BOOK OF CALEB PART 1
Caleb sat hunched over his rickety wooden desk, the glow of his battered laptop illuminating his weary face. The sound of his fingers tapping away at the keyboard filled the small, dimly lit room. The only other noise was the occasional sigh that escaped his lips.
“Omo, this struggle is much o,” Caleb muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples. “Ha! Lord, when will this struggle be over? It’s sad, but we move. Caleb, don’t give up. You will overcome. Just hold on a little more. I know you are in a lot, but look above and see the crown awaiting you…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Ha! But joke apart, this struggle is much. Lord help me… Nevertheless, don’t kill yourself. Find something to eat. Garri is not bad.”
Rising from his chair, he walked over to the kitchen, a small space with peeling walls and a single stove. He grabbed a cup, poured water into a bowl, and began stirring the garri. The sound of the spoon scraping against the plastic bowl was soon accompanied by his munching.
Just as he took his first bite, his phone rang, vibrating loudly on the table. Caleb glanced at the screen and scoffed.
“Who is calling o? Hmmm… Cecilia! What does she want?” He stared at the phone, debating whether to answer. “Cecilia, what do you want this time? You are full of trouble. I regret that night with you; it has brought this big trouble on me. So, what do you want this time?”
Reluctantly, he answered the call. “What do you want, Cecilia?”
The sound of her sharp, impatient breathing filled the receiver. “You don’t want to pick up my call… Answer me… You’re not going to talk, right?”
Caleb exhaled heavily. “What do you want, Cecilia?”
“You’re eating?” she asked, irritation dripping from her voice.
Caleb clenched his jaw. “Can you just say what you want and let me get off this phone before you get me bored?”
“Oh yes, I think you have been having a boring day. I am about to spice it up for you,” she snapped.
Caleb closed his eyes. “Okay, so what do you want?”
“He is sick.”
Caleb’s heart skipped a beat. “Who?”
“I just rushed him to the hospital right now. We need a down payment of 40,000 Naira.”
Caleb shot up from his chair, his chest tightening. “Oh my God, Cecilia! What did you do to my son?”
“Oh, so I must have done something to him before he gets rushed to the hospital? Why are you so ridiculous?”
“You are the one who is ridiculous here.”
“How?”
Caleb ran a hand over his head. “Nothing was wrong with my son when I called him this morning. I spoke with him and he was fine! So, what have you done to him, you wicked, senseless, and heartless baby mama?”
“Kids will be kids. They play and things happen, so stop being stupid, you moron.”
“It is your father that is a moron,” Caleb shot back.
“I know you never had regard for your parents, so mine will not be a big deal. Send me the 40,000 Naira. I must not lose my son.”
Caleb gritted his teeth. “Don’t end this call.”
“Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t.”
Caleb softened his tone. “Please, Cecilia. I beg you in the name of God. If this is a means of you getting money out of me, please pity me. I am very broke. I don’t have money anywhere. I am in serious debt. Please, I beg you, don’t do this to me.”
“Young man, I am not making up stories here.”
Caleb sighed. “Okay, I want to believe you.”
“Good.”
“What is the nature of his sickness?”
“I don’t know yet, but the doctors are attending to him.”
“Okay, I will see what I can do.”
“Thank you.”
The call disconnected, leaving Caleb staring at his phone, his mind racing. He rubbed his face with his hands, frustration boiling within him. “My God, what is this? This lady keeps bringing trouble into my life. What happened to the boy now? It must have been as a result of her carelessness. Ha!”
Before he could fully process his thoughts, his phone rang again. He grabbed it angrily. “Who is this one again?” he muttered before answering. “Hello!”
A robotic voice filled the line. “Kindly tell Mrs. Banwo Adepeju to pay up her loan. Her loan is long overdue and—”
Caleb ended the call abruptly, slamming the phone onto the table. “Rubbish! What is my business with Mrs. Banwo Adepeju? Was I there when you guys were borrowing money? Nonsense!”
Then it hit him. “Wait… Mrs. Banwo Adepeju… That is my mother. Mama B took a loan? For what? My God, what has this woman done again? I hope she did not take a loan to go to a party again.”
His fingers trembled as he quickly dialed his mother’s number. “Mum, pick up this call now,” he whispered urgently, his pulse racing.
As the phone rang, Caleb leaned back in his chair, staring at the cracked ceiling. The walls of his life were closing in, and he had no idea how to break free.
Caleb’s phone buzzed in his trembling hands. His heart pounded as he stared at the screen. He took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
“Hello, my son,” came the familiar voice of his mother, warm yet laced with an edge of apprehension.
“Hello, Mummy,” Caleb replied, his voice tight with frustration.
“How are you?” she asked, her tone casual.
Caleb wasted no time. “Mama B, what have you done?”
“How do you mean?” she responded, feigning innocence.
“Are you the Mrs. Banwo Adepeju that borrowed money from a loan company and has refused to pay?”
A brief silence followed before she sighed. “Oh, they have called you.”
Caleb’s grip tightened on the phone. “So, it is true?”
“Do they tell lies in that kind of company?” she countered, unbothered.
Caleb’s patience wore thin. “Mummy, how much are you owing?”
“Just 50,000 Naira.”
Caleb nearly dropped the phone. “What? Mummy, did you just say ‘just’ 50,000 Naira?”
“Have you paid?” she asked nonchalantly.
“Mummy, how do you mean? Why did you go and borrow money from a loan shark?” His voice rose with disbelief.
Mama B raised her voice in return. “Hey, don’t shout on my head, please! Did I not tell you to send me money for the aso-ebi I wanted to buy?”
Caleb’s jaw dropped. “Mama B! You mean you borrowed money to go to a party?”
“That is what you get when you refuse to attend to your mother’s needs,” she snapped.
Caleb exhaled sharply. “Jesus is Lord! Mummy, is this thing you are saying really coming out of your mouth?”
“You can insult me for all I care. I am not moved,” she said stubbornly.
Caleb shook his head in disbelief. “Mummy, is it my name they are calling or yours? This embarrassment is on you.”
“Then leave it and don’t pay,” she retorted. “Let them keep calling other people that your mother is a chronic debtor. Maybe that will make you happier. If putting me to shame is your goal, then do it. At least I will know all I have done for you, all I have been through to raise you up till this level. All my labor over you is a total waste.”
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration mounting. “Mummy, you are making this too hard for me.”
“Listen to me, son. Please clear the loan as soon as possible. I have another party coming up soon, and I must buy aso-ebi. I will be happy if you send me the money for that one rather than having to borrow again. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Wait, Mummy—”
“What is it?” she asked impatiently.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Caleb pleaded.
“What does that mean?” she asked defensively.
“This is the exact reason why my sister stopped picking your calls. You were too demanding.”
“As far as I am concerned, I don’t have a daughter,” Mama B said coldly.
“You do have a daughter, but you frustrated her and her husband with your act of always demanding things that are not important.”
“I suffered to raise my daughter, and that stupid bastard saw her and loved the result of my labor—my own labor! Then he took her as a wife and never considered taking care of me, the one who raised that beautiful girl he couldn’t let pass him.”
“Mummy, you were making too many demands. You were choking them.”
“I was only asking for my right! Did her husband not take care of his own mother? I am also a mother to his wife, so he has to take care of me!”
Caleb shook his head. “Mummy, stop the trouble. You are killing us.”
Mama B let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, my sweet boy, make sure you keep yourself alive. My retirement plan is to attend parties and go on tours, and you are to make that dream come true. Have a nice day.”
The call disconnected.
Caleb groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. “What kind of woman is this? Who takes a loan Caleb let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. “For a party? It is not even your own party… another person’s party! My God!”
Just as he was trying to gather his thoughts and calm his temper, his phone rang again.
“Who is that again?” Caleb muttered, picking up the phone. His eyes widened when he saw the caller ID. “Oh my sister! It’s been a long time.”
The call barely lasted a second before it disconnected.
Caleb scoffed. “Oh, it’s just a flash. Nawa o! You have not been reachable for almost a month, and you just tried to check on me now? And you are flashing? Hmmm, what a shocking shock. Let me call her back.”
He dialed her number, but before it could connect, another call came in—this time on WhatsApp. Caleb frowned, noticing it was an international number.
“This is not a Nigerian number… wait, is this a UK number? Well, maybe it’s business.”
He answered the call. “Hello?”
“Caleb, good afternoon.”
Caleb’s heart skipped a beat. “Rejoice?!”
“Yes, I am the one.”
“Wait a minute, you’re calling me with a UK number?”
“Yes,” Rejoice admitted hesitantly.
“You mean you are presently in the UK?”
“I am sorry I did this to you,” she said, guilt evident in her voice.
“Wait, you haven’t answered my question.”
“Please forgive me.”
“I said, are you in the UK?”
A long pause. Then, “Yes, brother.”
Caleb exhaled sharply. “Egbon mi! You are calling me from the UK!”
“I can explain.”
“Maybe you need to do that right away.”
Rejoice sighed. “It’s my husband.”
Caleb folded his arms. “He told you not to tell us?”
“I am sorry, I had to obey my husband.”
“But what happened to ‘Aburo, I am going to the UK but we are not making it public—even my husband must not know I told you’?”
“I am very sorry.”
“Wait, is this for a visit or relocation?”
“I relocated.”
“With your husband and your son?”
“No, my husband and my son are still in Nigeria. The plan is to bring them later.”
Caleb ran a hand through his hair. “Okay… so how long have you been there?”
“A month now.”
His voice sharpened. “Does Mum know about this?”
“She is the reason why my husband asked me not to tell any of you.”
“Why?”
“You know Mum. She will start bringing up bills, thinking money is easily available.”
“But you should have told me.”
“You know I couldn’t have told you.”
“But why?”
“You are too mouth-loose when it comes to Mum. You will surely tell her. You are so close to her that you hardly keep anything from her. I even fear for your wife already—you are too tied to your mother.”
Caleb frowned. “That is what you think. I am close to Mum because you are far from her. We are only two. You are off. If I also push her away, how will she survive?”
“She would have survived by learning her lessons.”
“No, she may not.”
“Okay, tell me you are not going to tell her I am in the UK.”
“You are already there. Telling her won’t make them deport you.”
“Exactly what I expected.”
“You still don’t want me to tell her?”
“Follow your mind.”
Caleb smirked. “Okay, I will tell her.”
“I knew it.”
“But you were wrong by not telling us.”
“I said I am sorry.”
“Okay, why are you calling me now? Because I am the witch that would have stopped you from traveling in the first place?”
“I never said that.”
“But your actions said so.”
“(Angrily) I said I am sorry! Can’t I speak to you without shouting at you?”
“You are already shouting, and it is fine.”
“But I told you I am sorry.”
“I am not offended because we are not actually needed in your life.”
“Will you shut your mouth and listen to your sister?”
“What will listening to you do? Change the fact that we have no importance in your life?”
“This is not what we should be dragging. Please, Caleb, I am begging you.”
“Beg me more.”
“I am very sorry. Please forgive me.”
“Say it again.”
“I am sorry.”
“One more time.”
“I am sorry, Caleb.”
“Very good. Now I will think about it.”
“Stop being stubborn.”
Caleb chuckled. “Anyways, hope you are hearing from your husband and son? I miss your son though, not your husband.”
Rejoice sighed. “That’s the challenge I am facing right now.”
“What is that?”
“I have been calling my husband for a whole week now. He has not been reachable. I sent him mail, he didn’t reply. I sent him messages on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. No response.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, and I am seriously worried. I just hope all is well.”
Caleb exhaled. “Wow, I haven’t even checked on your husband for over a month.”
“Can you help me check on him?”
“Alright, I will do just that.”
“Thank you.”
“And when I see him, I will fight him for not telling me this.”
“Please don’t take it up against him.”
“Okay, I will try.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“I love you, brother.”
“You didn’t ask about Mum.”
“Please don’t tell her anything.”
“But why?”
“You know she will kill me with bills. I don’t have anything yet. I came here to study.”
Caleb sighed. “Hmmm, I can understand. Your Mum just took an online loan to buy aso-ebi for another person’s wedding.”
“What?!”
“E shock you too?”
“What was she thinking?!”
“Only God knows. Now the loan company called me, telling me Mrs. Banwo Adepeju’s loan is overdue. Guess what?”
“What?”
“When I called Mum, she said I should clear it because she has another party coming up.”
Rejoice groaned. “Okay, I don’t want to hear any more about that. She is your mother—sort her out.”
“Really?”
“Please help me check on my husband. I need to go.”
“Okay then.”
“I love you, sweet brother.”
“I love you too.”
Caleb exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples as he stared at his phone screen. The day had been nothing short of exhausting. From dealing with his mother’s reckless spending habits to discovering his sister had relocated without informing him, and now this—another phone call.
The familiar vibration rattled in his hand, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the caller ID and saw the name: Idera. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. If there was anyone who had been a pillar of support in his life, it was Idera. He tapped the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.
“Hello, big head,” Idera’s teasing voice greeted him.
“Sup with you?” Caleb responded, momentarily relieved by the lightheartedness in her voice.
“I should be asking you that,” she said.
Caleb frowned slightly. “How do you mean?”
“How did your mum get my number?”
His frown deepened. “I don’t understand. My mum called you?”
“Yes.”
“What a shocking shock,” he muttered. “Please, what did she say?”
“She reported you to me and even accused me,” Idera said, irritation lacing her voice.
Caleb’s eyebrows shot up. “Please explain better, abeg.”
“She told me you’ve been owing her money for a long time, and she’s in desperate need of it. According to her, she borrowed the money from someone else, and the person is already labeling her a debtor.”
Caleb groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Haaa! Maami!”
“What happened?”
“Don’t mind her, o. She was the one that took an online loan to buy aso ebi for another person’s party.”
Idera gasped. “Hey, hold it. Tell me you’re joking.”
“E shock you too?” Caleb let out a bitter chuckle.
Idera burst into laughter, but Caleb wasn’t amused. “My dear, this is not a laughing matter. My mother is like that, o. She can do anything to buy aso ebi. Ever since she retired, she has been jumping from one party to another like we don’t have any other thing in this life than owambes.”
“No wonder,” Idera muttered.
“No wonder what?” Caleb asked.
“She said she would have gotten the money from you if not that you have decided to be taking care of me.”
Caleb let out a dry laugh. “Can you imagine? Who is taking care of who here? You are even the one covering up my shame. If not for you, what would I be saying this time?”
“Young man, shut up your mouth,” Idera scolded playfully. “It is God. God has been the one doing it all. So, how much is Mum doing all this drama for?”
“Fifty thousand naira.”
“Do you have it?”
“I am not paying that money yet. I will still pay it, but not now.”
Idera sighed. “Young man, do you have it?”
“No.”
“Okay, let me send you 50k.”
Caleb quickly interjected, “Idera, don’t even think of it at all. She is my mother, I know how to handle her. If we pay that money now, she will see it as her way of getting money from me. I send her 40k as her monthly allowance, yet she still went ahead to take an online loan of 50k. Is that reasonable?”
“Wait… you give her 40k allowance every month?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, dear, let me leave you to handle this.”
“Thank you,” Caleb said with relief.
“Anyways, I have sorted the money you borrowed last week. You can pay me much later.”
Caleb was taken aback. “Thank you so much. You are really a destiny helper.”
Idera chuckled. “Caleb?”
“Yes?”
“Have you collected your salary?”
Caleb sighed again. “We have not been paid. So Mum should hold on and enjoy the embarrassment for now. Right now, my baby mama called me that my son was rushed to the hospital and the hospital demanded 40k as a down payment.”
“What? What happened to him?”
“I’m yet to hear from the doctor.”
“Which hospital are they in? We can always go there.”
“I didn’t even ask,” Caleb admitted, feeling drained. “I will just send them the money by tomorrow or next.”
“Guy, did you hear yourself? The hospital is asking for 40k as a down payment for your son, and you’re saying tomorrow or next? So they should leave your son unattended till tomorrow?”
“Honestly, I am tired.”
Idera sighed. “Okay, I will send you 40k right away. Pay me this one once your salary drops.”
Caleb was stunned into silence for a moment. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I am grateful.”
“It’s nothing,” she assured him. “I need to go now. I’ll reach out later in the day.”
“Okay, dear.”
As the call disconnected, Caleb stared at the phone in his hand, overwhelmed. “Nawa o,” he muttered to himself. “What sort of life is this? Jumping from one problem to another? I am swimming in debt like I inherited it. This is sad. I really need to watch it.”
He let out a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. It was clear—something had to change, and fast.
TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2
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