KEHINDE

Chapter 3

"Je kin tie pe," Iya istinjabat says to Iya Fatiah while she watches her mate walk into her room, She smiles when she sights her both daughters walking into the yard.

"Eka ro," Istinjabat says almost kneeling down, meanwhile Omalola joins her.

"Ba wo ni?" Iya Istinjabat asks cheerfully.

"Maami, I Am hungry," Omolola says while throwing tantrums.

"Gbenu soun." Iya istinjabat rebukes Omolola.

"Omolola you are bigger than this na," Istinjabat says while adjusting her hijab.

"Don't mind her, She is slowly turning into Tolani, Am watching you Omolola, your closeness with that girl is getting out of hands," Iya Istinjabat says in mum.

"Ah mummy, Isn't she my sister?" Omolola asks.

" Shut your mouth, She is a bad egg, She and her brother always brings shame and disgrace to this family, Most times I wonder if they are really imams children, "Iya Istinjabat, says in Yoruba meanwhile Istinjabat looks around hoping no one heard her mum.

" Ah mummy, The walls have ears," Istinjabat says.

"Ehen let them here na, Abegi am I lying?" She asks in a thick Yoruba accent.

" Haba mummy, "Omolala says and attempts to say something else but keeps quiet after sighting someone meanwhile her mum hisses when she sights Tolani, who just rolled her eyes like she didn't see anyone.

"Can you see the way she behaves? She didn't even greet me we re," Iya Istinjabat curses.

"Maami!" Omolola calls, but jumps on seeing her mum bend down to pick a slipper, It was obvious she was going to use it on her, she frowns and throws tantrums before running out.

"We re, later you would come and demand for food, Allah I would beat you up." Iya Istinjabat says under her breath while istinjabat nods her head.

Iya Istinjabat is the first wife of the Imam, Who gave birth to six girls. After her first three issues which were girls, the Imam decided to get another wife "Iya fatiah" who also gave birth to another set of girls, He took a third wife "Iya Aliya" same problem, But everything settled when he got married to his last wife "Iya Ibeji" The Imam and his family got blessed with a set of twins, Tolani and Tobi, the family's joy knew no bound. Everything got settled but the enmity and hatred the wives, had for each other was still there, Enviousness and jealousy especially towards Iya Ibeji.

The rift between the first and last wife was evident, It was so painful that there was no in, in the Imam's family.

  The Imam himself wasn't always home, He was either on a business trip or something related to the mosque. He was rarely home, so how was he to know there was a fire building up in his home?

    The family was an extended family, Most of his daughters were married and out of home, None of them went to the university, He never wanted that saying they would get exposed after all they were going to end up in their husbands' house, so what was the need? Eight of his daudaughters are already married and in their respectful homes, while few like Istinjabat, Fatiah, Biliki, were already ripe for marriage and waiting for there respective suitors, Tolani Omolola where the young teenagers at home, the other little children Suliat, Titilope and Barakat were still upcoming.

★ ★ ★ ★

    Ayomide is sitted away from the yard, it was obvious he was already tired of the family he was staying with, He kept the holy Qu'ran on his laps, But it was obvious he wasn't reading it, Cause his mind was far away, He smiles when he remembers his mother and siblings, but becomes moody when he remembers the main reason he was there, He is an Alpha now so he has to accept it, This is how he would leave his life and he has to be the man his parents, especially his mum wants him to be. He smiles on thinking of how rapidly his life changed.

He continues looking into the space but becomes alert when he noticed Tolani had been watching him all along, he adjusts himself while he watches her walk to his direction, The first and last time he spoke to her was when the agreement about her sleeping outside home ensured, he watches the teenager who he guessed wasn't more than eighteen walks towards him.

She was fair, Normally you wouldn't guess she was a Yoruba girl due to her physical appearance, and the fact she never wore a hijab baffled him, A typical Muslim girl.

The daughter of an Imam, leaving her hair open was unthinkable but she did it anyways, Her eyes were brown, lashes thickly rich, She wasn't fat but she had a great body, It was typical for a Yoruba girl to have a big a*s but boobs wasn't part of the question, She was just to perfect, she was indeed blessed.

"Alhaja said you should come in and eat," Tolani says not minding the way the Alfa was looking at her.

Ayomide couldn't help but notice how rude she sounded to him, and remembering the fact she always rolled her eyes when she saw him baffled him, How could she hate him so much without getting to know him?

"What wrong have I done to you?" He lets out unknowingly.

" Pardon!"

"Yes!" Ayomide says determined to push through.

"You want to know why you spite me?" Tolani asks bluntly meanwhile Ayomide smiles noticing seeing how blunt she said.

"Yes and you don't really know me, I just moved in a few days ago and am already getting attitude from you," he urges.

"Look I always wonder what made a young guy like you decide to ruin your own life, You know? Especially by becoming an," Tolani says bluntly, Hisses and walks away before Ayomide could utter a word. Meanwhile he just watches her retreat in silence, He was really thrown off guard by what she had said.

" What does she know, she is just a spoilt brat." he frowns.

★ ★ ★ ★

Kehinde couldn't help but shiver after sighting her Mum and Dad who were comfortably sitting on the couch in the sitting room, While she walked downstairs, She could remember vividly that Mrs. Charity said her presence was needed downstairs.

She could tell it was important cause she couldn't remember the last time here parents were together at the same place in the last five years, She knew she was in for it, Maybe they found out she didn't write jamb.

What does she care? She had already made up her mind she thought while she lets out a weak smile.

"Kehinde," Mr. Ademola Adebayo calls in a thick rich voice.

"Good afternoon mum and dad," She greets but gets alarmed by the fact her mother didn't respond.

"Kehinde, what is good about this afternoon? Tell me, Why have u decided to kill me before my time?" She asks rants.

" Mum!" Kehinde manages to say,

"Calm down," Mr. Adebayo says to his wife, But keeps his voice low on seeing the way his wife eyed him.

"Dad, I Am not just ready for all this," Kehinde says not minding the fact she was sounding ridiculous.

"Kehinde can you hear yourself? Do you know you sound stupid?" Mrs. Adebayo asks her daughter.

" Kehinde what is all this? I have tried my best as a father, what else do you want from me?"

"Your love and care," Kehinde replies in a very low tone.

"What did you say?" Mr. Ademola Adebayo who had no idea of what his daughter said asks.

" Nothing, " Kehinde mutters.

"Well that's not really the case we have in hand now," Mr. Adebayo who suddenly becomes tensed says meanwhile Kehinde couldn't help but wonder why her dad became so tensed.

"Kehinde, we know this would be hard for you but you have the right to know," Mrs. Adebayo says suddenly looking at her husband for support making Kehinde wonder what was going on.

"Look behind your mother and I are getting a divorce." Mr. Ademola Adebayo blurts out suddenly meanwhile Kehinde whose world seemed to have crumbled immediately lets out the tears.

"Mum, Dad!" she cries out.

"Kehinde, we have tried to make it work but you know since your brother's death, the family has been torn apart, it cant just work!"

" What about me, Am I not your child?"

Kehinde suddenly cuts her mum off.

"Kehinde!" Mr. Adebayo calls out.

"Don't Kehinde me, Wasnt he my brother? Did I love him too? Since his death you guys just shut me out, I know you all still blame me for his death, But it wasn't my fault you know, I was still young," Kehinde cries out. "Cant you both love me?" Am I not enough as a child? She yells.

"Kehinde!" Mrs Adebayo calls out.

"Kehinde, We are doing this for you, we don't want you to see us this way, you would continue hurting," Mr. Adebayo says.

"Doing what for who? Cant you both sacrifice whatever the reason might be for me, cant you both let me have my parents back? she asks, What about me?"

" Kehinde, this was the main reason we wanted you to write jamb and get admitted you know especially after what you did in the previous institution, I wanted you to get busy with school, At least all this wouldn't have affected you, But you just pushed the opportunity away for a stupid reason saying you aren' ready," Mr. Ademola Adebayo says looking more serious than ever.

" Kehinde, you are no more a kid, you would soon be eighteen, you have to handle this maturely," Mrs. Adebayo says meanwhile Kehinde continues sobbing. "Kehinde we have also come to a conclusion that you would go over to my sisters place at Ibadan, you need a change of environment and you need to be disciplined cause I found out about your late-night outing," Mrs. Adebayo says meanwhile Kehinde couldn't help but wonder how her mum found out, That means her mum had been watching out for her, But she thought she never cared.

", you mean am leaving Ikeja to Ibadan?" Kehinde says in rage this time cleaning her tears.

"Yes," Mrs Adebayo responds.

"Am not going anywhere!" Kehinde flares up.

"You have no choice," Mrs. Adebayo says.

"Look, mum, you said I am old enough, I can make my own Kehinde." Kehinde frowns.

"You aren't up to eighteen and you are still under us," Mrs. Adebayo says at the top of her voice.

"Mum!"

Glossary

Ekaro - Goodmorning

Bawo Ni - How are you

Gbenu Seon - Shut up