CLOSURE

It was not in the way she walked elegantly with grace and charm. Or was it in her height or her dress sense? (a dazzling fashionista in every sense), her large sense of humour, she can make anyone smile and she knows it. Most people who know her say, you cannot find her in a frown. Nothing can truly be used in a sentence to describe Adetutu Anuoluwa Akintunde because she was more than any one adjective you can think of at a glance.

At 36 years of age, she looks like a young girl in her 20’s. Tall as in 6 ft 2, dark as in rich dark coffee complexion with glowing blue lenses in her eyes. Although, many had never seen her natural eye colour), some claimed she was born with blue eyes. Flawless ebony skin when she reveals it occasionally, with dimples on both sides of her cheeks and a walking stride that tells you that she belonged on the runway, haven modelled for four years as a career.

Born in Shielfield England in the late mid 80’s into a family of four children, she was the third born and first girl. Her family came to Nigeria when Chief Akintunde her father, retired and decided to go home after his wife’s death. Her story was long and deep, however, she shared it only with a few. She hated being pitied. It was not in her nature to mourn, cry or sorrow hence, she glowed and triumphed through any catastrophe. She had to, as she always tells herself because she knew she had someone relying on her.

Like this morning, she walks out of her 5-bed room state-of-the-art white and grey coloured duplex with a lot of glass frames in the architectural style. Two boy's quarters on each side of the compound, one for her home office where she spends most time designing and the other for home staff. Her courtyard was large, filled with vibrant green carpet grass.

“Ik hurry up, mummy will be late” she says in her clean British accent. She may have been in Nigeria for 19 years, but she still speaks well. “I am coming mummy, give me a minute” the 10-year-old boy echoed back as he balanced his blue school bag on his back at the entrance of the house.

“Oh my goodness!!!!!!” Shrieked Ik.

“Your new ride is here!” he screams.

“I know right!” She replied as she surveyed her new ride! A beast amongst the Mercedes Benz's latest SUV collection. A reminder that she can afford the good things of life all by herself. It cost her a whopping sum of 55 million and her personal account balance was almost 12 times the amount after the purchase. Not bad! She had six other SUVs one white Hilux and one black tundra. ( Both for her security escort)

She bought the latest ride as a “thank you gift” to herself as she was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the 3rd time by the governor of Lagos state and one of the most influential women under 40 by Forbes in Africa.

To many, she was a businesswoman. A baker, and she had been so since she was a little girl growing up in England. Now she was a conglomerate!

The CEO of Tutu’s treats; Comprising of Tutu’s cakes, Tutu’s bakery and Tutu’s pastries. Her bakery in the last three years has recorded over 3 billion naira turnover and they were fast becoming the largest single food delivery company to do that in the country. With over 200 staff under her payroll, she was envied. Rumour has it that she is been bankrolled by the president of the federation or one of the African presidents as she is the one cake designer approved by governors, state assemblymen and even the president himself. She has made cakes within and outside the country for several African presidents. A true artist in sugar work and a resilient businesswoman who has worked her way into the pockets of the rich and powerful.

“Honey, get in if you don’t want to be late on your first day in Year 5,” she says to her son.

“Wow, madam this is correct machine oo. Congratulations ma. You deserve it” her head of security, Wale complimented.

“Thank You Wale. I know it’s a machine, I fell in love with it when we went to that show house. Let’s go guys” she signals her team of escorts in the black tundra behind her. After two unsuccessful kidnap attempts, she decided to keep the security and ride with them.

“Madam T, madam T” a young lady runs from the main house towards the gate dressed in a white and black uniform before she enters her car.

“Beatrice it’s Miss T and what is it? Did I forget anything?”

“No ma, sorry ma, Miss T, it's just that the money has an excess of 150k”

She heaved a sigh of relief.

“It’s not a mistake Beatrice. It’s for you to take a cab while shopping since Tony is taking all the cars for servicing. You mentioned a lot of places in your list”

“Oh” exclaimed Beatrice.

“Yes, Beatrice. Do you like my ride?” She asks while smiling and Beatrice responds with a smile and a nod.

“Don’t worry you will go for a spin next”

“Congratulations ma”

“Thank you, B”

“Ik if you are through surveilling the body cameras around my car, we can go to school.”

“Bye Miss Beatrice” Ik waves.

“Bye-bye, my Bobo” Beatrice replies.

Like clockwork, everyone entered the cars and Beatrice retreated into the house as the cars peeled out slowly.

Less than 3 kilometres away driving his Lexus jeep car towards the same direction of the school is Mr Ikem Anderson Afaoma popularly known as Afam Hair. He is one of the leading female hair stylists in the country A vendor of original hair as well, as a makeup artist and a nail technician. His skills, services and packaging were second to none. He was tall, dark and handsome by all standards. He would have been a basketballer because of his stature if he was not into making hair. His dark coloured hair was full and he had it carved on both sides. Many customers wondered why he never braided his hair. His beards were trimmed recently. He always appeared neat and his fingers had the best nails you have ever seen. Currently Playing John Legend Tonight (The best you ever had) in his ear pod stuck in his ears at a low volume. His favourite song, Their favourite song a long time ago. Seated beside him in a frown as she repeatedly stares at him is his wife Nwakego and their twin girls Otitochukwu Grace and Otutuchukwu Glory. They were seated quietly behind with Ego’s aunt who has been staying with them since they relocated a week ago to Lagos from Benin City. Ego was light in complexion, 5ft 2, mostly regarded as short, plump and had a low cut.

Both girls are still as Glory repeatedly sucks her thumb to keep her busy. They were very pretty and well dressed as four-year-olds starting kindergarten. Afam made their hair and styled it in tiny pigtails.

“Hmmm, my inlaw this is the place to get very good akara. I showed your wife on Saturday”

“Okay aunty, it’s not too far from the house. I can get small especially when I have early morning clients and no time for breakfast”

“So you can hear what my aunty is saying with that thing in your ear,” Ego asks.

“Ego am just listening to a song at a low volume but I can hear. If you want to talk to me, am listening dear” Afam responds in a calm manner. Many can describe him as very quiet, friendly and peaceful.

She hisses and her aunty rolls her eyes behind her.

“Mummy look at Ik’s mummy’s Billboard”

Grace screams.

“Please shut up. This is morning. I am tired of Ik talk. Any small thing Ik. Let me hear word” Ego fired.

“Ego she is a child. That’s too harsh! She is nervous about resuming a new school in a new town today. Please, Don’t shut her down” her aunty says.

“I don’t care. Their father will call Ik from morning till night and now my children have joined as if they are jazzed” she hisses.

He stares at the bold electronic board by the roadside advertising her cakes and continues driving with a smile at the corner of his mouth as he listens to their song unaware of Ego watching him.

They soon arrive at the school. It was 7:30 am and a lot of cars were in a traffic line as parents and guardians were dropping off their kids. The sound of a siren in front of them, with a black Mercedes Jeep door opening, became a scene to behold as a car drives into the door from the driver's side scratching the new car

“I have said it. The people in this Lagos don’t know how to drive. Since we came last week, it’s only nonsense drivers I see on the road. Impatient bastards. This motor looks like a new one that this idiot has gone to scrape. Always in a hurry. I pray the owner uses him to make proper example. He will see better shege this morning”. Ego ranted and no one paid her any mind

As they disembarked from their vehicle, they watched The security open the second door and Ik jumped down. Ego gasps. Seeing them, he runs in their direction.

“Daddy!!!!!! Oh my goodness, Grace and Glory, am so happy we are in the same school. Good morning ma, Good morning ma” Ik greets the elders before him. He embraces his father who doesn’t want to let go. Afam bends to his son’s level cuddling him in a tight hug. He was emotional and didn't hesitate in displaying his emotions. Everyone who knows Afam knows he loves children.

“Such a cute boy. Daddy’s carbon copy and well mannered” Aunty says. Ego hisses and rolls her eyes.

“Grace and Glory greet your brother,” Aunty says.

“Glory stop sucking that your smelling hand before i slap you” Ego snaps at her daughter and Ik was astonished. He smiles at his sisters and they smile back.

“Daddy check out mummy's new car. It just arrived and now it’s scratched.” Ik narrates.

“Is it your mummy that has the car” Ego questions.

“Yeah, it’s my mom’s. She gifted herself a ride and it arrived this morning”

They all watch as she speaks to the offender smiling, patting the man on the hand.

Afam walks towards her slowly. He had dreamed of this moment for many years and often wondered how it would turn out. He hears her speak to the man.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch. No one died.”

“Am so sorry ma” The offender says.

“It’s okay. Have a good Monday and a blessed week. Please don’t worry about it”

“Hey big guy” she greets him as they hug. It was like best friends meeting after a long trip apart. If you think she is tall, his height makes her look like a dwarf. Gosh! She smells so good he said in his head. Her long curly wig made her look like a goddess. She enchanted him, dressed in a green colour trouser suit like the businesswoman she was and simple jewellery. He held her tight. They are meeting for the first time indeed after six years apart physically. They speak on the phone but this…….is divine. Afam couldn’t let go and she indulged him holding him tight also.

Someone croaks behind them and they have to slowly disengage reluctantly. He kept looking at her face with a smile.

“Hey, beauties. Your girls are beautiful.” Tutu says.

“Thank you mama Ik” Ego grunted.

“Good morning. How are you? I am glad you guys were able to get admission here” Tutu says with a smile.

“Yeah thank you for putting a good word with the school board. it’s quite pricy though but I can see they do good work with Ik.” Afam added.

“They do. Am serious. Here comes the principal” Tutu says as a woman approaches them.

“Good morning madam Tutu, mr…”

“Afam.. I mean the Afam” Tutu says with pride and Ego snares in a low tone.

“Mr Afam, your girls are beautiful. Wait are you saying he is Afam of Afam hair in Benin?”

“Yeah I am saying so,” Tutu says as everyone smiles.

“Oh, my goodness. And you are here in Lagos with us”

“He is here to make us all look good” Tutu adds.

“I need a card to make appointments,” The principal says. Afam checks his back pocket as he never leaves the house without one”

“Here ma’am”

“Thank you so much. I will be patronising.” The principal assured.

“This is my Dad,” Ik says to the Principal.

“Oh, I did not know” The principal looked confused.

“Please add him to pick up duty if you are feeling up it it”. Afam nodded in agreement.

“He already knows the password. I am late for multiple meetings this morning” Tutu says

“Madam Tutu, thank you so much for the delivery and please don’t forget the thing you promised us” The principal pleaded.

“Look they have arrived” Tutu says with a smile as she gets into her car.

“Thank you so much ma” the principal shouted.

“It’s so good to see you” She winks at him, licking her lips.

He could never forget those lips!

A large bus titled “TUTU’s bakery” arrives and drives into the school with lots of smiles from a passer-by

“This tutu na God go bless am.” A woman passing by says.

“Na free bread dem wan share for here today, the first day of resumption” the woman added.

Afam smiles. This made his day. He watches his son lead his sisters in each arm like the gentleman he was raised to be. He walks towards his car as Ego and her aunty had entered.

“See the way you are happy to see her. Make sure you remember that she is your former wife and will remain so” Ego attacks him as he enters the car. He quickly puts his ear pod in his ears.

“Ego calm down this is morning” Her aunt scolds her

“Aunty leave me. That is his ex o. Many people say she is sleeping with all the big men in this Lagos” She grunted.

“Ego!!!” Her aunty screams.

Afam puts the EarPod in his ear properly and turns on his song as Ego ranted in the car. Increasing the volume a bit. He drives them home where his friend is waiting”

“My inlaw I felt you were going to the store” The Aunty says.

“I am ma. But I wanted to drop you guys at home first. So that Ego can be with the car. I will go with my friend”

He turns off the engine and hands his wife the key as he steps down.

“Guy let’s go,” he says to his friend as they enter the friend's Prado Jeep and at full speed, they drive out of the compound.

“You see the way he did not talk to me. Always in a hurry to get out of my sight! Afam will not even argue or defend himself whenever I accuse him of still being in love with that woman! Ha! Nwakego you have suffered!!!” Ego says to her Aunty as they come down.

“Nwakego, you are stressful, you are so quarrelsome! Even to your girls. It’s too much. A man needs peace” She responded.

“Please Aunty I don’t want to hear. Afam does not like me not to talk of loving me. The children are almost 4 years but Afam is yet to have sex again with me. If I was not pregnant, you think he would be here?”

“But he is here. Since I came to join you guys, I have seen how hardworking and present he is. He cooks, cleans, and babysits his children. He does not deserve your nagging tongue, neither do your daughters. You are pushing them away”

“Aunty please I don’t want to hear. Is it not my mate, that is cruising that wicked motor this early morning? You know that she does not collect any money from this idiot for that boy. She does it all by herself. I want money, not all this wife and mummy shit. This is not for me at all. If I knew what I know now, I would have aborted those children and walked away my life! Abeg I am going to smoke in the backyard”

“I thought you quit”

“Quit for what? I can’t. Infact I won’t! Afam said I should never smoke inside the house so I am going to do it in the backyard”

“My God! This man is staying in hell fire”

The aunty laments.

In the Prado Jeep, Kunle reduces the radio.

“Well, how was it?” Kunle his best friend for 20 years asks.

“Guy, are you mad? Drive” Afam replies to his friend to stop him from staring.

“How was the meeting?” Kunle repeated. Afam laughs.

“See the way you are smiling, guy share gist joor. My ears are itchy” Kunle pushed him.

“Kunle she is still beautiful. Even more beautiful than I remembered” Afam stated.

“Before nko. Tutu is a queen! How was it?”

“What do you mean how was it?” Afam responded.

“It's obvious you are hiding info from your brother. Anyways it's Tutu she is too sweet to be otherwise” Kunle said

“Guy she hugged me just like yesterday.”

“Oh dear,” Kunle said

“She smelled good! She leaned on me and I felt like I was in heaven. I swear I almost started to cry. She even got herself a wicked ride” Afam narrated.

“Oh dear,” Kunle said.

“She gave me the sweetest smile” Afam continued narrating.

“Oh dear,” Kunle said

“Tutu is.......What's with you and this your “oh dear” Afam asks

“Its sounds like Telemundo so I gats put soundtrack” Kunle replied.

“Kunle you are a fool!” Both men burst into laughter.

“I have not seen you smile in a very long time. Gosh!!!! Even when I carried you to church on Sunday to meet my powerful Pastor who prayed and prophesied into your life. You did not smile. But just one meeting with the goddess T, you are smiling like Santa Claus just gave you a toy”

Afam heaves.

“What is it again?” Kunle asks

“If everything was so perfect what happened six years ago, how did I come back from Ekpoma to find them gone? How did I offend her dad? Or even her, what did I do wrong?” Afam voiced sounding so deep in pain.

“See eh.. Afam, you are not going to lament. I told you that this journey will require patience and you will get to the root of this matter. That is why you are here. Tutu is an angel in my opinion and refusing to talk about this issue means it came from your side. So brace up! You will get answers!!”

“I am losing my mind daily I swear,” Afam said.

“I know, e reach to make person craze. How is your son? Shey you have seen him now?” Kunle asks

“He is such a big boy and speaks so well” Afam replied smiling.

“I know. Tutu is a good mom” Kunle says.

“She is a great mom man” Afam concurred.

“Unlike the Jezebel, you have at home,” Kunle says.

“Don't even start. She slapped me yesterday after smoking weed in the evening because I said don't smoke in the house” Afam said sadly

“See eh Afam this has got to stop! In your own house! This is bullshit! I will stab somebody” Kunle yells.

“Guy just drive me to the store. I pray the clients come. I have told myself that I dug my grave, let me just lie in it”

“God forbid! What did you do wrong? Nothing! Guy even if it is the last thing I do on this earth, I must scatter you and That witch!

“She is a big witch I must say” Afam added.