Chapter 3 Her Ex Husband

The week had proved to be hectic. More than usual because of a certain someone, and she was looking forward to her girl's night with her sister and her one best friend, Ini. All three were mothers but Amaka was the only single pea in this pod. Her two friends were married and so the kids would be with their husbands, Emeka included. She felt it was good for him, at least he got to have a fatherly feel once in a month.

Amaka looked at the clock, it was almost 7:00 pm, she stood from her seat and slid into his office, dropping the last of the files on his desk.

"Goodnight sir." Amaka begins to walk out of his office when she hears him call out to her.

"Yes, sir?"

Dolapo was silent for some seconds before he waved his hand dismissively. Amaka huffed and went to her desk, quickly picking up her bag and running to the elevator before he said or did something to make her stay more.

She got into her car and tried starting it up but it wouldn't. Amaka got out of the car and popped open the bonnet, trying all she knew how to do but the car wouldn't start.

"Do you need a little help?"

Amaka's heart nearly dropped into her stomach when she heard the voice directly behind her. she turned her head around, her hands still on the bonnet, and saw Dolapo standing behind her. She rolled her eyes and went back to trying to make the car start.

"No."

Dolapo just smiled faintly and leaned on the side of his car and admired her body from behind. She had gained weight. The good kind and it had gone straight to where they were needed, she was thicker now than she was seven years ago. He had to close his eyes and shake his head to rid himself of the thoughts that were beginning to invade his senses.

Amaka was aware of Dolapo eyes on her and it made her hot and very uncomfortable. She slammed the bonnet shut and marched around to the driver's side to fetch her bag and blazer. She would have to take the dreaded yellow buses. She ignored Dolapo and began walking towards the gates when she was pulled back into a hard chest. She immediately moved away from him and kept as much distance as she could between them.

"What is the meaning of this, sir?"

"Get in the car, Amaka, I'll take you home." Dolapo pulled the car keys from his pocket and unlocked the Venza, opening the passenger seat for her to get in.

"No."

"Amaka..."

"Besides, you don't know where I live."

"I am the boss, Amaka. Just in case I need to remind you, and I have all your information. So, yes, I know where you live."

Amaka had forgotten about that part, or maybe she just thought that he wouldn't be interested in knowing where she lived. She was wrong. Then there was Emeka, she couldn't risk him knowing about him. At least not yet. She looked from him to his car and back, trying to make a decision and also some sort of damage control in her head.

"Fine. But you only stop me at my gate, you are not and will never be allowed into my home."

"Why? Are you scared the boyfriend will finally see your ex-husband or maybe he doesn't even know you've been married?"

Amaka looked at Dolapo with a bored expression, once again, he was trying to bait her into talking about her love life. She ignored him and entered the car, fastened her seatbelt, and watched as he walked to the driver's side and entered the vehicle beside her.

Amaka felt as though the car had shrunk down in size, she watched silently as Dolapo started the car and turned on the radio, the station was playing Tiwa Savage and even though all she wanted to do was to remain silent till the end of the journey, she couldn't resist singing along. She was so engrossed in the music that she didn't know when Dolapo started singing along until they got to the end. They both laughed together at their bad voices and their silliness.

"That felt good, Amaka."

"Yes, it did."

"Just like old times..."

That statement triggered thoughts and memories that she didn't want to have. The good ones but especially the bad. The very trying times towards the end of their marriage. Amaka scoffed and looked out the window, ignoring him.

"Do you ever think of how things would have been if we hadn't split?"

"I don't, how do you expect me to think about how you were fucking your 'cousin' on our matrimonial bed?!" She saw Dolapo wince and she glared even harder at him.

"Listen...I said I was sorry...besides it was just once..."

"We both know sorry doesn't quite cut it, and that was not what she was saying when she came to see me after our divorce. Answer me this, were you or were you not with her on our anniversary a year before our divorce?"

"I wasn't. I was at a very important business meeting..."

"A very important business meeting with her."

"No!"

"Really? Because she sent me a lot of pictures of your time together in the fucking Maldives!!!"

Dolapo opened his mouth and closed it, he didn't know what to say, he just wanted to have a non-hostile conversation with her...and yet here they were. He loved her, that was without a doubt but with Amaka, it always had to be black or white. And Dolapo preferred the gray areas of life.

"Amaka..."

"Please, all of that is water under the bridge. I don't want to remember it."

Dolapo opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and held his tongue. They soon arrived at her house, Amaka opened the door and ran into her apartment like hell was on her heels without as much as a goodbye. Dolapo sat in his car for about 10 minutes just staring at the building before starting the car and leaving.

Amaka watched from the window as Dolapo drove away, she could feel Janet's eyes on her, trying to prod her head for answers. She let the drapes down and went about her business. Janet had left Emeka at her house where he was with her husband and his cousins and was expecting the arrival of Ini's daughter, Abigail.

"You know what I am waiting for, don't make me ask for it."

"Janet, I promise I'll tell you and Ini all about it, let's just wait for her to get here and let me freshen up too. It's been a hectic day."

"You had better. I'm holding you to your word."

Amaka quickly ran to her room and locked the door before her sister changed her mind. Janet was fiercely protective of her, and Amaka was sure she wouldn't like the idea of Dolapo dropping her at home. That was why she had not told her who the mysterious man in the flashy car was. That would take a great deal of explaining, one that Amaka didn't yet have the strength for.

Amaka took a shower, went through her nighttime routine, took a short nap, and joined her sister in the living room, where Ini was waiting for her. the second she came out, they attacked her with questions. Amaka looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 9:00 pm. So much for a short nap.

"Well, hello, Ini. Long time no see I am very well, thank you for asking..."

"Abeg cut the bullshit. Give us the gist...all of it."

"I will. You will get everything, just give me a few minutes, let me make something for us to eat first. Aren't you guys hungry?"

"We are but we brought reinforcements." Ini pointed towards her small round dining tucked away in a corner of the room, and it was full of boxes of pizza, some Chinese and there was wine. That was sure to be Ini's idea.

"Oh..."

"Yes, now you do not have any excuse. Come over here and tell us everything."

Amaka sighed and sat on the sofa between Ini and Janet. Ini stood to fetch a box of pizza and a bottle of wine, alongside some glasses, and returned. She pulled out a side table and set it in front of them, setting the refreshments on it. She poured out three glasses of wine and sat down, Amaka dropped her glass down on the table and attacked the pizza box, she picked it back up after she had assuaged her hunger with three slices of pizza.

"Ini, how far with Junior, does he still have those episodes?"

"Not really, they are still there but they are much less intense than what they used to be. Thank God."

Junior had nightmares. Nightmares that came from been bullied, and some nights were worse than others.

They talked a lot about their lives, their ambitions, their future, their homes with Amaka trying her best to deflect the topic from herself. Two hours, two boxes of pizza, and a bottle of red wine later, Amaka felt like she had won. That was until Ini put her in the spotlight.

"Amaka, you know that your plan is not working, right?"

Busted!!!

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, please, spare us the theatrics. You think we don't know you've been stalling?" Janet said.

Amaka sighed dropped her glass, rubbing her hands over her face, there was no escaping them now. She should have known that she couldn't fool these, especially Ini, and definitely when the gossip was this juicy.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" Both women opened their mouths to speak but Janet beat Ini to it.

"Who was the man that dropped you off this evening?" That immediately caught Ini's interest and she even forgot about the question she wanted to ask.

"What man?"

"A man dropped her off today. It was a Venza, a very flashy, classy car. That has never happened before."

"Amaka, spill!" Ini bounced on the sofa like a schoolgirl who just got a kiss from her crush before she finally calmed herself down enough to listen to her.

"The man that dropped me off...that...is a very long story, and I have to begin at the very beginning." Amaka's eyes wandered to the two women sitting at her sides.

"Okay. Let's go..."

"And it is also very important that you do not interrupt me...no matter how angry or excited you may get."

Janet and Ini looked at each other. Amaka's last statement was all she needed to know that whatever was coming out of her mouth next will not be pleasant. At least not to them."

"Go on, we are all ears."

Amaka took a deep breath and took a huge swig from her glass. She was going to be needing the motivation.

"It all began last week when Globe logistics was bought, and I became the PA of someone new. The new boss. He was the one who dropped me off today."

"Aww, he is already falling for you...I mean who wouldn't, you are so beautiful and you've got a fat..." Amaka fixed her with a look and Ini immediately settled down, muttering an apology.

"Ladies, it is important that the rules are not forgotten. Let's not get carried away." Ini quickly bobbed her head up and down while Janet fixed her with her best 'don't fuck this up' look.

"So, the man who dropped me off is not just my boss but my ex-husband too."

Amaka waited because she knew they wouldn't keep quiet for this one and she was right. They managed to hold it in for a few seconds and then they bombarded her with questions.

"You mean Dolapo?!"

"Of course, it's Dolapo. Does she have any other ex-husband?"

"Wait...so, he bought the company you work for?"

"And, he has not fired you?"

"Oh, that bastard. He always has a way of showing up when things are going well for you!"

"But, why did he drop you off?"

"Yes. You both hate each other."

"Does he know about Emeka? Was that why he came?"

"Jesus Christ, we need to get you a lawyer, just in case he tries to take him from you."

"Guys..."

"Yes, I agree with you, Ini. Where is my phone?"

"Guys!!!" That got their attention, they stooped all their questions and Janet stopped the search for her phone. It took a few seconds, but they eventually remembered the rule. They settled back down and waited for Amaka to finish.

"Amaka, this is not good. What are you going to do?"

"I haven't told him about Emeka yet. I don't know if I want to tell him. I don't know how he will react to the news that he has a six-year-old son."

"I hate to say this but you have to tell him, Amaka. He has a right to know."

"Yes. No matter your relationship with him, Emeka is still his son and it is not right to keep him away from his father."

"I don't know..."

"Amaka, we know this is hard for you. We will always be here. Once I get to the office come Monday, I will get in contact with a lawyer and see what he can do to see to it that Dolapo doesn't take Emeka from you." Janet took Amaka's hand in hers.

"While she is doing that, you have to tell Dolapo on Monday, as soon as you resume work."

Amaka took a deep breath and rested her head on her sister's shoulder. This was going to be harder than she thought.