by Osar Adeyemi
Yemi had looked up, very startled by the request. Akeem had been around during that visit and had seen the surprised look on her face.
"Mum, I don't think that is such a good idea for now. Yemi has had a gruelling time looking after Aleena, and she needs to rest and get her strength back."
"It is fine, Akeem," Yemi had said quietly. The event was still a few weeks away anyway, and she had told Akeem's mum she would accompany her.
"Good." Mrs. Kadiri had smiled. "My driver can pick you up on that day, and we will go together in my car."
Yemi knew that was Mrs. Kadiri's way of trying to make up for all that she had done to her in the past, and she was more than willing to accept the olive branch, especially since Akeem was bent on nothing ever coming between them again.
She smiled as she saw him coming back down the stairs a few minutes later. He practically stayed at her house most nights now. She told him she felt very mistress-like indeed. It was only mistresses who pulled guys from their homes to stay in theirs.
She held out a forkful of the sushi to him. "Have a bite."
He looked at the plate. She had almost finished it. "I told you you'd like it. Trust me next time."
"Of course I trust you," she said as she dished out more of the sushi for him. "High-maintenance mistress like me?" she teased, flashing the beautiful diamond ring he had just bought for her. "How can I not trust you?"
"What high maintenance? You and Aleena are the reason I go out to work every day." His eyes looked haunted for a moment. "I'm just so grateful to God that He gave you both back to me."
That was another strange thing about him these days. He mentioned God freely now, which had been impossible in the past. Had Aleena's near scrape with death touched him that much? It seemed too good to be true, but she didn't want to probe him just yet.
"By the way, Linda confirmed that the removal company will be coming by next Saturday to move your things back home."
That was news to her. He hadn't discussed it with her at all.
He met her gaze. "I've been patient, haven't I?" he asked softy. "I need my family home with me."
"That's fine." They had been talking about Coral and their split and the ways it could all have been avoided. Yemi still had a few fears, but she had made up her mind that she was just going to trust God concerning her marriage. "This mistress wants to move in with her man too." She faked a worried frown. "But what do you think? Will being a live-in mistress spoil the magic?"
"Can our magic ever fade?" he asked softly, bending his head towards hers. "But let's test it again though, just to be doubly sure," he added as he began giving her little kisses all over her face. "Can you feel the magic?" he whispered against her neck.
She nodded. "Deffo." He was already lighting a fire in her. She pouted as she tried to kiss him on the lips and he moved away. He smiled and continued teasing her with little feathery kisses around her face and neck until she held his face firmly with both hands and kissed him on the lips.
"Mmmm…confirmed," she murmured a little while later, gazing into his eyes. "This magic gets even better with time."
"No doubt about that," he replied, kissing her some more. "But we have to keep testing it, though, and as often as possible." He touched his lips to hers again and then lifted his head, his eyes tender as he looked at her. "I love you so much, baby."
"I love you too…" she began, but stopped as she felt her stomach heave. She tried to suppress it but couldn't as another wave of nausea followed suit. Before she knew it, she was running to the bathroom, Akeem right behind her.
"Baby, are you okay?" he asked anxiously as she threw up into the toilet bowl. She slowly stood upright, but she felt so drained of energy.
"I'm not sure that sushi agreed with me after all." She grimaced. "I feel so awful."
Akeem looked worried as he stroked her back gently. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have made you eat it."
They went back to the sitting room, but her stomach still felt queasy. "I think I'll just have an early night," she finally said. "I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning."
"No worries. You just go up. I'll put off the appliances and join you."
He came into her bedroom a few minutes later and sat by her bedside. She felt better but still had the occasional tingle in her stomach. She was definitely off sushi for life.
She looked questioningly at Akeem. He was frowning slightly.
"My ego's been seriously dented. I kissed you and the next minute you puked."
That made her smile. "It's got to be the sushi because this girl definitely likes your kisses."
He heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief. "I've still got to work on my technique, though. Can't afford to get rusty."
Like that was even possible. "You can use me as your guinea pig for testing your technique," she volunteered solemnly. "But maybe…not after eating sushi."
He tweaked her nose. "Yeah…otherwise you may just put my hard work to shame."
∞∞∞
The nausea was back the next morning. Yemi tried to control it, but before she knew it, she was running to the bathroom again. She threw up into the toilet bowl and continued retching even when nothing seemed to be coming out.
"Take it easy, baby," Akeem said, stroking her back. "You're going to be just fine."
She leaned heavily against him. She was feeling so ill. Her body ached, and she felt a headache coming on.
"Have a bit of water," Akeem said, holding the glass towards her. She rinsed her mouth and then took a sip.
"You'll be just fine, baby," Akeem said again while leading her back to bed. She drew the duvet around her, shivering a little. She had thought she would be able to go to the office. Aleena was fine enough for her not to worry about leaving her alone with Kufre anymore, but the prospect didn't seem likely now. Not with the way that she was feeling.
Akeem stood looking down at her thoughtfully.
"I hope I haven't caught a bug. Some of that food is raw, isn't it?" Even the thought of it was making her feel sick again.
"But I ate it as well, and I'm fine," he said, sitting down by her bedside.
"It's not been exactly easy these past few weeks. The stress must have taken its toll on me," she said, remembering the sleepless nights she had spent at Aleena's bedside. That drill was enough to break anyone down. The sushi had only triggered it. "I need a proper holiday soon."
"That can be arranged," Akeem said, but he was still looking at her strangely.
"What?" She grimaced, turning on her side as she felt another wave of nausea building up. There surely couldn't be anything left in her stomach to throw up.
"Are you okay?" he asked, a concerned look on his face when he saw her squirming on the bed.
"I'm feeling sick again."
"Hmmm…" he grunted, sitting by her and rubbing her back lightly. "Do you have a domestic kit in the house?"
She stared at him. "Why should I? I've been on my own for almost three years, remember?" She thought of Lois, and her eyes hardened a little. Had they been using domestic pregnancy kits?
"We've been together for over two months."
Yemi frowned. He was beginning to make her headache worse. Did he think she didn't know her own body? They were together for two years before she could conceive her son, and for almost eight months before their split. She hadn't even conceived Aleena that easily. It had taken six months.
"Akeem, believe me, it can't be what you're thinking."
"What makes you so sure?"
Her frown deepened. The skeptical look on his face was a bit annoying. "Because I'm sure." She had just had a period not that long ago, and she told him.
She rolled a little on the bed. Her stomach was feeling queasy again. A strong wave of nausea had her running to the bathroom. Akeem rubbed her back while she retched violently and then led her back to the bedroom and tucked her in again.
"Do you have some ginger in the house?" he asked.
She nodded, too weak to
answer him.
"I'm going to make you some of that drink you liked so much. Ginger and a bit of honey. That used to help your nausea those days with Aleena. After that, we're going to see the doctor."
She wished that he would stop. She didn't want anyone building up her hopes. "Akeem, I've told you, it's not what you think…"
He shook his head as he looked at her. "When I was a kid, they taught us about 'Doubting Thomas' at Sunday school." He tilted his head slightly. "I just wonder if he had a sister called Yemi." He smiled when he saw her indignant face. "Baby, even if you're not pregnant, we still need to investigate the reason for the nausea."
"Someone was trying to poison me with sushi," she muttered.
He bent down and kissed her forehead. "That someone is still unaffected, and he ate more than you did. But not to worry; I'll get the drink."
∞∞∞
He was right. They were six weeks pregnant. Yemi stared in disbelief at the test result, tears of gratitude running down her face. The words to the song "How Great Is Our God?" reverberated around in her head. She could not stop crying or giving thanks to God.
Akeem tucked her up in bed when they got back home. Aleena was with Kufre downstairs. She would be so excited to hear the news, but there was plenty of time to tell her later.
"God is just so awesome," Akeem said, staring into space. "I can't believe how he's worked things out, even for someone like me."
Yemi looked at him. There he was again, talking about God so naturally. "Something's changed about you, Akeem."
He smiled slightly. "I had a little talk with God while Aleena was in surgery. I was desperate. My daughter's life hung in the balance, and there was nothing I could do about it." He paused, as if the memory still hurt to think about it. "It was a short discussion, but I know God heard me. I already had questions anyway. Life seemed meaningless, pointless, just a vicious circle. I felt like there had to be more than what I had seen or experienced." He touched her face lightly with his index finger. "Remember that seminar I attended at your church?" She nodded, and he continued. "The pastor spoke about the peace that only God can give. I saw that peace in all of you. I scoffed at it, but deep inside of me, I found it very fascinating. This was not anyone Bible-bashing me. It was hard evidence before my eyes because, apart from Tanya, I knew everyone else quite well and could also see the changes quite clearly when they happened."
Yemi stared at him wonderingly. And to think she had thought he was unaffected by the seminar since he didn't discuss anything other than the business section.
"I called Pastor Ben when Aleena came out of the coma, and we've met up a few times since then. I told him not to let you know. I wanted you to notice the difference in me for yourself."
She now understood why both of them had seemed so chummy whenever he called to ask about Aleena's welfare. She had just thought her pastor was impressed with Akeem's trademark charming personality.
"I've noticed you mentioning the name of God and all that, and I've been wondering about it, but it just seemed too good to be true."
"Maybe we should really change your name to Thomasina or Thomasia. What do you think?" he asked with a straight face and then ducked when she tried to smack him. "Hey, be careful…my baby is on board," he told her in a mock-stern voice.
She made a face at him but lay back against the pillows.
He took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "About Coral…"
Yemi shook her head. "Forget about her."
"Thank you, but I do need you to know that I'm so very sorry about what I did. I wish I could turn back the clock. I can't, but just know that you mean the world to me. By God's grace, I'll never give you cause to doubt my faithfulness to you ever again."
She touched his face. "And I'm sorry that I allowed bitterness take over me to such an extent that I didn't care about my actions anymore."
He covered her hand with his. "I'm not perfect, but with God's help, I'll try my best to be a good husband and father to you and our kids."
She smiled up at him. "I'll do the same, starting by moving back to our home and becoming your live-in mistress."
"And wife," he added softly.
THE END
About the author
Osar Adeyemi loves reading and started writing short stories which she shared with family and friends when she was a teenager.
She believes that one of the effective ways through which God's message of salvation, love and restoration can be related to the world is through fictional stories that readers can identify with.
Osar also enjoys cooking, traveling and teaching/mentoring teenagers and young adults at the charity she belongs to.
She is an optometrist by profession and lives in England with her family.
She loves to hear from readers and you can reach her at [email protected]
