EPISODE 23
<<<<<May 1982>>>>>
Sola Adebisi got down from the back of her father’s volkwagen car and walked to the main house to greet her mother. The last time they saw was when she went to school three months ago. The letters have not been enough. Her mother ran halfway to meet her darling daughter who was making them proud in school.

After her diploma, she had insisted on going to the university to study Literature and she had been there for about two years now. She
brought home good results. Her mother could not be more proud of her, especially because she is a lady and the only son she has was not showing any interest in education.

Ever since she started a relationship with Tola Ajayi, her live had changed and everyone can see it. She suddenly wanted to go to the university, getting better grades each semester and even advising her brother to go and further his education; though he did not listen to anyone on that.

They always asked after Tola and hoped he would return to Nigeria when he’s through with his masters and would formally ask for her hand in marriage. Happy that their daughter would be marrying someone who has gone to the white man’s land to further his education. He is a cool headed man also, the perfect in-law and would surely succeed.

That particular break, her brother had come home with his friend who he claimed his parents lived in the village but would love to
spend the break with them so he could get a job. Unknown to them, he was just a wanderer, who had no will to school nor learn a trade. He would wake up to help them fetch water from the deep well at the back of the house, feed the goats and sweep the compounds. After all that, he would simply go back to sleep till he is called for breakfast.

He was just doing all that to gain their favours and for them to allow him stay. He ended up staying for the entire month.

Sola was at home and things happened between them.

Sola had been rushed to the hospital some weeks after resuming her 300L in the University of Ibadan.

What they thought might be ordinary malaria turned out to be five weeks pregnancy and they could not advise her to abort it. So they were lucky that Tola returned that same month and formally asked her to be his wife.

The whole process was sped up so he would not notice a thing and when she delivered a healthy baby earlier than the normal 9 months, they ruled it to nature and asked them to thank God that she has a healthy child, in spite of the fact that he came early.

The secret has been their secret for years; Sola and her mother, although her father cannot say he doesn’t know about it.

When Ade started asking after her even after she moved back to school, her brother had been
suspicious and when Sola’s mother threatened to have him locked up for stealing, he stopped coming.

Sola’s elder brother left for Lagos to learn fashion designing and became quite successful, but whenever he sees his nephew, no one needs to tell him that he was right when he accused his friend of sleeping with his sister.

He had denied it and so had she. The unserious boy eventually impregnated another girl in the same community as Sola’s parents and he was forced to take responsibility.

The other family got him a security job with a company and he was sacked within months for drunkenness and theft.

When sola visited her parents with her kids for a Christmas break when Tokunbo was about 18 years old, she had come across Ade and his son from the other woman. She could have snatched him away from Ade if she was not sure Tokunbo was sleeping in the house with his sister.

The resemblance was too much and anyone would have taken them to be twins. The holiday break was cut short for that singular reason and she has never taken her children back to the village to see their grandparents for fear of someone linking Tokunbo to Ade. Even till their death.

The birthmark on his head appears on the head of all his children from the other woman; male and female. Although her mother said it would eventually not bebnoticeable on Tokunbo’s head with time, but they have been wrong in that prediction.

The only thing they have been right about is that Ade would ruin her life if she married him, they were right when they advised her to marry Tola Ajayi and not tell him about the pregnancy that he would not suspect a thing.

They said he would make her life better, andbthey have been right.
************************************

Chinwe has tried everything in her book to avoid Tokunbo. Call it out of guilt, love, fear or whatever you may. Every method she tried
was met with his smiling face and helpful hands. He had waited for her to use the toilet that morning, despite the fact that there were
three other toilets in the house he could use.

When Clara called her from Uyo the night before to tell her she arrived early, he had spoken with her and asked how her journey went, even saying hello to Henry. His actions said it all, Tokunbo did not rape Clara, and he couldn’t have and still be comfortable withbthe hospital lab results they all are waiting to get.

When the nights come, he simply would lay on his side of the bed and would calmly wait for her to get in beside him before turning off the lights.

He made sure they ate together, and would sometimes help her to wash afterwards.

When she got a call from her father’s lawyer, who told her she would start work on Monday, she had turned to him after the call to ask what she should expect from starting a role without an interview.

He had simply told her to take it as a merit, no one would hire her without one, she looked worried and ended up asking if they thought she would not have passed the interview and just employed her so they would not stress themselves, to which Tokunbo laughed and told her to quit being silly.

He told her to think it that they believe so much in her ability that they knew she would catch up with the workplace irrespective of her being interviewed for the position or not.

The reply seemed to relax her as she went into the bedroom to start sorting her clothes.

When he came into their room that Thursday night, he was surprised to see her reading some documents she must have printed out from his printer. She was so engrossed in it that he almost wanted to ask what she was reading until she turned to him and ask.

“Do you think I can do this, I mean I have never worked in my life.”

“We all have to learn work someday, I know you will fit in and be wonderful at any job you are given to do.”

Tokunbo said sincerely and when he caught her staring at him from the corners of his eyes, he looked back at her and patted her knee before facing the other side of the room.

“Thanks for that.”

“You are welcome.”

When Friday came, they were together in the sitting room; he typing away on the laptop and she reading the printouts from the night before when they both got an alert on their phones.

After going through the results of the DNA on his phone, Tokunbo could not fathom the meaning; all he could see and understand is 75%.

“What do you think this means? ”She asked him nervously.

“That is what I was about to ask you. You know what, I will print it out and we can head to the doctor’s together.”

As they got into the vehicle, Clara called Chinwe’s line who told her to stay put with her phone as they were on their way the hospital.

Clara also called Joseph, who abandoned all he was doing as he hopped into his car and drove to meet Clara.

The tension in the air was thick and both were saying different prayers.

When they sat at Dr. Kunbi’s office, he went out to attend to a patient and asked them to spare him some minutes. When he did not arrive immediately, Chinwe could no longer find comfort in sitting down, so she stood up and paced the space of the office.

Clara’s call came in again, but she silenced it.

When Dr. Kunbi returned some 40 minutes later, he apologized for keeping them and took the paper from Tokunbo, before he started talking, they asked if they could call Clara and make her listen to the interpretation of the result.

“Hello Clara, can you hear me? This is Dr. Kunbi, your friends are here.”

“Go ahead Dr. I can hear you.”

“Well, from the result with me, it shows Henry has about 75% genetic makeup as Tokunbo, which could simply be interpreted that Tokunbo is not the father, but he is surely related to the father of your son. If we have anything above 95%, then Tokunbo would be his father. However, with 75%, he is only related to the person who fathered your son most likely his brother. This is my interpretation and I would advise you to get a second opinion if you have doubts, but I can assure you, the interpretation would be the same.”

The silence at the other end of the line matched that of the office as Dr. Kunbi stared at the 2 people sitting in front of him.

“Hello, do you have anything to say, or would you like to ask any question?”

“No sir, I…”

“Hello Dr. this is Joseph, her friend.”

Hi Chinwe. We will continue our discussion later but for now, no question. Thank you so much.”

“Hi Joseph, is she alright?”

“She will be fine. She is just in shock.”

Ok, thanks.”

They both thanked the doctor and left his office with more questions on their mind, but more on the mind of Tokunbo than on Chinwe’s.

As they drove away from the hospital, it was nearing evening, Chinwe watched her husband as he drove down the busy road, but suddenly changed the direction to the road that leads to his parents’ house.

<<<<<To be continued>>>>>

Now that Tokunbo is not the rapist, not the father of Henry...

Thanks for the update, breeze have blow and it has opened fowl yansh

the inevitable

matter plenty..Op,you're doing well

Matter plenty,Op you're doing well

No secret hide under sun forever

Fantabulos,op u too much

Op well done and thanks for your consistency. More wisdom.

See wahala ooh ! Nothing hidden under the sun. I pity the poor man,at this age he is going to loose his only supposed son

Tokumbo mum has some serious explaining too do, tokumbo has a step-brother , so if chief is not his father , Mr senator (chinwe's father ) will loose the deal. my own point of view oooooooo.

youngking22:
Tokumbo mum has some serious explaining too do, tokumbo has a step-brother , so if chief is not his father , Mr senator (chinwe's father ) will loose the deal. my own point of view oooooooo.

Well said.

EPISODE 24 (SEMI FINALE)
When they drove into their compound, he was not surprised to see his father sitting alone in his evening wear, listening to the news. With the look of things, his mother had not arrived from her store. She has a big depot for all sorts of drinks, a store that takes up to 6 plots of land in the city.

“Tokunbo, what a surprise, don’t you think it is quite late.”

“Good evening sir.”

“Hello Chinwe, how are you?”

“Dad, I need to speak with you in
private.”

“I hope all is well?”

“We are about to find out.”

“Come with me.”

Chinwe watched as they both walked towards his study and shut the door behind them.

“Yes, I am listening.”

“The result of the DNA test came in today and when I could not make any sense from the file, I took it to Dr. Kunbi, who told me I am not the father of Clara’s child…”

“Thank God, I was thinking you would say…”

Chief Ajayi heaved a sigh of relief as he patted his son on the shoulder.

“That is not all; he said I am related to the father of her child. He said he could be my brother.”

“So why are you looking at me that way? Did he say you could be the brother to that young boy? Did he imply I could be the father?”

His father asked incredulously, obviously.not getting the whole idea.

“No, but that means you have another son aside me dad. So I want to ask, did you have an affair with any woman, that could have resulted to having a child? Who perhaps looks exactly like me or that has some semblance?

He stared at his father with some hard look beaming with some cold fire.

“Calm your anger right now young man; I am not the object of your fury. Sit down. You know when you left here on Sunday, I went to the hospital to have my DNA included in that test but Kunbi said he would not allow it, that if you wanted me to take, you would have invited me along.“

”What are you trying to say?”

Tokunbo said.

“I am trying to say that I would like us to take another DNA, just the 2 of us, and if you can keep it our secret, I mean not telling your mother, I would be grateful. But in answer to your question, I do not have any woman aside your mother. I have been a faithful husband to her all these years. Yes, I had some ladies before I got married to your mother but none of them got pregnant for me.”

The atmosphere of the study suddenly changed for Tokunbo, he began to sweat profusely in his father’s well air conditioned study. The whole thing just dawned on him.

His father said put in other way meant he probably is not his son. The pace of his heartbeat tripled immediately.
*************************************

The drive back to the house was more tensed than what it was initially; Chinwe could not help but worry at the frown on his face. Could he be angry with her for shutting him out all the while? Clara accused him wrongly. If he wanted to be angry then he deserved to be but she is used to being married to him and would love it for them to start all over again.

When he parked the car, she followed him gently into the house and went to their room to change for the night, but decided to still try her luck with trying to get through to him; what he could he be thinking and what could his next steps be?

Tokunbo was surprised to see her still awake when he entered the room, he had been lost in thoughts that he did not realize it was almost 11pm.

“What is it?”

“Nothing! I just want us to talk about the result of the DNA test,” she started almost inaudibly.

“What else is there to talk about? I did not rape your friend” Tokunbo said as he made to walk to the bathroom.

“I know, but, I also have something to say. I have wronged you and I am sorry. I should have listened to your own side of the story and given you the benefit of doubt.”

“Yes, you should have” Tokunbo looked her straight in the eyes.

“I will understand if you want to go ahead with a divorce now, I know I have been.unfair and would not blame you if…” she continued in a shaky voice, trying to hold back her tears, so as not to make it more difficult than it already was.

“Divorce? You think that is the next thing, well, let’s talk about that later.”

He shook his head and walked to the bathroom this time, leaving Chinwe to almost run after him, to beg him to just forgive her foolishness and if he would give her a chance, she would be the
best wife ever.

Chinwe watched as he went into the bathroom and when he came out some minutes later, he was already in his bedclothes. He recognized the fear in her eyes, the guilt and the shame in her eyes and even if he would like to punish her for all she had done, he would not be able to, not when she was looking like that.

“I have a brother out there, who I don’t know and who is responsible for Clara’s baby. Divorce is the last thing on my mind. I know you still want the divorce, so…”

“No I don’t want it… I don’t want to divorce you.”

“You don’t?” Tokunbo turned to face her fully this time, hoping he heard her right.

“No I don’t, I would like to still stay married, married to you. That is if you still want me.”

“I want you and I will always want you, I am not just sure we know each other very well, especially to the point of trusting each other fully,” he said as he held her jaw softly.in his hands, cupping her whole face as he talked.

“I know and I am ready to tell you anything you would like to know.”

“Really? Okay, why would you believe I raped Clara, without hearing from me?” he asked her gently, his tone devoid of any trace of anger.

“I was raped when I was 14 by my dad’s cousin.”

Tokunbo sat straight in their bed as she narrated the horrid event to him; he listened without stopping her or interrupting with questions.

When she finished the story, she waited to hear him say anything but he simply gathered her in his arms and that was when she finally could cry.

“Stop crying please, but you should have told me or better still know that all men are not the same.”

He rubbed her shoulders and imagined what she could have gone through, at that age especially from someone who should have protected her.

“Does your father know about this?”

“No, I could not tell anyone, Nkem might know, although I did not tell him, but he might have guessed.”

“That is terrible, you should learn to share your burdens, no wonder you and your father don't see eye to eye.”

He continued to rub her shoulders till she fell asleep and he also fell asleep.

<<<<To be continued>>>>

Thanks for the update, I love it

Nice update op

Nice update. The mystery should be unravel soon

EPISODE 24 (SEMI FINALE)
When they drove into their compound, he was not surprised to see his father sitting alone in his evening wear, listening to the news. With the look of things, his mother had not arrived from her store. She has a big depot for all sorts of drinks, a store that takes up to 6 plots of land in the city.

“Tokunbo, what a surprise, don’t you think it is quite late.”

“Good evening sir.”

“Hello Chinwe, how are you?”

“Dad, I need to speak with you in private.”

“I hope all is well?”

“We are about to find out.”

“Come with me.”

Chinwe watched as they both walked towards his study and shut the door behind them.

“Yes, I am listening.”

“The result of the DNA test came in today and when I could not make any sense from the file, I took it to Dr. Kunbi, who told me I am not the father of Clara’s child…”

“Thank God, I was thinking you would say…”

Chief Ajayi heaved a sigh of relief as he patted his son on the shoulder.

“That is not all; he said I am related to the father of her child. He said he could be my brother.”

“So why are you looking at me that way? Did he say you could be the brother to that young boy? Did he imply I could be the father?”

His father asked incredulously, obviously.not getting the whole idea.

“No, but that means you have another son aside me dad. So I want to ask, did you have an affair with any woman, that could have resulted to having a child? Who perhaps looks exactly like me or that has some semblance?

He stared at his father with some hard look beaming with some cold fire.

“Calm your anger right now young man; I am not the object of your fury. Sit down. You know when you left here on Sunday, I went to the hospital to have my DNA included in that test but Kunbi said he would not allow it, that if you wanted me to take, you would have invited me along.“

”What are you trying to say?”

Tokunbo said.

“I am trying to say that I would like us to take another DNA, just the 2 of us, and if you can keep it our secret, I mean not telling your mother, I would be grateful. But in answer to your question, I do not have any woman aside your mother. I have been a faithful husband to her all these years. Yes, I had some ladies before I got married to your mother but none of them got pregnant for me.”

The atmosphere of the study suddenly changed for Tokunbo, he began to sweat profusely in his father’s well air conditioned study. The whole thing just dawned on him.

His father said put in other way meant he probably is not his son. The pace of his heartbeat tripled immediately.
*************************************

The drive back to the house was more tensed than what it was initially; Chinwe could not help but worry at the frown on his face. Could he be angry with her for shutting him out all the while? Clara accused him wrongly. If he wanted to be angry then he deserved to be but she is used to being married to him and would love it for them to start all over again.

When he parked the car, she followed him gently into the house and went to their room to change for the night, but decided to still try her luck with trying to get through to him; what he could he be thinking and what could his next steps be?

Tokunbo was surprised to see her still awake when he entered the room, he had been lost in thoughts that he did not realize it was almost 11pm.

“What is it?”

“Nothing! I just want us to talk about the result of the DNA test,” she started almost inaudibly.

“What else is there to talk about? I did not rape your friend” Tokunbo said as he made to walk to the bathroom.

“I know, but, I also have something to say. I have wronged you and I am sorry. I should have listened to your own side of the story and given you the benefit of doubt.”

“Yes, you should have” Tokunbo looked her straight in the eyes.

“I will understand if you want to go ahead with a divorce now, I know I have been.unfair and would not blame you if…” she continued in a shaky voice, trying to hold back her tears, so as not to make it more difficult than it already was.

“Divorce? You think that is the next thing, well, let’s talk about that later.”

He shook his head and walked to the bathroom this time, leaving Chinwe to almost run after him, to beg him to just forgive her foolishness and if he would give her a chance, she would be the
best wife ever.

Chinwe watched as he went into the bathroom and when he came out some minutes later, he was already in his bedclothes. He recognized the fear in her eyes, the guilt and the shame in her eyes and even if he would like to punish her for all she had done, he would not be able to, not when she was looking like that.

“I have a brother out there, who I don’t know and who is responsible for Clara’s baby. Divorce is the last thing on my mind. I know you still want the divorce, so…”

“No I don’t want it… I don’t want to divorce you.”

“You don’t?” Tokunbo turned to face her fully this time, hoping he heard her right.

“No I don’t, I would like to still stay married, married to you. That is if you still want me.”

“I want you and I will always want you, I am not just sure we know each other very well, especially to the point of trusting each other fully,” he said as he held her jaw softly.in his hands, cupping her whole face as he talked.

“I know and I am ready to tell you anything you would like to know.”

“Really? Okay, why would you believe I raped Clara, without hearing from me?” he asked her gently, his tone devoid of any trace of anger.

“I was raped when I was 14 by my dad’s cousin.”

Tokunbo sat straight in their bed as she narrated the horrid event to him; he listened without stopping her or interrupting with questions.

When she finished the story, she waited to hear him say anything but he simply gathered her in his arms and that was when she finally could cry.

“Stop crying please, but you should have told me or better still know that all men are not the same.”

He rubbed her shoulders and imagined what she could have gone through, at that age especially from someone who should have protected her.

“Does your father know about this?”

“No, I could not tell anyone, Nkem might know, although I did not tell him, but he might have guessed.”

“That is terrible, you should learn to share your burdens, no wonder you and your father don t see eye to eye.”

He continued to rub her shoulders till she fell asleep and he also fell asleep.

<<<<To be continued>>>>

No secret hide under the sun forever

aprilwise:
No secret hide under the sun forever

Definitely

This story is interesting

Omeifa:
This story is interesting

Thanks for stopping by.

FINAL EPISODE
The day Chinwe started work, Tokunbo also had to resume back to work after taking two weeks off. He offered to drop her off at her new workplace and gave her a congratulatory hand written note for her to stick to her desk.

Chinwe was attached to an administrative supervisor who would ‘groom’ her for sometime before she will be made to work with one of the partners at the law firm. So far the instructions are easy to follow, easy to understand and also to remember, she realized she could get used to this and even.be better at it.

A message came in from Tokunbo before lunch asking how it was going, she quickly replied him that all was going on well; she sent another one asking him to focus on his job while he.allowed her to do the same.

She called Clara during the lunch break and was worried about her.

“Hi Chinwe...”

“Clara, you have not been picking my calls. Have I done anything to offend you?”

“No, why would you think that? I am just ashamed of myself and I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am for almost ruining your marriage.”

“I am sorry for everything too, but I was worried that you did not agree with the interpretation of the test and maybe thought we might have influenced things.”

“What? No! Why would I do that? I actually had a second opinion and the interpretation was the same, but I never thought you might have influenced the result anyway. I was just disappointed that I did not find the answer I was looking for, although even if he had ended up being the father, I would still have forgiven him.”

“Hmm.., you don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that.”

“I know. I am glad too. Does that mean you two are going to stay together?”

“I will and I think he wants to, I just pray he can forgive me truly for all I did, as he said he has.”

“He loves you, I’m sure he will or he has.”

“I know that now.”

“Has he told you about any brother anywhere?”

“He has not said it yet, but I think he met his father about that on Friday, the meeting was private and I am yet to know what they talked about.”

“Okay, please, would you let me know when they see him?”

“I promise. How are Henry, Joseph and Davis?”

“Davis is in Lagos. His sister and their parents are having a little problem as I heard, Joe and Henry are fine. There is a midterm break and Henry is with him.”

“So is he the real deal?”

“I want to believe so, I just hope so my dear. I like him a lot. He adores Henry and Henry is already attached to him too.”

“I pray it all works out well.”
*************************************

Chief Ajayi looked at the doctor in front of him as he interprets the DNA result to him.

The result had been 0%, he had known what that meant but he just needed to be sure he saw the right thing before concluding. He had not told Tokunbo he would be coming to the hospital but was sure he got the mail the same time as him. He could not think beyond the paper in his hands and the meaning of the result. He had been fooled for almost 33 years of his life was the only thought ringing in his head, drowning all other thoughts and reasons.

The boy he loves and calls his, is not his. The son, because of whom he had gone into a business deal with Babalola, is not his biological son. The boy he had invested so much love, money, time, and even his emotions. Where will he start from?

When Dr. Kunbi finished speaking, he personally walked him to the car and told him again and again to take things easy. As he was being driven home, he stopped the driver on the way and asked him to buy him a bottle of water, he did not know what he needed it for but when the driver handed it to him

He automatically unscrewed the cover and drank from it, got down from the car and rested against it as he wept softly into the night.

Sola Ajayi could tell something is wrong. Since she returned from her store last week Friday, making it a week today, she has been suspicious of her husband’s calmness. He has always been cool headed, but he now has taken it to another level that scares her.

Ever since Tokunbo came in to see them with his wife and her friend, her acts of almost 33 years has been keeping her restless, she has
been locked up with the consequence of her action in the corner of her mind. She has tried everything possible to be free from the burden whose fresh weight is threatening to crush her.

As she sits with her phone in her hand before her dresser table, trying to call his phone again, worried that he has not returned from wherever at almost 11pm in the night.

She was startled as he walked into their room and the look on his face, he looked at her and her heart stopped beating in her chest.

“Tola, what is the problem, I have been calling your line but no replies. It is late you know.”

“Sola, for over 30 years, I have loved you, protected you and been faithful to you, but you have repaid me back by giving another man’s child to me. What have I done to deserve that? Well, thank you so much, I just want to ask you this, is Toluwalase mine?”

Tola, please, I don’t know…”

“Answer me! Is Toluwalase mine?!”

“Yes, she is. She is your child” she said, shaken by the coldness in his voice and eyes.

She broke down in tears as he walked out of the room. Finally her deception and lies of over 30 years have finally caught up with her and her mother who had helped her to bury it this long is no longer alive to help her out of it.
*************************************

Chinwe got a message from her husband, informing her that he would be coming late to pick her from work. When he arrived, he
apologized for keeping her waiting, explaining he had been locked in a meeting that was two weeks late and could not be suspended any longer.

“I think you need to go and get your car from your father’s house, so you could drive yourself sometimes.”

“Tired of driving me already?”

“Of course not, I want you to be independent in some ways, you could need to go to the store, drive to church or anywhere, of course, you must always come back home...” he said with his finger pointed at her.

She grabbed his finger and turned it down “of course.”

“And talking of church, we have to pick a day for the wedding thanksgiving.”

“Any date would be fine, but I think we need to settle the issue of your DNA result with your father’s.”

He could not help but told her, especially since they both agreed there would be no more secret between them.

“I know. Can you help me turn on my other phone; I had to put it off in the meeting when some messages were coming in."

When they got home, he checked themessages on the phone, the DNA result was the last thing he looked at. The result confirmed his greatest fear. he does not need a doctor to interpret this to him, the result is perfectly clear.

He was staring at the phone when Chinwe walked into the room to invite him to dinner, but he handed the phone to her when she asked him what was wrong.

She understood the result too, she dropped the phone on the bed and sat with him comforting him in the way she understood best, the same way he had comforted her some nights back. Telling him all would be well.

They ended up not eating that night as both were too drained for food. The only comfort was that they had each other, which could
not be said of Chief Babalola, who was also weeping like a baby in his study.
*************************************

<<<<<<<<THE END>>>>>>>>>

Taink you!

las las na we end am.

wa gbayi oluspicy

You go fit bless us another?

It's a wonderful ending. Thanks for sharing the story with us.

Op u 2 much,i just hope this story has a season 2

Odoogu:
las las na we end am.

wa gbayi oluspicy

You go fit bless us another?

Amin.

Just keep your fingers crossed.

Adeola25:
It's a wonderful ending. Thanks for sharing the story with us.

You're welcome