BOOK OF CALEB PART 4
Caleb sat on the edge of his bed, his head cradled in his hands. His thoughts churned like a stormy sea, each wave crashing harder than the last.
“Lord, what have I done to myself?”
The weight of regret pressed against his chest, suffocating him. He let out a slow, shaky breath, his mind dragging him back to that moment—the moment everything changed.
“Only if I had not slept with her that night…”
But no, it wasn’t even night. He clenched his fists as the memory played in his head like a cursed film.
“It was one hot afternoon.”
That single mistake had led him here, into a life tangled with a woman whose words cut deeper than a blade.
“Ha, my God, what sort of struggle is this?”
Before he could drown further in his thoughts, his phone vibrated against the nightstand, pulling him back to reality. The screen flashed a name that sent a flicker of warmth through his weary soul.
Rejoice.
His sister.
His only solace in this storm.
He inhaled deeply and picked up. “Hello.”
Her voice came through, urgent and filled with conviction.
“The devil is a liar.”
He blinked. “Amen.”
“He is a liar!” she repeated, her voice rising with passion.
“Amen.”
“He is a liar over our lives!”
“Amen.”
“He will not frustrate us!”
Caleb sat up, his spine straightening. “We refuse to be frustrated. What happened, my sister?”
Her voice wavered now, losing its earlier strength.
“I got robbed.”
His heart stopped. “What?!”
“Yes, brother… my documents… they took everything.”
He shot to his feet, his breath coming fast. “How?! What happened?”
Her voice cracked. “Those guys… they just came at me. Snatched my bag, pushed me, beat me.”
Caleb felt his blood run cold.
“In fact, one wanted to rape me.”
His body stiffened. His fingers tightened around the phone as rage boiled in his chest. “Ha!”
Silence filled the line for a moment. He paced the room, trying to steady himself.
“Don’t worry,” he finally said, forcing his voice to stay even. “The police are doing their investigation, right?”
She sniffed. “Yes.”
“Thank God you are not an illegal immigrant. You’ll get your documents back.”
A sigh. “I hope so.”
He pressed a hand against his forehead. “Please, let me call you back. I need to attend to something right away.”
“Okay, brother. Stay strong.”
“And you too.”
Caleb dropped the phone onto the bed and exhaled sharply. He stared at the ceiling, his hands on his hips.
“Wow… the devil is a liar.”
He shook his head. “He will not win. We are victorious already.”
But even as he said the words, a shadow of doubt crept into his mind. How much more could they take? How much more could he endure?
His phone vibrated again. Another call. Another battle.
With a deep breath, he reached for the phone.
Caleb sat on the edge of his worn-out couch, staring at his phone as it vibrated insistently on the coffee table. The screen flashed a name that sent a sigh tumbling from his lips.
“Eeee, Mummy is here again o,” he muttered under his breath. He rubbed his temples. “Ha, what does she want this time? Jesus, help me o.”
He reached for the phone, bracing himself. “Hello, Mummy.”
A familiar, cheerful voice came through. “Son, how far o?”
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling. “I am fine.”
“How you dey?”
“I am fine.”
“What is happening?”
“Everything is fine, Mum.”
There was a pause. Then a knowing chuckle.
“I know you will say I don come again.”
He exhaled. “It’s fine, Mummy.”
“Okay, that is good.”
Caleb softened his voice. “You know I love you, Mum.”
There was a brief silence before her voice warmed. “I love you too.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Yes, this is the way I love it. This is how our conversation should always be.”
He nodded, forcing a smile. “Okay, Mummy.”
“Thank you, my son.”
“You are welcome, Mummy.”
But he knew it wasn’t over. The real reason for her call was about to come.
And then it did.
“So, there is this party coming up. This one is a mega one.”
Caleb blinked. “Really?”
“Yes o.”
“Who is doing the party?”
“Our cooperative society in school.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Wow.”
Her voice brimmed with excitement. “My son, I need to pepper them. As in, I should enter the floor, and they should know that Mama is here!”
Caleb let out a deep chuckle. “Hmmm, them go take.”
“Exactly, my son!”
He sighed, rubbing his chin. “So how much are we talking about right now?”
Mama B’s voice turned giddy. “See, I saw one lace—ha! The lace is so fine!”
“Hmmm.”
“I tell you! My tailor introduced it to me.”
“How much is it?” he asked, already dreading the answer.
“It is fifteen thousand per yard, and I need to buy five yards because of the style I want to sew.”
Caleb frowned. “Mummy, don’t you think that’s on the high side? Because if you buy such a cloth, no tailor will sew it for you cheaply. And you will need to wear a befitting shoe.”
Mama B clapped her hands. “My son, you are intelligent! I saw one very nice shoe in my customer’s shop. She said it is 150k. I want to buy it!”
Caleb groaned internally. He inhaled deeply before speaking. “Mummy, let me tell you something.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“When last did you call my sister?”
There was an awkward pause. “That one… her number and her husband’s calls have not been going through.”
Caleb sighed. “Yes, because they blocked you.”
Mama B scoffed. “I know na.”
“Do you know why they blocked you?”
“That is their own business.”
He shook his head. “It is because of all these constant demands.”
Her tone turned defensive. “She is stupid. Her husband told her to block me, and she did. Did they block her own mother-in-law?”
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mummy, please, I think you need to take a break from going to parties. It is becoming too much.”
“So, what are you insinuating? That I am extorting you?”
He sighed again. “Mummy, I have heard your request. I will call you much later.”
She huffed. “Hmmm, okay.”
His voice softened again. “Take care of yourself, Mummy. I love you.”
She scoffed. “You are trying to discharge me, abi?”
Before he could respond, the call ended.
Caleb let out a long sigh. “Mummy, please go and sit down. I have someone else to call.”
Just as he was about to dial, his phone lit up again.
“Oh, speak of the angel…”
He smiled faintly. “Hello, Idera. I was about to call you.”
Caleb stretched out on his couch, the weight of the day pressing down on him. His phone, which had barely left his hand, buzzed again. He glanced at the screen and smiled faintly.
“Ah, speak of the angel…”
He tapped the answer button. “Hello, Idera. I was about to call you.”
Her voice carried a playful lilt. “Really?”
He chuckled. “I am serious.”
“So why did you want to call me, young man?”
“Just to check on you.”
“Because you feel I am not happy with you?” she asked, her tone shifting slightly.
Caleb sighed. “Since the last time my mum called you, things have not been the same between us. I don’t know what else to do. I have warned her to never call you again.”
“Oh, you did?”
“Yes. I promise you, you will never have to deal with her calls again.”
A short silence followed before she scoffed. “And you think she hasn’t called since the last time?”
His stomach tightened. “Hmmm… Has she?”
Idera sighed. “Forget about that for now. I actually called to tell you something important. My dad introduced me to a grant opportunity, and I think you should give it a try.”
Caleb sat up. “Wow, thank you! So what is the grant all about?”
“Just pitch a business idea with a registered company name, and he will help us follow up.”
Caleb blinked. “But I don’t have a company, let alone a registered business name.”
Idera’s tone turned sharp. “Caleb, what is wrong with you? Who doesn’t have at least a personal business idea in this country, especially in times like this?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve never thought of it.”
She groaned. “So what do you think of? How to keep collecting a salary? Do you want to remain a slave for the rest of your life?”
Caleb gasped. “God forbid!”
“And you think God will come down from heaven to help you think of owning a business?”
He chuckled nervously. “What do we do now?”
“Young man, jump on it jor!“
He laughed. “Yes, boss!”
Idera scoffed. “I’m not talking to you again today. Get out!”
Caleb stared at his phone and shook his head, amused. “She too quick to vex, haba!”
Caleb exhaled sharply, gripping his phone tightly as he paced the small office. His patience was already wearing thin, and he hadn’t even started speaking.
“Listen to me, jare,” he said, his voice firm but restrained.
Cecilia’s voice cut through the line like a whip. “Don’t shout at me. Don’t even try it. If you’re still as mannerless as I’ve always known you to be, then go and find someone else to bark at—not me!”
Caleb clenched his jaw. This woman was impossible.
“You were the one who insisted we bring your son to Lagos,” she continued. “Now we’re here, and it’s been hours since we arrived. You haven’t even shown up!”
“But do you even remember that I have a job?” Caleb shot back, rubbing his temple.
“And did you tell your boss your son is sick?”
He rolled his eyes. “Why must I tell them that?”
Cecilia let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Because you don’t want to take responsibility for anything in your life, that’s why! I’m sure if it was about taking a sick leave to chase after another man’s daughter, you’d do it without thinking twice.”
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no winning with this woman. “Okay, I will be there in no time.”
“Hey, wait!” Cecilia interrupted.
“What is it again?”
“We need a fifty-thousand-naira down payment. They need to rerun all the tests.”
Caleb sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”
“No, send that money first before you come.”
Caleb frowned. “I said I will be there.”
Cecilia scoffed. “I don’t trust you. Send the money first.”
“Which is more important—the money or me coming?”
“Of course, the money!”
Caleb let out a short, bitter laugh. “Wow.”
“What is ‘wow’?” Cecilia snapped.
“Really?”
“Do you think your presence means anything to me?” she retorted. “What is your showing up going to do, please?”
Caleb shook his head. “So should I just stay and send the money instead?”
“If that’s okay by you. You are nothing of importance to me. At least, you don’t care about me, only your child. So why should I be excited to see you? Just send the money. Whether you come or not is your business. The money is mine.”
Caleb felt something in his chest tighten. He shouldn’t be surprised, but hearing it so plainly still stung. “I’m not happy with what you just said.”
Cecilia clicked her tongue. “Who sent you to go spread your legs in the first place? That’s your funeral. Send me money.”
His patience snapped. “Okay, I’ll transfer twenty-five thousand now.”
“Ha! Caleb, don’t let me swear for you! Don’t try me—don’t even try me! Send the full fifty!”
Caleb’s lip curled. “Send it back if you don’t want it.”
He threw his phone onto his desk and sighed deeply. “Get out of my phone. I have someone better to call… Rubbish.”
Caleb stretched his legs on the couch, rubbing his temple as his phone rang. He needed a breather, and talking to his sister always had a way of easing his mind.
“Hello, brotherly!” Rejoice’s cheerful voice came through, warm and familiar.
Caleb smiled. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” he sang playfully.
“Wow! Share the testimony!” she teased.
“I’m actually just singing your name,” he chuckled.
Rejoice laughed. “Oh, now I get it. You’re funny, see your big head!”
Caleb smirked. “You know who we both resemble, right?”
“Ha! Omo, what are you insinuating?”
“Me, I will sha not abuse my mother.”
Rejoice sighed dramatically. “How is she, sef?”
Caleb leaned back, exhaling. “She’s doing well. Probably planning another party as we speak.”
Rejoice clicked her tongue. “Hmmm, I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been going through. Leaving you alone to take care of that woman must be exhausting.”
Caleb let out a tired chuckle. “It has not been easy, my sister.”
“She still goes to parties like usual?”
“More than usual now! Your mummy wants to kill me with bills.”
Rejoice burst into laughter. “I don’t even know where she got that kind of retirement plan from.”
Caleb joined in. “Exactly!”
Rejoice sighed. “She always says she suffered to raise us, so now we have to take care of her. In fact, you won’t believe what happened in my house.”
“What?”
“My husband was so shocked by her demands that he blocked her number on my phone and even deleted it.”
Caleb sat up. “Ha!”
“If not that I know her number offhand, what would have happened?”
Caleb shook his head. “Wo, we bless God sha. Hmmm.”
There was a brief silence, then Rejoice’s tone softened. “So, how are you?”
“I’m fine o.”
“Guess what!”
Caleb grinned. “The thieves have been caught.”
Rejoice gasped. “How did you know?!”
Caleb laughed. “You have your documents back.”
“Yes o!” she exclaimed excitedly.
Caleb clapped his hands together. “Wow, praise God!”
“Hallelujah!”
“How did it happen?”
“Security here is top-notch o… The local authorities did their job well.”
“Great!”
Rejoice paused. “You have a call or something. I can hear beeps.”
Caleb glanced at his screen. “Yes, it’s Mum.”
Rejoice chuckled. “Okay, we can always talk later. Please go and attend to her before she starts raining insults.”
Caleb smiled. “Okay, sis. I love you.”
“I love you too, my darling brother.”
Caleb took a deep breath as he answered the call, already bracing himself for whatever was coming next.
“Hello, Mummy.”
His mother’s voice came through, warm but laced with something he couldn’t quite place. “How are you, my son?”
“I’m doing fine, Mummy. How about you?”
“Don’t worry, I have not called you for money today.”
Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s amazing.”
Mama B sighed. “Hmmm.”
“So, what’s going on with you, Mum?” Caleb asked, hoping this would be a straightforward conversation for once.
Mama B’s voice took on a dramatic tone. “Eyin omo isinyi gan baje.”
Caleb sat up straight. “Haa…!”
“Yes, you children of nowadays are something else.”
Caleb groaned. “Mummy, it’s just a question—what is going on with you?”
“Oh! I didn’t know it was a question,” she retorted. “You will have to teach me how to recognize a question from now on.”
Caleb exhaled, already regretting asking. “Okay, Mum, I’m sorry.”
“Hmmm. You asked me what is going on with me, abi? Well, nkan n se mi ni yen o.”
Caleb’s heart skipped. “Ha! Mummy! Mummy!! Mummy!!! E ma pa mi now!”
“Emi o ki se apaniyan,” she shot back. “I am not a murderer!”
“You are not, Ma.”
“So what do you mean by ‘don’t kill me’?”
Caleb rubbed his forehead. “Mummy, what exactly do you want? Why did you call me?”
“I called to greet you,” she said innocently. “I didn’t know that you would end up calling me a murderer.”
Caleb groaned inwardly. “Mummy, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would take it that way.”
“Oh, so now I’m overthinking things?”
“You are not.”
“Okay, so I’m overreacting then?”
“You are not, Ma.”
“Are you trying to discard me?”
Caleb sighed. “Mummy, where is all this coming from?”
“I don’t know now! I should ask you!”
Caleb leaned back against his chair. “Mummy, you called to check on me, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s stick to that and enjoy this call.”
Mama B was silent for a moment before she muttered, “Was that what I wanted to do?”
Caleb laughed softly. “Great. Now let’s start afresh. Mummy, my loving mother, why did you call your loving son?”
“I called to check on you.”
Caleb smiled. “Wow, thank you so much!”
She paused before adding, “And also to tell you that I need 10,000 naira to go for our cooperative meeting.”
Caleb’s smile disappeared. “Mummy, I just sent you 40k as your monthly allowance.”
“Oh! So you want me to remove it from my allowance and go hungry, right?”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Mummy, at least you have that money with you. You can sort it out.”
“I cannot sort anything o!” she declared firmly.
“Mummy, please now.”
“What do you want me to do now?”
“Just take the 10k from what I already sent you.”
“I cannot!”
“But why?”
“The money is for my personal welfare! I cannot use it for cooperative!”
Caleb exhaled. “Okay, I have heard you.”
“Good.”
“I will get back to you, Ma.”
“Very good.”
“Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“You too.”
Caleb dropped his phone and sighed deeply. “This adulthood is a big scam.”
He picked up his phone and frowned at the screen. “Who is sending me WhatsApp messages now?” He opened the chat. “Idera… Which kind long message be this one? Let me just call her.”
Caleb picked up the call and smiled as Idera’s voice came through, lively as ever.
“Hello, young man.”
“Hi,” Caleb responded, leaning back on his chair.
“Sup sup?” she asked playfully.
“I received a long message from you.”
“Yes, it’s about the grant I told you about. I’m really positive about this, Caleb. We will get it. I spoke with my dad again, and it’s looking really good.”
Caleb exhaled. “Okay, I’m still working on my business name.”
There was a brief pause before Idera said, “Actually, there’s a little challenge.”
Caleb sat up. “What is that?”
“They said it’s for businesses that have been in existence for at least three years.”
“Wow…” Caleb muttered, rubbing his chin.
“I registered my business four years ago, so I qualify.”
Caleb sighed. “So what do I do now?”
“I was thinking… we do the paperwork together. If we get it, we share it 50:50.”
Caleb’s eyes widened slightly. “That’s a good one… Wow, Idera, thank you for all you’ve been doing for me.”
“Abegi, go and sit down,” she teased.
Caleb chuckled. “Alright.”
“So, what’s your plan for the evening?” she asked.
“Nothing, just staying home and resting.”
“Okay, that means I can hijack you.”
Caleb raised a brow. “To where?”
“Come to my house. Let’s go out and catch some fresh air.”
A smile crept onto Caleb’s face. “Okay, I’ll be there.”
“Thief, you too like enjoyment.”
Caleb laughed. “Abeg, I need am o.”
“Alright then, I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay.”
“See ya.”
Caleb stared at his phone, shaking his head in disbelief. He muttered to himself, “This lady is so amazing. How can a lady be this nice with no strings attached? Wow.”
Caleb sighed as he stared at the message on his phone screen, his fingers hesitating before pressing the call button. The phone barely rang twice before Cecilia picked up.
“What do you have to say this time?” Caleb asked, his tone already laced with frustration.
“What do I have to say about your son dying?” Cecilia shot back, her voice cold and sharp like a knife through his chest.
Caleb’s breath caught for a moment. “Cecilia, please stop all this nonsense.”
“Since you have chosen to be a very stupid man and act irrationally, I have less to discuss with you. We need 300K for the operation.”
Caleb’s heart pounded. “What?”
“Get lost, you idiot.”
Caleb let the phone fall from his hand onto the table, rubbing his forehead. “Hmmm… I am in real trouble.”
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling. He needed to think, to figure things out. But before he could gather his thoughts, his phone rang again.
He sighed and picked up. “Hello, sister.”
Rejoice’s voice came through, sounding lighter than he expected. “Guess what, dear.”
Caleb tried to shake off his stress. “Your husband called?”
“Excuse you? No.”
“Then what?”
“I got a man interested in me.”
Caleb’s brows furrowed. “What?”
“Yes, baby boy,” she said, almost laughing.
“No, that is not right.”
“What do you mean it’s not right?”
Caleb inhaled deeply. “You are married, for God’s sake. This is adultery.”
There was a slight pause before Rejoice continued nonchalantly, “So I met this man on a dating platform.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “Wait.”
“What?” she asked.
“Does that mean no reply to what I just said?”
“What did you say, baby brother?”
Caleb clenched his jaw. “I said what you ventured into is adultery.”
Rejoice dismissed his concern. “So, as I was saying, this guy was really into me. He told me he just wanted a friend, with no other intentions besides pure friendship.”
Caleb shook his head. “You and I both know that’s a lie.”
“He gave me a house and a job.”
Caleb sat up abruptly. “What?!”
“He is a successful man.”
Caleb felt a pit form in his stomach. “I don’t feel okay with this, Rejoice.”
Her tone became serious. “Now listen to me, brother. Everyone assumes benefits are easy to come by here, but they don’t realize there’s a difficult procedure to follow. It takes time. Until then, unless I secure some work, my life can be extremely challenging.”
Caleb clenched his fists. “Do you now want to fail in the days of challenging times?”
“I need to go now. I’ll call you back.”
Caleb stared at his phone. “Hold on… hello… she ran away.”
He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a second before whispering, “God, please help your daughter.”
His phone rang again. He glanced at the screen and sighed when he saw the caller ID.
“Mum again… billing time, spending time.”
He took a deep breath and picked up the call. “Hello, Mum.”
Caleb picked up his phone, barely glancing at the screen before answering.
“Hello, Mum.”
Mama B’s voice came through immediately, full of exasperation. “Nawa for these NEPA people o!”
Caleb sighed. “What happened this time?”
“They want to kill their mother, not me.”
Caleb shook his head, already sensing where the conversation was heading. “Mum, stop your comedy jare.”
Mama B continued, her tone dramatic. “They brought me, an old woman, a 7,000 naira electricity bill! What exactly am I using that much electricity for, please?”
Caleb frowned. “Are you the only one paying, or are you splitting with your neighbors?”
Mama B scoffed. “I have a very useless neighbor. He doesn’t pay bills, prefers to stay in darkness like a bat. I can’t continue like this. I will plan on buying my own meter soon.”
Caleb rubbed his forehead. “Okay.”
There was a brief silence before Mama B cleared her throat. “So, I need to pay the NEPA bill—7,000.”
Caleb exhaled. “Mum, I don’t have it now. What do we do?”
“Son, how will you say you don’t have just 7,000?” she asked, incredulity dripping from her voice.
“Mum, I am serious. I don’t have it.”
Mama B sighed heavily, the sound dragging out through the phone. “Hmmm… okay o. I will borrow you from the 300,000 your friend sent to me.”
Caleb sat up straight. “Hold on… Who sent you 300K?”
Mama B’s tone was almost smug. “Your friend.”
“Which of my friends?” Caleb asked, his confusion growing.
“She decided to send me 300K from the numerous amounts of money you’ve been wasting on her, while leaving your mother to suffer.”
Caleb groaned. “Mummy, stop this thing you are doing.”
“Anyway, you are now owing me 7,000. Have a nice day.”
Caleb stared at his phone in disbelief. He let out a tired laugh, shaking his head. “This woman will not kill me.”
Caleb sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His mother’s words replayed in his mind, making his frustration bubble. “What kind of mother do I have, for God’s sake?” he muttered under his breath. “Idera gave her 300K, and instead of being grateful, she’s busy thinking awkwardly.” He let out a sigh and grabbed his phone. He needed answers.
“Hello,” Idera’s cheerful voice rang through the receiver.
“How far?” Caleb asked, his tone laced with urgency.
“I’m good. What’s up?”
“Did you send 300K to my mother?”
There was a brief pause before Idera responded. “I got some money from my dad.”
Caleb’s brows furrowed. “Okay…?”
Idera continued, “So I decided to give your mum 300K, hoping that would let you relax a little. You’ve been overwhelmed, and I wanted us to have some peace of mind to think about life.”
Caleb exhaled in frustration. “But she just called me to ask for 7,000!”
“What?!” Idera sounded as shocked as he felt.
“Yes. Honestly, you should have given me that money. I would have used it for my son’s operation.”
The line went silent for a second before Idera spoke, her tone serious. “Operation?”
Caleb clenched his jaw. “Yes. Cecilia just called. My son needs surgery.”
“Okay, Caleb, calm down.”
His frustration peaked. “Don’t tell me to calm down! You shouldn’t have given my mum that money. It’s a total waste!”
Idera took a deep breath. “That’s gone. Let’s focus on what matters now.”
Caleb sighed, rubbing his temple. “Which is?”
“Your son.”
The weight of those words settled on him like a boulder. “But what do I do now? Ask my mum to lend me the whole 300K? You know that’s like selling myself into slavery.”
Idera chuckled softly, a reassuring sound. “No, you don’t have to do that. My father gave me 1.5 million. I still have 1.2 million left. I’ll send you 400K, and I’ll manage with 800K. Let’s just share the money.”
Caleb blinked in disbelief. “Idera, what did I just hear you say?”
She repeated without hesitation, “I said let’s share the money.”
“But…”
“Guy, forget the ‘but.’ Your son’s safety comes first. Let’s fight for him.”
Caleb swallowed hard. Gratitude welled up in his chest, rendering him momentarily speechless. “Idera…”
“Yes?”
“I don’t even know what to say.”
“It’s fine, I understand.”
Caleb exhaled deeply. “Thank you.”
“And you finally said it!” Idera teased. “Now, let’s get to work.”
Caleb smiled faintly. “Thank you.”
Her tone turned serious. “There’s still something I think we need to discuss.”
“What is it?”
She hesitated before saying, “I think we need to look into your baby mama.”
Caleb’s brows knitted together. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll talk about that later.”
A sense of unease settled over him, but he chose not to push. “Okay.”
“Alright, I’ll reach you soon. Take care of yourself.”
“Alright, I will.”
Caleb placed his phone beside him and let out a deep breath. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that Idera was a blessing in his life.
Caleb sighed as he stared at his phone screen, the tension already settling in his chest before he even placed the call. He knew how this conversation would go. It was always the same with Cecilia—confrontation, accusations, and endless demands. He braced himself as the ringing tone buzzed in his ears.
“How are you this morning?” Caleb asked, his voice laced with weariness.
“What do you expect?” Cecilia’s tone was sharp, unimpressed.
He exhaled, forcing himself to remain calm. “Cecilia, please, I don’t want to fight this morning.”
She scoffed. “Oh, you don’t want to fight? After what you did yesterday?”
Caleb frowned, genuinely confused. “Yesterday? What did I do?”
“You came and left without attending to me.”
His brows furrowed further. “Wait, I don’t understand. Attend to you how?”
“Did you attend to me?” she pressed, her frustration evident.
“Didn’t I greet you? Didn’t I talk to you? What more was I supposed to do?” Caleb was trying hard to keep his patience intact.
Cecilia scoffed again. “Is that what you call attention in your village?”
He sighed heavily. “Okay, please calm down. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for yourself,” she snapped.
“Can you please explain what you mean by ‘attending to you’?” Caleb asked, exasperation creeping into his voice.
“Did you give me money?”
His confusion deepened. “Give you money for what?”
“For taking care of your son! I have been the one responsible for his care all this while, and all you do is just send money. That’s not enough, Caleb.”
He ran a hand over his face. “Cecilia, do you have any idea how tough things have been for me?” He caught himself, realizing there was no point explaining. “You know what? Never mind.”
“Say your mind, idiot! Say it!” she challenged, her voice rising.
He inhaled deeply, trying to suppress the irritation boiling inside him. “I don’t have money on me to give you right now. If you need a break from staying with our son at the hospital, let me know. I can always have someone relieve you for a while. You can take a break and rest, and when you’re ready, you can resume.”
Cecilia let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, so you want to leave my son in the hands of another woman? One of your useless girlfriends, huh? So they can kill him?”
Caleb clenched his jaw. “Cecilia, stop being unreasonable. You always take things to the extreme.”
“You are just so stupid, Caleb. That’s it. You are very stupid.”
He nodded to himself, setting his jaw. “Okay. I will work on my stupidity.”
“When should I be expecting my upkeep?” she asked flatly.
He blinked. “Up-what?”
“Upkeep, Caleb! I also have needs, and I’m stuck here with your son. When do I have time for my own business?”
He frowned. “What business do you have?”
She gasped in outrage. “Excuse you? What do you mean by what business do I have?”
He sighed again, rubbing his temples. “Calm down. You do online buying and selling. People order, and you send whatever they buy through a dispatch rider. Your business is something you can run from wherever you are.”
“So is this hospital comfortable for me?” she shot back.
Caleb closed his eyes, trying to muster patience. “Okay, just decide when you want to go handle your business, and I will come stay with our son.”
“So, just sending money to me is—”
He cut her off. “Bye. I have other things to do.”
Caleb ended the call before she could spew more venom. He dropped his phone on the table and let out a long breath. This was his reality—an endless cycle of arguments, accusations, and demands. He had to find a way to manage it all, for his son’s sake.
TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 5
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