THE MAD MAMMOTH

Chapter 4-Distractions

Silence! Don't say anything Tolani, they can't hold your utterances against you if you don't say anything at all she said to herself as Aunty Fadekemi repeated the question.

"I'm talking to you Tolani, has he done something like this before?" Still Tolani kept quiet.

Like she doesn't know, she thought to herself. Her mother had taught her the value of silence right from when she was a child. It was practically all her mother taught her. As she kept dabbing her eyes and looking down to avoid Aunty Fadekemi's face, she remembered all her mother's famous quotes on the value of silence.

"In times of troubles, silence is better than confrontation or speaking your mind."

"Don't say anything. They can't misquote you if you don't say anything at all."

"Anytime you are angry, take a deep breath and keep quiet. You should only talk when you have calmed down. It works all the time."

"Tolani a woman should be seen, not too often and should hardly ever be heard."

"Tolani, a quiet woman builds her home while an erratic one destroys it."

My mother was right in this particular case, she thought as she looked at Aunty Fadekemi. Aunty Fadekemi was a very sly person who would change your words and use them against you. She was usually the first member of the Adeleke family to pretend to show her support but the least reliable for her when it really mattered. Most of her pretended concern was usually to get to hear what Tolani would say. More often than not Aunty Fadekemi would then use Tolani's words against her. Tolani had been hurt by her two-faced nature so many times that by now she knew the best way to handle her was to keep her at bay. This was equally hard because she noticed every event and was always the first to rush to Tolani's side acting all concerned, asking questions.

"Mom are you okay?" Tolani heard her son Dayo's voice. She looked up and smiled at him. She was relieved he had come to get her out of Aunty Fadekemi's hands.

"I promise I'll talk to you later Aunty, please excuse me, I need to have a quick discussion with my son right away." As Aunty Fadekemi left, Tolani heaved a sigh of relief.

"Was she bothering you?" Dayo said as he sat down near her.

"Not really, just showing her usual fake concern and trying to get me to confide in her."

"But how do you feel, Mom, considering what you just saw, I mean Dad being a jerk as usual?"

"Dayo!" She scolded him a bit loudly. The people on the tables close by turned to look at them. She reduced her voice to a whisper "Don't ever say such things about your father again. Where did you even learn such words?" He was quiet.

"Never mind," she said. Let's go to my car. Tolani managed to smile and greet a few friends and family members as they walked towards the exit door.

"Are you leaving Madam? but the show is just starting." Ms. Yemi said as she ran after them.

"Yes. I will need to prepare for guests that will drop by at the house."

"Alright Ma, we'll make sure things go smoothly here."

"Please do Ms. Yemi, and thanks for everything; you're doing a great job."

Ms. Yemi smiled. No one had noticed that Ms. Yemi had been passing by Tunji's office door earlier when she noticed Tolani run out of the office. She almost went to ask her what the problem was but stopped in her tracks when almost immediately, the 'Old school mate' also rushed out, her skirt barely well-adjusted and looking quite flustered. Then a few minutes later, Dayo also stormed out. Yemi didn't need to see more than that to guess what must have happened. She shook her head in disbelief. So much for the perfect couple. Indeed, the rich also cry, she thought as she shook her head again. She was therefore not surprised when Tolani didn't wait for the event to be over before leaving.

Tolani and Dayo entered the lift and Dayo pressed '0'. They were the only ones in it. As they got downstairs they met a couple of guests just arriving and managed to say a few hellos. They got to the car park and as she was about handing him her car keys, she changed her mind.

"You know what, you stay. You can come back home with your Dad, he'll need your help with the guests and you need to follow up with Ms. Yemi to make sure everything goes well here."

"What! Are you seriously still thinking about him after what he just did to you?"

"He is my husband Dayo. He is also your father. Moreover, this hotel belongs to not just him but all of us, don't forget that. Now do all you can to make sure the launching goes perfectly well." As Dayo was about to leave, she stopped him and gave him a hug.

"Son, don't ever let your emotions overtake logic. Now go and see to the success of our hotel launch and make me proud."

"Okay Mom". He said. She waved to him as she got into her car and drove out of the large hotel premises.

Tolani kept recalling the image of Tunji and Clara as she took the right turn and entered the express road. After twenty-one years of marriage she no longer had any illusions about her husband's character but this was low, even for him. Why Clara again? Why today? Why did he have to ruin this event for me like this? It's almost like he set out to hurt me but what have I ever done to him except love him unconditionally? Tolani was distraught and she couldn't help the tears flowing freely down her face. She was so lost in her thoughts as she drove straight on that she didn't realize she had reached a T-junction controlled by a traffic light. She didn't realize the light facing her side of the road was red and by the time she heard the loud horn from the vehicle on the right hand side and held her brake, it was already too late. The impact of the collision of the highlander jeep on the right with Tolani's Range Rover Sport swung her car off the road as it went left and collided with the base of a large toothpaste signboard. As her head hit the dashboard and just before she lost consciousness, her only thought was; thank God Dayo didn't come with me.