DECE-P-TION

DXXII

Falah's point of view.

I shut the passenger's door, noticing the absence of baba's car. I glance at Alya who seems cherry and excited to meet iya mí. She opens the door, sauntering into the house before I do. I hear chatter while I close the door.

I walk to the sitting room, seeing iya mí hugging Alya with her friends. "Good afternoon." I greet them, squatting. "Afternoon, Ola. Look at how you've grown up." Bisola acknowledged, looking at me from head to toe.

"He's a handsome man now." Nini smiles, crossing her legs. "A hardworking one I hear for that matter." Temi adds, sipping her drink. "And his wife is present." Iya mi points to alya who's still side hugging iya mi.

"She's the wife?" Nini raises her brow, sizing up alya. "She's pretty, my son has a good eye." Bisola cheers, grinning. "That's good." Temi sets her glass on the table.

"It's nice to meet you all, I hope we're not intruding." Alya confidently greets them with a smile on her face. "Not at all." Bisola waves it away.

"Am I going to be a godmother soon?" Bisola asks standing up and I walk out of the sitting room to the backyard for some fresh air and space to think. I pull a chair, sitting under the shade the large tree provided.

Lawal's case is a delicate one and with each day, I'm seeing it. There's no going back now, I'm in too deep. I have to nail this case but also, it seems like he wants to exact his vengeance on Alya. I better have leverage over him.

"What brings you here? Too boring for you inside?" Nini walks towards me with a glass cup in her hand. "Fresh air." I lean forward, hearing the birds chirping. "It was getting boring inside so I decided to come here to keep you company."

"You're too kind." I don't bother to look at her sitting beside me. "How's work? I heard you took that fraud's case." I sigh. "Yes." The ducks running from one of the cages as a worker runs to catch it.

"It will be fine, I know how smart you are." She pats my knee, nudging me playfully. "I believe so too, thank you." I look at her, smiling weakly. "You've really grown up, time is something." She scoffs, taking a sip of her rosè. I look away, clasping my hands.

"I can remember when you'd always come back around July September for your holidays and then we'll travel with your family for vacations. Remember when we went skiing?"

I nod, smiling at the memories. "Where was it again? Was it Ireland?"

"No, Monaco."

"Yes, Monaco. The formula 1 race too was the pinnacle of the trip. You got us tickets even though we weren't interested and forced us to go there and meet the drivers. The yacht to the island in Monaco was blissful." I nod in agreement looking at her reminisce.

She looks back at me. "And the time we made love on the island when we went out for a run. In the forest, not caring what was there." My smile fades away. "We had great memories." She leans her head on my shoulders. "We could still have good memories, it's never too late." She places her hand on my thigh, sliding her hand up.

I stand up calmly, her hand falling off my lap. "Niniola, We're both happily married. The past is in the past." I remind her, gaining an eye roll from her. "You know I'm not happy." She stands up. "I am, your happiness is no responsibility of mine."

"I can make your life more pleasurable, easier and more fun." She takes a few steps closer to me. "Falah?" I hear Alya behind and I turn to see her walking towards us. "For heavens sake." Nini mutters.

"Yes?" She glances at nini then back at me before standing beside me. "Is everything alright?" She asks looking up at me as I place my hand on her waist. "Everything's fine, aunt nini was reminding me of how childish I was." I glance at nini to see her her mouth slightly gaped open because of my statement.