Why? 3 || Shackled to the Heart 16

EPISODE 16

Unlike him

INT. SISTER AGNES’ HOSPITAL- CONTINOUS

Imade watch the sun go down from the window as the same nurse from earlier changes the sister’s empty drip to a full one. Imade sighs heavily as she picks up her phone again and dials Wemimo. She gets the same response

SISTER ELIZABETH

He is okay

IMADE

(Looking so worried) But he should have called me by now

SISTER ELIZABETH

He will, so calm down

The nurse leaves

IMADE

Okay, let say I kept myself hold up in basement, what about our kids, is he not worried about them?

SISTER ELIZABETH

Maybe he trust your household attendants to take care of them, you told me yourself, your Head Butler is someone dependable

IMADE

What if it is something she can’t handle?

SISTER ELIZABETH

Then he trust her to reach out to Anike, to Aunty Bebii, his elder sister Tolani, your younger brother and there is the former gangster, what is his name again?

IMADE

Aperry

SISTER ELIZABETH

You have people to take care of your kids even if you two are not available

Imade sits upright looking so disturbed

IMADE

You know this morning when I didn’t see him, I tho… I thought he left me

SISTER ELIZABETH

(With scrunched eyebrow) Why will you think that?

IMADE

We had a big fight yesterday

SISTER ELIZABETH

About your retirement?

IMADE

That and the surrogacy

SISTER ELIZABETH

The surrogacy?

IMADE

He wants to have more kids but not with me

SISTER ELIZABETH

He wants surrogate mothers

IMADE

Yes

SISTER ELIZABETH

But it is your egg right?

Imade nods

SISTER ELIZABETH

And his sperm?

IMADE

Yes

SISTER ELIZABETH

Then, what is the problem?

IMADE

Because I want to carry my own babies

SISTER ELIZABETH

From what you told me, you have issues

IMADE

But the doctor is still optimist that I can still carry my own baby, I still believe that I can still carry a child

SISTER ELIZABETH

You can’t blame the man, Imade, you have been trying for years and it is not working

IMADE

What about me? What about how I feel?

SISTER ELIZABETH

What about how you feel, Imade? You carry your baby, someone else carries your baby, there is no difference they are still your fresh and blood

IMADE

Actually, there is a difference

SISTER ELIZABETH

(Baffled) Excuse me?

Imade stands up and paces, then stops and looks at The Sister

IMADE

What I felt for Wemi is different from what I feel for the girls

The sister opens her mouth to say something then stops, trying to think about what she just heard

SISTER ELIZABETH

Are you saying you hate your own kids?

IMADE

I didn’t say that

SISTER ELIZABETH

Then what are you saying?

IMADE

I am saying the love I have for Wemi is different from the one I have for the girls

SISTER ELIZABETH

And you think you love Wemi better because you carried Wemi in your womb

IMADE

Or maybe because I love his father, I don’t know

The elderly woman sighs deeply

SISTER ELIZABETH

If you don’t love Wemimo, why are you so worried about him?

IMADE

I don’t hate him if that is what you are trying to say, I don’t want him to die. I can’t do anything without him, my life… my life pretty much revolve around him. That was why I back down when he told he will take everything away from me if I mention retirement again

SISTER ELIZABETH

(Shocked) What?

IMADE

Yeah, apparently I signed a contract that stated I am going to lose everything if I retire

SISTER ELIZABETH

He made you sign that

IMADE

Yeah, he did

SISTER ELIZABETH

That is unlike him

IMADE

But he did, apart from even the material thing he gave me… the kids? I don’t know what to do with the kids if anything happens to them. I don’t even know their school

SISTER ELIZABETH

Imade!

IMADE

Yes, I know, that is not a good charactertics of a mother and to tell you how bad of a mother I am, I don’t know their best food, or what they like to do or their favourite toy but Wemimo, he knows everything and that is only because he focuses on them. You should see him with them, it is like no one else matter when he is with them, even I don’t matter to him. Now tell me why he won’t be a good father when all I do is just glare and make them cry

SISTER ELIZABETH

From all you just said now, it seems you are worried your children does not love you

IMADE

I said I don…

SISTER ELIZABETH

I think you need to talk to your husband about how you feel about surrogacy

IMADE

Definitely no, he will think it is because I don’t love him

SISTER ELIZABETH

Do you think it is because you don’t love him or because you didn’t carry the girls?

IMADE

I don’t…

Imade’s phone rings and from where she is, she sees Wemimo’s name

IMADE

Oh my God! He is calling

She picks up the phone immediately and put it to her ear

IMADE

(Loudly) Where the hell have you been since morning?

WEMIMO

(Soundly worried) I should be asking that, where the fuck are you?

IMADE

Are you okay?

WEMIMO

Why the hell won’t I be?

IMADE

I am happy you are, that is all that matters

WEMIMO

Where are you? It does not matter, come home

IMADE

Am on my way

He drops the call and Imade picks her bag

IMADE

I need to go

SISTER ELIZABETH

Talk to him

IMADE

I don’t know

SISTER ELIZABETH

Talk to him about how you feel, he will help you through it

IMADE

Okay

SISTER ELIZABETH

Talk to him about your retirement again

IMADE

He already said no, I don’t…

SISTER ELIZABETH

Talk to him, over the years, he has always put your need first. Tell him why you need this badly, he is the most understanding man I know, so talk to him again

IMADE

Maybe another day, I just want to enjoy the rest of the day with him without a fight

The elderly woman looks at Imade with warmth and chuckles

IMADE

What?

SISTER ELIZABETH

This is something you are going to have to figure out yourself, you should be on your way

IMADE

What are you talking about?

SISTER ELIZABETH

Imade nods and move closer to peck the sister on the head and runs out

Next on Why?