…and she said…

Diary of a bored housewife
The day after TK’s ultimatum was one of the longest days of my life. I was so confused and for once I decided to be an adult and make a decision. I wasn’t going to call Banke or my brother or any of my other friends, I was going to weigh my options and then decide what was best for me.

True to form exactly 24 hours later, I got a text from TK it read

TK:  Anjolaoluwa, what’s the verdict?
I still hadn’t made up my mind. Was this the point where I told him how I truly felt? Was this the point where I ran off to America to start a new life as a single parent? Or was this the point where I finally admitted to myself that having a baby for Adetokunboh Ayo-Kessington, one of the most eligible and sort after “bachelors” in Lagos was a terrible mistake. Was I to do what I promised myself I would never do? It wasn’t too late at that point. I was only about six weeks pregnant and only TK and Banke knew so it wouldn’t be a reputational risk if I suddenly wound up not without child.
I waited for a few hours and I decided to lay my cards on the table. What was the worst that could happen really? I was no stranger to heartbreak. I picked up my phone and sent a reply it read:

Me: Adetokunboh, all or nothing.
I didn’t hear from TK for the rest of the day.
The next day, after TK hadn’t responded at midday I booked a flight to America. I was to leave in 2 days. I called Aunty Titi and told her I had resigned and was going on vacation for a few weeks so I needed to keep my things in her house and spend a few days there. I had all my belongings moved to her house and gave the key of the company car still in my possession and the key to my flat to the security guard. I couldn’t believe how much my life was going to change. Later in the evening, I discovered that I had forgotten to take some of my belongings from the trunk of the car and quickly took a taxi back to the company house where I had been staying. I got back to the house and met TK standing in the compound and yelling at Adamu the security guard.

TK: What do you mean you don’t know where she went? Are you mad?
Adamu: Walahi Oga. She no tell me. Na only key she give me.

TK: You are a lunatic and I’m going to have you fired! Which way did she go?
Adamu: Oga me I no know. I just see say she enter one moto. Shikena

TK: Get out of my sight, you ….I cut him off in mid-sentence
Me: I wonder why you are venting your frustrations out on Adamu when you are clearly the one with the problem. I only came to get my stuff out of your car; I’ll be out of your here in no time.
I said as I walked past him. He followed me.

TK: Where do you think you are going? I have been here waiting for hours!
Me: How is that any concern of mine?

TK: Gosh! Sometimes I just feel like putting you across my laps and spanking you! You are so juvenile and immature.
Me: What an irony. I wonder what’s more juvenile, you getting me pregnant and then telling me to decide what I want to happen next or me being the bigger person and taking responsibility for my actions. Agbaya!

TK: Did you just call me an agbaya?
Me: Sorry sir, slip of tongue.
With that TK grabbed my hand and pulled me towards my flat. The door was wide open. Apparently, Adamu had let him in earlier and he had noticed I was gone. We had given Adamu and TK’s driver enough gist to spread to all the staff at Octave but I didn’t care it was now his burden to carry not mine.
He shut the door behind us, locked the door and put the key in his pocket, there was no escaping.

TK: What do you want from me?
Me: All or nothing
He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I watched him take long drags and knew he was tense but I didn’t intend to bulge. I remained quiet. After a while he took off his tie and threw it on the couch then he rolled up his sleeves. If the situation wasn’t so pathetic I would have found it funny.

TK: Define”all”.
Me: All means All, Tokunboh.

TK: Very well then. How soon can we get married?
Huh? Was this guy crazy??? After his sermon of not believing in love, and not thinking monogamy and marriage were in the cards for him, why was he asking me that? By the way was his divorce even final?
Me: Don’t be silly.

TK: My divorce is final in a week or less. We can get married in two weeks. Nothing big or fancy just a court wedding with a few witnesses. We need to focus on the baby and stop this meaningless fighting.
I had always dreamt of the way my husband would propose. I never imagined I would be pregnant, and it would be in a room full of cigarette smoke. Where was the music in the background?  Where were the scented candles?  The roses… and most importantly where was the ring with a diamond the size of my thumb? Hell no! I wasn’t settling for this shabby and sorry excuse for a proposal.
Me: You actually think that I would accept this thing you have done here now as a marriage proposal? Mcheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew. Goodbye, Tokunboh have a nice life!

TK: Ok I gave it my best shot. I don’t know what else you want from me.
Me: Your best shot wasn’t good enough. I said and headed for the door.

TK: You forgot something in your bedroom maybe you want to check if you need it.
I made a mental scan of how I had left the room and I was pretty sure I hadn’t left anything there but I headed there anyway just to be sure. When I opened the door I almost fainted.

Dear Diary, My bed was filled with red rose petals, and in the middle of the bed he had spelled out “Marry Me” with skittles knowing they are my favorite candy. I couldn’t believe it but the best part was the little red box I saw right next to the skittles, I knew what was in it but I was too shocked to even move. TK walked past me into the room. He picked up the box, pulled me close and went on one knee

TK: Anjola this is me offering you my all. Marry me.
The ring was so beautiful, it was a princess cut diamond set in a platinum band. It even had a little peridot right in the middle-my birthstone. I instantly burst into tears. How did he even know I’d come back to the house?

TK: That wasn’t really the reaction I was expecting. Is the thought of being married to me that bad?
Me: I don’t know what to say.

TK: Say yes.
Me: Why?

TK: Anjola you know me. You know I’m an arrogant bastard who only thinks about himself. You know I can’t control my temper and you know I am petty and like everything done to perfection but you also know that if I am asking you to marry me it is because I want you to.  I don’t have time for games.

I was hoping he would say I love you, or I can’t live without you but he said none of that. As I was about to respond I felt a sharp pain my abdomen. It was so severe that I screamed. The pain instantly intensified becoming more frequent like contractions. TK was obviously confused he rushed to open the door and screamed out his driver’s name. By the time he came back in to carry me, I had blood trickling down my legs. I instantly knew what was happening. I was losing TK’s baby just as I had lost Emeka’s.