Song of the chapter: Don't Leave by Snakehips and Mø

...

"I can't believe you would just give up and walk away from this! You won't even let me explain!" Tobi said exasperated.

"Did you see the way your family treated me? If your aunty and cousins already hate me, what's going to happen when I meet the rest of your family?" Abena shouted back.

"Who cares what they think? You're the one that wanted me to tell the world, now I'm starting with my family." Tobi sighed, touching his temple in frustration.

"This isn't going to work." Abena slumped on her bed wearily, burying her face in her palms. "I can't believe I thought it was going to work. Oh my God! I've been so stupid."

"So, now you're having doubts?" Tobi asked in disbelief.

"Well don't blame me." She snapped. "Your entire family is going to hate me. I'm just not Mrs. Ademi material, you know that."

"Who said my family would hate you? My mother loves you, you saw that when she came." Tobi argued.

Abena shot him a knowing look. "You also told me that she only cared about the baby, and not me."

"Abena. We can make this work, my family doesn't make my choices." Tobi said wearily.

"So you won't mind going against their wishes?" Abena asked and Tobi fell silent, thinking of a proper way to answer her question.

"I won't be surprised if, after I give birth, your family tells you to just take the kids and pay me off." Abena said knowingly and again, Tobi didn't reply.

She was right.

He sighed and took a seat beside her on the bed. "I'm willing to take that chance with you. I know my family and family-friends would be hostile, rude and snobbish towards you; but maybe, just maybe, if you stick around, and if you stand your ground, then they would all accept you, and grow to love you."

She hugged herself, listening to every word he said, and refusing to look him in the eye.

"I'm not saying that being with me would be easy. It would be the hardest thing ever. But I'm ready to take that chance, the question is, are you?" He asked, looking at her.

She looked at him briefly and looked away, afraid that she would break down and give in if she looked into his eyes for too long.

"You don't trust me, do you?" Tobi asked slowly.

"I do." She muttered, her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard her.

"You don't even believe what I'm saying about what happened with my cousin." He pointed out.

"I need some space." Abena suddenly said.

"Space?" Tobi asked, confused.

"Yes. Space. I need to think." She said again.

"We live in the same house ife. As big as this house is, you won't get much space." Tobi replied.

"That's why I'm moving out." Abena said, looking at the suitcase she had packed.

"Abena-"

"Please. Let me figure this out for myself. I don't know if I'm ready to jump into the world of The Ademi's." She said and he nodded, knowing that she was right.

Standing up, she dragged her suitcase out of her room and down the stairs.

"Where would you be going? I need to know that you're safe." Tobi said.

"I'll be safe. I'll be with someone you trust." She replied simply.

"I love you." He said, hoping that those three words would change her mind, and she would just walk back into the house and decide to face his family.

"I know. I don't doubt it. But you need to put your house in order, and I need to put my head in order." She said simply before walking out of his house, and hopefully, not out of his life.

As Abena walked out of the house, she ignored the blast of cold air and brought out her phone. She jdialled the familiar number and the person picked up at the third ring.

"Hey. I need a favour."

...

Tobi had been staring at the blank television screen ever since Abena left. She had only been gone for thirty three minutes, although it felt like she had been gone for thirty three years.

He hoped she would come back, tell him it didn't matter if his family would treat her like shit. Tell him she could handle all the popularity and scandals that came with his name.

But the front door didn't open.

He thought back to the conversation he had with his cousin after the lunch.

He had been so excited to know that one member of his family wanted to know about Abena.

His aunty had scowled and advised Tobi to leave Abena, because she was a gold digger. Peju had agreed with her mother, but Pelumi, as usual, didn't care. The only thing he said was:

"She's poor man. We don't do poor."

So when Pamilerin had asked him about Abena, all he wanted to do was gush on and on about how amazing she was and how much the family would love her if they gave her a chance.

"She's just a girl." He started saying. "The most amazing one I've met in my life, and trust me, I've met a lot of girls."

"What makes her so different?" Pamilerin had asked curiously.

"She isn't like all those rich brats that Mama liked bringing to me. She does actual house work. She fights with me. She cooks, and does an amazing job too. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever met. God! It's like everything about her is just meant for me."

Pamilerin had a genuine smile on his face when he told Tobi that he was happy for him. Tobi hadn't been happy in a long time, and if that girl made him happy, then who cared if she was poor.

Tobi just wished the rest of his family thought that way too. He decided to have a talk with his mother.

If there was one thing a mother cared about, it was the happiness of her child.

...

"You left him because his whole family hates you, and you can't deal with all the celebrity drama?" Funmi asked for the third time.

Abena didn't know who to call. She thought of calling Dera, but that would involve Joseph, and she knew Joseph would find it hard to lie to his friend. So, she called Funmi instead.

She had settled her in the guest room at the back of the house, where she won't be disturbed by Funmi's adorable children.

"I didn't leave him, I just need some space, to think. I need to outline the pros and cons of this relationship." Abena explained.

"Every relationship has pros and cons Abena. You just have to focus on the pros and fight through the cons." Funmi said thoughtfully.

"But what if I can't handle it? He's rich and famous, the whole continent would be watching his every move, and that would mean watching my every move. Then they'll call me a gold digger. His family already thinks I'm below his standard." Abena replied.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because his aunty told me that. When she asked me to walk her to the bathroom, she told me that after I give birth, I should just leave Tobi to 'avoid further embarrassment', because I'm already 'below his standard'."

Funmi rolled her eyes and looked at Abena. "Did you tell Tobi?"

"No. But I guess he already knows. He knows his family. I love him, but if I want to be with him, that would mean accepting everything, even his family and celebrity life." Abena sighed.

"Then think. Is that what you want? Is he really worth it?"

...

Tobi walked into his mother's house with a sense of urgency. He didn't remember the last time he had visited her, it was always her visiting him, and bringing various annoying women with her.

But that had stopped when Abena came into the picture.

"Mama. Good afternoon." He said, prostrating slightly before sitting in the chair opposite his mother.

"Good afternoon. I'm surprised you're here to see me. You haven't been here in years." His mother pointed out.

Tobi had left when he got tired of his mothers persistent nagging to get himself a wife, or at least, children. After walking into his room to see the daughter of a chief lying half naked in his bed, he decided he had enough, and moved to the house he lived in presently.

"I have something important to talk about." Tobi said, ignoring her comment.

"Is it about Abena? Your aunty told me about the lunch, you should've known better Tobi, you shouldn't invite family to meet your baby mama." Mama said, not looking up from the fashion magazine that she was reading.

"What do you mean by that?" Tobi snapped, trying to keep calm. As angry as he was, he didn't want to be rude to his mother.

"Don't tell me you're actually serious about her, omo mi. I'm happy that you finally got someone to have your children, but she isn't wife material." Mama replied calmly, adjusting her reading glasses. "I just think that after she has the children, you could just pay her off to leave you and the children alone."

Tobi winced at his mothers words, because he knew that he was initially paying Abena for the children.

He felt no different from her.

"She is a perfect wife and mother material." Tobi argued.

"I know. She's a nice girl, and she's very pretty. But she's not Ademi wife material." Mama stressed. "She won't last a day in your world, and you can't hide her forever. You're going to have to bring her out. Can both of you handle the negative publicity?"

Tobi knew she was right, though he was still angry. What was it with people caring about his world? He knew that the world was cruel. People were constantly looking for the bad sides of others, and revealing them to the world.

He knew Abena was afraid, and she knew that if she stayed with him, it would be a matter of time before the whole continent knew about her family.

He was willing to protect Abena from the disadvantages that came with being with him, but she was chickening out too soon, and he needed to give her a reason to stay with him.

"You mean, she's not rich enough, and she has a disturbing past, which would taint the family name." Tobi spat out plainly.

"Yes. That's not the type of girl I want my only son to marry." Mama looked up from her magazine, and smiled at her son, ignoring the scowl plastered on his face.

"Even if she makes your son happy?"

...

Abena had spent almost a month in Funmi's house, and she was already thinking of going back.

She had outlined the pros and cons in her head, and she liked how it turned out.

Pros:

She would be with the one she loves;

He would protect her;

She would finally have a family again.

She would be happy.

And she knew she deserved happiness.

Cons:

She would be hated and rejected by his family;

She would be the new topic for gossip;

Her whole life would get out to the public.

Abena knew that even though Tobi said otherwise, the approval of his mother meant a lot to him. He didn't care about what the rest of his family thought, just his mother.

She missed him so much.

She couldn't help but think about him all the time. She had gotten used to him, to his presence, even his smell; and in Funmi's house, all she did was miss him even more.

Would it be worth it? What if his mother never approves? What would she do when her personal life becomes the next topic on the news? Was she ready to take the risk?

Abena hugged his shirt that hung loosely on her body. It was the shirt that he gave her when they wanted to go shopping. She smiled at the memory, and realised that she was always happy when she was with him.

With sudden determination, she thought:

Screw them all!

She was going to take the risk.

He was totally worth it.

...

Aishh

So many unanswered questions.

What do you think of Mama now?

And did Abena give up easily earlier?

Sorry if it was too short, though it ended on a positive note 😅😆. Let's hope #Tobena comes back together soon, and from Abena's tone, it won't take too long 😉😄

How was this chapter? Good? Bad? Okay?

In Nigeria, family approval is essential for marriage, so it's normal that Abena would want to be accepted by Tobi's family.

Next update would be on Monday, The Contract is ending soon! 😯😯

I'm still waiting on more interview questions guys

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