COME WHAT MAY

CHAPTER FIVE

Twenty-Seven years ago... February 20, 1989.

Grace Badmus parked clothes, a pair of sandal, socks, hair brush and other essentials inside her husband's medium sized briefcase. She began ticking off the list of what needed parking on a piece of paper she was holding. Her father-in- law was sick and her husband was on his way to see him and spend quality time with him. Her husband's older brother Dele had been living with them for over a month in Lagos with the excuse that he was job hunting. After failing and discontinuing from University, he has never found any stable job ever since. If he doesn't get himself fired, he leaves the job complaining of boredom or give the excuse, "I don't belong there."

"If Dele gives you troubles please don't hesitate to call me okay." Dayo Badmus said with concern. Grace smiled and kissed him on the cheeks.

"I will do that but now you my dear have to take all those medications to Baba and please tell him to take things easy and rest. We are both working and can provide for him. He should stop farming now." Grace said with concern.

Dayo stared at his wife as if she had horns growing o her hair. "You know my father will die earlier that way. He needs to keep active." He said in a firm yet respectful tone. Grace patted him on the back and walked him out of their two bedroom house.

"Drive safely." 

"I have to. I wouldn't want to be parted from you so early. I promise that I will be careful. Put your mind to rest."

She hugged him tightly, let him go and waved as he drove out of the compound.

Two days later,

 Dayo found himself arguing with his parents about his wife. They had been married for six years without a child and this bothered them greatly. A second wife was not an option. What they wanted him to do was to divorce his wife and marry another one that could bear children.

"You can't be serious! I do not care what you say or do! Grace is not leaving my house and I will not let her go! You taught me to keep my promises Baba, I can't break that trust, besides we didn't get married just to have children."

"Dayo! We shall see who is joking! This is not charm Baba Dayo! This is because we sent him to school to get education. Now see the way he is talking like he knows everything. Grace is barren...Don't you want to see your children and their children? Dayo! See your life! Baba Dayo, say something to this empty head! All your hard labour, who will take it all? Ehn! Tell me now!" She was fuming with anger blended with fear of never having grandchildren.

"Your mother has said it all."  Mother and son turned to look at the head of the family,

"That is all you are going to say Baba Dayo!!! See me o! See the trouble father and son want to bury me in! You will not succeed! Hey!!!"

 At the end of the day, their son made it clear that he will not do what they had asked him to and especially because he was a man of principle and a child of Jehovah. Besides, there was nothing wrong with him and his wife. All they need is to be patient as God would bless their marriage with children at his own time.

Meanwhile, Grace had gone for her regular medical check up at their family hospital and was waiting impatiently for the results. She wanted to go back to work and escape the prying eyes of the nurses who were aware of her "case" of barrenness. She hated the questions that people she knew kept asking her and even worse, friends sh last saw several years ago now re-united wanted to know everything including why she doesn't have children yet. She looked at hr watch and tapped the face gently just to distract herself.