Song of the chapter- Closer by Chainsmokers

...

Tobi watched Abena as she stepped out of the house. He knew something was bothering her, and it had to do with the phone call she had just received. She always left the house, every Wednesday, although today was Saturday, and she never said where she went.

He touched his temple, contemplating on whether to snoop around or not. He decided to.

He dialled a number on his phone and waited for the other person to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Good day to you too, Mr. Ali."

"No, I'm not conducting any business transactions. I need you to do something important for me."

"The account that I instructed you to pay ten million naira to, every time I give you a call, I would like to know how much is in that account. Send the bank account statement to my mail."

"I'm very sure that if you don't have a job, you won't be worried about business ethics and constumers confidentiality."

"Thank you."

He stared at his phone and waited for the mail to come in. After a few seconds, he received it.

Miss. Abena Omotosho.

Main balance: N 0.00 k

How can she have no money in her account? She was supposed to have, at most, twenty million.

He read the two lines over and over again in shock.

Where was all the money going to?

...

Abena walked into the hospital with a flood of memories hitting her.

She hated hospitals.

She hated the memories that came with them. All her memories were here, in the hospital.

She had once heard a joke that when doctors prayed to make a lot of money, they were praying for people to get sick.

But there was a little consolation, she wasn't going because something bad happened, she was going there because, finally, something good was happening.

Something small, but good anyway.

She took a deep breath and walked to the reception and smiled at Feyi, the nurse she had seen a lot in all her years of coming to the hospital.

"Good morning Miss. Omotosho!" She smiled brightly at her. All the nurses in the hospital knew her, and she hated that.

When she was young, she said wanted to be well known, but when she said that, she didn't mean in the hospital.

"Good morning Feyi." She gave her a strained smile.

"You're here to see Doctor Karo, aren't you?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes."

"He's been waiting for you. Go right in." She said.

She didn't need to describe the doctors office for Abena, she had been there a million times.

She knocked gently and walked into the office, smiling at the doctor.

"Miss. Omotosho, good to see you again." Dr. Karo said looking up at him.

"Doctor, good morning. How is he?" Abena asked as she sat down.

"Ready for transport, you can see him before we leave." He replied.

A young woman walked into the office just as Abena was about to speak.

"Miss. Omotosho, this is Miss. Joy, she would be the care taker of Demi while he's in India."

Abena stood up to shake Joy. "Pleased to meet you. Please take care of him."

"I would. It's my job." Miss. Joy replied.

"Can I see him?" Abena asked looking at the doctor.

"Of course. Right this way." Dr. Karo said and stood up, leaving the office with Abena and Miss. Joy trailing after him

Abena entered the hospital room, and although she had been there a thousand times, she still felt the same way.

Sad.

Depressed.

Nostalgic, and not the good type.

She walked beside the bed and stared at the innocent face of a two year old.

"Demi." She started talking, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"You're going to go to India, and get surgery, and you'll be much better after. And when you come back, it would be just us. The two of us, we'll start over. Our little family. I'm sorry I can't come, I have to keep working," she wiped the hot tears on her cheek with the back of her palm. "I'll keep working for us, so I can keep on sending enough money for your surgery."

Demi's eyes fluttered open and he gave Abena a weary smile. She choked in tears and gave him a hug, trying to avoid the tubes that were attached to him, the tubes that were keeping him alive.

"Miss. Joy would take good care of you, and I'll call everyday, to make sure you're okay." She said once she pulled away.

Miss. Joy gave him a friendly wave, grinning at him, and he smiled back.

After sorting out all the documents, Abena said goodbye to Demi again, trying to be strong for the both of them, and then she left the hospital.

Doctor Karo had stared at her pregnant belly, and then at her index finger, but she pretended not to notice.

...

"I'm back!" Abena shouted as she walked into the house and straight into the kitchen looking for a snack.

"Don't make noise in my house." She heard Tobi say sharply.

"What's the matter with you?" She asked with her mouth full, poking him on his shoulder. He was sitting on a couch, with his laptop right in front of him.

"Don't talk to me except when necessary. Don't break my rules Abena." He warned and she rolled her eyes.

"I thought we were past that." She asked sitting down beside him. "And why are you working? It's Saturday."

"Well some of us have actual jobs." He snapped and she glared at him.

"If you're so cranky, because you didn't get your favorite lingerie, you don't have to take it out on me!" She said, raising her voice a little before storming up the stairs.

She came back after a minute and grabbed the whole bunch of bananas before storming up the stairs again.

What was up with him and his mood swings anyway? Acting like it was his time of the month!

...

Tobi watched Abena leave and fought the urge to go after her, she was messing with his head, and he needed her as far away as possible.

He knew it was impossible to keep her away, but after seeing her bank statement, he didnt know how to react.

But then he realised, why does he care anyway?

It was none of his business. She was here for his baby, and nothing else.

...

Abena danced in the kitchen as she stirred the sauce that was cooking. Tobi walked in, wearing sweatpants and a white shirt.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a surprised look.

"Cooking. I was hungry." She smiled him.

He opened his mouth to say something but she stopped him by shoving a chopping board in his hands. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Since you're here, I hate chopping onions. So since you're going to eat the food, you should participate in cooking it." She smiled broadly.

"And you think I would chop onions for you?" He asked, fighting the smile that threatened to appear on his lips.

"Well yes. I can't cry. It's bad for the baby, remember?" She handed him the knife.

"You won't be crying because you're sad, you'll be crying because of the onions." He pointed out.

"And onions make me sad." She handed him a bowl of onions. "Get chopping. I don't want to eat late tonight."

He smiled and obeyed her order, and she looked away from him, trying not to check him out. He looked really good in everything he wore, and the fact that he was chopping onions made him look hot.

It was getting domestic.

"Oh my God, Tobi! Are you crying?" She joked when she saw tears on his cheek.

"Shut up Abena." He laughed and wiped the tears.

"You have nice eyes. And eyelashes." She blurted out and looked away immediately, totally embarrassed.

He burst out laughing and came closer to her, and she scooted away, trying to get away from him.

"You think I have nice eyes?" He asked again.

"Thats not what I said. Stop coming too close to me, you're holding an onion." She warned.

"Then what did you say?" He asked, trapping her in a corner

"I said, 'look at the nice skies, and rainbow dashes'." She blurted out again and gave her face a palm slap.

"What is wrong with me?" She muttered while he laughed, clutching his stomach.

"No food for you, for embarrassing me." She pointed a finger at him and walked back to the sink to wash the rice.

"Aw, I'm sorry, don't be angry, my baby mama." He teased, standing behind her and snaking his arms around her waist.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped and pulled away from him.

"Abena. Chill, it was joke." He said, his smile disappearing.

"I'm not your baby mama. And stop touching me dammit! I'm not one of those girls that get pregnant for celebrities and suck all the money out of them!" She hissed.

"Well you're here, pregnant for me, and getting paid for it." He spat back, arms folded against his chest, and a scowl on his face.

The next thing he felt was her palm against his cheek.

"You're a terrible person!" She screamed before walking up the stairs, sobbing loudly.

He touched his cheek and sighed. The slap hurt, but not as much as his words.

...

"Abena. Abena open up please. I made your Jollof rice, and chicken, and I even got fresh bananas."

He heard her sniffling in her room, and felt a pang of guilt.

"I also got you cookies, chocolates, and more bananas." He said again.

He heard the door click open and she stood in front of him, blocking him from entering her room.

"I have to come in with the whole package Abena." He said softly and she let him in, grabbing the bunch of bananas from him.

He chuckled, but kept quiet when she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, I'm such a dick. I have no filter, and I say a lot of mean things." He apologized.

"Yes, you do." She simply said.

"Let me make it up to you." He offered.

"Sorry, I don't hang out with my baby daddy. I don't want people to think I'm with him for money..." She gave a sarcastic pause. "Oh, yes! I am getting paid."

"Abena, thats unfair. I'm trying to apologize. I'm sorry I always say the wrong things. I'm such a bad person to you." He sighed and she felt bad.

She looked at the worried look on his beautiful face and immediately gave in.

He had no idea what he did to her.

"Fine. Apology accepted." She said grabbing the box of cookies from him.

A smile lit up his face and the butterflies returned to her stomach, playing around.

"So, Abena." He started, attempting to make small talk. "Why don't you go out?" Tobi asked after a while.

"Go out? To where?" She lifted an eyebrow.

"Go out, like to have fun. You always stay at home, even after I told you that you're allowed to leave the house." He explained.

"People stare." She said quietly, thinking of Dr. Karo's scrutinizing gaze.

"Stare? At what?" He asked confused.

"At me. People stare at me." She tried to explain.

"I don't understand."

"What have you been doing all your life? Working?"

"Precisely."

"You have no knowledge of how life works do you?" She asked.

"Just talk Abena." He said impatiently.

"People stare, when you're pregnant and not married, or at least engaged." She explained sadly.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Why don't I take you out. Shopping and stuff. Anything you want." He offered.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up.

"Yeah."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squealed, hugging him tightly. He released himself from her grip and gave her a smile.

"No problem."

I'll do anything to see that smile on your face again.

But of course, he didn't tell her that.

...

Hellooooooo from the other side!

How did you find this chapter?

Abena has a kid? 😲. Totally unexpected. what do you think about that?

Tobi is so mean! I don't care if I'm the one that made him, he's such a meanie! Who agrees? 🙋

And is their relationship progressing okay?

I can't stop listening to Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran 😆😆💗

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm open to advice, suggestions and comments! I'm still a learning writer so don't be afraid to criticise me.

Dont be a silent reader, comment, follow me and touch that star button!

Keep on being amazing my lovely bananas!

☺

-Timi

P.S.

I just entered The Contract into the Nigerian Watty Awards.

You guys should check it out.

Search for Nigerian Watty Awards, it's like a book.

Please nominate the characters for the different categories.

Thanks

☺