. It was a reminder from the church office about a prayer program in the evening. Who had time for that? He was meeting with Kunle and the gang for a drink after work. Maybe he'll try to attend tomorrow's meeting.

He had to figure out how to use this information from Yeside to his advantage.

 

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GROWING WINGS EPISODE 11

"Thank God for the holiday!" Yeside thought to herself as she snoozed the alarm for another 30 minutes.

She mentally ran through all she had on her 'To-do' list and smiled as she thought of the interview with the minder. Olamide's accident was really turning out to be a blessing in disguise for her. First, the gap between she and Wole appeared to be closing as they spent so much time together in the hospital. Wole had even kissed her once when they were alone and Olamide was asleep. It was definitely magical. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, Mum had come in and scolded them about kissing under such circumstances. Then she told Dad and the whole family was talking about them kissing while their son was recovering...Mum!

Secondly, Wole had agreed that they needed to get someone to help them around the house. They needed a live-in nanny that would engage in some craft or something while Olamide was in school and would help around the house when the day was over. Mum offered to help them find suitable prospects. Yeside's life had begun to seem perfect.

"Wake up, sleepy head", Wole playfully pecked Yeside.

Before he could turn away, Yeside grabbed him and gave him a deep kiss. He was initially startled but quickly went with the flow.

"Mummy, mummy", Olamide's little voice brought Wole and Yeside back to earth. They quickly dressed up and 'promised' to finish up the 'business' later.

"That'll be one more advantage of hiring a nanny", Wole and Yeside said together as they smiled and let Olamide in.

"We should book for a studio session soon", Yeside tested the waters with Wole.

"At the appropriate time", Wole answered as he stepped out to answer a call.

That answer always got on Yeside's nerves. How could that be an appropriate answer to a studio session. Wole!

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Wole stepped out to pick Kunle's call. The dude's timing was PERFECT! The witch's spell was beginning to work on him. Thank God Olamide knocked at the time he did. He was almost about to make love to that witch. Studio sessions indeed!

"Guy, abeg no vex. My phone crashed. I just fixed it. How's Olamide?" Kunle's deep baritone voice brought Wole to the present.

"Guy, na wa for you ooo. You no sabi how to reach my house ehn? God is watching you in 3D oooo"

"Guy, abeg no vex. How today go be na?" Kunle asked "We're meeting someone at 1pm, then we were going to visit my in-laws. What's up?"

"I thought we'll hang out and catch up"

"Okay, let's see at about 3-4. I'll drop Yeside and Olamide off at my in-law's place after the appointment. They'll find their way home afterwards".

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They interviewed 4 ladies and they both liked the same person. Wole was quite amazed at how they both came to the same conclusions. The plan was coming together easier than he thought.

As they got to his in-law's place, Wole told Yeside that he had to meet up with some friends and that they had to find their way home.

Yeside was quite annoyed but she decided to keep mute about the issue.

The visit at her parents' place brightened her mood. Mum suggested that they sleep over and that Yeside could go to work from their place. Mum was on leave and Dad's time was flexible anyway so they would mind Olamide while Yeside was at work. The whole arrangement was ideal but somehow, Yeside couldn't get her 'unfinished business' with Wole out of her mind. She asked Mum to please drive them home...

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Wole didn't realise how much he had missed Kunle and the gang until the 'hang-out' started. The next time he checked his phone, there were 16 missed calls and it was 11pm. He had also had about 3 bottles of beer.

He decided to go home. What if the witch had harmed Olamide again? He quickly said goodbye and went home. Everything seemed normal except that he found his wife in a sexy lingerie asleep on the sofa. As he carried her into the room, he quickly checked Olamide and found him safely tucked in his bed. He heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, she stirred in her sleep and he actually wanted to sheathe his sword and love her. Then, he heard her angry voice from 2 years back on the phone with Justice Anjola "I want to take my son and leave him empty and drained".

No, the woman in his hands was a witch that deserved all that was coming to her...

 

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Growing Wings Episode 10

“You’re not making any sense, Yeside”, Anjola said panicking…”I just dropped Olamide off and left, what’s the matter with Olamide? Where is he?”

Yeside managed to tell Anjola where they were before the phone went off. Her phone battery just gave up on her. She had forgotten to charge the phone while dealing with all the drama…The day was surely a terrible one all the way… Why was Wole acting all concerned all of a sudden? He didn’t seem to care a hoot about his family when he walked out and went wherever it was he went. What was all the show about Olamide’s HMO card and sticking around to watch over them like a hawk? Why was he looking all so tender and adorable? Was he just about to reach out to her? Or was she dreaming up all the attention?

She would never know because Justice Anjola practically flew into the room with all the corresponding Diva like attitude that she could muster. She must have asked one million and one questions and wanted answers immediately to even incoherent questions. This was a classic déjà vu case. She was transported back to 3 years back when she just had Olamide and Mum practically ran her life. Her room was brimming with visitors. Her recovery was a miracle as she barely had 5 minutes of rest before the next visitor came in. She did not get any respite when she was discharged from the hospital. She was so exhausted each day as she spent all her energies nursing Olamide and attending to her million and one relatives that came to visit. She was so glad when mum had to return home and back to work a month and a half later. She just realized that that was when she really began to have serious disagreements with Wole.

Wole watched his mother-in-law essentially take over the whole situation. She was there bossing everyone around, telling the nurses how to do their jobs. When was he going to be free from this woman? It was exactly the way things were 3 years ago when Olamide was born. Before then, he only had to deal with his in-laws during family outings. As tiring as those were, he always had the assurance of some form of peace when he returned home. Yeside still had her angelic mask then. She still pretended to care about him whenever she wasn’t screaming about one pregnancy woe or the other. He was convinced that she was pretending but he was too infatuated to care…He gave in to her every whim then…When The Witch Mother came to care for Olamide, even his pretend peace was invaded. He had no more sanctuary and things never went back to how they were when she left their house… Anjola could feel Wole watching her every move. The silly boy was so incompetent. He and Yeside had swallowed all the doctors and nurses had told them without asking any questions. They were so naïve. She was not going to stand by and watch her grandson be disfigured by incompetent medical practioners. She had been involved in too many cases where the doctor’s competence was really in question. She had to be sure that every syringe was sterilized and every sheet was clean. She may not have had much say in her choice of son-in-law but she wasn’t going to watch her grandson suffer because of his mother’s foolishness… “SHUT UP”

Anjola smiled as she recognized Femi’s voice. That troublesome boy was in the building. Her nephew would definitely not swallow rubbish from any incompetent buffoon.

“Uncle Femi, good afternoon. What is the matter?” Yeside greeted her fuming cousin.

“I asked the buffoon at the front desk where Olamide’s ward is and she was asking me who Olamide is. Her equally incompetent supervisor sided with her when I tried to tell her that she was clearly wrong and shouldn’t ask such silly questions. Did you not pay your complete fees?”

Yeside tried to pacify her cousin and Wole just said a feeble “hello”.

Yes, they were about to relieve the Delivery drama all over again. He just prayed that the drama would end in the hospital this time.

Yeside had tried to explain how Olamide ended up being hurt. She thought she had locked the door after her mum left and she tucked Olamide into bed. Apparently, she drifted off to sleep (or was lost in thought as she claimed) and did not hear when Olamide got out of bed. Olamide was fascinated with going out of the house so he must have tried the door, found it open and slipped out. He must have missed his step somewhere and tumbled down the stairs. The doctors claimed that it was a miracle hat he did not suffer a head injury when he fell down the stairs. Wole wondered if they should reconsider the idea of hiring a live-in-maid or someone to watch over Olamide. The idea was now very appealing to him, though he was not sure how to fund it. He had a brilliant idea…

 

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Growing Wings Episode 9

She looked so sad and pathetic. Something in him wanted to take her in his arms and rock her. Wole quickly discarded the thought. He forced himself to remember that she was a witch. Now she wanted to take away the light of his world. If he could figure out a way to get out of the marriage and still have full custody of Olamide, he would have divorced The Witch.

At least,... he had this incident to refer to when trying to prove that she is an incompetent mother.

He tried to sort out the activities of the evening. He had called Kunle and asked if they could meet. They agreed to meet at Murphy's Bar.

As Wole aimed for the door of the bar, he thought he heard someone call his name. He turned and stared into Bro. Gbenro's handsome face.

'How are you doing? It's been a while. How's Yeside? I trust you guys are really happy together',

How was he supposed to answer that question? Was he supposed to tell Gbenro that Yeside wasn't really worth all that trouble? Would Gbenro be interested in hearing about his marital woes? It was best to change the topic, please.

'Bro Gbenro, how're you doing? What are you doing here?'

'Forget that 'Bro' something joor. I'm here to do what you also came to do'

Gbenro was acting like none of the past events with Yeside ever happened. Wole almost felt Gbenro's forehead to confirm that he wasn't ill.

'Wole, over here', Kunle called out.

Wole was so happy to get out of this uncomfortable situation. He and Gbenro exchanged business cards. He quickly stole a glance at Gbenro's card. 'Business Manager, Oluwalogbon Group of Companies'. What else did he expect? Gbenro had always been a 'big boy'...

He quickly made his way to Kunle and they had a few beers. He had finally decided to start hanging out with Kunle, his colleague, when he couldn't stand the nagging from 'The Witch', ably supported by 'The Witch Mother'. He felt guilty initially and tried to spend not more than 1 hour with Kunle and the gang. They'll just gist about regular stuff- office gossip, football, business opportunities etc. Wole would order for some malt while the others would have their beers. Kunle and Tayo always had stories of how they put their wives in their place to tell.
Slowly but surely, Wole tried a beer; then he tried two bottles today...He felt really uncomfortable and he just felt the urge to go home. He couldn't explain the urgency but he knew he was needed there.
As he got to the gate, he heard someone scream. It sounded like his darling son, Olamide. He quickly raced to the house and that was when 'The Witch' collided with him.
Thankfully, the mechanic chose that time to arrive with her car and drove them to the hospital. The drive to the hospital was the longest journey Wole could remember. 'The Witch' was mumbling something but she wasn't making much sense. She was saying stuff like she thought she locked the door.
They got to the hospital and realised that they didn't have Olamide's HMO card. Wole remembered that Yeside had saved the Card Number as a note in his phone, she usually managed to lose her phones...
Olamide was quickly admitted and they were sitting with him. Wole actually felt sorry for Yeside and was about to reach for her when the door was flung open and the 'Witch Mother' flew in on her broom...

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Growing Wings - Episode 8

'Why are you sitting outside the house, crying? Where is Wole?'
Anjola met Yeside crying in front of the dingy 2 bedroom apartment that proud pauper insisted that her princess and darling grandson had to live in...She was still annoyed with Kunle for not putting his foot down and insisting that Wole take up their offer to buy them a flat in a respectable neighbourhood. Her foolish princess was also so love-struck. Her princess had stood up to her only ONCE. And it was because of this worthless pauper...What in the world could have caused her baby so much sorrow? And why was this girl such a 'softie'?
'Wole left the house 30 minutes earlier. He called me a w...'
Yeside tried to stay coherent but she wasn't making too much sense.
'He called you what? You are not making a lot of sense. Let's go inside'.
Anjola couldn't call that place that stubborn boy had insisted on a house. She had gone over her planned discussion with Wole at least 20 times as she drove to the 'hole'... How could such an idiot father her cherubic grandson? She would do whatever she needed to do to protect her daughter and her grandson. If that idiot had laid as much as a finger on her princess, he would rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life. Such an uncultured imbecile!
Yeside was so glad she caught her tongue before telling Mum that Wole called them witches. It was obvious to even a blind person that Mum hated Wole's guts. She wished Mum hadn't met her crying. She quickly dried her eyes and hugged Olamide.
'Thanks a lot Mum for your support and care. I hope Olamide didn't give you too much trouble ma. Would you like some semovita and vegetables?'
Anjola saw the invisible walls go back up quickly to mask Yeside's emotions. Anjola quickly brought her 'lawyer' skills. She didn't become a Minister of Justice by accident; she earned everything she had ever achieved.
'You didn't answer my question, young lady'
Justice Anjola was in the house and she sure knew her onions. As she interrogated Yeside, they both entered their regular routine of prosecution, defence, defendant and jury, all at the same time...
'Objection, my Lord; counsel is leading the witness', Yeside made a feeble attempt at turning the situation into a joke...
'Objection overruled', Anjola joined in the joke.
They both burst out laughing...
Olamide chose the time to tell Yeside that he was hungry.
Anjola had to head back home as it was getting pretty late. She wanted to review some case files before calling it a night.
'Are you sure you're okay, darling? You can talk to me, you know', Anjola coaxed Yeside.
Yeside was tempted to spill all out. However, she couldn't trust herself to maintain boundaries. She didn't want Mum to turn on Wole the way she had turned on Uncle Raphael when Aunty Margaret told her about their marital problems. Besides telling Mum meant admitting marital failure. No, she would find a way around it. She would have loved to confide in Dad but everything she told him still found its way to Mum.
'There is no problem, Mum. I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed by caring for Olamide and remaining a good wife to Wole.'
She saw that Mum was about to begin her 'Women Empowerment' talk so she quickly kissed her goodnight and returned to the house to feed Olamide.
************************************
'You will never be happy', Gbenro lashed out in anguish.
Yeside finally picked his calls after two days of incessant attempts. She hadn't turned up at the wedding! And her only excuse was that she couldn't forgive him for catching him during his 'goodbye' to Esther. Yes, she walked in on them while they were saying 'goodbye' the same way as they said 'hello'. Yeside was supposed to be at work that day. She claimed that she just felt that something was not right, so she decided to stop by.
Gbenro had pleaded and grovelled! She was such a witch! She pretended she had forgiven him only to not show up at what should have been their talk-of-the town wedding.
She said she just couldn't go through with the wedding. He was crushed, not because he loved her but because she bruised his ego. He wouldn't let her go just like that....
*************************************
'WHERE IS OLAMIDE?' Yeside thought as a sharp scream brought her back from her reminiscence.
She searched frantically for a torchlight. The electricity supply was shamefully epileptic.
She checked in the boy's room but he was not there...
She heard the sharp scream again and rushed down the stairs. As she got out, she found her little boy at the foot of the stairs lying in a pool of his own blood!
'IS HE ALIVE?' Yeside screamed within.
As she got to the foot of the stairs, she bumped into someone. She looked up into Wole's dark, hate-filled eyes...

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