Short Story: Oluwatomiyin IV

Hello! Welcome to this space!  If you’re new here, you’re in for a treat! If you’ve been here before, you know what to do: relax, sit back, kick up your feet and enjoy the new installment of the short story titled, “Oluwatomiyin.” Be sure to catch up on the last three installments if haven’t done so already. 

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I  reread every line and each page repeatedly. I felt every emotion she felt with every word that I read. I felt like I went back in time as I read those pages. I felt for her, I loved her. Ultimately I made up my mind to forgive her. 

I held on to that notebook like a prized possession. It was all I had to connect me to my mother. It was my best kept secret; I didn't tell anyone what I've discovered. I didn't want to share; I wanted it all to myself. It was a great feeling...I found a missing piece of my identity.

Well that feeling didn't last long. Every night it was my daily ritual to read a page or two of my treasured notebook before drifting off into deep sleep. On this particular day, I broke the rules and decided to read a few pages right before my after school nap. I read the love letter that she wrote to me for the umpteenth time and started having sweet dreams in a matter of seconds.

Big mummy had been calling my name for some time, but I was knocked out. I didn't hear a thing. She came bursting through the door of my room. "Tomiyin! Tomiyin! Are you okay? I've been calling you!” I jumped out of bed suddenly as my beloved notebook fell to the ground. I quickly grabbed it, trying to tuck it under my pillow while hoping that she didn't notice it. 

"I'm sorry ma, I didn't realize that I was so tired...I didn't hear you ma."

"What are you hiding?"

"Ma?"

"You heard me, what book is that? Why are you hiding it?"

Before I could answer her question, she grabbed it.

She instantly began to read it. As she read it, I saw that her facial expression began to transform when she realized what it was and who the author was.

She couldn't take it any longer; she sat down on the bed beside me and held the notebook to her chest. All of a sudden, tears began to roll down her face. I sat there stunned, I didn't know what to do or say.

After crying for a few minutes, she caught her breath and began to apologize.

"I'm sorry dear, I should have told you all this while but I didn't know how."

"Please forgive me."

I was still stunned; I really didn't understand why she was apologizing. Without uttering a word, I hugged her and laid my head on her chest. We both wept, after a while there were no more tears and we both sat there quietly. To make it worse the power went out in the midst of our tears, not only were we both overwhelmed with emotion, but we were both sweating profusely also.

"Big mummy, it's okay. How was your outing? Let me make you something to eat."

The subject had been successfully changed. In no time, we were all laughs as we enjoyed our bowls of fresh fish pepper soup and boiled yam accompanied with chilled bottles of Malta.

After eating, I washed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. Afterwards, I went on to do my homework and then I decided to watch television while we still had power. Grandma joined me as we laughed hysterically while watching a Nollywood film starring Funke Akindele. She was one of my favorite actresses.

By the time the movie ended, it was way past my bed time. Big mummy and I prayed together as we always did and went our separate ways. I spent the next few minutes thinking about what took place earlier. The emotions that filled those few moments after my big secret was let loose gave me goose bumps.

There had to be more to the story then what was written on those pages...

To be continued....

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

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Short Story: Oluwatomiyin III

Hello! Thanks for stopping by today!!!

I hope that you've been enjoying this short story so far. Be sure to check out part one and part two if you haven't done so already.

ENJOY part three below!

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When I first asked the question that big mommy failed to answer, I was eight. I never bothered asking her again. The truth is I was afraid to know the answer. In my mind, my world was perfect. I didn't want anything to mess it up. Big mommy's response was enough to shut me up forever.

Now at the age of ten, I guess the Gods deemed it the right time for me to discover my true identity. After a long day at school, I just wanted to sleep. When I arrived big mommy wasn't home. I quickly changed out of my school uniform and headed to the kitchen. I opened the fridge but didn't like any of the options; and I was too lazy to cook something new. I opened up the cupboard and grabbed a packet of indomie noodles. I tossed it into a pot along with chopped onions and peppers, just the way I liked it! I added an egg to the pot and shut the lid tight. After about 15 minutes, I added the seasoning package and a teaspoon of crayfish.

Ten minutes later, my belly was singing "Hallelujah...Hallelujah...Hallelujah". I was full and satisfied! The next thing on my agenda was SLEEP! Oh how excited I was to lay my head on my pillow and begin to count sheep. As I laid on my bed and prepared myself to sleep, I heard something drop to the floor. I looked down and it was the notebook from that morning. I wanted to ignore it and shut my eyes but something told me to pick it up.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as I lifted myself from the bed; I finally picked up the notebook. I opened the first page and the hand writing looked quite similar to mine, but it definitely wasn't my book. The notebook was old as the pages had turned a slight shade of yellow. After reading the first page, I couldn't put the notebook down. Page after page unfolded the mystery of my identity.

The notebook belonged to my birth mom. She told her story, her emotions laced in every letter that she wrote. She was distraught. Her life changed in a matter of seconds because of a costly mistake. Her parents sent her away and the love of her life denied her and her unborn child. She seemed hopeless and uncertain about the future. She wanted to be happy about me but she couldn't. She tried to get rid of me but I didn't budge. She just wanted to be a normal teenager. But now she had to be responsible. She couldn't continue her education, she couldn't see her friends anymore, she felt like her life was over.

Her days were filled with daydreams as she nurtured me in her belly. All she did was eat and sleep, big mommy didn't allow her to lift a finger. Jumoke Ogunrayo felt empty; she felt all alone. The whole world had turn their backs on her, except big mommy.

As my kicks got stronger with each passing month, she began to see a fragment of light at the end of the tunnel. She said that it all started to feel real and she suddenly felt some excitement as my due date drew closer. She couldn't place a finger on the origin of her excitement but she welcomed that feeling. 

She explained the day I was born word for word. She said I was beautiful. I had my dad's nose and hair but everything else was all hers! She said that tears of joy streamed down her face as she carried me in her arms for the first time. She said that I was her prized possession. She couldn't believe that I was hers!

She wrote me this letter: 

Oluwatomiyin, I love you with all of my heart. Thank you for making me a mother. You are perfect, you are adorable, you are so beautiful. I have to admit that this past nine months have been rough. Everyone made me feel like I made a mistake when I created you. I felt that way also for a very long time. But as I look into your eyes, I know that you're far from a mistake. You are a gift from above. I will love and cherish you forever my lovely daughter.

My eyes welled up with tears as I read those words. She loved me? Wow! I didn't know if I should be happy or sad. Her words seemed genuine but her actions didn't align. Why did she disappear if she really loved me?

The answer wasn't far fetched. After reading the next few pages, I discovered what happened. After six months of caring for me, her parents sent for her. She was ecstatic! They had forgiven her and wanted her back in their lives. Her excitement was very evident as she counted down the days to the reunion on the pages of that notebook. 

About a week to the reunion, her excitement fizzled. After a phone conversation with her mom, she was informed that I wouldn't be going back with her. Her mom told her that she had to finish her education and I'd be too much of a distraction. She was crushed, she complained to big mommy and cried herself to sleep countless times. Big mommy reassured her that it was for good. She told her that once she was educated, she'd be able to take better care of me. That stirred her up, she was determined to finish school and come back for me.

But that never happened.

To be continued...

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Short Story: Oluwatomiyin II

Hello!

Welcome to today's  blog post!

I started a short story series a few weeks ago titled "Oluwatomiyin" [translation: My God is enough for me to praise]. If you haven't done so already, please read the first installment here.

Enjoy the second installment below:


My mom nursed me for six months and off she went to continue her life like nothing happened. I stayed back in the village with my great grandmother. I referred to my great grandmother as big mommy. My mother came around once a year during the Christmas holiday. She'd bring me lots of gifts and spend two days with me. I never knew that she was the one who gave birth to me; big mommy told me to call her 'small mommy'.

I loved her gifts more than her company. Most times she'd stare at me for moments without end. Her eyes would be filled with  tears that threatened to escape down the side of her cheeks. I'd just smile at her and give her a big hug. I would do anything to see her smile. I was a happy child, I always flinched at the sight of sadness. She would hugged me tightly in return and whisper that she loved me in my ear. In a few seconds, she'd have a pseudo smile on her face. 

At the age of six, small mommy's visits suddenly stopped. I missed the gifts and her hugs. I cried on the first Christmas without her. Big mommy consoled me with biscuits (cookies) and sweets (candy), I eventually got over it. After some time, I forgot about small mommy. When memories of our time together would cross my mind, I'd brush them aside and focus on something else. 

*****

Big mommy was the absolute best. Her love for me was extravagant. I never lacked anything. One day while playing outside with my friends Sharon and Mercy. Big mommy called my name "Oluwatomiyin! Oluwatomiyin! Ni bolo wa?" [Translation: Oluwatomiyin! Oluwatomiyin! Where are you)]. I was two houses away. I stood up immediately and replied, "Maaaa, mo gbo" [Translation: Yes ma'am, I'm coming.] Before I scurried off, Sharon said "Tomi, come why is your mum so old? Are you sure that's your mum?" For the first time ever, I realized that she was much older than my friend's mothers. She was even older than my teachers. I shrugged it off and ran straight home. 

Later on after dinner, Sharon's question popped up in my mind once again. After washing the dishes, I headed to big mommy's room to give her a good night kiss. Before I could stopped myself, I asked "Big mommy, who's my mum? Are you really my mum?" She smiled heartily and replied, "I knew this day would come, but I'll give you the answer when you're old enough to understand." "Oluwatomiyin, just know that I love you and that you'll always be my baby." She hugged me and asked me to close the door behind me when I left.

I went to my room and cried myself to sleep. I'm not sure why I cried but I suddenly felt incomplete. I felt alone. What did big mommy mean? Wasn't she my mother? These questions hunted me until I discovered a diary two years later. I was running late for school, as I hurriedly put on my earring the back piece fell to the ground and rolled under the wardrobe. I hissed in annoyance and got on all fours. My eyes scanned back and forth repeatedly until I saw it glistening beside a notebook. I quickly grabbed it as my hand brushed against the notebook. I grabbed the notebook and tossed it on my bed. I clasped the back piece and my earring together and ran off.

To be continued....

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt