The Dreams Of My Mother – Episode 14

Episode 14

Dayo had a reprieve when Gberan announced the next day that he was on his annual leave, and would be spending it with his family. He cooked delicious meals for them in the kitchen, while Dayo helped out. Dayo was the son Gberan wished for, the boy was inquisitive, and wanted to learn new things.

Dayo: “What do they call this soup, it smells great and it is not Yoruba soup. Ours is only efo this, efo that” he said with a smirk. Gberan pushed him away playfully and smiled. Dayo had a good sense of humor along with his smartness, and Gberan was convinced that the child was armed with what he needed to be successful in life.

Gberan: “Perhaps you want to be Deltan abi, since you like their soup so much.

This is banga soup” he said.

Dayo: “Guess I can make it when you resume back to work” he said stirring the broth on the burner.

Gberan: “Why would you do that, your mummy Bella will cook it for you” he said

Dayo: “Hmmn” he hummed and fell silent, but Gberan knew instantly that something was wrong.

Gberan: “Dayo, what is wrong, speak up now and don’t you lie to me” he said in a strict voice.

Dayo: “Well, it is no big deal that I cook all the meals around here” he said in a small voice.

Gberan: “What!” he exclaimed and dropped the bowl of mixed meat that was about to go into the pot of soup. He grabbed Dayo by the hand and marched out of the kitchen, yelling his wife’s name all to the way to the living quarters.

Gberan: “Bella!” he yelled. His son, Ken, came out of his room and glared at Dayo who was being led by the hand.

“Mother, whatever you want to do, you got to do it quick, or else Dayo is going to make father angry with you too” He thought, but he frowned when his father passed him without even acknowledging him.

Bella had travelled to Oshogbo to find out all she could, she didn’t want to find out later she was wrong. She wanted to make sure that her gun was smoking. She stayed in a motel where she had been told that the manager knew everything that happened in the town. She knew that if she wanted to get information, that was the right place to go.

Damilola went home and pondered his situation, no matter how much they tried to have children, Tania still didn’t conceive, and he could not help but think it was his fault. He remembered Khadijat of his youth, his mother had told him that she died in an accident, while running away from her father, who wanted to kill her because she brought shame to the family, a shame that he was responsible for. He could not help but think that Khadijat’s spirit had cursed him in her time of suffering, and that was the reason they couldn’t have children.

Seeing Dayo had brought back memories he had tried to bury because, Dayo had the same mocha skin complexion like Khadijat. His eyes too was without guile as a child’s eyes ought to be, but Khadijat had those same eyes because, she was the most innocent girl he ever met, she trusted easily and doubted no one.

“And that was the reason you used me and left me high and dry” He thought he heard a voice whisper it in the air, but when he looked around the garden where he was standing and having a smoke, there was no one. He felt goose bumps on his skin. He laughed at his fortune, while he had no child, others were having even illegitimate children, and yet he was hearing Khadijat’s voice in his head. What was it about the boy Dayo that resurrected buried memories, he wondered.

Question: Will Bella find any information in Oshogbo, and if she does, what will she do with it. Will Damilola ever find his way to his son, or would it be a little too late?