Her Baby’s Secret

ARIKE’S POV

“Our wife! Our wife!” A lady in her fourties walked into the room.

It wasn’t hard to tell that she was Mrs Chidinma, the one Busayomi had given me a full gist on.

“Good afternoon ma.” Busayomi greeted.

A phone beeped. “Sorry it is mine… oh It is Temitope.” Omolade said.

“I hope nothing is wrong.” Busayomi huffed.

“I will just go out and talk to her.” Omolade moved out of the room.

“Wow! Your dress is beautiful. I hope you like it?” Mrs Chidinma asked.

“Oh yes ma and I really appreciate your help.” Busayomi answered.

Mrs Chidinma looked at me. “Oh, she is my sister.” Busayomi said.

“I am Arike, and this is my daughter, Iteoluwa.” I did a brief introduction.

“Oh.. I must say you have a beautiful daughter.” She complimented Iteoluwa.

“Thank you ma.” I said.

Iteoluwa was too carried away with her dress that she didn’t even pay attention to us. She was doing several poses in front of the mirror.

“So funny and cute.” Mrs Chidinma laughed. “I think your dress is tight.” She said.

“Oh yes.. but they promised to amend it.”

“Okay.. you should have all the dresses by next week. I will have them delivered to your apartment.” She said.

“Thank you very much ma.” Busayomi gestured to me to help her unzip the dress.

“I am sorry I have to go now. If you need anything please don’t hesitate to call me.” Mrs Chidinma said.

“Okay Ma.” We said in unison before she walked away.

“She is nice?” Busayomi asked as my eyes trailed on Mrs Chidinma as she finally left the room.

“I don’t even know what to think.”

“Let’s wrap things up here and then head to the dance center.” She said.

“Ite, come here let me help you take off the dress.”

“Okay.” She came to me and while I was busy helping her out Omolade voice echoed in the room.

“Finally she is here o.” Omolade announced.

I peered up to look at the person, it was Temitope an old friend to Busayomi back in school days. She was holding an albino boy. I wasn’t surprised because she was an albino herself.

“Ore mi!” She screamed and ran towards Busayomi.

(My friend)

She embraced Busayomi. “I know you must be really angry at me for turning up late.” She said.

“Yes I am angry, you should keep to time now. You kept us waiting for too long.” Busayomi said.

“I am sorry.” Temitope apologized.

“Just don’t come late on wedding day or else we will fight.” Busayomi warmed her.

“I won’t come late.” She laughed

“You did not see Arike..” Busayomi said.

“Arike,” she called.

I straightened and face her. “Wow!” She gasped out.

“Wow! Long time Arike! America must have been really good to you!” She exclaimed as her eyes did a slow crawl on me then to Iteoluwa.

“It is nice to see you again.” I smiled.

“Your child?” She asked.

“Yes..” the resemblance was very clear.

“Oh my God, I didn’t know you had a child. Busayomi didn’t tell me that you even got married!” She turned to Busayomi.

Busayomi and I exchanged glances. Was it necessary for me to let her know that I wasn’t married?ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“But I don’t see a ring on your finger.. Perhaps you didn’t come with it.” Temitope examines my fingers closely.

“What do you mean?” Busayomi came back from the cubicle where one of the attendants helped her pull off the dress.

“I am just surprised, what’s your name? And how old are you baby girl?” She asked.

“My name is Iteoluwa and I am four years old.” She answered.

Somehow I was happy and relieved that Iteoluwa didn’t say her surname together with her name this time around.

“Oh that’s good.. my son’s name is Richard but you can call him Richie and he is five.” She said to no one in particular.

“Please can you bring his suit?” Busayomi requested from one of the attendants.

“Yes ma.”

“Let me go and prepare the ladies, so we can all move after Richard has tried his suit.” Omolade said before leaving us again.

“Hi Richie.” Iteoluwa waved at the boy.

He waved back with a boyish smile. “Wow! I really love her accent.”

“What do you expect from a child that grew up abroad?” Busayomi replied her.

“Anyways.. that’s true.” Temitope nodded.

“So tell me why did you relocate to America?” She asked.

Busayomi and I exchanged glances again. “Temitope, can you please tell Omolade to find out if the caterer will meet us today?” Busayomi said just to dismiss her and so I wouldn’t have to answer the question.

“Oh.. oh sure.” She walked away.

I heaved a sigh of relief. That was close to revealing the truth. I don’t even know what I would have said if Busayomi had not helped.

Iteoluwa was busy chatting with Richard while Busayomi dragged me away from them.

“She is still nosy! Always poking nose in others business! I am beginning to regret asking her son to be a little groom.” She said furiously.

“Calm down..”

“Well I can’t.. I would have smacked her head if she asked about your husband! How can somebody be so -”

“Our bride.. can you please relax?”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay. Just avoid answering her questions.. no.. I will find a way to make her leave, she doesn’t have to come with us to the rehearsal.”

How long will I have to keep avoiding such questions from people? Everyone has always been curious as to why I have a child without a ring on my finger.

It was really uncomfortable for me. I love my child but being a single mom was never what I planned for myself. My past was beginning to catch up with me.