Chapter 9: For Family

"Ekaaro ma (good morning, ma)"I greeted while yawning. Deji was sitting beside her on the three seater couch, looking remorseful. I had hoped he would be because all of yesterday’s talk would have just been for nothing.

"Kaaro Temitope mi (morning my Temitope). Sit down let's talk" She gestured towards the open space beside her.

  "Yes ma" I plopped onto the couch with abandon. I couldn’t for the life of me care about grace this morning.

"Sis Temi, ekaaro (good morning)" Deji said quietly. I had a good mind to ignore him and not answer his greeting but you see, this thing called seniority comes with responsibility that sometimes means you don’t get to act like a malice keeping four-year-old.

"Morning." I really wanted to be petty and just ignore him. His actions last night hurt me more than he thought. I spent half the night tossing and turning.

"Temi. Shayo is gone. She was my daughter and I miss her. We were all at fault. She had her excesses and we refused to curb them, now we must let go but you are still being bitter about it. No matter how bad you felt, you shouldn't have brought up her death in that manner. Was there nothing good about Shayo that we can't remember the good? Hmm?" she was crying again.

"Mummy why Sis Shayo? Why her of all people?" Deji asked, crying too.

"Then who should it have been? Yes, it's true that God is the giver of everything good and beautiful but he is also our comforter. Why will he comfort us if we are always happy and joyful? It means there will be sad moments. Our pain at times pushes us to serve God more, to love him, to seek him. Deji you have to do better to honor Shayo's memories" Mum advised then started sobbing afresh.

At this time, I was crying. In all the pain, I had never even bothered to seek God for comfort. We all cried and mourned together for the first time since her death.

"Deji, your dad and I have decided that you will go to Lagos to write your JAMB at my elder brother's place. Change of environment and friends will do you well. Pamela will take you there" she got up from her position on the couch and moved towards the kitchen without waiting for a response like she expected the suggestion not to face objections.

"Haa Mummy, please not Uncle James. My life would be hell" he cried like the petulant child he was.

"Shut up jor! It’s true I have indulged you too much as a substitute for loosing Shayo but it has to stop now. Brother James lives in the barracks, the environment is no place to misbehave. Pass your JAMB and start acting responsibly. Do this to ease my aching heart because your actions last night hurt me. Oladeji, I can't lose another child. I will go mad with heartache." My Gold swayed on her feet. I'll never understand the pain of losing a child but it must be really tough for her.

I shot up and went to her side, then wrapped my hands around her "Haba Mummy, it’s okay. We will do as you have said. I'm going to be off call on Wednesday. Daddy's driver will take us there. Ekpele(sorry) iyaa mi (my mother). It’s okay, you know all this thinking is not good for your health" I consoled.

"Say ahhh, ahhh. Wider, open your mouth wider for me dear" I was presently attending to a 6-year-old girl. I checked for inflammations down her throat and there were so many. She wasn’t also breathing properly, so I fitted an oxygen mask over her face when I was done. I really wanted to do a bronchoscopy but there were no tools for it. It would entail passing a tube down her throat with a very tiny camera attached to it. The main tech was the motion sensitive compartment built into it that allowed the medical personnel navigate the camera when it is inside a person to avoid causing injuries to any internal organ, to enable clear sightings on the screen. This aspect of the Nigerian health care system still pissed me off. The sector needs better equipment.

 When I finished with her, I went to see Dr. Andrews to give him the report of the shareholders’ meeting in Lagos. I knocked and waited for his invitation. "Come in" he answered.

"Haaaa Temitope. It’s you. Sit down dear" He looked very tired today. Now is not a good time to tell him about Tito's escapades from last night.

"Good afternoon sir" I chipped.

"Afternoon, how was your trip?" he replied tiredly.

"Fine sir, here is the review from the meeting.” I dropped the documents on the table and pushed it towards him. “They want you to sell your shares. I negotiated to 3.5 million Naira" I said handing him the papers. I was a little nervous, hoping that I did good.

Dr. Andrews face broke out in a full-fledged smile "Wow, this is much more than I got when their agent called me. He proposed 900 thousand. I think you missed your calling. So when can you close the deal for me?"

I thought I was done. “Sir, why me?” I asked confused.

"I’m busy. I have to attend a conference in Abuja throughout next week on histopathology. When is your next off?" He asked and busied himself with the papers in front of him.

"Wednesday sir but I have an errand to run for daddy in Lagos that day." I really didn't want to go but it was no use telling him that.

"Alright, take Wednesday to Friday off. I will ask them to reschedule you into next week. I know it seems like an inconvenience but I have heard your father speak highly of you and I trust you. I can't send Tito there, that boy is a baggage of disgrace" he ended sadly.

"Alright sir but I don't think you should sell. I think you should have the shares exchanged for that of CHANCE Corporation. It gives you a stake and it will be worth more when retirement comes and I honestly think you should send Tito to rehab and allow him apply to a university far North, far away from home." I suddenly felt bad at what the innocent man had to be going through because of his son’s irresponsibility.

"Hmm, alright I will discuss it with your father. You can do as you have said with the shares. I will make you a trustee in my name." His appreciation clearly showing and making new tension lines on his face.

"Esheun sir." (Thank you, sir). Dr. Andrews Bade is a leading cardiologist in the country. I respect him so much but I just don't want to work here with him pulling strings to have my name removed or added to the call list or on operations I should be involved in. I have to talk to my dad about it. Although they are cousins, they are also friends and grew up with my great grandfather.

Wednesday met me in a foul mood especially with this boy taking forever to come downstairs. "Dee!! Dee!!!! Deji oya na come ou,t let’s go so that we will get to Lagos on time."

His highness finally appeared. Deji dragged himself out with only one box behind him sluggishly which was beginning to annoy me. I was about to comment on his pace but my dad beat me to it.

"Where is your laptop and iPod Deji?" Daddy requested.

"In my box sir," he said nonchalantly.

"OK let me have them, you don't need those to prepare for JAMB" My father stretched out his hands and waited.

"Haba but daddy what am I supposed to do in my spare time?" My dad looked at him like he was stupid for daring to even ask that question and a small part of me was shocked at the intensity of my father’s glare.

My mom quickly diffused the situation, "Pray, sleep, help them around the house." Like she didn’t think those activities were monotonous at all.

"Oh God! What kind of life is this now?" Deji groaned out like anyone was still interested in showing him pity.

His whine must have angered my dad further because he went from being irritated to full blown anger. "Because I did not ask for your phone too abi(right)? Your mum has said her piece, I said nothing about what happened, because I'm too disappointed in you but if you want to be foolish let's all be foolish together."

Deji handed them over with a big frown on his face. The drive down to Lagos wasn’t so appealing. We left Ibadan as early as 6 a.m. because of Dr. Andrews’ deal. The thought of seeing those honey brown eyes filled me with a strange combination of excitement, anger and irritation at the same time, but these are the things we do for family.