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Previously on Spending Mommy’s Money…
- Everybody was in Bahamas.
- Kofo’s friends were there too, but they were shamelessly pitching their sons to Rain. But…
- Nwanneka was steps ahead, as she had brought her son, Yuri, all the way to the Bahamas to claim his bride, Rain, who was her childhood crush, by the way.
- There was a family meeting to introduce Rain to her siblings, but everywhere scatter. Sunny now showed up with his own drama, tagging a clueless Tari along.
- Tari sef got tired of the whole thing with Rain and said he wasn’t doing. But he wanted to do FWB.
- Everybody was sha mad in the last episode, save for Jaya whose birthday was about to go down and she found some guy to plan a birthday eve party for her.
- Now, that you’ve caught up, go ahead and enjoy this new episode.
- Did I hear somebody ask for a bonus?
CHAPTER TWELVE – Like mother, like daughter
Nadia was going to ignore her phone, but it wouldnât stop buzzing beside her. Four calls in two minutes! Only one person had the audacity to disturb her this early in this manner.
âBaby sis, do you have any sanitary products? My stupid period just showed up without warning,â Lanumi grunted.
Nadia stared at the man sleeping beside her. He looked like a baby who had cried itself to sleep, finding comfort in a pillow. But there was nothing infantile about him. A couple of hours ago, he had been all man between her legs, making it quite an adventure. Not just because of the pleasure, but also for the thrill of doing something spiteful to Rain.
âI have tampons, but Iâm not at home yet.â
âOh?â Excitement jumped into Lanumiâs tone. âWho is he? Was he the one you were dancing with at the party? That really fair guy?â
Nadia wasnât going to tell Lanumi who he was yet. Or anybody at all. In fact, she didnât even know what this was. She had been horny and needed a man. Yuri seemed like a perfect candidate. Of course, she had also shagged him for malicious purposes. It would be interesting to do more than just have sex with him, but she was an intentional woman. Having a man in her space wasnât something she thought about lightly.
âI have tampons in my room. Check my carry-on,â she told Lanumi. âIâll see you in a bit.â
Nadia got off the bed and used the bathroom. When she returned, she wore her clothes quietly and left the suite. Riding the elevator down, she revisited her plan to return to Lagos. Of course, she had said those words in anger. But it was still an option. She could return home and continue her life, which was way better than it was a year ago. Presently, she could afford anything she wanted, but she longed for more. She wanted what Rain hadâall of it.
The elevator doors parted and she stepped out. The reception of the hotel was quiet, with just a couple of people hanging around. Nadia walked past an old couple who had just come in, dragging matching suitcases. For a second, she imagined them to be her parentsâold and happy in their marriage. What would life had been for her and her siblings, if they had grown up in a happy home?
Nadia stepped outside the hotel. Darkness was slowly turning into daylight, and the air smelled crisp and fresh, as if it had just washed out last nightâs debauchery.
âGood morning,â some uniformed person greeted Nadia as they walked by. She pretended not to hear, moving toward the car park where a cab service was located. She had wanted to call for a ride at the reception, but she didnât want to bump into anyone that could recognize her. The hotel was swarming with Nigerians, many of whom had shown up for Jayaâs party last night.
Nadia arrived at the cab service station and requested a ride. A nice lady who asked her if she wanted coffee told her to sit and wait for her driver to pull over.
Nadiaâs phone buzzed as a message from Yuri dropped in. He wanted to know why she hadnât woken him up before leaving.
-You were sleeping like a baby
-Am I seeing you again today? Tonight? Look what youâre doing to me
He sent her a photo of his morning boner, and Nadia considered seeing him again. The sex had been okay. There was room for improvement, though. She particularly liked that she could grip his hair while riding him, something she had always wanted to do during sex.
-Iâll call you when I get home
Â-Okay
She had met him at the hotelâs lounge last night, after leaving her motherâs home in anger. She had sought the nearest bar to drown her pain. According to Google, there were two spots within the vicinity, but she chose the hotelâin case she drank too much and struggled to make it home. She would book a room for the night and leave in the morning.
So, she sat at the bar table in one of the hotelâs four lounges and ordered a drink. On her third glass, a man showed up and asked the mixologist for a bottle of whiskey.
âAnything vintage would do,â he said. Then, he looked at Nadia and looked away. âHow much would that cost?â
âWe donât sell entire bottles, sir,â the pretty mixologist answered with a Bahamian accent. âUnless you wanna drink it here. But we have a liquor store in the hotel. Itâs cheaper there.â
âOh. But I want to get it here. My friend and I,â he looked at Nadia, âwould drink it here.â
Nadiaâs brows crumpled into a questioning frown.
âThatâs fine, sir.â
As the mixologist turned away, he pulled a stool and sat beside Nadia. He smelled of something zesty.
âPlease, donât ask me what a beautiful girl like me is doing in a place like this,â she said. âFour men have done that already. You guys could really use better pick-up lines.â
âMe, I have great lines like âIâm sorry, were you talking to me?â Then, youâd say ânoâ. And Iâll say, âwell, would you like to?ââ
Nadia gave him an empty stare and he burst into a laugh that made her frown more.
âIgnore me,â he said.
âI am.â
âYou stay here in the hotel?â
âBro, I donât want to talk to you.â
âWell, would you like to?â
Nadia was forced to smile. âMaybe you should just go to that liquor store and get what you want and leave me alone.â
âYou really need to talk to someone. So do I.â
The mixologist returned. âHere you go, sir. Do you need me to mix it with something or make it clean?â
âNot now. But let me have what sheâs having, for starters.â
âOkay.â
When the lady walked away, he faced Nadia again.
âLike I said, I need to talk to somebody. A stranger.â
âNot me.â
âHereâs my story.â
âI didnât ask.â
âMy parents got divorced when I was a teen. My grandparents were quite mad at my dad for the way he treated my mom, so they offered their home to us. My grandad died a few years later and willed everything to my mom, leaving my dad out. My mom, for fear of her life and ours, brought us back home to Nigeria and started a multi-million-naira company. I oversee it now, as my elder brother has no desire to be in the advertising business and my younger brother is quite useless.â
Nadia stared at him like he was mindless. âDo you go around, trying to show off to random women how rich you are?â
âNo, but I was triggered not long ago by the woman who is supposed to be my wife. You see, I used to know her as a teen. We were crazy about each other then. But my family moved to Russia to stay with my grandparentsâŚâ
Nadia gave him a closer look.
âYes, Iâm half-Russian.â
âYou donât look half anything. Youâre just fair.â
âThe hair?â He touched his curls, almost making Nadia smile a second time. âSome people say I look like a mix of Trevor Noah and Drake, with a dash of Majid Michel.â
Nadia shook her head.
âNone of them? Okay, so⌠I had to get over her eventually. For context, our mothers had always been friends, and lately, they decided that it would be best if weâme and my childhood crushâgot married to preserve the bond between both families and to create a combined legacy, because my company has just gotten into a long-term contract with theirs.â
âIâm sorry, but this 2022 and nobody does that thing your mom is doing with her friend. Arranged marriages are so 1970s.â
âI know, but I think Rain and IâŚâ
The mixologist came with his drink; and as his attention was drawn to her, Nadia fixed her eyes on him, not sure she had heard him mention Rainâs name.
âSo, where was I?â
âYou said something rain?â
âYes! Thatâs her name. Rain. Weird, right? She and I are not getting any younger, and I doubt that we would find soulmates at this point. Iâm not averse to us having a marriage of convenience and doing whatever we want with other people, as long as weâre discreet.â
âI see.â
âIâm glad you do. But Rain doesnât get it. Sheâs being difficult.â
âOr childish.â
âExactly. Sheâs waiting for one knight in shining armor to sweep her away.â
âAt her old age.â
âExactly! Sheâs thirty-six.â
âHer biological clock is winding very fast.â
âYou know!â He laughed and whirled his fingers. âWhoo! Whoo! Whoo!â
Nadia laughed out loud.
âVery silly thing.â He downed some of his drink. âIâm Yuri, by the way.â
âAbidemi.â
âDo people call you Abby?â
âNo.â
âCan I call you Demi? Like Demi Moore?â
âMaybe.â
âSo, do you want to go for a party tonight?â
âParty?â
âMy friend met this lovely and very popular Nollywood actress whose birthday is tomorrow. He wants to throw her a pre-birthday party. I came here to get a bottle of something vintage for the incident.â
Nadia laughed at the fact that he said incident. He didnât know why she was laughing and he laughed too, but he stopped and asked, âWhy are we laughing?â
âNothing. But yeah, Iâm coming. Whatâs the address?â
âIâll send it to you if you give me your number.â
She typed in her number into his phone and he gave her a hug when she was leaving. The moment she got home, she invited her siblings for the party. She hadnât intended to, but when she walked in on three of them seated miserably in Xavierâs room, recalling how the family meeting had gone, she thought to give them a great night.
âShe just doesnât rate us,â Xavier muttered. âThis was why I didnât want to come here in the first place.â
âItâs beyond coming here, X,â Nadia stated. âAs you said, she doesnât rate us. She never did.â
âI really wanted to believe that she had changed, and everything she did in the past was not her fault, butâŚâ Lanumi seemed the worst hit by their momâs betrayal. Nadia hugged her as tears spilled from her cheeks.
âWhat did we ever do to her?â
âNothing,â Nehi answered. âWeâre not just Rain.â
âRain seems like a nice person, though.â
âLanumi, please!â Nadia rolled her eyes.
âIsnât it weird that sheâs our sister and sheâs fucking our cousin, who was apparently believed to be our brother at some point?â Xavier asked. âI mean, thatâs incest, right?â
Nobody responded, and Nadia said, âWho wants to go for a party?â
Nehi raised his hand. The matter was settled.
They showed up at the party two hours later. The venue was a house that lined a beachfront amongst a collection of similar houses. Nadia was shocked to discover it was Jayaâs party, but seeing Rain there didnât surprise her. Earlier, she had spent most of her time at the lounge, stalking Rain online. Jaya was in many of her photos on Instagram.
But she didnât care that Rain was at the party. She made herself comfortable, and whilst her siblings mixed with the crowd, she sought a quiet corner and sat, sipping on a cocktail. Yuri soon came by, after trying successfully to get Rainâs attention.
âThatâs my supposed wife-to-be,â he said, pointing a wine glass in Rainâs direction. âIsnât she lovely for a dark skin girl?â
Nadia was irritated by his question, but she wasnât going to correct him. He could refer to Rain in any manner he wanted, and she would be fine with it.
âYouâre gorgeous too. Petite but fine as fuck.â
Nadia was silent.
âYou wonât say âthank youâ?â
âNo. You only stated the obvious.â
âAre you always snubbish?â
âYes.â
âI like.â
They talked some moreâwith Yuri doing most of the talking. Nadia liked it because Rain kept staring in the direction, but she noticed that she kept her eyes on the door more, as if expecting someone. Nadia didnât need to be told that the someone was Tari.
âLetâs dance,â she said, suddenly jumping to her feet.
âOh?â
She grabbed Yuriâs hand, her body already moving to the beat of Oxladeâs Ku Lo Sa. Yuri turned out to be a terrible dancer, but she kept him in check, making sure to pin her body to his in a manner of dirty dancing. She did this for the next five songs before dragging him out to get some air. By the time they stepped outside, he could barely keep his hands off her body.
âYou want to go to my hotel?â he asked, tipsy and horny.
They hitched a ride to the hotel and went up to his suite where they had drunken sex on a sofa with their clothes on. Then, they moved to his bed and finished off there. Yuri immediately nodded off while Nadia stayed awake, wondering how far she was going to let this thing with him go. Halfway into her thoughts, she fell asleep, waking up to Lanumiâs calls.
She was thinking about Yuri now and what this arranged marriage thing was all about. What was Rain going to receive as a reward for marrying the guy? Was it something that could be passed on to her if she took her place as Yuriâs mate?
Nadiaâs cab slowed outside Kofoâs mansion. She mumbled off a code to the security guys and was let through. As the car drove toward the main entrance, Nadia was once again captured by the scenery. She was yet to process how rich her mother was and what it meant to her. She felt like an outsider to the womanâs wealth, as if she would soon be asked to step away from it and return to reality.
The car stopped outside the entrance door and Nadia stepped down. She spotted Kofo and the Habib person walking toward her. Kofo smiled and waved, and she waved back without a smile.
âWait!â Kofo yelled.
Nadia waited for her to walk up to her.
âStill returning to Lagos?â
âNo, Mom. Iâve decided to spend Christmas with my siblings and to celebrate your sixtieth with you.â
âIâm glad to hear that.â Kofo lightly touched her arm. âMaybe we should talk about going on a vacation, just you and I. We need to get to know each other, Nadia.â
Nadia couldnât picture that happening. Sheâd swallow a spiky frog first.
âAre we still having that family dinner with Rain?â
âNo. Weâre not doing anything Christmasssy too, unless you children ask. All celebrations would be for my birthday on the 27th. Hopefully, we all behave ourselves then.â
âI have to go and sleep. I had a long night.â
âMerry Christmas, darling.â
xoxoxo
Rain was dragged out of bed by her dinging doorbell. With eyes still plagued by sleep, she walked to the door and opened it. Yuri bustled in.
âWe need to talk about us,â he said.
âThis early? Dude, itâs 7am. Werenât you at that party with us some hours ago?â
Yuri did not respond. He sat on a sofa.
âYou have lipstick on your t-shirt,â Rain mentioned.
He looked at the lipstick stain. âSome chick hugged me at the party.â
âMm-hm. The one you wanted to swallow all night.â
âRain, it was nothing.â
âSo, why are you here?â
âDo you have coffee? My head is banging a little and I feel nauseous.â
Rain pointed at the kitchenette. Yuri dashed there and Rain went into her bedroom to wash her face. When she returned, she found him seated in the living room, drinking a coffee.
âSo, yesterday, you wouldnât even consider this marriage thing. You were quite rude about it too.â
âThatâs because you popped into my life after twenty-two years and started talking about marriage because you want to please our mothers. You didnât even ask me what Iâve been up to all these years. I donât know anything about you.â
Yuri kept his coffee on the table before him. âAsk me anything.â
âThatâs not how it works. But tell me how things have been with you.â
âWellâŚâ
And he filled her in on the years of his life. She wasnât willing to return the energy, but she told him a few things about herself, which were enough for him.
âIâm thinking that since weâre both not averse to getting hitched, we should work toward it. Hereâs how I see itâŚâ
He laid down a marriage plan, going off tangent a few times, but returning to the subject. Rain stayed quiet as her mind left him, prompted by a random memory from the day before. She remembered the gelato she had in the afternoon, and she wanted more of it. Of course, she was listening to Yuriâs words, but she had severed her interest the moment he mentioned that his familyâs company had just gotten into a long-term contract with Hara Telecoms, and he would be working with her in the IT department. Kofo and Nwanneka were doing the most right now.
âRain?â
âWhat?â
âYou didnât hear anything I just said, did you?â
âToo long, didnât listen.â
âSummary: You just turned thirty-six, and Iâll be thirty-seven in a couple of months. Iâm saying that we should consider getting married. It would please our mothers andââ
âIâm not into pleasing mothers, Yuri.â
“You should try.”
âHmmâŚâ was all Rain could say.
His phone rang and he fished it from his pocket. âMy mom. Let me take this.â
He walked to the dining area and Rainâs eyes followed him. Twenty-two years ago, he was lanky, weird, awkward, more African than Caucasian, geeky, and a few inches shorter than she was. He was taller now and looked completely African, showing no trace of his Russian heritage. He could pass for a light skin Nigerian man. Nothing about him was geeky or lanky anymore, but he was still weird. In fact, he acted like someone who couldnât hold a thought for more than two minutes. He showed tiny bursts of energy that made him do things on a whim.
Yet he looked attractive enough for Rain to admire. So, she let her mind wander again.
She pictured her and Yuri as a coupleâmaking out, making love, walking down the aisle, living in their own house, co-parenting their kids, attending functions together, and growing old with each other. She didnât cringe when she remembered him kissing her, but the thought of it didnât tickle her tummy the way memories of Tariâs kisses did to her.
âSheâs saying hi,â Yuri said of his mom, done with his call. Rain smiled. âSo, important question: Do you want to do this?â
âDo what?â
âIt would be a good thing.â
Rain didnât know what good thing Yuri was talking about, but she decided she was done with him. She stared in his direction as he stopped speaking and found him scanning her suite, as if he had just walked into it. He was a strange one.
âYuri?â
âYeah, yeah⌠I was thinking. Can I justâŚ? Can IâŚkiss you?â
âKiss me?â
âYes.â
âGo ahead, Yuri.â
He went to her. Holding on to the armrests, he tasted her lips for the first time. The kiss was soft, lingering, and coffee-flavored; however, Rain felt nothing. Yuri moved away, but he remained standing. His hands were in the pockets of his shorts. He was wearing beach shorts that reminded Rain of the many tourists she had come across in the hotel. âAh!â he pointed, âyou have a baby Christmas tree!â
Rain followed his pointed finger and spotted a tree in the corner of the room.
âThat was what that was? And Iâve been staring at it, using it to think while you were rambling.â
His phone rang again.
âOne minute.â
As he walked off, Rain started thinking about the gelato again. What if she had Tari over and she gave him a blowjob, licking the gelato off his dick? Why had she been so insanely horny since she saw him last night?
He had not shown up for the party, as promised. She had been disappointed, but the night was all about Jaya and she made the best out of it. Some of the men there got her attention, but not enough for her to consider seeing them again. She was beginning to hate how much Tari was occupying her mind and filling her head with nasty thoughts.
âI think we should.â Yuri returned.
âBro, are you glitching? I said no.â
âI know, I heard you and Iâm sorry. To be brutally honest here…â His finger was on his lips, as if in thought. âThat kiss didnât do shit to me.â
âSame. Now, can you leave?â
âIâm sorry, Iâm sorryâŚâ He walked to her and took her hands as she watched him in confusion. âI can grow, loving you, you know? I can fall in love with your lips in time. We can do this, Rain.â He kissed her hands, one after the other. âOr⌠Or we could get married, just for whatever and sleep with whomever we want. Like me⌠I even had sex with this chick last night, if thatâs okay with you.â
Rainâs eyes widened in amusement. The only person he was with was Nadia. She knew when they left the party.
âWild,â she murmured and remembered his kiss. âWait⌠Did you go down on her?â
âNo. Eww! I donât do oral sex. Iâd die from a thousand arrows first.â
âLet go of my hands, oyibo.â
He dropped her hands. âLooks like you feel strongly about this marriage thing right now. Would it be okay if we just hung out as friends and enjoyed this holiday?â
Rain didnât respond.
âGreat! Then, when we get back to Lagos, we can talk about our future.â
âWhat future?â
Rain was still dumbfounded when he left, but she got interrupted by a call from Kofo.
âSweetheart, I hope I didnât wake you up?â
âNo. Good morning.â
âMorning. Please, can you come over, letâs talk? I donât like how last night went down.â
âI should come now?â
âYes. Thatâs why Iâm calling early. I have a lot to do today, preparing for Christmas and all.â
âOkay. Give me a few minutes.â
âThe chauffeur is waiting downstairs. See you!â
Kofo hung up. Rain was not in a hurry. She took a shower, and when she came out, she found Jaya asleep on the bed, exhausted and probably plastered from last night. She also discovered that she had missed a call from Tari. She returned the call.
âHey⌠Look, Iâm so sorry for not showing up yesterday,â he said in a rasping morning voice. âJoko had a bad case of food poisoning and we ended up in the hospital.â
âAww, thatâs scary.â
âYeah.â
âHow is he now?â
âA lot better. We just got back a couple of hours ago and I had to nap. Can I come over, so we can talk? Or could we see later?â
Today was Jayaâs birthday, and from past experiences, Rain had learned not to make the day about anyone else.
âIâll come to see you instead, but Iâll let you know when.â
âThat works.â
Rain hung up and wore her clothes. Soon, she was on her way to Kofoâs.
xoxoxo
For the first time since discovering he was Sunnyâs son, Tari saw similarities in their looks. They had the same brow arch and dentition. Their hands were alike as well, down to the shape of their fingernails. But he didnât think he could ever be the son Sunny had longed for. Unless either of changed to become like the other, they were going to remain strangers that shared the same DNA.
âSo, what is your plan for Rain Kareem now that you know that the forces against you two are out to make sure you remain separated? Are you going to let them win?â
Tari kept his eyes on his meal, which hadnât tasted good since he began eating. It had nothing to do with the food but with his mood. He was still mad at Sunny for ambushing him at the family meeting in Kofoâs house. He almost hadnât shown up here for breakfast. The man annoyed him a great deal.
âI have no plan for Rain.â
Sunny drank some water. âI know you still want her. Thereâs no use pretending. By the way, how was the sex?â
âEhn?â
âThe sex? How was it? Great? Average? Poor? Do you see yourself with other women because sheâs awful in bed? Or does she do it for you?â
âHow are we having this discussion?â
âBecause as someone who is older and has been there, I need to lay some advice on you about sidechicks and other women outside your relationship. But first, I need to know where you and her stand sexually.â
âI donât want to talk about it. Speaking of which, are you sleeping with Rita Anyaoku?â
Sunny paused, hand hanging over his dish. He looked Tari in the eyes with intent. âMy sex life is none of your business, Son.â
âIt is, if you knew I was sleeping with her and you still got into her pants.â
Sunny went back to his meal. âI had no idea. Rita was playing both of us, I guess.â
âI donât believe you.â
Sunny smirked. âI donât care what you believe, Atari. Donât ever get into my private business again.â
âBut youâre all up in mine, telling me whom I should fuck.â
âNo, Iâm telling you to be strategic with your dick. Two different things. Women like Rita are distractions. They are liabilities too. First lesson in jumping into bed with nobodies: Never let them use you to get to the top. That was what Rita did. You went out of your way to get her on that affiliate list.â
âBut I rejected her application and you wrung my arm into approving it.â
âBecause she is dangerous, and I didnât want her taking your shit to the public, which was what she was threatening to do.â
âAre you talking about her exposing that she slept with you as well?â
âRita is trouble, and I have handled that trouble for you. Next time, donât let some lowlife bitch out there use you.â
âIs that how you saw my mom? A lowlife bitch who wanted to useâ?â
âDonât you ever call your mother that name again!â Sunny yelled.
âIf youâre triggered by what I said, then itâs the truth.â
Sunny dropped his fork. âSon, you need to learn some respect.â
Tari tried to say something but his phone rang. Bara was calling.
âExcuse me.â He left the table and walked a few feet away to take Baraâs call.
âAre you on Twitter?â Bara asked.
âNo. Whatâs happening?â
âGo there. Your babe is trending.â
Bara hung up and Tari visited Twitter. He checked the trends table and saw Kofo trending. When he read the tweets under her name, his body went cold. He marched back to the table.
âWhat have you done?â he asked Sunny.
âBe more specific?â
âKofo, Habib, and Rain?â
âI have no idea what you mean.â
Habib passed Sunny his phone. Sunny kept the device at a distance to allow his eyes read better what he saw on the screen.
âHmm⌠Interesting. It says here that Kofo cheated on her husband with a younger man, got pregnant for said man and abandoned her legitimate children.â Sunny looked at Tari. âWhereâs the lie?â
âYou did this?â
âIt also said that Rain was at some point, sleeping with a married man, taking after her motherâs footsteps. Well, I donât know about that.â
âSay youâre not behind this.â
âI am not.â
âThen, how did the gist get out?â
âI have no idea, Son.â
âI donât believe you.â
âI donât care.â
Sunnyâs doorbell rang.
âIâm out of here.â Tari grabbed his phone and walked to the door.
xoxoxo
While waiting for Kofo in her private sitting room, Rain discovered she was the top gossip online. She had barely gotten the details when Kofo burst into the room.
âIâll kill Sunny!â she blurted.
âWhy would you want to do that?â Rain asked calmly, eyes still on her phone.
âHave you been online this morning?â
She gave a shrug.
âSunny is wicked, Rain. That man is pure evil.â
âIs that why you called me here, to talk about him?â
Kofo looked at Rain, perplexed. âYouâre not in the least bit bothered about whatâs happening online?â
âI canât do anything about it, Mom, and I donât think you should stress over it either.â
Kofo appeared as if she might give a retort, but she huffed and sat on a sofa. In front of the sofa was a coffee table on which a tea tray was laid.
âTea? Coffee?â she asked, picking up a hot water flask.
âNo, thanks.â
The sitting room was cozy and simple, with minimal dĂŠcor and none of the ostentatiousness that marked the rest of the house. Buy Kofo, in her usual style, complemented its simplicity with a black and gold Versace Barroco bathrobe and matching Medusa slippers.
âSo, about last night,â she said, âI am so sorry about the way things turned out. I lost my cool, and I apologize.â
âOkay.â
âIt was supposed to be a simple family meeting, with me introducing you to your siblings. But Sunny showed up with his son from nowhere.â
âMom, you can call his name. Itâs Atari.â
âRainâŚâ Kofo added some honey into her tea. âAtari is not the man for you.â
âNot this again. Please, donâtâŚâ
âI want to show you something.â She picked a tab from the sofa and unlocked it. She thrust it out to Rain, who looked at it and at her.
âWhatâs this?â
âJust swipe left.â
Rain took the tab. The first thing she saw was a photo of Tari and Didi coming out of a mall with Ariella. Tari and Didi were smiling at each other.
âThatâs his ex and her daughter,â Kofo said.
âTheyâre friends.â
âYouâre comfortable with that type of friendship? She basically lives with him, even though he let her stay in his former apartment for free. She cooks for him and he pays for that little girlâs school fees. You still think theyâre just friends?â
âWell, when we were togetherâŚâ
âFor just three weeks.â
âWhen we were together, there was nothing between them.â
âAnd the moment you broke up, she was back in his life. Sheâs not the only one, Rain. Atari was pretty busy in your absence.â
âMeaning?â
âSwipe left.â
Rain swiped the screen to a photo of Tari and some woman kissing outside a club.
âKeep swiping.â
Another of him with a different woman kissing in a car.
âDonât stop.â
Rain flipped past shots of Tari with other women. Some of them were blurry or pixelated, but the message was clear.
âWhy would you do this?â she asked Kofo, swallowing a lump in her throat.
âBecause youâre my daughter, and it is important that I monitor the people swarming around you. That boy doesnât care a bit for you. The moment you were out of sight, you were out of mind.â
âYou didnât have to do this.â
âRain, he is Sunnyâs son, and they have a great relationship. The same Sunny that has attached himself to my life and wealth like a parasite. What do you think his son is doing in your life?â
âWeâve had this conversation before. Tari is not his fatherââ
âStop being naĂŻve! The Olumeses are playing the long game here, and youâre being deceived by thinking there are feelings involved. A man who loves you would not easily jump on other women in your absence. Look at your father. See how long he waited for me.â
âHe didnât wait. He moved on.â
âBut he didnât get married or get into a relationship. It was all about me. Donât you want that for yourself, after all youâve been through? A man thatâs totally devoted to you?â
âMom, I understand your concern for meââ
âItâs beyond concern, Rain. I love you, for one, and I donât want you to get hurt. Secondly, youâre my legacy, Haraâs legacy. Youâre not just anybody. Youâre a Kareem and Adoberin. Those are powerful names. You canât afford to mar them by getting involved with nonentities. Do you want to end up in a sad marriage like I did?â
âPlease, stop. Tari is not your late husband. Heâs not his father. He has done nothing to show that heâs out to hurt or exploit me. Heâs not a gold diggerââ
âFor now.â
Rain covered her face and grunted in frustration. Kofo was impossible.
âAs I was saying, I understand your concern, and I appreciate it, but you didnât have to cross the line to invade his privacy.â
âI donât play with kidsâ gloves when it comes to anything Sunny. If I have to plant spies in their lives, Iâd do so.â
âHave you?â Rain searched her motherâs face. Kofo matched her stare. âApart from having someone following hm around to take photos, what else have you done?â
âI might have paid a few people to give me sensitive information, yes?â
âAnd?â
âNothing that should bother you.â
âBut you said itâs about me.â
âRainââ
âWhat else have you done, Aunty Kofo?â
There was silence.
âDid you tap Tariâs phone, listen to his calls?â
âWhen you say âtapâ, you make it sound like Iâm heading the governmentâs security department, but I own the telecom company that manages his line. I have access to every clientâs phone activity. In fact, Hara sells data collated from our clients to other brands. Itâs there in the tiny Tâs and Câs people donât read when they register with us.â
âThatâs not what Iâm talking about,â Rain said in an angry tone. âYou know youâre not supposed to invade his privacy, Mom. You know this! How far do you want to go? Next thing, he goes missing?â
âWhy would you think Iâm capable of doing that?â
âDid I know you were capable of doing this?â Rain flung the tab on the sofa as she stood.
âRain, sit. Letâs talk this out.â
âI donât want to talk anything out. The truth is that I donât even know you. You were my aunt, just the other day. Now, youâre my biological mom who is a clichĂŠ, typical, overbearing wealthy mother who would manipulate her childrenâs lives for her own selfish reasons while saying words like legacy and family name and all that nonsense! Where is the Kofoworola Aboderin I admired from afar whose life inspired me?â
Habib walked in from Kofoâs bedroom, staring at them curiously.
âYouâre nothing special, just a recognizable element in a story. Look, with all due respect, you have trauma from your past. Whatever that man did to you, whatever Uncle Sunny did, itâs still strong inside of you. Iâm sorry you went through hell, but donât drag me and Tari into it. In fact, end what youâre doing to him now! Youâve gone too far!â
âIâm only protecting you.â
âDonât. And IâŚâ She looked at Habib apologetically. âI donât want Hara, I donât care to own the shares you and Dad gave meââ
âRain?â Habib called.
âAnd fuck this vacation. Iâm done with it.â
âWhatâs going on here?â he asked.
Rain turned toward the door. âAsk your baby mama.â
She marched out and hurried down the hallway to the staircase. Lanumi and Xavier were at the foot of the stairs. She slowed when she approached them.
âHi,â she greeted. Lanumi smiled back, Xavier did not. âLook⌠Iâm not the enemy, guys. You donât see it now, but you will soon. I donât want anything that woman has. You can take all of it. The company, the shares, everything.â
She fled outside before her tears embarrassed her.
xoxoxo
Walking in circles in her bedroom, Nadia had a smile on her face. She had just eavesdropped on the exchange between Rain and Kofo. She didnât know what to do with the information, but it was worth something. She could tell Sunny, but of what good would it be? Sunny seemed to want Rain to be with Tari. The better option would be to tell Tari himself.
Where would she find him, though?
She dialed Sunnyâs number.
âHey, Uncle Sunny.â
âHi Nadiakhe. Whatâs up?â
âI need to speak with Tari.â
âWhy?â
âWellâŚwe started out on a wrong foot. Iâve had time to go back on my actions and I think I could have done better yesterday.â
Sunny was silent for a few seconds. Nadia knew he was going through her words in his head, checking to know her angle.
âYouâre beginning to reason like the Nadia I know. Tari is not your enemy. The earlier you and your siblings realize this, the better.â
âSo, can I have his number? Iâm thinking he and I can have lunch or something.â
âNot a bad idea.â
âGreat.â
âIâll send it to you.â
âThank you, Uncle Sunny.â
The line went off and Nadiaâs smile spread wider. Sunnyâs message dropped in. Nadia saved Tariâs number and called him.
âHi, Tari,â she greeted in a light tone as he answered.
âWhoâs speaking?â
âYour cousin or your sister, depending on DNA.â
âNadia?â
âYeah.â
âWhat do you want?â
âSo, I was thinking that we could meet briefly. I have something very important you should know.â
âYou can tell me over the phone.â
She chuckled. âWhen I tell you, youâd understand why I canât say it over the phone.â
âOkay. But Iâm a bit swamped now.â
âCan I come to your hotel? Weâll meet at the bar and I deliver the message and disappear. Itâs sort of urgent.â
âFine. If you can be here in ten minutesââ
âPerfect.â
Tari hung up. Nadia picked her purse and dashed out.
ŠSally Kenneth Dadzie @moskedapages
Drama and Family Drama raised to the power 2.
Thank you Sally…yes I am an oliver twist….can we get a bonus tomorrow đ
Yawa!!! KasalĂ aaaaaaĂ don burst. Thank you for this interesting read, you have made my rainy Saturday morning warm đđ¤
The wait is worth it
Someone needs to slap Rain immediately. You don’t want gini?!
This Nadia ehn. This girl!
Thank you, Sally.
More money, more problem
Kai Sally why now, see how my heart was racing. I donât like Nadia in fact I donât like people who think that they have to give to be troublesome because they suffered or went through hell. If everyone should misbehave because of things that happened in their past , this world would have been a terrible place to live in. My dislike for Sunny hasnât changed and as for Kofo she be doing too much abeg, she should put that same energy in her other kids especially Nadia who needs a physiological evaluation.
Thanks Sally please we wouldnât mind a bonus episode, call us Oliver Twist . Thanks I really enjoyed todayâs episode.
Welcome back Sally and thanks for this!!! Iâm beginning to really dislike Nadia, sheâs way too selfish. I really hope that Atari and Rain stand the test of these storms.
Thanks Sally for this episode, it is nice to have you back. Tari and Rain have a lot of obstacles ahead of them if they are going to make it work.
More grace to your ink.
Nadia and Sunny are my worst characters. I hate them really, I am no longer surprised by Sunny, but that Nadia, my hatred keeps increasing for her. I hope Rain and Tari will be okay last last. I hope Sunny is really dealt with in his own coin.
Thanks for this beautiful piece Sally
I honestly think Kofo is doing too much, haba nau she really needs to stop. What exactly is Nadia’s problem? I hope Rain & Tari somehow work through this.
Iâm rooting for Rain and Tari even though their relationship seems doomed from the start. Nadia is just a nasty piece of work. I like the way Rain stood up to Kofo, as for Sunny his says are numbered (giving him the evil eye).
Much as I’m rooting for Tari and Rain, the odds seems firmly stacked against them. So let’s see how they weather the storm.
These people have loads of drama in their lives, the real Fuji House of Commotion.
Meanwhile, Sunny gives me the same vibes as Bashorun in Novocaine Knights. Hope he gets what’s coming for him.
Thanks a lot for sharing your gift with us Sally. Blessings
Much as I’m rooting for Tari and Rain, the odds seems firmly stacked against them. So let’s see how they weather the storm.
These people have loads of drama in their lives, the real Fuji House of Commotion.
Meanwhile, Sunny gives me the same vibes as Bashorun in Novocaine Knights. Hope he gets what’s coming for him.
Thanks a lot for sharing your gift with us Sally. Blessings
This Nadia is getting on my last nerves, sheâs just all over the place scheming. Sunny might just burn her, she doesnât know the people sheâs dealing with. I love the exchange between Kofo and Rain, i love seeing the confrontational side of Rain. These people are so controlling, Kofo, sunny, all of them an old controlling bunch. This episode had me stressed and hooked, i love it!
Lovely episode as usual â¤ď¸
This Nadia has been annoying. And it is getting worse by the day. I so don’t like her.
This Yuri guy is not even serious. But this Rain and Tari’s love is not “sweeting” me again.
The drama is just endless.
Dear Sally, you are the best.
Hater lomo Nadia yii