HER LAST WISH Chapter 61

(Moremi)

Zeemah Writes 📝

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“It still feels so unreal that you’re finally here. You do not know how happy I am” Layla said to Aunt Esther who smiled.p by
They were on the bed, minutes after freshening up for the night.
David is snoring lightly in his sleep already.
The day had been fun, ranging from the delicious meal to the historical tales Aunt Esther had told them, down to the random chats and the plays.
Her friends did not leave until it was dark.

“Seeing you after a long time just gives me a different type of joy. Moremi, I know I’ve said this multiple times but I’m so sorry about … What happened to your Mum and Bryan, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.” Aunt Esther held her hands, looking sorry.
“It’s fine Aunt, I know the reason you couldn’t come. And I can remember you wanted to come after but I had told you not to bother. Believe me it’s fine. I was not even in the right state of mind then to even welcome anyone.” Layla said, after her mum and brother were buried, she could remember Phil coming over everyday to their house but she wouldn’t even open the door to let her in. She opened the door after a week, inside the house all by herself for a whole week and it’s still so surprising she hadn’t gone crazy.
“I still wish I had been there for you though”
“It’s okay, believe me”
“You’re going to take me to where they were buried tomorrow or a day after”
Layla nodded… It’s been quite long she went there and she feels so bad about it . Going there brings back memories and she’ll end up feeling very sad for days.

“When you come to Nigeria, you should visit your Dad’s grave, I’m sure you’ve been wanting to do that right?”
“Yeah,” Layla smiled sadly “I miss that man so much”
She actually wish to visit her dad’s grave, she has never visited and she has been wanting to do that for a long time but she doubt it’s going to be possible.
“I feel bad for him though, his family wasn’t even given his death gratuity after his great service to his country, after dieing for his country. That our country ehn, it’s only God that’ll help us. Well… I believe his reward is in heaven” Aunt Esther said, looking quite sad.

“I believe so too,” Layla sigh. “We would have stopped him from going for that war if we knew that’ll be the last time we’ll ever see him”
“That’s just the sad thing about death, you’ll have no idea that will be the last time you’ll be seeing someone”
“And that’s why it’s advisable to cherish every moment with the people we love”
“Exactly”
“Thanks for coming Aunt Esther”
“C’mon why should you thank me for coming. It’s something I should have done even before now, I should actually apologize to you for taking this long to visit”
“Well, I actually have my reasons for thanking you” Layla said.
“Stop jare, who thanks their Aunt for coming to visit them, you’re making me feel like you don’t think of me as your Aunt anymore but a stranger”

“No, C’mon Aunt, don’t think that way. You’re my Aunt, my sweetest Aunt now and forever”
Aunt Esther smiled. “Just exactly how you’re the sweetest niece”
“Feels good to flatter each other though” Layla said and they laugh.
Quieting their laughter almost immediately, not wanting to disrupt David’s sleep.

Layla’s phone pinged and she picked it up and smiled on seeing a text from Dan.
She replied him and dropped her phone back beside her.
“Dan right?”
“Well, yeah.” Layla said, wondering how her Aunt knew it was Dan.
She hadn’t even mention his name.
“You did not have to mention his name, I’ve only been here not quite long but I know your face only light up this way whenever it’s about him”
Layla looked sheepish immediately and her Aunt chuckled.
“You like him, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“It’s so obvious and it seems he equally likes you, I can see it with the way you both look at each other. He might approach you soon”

“He did already”
“Really? Oh, you guys are dating already, that’s cool” Aunt Esther smiled. She’s fully in support of it because Dan is a very good person and he seems just right for her niece.
“Well… We’re not dating yet, I didn’t approve of it”
“Why? Oh… you want to do small shakara. That’s fine” Aunt Esther chuckled.
“What’s shakara?” Layla asked.

“Oh, shakara. How am I going to explain it laidis… Okay, if someone says your shakara is too much, to my own understanding it means, showing off, having pride and so many other things in that aspect Sha but doing shakara in romantic aspect means another thing, it’s when a girl equally likes a guy but puts on a different front as though she’s not interested in him a bit, like,…” Aunt Esther looked to be thinking of the right word to use “Ehn ehn! forming hard to get when you actually do like the guy”

“Oh that’s what it means” Layla sigh.
“Yeah and it’s normal for ladies to do shakara whenever guys ask them out. But just make sure you don’t overdo it as long as you equally like the guy.”
Layla nodded sadly, if it hadn’t been for her health condition, she would have said yes to Dan immediately, who cares about shakara.

“I remember the days I was in the university, when David’s father who’s now my husband was asking me out. I did shakara for him ehn, he would come to my hostel every evening and on weekends, morning. Sometimes I will even refuse to see him, most times, I would keep him waiting, and it’s not because I didn’t like him o, it was because I wanted to do small shakara ni o. So, one day my roommate came back from class and told me how she had seen him with another lady and they looked quite intimate that it seems they were already dating. Meanwhile, before she walked in, I had been thinking of doing just small more shakara before finally accepting to date him. You won’t believe how much I cried that day” Aunt Esther said and they both laugh.

“My roommate scolded me and reminded me of the times he would come to see me but I will refuse to see him just because I wanted to form hard to get, I didn’t want to look cheap meanwhile I equally liked him, I couldn’t even eat properly that night, I just kept reminiscing on how I have treated the poor guy and I wished I hadn’t done that much.”
Layla chuckled “I can imagine”
“So, the next morning, it was a Saturday and he came over to my hostel again and requested to see me. Remi, this time, I didn’t waste any time in going out to meet him” Aunt Esther said and they both laugh again.

“Although when I got to him, I maintained my composure and didn’t give away the fact that I actually like him. I asked him what he was doing in my hostel, when he now has a girlfriend. I tried to speak casually, like I’m not affected a tiny bit about the fact that he now has a girlfriend. But dear, I couldn’t control expressing my jealousy, I ended up shouting at him to go meet her and leave me alone and… he looked confused and said he doesn’t know what I’m talking about or where I got the false information from. I lied that I saw him myself with his girlfriend at the school library and… he just laughed and said she was just a friend and he could take me to her if I don’t believe him, me that didn’t even recognize the girl. I told him not to worry, that I believe him. You do not know how happy I was inside of me, I didn’t lose him after all. And then he smiled and said so I equally like him and I told him no that he’s wrong but I was already bursted, he knew it and that was how our relationship started”
“Aw” Layla smiled.

“While we were dating, he told me he was actually on the verge of giving up going after me because he thought I didn’t like him. Having Femi in my life is just one of the best things that has ever happened to me. If I had lost this great guy, although it won’t stop me from meeting other guys but I’m going to feel bad about it for a very long time because I really do like him. Dating him and getting married to him has been one of my best decision till date. He has been my biggest supporter, there’s no one that has my back more than Femi does, he has being the best father to our son and the best husband to me” Aunt Esther smiled proudly.
“I know that too, Mr. Femi is a great person even to me” Layla said.
“Wow, I think you should just stick to calling him Femi, look how smoothly it rolled out of your mouth. Please don’t try to call him by his last name anymore” Aunt Esther said making them giggle.
They paused after seeing it made David stir in his sleep…

They ended up giggling quietly when they turned to face each other again.

“Hmm” Aunt Esther sigh deeply after they stopped giggling, rubbing her son’s back gently.

“Is there anything wrong?” Layla asked worriedly, it seems as though her Aunt’s mood suddenly changed.
“Yeah, I’m… bothered”
“Why?” Layla sat up immediately, alarmed at what it could be to make her Aunt look this sad.

“You know David is ten right and is going to be eleven soon”
“Yeah, I know that. Is something wrong with David?” Layla panicked.
“No, he is fine but you know since I… gave birth to him, I’ve not been able to have any other… child, my husband and I already went for series of medical tests already and we’re both fine medically, so we just decided to wait, if another child comes..fine and if not, it’s fine also. We do not mind David being our only child but for some time now,…” She swallowed hard and then continued in a shaky voice ” It might sound dumb to you because you’re not familiar with this sort of thing but My husband’s relatives are not having any of it, they’ve been on my neck for a while now, I’m not being given breathing space. They want another child from me and… they come over almost everyday to… threaten me that something bad is going to happen to me if I don’t give birth to another child”
“What! What the hell! Really? Who does that?!” Layla expressed her shock and anger at the same time.
“You mean, you’re literally being choked, pressurized, threatened because you’ve not had any other child asides Dave?” Layla furrowed her brows.
Aunt Esther nodded.
“Are you sure their mental health is in check? No one in their right senses would pressurize someone over what they absolutely have no control over, who pressures someone to give birth to another child! No one has the right to pressurize anyone to give birth to another child! That’s ridiculous. No one should be pressurized over anything and not even over a matter such as having a child!” Layla looked pissed.
“At least you have a child! What more do they want, having another child or not should not be any of their business, you’re not married to them but your husband who’s fine with you having just a child”

“According to them, having a child is just the same as being barren”
“Oh My God! For real Aunt, they need to be examined seriously, they are not normal! A normal person won’t think that way, trust me”
“I keep getting reminded evertime that anything could happen to my son sooner or later and then I’ll leave my husband with no child to father and… I’m just so scared, what if…” She sniffed back tears “What if… something really happens to David” Aunt Esther wiped her tears, stroking her son’s face gently.

“Nothing is going to happen to David! how can you give in to the pressure coming from a certain set of dumb people who obviously have no idea about life. Aunt, they need to be sued, you don’t make life hard on someone and just walk freely and not be punished for it. No! If they don’t get sued, they’ll keep coming back”
Aunt Esther smiled, “Things are not as easy over there as it might seem here, I do actually stand up to them whenever they come over and act unaffected by their words but deep down, it’s the opposite. I act all strong and unbothered to their face but just cry when they leave”

“You guys shouldn’t let them into your home anymore and if they still try to come in, you know that thing called… ” Layla looked like she was trying to remember something. “Yeah! That thing called horse whip you once told me about… Whenever they try to come into your home. Whip them hard with it”
Aunt Esther couldn’t help but burst into laughter which ended up almost waking David, she had to pat him back to sleep, still laughing though not as loud.

“That’s what you should do. Believe me, they would stop pestering you”
“Moremi, I can’t whip my in-laws with horse whip, that’ll be disrespectful and I’ll be tagged a bad wife” Aunt Esther said, giggling.
Layla felt kind of glad to have made her laugh.

“But to be sincere, they are being so unfair and unkind to you” Layla said, unhappy that her Aunt is going through this and the fact that she can’t help is even more sad.
“Right. And I’m so grateful for the type of husband I have, I would have broken down completely if not for him, he stands up to them, gives it back to them hot and they would only come over when he’s away at work and if I should tell him when he gets back, then they are really in for it. Sometimes, I even avoid telling him because I don’t want wahala. Although my husband has my back but I’m just fed of everything, I’m tired” She sigh.
Layla pulled her into a hug, rubbed her back gently and told her everything will be fine.

“You’re actually sad because you choose to be, if you decide to be happy then you will be regardless of what anyone says or do, caring about what people say is a chronic Joy robber, as long as you and your husband are fine with David being the only child, then anyone else’s opinion shouldn’t matter, you own your life Aunt, don’t allow anyone rule it for you. David is a wonderful child and nothing is going to go wrong with him. Laugh in their faces whenever they come to taunt you again, make them realise you are happy with or without another child, tell them to fucking mind their own business and repair their broken lives. Just choose to be happy and that’s it”

“Aw,” Aunt Esther smiled proudly, hugging Layla tighter “Omoremi temi nikan (My own one and only Moremi) I love you so much, oshey okomi( Thank you my darling) . I’m so proud of the person you’ve become. Wow, did my little niece of then just lift my mood and change my thinking with her wise words? I’m a very proud Aunt”
Layla smiled “There are days you also lifted my mood, what I just did cannot even be compared to what you’ve done for me”
“I’m just so glad I opened up to you, is that how I would have returned to Lagos and continue giving those people the chance to make life miserable for me. Eh God! Thank you my love”
“I’m happy to have helped”
“My mind is finally at rest after all these while. Words are indeed powerful. My husband is going to be so glad if I should tell him this” Aunt Esther smiled happily, Layla had completely changed her thinking for the better.

“Mr. …” Layla paused, teasing her Aunt.
“Please don’t tell me you are about to pronounce his last name”
“Well I am. Mr. …” Layla was saying and they both laugh when Aunt Esther covered her ears.
“Gosh, am I that bad at it?” Layla asked.
“Don’t worry, I’m going to teach you how to pronounce it tomorrow, it’s very late now, we should go to bed”
“That’s true and we even have a trip for tomorrow”
“Yeah”

They’ve all booked their mobile tickets to the Grand Canyon West Rim tomorrow on a luxury bus tour.

“Odààro (Good night)” Layla said, smiling as she got under the blanket.
“Wow, that’s impressive, I only said that word to you yesterday and you already can pronounce it smoothly, I’m sure you’ll not have much problem with learning Yoruba”
“Of course, that’s my father’s language, it’s inborn” Layla said, looking proud of herself.
“Ah, look at her mouth. You better don’t get flattered too much” Aunt Esther said and they both laugh.

“Ohhhhhh, you people are making noise jhoor” David said, with closed eyes.
Aunt Esther and Layla glanced at him and then back at each other..

They burst into laughter again…

***

“Yeahhhhhh!!” Fel shouted happily as she drove past Dan’s car, while Layla and Anne laugh sticking out their tongue at Dan and Rylan as Fel’s car sped past them.
They were all on their way to the designated hotel where they would meet the driver that’ll drive them on the bus tour to West Rim.
Layla was seated in the front with Fel while Anne and Aunt Esther were seated in the backseat. David is in Dan’s car with Rylan.
They’ve been in the car race since they left the house, Dan and Fel kept overtaking each other and it’s been fun so far even though Aunt Esther is not so happy about it.

“Shey this thing you people are doing is not dangerous laidis” She said worriedly for the umpteenth time, she had shouted Blood of Jesus when they first started and they had all laugh, she didn’t stop expressing her worry.
Fel and Dan were driving real fast, trying to overtake each other and even though they were all finding it fun, it’s not fun to her at all.

“Aunt Esther, it’s nothing, just be calm and enjoy the ride” Anne said.
“Yeah, if only you can just put your mind at rest, you’ll find it fun” Layla said.
“Hmm” She sigh, trying to keep her mind at rest like they said but her mind did not even rest a bit.

“Shit!” They groaned when Dan overtook them.

“Ehyyy! Èyin Òmò Yii! (You these children!)” Aunt Esther shouted, looking so scared when Fel suddenly swerved the car to the right. She suddenly swerved to the left again and Aunt Esther started shouting that she’s going to get down if they don’t stop racing.
Anne couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
“Aunt! Chill, we are almost there” Layla said.
“Oluwa o, Sé mi sí mòto wò bayi (God o, hope I’ve not entered the wrong car like this)”

Fel was so concentrated and focused on overtaking Dan before they get to the gate of the hotel and she succeeded.
They squealed in joy till she drove into the hotel and parked the car.
“Thank you Jesus” Aunt Esther muttered under her breath, finally letting out her breath.
They all stepped out of the car.
Dan drove in almost immediately too and they alighted when he parked the car.

Fel and the girls smiled triumphantly as they watch them approach.
“You couldn’t even park your car properly” Rylan scoffed.
“We intentionally left you to overtake us” Dan rolled his eyes and they laugh.
“Well… whatever you guys say doesn’t change the fact that we overtook you guys, I know it’s quite painful but just accept it” Fel grinned mockingly.
“Who knows… we might let you guys win another time” Anne smiled.
“Yeah, perhaps in decades to come” Layla said and they laugh.

“E remain small, we would have win you people” David said.
“So you too you like it ehn” Aunt Esther raised her brow at her son.
“Yes na, it was fun” He giggled…
“See mouth like kettle, you and rough play are kuku five and six” She said.
“OMG, did you just compare his mouth to kettle?” Dan asked in disbelief before they all started laughing.

“David, your Mum was so scared” Layla said after they finally stopped laughing.
“That’s how she use to do at home too, if we enter Maruwa (tricycle) she’ll be telling the driver not to speed too much”
Aunt Esther smiled, children really notice everything.
“What’s Maruwa?” Rylan asked.
“Of course you should know it’s a means of transportation, your brain should at least tell you that” Fel said.
” I wasn’t talking to you, you should actually learn to put your mouth in place” Rylan said.
“Oh please guys, don’t start. Look, the tour guides and the driver are waiting for us already. Let’s go” Dan said.
“The way the both of you argue, it’s like you like each other” Aunt Esther smiled.
“No way! I can’t like someone like him who eats a whole pie in a bite” Fel said, with a roll of eyes.
“I can’t like someone whose mouth is like kettle either” Rylan said and God knows they all tried not to laugh but they couldn’t.

They all laughed really hard, not minding that Fel doesn’t seem happy about it.

………………

ZEEMAH