Her Baby’s Secret

Arike’s POV

I couldn’t bear to close my eyes after finding out about what was happening to Adedayo. And when I managed to take a nap around 3:00am, I was already up by 5:00am again as I was really finding it hard to sleep because I couldn’t get my mind off Adedayo’s case. The fact that he was suffering this much bothered me a lot.

At exactly 6:34am, I was already fully dressed up to leave home and I impatiently waited for the break of the day. I paced to and fro in the living room, wishing I could fasten the hands of time but It was only a wish that would never come true so I am left with no choice but to wait.

“You need to calm down.” Busayomi said.

“I can’t calm down..” I paced.

“I have some pills that can help you relax, do you want some?” She offered.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“No thanks, I will be fine.” I replied.

Busayomi sighed. “I think you should ask Bamidele for help.” She suggested.

“Why?” I stopped pacing to look at her.

“Isn’t the reason obvious? Bamidele is a lawyer who is really good and not just that he owns a law firm, so Dayo might be needing his help.” She explained.

“Sister Mi, you of all people should know that Adedayo has always been against Bamidele. No doubt, he would reject Bamidele as his lawyer.”

“I am not sure, Adedayo is all the verge of going to jail for assault, a crime I am not even sure he committed. Who will care about what happened in the past? So asking Bamidele for help is necessary to solving this case. He is one of the best lawyers in the country.” She said.

I sat on the couch slowly when realization hit me straight in the face. It would have been me stepping in to help Adedayo if I hadn’t left the country. I hated this feeling of being helpless for the fact that I have been out of practice for five years now.

“I wish… I was still in.. practice.” I admitted sincerely.

I was heartbroken and deeply hurt for not being able to defend Adedayo in this situation. And once again, I regretted my decision of running away to America just to keep my baby’s secret.

Busayomi clearing of throat jolted me out of thought. “Listen, this is not the time to express regrets about past actions. Let us face the present situation and find a solution to it.” She said.

I shook my head in agreement. “You are right.” I wiped the few stray of tears that had dropped down my face.

My phone beeped and I reached out to take it from the table. It was an unsaved number but I figured it was the number of the driver for the ride I had ordered online.

I picked up the call. “Hello.” I said.

“Good morning ma, you ordered for a ride.” The masculine voice said.

“Yes, I ordered for a ride about ten minutes ago.”

“Yes, so I will be at your location in five minutes.” The driver said.

“Okay I will be expecting you.” I answered before disconnecting the call.

“Mommy-”

My head snapped up and found Iteoluwa walking into the living room with the singing doll in her hands.

“Oh you are awake!” Busayomi expressed in a disappointed tone.

We had hoped she would be still be asleep till I left home so she wouldn’t cry or suggest following me.

Busayomi has warned me never to tell Iteoluwa I was going to meet with her father. It was best for Iteoluwa not to know the situation her father was in and I agreed to it. Even though Iteoluwa was smarter than her age, she doesn’t have to know about the charges levied against her father.

Adedayo was in a bad shape which wasn’t a good condition for Iteoluwa to meet him. But once all these are over, I would definitely bring her to meet him without minding the consequences – whatever his family would do or whatever Shalewa would do doesn’t bother me anymore.

I was determined to make my child happy.

“Sweetie-” I called but instead of Iteoluwa to come to me, she went ahead to Busayomi.

“Good morning.. big mommy.” She sat beside Busayomi on the couch.

“You are up so early, I hope you slept well?” Busayomi asked.

“Yes big mommy.. I had my doll with me.. the whole night.” She gave her doll to Busayomi.

“Awwnnn, you have such a nice doll.” Busayomi complimented.

A car horn honked outside and my phone rang at the same time. “I think my ride is here.” I stood up to leave.

My child didn’t even greet me or make an attempt to question me about my whereabouts. Instead she rested her head on Busayomi’s chest.

“Sweetie I am going out, make sure you don’t disturb big mommy okay?” I said.

“Big mommy.. I want to watch Sofia the first.” Iteoluwa mumbled.

Busayomi gestured to me to leave. “I will talk to her.” She mouthed.

I walked out of the apartment to the gate where the Uber driver was already waiting for me.

“Good morning ma,” he greeted cheerfully.

“Good morning sir.” I slide into the backseat and gave him the address to Adedayo’s apartment.

I sighed and brought out my phone to text Bamidele. It was kinda weird to ask him for help being that he and Dayo weren’t on good terms before I left the country five years ago. I could still remember the words Dayo had said to him that night we had planned to have dinner. Who would tell that Bamidele would be the one helping him someday? I could just give it a try.

Bamidele should do better than anyone else because I trusted him and I know how capable he was as a lawyer.

“Good morning Bamidele, how are you doing with your family? I should have called but it is way to early. I checked the news last night and found out things about Adedayo. Right now I am on my way to see him and I hope that he opens up to me.” I sent the text to him and waited for a response.

Several minutes passed before Bamidele’s call came in on my phone and I picked immediately.

“Arike, where are you?” He asked in a concerned tone.

“On my way to see Dayo.” I answered.

“You can’t go to his apartment.” He rushes out his words.

“Why?”

“Listen I have been following up on Dayo’s case and this is a very crucial one being that he has been charged to domestic violence, assault and attempt murder on his wife.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He was released on bail three days ago but Shalewa’s father already ordered for his arrest again because the medical results showed that Shalewa had miscarriage after Dayo pushed her down the staircase during their argument.” Bamidele explained in full details.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. “So you can’t go to his apartment to see him because the police are probably outside his home now to arrest him.”

“This is deeper than I thought.” I covered my mouth in shock.

“I am sure they have filed a murder case against him for the loss of the child due to the miscarriage.” Bamidele added.

“Is it true?” I found myself asking.

“What?”

“I mean.. you have been following up the case, did Dayo really did these things to Shalewa?” I tried to control the tears but I failed at it.

“Arike, I don’t know what to think, every evidence they gathered proves that Dayo did these things.” He answered.

“No, Dayo would never do such thing. He can’t even hurt a fly.. something must have happened. Something is just not right.” I cried.