After the storm

by Osar Adeyemi

  Deji talked to her about a course he was attending in a few months. She kept her eyes on his face and a smile on her lips, but she was only half listening because it seemed like someone somewhere was bent on having fun at her expense that night: the classical jazz music that had been playing in the background since they arrived had suddenly changed, and the next thing she heard was the strains of the song "I knew I loved You" by Savage Garden.

  That had been their favourite song. Memories she didn't want to remember contended for a place in her mind. Newly pregnant with Aleena, lying back on the recliner on the balcony outside their bedroom. Akeem by her side, stroking her hair and singing along in his deep baritone voice to the music playing softly in the background. The warm evening breeze whispering softly around them as she looked into the eyes of the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with.

  She looked towards him. He was looking at her too, and somehow she knew he was remembering as well. She forced herself to concentrate on what Deji was saying but knew the evening was getting spoilt for her.

  A few minutes later, she looked up to find a familiar figure walking towards the section where she was sitting with Deji. She was more than a little taken aback when she saw that it was Justin, Shona's husband. Just great! Another person she knew, she thought to herself gloomily. She wouldn't be surprised if her mother-in-law walked in next. Maybe she should have just given out invites to the Kadiri clan and friends!

  She averted her eyes, hoping that Justin would not see her, but luck was clearly not on her side. He stopped midstride when he noticed her and began walking towards them.

  "Yemi, what a pleasure to see you here!" he said, smiling warmly at her. "You're looking beautiful as usual. How have you been?"

  "I'm fine, Justin. It's good to see you too," she lied, mustering up a bright smile. She introduced him to Deji and they shook hands. "Are you here alone?" she asked him, wondering where Shona was.

  "Yes, I'm at work actually. I own this place." He smiled at the look of surprise on her face. "I opened it about three months ago," he added.

  "Oh really? Congrats! It's a lovely place," she replied, wondering why no one had mentioned it to her. Not even Sara aka her freelance news broadcaster who took pleasure in giving her updates on everyone connected to Akeem.

  "Thanks, you're kind. I was told by my staff that Akeem was around, and I came out to say hello to him," he said. "I hope everything is to your liking?" Yemi nodded. "Well then, I'll see you before you go," he added and then smiled at Deji before moving on.

  "His wife was the one who did up my office," Yemi explained to Deji after Justin had left. "They're close friends of Akeem," she added a little lamely.

  Deji changed the topic. She tried to follow the conversation, forcing herself to make comments and willing her eyes to stay on his face, but it proved to be a struggle.

  Justin was talking on his walkie-talkie by the time he was done with Akeem. He gave her a signal as he left the room, indicating that he would see her before she left. She nodded and gave him a small wave. She was relieved he had not come over again. She could see Deji was not comfortable with his connection to Akeem.

  "Rule The World" by Take That, another favourite song of theirs, began to play a few minutes later. She thought it was a coincidence until "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams came on immediately afterwards, followed by "Our Love Will Last Forever," and then "I Knew I Loved You" came on again. She felt sure it was no coincidence. Those were their songs. She was not too sure how he'd done it, but she felt strongly that Akeem had something to do with the choice of music playing. From the corner of her eye, she saw the woman with him stand up and say something to him before walking away. Yemi recognised her; it was Lois. Yemi looked at her as she made her way across the room. Nice dress. Nice figure. Who cared?

  Her eyes strayed towards Akeem again. His eyes were on her. She still could not shake the feeling that he was responsible for those songs. She felt he was playing with her, willing her to remember their time together while she was with another man.

  She didn't realise she was frowning until Deji's "Are you okay?" brought her back. He was looking at her face with concern.

  "Not really." There was no use pretending anymore. The evening was ruined for her. "Is it okay if we skip dessert and leave?"

  Deji inhaled deeply. "Because of him? Why do you have to be the one to leave?"

  "Somehow I don't care about that right now," she said a little tightly. "But we can stay on if you want to."

  "No, it's okay. I'll just settle the bill."

  He took her for a drive afterwards. That lightened her up a little. She was sorry she had spoilt the evening he had carefully planned for them, but she was also angry with herself for not being able to sit through the songs coolly without giving Akeem the satisfaction that he had gotten to her.

  Maybe Abby was right. Perhaps it was time for her to start dealing with all the baggage from her past.

  ∞∞∞

  Akeem finished his meeting and headed back to the office. The meeting had gone well. Everyone seemed motivated and charged up about making Ka-Tell a household name.

  Profits were at their highest yet. The network was expanding across the different states, and Ka-Tell was getting excellent reviews from the media. Life appeared good, so he should be in a good mood, but he was not. He had not been for a while.

  Everything seemed flat and empty to him. What was it all for? The constant money spinning, the drug-like high of a new achievement. What did it all amount to when all he felt inside was nothing but emptiness?

  "There is a delivery here for you, sir," his personal assistant said as he entered his office. "I left it on your desk."

  "Thanks, Linda," he said, striding into his office.

  He got out a bottle of flavoured water from the fridge and took a sip before opening the big brown envelope that Linda had placed on his desk.

  The address of the legal firm caught his attention first. He stared at it before scanning through the rest of the letter.

  Dear Mr. Kadiri,

  My client has instructed us to file for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences…

  Akeem felt a cold pressure run through his chest as he read through the letter.

  "You've finally done it," he muttered through clenched teeth as he pushed the letter away from him. He balled his fist and stared into space. So this was it. The legal end of his marriage.

  He placed a call to his personal assistant. "Linda, I'm going to be busy for the next couple of hours. Please take all calls, and I don't want to see anyone unless it's an emergency."

  He stared at the letter again. His mind took him to the night when he had seen Yemi and the guy she had been with. Was that the reason she wanted a divorce? Freedom to marry again?

  He knew he probably shouldn't have done what he did, but seeing her that night at Justin's restaurant with that man had rattled him more than he cared to admit. The cool look she had given him to indicate that his presence there did not bother her had made it worse. There he was, barely able to stop his eyes from straying to her every other minute, and she had appeared totally unfazed, smiling and flirting with her companion.

  "I Knew I Loved You" playing shortly afterwards had unwittingly presented him with the weapon to put her coolness to the test. He had seen her reaction to the song when she had looked almost involuntarily towards him and knew that she remembered. Not that cool then, he had thought to himself as he saw her face.

  When Justin had come over and asked him if there was anything he wanted, he had asked if the other songs they had both liked could be played.

  Lois had looked at him curiously when he made the request.

  "I didn't know you were such a romantic," she remarked after Justin had left.

  He had smiled without saying anything. She had still not known that Yemi was in the restaurant, but when his eyes kept straying in Yemi's direction, Lois had caught on that something was amiss. Her eyes f
ollowed his, and that was when she had seen Yemi sitting a few tables away. He had felt sorry as he saw the hurt expression that crossed Lois's face. She was a sweet girl, and he didn't want to hurt her, but obviously Yemi still had a way of getting to him and making him act uncharacteristically.

  He took another sip of the flavoured water and then walked across the office to the window overlooking the busy Lagos street below.

  The contents of the letter flashed through his mind again. He smiled bitterly to himself. "You aren't calling the shots on this one, Yemi," he muttered to himself. "The divorce will only happen when and if I want it to happen."

  Chapter 20

  "Hello Yemi," Akeem said as he was shown into her office a few days later. His eyes swept over her. She looked good in her peach top, black pants, and black high heels. "Sorry to come to your office without calling first," he apologised as he sat down on the chair she offered. "I see you've done some work here. Very nice."

  "Thank you," Her expression was shuttered as she looked at him. "How can I help you?"

  He allowed his eyes to roam over her face. She still wore her hair the way he liked it, the shoulder-length hair framing her oval face. Classy without being fussy. He forced himself to concentrate on the reason why he was there. "I got the letter from your lawyers," he said, maintaining eye contact with her.

  "I'd have thought that you would want to communicate with me through them as well?"

  He knew he had been right to not let her know he was coming. She would definitely have declined seeing him. "I believe we can still have a conversation without needing lawyers."

  "What do you want to discuss?"

  He kept his eyes on her face. "I agree that we both need to move on, but the timing is not very convenient for me right now."

  "Convenient?" Her tone was icy.

  "Well, as a matter of speaking, my company does not need the negative publicity it could generate. We're doing a lot of media drive at the moment for Ka-Tell, and frankly, we want the focus to be on that and not on the personal life of the CEO."

  Yemi looked unimpressed. "I don't see the media getting that interested in our divorce proceedings. We've been separated for quite some time. It's pretty much old news."

  "I'm not sure I'm ready to take that chance. At least, not at the moment, anyway. Some pressmen may think it funny to run the story alongside the media drive Ka-Tell is doing. Those tabloids thrive on matters like this."

  "I can't say that I agree with you, but what are you suggesting?"

  "That you kindly hold off with the divorce suit for the moment. Or better still, that you withdraw it until a little later. I'm sure your lawyer will know what to do."

  She looked at him coldly. "Why should I put my life on hold because of Ka-Tell?" Her lips curled sarcastically. "Like your precious company has not done enough to me already?"

  "I'm only asking for a little time. Surely you can give me that."

  "I'm not sure about that. I want this over as soon as possible so I can face other matters."

  Matters like getting married to Deji? At least that's what his research had showed that the guy was called. He forced his face to remain expressionless. "I understand the delay this may cause to your personal plans, but kindly consider what I have said."

  "Like I said, I will discuss it with my lawyer, and he will get back to you about your request. I've got to think about my life too."

  He looked at the stubborn expression on her face and decided that it was time to lay his cards on the table. "I can't stop you if you insist on going ahead with the divorce, but I would have to deal with it the way we handle anything that may affect the company negatively. Simply put, I'll hand it over to our public relations team at KH." He looked her straight in the eye. "And from my experience, I can almost tell you what the sequence will be. There will likely be a press conference as soon as possible. That way we hit the newsstands before the tabloids do. But I'm afraid the emphasis would be on protecting my image and that of the company," He paused as he allowed the impact of his words to sink in. "I don't know how prepared you or your lawyer are to handle the media attention or any negative backlash it may have on you."

  "And on your daughter," she said sarcastically. "Or are you forgetting that?"

  "Aleena will be protected as much as possible, but during this process I also intend to seek legal counsel on what custody arrangements would best suit her, especially now that you're thinking of moving on."

  Her eyes flashed angrily at him, and he knew that he had gotten to her. "I don't see what our getting divorced has to do with Aleena's custody. The arrangement we have presently has worked well for the past two years."

  He looked back at her calmly. "The circumstances have changed. Moreover, I would think that I have significantly more to offer my child than you do, but of course that would be a matter for the courts to decide."

  Her anger at his words was almost palpable. He smiled inwardly. She might be successful in her business, but this beautiful wife of his still had some things she needed to learn. Rule number one in warfare: Never let an enemy, real or perceived, see how much effect he has on you. He will simply use it against you.

  "There's more to caring for a child than simply lavishing money on her!" she lashed at him angrily. "But then again, what would you know about that?"

  He smiled. "What indeed? But believe me, I love my daughter very much, and whatever I do would be in her best interest."

  "Best interest indeed!" she said scornfully. He could see that she was struggling to keep calm. "How long do you have in mind?" she asked.

  "At least a year."

  She bit her lower lip. He felt sorry for her. He knew Aleena was the only reason she would back down. Was she in that much of a hurry to marry Deji?

  "And what would have changed by then? The media could still make a fuss."

  "Ka-Tell would be more stable by then. The distraction, if any, would be easier to handle."

  Her eyes were stormy as she looked at him. "I'll speak to my lawyer and get back to you."

  "Thanks, I shall expect to hear from you," he said and stood up. "Thanks once again for seeing me."

  She did not respond.

  As his driver drove him back to the office, he stared broodingly ahead. He thought over their conversation and felt sure that Yemi would agree to what he had asked, primarily because she was scared he would fight her over Aleena's custody. He had no such intention, but it helped his cause if she thought he would. Aleena was better off with Yemi. She knew how to keep his daughter in line and had no qualms about putting her foot down when needed.

  He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He wondered why he was doing what he was doing. He had tried to avoid Yemi as much as possible over the past two years, only seeing her when it was absolutely necessary for Aleena's sake, but the thought of her getting married to Deji, or any other man, left a bitter taste in his mouth.

  His mobile phone vibrated, and he looked at the caller ID. It was Fola. Just what he needed, work. He picked up the call, glad at the opportunity to escape the disturbing thoughts going through his mind.

  ∞∞∞

  "That's normally one of the preferred ways that PR people deal with negative publicity," Yemi's lawyer said, looking at her through his dark-rimmed spectacles. Yemi wanted to explore her options and had gone to see him concerning what Akeem had told her. "They believe they stand a better chance of controlling what the public gets to know if they go to the press first."

  Yemi looked at him gloomily. "I had hoped that this whole thing would be resolved as quietly as possible. What's the big deal about two adults consenting to a divorce?"

  The lawyer drummed on the desk with his pen. "Your husband is a high-profile person, which makes the news interesting fodder for the press if he really does go ahead with the press release. The media would be after you in the guise of hearing your side of the story, and that would generate some headlines for them to sell their papers for the next few weeks."<
br />
  Yemi just stared moodily at him.

  Her lawyer looked at her. "But I can guarantee you that we will win the case for Aleena's custody if he brings it up. She is young, and her place is with her mother unless there is something unsavoury he can dig up to use against you and label you an unfit mother."

  "So you are suggesting that I just do as he says?"

  "I'm advising you on what the scenario could likely be. It's your right to seek a divorce anytime you like, and my firm will ensure that you get it, but it's obviously going to generate a lot more publicity than we had expected."

  Yemi was not happy but knew that the wise thing to do was to go along with Akeem for now. There was no way she was going to let him get a chance to test if the courts would grant him custody of Aleena or not.

  He was all sweetness and charm when she called to inform him of her decision.

  "Thanks so much, Yemi. I appreciate the sacrifice you're making."

  She could just imagine the smirk on his face. "Akeem, about Aleena, I don't ever want her custody to be a matter for the courts to decide." She struggled to say the next words: "I believe we can settle that amicably between the two of us."

  "I believe so too," he said smoothly. "But not to worry, we have plenty of time to discuss our daughter's welfare."

  She resisted the urge to bang the phone on him. She had really looked forward to shutting the door of her marriage to him permanently. And now the thought of remaining his wife, even if it was just on paper, for another year was far from appealing.

  ∞∞∞

  She was still moody by the weekend when she took Aleena to Amanda's birthday party. Even the sight of all the gaily dressed kids playing around with the party mascots that Teju had hired did nothing to cheer her up.

  She sat back and watched the dancing competition later in the afternoon. With the way Eniola was wriggling her little body energetically, she was certainly going to win. It must be the influence of her mother, because Ayo had two left feet and could not dance to save his life. Yemi glanced at Aleena, who was dancing away as well. She was getting so tall, with long legs like her dad.