Ni was racing through the supermarket, trying to escape the little boy chasing him. He ran to the exit, made it past security and launched full speed to the parking lot, barely missing a young lady pushing a cart.

His phone rang. He reached for it in his pocket. It was Tola, his sister. Strange. He didn’t recognize the phone or the model. But it was a Samsung.

“Tola, you wouldn’t believe what just happened? He launched mid-run.”

“I wouldn’t? Try me.”

“A boy… about 7 years old… is chasing me… through the aisles of the supermarket… he’s been shouting after me! Calling me Daddy”

He laughed just then.

“Emi Daddy? Emi Omo boy that just started life.”

“Ni, are you okay? Is everything alright? That’s Pemisire. YOUR SON! Where are you?”

Nishola stopped running. He looked around him, confused as he saw the little boy running towards him, still at a distance.

He took a few minutes to catch his breath. The boy caught up to him just then.

“Daddy, why did you run away? You left me inside”

Ni looked at the boy again. He did have the famous Williams ears and jaws slightly like his. But that was all he could see that connected him to this boy who otherwise was a stranger.

How could he have a son? He looked at the boy again. He didn’t look like Nike. When did he marry Nike? He suddenly looked at his hands, there was a marriage band. He had no memory of a wedding. He searched his mind. Nothing. He couldn’t remember anything. He started to get frantic. So he has a wedding band. He looked at the boy. And he has a son too. So he is married. He had a wedding. But with who? His last memory was…

***

Ni. So because of Nike now, I don’t exist anymore. Na wa o. We had it great that year sha.

Yeah, we did. See you around babe.

Ah ahn! Ni, wait now. I have a party tonight. You can come with Nike too. I promise I’ll be good, no drama.

Ni remembered the last time he had seen Wande. It was the day he had ended whatever-this-thing-was with her. He didn’t want to start a relationship with Nike while she was still in his life. He needed to make a life decision, one that didn’t have Wande as a permanent feature.

Wande was a popular social butterfly in school and she was a great girl for fun times. However, he didn’t see a lifetime with her. There was just that something that stopped him from going all the way. He couldn’t really pinpoint it. He and Wande had never named their relationship so for him, that was a good thing. However, he had heard Wande whisper to others that he was her boyfriend. He hadn’t minded then, they were having sex anyway. Until Nike.

Jolted back to the present and the party invitation, he said: “I really can’t promise anything Wande. But I’ll try.”

That night he had attended the party with Nike and he remembered having the best time of his life. Alcohol had flowed, his favourite Orijin Herbal Gin had slapped different that night. There were mutual friends around and he had danced with Nike. Nike had excused herself to use the bathroom and there was Wande on the dance floor. And together, they had danced and danced and…

***

“Daddy, can we go home now? I don’t want ice cream anymore”, Pemisire interrupted his thoughts.

He was jolted back to the present. Home. Where is home? He checked around his pocket for his keys. His hands touched metal. He took them out of his pocket. It was a Mercedez. When did he buy a Mercedez? He was Jeep guy, why would he own a Mercedez?

“Daddy, are you okay? Should I call mummy?”

Mummy? Who is mummy? Adenike? Thoughts were racing through his mind faster than a Nascar.

Phone. His phone. He searched through his contacts until the word “Wifey” popped up. He dialled just as he pressed the car key. A white mercedez SUV responded. An image popped on screen as his mind registered the image on the phone. The little boy dashed for the car. He stopped short as he recognized the face on the screen.

It was Wande.
***

support the blog!