After the storm

by Osar Adeyemi

  She took a long sip of her cold pineapple juice and leaned back in the sofa. It had been almost three months since she lost her baby. The pain was a little less now, but she had learnt that it took very little for it to surface. Sometimes it was the sight of a newborn baby or some other innocuous thing, and it would be like she was struggling thorough a thick maze of darkness that threatened to swallow her whole.

  She had replayed the weekend that Akeem had come back from that trip to Abuja over and over in her mind. That was when he had bought her that very expensive diamond necklace with the matching earrings. Those had been the most expensive pieces of jewellery he had ever given her, and for a generous man like Akeem, that was really something. She now hated the sight of them so much that she had separated them from her other jewellery until she could decide what to do with them. But she knew that she would never wear them again.

  Yemi looked up when the door of the sitting room opened, and she automatically stiffened at the sight of her mother-in-law.

  "Oh, you are in here by yourself?" Mrs. Kadiri asked with raised brows. "Aren't you enjoying the day?"

  "I just thought that I would sit here for a while. It's a little hot outside." She hated the fact that her heart rate still increased anytime she saw Akeem's mother.

  Mrs. Kadiri pursed her lips as her eyes swept coldly over Yemi, but thankfully she left the room without saying another word. Yemi was happy to see her go.

  A little while later, she got up to use the bathroom. Just as she was about to enter, she froze as she heard her name. She knew she should turn around and go back, but she could not get her feet to obey her. She recognised the voices: her mother-in-law and her mother-in-law's younger sister, Aunt Kande.

  "She has been acting like a ghost since she arrived here yesterday." Akeem's auntie's voice was heavy with spite. "She keeps to herself and hardly talks to anyone."

  "I know all is not well with her relationship with Akeem," Mrs. Kadiri replied. "I was not even expecting her to show up here this weekend."

  "Well, it serves her right for barging into a family she knows nothing about."

  "Exactly my feelings." Her mother-in-law laughed maliciously. "Being a Kadiri takes more than her wearing a couple of rings on her finger. She will never be a part of this family…"

  Yemi had heard enough. She started to walk away but stopped herself abruptly. She was tired of being intimidated by Akeem's mother. She had come to use the bathroom, and that was what she was going to do. She pushed the door open and went in. The ladies fell silent, but there was no guilt on their faces. Rather, there was a malicious look on her mother-in-law's face, as if she couldn't care less if Yemi had heard any part of their conversation or not. Yemi ignored them and went into one of the bathrooms. A few minutes later, she heard them leave.

  A cold anger welled up within her. She hated the woman just as much as the latter hated her. In fact, not just her—she hated the whole Kadiri clan. Yemi would have gladly granted her mother-in-law's wish to see her gone, but she had Aleena to think about. For her daughter's sake, she would continue to bear her marriage.

  ∞∞∞

  "Say hello to Sesan for me," her mum called out as Yemi got into her car. "Tell him to pop by and say hello to us soon."

  "I will, Mum," Yemi replied. "Take care, love you."

  "I love you too, my dear," her mother replied. "Drive carefully."

  Yemi backed the car out of the compound and drove towards the eatery where she and Sesan had agreed to meet. He had just come to Nigeria and was staying at his parents' place.

  She got to the eatery and spotted him sitting at one of the tables. He smiled and waved over to her.

  "It's so good to see you again!" He greeted her with a hug.

  "Same here, Shez!" She looked him over, still the same good-looking guy with a ready smile.

  "How are Akeem and Aleena?"

  "They are fine, thank you," Yemi said, sitting down in the chair that he pulled out for her. "I hope you're not rushing back to the UK like you did the last time?"

  He smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm here to stay this time."

  "For real?" Yemi's eyes widened. "You've resigned from Goldman Sachs?"

  "Yep. I got a bit homesick and decided to move back home."

  Yemi was concerned. Good jobs were not that easy to come by. "Nice to know that you're here for good," she said a little slowly, "but what about a job? What do you intend to do?"

  "Oh, I got a job with Price Waterhouse. I interviewed with them while I was in England and will be starting work with them in a week."

  She felt relieved. "You're one guy who seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to jobs! Look at all the places you have worked, and you do it so easily!"

  "God has been really faithful, and I can't thank him enough." He looked at her face. "I learnt that you're in the process of starting a fashion design outfit?"

  She smiled. "Who's been talking to you?"

  "Oh I've still got all my contacts," Sesan replied, putting on a mock lofty expression. "I'm very glad for you, though. I was a bit concerned when you told me that you were not doing anything at all. That didn't sound like you."

  "Yeah, you know me." Unlike some people who thought that they could keep her in the house while they messed around with other women.

  He grimaced. "Look at me! I got so carried away with the excitement of seeing you and have not asked you what you'd like to drink or eat."

  "I'm not that hungry, but some juice will be good, thanks."

  Sesan waved to a waiter and then placed orders for drinks for both of them.

  "I'm sorry about the baby," he said quietly. "My mum told me about it."

  "Thanks," Yemi forced herself to smile and then changed the topic. "So are you going to get your own place soon?"

  "Definitely. I've already started talking to some agents about it."

  They talked about possible locations and the challenges that traffic would pose if he tried to commute daily from the mainland to the island where his office was situated. After talking for a few minutes. Yemi noticed that Sesan was talking less and appeared to be studying her.

  "What?" She smiled quizzically at him. "Is there something on my face?"

  He squinted and pretended to peer at her a little more closely, and they both laughed. "Yemi, are you okay?" he asked, sobering up.

  "How do you mean?" she hedged. "Don't I look okay?"

  He smiled. "You're still just as pretty as ever, maybe a little more, but…"

  "But what?"

  He shook his head slightly, as if trying to get the right words. "There's just something very different about you." He looked at her compassionately. "I know you may still be hurting over the baby, but you have to let go and allow God to heal you completely."

  She almost snorted. Too many things about her needed healing, and she was not sure God was interested. She seldom went to church now, anyway. "Thanks, but I'm okay," she said lightly. "Maybe I'm different because I'm older. I'm nearly a grandma now, you know!"

  "Grandma indeed! Some of your mates are not even married yet."

  "Some of my mates like you," Yemi eagerly grasped at the opportunity to change the topic. Sesan knew her too well. She was not surprised that he could see beyond her forced gaiety, but she didn't want to discuss her marriage with him. "C'mon tell me, when are the bells ringing?"

  "What bells?"

  "You know what bells I am talking about. Anyone special?"

  A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "None, I'm still very single."

  "Now that you are back home, I'm sure that you will soon get hooked up."

  "Maybe," Sesan replied, still smiling, and then he looked serious again. "Yemi, you know you can talk to me anytime, right?"

  "I know, Shez," Yemi replied quietly. "Thanks."

  Chapter 14

  Yemi opened her fashion design store, Matrix Kreations, on a popular street in Victoria Island two months later. Akeem had asked one of his business de
velopment managers to work with her on location and her business plans, and she had found him very helpful.

  She employed a tailor, whom Sharon had introduced to her. Ken was a good-natured, confident guy, and he and Yemi hit it off immediately.

  She had a launch party to generate publicity and also help towards building a decent clientele base before the official opening. Despite her preparations, she was still jittery on the day of the launch. It was not until she heard the applause, as model after model came out, that she was able to relax.

  "I'm sure you are going to go places, Yemi," Sharon congratulated her afterwards. She had helped Yemi with ideas towards the launch, and Yemi was grateful for the useful tips. "I just keep wondering what kept you back all these years."

  Yemi could not answer that question herself. Stupidity? Naivety? She didn't know which, but that was something she was never going to let happen to her again. Never would she allow herself to weave her life around Akeem again.

  Work started for her after the launch. The people who used to badger her to make clothes for them in the past were happy that she had gone commercial, and they placed orders with her. She also got orders from some of the guests who had attended the launch.

  She genuinely loved what she was doing, and that was her motivating factor. The money that came along with it was a bonus. She had never really appreciated mass production and for the time being, she just wanted to be bespoke. She considered each outfit an advert, and her attention to detail never failed to please her customers. She made designs based on body shapes and would gently tell a customer who was insistent on a particular style to trust her to make something else for them. It was a risk she took, but it paid off; they were nearly always happy with the designs she made for them, and gradually many of her customers came to trust her judgement.

  ∞∞∞

  "You, my dear friend, are getting me quite worried," Sara said, looking at Yemi with narrowed eyes as she sat across from her in the office about two months later. "Why were you not at the opening of your mother-in-law's new spa?"

  "Oh, that," Yemi said with a bored expression. "I didn't go because I was not invited."

  "What do you mean by you were not invited? You don't need an invite. You should have showed up, even if just for appearances' sake."

  "Maybe I don't give a hoot about appearances anymore," Yemi replied nonchalantly. "Trying to please her hasn't done much good, and frankly, I don't really care anymore."

  Sara stared at her. "I'm not asking you to be your mother-in-law's best friend, but you can't snub her so openly either."

  Yemi shrugged. "Well, I don't see it like that."

  "But you've got to take your rightful place beside Akeem. You should have seen the way Leila was parading herself all over the place and playing hostess to the guests, not to talk of flirting shamelessly with Akeem."

  Yemi snorted. "That's up to her, but I thought she was dating that senator guy, or have they fallen apart so soon?"

  Sara giggled. "Poor chap. She's still with him, as I heard, but she never misses out on an opportunity with Akeem."

  Yemi looked disgusted. "It beats me how a woman can put her life on hold for so many years. She's despicable."

  "Maybe Akeem's mother has been assuring her that there is still hope," Sara replied. "And that's why you've got to be around your man. Leila was not the only woman batting her eyes at him." She looked sternly at Yemi. "Don't let these terrible women move in on him."

  "Drop it, Sara." She was not going to spend the rest of her life clinging to Akeem and monitoring his every move.

  Sara eyed her. "You're worse than me now, and I'm not sure I like it. Akeem is sorry about what…"

  "How far are you with your plans to open a department store?" Yemi cut in, changing the topic.

  Sara stared at her. "This is not you, Yemi…" She stopped when she saw the frown on Yemi's face. "Okay, I'll back off," she said, holding up her hands. She inhaled slowly and shook her head as if she considered Yemi a puzzle.

  Yemi half listened as Sara talked about her plans to open a store. She had just wanted her to stop talking about Akeem. It didn't matter what anyone else thought; there was no way she was ever going to allow him to mess with her emotions and life again.

  "By the way, this place looks a little different from the last time I was here," Sara remarked while looking around.

  "It's the flowers and the feature wall. Shona did it up for me a couple of weeks back." Hasan's younger sister had a passion for interior decorating; she had not liked what the professional interior decorator had done, so she had offered to do Yemi's office again free of charge. Yemi had to agree that she had done a good job.

  Sara looked round appreciatively. "That girl is so talented. I wish she would turn her talents into a proper business. I mean, look at you. Sewing was just a hobby, and now you've gone global!"

  "Hardly!" Yemi laughed. "But that was the very same thing I told Shona. I wasted so much time playing good little wife, and it didn't get me anywhere."

  ∞∞∞

  "Mrs. K," Ken said as he came into Yemi's office. "There is someone here to see you."

  Yemi raised her brows quizzically. "Who?"

  "She said her name is Kelly Sola-Davies," Ken told her. "She insists on seeing you."

  Yemi shrugged, and a few minutes later, a woman walked in. She looked oddly familiar as Yemi exchanged pleasantries with her, but she could not quite figure out how she knew her.

  "How may I help you?" Yemi asked, after she had served her a drink.

  "I saw some of the outfits you made for my friend, Dara Awosika. They were really lovely, and she gave me your address."

  "Thanks. That's good to hear," Yemi replied. Ayo was the wife of one of Akeem's business associates.

  "I'm on the campaign trail for the next elections, and I need a new wardrobe," Kelly said, looking at Yemi.

  It was then that it dawned on Yemi where she had seen Kelly. She was running as a senator in the forthcoming elections and was featured regularly in advertisements on TV. She could not help wondering why she had come to her, but she soon got her answer.

  "My fashion designer is getting too big for her boots." She mentioned the name of the fashion outfit, and Yemi deliberately kept her face bland. It was one of the big names—almost at par with House of Tetra. "She actually gave my clothes to her staff to make the last time I ordered clothes from her, and they almost messed me up. I made up my mind never to go back."

  Yemi made a mental note never to do that with her.

  "But like I was saying, I need a new wardrobe," Kelly continued. "While campaigning in the cities, I've got to look chic, but my dressing must be toned down in the suburbs, otherwise I would look too far removed from the people I am speaking to."

  She went into more details, and Yemi listened attentively, taking mental notes as she spoke. Kelly wanted three outfits almost immediately for different events, and would decide if she would continue with Yemi depending on the outcome. "You're new in the fashion industry," she said, eyeing Yemi as if wondering if she was making a mistake or not. "But I liked Dara's clothes, and that is why I'm here. Do you think you can help me?"

  "I believe I can," Yemi said simply. Her mind was already working on what designs she could possibly put together.

  After describing her campaign schedule in more detail, Kelly asked, "You said your surname is Kadiri?" She frowned slightly, as if trying to recollect a memory. "You are not by any chance related to the Yohanna Kadiri family, are you?"

  "I am," Yemi replied. "I'm married to his son, Akeem."

  "You don't say!" Kelly exclaimed, looking closely at Yemi. "My! So you are the young lady Akeem married!" She shook her head in amazement.

  "You know my husband?" Yemi asked warily.

  "Not personally. His father was a big donor to my party when he was alive, but I know about Akeem through my younger cousin, Michelle."

  "Oh."

  "Wow! What a small world! Your husband was su
ch an eligible bachelor, and a lot of women had their sights set on him." Her eyes swept over Yemi as she said this. "But my dear, you still have to sleep with one eye open," she cautioned. "You are a beautiful woman, but some ladies are desperate. You really have to be on your watch around your man."

  "Thank you," Yemi said, for want of anything else to say.

  "Believe me, I know all about it." Kelly continued. "I just divorced my second husband three years ago, and I have decided no more! Men are not worth it." She shook her head. "But let me not pollute you with the seedier side of life; you still look very innocent."

  Yemi smiled cynically. Her innocent outlook to life had already been tampered with. "Let me take your measurement for the outfits," she said to Kelly, pulling out her tape measure.

  "Of course." Kelly stood up, and Yemi proceeded to measure her. "You are an easy person to talk to, and I got carried away."

  Yemi later sketched some designs, displayed them on mannequins on the computer screen, and showed the designs to Kelly. Kelly took her time to choose which ones she wanted. She was such a fusspot that Yemi wondered how her former designer had coped with her as a client, let alone thought of letting her employees handle her designs. There were some people you just had to deal with yourself. Well, unless your clientele list was full of celebrities like Sharon Braithwaite's—then you might not care too much about an aspiring senator.

  ∞∞∞

  "I don't know what you see in that woman," Akeem said, sounding irritated when Yemi told him that she wanted to attend the wedding ceremony of Kelly's younger brother, a few weeks later. "She is so loud, and she's totally different from you. What's the attraction?"

  "She's brought me a lot of business," Yemi replied coolly, continuing to take off her makeup with a cleanser. "I don't want to snub her by declining her invitation." Kelly loved the clothes she made for her and had even gone on to introduce some of her friends to Yemi.

  Akeem didn't mind her making the clothes, but he resented Kelly trying to get close to her. He didn't know Kelly personally, but he knew who she was and knew people who knew her. "Well, I definitely don't feel like attending the wedding!"