Her Baby’s Secret

Arike’s POV

“Mom meet Mr Bamidele and his son, Adebanjo.” Iteoluwa introduced

And it was kind of funny because of the way she pronounced their names due to her New York accent. I would have laughed but it wasn’t a good time to joke. All I did was stare at the man standing in front of me.

“Arike…” he called out.

“Do you know my mom?” Iteoluwa asked.

“Yes.. Yes..” he closed the gap between us.

“Mom is that true?” She asked.

My voice failed me as I stared dumbfounded. “Oh my God! Arike it is you.” Bamidele exclaimed.

I didn’t think Bamidele was going to be this happy seeing me. I thought he was going to pretend to not know me being that we didn’t end up together the way he had wanted things to go between us.

And to crown it all, I had used him and ended up breaking his heart. I contemplated what to say to him. I started to say something but I stopped.

“It is nice to see you again.” He said and then did what I never expected him to do. Bamidele embraced me.

“Oh my God! It is really nice to see you again, Arike.” He pulled away from me immediately. “Oh! I am sorry.. I shouldn’t have done that.. I got too excited.” He laughed heartily.

Then I started to say something. “Long time-”

“Mom you really know him! He found me at the ice cream aisle and offered to find you so I gave Banjo my balloon in return.” Iteoluwa explained.

“When did you return back to Nigeria?” He asked.

“Next please-” A feminine’s voice said.

“I am here.” Bamidele replied.

It was his turn to pay for his items. “Iteoluwa is this everything you wanna get?” He asked, dropping the cupcake she wanted into the basket.

“Yes sir.” She answered.

I went to Bamidele. “Don’t worry I will pay for it.” I said.

He removed my hand from the basket and my gaze flickered on the ring on his finger. He was married.

“I will pay for everything please.” He said to the female attendant at the pay desk.

“Okay sir.”

“You really don’t have to pay for everything we can-”

He cuts me off. “Why? Can’t I buy something for your child? Don’t tell me you are still that lady that doesn’t like receiving help from men.” Bamidele whispered.

I tried to argue but Iteoluwa interrupted me. “Mommy just let him pay next time you can repay him.” She said.

Bamidele smiled at her. “She is really smart.” He complimented.

He lifted up the little boy that was begging for his attention. “Banjo meet my old friend, Arike.”

The little boy flashed me a toothless smile. “Tah.. Tah.. dada.”

“My son is just one year and few months.” Bamidele said.

“Excuse me, how should I pack the items?” The female attendants asked.

“Separately please.. according to how it was in the baskets.” Bamidele answered.

The lady hummed a response. “I don’t have much cash on me, can I pay with my card?” He asked.

“Sure you can pay with you card.” The lady responded.

The little boy spread out his hands towards me and I reached out and carried him.

“Wow.. my son recognizes a beautiful woman whenever he sees one.” Bamidele joked.

I could help but laugh, Banjo was so cute and Bamidele doesn’t need to run a DNA test on his son. They looked so alike that one could envision Banjo as the younger version of Bamidele when he was little.

“So I must say that America has been good to you although I didn’t know you got married and had a child. I tried reaching out to you through your social media accounts and even called your lines but it failed. Even Busayomi’s line didn’t go through and I had no idea where she lived so I could ask her about you.” Bamidele said.

I had deleted my social media accounts, stopped using my sims and even Busayomi had moved out of my apartment so Adedayo won’t try to find out anything about me through her.

When I tried to talk the attendant interrupted.

“Card please..” she requested.

Bamidele handed her the ATM, she inserted it into the POS machine and gave it to him to punched in his pin.

“We have a lot of catching up to do because you left me hanging five years ago.” He said.

“I am sorry about that.. seriously Bamidele, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I apologized to him.

“Transaction approved.” The female attendant announced and handed the card and payment slip to Bamidele.

Bamidele packed the nylons filled with everything we bought but Iteoluwa insisted on carrying the nylon with her singing doll in it.

“I got hurt but it is all past now. How time flies fast, I can’t believe it is five years already.” Bamidele said as we started out of the mall.

“Mom are we going home?” Iteoluwa asked.

I didn’t even think about it and I was following Bamidele. I had completely forgotten about my plans to have a nice time with my daughter. I guess that will be all for today after running around the mall trying to find my child.

Suddenly I remembered the male attendant. “Oh please I will be right back.” I dropped Banjo gently on the floor and he clung on to his dad’s leg.

I rushed off to find the male attendant who told me where I could find my child. I found him at his duty post.

“Oh madam, you haven’t found your child yet?” He asked with a worried look on his face.

I smiled. “I found her.. thank you so much for your help and kindness.”

He heaved a sigh. “That is part of our work around here.”

I opened my bag and brought out three thousand naira and offered it to him. “Please help me manage this..”

“No ma, it is not necessary.” He rejected.

“Please accept it for trying to help me find my child.” I slipped the money into his front pocket before he could say the next word.

“Ma-” I walked away before he could reject it again. “Thank you ma.” He shouted behind me.