The Lives We Lived

38: Holding The Baby

"Kemi, are you okay?" Zainab asked.

Kemi paused then continued serving Osa's food.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You look worried."

"Do I?" Kemi swallowed. Was she that easy to read? "It's nothing. I just have several things on my mind."

"A problem shared is a problem half solved."

Kemi sent a smile towards the couch where Zainab was sitting, stroking her child's back.

"I just-"

"I'm done." Osa announced. He walked to the dinning table, refusing to meet her eyes. He drew back the chair and pulled the meal of rice and chicken to himself. "Thank you for this delicious meal."

Kemi whispered into his ears. "You're very welcome but I do not want to believe that you are hiding anything from me."

"To the best of my knowledge, I am not hiding anything from you. Why would I do that?"

Kemi refused to give him an answer as she walked to the couch. She took her seat beside Zainab and sighed.

"So what's on your mind?"

"Eh..."

Kemi relaxed into the couch, allowing her head to loll towards Zainab. Zainab's thin brows were raised in a curious stare.

"Well," Kemi fiddled with her fingers. She picked up Adebayo's teddy bear and began to play with it. "How do you know if a man will cheat?"

"My dear," Zainab's hand touched her laps. "If I knew the answer, I wouldn't be sitting her today."

"Sometimes, I'm just worried that he," Kemi sighed, glanced at Osa, then continued, "would leave me. You know. I'm living the life I've always wanted but you know how life is. Things never stay the same for long."

Zainab's touch brought Kemi's gaze to her face. "I think he really loves you. Do you think he would--"

"No." Kemi said. "It's just. I don't ever want to believe that he can. If he does, I don't think my heart can take it."

"I should have known when Bode started cheating. But how would I have known when nothing about him changed." Zainab's mouth pursed in a bitter frown. "Soon after we got married, he kept long hours from the house. Sometimes, he would travel for weeks on business trips. There was a point where I only saw him once a week. I think those were always the happiest days of my marriage."

"You can't be serious."

Zainab smiled. "I am. You know, I was happy because I was missing him and I knew that when he would come back, he would be so sweet and caring that I would have forgotten that it was a one person marriage. The longer he was at home, the sadder I felt but I've decided that I'm going to end all of this."

"How? Have you spoken to him?"

"Not exactly." Zainab blinked slowly. "He called but my friend, Farida, picked the call. I haven't spoken to him since then."

"Let me just get your thing to the right place and then e can talk. Yeah?"

"Yes."

Zainab rose to her feet, cradling her child who kicked her arms while Kemi carried the bag. They were about to make the turn to the room when Osa hurried out of the kitchen,

"Are you going into the room?"

"Yes, I want to help Zainab to unpack her bag."

"Can I?" Osa's voice trailed off as he stared at Adebayo.