http://penastory.com/2016/01/11/i-wont-call-you-daddy-tobi-davies/

“Arise!” The court attendant’s voice had a sort of yell to it but maybe it was just me over imagining things. We all rose till the judge sat on his leather seat and the ego with which he sat was not exactly what I expected of a judge that was about to decide the future of a child.

“Present your case please.” Mr Lawrence, the counsel to Mr. Femi Onabanjo stood with confidence and his voice resonated something I could not quite place my mind on as he said “My Lord, my client and I are here to regain custody of the child seated here,” he pointed towards where I was sitting and I felt all eyes in the courtroom turn towards me before he continued “it has been determined that my client is the biological father of the child.” He sat and Mr. Onabanjo’s face had a smile that covered his entire face. Mr. Ibidun, mom’s lawyer stood up next and presented his case while I considered what my fate would be at this final hearing.

The entire hearing had felt terrifying at first but at this stage I was no longer terrified. It all began some months ago when I had eavesdropped on a conversation that I never knew was going to change my life forever. I had not even thought it was about me in the first place. Mom and Dad were talking about a child that needed to be returned to his father.

“Besides, he has every right to do this,” dad was saying as I listened with my ears pressed against the door. I heard dad sigh and go on, “I refuse to fight over what is not mine.” Mom’s voice was slightly louder and it was obvious she was crying as she responded

“You want to give up abi! What sort of man gives up what he has cherished for a long time and it is time to protect it.?” She called Dad by his name for the first time. “Osage, you will not leave me like this…” I was worried, mom never called Dad by name except it was a really serious matter but I left my position and went back to what I was doing before any of them caught me listening in on their conversation but for weeks after that conversation I kept wondering what could be wrong.

Following that conversation, Dad’s absence from home became more frequent and even when he came home, he was always looking gloomy and depressed. He talked less and seemed to smiled more and sometimes he would ask that I sleep next to him. During such moments of tenderness, he would hold on to me like he was trying to make sure I didn’t slip from his grasp. Usually, mom would just stare at him and start crying and he would hold her as well with my feeling lost as to what was going. Who was dying? Who was leaving? Were they getting a divorce?

Things began to have more clarity one noon when I was sitting outside the main door looking at people go around their various activities in the compound. A man walked in through the gate and there was something about him that immediately caught my interest. Maybe it had to do with how this man looked straight at me with his piercing dark eyes before turning his head to take in the entire compound. When he was done with his inspection, he started moving towards me and a little voice in me whispered to me not to greet him. When he drew close enough though, there was a compelling aura around him that had me mumbling a “Good afternoon sir,” and he looked at me like he had expected more from me than that.

Mom must have been expecting him because she walked out the door the minute he asked after her and I decided I didn’t like this proud looking man with his Rolex wristwatch. He was clearly not from here and didn’t fit into the scenery of filth and poverty, this was clearly a stranger in a Face-Me-I-Face You compound. I was staring at him as the rest of our neighbours who were around were also doing, in their minds they must have been wondering who the rich man visiting the Osaros was.

I stared at him and mom talking in hushed whispers after he had refused her invitation to come inside. I shifted closer to them although mom had instructed me to stay where I was with her eyes. I needed to know who he was and what it was that he was discussing with mom that was making her so agitated.

“Have you made up your mind? We don’t have to go through with the court case. How old is he?” My new position mean’t their conversation could now reach me.

“He is only fourteen.” Mom replied and I didn’t need to be told that they were talking about me. That mom also avoided his other questions made alarm bells go off in my head. What was going on? I needed answers and my mind was racing with different explanations. What did he mean by court case? Why was he asking how old I am?

“How do you even live here? This place is a total dump. You cook here? Eat here? There was a tone of incredulity and condemnation in his voice and I bristled at this proud man who was not only making my mother agitated but now felt like he had a right to judge her. Mom was silent.

“Does he go to school?” He finally asked when he realized mom was not going to answer his question.

“Oh yes! He is in SS2 now. He hardly sleeps because of his ambition to take us out of here. He is usually top of his class and he never whines about not getting enough. I don’t know how he does it, we are barely able to afford his text books but somehow he finds books to read and leads the class.” There was pride in mom’s voice as she talked about my accomplishments and I wanted to go to her and hug her but I knew I would only receive a spanking for eavesdropping. Her voice dropped even lower and I strained my ears to hear her say “He enjoys riding bicycles but Osage can’t afford to buy him one. I have promised him we’ll leave this place to a better one. He is a rare gem really…” He cut in rudely

“Enough! All these would change when he is with me. All these things are irrelevant to me and he can have all the bicycles he wants when he is with me, he doesn’t even need to study that hard again if he is really as bright as you say he is. What is that his name again?” He threw a glance at me and I had to quickly turn my face to the ground to avoid being caught.

“Seye is his name. You don’t care about the boy, all you want is a trophy son and just so you know all the things I said about him shows how much he means more than just a trophy to us. I wish you won’t take our one source of happiness just because you can.” There was resigned bitterness in mom’s voice and I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me that this man was about to take me from my parents. But what did mom mean by a trophy son? I didn’t have time to dwell on that as I heard mom say “If you hurt my son Femi, if you lay a pinch of that nasty finger of yours on my child, you will be dead.”

He laughed mirthless and then his voice was very loud and angry when he finally replied “Alero that boy is also my son. You cannot tell me what to do with my son.” My mouth flew open in shock and I heard a gasp from one of the neighbors who were also standing by their doorsteps, looking at mom and the rich stranger. His son? What was this man talking about? Mom lost her cool then too and shouted back at him

“He will hate you. What you did to me, to us will make him hate you. You’re no father to a son that you rejected fourteen years ago. Just because you can’t have a child now, you want to come and take the one you abandoned.” She was crying now as she continued “Osage is the only family that would stay with me. My parents refused take me in. Who would blame them? They had my five siblings to feed. I was a disappointment and bringing in an extra mouth to feed was not in the options. My father disowned me, I had to drop out of school while you Femi chased me out and called me a LovePeddler. Your father was rich enough to send you out of the country and bribe social services to cover up the family name. You took my life and now you think you can take my son as well?” He raised his hand like he was going to slap her and I ran to them in a flash with more violence in me than I thought possible. He drew back and looked at me as if wondering where I had come from. Mom drew me close to her and pointed at him. “I carried Seye for nine months. I worked all kinds of trade. I hawked with him on my back after his birth. Osage had nothing, all he wanted was the pretty Alero not Alero and Femi’s baby but he still took me in. He dropped everything for me. Femi, you’re a bastard! A cold blooded bastard! That is what you are. I would fight you and your money and even if you win like you always do, I know you won’t win in hell.” There was a mini-crowd now and I tugged at my mom’s hand to indicate we should go inside.

“See you in court Alero.” He said to our retreating backs and it took all the self will in me not to yell at him to go to hell even as i caught the faces of the neighbours. I was shaking with controlled anger as we entered into our room and I slammed the door shut aggressively to indicate to all watching that the show was over.

Mom collapsed in on the floor and began sobbing and I sat down beside her, stroking her hands unable to say anything. After about ten minutes, she opened her mouth to say something but I didn’t need to be told so I just said “Mom, I know. We would be fine” She hugged me tight to her then and continued crying. It broke my heart to see her in so much pain all because of me and a rich bastard that called himself my father. After the incident, I tried to make the house as vibrant as possible knowing that my days with them was numbered.

My head jerked up as I heard my name and was asked to come to the witness stand. The judge wanted to know if there was anything I would like to say before passing his judgement.

“Good day everyone. I am Seye Osaro and would never been an Onabanjo.” I paused and allowed that sink in. I continued, “ We live in a society where money matters more than family and justice so before the judge passes his judgement all I ask is that the court to grant me these wishes before I am handed over to that man who I shall for as long as I live refuse to call father.” I pointed at where Mr. Femi Onabanjo sat and continued, “before leaving my mother to his house, I will like that she be given a job, an apartment or preferably a house with a Toyota Venza. Also, my Dad,” this time I pointed to where Mr. Osage Osaro sat “should also be given a job in line with his intelligence, a car of his choice and a sum of five million naira to maintain himself before his first salary. Lastly I will like to ask the law court to grant me the wish to finish my secondary education in my present school before moving over to my father’s finally. Thank you.”

There was a big smile on my parents’ face as I stepped down and made my way back to my seat while the courtroom exploded into applause with the attendant yelling “Order” to no avail. I wasn’t sure if my wishes will be granted but I knew we have not given up without putting up a fight.

http://penastory.com/2016/01/11/i-wont-call-you-daddy-tobi-davies/

Can I follow?.... Can I?.. Can I?.. Pretty please?. Lolzzz. Ofcourse I can!. Loving this already. #following#

debdave:
Can I follow?.... Can I?.. Can I?.. Pretty please?.
Lolzzz. Ofcourse I can!. Loving this already.
#following#

hmmm...u don't need 2 ask 4 d OP's approval b4 4llowin dis thread

debdave:
Can I follow?.... Can I?.. Can I?.. Pretty please?.
Lolzzz. Ofcourse I can!. Loving this already.
#following#

hmmm...u don't need 2 ask 4 d OP's approval b4 4llowin dis thread

Polymath56:
hmmm...u don't need 2 ask 4 d OP's approval b4 u 4llow dis thread..

And how is that your business,Mr?

I'm luvin every snippet of dis story

debdave:
And how is that your business,Mr?

n hw did u knw I'm a Mr...

Polymath56:
n hw did u knw I'm a Mr...

Like seriously.. You want to do this?