THE ESTATE Chpt 1

 Chapter 1

   Peju entered the apartment feeling like she was carrying 10 bags of cement. The day had been hectic and she was tired and exhausted. Shutting the door behind her, the noise outside drowned out. The empty house and stark silence told her that Bayo wasn't home from school. Having closed her shop early today, she was the first to get home. Delighted by the privacy and silence, she dropped her bag on the table and headed towards the kitchen. Living in a two bedroom apartment wasn't exactly bliss. The apartment was confining and inadequate. Though Peju didn't exactly com from a rich family, she lived with her family in a 3 bedroom house built by her father before she got married to her husband Bode. Though not wealthy, the family led a comfortable lifestyle. Her father was a firm and fair man, while her mother was a disciplinarian who ruled the home and her husband with an iron fist. “Mama Peju” as she was fondly called was loud, bossy, aggressive and stubborn by nature and though Peju was closer to her father, she inherited all her mother’s traits. As the first born child among three children, most of the responsibilities fell on her shoulders.

   Peju discovered her love for trading and marketing at the tender age of 12. She would follow her father to his shop in the suburbs and sit with him at the register. She would also assist the shop attendant after school hours. The thrill of trading was embedded in Peju so much that when she completed secondary school, she applied for Marketing at the Ibadan State Polytechnic. There she made friends with Yewande her roommate and fellow course mate  The two were inseparable until Peju met Bode in her second year. The two started dating within a month and fell in love. Bode was her ideal man; tall, dark and handsome. Peju on the other hand was every inch an African woman; medium height, dark and plump. As her relationship with Bode grew closer and closer, her friendship with Yewande drifted apart. Yewande never approved of Peju’s relationship with Bode; always saying that he had an unfaithful, stray-away look to him. This further soured the relationship between the two friends. Back then, Peju was always quick to defend her “sweetheart” as she use to call him, pointing out that Yewande was just jealous of her.

   When they got to their final year, Bode proposed. Peju was ecstatic. Yewande stood her ground that Bode wasn't a good choice of husband. The usual argument began, and Peju in a fit of rage, terminated their already non-existent friendship. Yewande who was already use to her friend’s irrational anger, tried to pacify her and make her see reason. Stubbornly refusing, Peju packed out of their shared room to Bode’s bachelor pad. The two lovebirds got married shortly after graduation and decided to immediately start a family. This went against her father’s wish for his daughter to obtain a Masters degree in Business Administration.

   Smiling bitterly, Peju prepared some food for her family and later took a bath. As there was no light, she couldn't watch any television program. After dinner, she took some pain relievers. Though she had a few calls to make to her wholesaler, she decided to postpone it, choosing instead to relax on the sofa. Closing her eyes, her mind again drifted to the past. She remembered her discussion with her father concerning her post-graduate degree.

“So you are just going to walk away from this last bit of your education just like that?” asked her father in anger.

“Well, yes dad” Peju replied.

“Any particular reason why”

“We want to start a family”

“But the Master’s degree program is just for nine months, you can have loads of children long after that”

“I don’t want that dad. Bode wants us to start a family right now. Besides I don’t think I want to go back to school”

“My God, I can’t believe this” Baba Peju held his head in his hands.

Peju shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she anticipated her father’s next comment.

“What about your dreams and aspirations, to be the best in your career? Tell me what happened to them?” her father asked abruptly.

There was a short pause, as Peju weighted the question and then replied

“This is what I want to do dad. Oh and lets not forget that my mates are all married with kids o”

“But…”

“There is no use arguing dad, I have made up my mind”

Though Peju tried not to look at her father, she could sense that he had accepted her choice and was very disappointed. From then on, whenever Peju visited her parents, she could sense the disappointment in the atmosphere. Even when she had her child Bayo, she could still see the hurt in his eyes. She knew she had failed him, but stubbornly decided to prove her worth. She also had to convince her disbelieving mother that her marriage to Bode was the right choice. After five years of failed job applications, Peju was prepared to admit that her dad was right. She opened a provisions shop and started trading. Though Papa Peju was happy his daughter took after him, there was this “you-could-have-done-better-if-you-had-listened-to-me-look” in his eyes each time he came visiting.

   

Peju’s younger siblings turned out better than her as Mama Peju constantly remarked. Tunde her younger brother and immediate sibling was a Petroleum Engineer based abroad. Wunmi her sister was a lawyer working at the Ministry. Both siblings were married; Tunde to a top accountant, and Wunmi to a rich lawyer. While Tunde had a set of twins (boy and girl) and another on the way, Wunmi had two boys. Tunde came home with his family during the holidays and for a while, stayed with Wunmi and her family until he bought a house in Ikeja GRA.

   Peju for a long time hated the fact that Tunde chose to stay at Wunmi’s place instead of hers. But the answer was simple and direct. Wunmi and her family resided at a five bedroom home in Lekki with maids, while Peju lived in a two bedroom apartment in Mushin. It was impossible not to be jealous of her siblings. Her mother was right, they had turned out better.

   

A knock on the door brought Peju back to reality. She opened the door and in came her son Bayo.

“Good evening mum” said Bayo strolling in

“Good evening my dear. Go and change your clothes and come to the table. Food is ready”

“Ok mum”

“Have you done you homework?”

“Yes mum. I did it in school”

“Good boy”

Bayo raced in to change his outfit and shower. After dinner, Peju led Bayo to the room to sleep. Though he said he wasn't sleepy, he was out before he finished his prayers. Peju then went to the parlor to await her husband’s return.

Bode lost his job shortly after they had Bayo and refused to look for another. He now sold recharge cards to keep busy. Though jobless, he kept late nights. Peju tried his phone, but it was switched of. Setting her phone on the table, Peju adjusted her robe and prepared for a long wait on the sofa.

   At eleven pm, the door bell rang and Peju sprang up. She had dozed of without realizing it. She hurriedly opened the door to meet a heavily drunk Bode reeking of alcohol.

“Hi honey” he said and slumped heavily on his wife.

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