We Knew Them Part 19

Hello,

It’s the end of yet another week! The end of the year gets closer and so does Christmas! Anyway, before I go on about the festivities (which I love), here is the last episode of the week. Please read, share and buy my works. Your weekend does not have to be boring, when you can be entertained by my stories.

Next week, Jumoke meets Lanre! Don’t miss it.

Enjoy!

 

Remi was frying some eggs when Toyin came into the kitchen with Gbemi.

“Hmm… smells nice in here!” the latter said.

“What are you cooking?!” Toyin asked.

“It’s just eggs.” Remi replied amused.

“I’m suddenly hungry.” Toyin replied.

“You better beg her for some. We’re twins, but it’s common knowledge that God gave all the cooking skills to one of us.”

They all laughed.

“And that’s why you’re big. You eat too much junk.” Remi said.

“Junk is good for me, you better believe that!”

Toyin laughed. “You guys are so different!”

“Yes we are.” Remi said emphatically, dishing the eggs.

Lanre peeked in and sniffed. “Smells nice in here. Baby, you’re cooking?”

“No, it’s Remi.”

He nodded. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Okay, all the best.”

“Yeah.” He replied and turned to leave.

“No kiss?”

Lanre reluctantly walked over to her and kissed her briefly on the lips. The ladies watched him walk out, each occupied in her own thoughts.

“Can I say something without sounding mean?” Toyin said.

Gbemi shrugged.

“Lanre’s changed. Ever since you guys took over the company… I wish things could go back to the way they used to be. I don’t even understand him anymore. He feels so distant, especially since that pregnancy kit episode…”

“You’re pregnant?” Remi blurted.

“No, no, I’m not! But I thought I was. You should have seen his reaction, he was relieved! It’s like he was glad not to be saddled with the thought of being a father.”

Remi smirked. “Yeah… sounds like Lanre to me.”

“Remi…” Gbemi warned.

“What? What am I missing?” Toyin saw that she was missing something.

“I’m going to enjoy my breakfast.” Remi said, picking up a tray laden with eggs, ham, toast bread and hot cocoa.

“What was that about?” Toyin asked when she was gone.

“Don’t mind her. She and your man never really get along…”

“Why? What are you guys not telling me?”

Gbemi smiled sadly. “Some things are best left alone Toyin. Just love your man the way he is. By the way, I would be more careful about getting pregnant if I were you.”

Toyin was perplexed, something was very wrong.

***********

“I saw Remi Williams during the week.” Jumoke said to her father after Hope had been sent in to stay with her grandmother.

“Remi…Williams? The same one?”

“Yes Daddy.”

“Where?”

Jumoke narrated the experience and her father sighed.

“Have you met the boy?”

“No.”

“Stay away from him…” he exhaled sharply. “That will be hard.”

“Yes it will.”

“Stay focused, don’t allow him to distract you.”

Jumoke tittered.

“What is so funny?”

“You sound exactly like Korede. He said precisely what you said.”

“I believe you’re going to take to our advice?”

“I have no intention of letting any man distract me ever again.”

“’Good. Have you told your mother?”

“Do I tell her anything?”

Mr Oludare sighed. “Alright, take your things in.”

**********

Mrs Oludare knocked and then let herself in to Jumoke’s room. She was painting her toenails and looked up at her questioningly.

“Did you need something?”

“No, I just wanted to talk to you.”

“Talk to me? About what?”

“Nothing in particular. Do I need a reason to sit down and talk to my daughter?” she forced a smile.

Jumoke looked oddly at her and put her foot on the ground, it was time for her to leave the room.

“I just remembered that I need to buy fuel for the generator….”

“Your Dad has sent Elijah.”

“Oh….”

“Sit down.”

Jumoke shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I don’t have anything to say to you, I don’t want to be alone in a room with you, and I don’t want to look at your face any more than necessary.”

Even though it hurt to hear what her daughter had said, Mrs Oludare was finally glad to at least get some reaction from her. She was frustrated by the civility between them.

“I know I’ve offended you Jumoke, but can we talk about it? I want things to be different between us…”

“Why? I don’t have anything to say to you. Please leave me alone…”

“I’m your mother Jumoke…”

“No, you stopped being my mother twelve years ago. You’re just my father’s wife now.”

Mrs Oludare gaped at her daughter and her eyes immediately glazed with tears.

“Please leave, or should I leave?”

**********

Remi stared blankly at the garden and thought yet again about Jumoke. The more she thought about her, the angrier she became. What gave Jumoke the right to blame her for her own actions? She had spent the last twelve years thinking about what she would say to Jumoke if she ever saw her and feeling guilty about how things had turned out with her. Now it seemed that she had simply wasted her time, Jumoke was the same stuck-up person she had been as a teenager. How dare she dismiss her and make her feel inconsequential? Still she had no closure, she truly desired reconciliation with her.

“Hi.” Lanre said from behind her.

Remi rolled her eyes, this was the last person she wanted to see. Lanre had seen the look on her face and it aggravated him, he was equally in a bad mood.

“Put whatever attitude you have decided to give me aside. I’ve not come to pay you a courtesy visit.”

Remi laughed sarcastically. “What do you want Lanre? What can I do to make life more comfortable for you today?”

Lanre shook his head. “How did the meeting with Brighton Consulting go? You were supposed to give me a feedback.”

Now Remi laughed, if only he knew what he was asking.

“What’s so amusing?”

“It’s just what you said.”

Lanre’s patience was wearing thin. “I’m really not in the mood Remi, just give me the highlights of the meeting. You know what forget it. I want a brief on my table tomorrow morning.”

“Yes boss!” she gave a mock salute. “You know what, maybe I should just give you the highlight. I have a very interesting one for you.”

Lanre turned to leave.

“Oh don’t turn away now Lanre, you’ll love this!”

Still Lanre didn’t respond.

“I saw Jumoke.”

Immediately, Lanre stopped walking.

“I’m not joking.” She said without any sarcasm in her voice. “She works for Brighton Consulting, she’s the team lead.”

Lanre slowly turned to face her.

“She’s still very angry. Angry isn’t even the word, she’s bitter.”

“What did she say?”

“Apart from telling me to stay out of her way and pretend as if we didn’t know each other, not much.”

Lanre licked his lips nervously. “Have you told anyone else?”

“You mean Toyin?” the sarcasm was back. “No I haven’t. But I suggest you do. There’s no way she won’t know.”

“Did she say anything about…?”

“The pregnancy? If you really want to know, you’ll have to ask her yourself.”

It was Remi’s turn to walk away.