Liam, Li-Mummy, Li-Boo, Li-Bobo. My mum had so many nicknames for me. I was only ever called William Omotayo Iniobong Femi-Cole by her once. That day, I broke Grandma's Heirloom mirror with a shot from my toy gun. She was furious and after that day, I promised I never wanted to hear my full name from her mouth again. Mummy was the absolute love of my life.
I learnt love from Imaobong Femi-Cole. My Dad loved her like "Kilode". Even as a child it was glaring and sometimes nauseating, because why was daddy always trying to eat mummy's face whenever they thought I was not looking.😏
But hey, I grew up in that home and it shaped me into quite the young man.
My Dad always said, "Liam, women are meant to be loved and cared for. Love your mother, love your sister Bimbo and when the time comes, love your wife and children. Don't just say you do, show you do. Be kind to them and never forget, if the women in your life are happy, you will be too and your progress will have no limits".
I don't think anything would have ever prepared me for the pain that came with losing a parent, not to talk of two parents at the same time. I was barely 17, Bimbo was 14 and we didn't know that when mum and Dad drove out for a trip to visit Grandma that morning at the Hospital, we would end up on the corridor of the same hospital an hour later, with a doctor telling us that the accident had killed both of them on impact. Nothing!
I stood over them and promised to be the ideal man, a boss, a brother, a husband, a father, and forever Bolaji and Imaobong Femi-Cole's son.
The university workload did not care if you were recently Bereaved as my admission into Oxford arrived 2 months after the funeral.
My sister and I were left with a Trust fund that covered our education and all assets of both our parents were left in Trust for us upon our turning 21 each.
Everything was split in half. My Dad was always heavy on equal inheritance, irrespective of gender and mum, basked in it.
Bimbo stayed with Aunty Eno while I left for the UK. I would have deferred the admission but she insisted, in her words "Go make them proud". So I buckled up, wiped my eyes and began the legacy.
Imade Jacobs was the wind beneath my wings, from her I found strength to continue whenever I felt like giving up. She reminded me so much of mum and finally I felt what dad felt. I found my home.
Our wedding was simple, I didn't care what it looked like honestly. I just wanted to have Imade as my wife. Arrangements were done by my Aunt Eno and her parents. My sister took out time from Harvard Law School to grace the occasion. I was finally so happy and for the first two years of my marriage, every couple wanted what we had. I followed in the Femi-Cole's way and showed my wife tender-loving-care.
Ima-Aurelia Femi-Cole came at the end of our 3rd year. The pregnancy was not exactly easy for Imade, her body reacted in so many ways. I tried to love my woman through it all, by the time I held our Baby in my arms I wept. She was the perfect little cherub...
There were times my woman could not sleep, looked drained and was just depreciating in her joy. I tried my best to help out but there was only so much I could do. Her mum had to come in from the UK and my Aunt practically moved in. I hired a nanny, I just wanted my wife to be healthy and initially it worked, she glowed... She even resumed work but remotely.
Ima turned 1 last week making a year and half since I last "knew" my wife. I invited her for dinner today, I was awarded the young entrepreneur of the year by This Day Magazine. I just wanted her to come with me, it's been a while we did anything together. In her words "Babe, I am a full time mum and a part time worker, that's already work enough please, it's just a dinner, you know I am always proud of you. I don't need to be there to show it..."
Perhaps I am being unreasonable.
We can do this some other time right? It's just dinner right?
"... I Dedicate this award to my late Parents, my beautiful Wife Imade, and to my very amazing little girl Aurelia, thank you"... were the words that were easily echoed by a resounding round of applause.
5 years... 5 years in a marriage, jeezzz. The girl just kept getting more beautiful. I got her flowers and the latest Benz, she deserved the world. I brought it home and found out she had forgotten it was our anniversary, no big deal, I was prepared for 2. My Aunt Eno was taking Ima for the night. I wanted to show my wife the hunk she married and to remind her that no matter how many years we are together, I love her like the first...
She didn't look as ecstatic as I was but that's fine too, we made love that night but she got up soon after to go do what I don't know. I called her back, I just wanted to hold her but...
"William sleep abeg, I've had a long day..."
I found this photograph of us back in school. That night I had jokingly told her that I will marry her, she had laughed, we had only just been dating for a month as at then. I missed the times when everything was so easy . "Babe, remember this pic, we used to be so carefree, Sheesh! I miss our long walks in the evenings, our date nights, Gosh! Omo.. it's crazy". I was just playing around, my wife turned and looked at me with irritation. "Are you insinuating that I am boring you now, that I am not doing enough?"
"What! No, of course not, never, I just..." "Save it please". She stomped out of the room...
I was lost.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Note that all pictures are AI generated.
