BOOK OF CALEB PART 5
The early morning sun cast a golden hue over Caleb’s small apartment as he stared at his phone, waiting for Rejoice to speak. Her voice, usually light and full of energy, carried a heavy weight today.
“Can I speak to you for a few minutes, please?” she asked softly.
Caleb leaned back in his chair. “Yes, you can. What’s up?”
There was a brief pause before she finally said, “I want to face my fears and fight back.”
Caleb frowned. “How do you mean?”
“I can’t settle for less anymore,” she declared, her voice firm.
His confusion deepened. “Can you please make me understand?”
“I’m planning to start a family by bringing my son here,” she stated, as though she had rehearsed the words a thousand times.
Caleb sat upright. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“I am not.”
“Rejoice, you’re moving too fast.”
“Caleb, don’t think stupidly of me,” she snapped. “I can’t leave my son back in Nigeria without either parent’s care. All I need to do is meet his education fees and make sure he’s okay.”
Caleb sighed. “You’re already planning all this?”
“Caleb, I have everything planned,” she said confidently. “It’s time to face life. I can’t wait to get my own home, a classic car, an art collection. I even have my retirement plan sorted. You know how much I love to travel, and after all this, I’ll pass my wealth on to my children.”
Caleb blinked. “Children?”
“Yes now, children.”
His stomach twisted. “Obviously, you’ve planned your life around this guy.”
“Caleb—”
“What?”
She hesitated before saying, “I deserve a good life, don’t I?”
Caleb exhaled. “Yes, you do. But this doesn’t look like it to me.”
“Caleb—”
“I’m with you. Just say it.”
“Am I a bad person?” she asked suddenly.
Caleb softened. “No, you’re not.”
“Then why did my husband do this to me?” Her voice cracked, and for the first time, she sounded vulnerable.
Caleb hesitated, unsure of what to say. “But you’re already getting along with another man,” he pointed out gently.
“He is just a friend, Caleb. He’s a helper.”
Caleb rubbed his temple. “But you live in his house.”
“Caleb, here is not like Nigeria. Things are different here. People don’t have issues living together. He can’t do anything to me. I am safe. Believe me, he is not that kind of person.”
Caleb took a deep breath. “Okay. I will be praying for you.”
“Thank you, brother,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.”
Just then, his phone beeped, signaling another incoming call.
“You have a call?” Rejoice asked.
He glanced at the screen. “Hold on… oh, it’s Mummy.”
“Please, let me release you.”
“No… what if we do a conference call?”
“Never,” she said quickly. “Have a nice day ahead, brother. Bye.”
“Wait—”
The call ended with a soft beep, leaving Caleb staring at his screen, a mix of emotions swirling in his chest. He sighed heavily, rubbing his temple before tapping the screen to make another call. The phone rang only once before his mother answered.
“Hello, mummy. I’ve been meaning to call you,” Caleb said, attempting to sound cheerful.
“What for?” Mama B’s tone was sharp, void of warmth.
Caleb frowned. “Haba, why the hard tone, mum?”
“Please, talk your talk,” she replied dismissively.
“Mum…” he hesitated.
“Yes?” she prodded impatiently.
“Okay, I will say it.”
“Say it then.”
Caleb inhaled deeply. “Can you help me raise some money? Maybe from your friends or somehow?”
A long silence stretched before Mama B sighed heavily. “Hmmm, Caleb.”
“Yes, Mum?”
“Caleb.”
“Yes, Mum.”
“How many times did I call you?”
“Twice, Ma.”
“What are you up to?”
“How do you mean?”
“What information do you have that you are trying to use against me?”
“Mum, I’m lost.”
“Hmmm, Caleb.”
“Ma?”
“Continue.”
“Mum, please now.”
“How much do you want me to raise for you?”
“Two hundred thousand naira.”
“Wonderful.”
Caleb blinked. “Is that a yes?”
Mama B scoffed. “So what makes you think I have up to two hundred thousand naira to borrow you?”
“Mum, can you?”
“If I slap you! You think you are smart, abi?”
Caleb groaned. “Mum, please don’t turn this into a big issue. Can you help me or not?”
Her voice softened unexpectedly. “When last did you hear from your sister?”
“Rejoice?”
“You now have two sisters?”
“Hmmm. Mum, she’s fine.”
“Say me well to her when next she calls you or you call her.”
“Mum…”
“What is it?”
“Are you fine? You don’t sound well.”
Mama B sighed again. “I am not feeling fine.”
“What happened to you, Mum?”
“Is it not this stupid Iya Kunle? I don’t know who forced her to do party.”
Caleb frowned, confused. “What happened, Mummy?”
“Her venue was so far, I trekked like a mad woman today, my son.”
“Didn’t she plan for transportation?”
“Don’t mind her and her children. They are a bunch of useless people.”
“Sorry, Mummy. Hope you at least ate something?”
“That is the worst part, son. I did not even eat.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know who sent her to do a by-force party o.”
Caleb shook his head in disbelief. “Ha.”
“She should have just sat down jeje instead of putting all of us through stress.”
“But Mummy, why are you doing this to yourself? Instead of staying in your house, eating, and resting, you are going from one party to another.”
“Uncle, please don’t tell me what is not. What I need now is not your counsel. I want to call my nurse to come and treat me, please let me have peace.”
“Okay, Mum.”
“Wait before you go. Our cooperative chairman’s wedding is fast approaching, so I will need money anytime soon.”
“Ha! Mummy, can you listen to yourself?”
“I will slap you! Never should you talk to me in that manner again.”
Caleb sighed in resignation. “Okay, Mum. I understand. You are really not feeling fine.”
“Your father! Nonsense!”
She yaf vex. Lmao
The line went dead with a sharp beep. Caleb closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. It was going to be a long day.
A Few Days Later…
The evening breeze rustled through the slightly open window, carrying with it a scent of rain. Caleb sat on his couch, mindlessly flipping through channels on the television, his thoughts adrift. The past few days had felt unusually tense, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind telling him that something was off. His phone buzzed on the table beside him, jolting him back to reality. He reached for it and saw the caller ID.
Idera.
He hesitated briefly before answering.
“Sup, Idera,” Caleb greeted, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion.
There was a short pause before Idera responded, “It may be a long call, and it may not.”
Caleb straightened, sensing the seriousness in his friend’s tone. “What is going on?”
“A lot. You have to brace up for this,” Idera said, his voice steady but firm.
A flicker of unease ran through Caleb’s chest. “What is going on?” he repeated, more insistent this time.
A long silence followed before Idera finally said, “Your baby mama is not to be trusted.”
Caleb felt his heartbeat pick up speed. His fingers clenched around the phone. “Why do you say that?”
“I took a check on your baby mama,” Idera admitted. “She has been having affairs with your doctor friend.”
Caleb exhaled sharply, a bitter taste filling his mouth. “Hmmm… as much as I will find it difficult to believe that, I think I should also respect the fact that you wouldn’t lie. So, what made you say that?”
“As we speak, they are both in Madinos Hotel,” Idera revealed. “I will not tell you the room number, but I have it also.”
Caleb felt like the walls around him were closing in. His breath came in shallow gulps as he processed the information. His mind screamed for him to deny it, to find a logical explanation. But deep inside, a part of him knew—knew that Idera wouldn’t fabricate something this serious.
“Let me get back to you,” he said finally, his voice low.
Idera seemed unconvinced. “Busy with something?”
Caleb hesitated. “I will get back to you.”
The call ended abruptly. The silence that followed felt heavier than before. Caleb ran a hand through his hair, staring at the phone in his hand. His thoughts raced, forming a tangled web of doubt and disbelief.
Fred? No. It can’t be. He wouldn’t do this to me.
But what if he had?
The sound of his phone beeping jolted him from his thoughts. His fingers moved instinctively, dialing a number he knew by heart. The line rang once. Twice.
Then, a familiar voice answered.
“Hello?” Cecilia’s voice came through, soft and unsuspecting.
Caleb inhaled sharply, steadying himself. He had to choose his next words carefully.
The night had only just begun, and it promised to be a long one.
Caleb gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white as he dialed Cecilia’s number. His heart pounded against his ribs, each beat heavy with anger and confusion.
“Cecilia,” he said the moment she picked up.
“Hold on, just a minute,” Cecilia responded quickly.
Caleb heard the faint rustling in the background, followed by the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing. His grip on the phone tightened.
“Alright, I am with you,” she finally said.
“Who are you with?” Caleb asked, his voice controlled but laced with suspicion.
There was a brief pause before Cecilia responded, “Excuse me? What do you mean, who am I with?”
Caleb exhaled sharply. “Why did you open the toilet tap? You’re trying to keep a secret.”
Cecilia scoffed. “Guy, respect yourself. I am not your wife. You just have a baby with me.”
Caleb swallowed the sharp sting her words carried. “Does that give you the free will to be having affairs with my friend?”
“What?” Cecilia’s voice spiked in surprise.
“You’re at Madinos Hotel, I know,” Caleb pressed. “So, what are you doing this for? To pay for hospital bills or what? I have sent every penny you asked for to cover my son’s hospital bill. I hope you’re not sleeping with Fred because you’ve spent the money I sent you.”
Silence.
Then, the line went dead.
Caleb’s eyes darkened. He let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, she cut the call. Very good. That means it’s true. Idera was right. She’s having an affair with him.”
His phone beeped again, and he quickly redialed.
“Hey, young man,” Idera’s voice came through.
“It is true,” Caleb said, his throat tight.
“How do you mean?” Idera asked.
“I just called her.”
“Oh, you thought I lied?”
“I am sure she’s sleeping with him while lying that I didn’t send money to her.”
Idera sighed. “Oh, but I thought you usually send money directly to the hospital account?”
“No,” Caleb admitted, rubbing his forehead. “Normally, I pay to Fred’s personal account. But later, he told me to send it through her instead, saying it doesn’t matter.”
Idera hummed in thought. “Hmmmm. Anyway…”
“What do I do now?” Caleb asked, his voice cracking slightly.
“Just rest your mind. That’s all you need to do now. Rest your mind.”
Caleb exhaled, feeling the weight on his chest. “Okay, I’ll try.”
“Guy, give yourself sense,” Idera scolded. “What is all this nonsense you are doing sef? You should be a man.”
“I am trying,” Caleb muttered.
“Better,” Idera said firmly.
“Thank you,” Caleb whispered.
“Talk to you later.”
The call ended, leaving Caleb drowning in his thoughts. He felt betrayed, humiliated. He had done everything for Cecilia and their son. And now, she had painted him as irresponsible to Fred—Fred, who had looked at him differently the last time they met.
His phone rang again.
Cecilia.
He let out a slow breath before answering. “Hello.”
Cecilia’s voice came sharp and cold. “Caleb, listen and listen to me good. It is none of your business how I live my life. I am not your wife, and I have the liberty to do whatever I want to do.”
“I am not dragging that with you,” Caleb said, trying to steady his emotions. “All I’m saying is, I hope you’re not using my son’s hospital bill for something else.”
“And how is it your business how I meet my needs?” she snapped.
Caleb’s patience snapped. “Are you sleeping with the doctor and pocketing all the money I sent? That is the question, madam.”
Cecilia’s response was cutting. “Go kill yourself then.”
Caleb clenched his jaw. “Okay. Very good. I am on my way to the hospital right now. I want all the receipts of every payment prepared before I get there. See you soon.”
The call disconnected.
Caleb threw his phone on the couch, his breathing ragged. His mind raced with a storm of emotions.
“My God, what is this I am passing through? What a life. Lord, what a life.”
“Hello, Rejoice,” Caleb said as he picked up another call.
“Caleb, please, I want you to listen to me very well,” Rejoice responded immediately. “Don’t insult me today, just listen.”
Caleb sighed. “Can we do this later?”
“No, it’s important. Are you very busy?” she pressed.
“Okay, I only have a few minutes.”
“That will be enough for me.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Thank you,” Rejoice said quickly. “So, I needed help. I needed to raise a huge amount of money—$20,000.”
“What!” Caleb exclaimed.
“I said let me explain, please.”
“Okay.”
“I have sought financial advice. I am comfortable with the level of risk involved and can afford to lose money. I understand the investment in question, and if necessary, I can get my money out easily. I am protected if my investment provider or adviser goes out of business. So here is the big opportunity to live in the world of my own.”
Caleb frowned. “Sister, this one that you are talking like this, I hope you are not being scammed already.”
Rejoice scoffed. “Hmmm, Nigerian mentality. Everything will always look like a scam to you. Grow up, brother! Everything is not a scam. And guess what?”
“What is it?”
“Harrick gave me $20,000.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “Are you for real?”
“I am serious, brother! My God, he did it!”
“Okay, congratulations. But I still need you to sit and have a second thought on the business you want to do.”
“Okay, brother.”
“Alright, I will call you later. I have something I need to sort out urgently.”
“What is wrong with you, brother?”
“It’s Cecilia.”
“What is it again this time?”
“I am taking my son. I can’t leave my son with her. I need custody.”
“Okay, call me to update me.”
“Alright, I will.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Caleb exhaled. “Oh God, Mummy… Hello, Mummy, what is it? I’m in the middle of a lot. I will call you.”
“Okay o,” Mama B responded. “Since you want to be forming busy for me, I just called to remind you of the wedding coming ahead o. Bye-bye.”
Caleb scoffed. “Can you imagine? Everything about her is party. What a mother.”
Caleb looked at his screen. “Who is this again? Oh, Idera… Hello.”
(Excited) “Yepeeee!” Idera screamed.
Caleb raised a brow. “What is that?”
“Guess what, Caleb!”
“What is it?”
“I got the grant!”
“Wow.”
“Five million naira!”
“Wow! Praise God.”
“I am so happy. My dad just called me to tell me.”
“Oh, what do I do now? I don’t even know if I should come to you or go and face this baby mama of mine.”
“Caleb.”
“Yes, dear?”
“Can I say something?”
“Yes, please.”
“I think you should do a DNA test.”
Caleb fell silent. “Hmmmm.”
“Think about it.”
“Maybe I am not even the father of the boy?”
“I have not said that,” Idera replied cautiously. “But I just feel like it will be good for you to do a DNA test so that you’re sure what you’re doing is right.”
Caleb sighed. “Idera.”
“I’m with you.”
“Please, let me call you back.”
“Okay, be good and be gentle out there.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Okay.”
Caleb inhaled deeply, staring at his phone. “It’s good I just face this thing once and for all. A DNA test is what I’m going for.”
Caleb paced the room, his fingers tightening around his phone as it rang. His heartbeat was loud in his ears. Finally, the call connected.
“Pick up, Cecilia,” he muttered under his breath.
“Hello.”
“I just have one question to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Am I really the father of Jesse?”
A long pause. The silence on the other end made Caleb’s grip on his phone tighten.
“What sort of question is that?”
“Cecilia, I don’t want this to turn into something else. I’d appreciate it if you could just answer the question.”
“Jesse is five years old now, remember?”
“That means nothing. Am I the father of this boy?”
“Who else would be?”
Caleb inhaled deeply. “I will take that as a yes, but I need confirmation.”
“What exactly do you want?”
“DNA test.”
“What?!”
“I’m on my way to the hospital. I want to set things in motion.”
Caleb exhaled, his mind racing. This was the moment of truth. One way or another, he was going to get the answers he needed.
Caleb sat in the dimly lit room, the weight of betrayal crushing his chest. His phone trembled in his hand as he dialed Idera’s number. When she picked up, her voice was frantic with worry.
“Caleb? Oh my God, is that you?” she exclaimed. “It’s been two weeks! You disappeared, your line was switched off, I’ve been searching everywhere for you. I was about to report your baby mama and your doctor friend to the police! What is going on?” She paused. “Wait… Caleb, are you crying?”
A strangled sob escaped Caleb’s throat. “Idera… I’m not the father.”
A stunned silence filled the line. “Excuse me?” she finally whispered.
“I’m not Jesse’s father, Idera,” Caleb repeated, his voice breaking.
“How did you find out?”
“I called her that same day… She was still at the hotel with Fred.”
“And then?”
“She hung up on me when I mentioned a DNA test.” Caleb exhaled shakily. “Then Fred called me himself. He… he confessed, Idera.” His voice was hollow. “Fred is Jesse’s father. And do you know the worst part? There was never anything wrong with Jesse. It was all a scam.”
“What?” Idera gasped.
“They were just using my money,” Caleb muttered bitterly.
Idera’s mind raced. “But… your doctor friend is wealthy. This doesn’t seem like something he would be part of.”
“He wasn’t the one taking the money,” Caleb said. “He was just enjoying the show.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a backstory to this,” Caleb admitted, rubbing his hands over his tired face.
“I’m listening.”
“Back in university, I was reckless. I made a lot of mistakes. One of them was… sleeping with Fred’s girlfriend.”
Idera sucked in a sharp breath. “Caleb!”
“I know,” he sighed. “It was terrible.”
She clicked her tongue. “You were a bad boy.”
“I was,” he admitted.
“So… is this all a revenge scheme?”
“Exactly.”
Idera shook her head in disbelief. “Wow.”
“I begged him back then, Idera. I begged him to forgive me. He said he did… I never knew he held onto it, waiting for the perfect time to strike.”
“This is wickedness,” she whispered.
“I begged him,” Caleb said again, his voice hollow. “Why did he do this to me?”
“I don’t understand,” Idera admitted. “What made him confess now?”
“Because he knew I would eventually find out,” Caleb explained. “He got scared of what I might do.”
Idera’s stomach twisted. “So they put an innocent child through this… for their sick game?”
“Yes.”
“They should be sued.”
“I told him that. He begged me not to take legal action, promised to compensate me. He admitted it was a terrible mistake and that it could cost him everything—even his life.”
Idera scoffed. “So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know,” Caleb admitted. “For five years, I was fooled. Do you understand how wicked these people are?”
Idera sighed. “Caleb, listen to me. You need to calm down. At least thank God they didn’t plan to kill you. If they wanted to, they would have succeeded.”
“That’s true,” he muttered.
“So please, take it easy and thank God for your life.”
Caleb shook his head. “No, Idera. I went through too much. From the pregnancy till now… it’s too much.”
“You deserve damages,” she insisted.
“I told him he must pay.”
“Yes! How much?”
“I don’t even know how much I’ve spent.”
“He should pay in millions.”
“I told him ten million.”
“Good. And what did he say?”
“He agreed. But only if I forgive him and let him go.”
“Make him pay twenty million.”
“Idera, do you think any amount can buy my pain?”
She sighed. “I’m so sorry, friend.”
Caleb exhaled sharply. “I just want to leave this all behind. Let him take the woman and the child. I don’t care anymore.”
“No, Caleb, don’t be stupid,” Idera snapped. “You can handle forgiving them, but you can’t handle compensation? That doesn’t make sense. Take the money!”
“Okay,” he muttered.
“Stop crying. Get yourself together. If you mess this up, I will personally beat you,” she warned. “Ma lu stupidity yen kuro lara e.”
Caleb let out a humorless laugh. “Idera, this is not funny. I’m deeply hurt.”
“I know. Let me come see you,” she offered. “You know I love you.”
Caleb’s face hardened. “Idera, I can never love again. Never.”
A pause. “What are you trying to say?”
“There is no hope for you here,” he said flatly. “No more love in my life.”
Idera inhaled sharply. “Are you serious?”
“Very.”
She sighed. “Fine. Just rest. You need to heal.”
Something inside Caleb snapped. “Heal? What is there to heal from? What do women even have to offer besides pain? Tell me! Trouble upon trouble! I am never getting into another relationship. If you were thinking of anything, cancel that thought.”
Idera’s voice was soft, but filled with disappointment. “Okay. Thank you.”
The line went dead. Caleb stared at his phone, shaking his head.
“What a wicked world,” he muttered. “Cecilia is pure evil.”
Caleb’s phone buzzed again, the sharp vibration slicing through his already frayed nerves. He glanced at the screen and scoffed.
“Rejoice again?” he muttered under his breath. He had no patience for another conversation with her. He was exhausted—physically, mentally, emotionally. Every call from her only seemed to bring more problems, and at this point, he was done.
He clenched his jaw, debating whether to ignore the call. But the phone kept ringing, relentless, insistent. With a sigh of frustration, he answered, his tone dripping with irritation.
“Rejoice, leave me alone. Don’t call me again. Just leave me alone! You women… wicked gender! Who knows, maybe you’re not even telling me the full truth about your husband leaving. There must be a reason why he ran off with another woman. Don’t call me again—”
A broken sob cut through his tirade. His breath hitched.
“Caleb… oh my God… Caleb, I am in trouble!” Rejoice’s voice was shaking, thick with panic and regret. “This is bad. This is really bad.”
His irritation vanished. “What happened?”
“I was scammed, Caleb,” she wailed. “They scammed me in the UK! This is unbelievable. How did I fall for this?”
Caleb’s stomach twisted. “What do you mean?”
“The twenty thousand dollars… it’s gone.”
“Ha!” He shot up from his seat, pacing in disbelief. “How?”
“I don’t know, Caleb! I was stupid. I trusted them. Oh my God, I’m ruined. I’m in trouble.”
His mind raced. “What happened in the space of just a few days? What exactly did you do?”
Rejoice sobbed. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do.”
Caleb ran a hand over his head. “Okay, calm down. What is Harrick saying about this?”
A long silence.
Caleb’s unease deepened. “Rejoice… what is Harrick saying?”
She let out a shuddering breath. “That’s… that’s another problem.”
His grip on the phone tightened. “What do you mean?”
Her voice dropped to a whisper, filled with shame. “Caleb… I messed up.”
The silence stretched between them.
Caleb’s tone hardened. “How?”
“I don’t know what came over me,” she murmured.
His patience thinned. “What do you mean?”
Rejoice inhaled shakily. “I slept with him.”
Caleb felt the ground beneath him shift. “I don’t understand.”
“We… we had sex.”
A cold weight settled in his chest.
“What?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I was stupid, Caleb. I got carried away.”
His head pounded. “But I warned you.”
“I know… I know. I should’ve listened.”
“Wow.” That was all he could say.
“This is a big shame on me,” she whispered, her voice breaking again.
Caleb exhaled deeply, shaking his head. “Ha.”
“I’ve never cheated on my husband, Caleb… but now, it’s history. The shame of my enemies has finally come upon me.”
Caleb closed his eyes. “Sister mi, this is bad. This is really bad.”
“I know,” she choked out. “What do I do? My life is in ruins. I’m going to become a slave to him. I owe him so much, and now I have nothing.”
A deep, uneasy silence hung between them. Caleb pressed his fingers against his temple.
“Is he a Christian?” he asked finally.
“No, Caleb,” Rejoice said bitterly. “He’s just morally right. But he is not a Christian.”
Caleb’s heart sank. “Haaa. Lobatan o. Opari…”
The line crackled.
“Hello? Rejoice? Hello?”
Silence.
“Hello?” he repeated, staring at his phone. The call had disconnected.
He groaned, throwing his phone onto the couch. “God, what has she gotten herself into now?” He let out a long, heavy sigh, rubbing his face.
Trouble. It never seemed to end.
Caleb’s phone buzzed in his hand. He glanced at the screen and sighed.
“Oh, she’s calling back…” he muttered to himself. His irritation flared again, but before he could decide whether to pick up, the name on the screen made him pause.
Mum.
His brows furrowed. Why is she calling me now?
He hesitated for a moment, then scoffed.
“She doesn’t know more than partying her whole life,” he mumbled bitterly. “Her children are wasting away, and all she cares about is parties.”
Still, something about the call didn’t sit right. He sighed and pressed the answer button.
“Hello, Mummy?”
But the voice on the other end wasn’t his mother’s. It was a man’s.
“Hello.”
Caleb straightened, confused. “Hello? Who is this?”
“Good afternoon,” the man said. His voice was calm but firm.
“Good afternoon. Please, who am I speaking with? Why are you calling me with my mother’s number?”
“This is Dr. Adelere from Hope Rise Hospital.”
Caleb’s heart lurched. “Hospital? What happened?”
The doctor hesitated. “Your mum asked me to call you. She was rushed here earlier today. The people who brought her in have abandoned her here… I believe they’ve run away.”
Caleb felt the blood drain from his face. “What happened to her?”
“We need you to come over as soon as possible.”
“Doctor, tell me the situation first. I’ll be on my way shortly, but I need to know what’s going on.”
There was a brief silence before the doctor spoke again. “It’s food poisoning. We’ve been able to stabilize her, but you need to come.”
Caleb’s head spun. “Food poisoning?”
“Yes,” the doctor confirmed.
“My God.”
“Please, come over as soon as you can.”
Caleb swallowed hard. “Okay. I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
The call ended.
Caleb let out a long, exhausted breath, rubbing his face.
“Ha, Mummy, see your life,” he muttered bitterly. “See how you messed yourself up.”
He grabbed his car keys and stormed toward the door, his mind racing.
“What sort of day is this?” His phone rang again, and he sighed heavily before picking up.
“Idera, what is it?” he asked, rubbing his temple. But then, a thought crossed his mind. Maybe we can go together. “Okay, thank God sef, we can go together—hello?”
But Idera’s voice wasn’t the usual calm and understanding tone he was used to. This time, it was filled with raw pain.
“You are a wicked man, Caleb,” she spat. “You are a heartless and careless man.”
Caleb frowned. “Idera—”
“So this is how you really want to repay me for everything I have done for you? I sacrificed for you, Caleb. You were nothing, yet I never gave up on you! And all this time, you were just using me, right?!” Her voice cracked, but she pushed forward. “My God will judge you, Caleb! You ran your mouth at me, saying you could never love me. But you had no problem living off me, huh? I was good enough to support you, but not good enough to love? I can be a good friend, but not a good wife?”
Caleb exhaled sharply, closing his eyes. “Idera, I did not mean it that way.”
“How else did you mean it?!” she fired back.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Idera, please… today should never come again. My entire family is in trouble.”
“Please, don’t patronize me!”
“I’m not trying to. Idera, please, just listen to me. I beg you.”
“I am done with this life with you!” she declared.
Caleb felt his heart clench. “Idera, don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what?! When you had no idea where money would come from besides your salary, I was the fantastic friend, right? But now that you have ten million naira, you can look down on me and say I mean nothing to you?”
Caleb’s jaw tightened. “Idera, stop it.”
“Stop what?!”
“I don’t like this.”
“I hate you, Caleb!”
Caleb’s patience snapped. “I hate you too then!”
Silence.
Then, her voice dropped, almost trembling. “Fine. At least now you’re speaking your mind. You hate me, and I also hate you. I hate you, Caleb.”
But Caleb, just as quickly as he lost his temper, felt the weight of his words sink in. His voice softened. “Idera… please. I’m sorry. Stop playing with my head.”
She scoffed bitterly. “Playing with your head? That would have been better. Caleb, you played with my life.”
“I never played with your life, Idera,” he said, his voice almost pleading.
“You did.” A short, sharp breath. “But thank you. It’s not your fault. I was the one who wasn’t sensitive enough to see it.”
“Idera…”
“What?”
“Please.”
“What are you begging me for?”
Caleb swallowed hard, his voice strained. “Today should not exist. Everything about me is a mess right now. My sister is in a mess, and my mother is dying.”
Silence.
Then, cautiously, she asked, “What do you mean?”
Caleb clenched his fist. “Mummy is in the hospital as we speak.”
“What? What happened to her?”
“Food poisoning.”
She gasped. “Ha!”
“I am tired, Idera.”
There was a beat of silence before she spoke again, her voice noticeably softer. “Okay, please calm down. Today must have been a lot for you. I’m sorry I overreacted.”
A knock echoed through his apartment. Caleb turned toward the door, confused.
“Come open the door,” Idera said.
“What?”
“Yes, I’m outside your house, in my car.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “What are you doing outside my house?”
“I came to tell you my mind. But obviously, I overreacted.”
Caleb blinked, still processing, as another knock sounded—louder this time.
“Come open the door,” she repeated.
To be continued…
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