It was late at night and Toun sat on her matrimonial bed with books, pictures and papers around her and some on the lamp table. She have a case later in the day which she was preparing for. Her Ipad was also lying on her thigh with a piece of her earpiece in her left ear. Nathaniel was fast alseep at her back where he occupy quarter of the bed. He was snoring lightly but not loud enough to disturb her work.
She had stopped working and was deep in thought. She had a lot of things on her mind aside from the case she had and that was making her not to concentrate on her work.
She was still staring at empty space, deep in thought with arms folded on her chest when Nathaniel stirred awake behind her. He turned around on the bed as his eyes accommodate to the small light in the room. He was already used to sleeping with light on because of Toun. She finishes most of her work at night and she needs the light to work. Before he marry her, he loves sleeping in total darkness but he was used to it already.
He noticed her posture on the bed and he could tell that she was thinking about something.
"What's wrong?" He asked in a husky voice.
Toun who was woken from her cloud of thought on hearing her husband question, turned to look at him and answered. "Nothing. I'm preparing for tomorrow case." She answered.
He didn't say anything but rubbed his eyes.
"Go back to sleep, I'm fine. I'm almost done." She told him and she turned back to her work. She pretended to take a folder in front of her.
Nathaniel stood up from the bed as quietly as he could, then he went to the toilet. Few minutes later, he returned to the room. Toun was looking through some pictures when he walked in. He climbed back on the bed but he didn't lay on it to sleep rather he sat on it looking at his wife.
"What's wrong Adetoun?" He asked, surprising his wife.
She looked at him quizzically.
"I'm fine. Nothing is wrong. Just working on this case. It's a bit tough because the evidence doesn't seem strong enough."
"I know you can handle that. I trust you but I am not talking about your work." He said, adjusting his position on the bed.
"What else do you want me to be doing up at this time if not work. As you can see... all this papers and books." She said gesturing to them.
"I did not hear sounds of papers."
She laughed lightly. "You were sleeping."
"But I'm not deaf. You know I don't sleep too deeply." She didn't reply because she knew it was the truth. "What's wrong dear?"
She finally decided to open up to him. He was the only one she trusted most to confine in.
"I'm kind of worried Hun." She finally said.
Nathaniel faced turned concern and he moved close to her.
"What is it about?" He asked with sincere concern.
"It had been a month since Eunice visit and I didn't hear anything from dad or mom. In fact, they've been so quiet. Even mom don't call me like she do anymore. And that is very usual. I don't like Eunice last words to me. And I know my sister so well. She will do anything to report me to dad. But I haven't heard anything from them."
"What if she didn't tell them anything? She might have had a change of mind you know." Nathaniel said.
Toun shook her head in disagreement.
"No. I know Eunice very well. She will gladly report me to dad. Her last words proved it."
"You can't say, she might have thought about it and decided not to tell on us." Nathaniel sound convincing.
Toun exhaled deeply. "I don't know Nathan. I am not so sure of that. I'm just so worried about what dad will do. He shouldn't be so quiet for long if he had heard about us."
Nathaniel said nothing. Instead he pulled his wife closer and pat her gently.
"He is going to find out sooner or later. We just have to pray that he will learn to accept us. Don't worry it all going to be fine." He assured her.
"I hope so. I really do. I'm scared of what he might do to you. I don't want to lose you."
"You are not going to lose me." He said confidently. Although inside of him, he was as scared as her if not worst. He just have to believe and stay strong for them. "It is going to be alright. Aren't you done with your work? You need to sleep."
"I'm almost done."
"You should sleep. You will continue with that tomorrow morning." He said to her. She nodded in agreement.
Nathaniel shifted from her side and he helped her arrange the paper and books in a pile then he placed them on the floor beside the bed. Toun smiled in appreciation.
"Thank you. "
"Don't worry about that. Common lie down and sleep." He said pulling her closer to him. She layed bside him, resting her head on his chest while he wrap his hand around her.
He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"You should not worry about that okay? Everything is going to be fine someday. Rest your head. You have a big case ahead of you tomorrow."
She nodded in reply.
"I love you." She said quietly to him.
"I love you more." And he kissed her again on her head.
He patted her back until she finally fall asleep. Despite he was also tired and need to sleep because of his twelve hours shift at work early in the morning, he could not sleep. What Toun told him made him really concern and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
*****
Mr Joseph was in his living room with his wife and fortunately his second daughter had come visiting. He had not been in good mood since he received the information from his PI. He still couldn't comprehend everything. He was still finding it hard to believe his daughter would go behind him to do all that. That she would go against him.
His wife, Mrs Mopelola had noticed his mood when he came in. He even return home earlier than usual. He had sat moping in his private chamber when he came in refusing to eat.
She gave him space for a while and later walked up to his room when their last daughter came.
He sat them both down and decided to share the news he got.
"... That is what Toun did." He finished explaining everything to them.
"You thought I was joking when I told you dad." Eunice complained, a bit hurt. Her father glanced at her.
"It was hard to believe. I'm sorry I doubted you." He apologized to her and she nodded in understanding.
"So you are both telling me that my daughter... Toun is married and have a child?" Mrd Mopelola asked no one in particular. She was obviously hurt and still trying to understand everything.
"Yes mom. I'm even surprised about the child. She didn't mention the child." Eunice replied her.
"So you knew about this too? Since when? And why didn't you tell me." The woman yelled at her daughter and Eunice shifted uncomfortably on her seat.
"You don't have to blame the girl. I asked her not to tell you anything." Mr Joseph defended his daughter.
Eunice was surprised that her father sided with her. The truth was he didn't ask her not to tell her mother about it. She had gone to him first to tell the news about Toun secret marriage but he had cut her off and warned her to stop saying silly things about her elder sister. She was so hurt by the way he dismissed her and didn't believe what she said. She knew her mother would think the same way as her husband so she didn't bother telling her. They always believe her elder sister and it would be hard to believe her. So she decided to look for evidence that she could use to prove to her father that she was telling the truth. Then she would also tell her mother. She always agreed on everything with her husband.
But fortunately, her father had done his own findings and she was proved right.
The corner of her lips curved up into a self satisfied smile and she felt proud and accomplished.
"Why would you let her keep such a thing from me? I'm their mother and I ought to know about it too." She complained bitterly to her husband.
But he didn't look fazed by the emotional display of his wife.
"Mom, you know now. The question is what are we going to do about it." Eunice told her mother.
"How could Toun do this to me. Why would she do this to us. She have a child and get married while lying to our face. I train her better than this." Mrs Mopelola soliloquize without replying her daughter.
"Sister Toun is just so unbelievable. I don't know why she would do that to us. I'm very sure that guy did something to my sister." She sounded convincing.
"That bastard make my own daughter go against me." Mr Joseph soliloquize and he shook his head.
"Who does that boy thinks he is?" Mrs Mopelola asked no one in particular.
"That poor pathetic thing even impregnate my daughter while she was still in school." Mr Joseph shook his head again, tapping his foot against the ground.
"That guy must have use voodoo or something on sister Toun. How could she marry a man that does not have a life. Worst of it all is that he does not even have a car and a good job. He is a factory worker can you believe that dad?" Her father gave her questioning look. She understood what he meant. "I did my findings. I wanted to show you evidence."
The old man sighed.
"Out of all the men in this world, why would Toun stoop so low for that kind of man?" Mrs Mopelola spoke and she closed her eyes, shaking her head. It was just so hard for her to believe.
She had always thought her daughter was very close to her and would tell her everything. But she was wrong about everything. Toun had a child while she was in university and she hid it from her. She didn't even noticed it. And she never mentioned it either. And she had to go against her father to marry the same man he didn't give his permission to.
It was so hard to comprehend what had gotten into her daughter. She was so sure that the man had been influencing her negatively and her daughter would never do such a thing while in her right mind.
"I told you that we should never let her go to that school. She should have go to a private university like I do." Eunice said.
"You were right." Her father agreed. "We gave Toun too much freedom. I just have let her go to a private university or better still abroad when I knew about that nuisance that she call a man. I should have just sent her abroad."
"We can't blame ourselves. She had been a good kid amd the only thing she ever ask from us was to go a public university. It's that too much to do?"
"But mom that is what lead her to the pathetic man. They met in that school and that is where he brainwash her." Eunice said. The woman shook her head miserably.
"I have to do some thing about this. I won't let my first daughter embrass me in front of my colleagues. I definitely won't allow that. Sooner or later, people will start asking questions and what am I supposed to tell them? That my daughter is married to the son of nobody. Impossible. I will never allow that. I didn't destroy my father's name and nor will my own child. I've got to do something."
"You really have to dad. Sis Toun believes she is in love whereas that guy has use something on her. God knows what he is planning." Eunice added.
Her mother sat upright and faced her husband. "So what do you plan to do now because I agree with you. Toun is bringing shame into this house and we can't allow it. She can't continue marrying that man who can't give her the kind of life she deserves. It is even a shame and a taint to the Adebiyis' name."
Her husband heaved a sigh. "I have been thinking about it. I will have to meet that so called Nathaniel again and whatever comes out of our meeting determines the next step."
"Are you planning on accepting him?" Eunice asked and her father threw her a glare. She immediately curled back and apologized silently. "Sorry dad."
"Let's wait until then." The man concluded.
*****
Toun came home earlier than usual from work that day. She decided to come home to spend the rest of the day with her family. Her husband had did a night shift the other night so he would be home during the day. It was a good time to spend time with her family.
She met her husband and his mother in the living room watching a soap opera when she came in. She went over to greet her mother in law before going to embrace her husband.
"You are early today." Her mother in-law said with a smile.
"Yes ma. I decided to come home after the hearing. There is not much to do at work." She said smiling at Nathaniel.
"So how was work today?" The woman asked.
"I bless God. It was successful."
Mrs Allyson nodded before looking away from the couple back to her movie.
"You're looking good this afternoon." Nathaniel compliments his wife brushing her weaves away from her face.
She blushed. "You're making me blush."
"Well I can't help it. My wife is looking gorgeous. So how did your case went today?"
"Perfect. I'm so grateful for that."
"That is why you are beaming. Anyway, I'm happy for you."
"Thank you." She grinned at him before placing a kiss on his lips. And Nathaniel smiled back.
There was sound coming from the room. Someone was playing the guitar.
Nathaniel was telling Toun something when she began to hear some sound . Then her eyes went to the spot where Nathaniel keeps his functioning guitar in the living room. It was nowhere to be found. And she turned back to him.
"Honey where is your guitar?" She asked. Nathaniel looked at the spot where he used to place his guitar, then he smiled.
"With someone." He replied. Nathaniel had noticed Toun scanning the room for something but he didn't what it was until she asked and then it dawn on him. It was then he remembered that his daughter was playing the guitar in her room.
"Someone? Who? I'm hearing someone playing the guitar."
Nathaniel laughed at her question. "I haven't play the guitar in a long time. I've been so busy so someone who need it is using it."
"Then who is playing the guitar?" Toun asked. Mrs Allyson had turned to their direction. She also have an identical smile on her face as her son.
"Guess who?"
"Don't tell me...." She looked from her husband to his mother and they had a small smile on their faces. "Oh my God! My baby!"
She quickly stood up and ran to her mother in law room. She share the same room with their daughter since she was too young to stay in her room.
She entered the room. Annabelle was sitting on the big bed with her father guitar hang around her neck. The guitar was big for her small legs. She was singing quietly while playing the guitar. She adjusted her glasses and continued with her song oblivious of her mother's presence.
Toun watched her daughter singing and playing the guitar in awe. She covered her mouth with her hands holding back the tears that threatened to fall down her eyes. She sniffed quietly and then clap her hands as she watched the girl end the song she was singing.
The young girl looked up and she was obviously surprise to see her mother. She beamed on seeing her mother standing at the entrance with a broad smile on her face.
"Mommy!" She exclaimed. And Toun walked up to her, taking a seat beside her. Then she embraced her daughter.
"How are you darling?" She asked the little girl.
"I'm fine mom. You came early today."
"Yes, I want to spend time with you and your dad." She told the young girl. The girl smiled. "I didn't know you have started playing the guitar."
"Dad teach when he was always at home and I learn at piano class too." The girl said to her mother.
"That's awesome darling. I'm so proud of you." She compliment her.
"Thank you mommy. I can also play the piano a little." She emphasized with her little finger.
"Wow!" She exclaimed.
"But I'm not good as Shedrack. He can play it more than I do."
"Who is Shedrack?"
"My classmates. His mother is my tutor at the piano class."
"I'm sure you will be as good as Shedrack too. Look at you, you can play the guitar, sing and also play the piano. That is just amazing. I'm so proud of you my dear."
"Thanks mom."
Toun grinned proudly. "Don't worry, we will get you a piano so you can practice with it at home."
"Really mom?" She asked.
"Yes darling."
She pulled her arms around her mom, hugging her. "Thank you mommy. I love you so much."
"I love you more my darling." She patted the girl's back and then kissed her head.
When she finally pulled away, she smiled at the little girl proudly, rubbing her small face softly.
"You were so good. Kudos darling. Will you play for mommy again?"
She nodded joyfully and quickly. She adjusted the big guitar on her thigh.
"I will get you a smaller guitar soon, okay?" The girl nodded in reply.
"I will like that mom."
"Good." She patted her hair while the girl positioned her hand on the guitar to start playing.
Just in that moment, Nathaniel came in and he stood at the entrance leaning on the door post. And he watched his little daughter play the guitar for her mother while his wife grinned proudly at her.
He stood watching his family happily while they listened to Annabelle play.
Toun could not stop smiling and her eyes were filled with tears as she listen proudly as her daughter play the guitar. She was sure she would be a better version of her father some day.
She was sad she never knew her daughter could play so well. She pay for her tuition fee. She knew her father teaches her and she attends a music school after school but she never heard her play and not so well. But now she knows, she would do anything to make her build her talent because this same gift is one of the reason she met and fell in love with her father.
"I owe you a big gift." She told the girl and the little girl beamed at her mother.