Billionaire Heiress of Lasgidi, page 7
Gossip Insta was Nigeria's biggest IG blog and needless to say that they had a huge following because of their penchant for breaking news in the most sensational way.
I gasped.
"Are you okay?" Tokunbo Carew asked.
"I'm trending," I whispered.
I felt like that Beyoncé line, "feeling like an animal with these cameras all in my grill."
"Why?" Tokunbo Carew asked, confused.
"I don't know, this article says 'Meet the most recent Billionaire Heiress of Lasgidi,'" I said. "Did you do this?" I asked.
He gasped. "I'd never do this to you, Nimi," he said, his voice cold. "I would never expose you this way," he added and again, I sensed hurt.
I hated that I believed him too.
His phone rang. He picked it through the speaker in the car.
"Funsho," he called.
"Tokunbo, how na?" The caller said.
"I dey o. How far?"
"I dey jare, Boss. I just saw this Billionaire Heiress trend on socials now. Habiba brought it to my attention. It's been trending since last night and it has something to do with you and a secret baby?"
I watched his eyes squint and his hands tighten on the wheel. He glanced out of the car as if to diffuse all that anger somehow.
"I have a daughter."
"Oh, I didn't know you were expecting," the Funsho guy said.
"No. She's-she's 18."
"Oh." Funsho paused. Everything had happened so fast since the morning I rushed grandma to the Hospital. It was just two days ago but it felt as if it had been a week because of the chaos, events, and the sort of drama a daytime soap will be envious of.
I clasped my hands, wondering if everyone would serve me shocking gazes and surprised expressions that they couldn't mask no matter how much they tried whenever I got introduced to them. My stomach knotted, I wasn't ready for that. Even if I had from now till judgment day I still wouldn't be.
"Okay. We need to contain this. I know you're not the type to put your business out there but please refrain from any sort of engagement on social media."
"Funsho, I am not a baby."
"I know boss," Funsho said quickly. "Erm, can we schedule a meeting with your daughter much later?"
He looked at me. "No. I don't want her in the middle of the drama. Someone stupid at the house must have leaked this. Nimi doesn't have to pay for that."
"Okay, okay. I was just thinking that she shouldn't engage as well. Maybe stay off social media for some time. Until the coast is clear."
“Do all the PR gymnastics that Floret can do, Funsho,” Tokunbo Carew ordered.
“I will. We will.”
Tokunbo Carew sighed and glanced at me again, mouthing an apology. I shrugged. The call wrapped up and I focused my attention on the cars we sped past.
"Hey, you know you can stay back in Lagos if this is too overwhelming for you, right? I’d hate for you to deal with this madness alone if you decide you still want to return to Ibadan."
"I just want to return to the sanity of my world," I snapped.
"For all it's worth, I'm sorry this happened. You didn't choose your father. You didn't ask for this madness."
I didn't respond.
—
We arrived at the Café a few minutes later. It was called ‘The Kick’ and it was a pretty small building with dark colors. As we alighted, I realized how welcoming the ambiance around it was.
Tokunbo Carew waited for me before we both walked through the front doors. The music playing was an old Asa, it was soft, soulful, and welcoming. The uniformed doorman welcomed us with a smile and Tokunbo and I greeted him before waltzing to a corner. He was right. It was a nice and quiet place. The coziness of the space lent a calming feel to it. It looked very much like the pictures of Western Cafes I saw online. It felt very American. We didn’t really have Cafes like this in Ibadan. Lagos was more accepting of spots like this. Ibadan people had different tastes and where Spots like ‘The Kick’ existed, it was a bit niche. We were a lot more conventional. And we definitely didn’t have a strong coffee culture, neither did we drink it as much as Lagosians thought they did.
I was about to take a seat when I suddenly stilled and turned around. I hadn’t checked to see if he had a particular spot in mind. “Do you like corner booths?" He asked as we were led to a corner. His face was wearing that warm smile I was getting accustomed to.
"I don't mind." When he fell silent, I quickly added, "Do you?"
“I do." We settled into one. He added, "And, this piece of information might make you more comfortable; so you see, your mother and I liked to eat here when she came to Lagos to see me. It was around the time we made you."
He was sweet and genuine in his words. He had the sort of softness and vulnerability that peeked whenever he spoke of a fond memory or something he hoped that I'd like. He was different from my mother, a staggering contrast to her more aloof demeanor. Again, I wondered what drew them together and tore them apart. Were they ever in love? Was it a fling? Classism may have slightly reduced these days but back when they met it may have been a big deal.
"You say that as if you liked her."
The hurt was back and it flashed through his face again but this time it lingered. "You have no idea," he murmured. And then it disappeared. Every single trace of hurt, vulnerability, and anger. It all vanished in a second.
I buried my head in the Menu shortly after. I settled for an English breakfast and Tokunbo chose the morning special.
While we waited for our breakfast, Tokunbo Carew looked at me and said, “I hope you've forgiven me about Continence? I wasn't trying to plan your life. I just feel like I have missed out on a lot. Eighteen birthdays, your first smile, when you took your first steps, what makes you laugh and what makes you cry…? I know it may seem a bit overwhelming, but I am just trying to catch up.”
I sighed, “It's fine. I'm here now. You have time to catch up."
"Hopefully you take my offer to stay longer."
I wasn't sure about that. Not with the whole thing on social media. If there was one thing I needed to know it was that my life would never remain the same.
"Look at it this way, there's no reason to feel bad. You weren't the only absent parent."
His brows furrowed. "Your mom wasn't there?"
I replied, “She wasn’t.”
“Where was she?”
The door pulled open just then and a pair of toned legs sashayed towards the counter. My eyes trailed the legs because the scent was familiar and because the only human being I knew who could wear Louboutins like they were about to do house chores in them was her.
“Here,” I said, gasping in shock.
“What?” Tokunbo asked, confused.
She turned around just then and stood face to face Tokunbo Carew and me.
“Oh my goodness, Nimi love!” she ran to me, pulled me up from the seat, and hugged me. She planted wet kisses all over me and I couldn’t help but draw in the sweet scent of her perfume. When she pulled apart and glanced at me with a deep smile, I am transported to a past where we danced happily and she seemed happy to be my mother. “How are you, hon? I just thought to get some coffee here before heading to the Hotel. This spot used to be a fave. Also, I was just about to text you.” She flashed her phone screen and I saw an incomplete text meant for me. “I luckily found a flight for Naija yesterday. I wanted to surprise you. Couldn’t wait to see you.”
“Hotel. Nimi said you were staying at mine.”
And that was when she really looked at him. I watched as both of them stared at each other, silent.
Tokunbo was standing, watching her. She stood rooted to a spot, her hands in the pockets of her distressed boyfriend jeans, watching him with the same intensity with which he looked at her.
I watched them like they were on a large TV screen playing in its full HD glory, not like they were my Parents.
It didn’t even seem like we were breathing the same air and we were in the same space. They looked like two extremely beautiful people who had no business getting pregnant with someone like me.
“I’m sorry about that. I was going to call her and tell her I had reservations at Eko Signature.”
Lola broke the silence first. She said the words with a warm smile. I couldn’t tell if she was bullshitting Tokunbo Carew or not.
But a glance at him and I knew he could figure out what the smile meant. They knew each other after all. And they knew each other damn well.
In ways, I didn’t know them.
“It is interesting how you conveniently forgot to tell me about Nimi and now that you have the chance, you are working tirelessly to avoid facing me, to tell the truth.”
Okay, it felt as if an episode of Scandal was about to play out. Or whatever good TV there was. But I couldn't stop this if I tried. Between being carried away by being in the presence of both parents for the first time in my life and being mesmerized by how they looked at each other, my lips became as heavy as lead. They were bickering. About to lunge at each other’s throats. But I could get used to having both of my parents together in a room. This had never happened to me before. It felt like a dream.
My mother smiled, “I'm sorry. You're right, I was an ass. I thought the time would present itself. But it didn't."
“It’s been 19 years, Lola. I hate to break it to you but the right time for this was in the year 2000.”
My mother sighed. “Can we talk about this later, Tokunbo? It's the first time our daughter is seeing us together. I know I messed up but let's pick this up in a more private place."
"Fine," he snapped.
In a flash, my mother was back to hugging me and planting kisses all over my face. I could tell she was ready to make her escape. “Honey, I brought you some lovely gifts you’d totally love. Will you come with me to the hotel?”
Tokunbo gasped in shock at the question. And of course, Lola Sodipo was not one to miss anything, not even a gasp barely louder than a whisper.
“You know what darling, go home with your Dad. You and I can catch up on our way to Ibadan tomorrow.”
I could return home with her. Then it will be just us two in Ibadan, bonding perhaps, and planning Grandma’s funeral. Then she’d be gone as soon as Grandma was buried, leaving me here with Tokunbo Carew maybe. It was the likely outcome. I didn’t shake off the same mischief that crept on me last night when I ruffled at Icy Grandma’s feathers. They liked each other once before. Maybe staying back would give me the semblance of something I once dreamed of - a normal family.
“I think I would stay back for a couple of days,” I blurted. They both stared at me in shock. Tokunbo Carew recovered first. He smiled.
“Oh, I’d love that, Nimi,” He said.
“Sweetie, it’s fine if that’s what you want,” My mother replied.
Oh, it was what I wanted.
“You can stay for a couple of days right?” I asked her.
She nodded. “Anything you want, baby.”
There was a brief silence that quickly turned into an awkward pause. I noticed how both of them avoided each other’s gaze.
“How about you come to the house for dinner?” I asked my mother. She was shocked.
“Sweetie-”
“I have an important outing tonight, Nimi.”
It was Tokunbo Carew.
“Fine then. How about we all go to this event?” I asked. I could take one more dazzling shindig if it meant that I could have this moment for much longer.
“Nimi-” both of them began to speak on how that was not a great idea. And a part of me loved to see them plead, beg and try to convince me to change my mind. It felt good, being a child that commanded both Parents' attention even though I was 18 and my childhood years were behind me.
So I folded my arms and watched as both of them tried to plead their case, evidently desperate and quite determined to avoid the other. Oh, it was bliss! How I loved to see them grovel and make the effort to convince me otherwise.
I wasn't sure how long I allowed them to carry on with it, but it must have been for two minutes at the least.
"Guys," I called, checking my fingers and assuming the stance of someone about to launch into a grave conversation. They both fell silent, watching, eyes silently pleading.
"One at a time," I said. "You first," I said to Tokunbo Carew.
"She needs to rest."
Ah, he cared. I chuckled.
When my mother said, "Oh, thanks for the concern." I laughed. I was about to Parent trap the shit out of these people.
"This isn't 'concern.' It's being practical." That was Tokunbo Carew’s quite unconvincing comeback. But I’d give him an A for Effort.
My mother sighed. “Darling, a party is barely the place to have conversations,” she said to me.
“She’s right for once.” Tokunbo was agreeing with my mother.
A dramatic sigh escaped my lips. I smiled. “Good thing we won’t be having conversations. We would be having fun together as a family. You know, like normal people.”
Tokunbo Carew didn't object when I expected him to.
He simply sighed and said. “I see what you mean. Both of you can come as my dates.”
I looked at my mother, hoping for her cooperation. However, my moment was snatched when the doors opened and three recognizable faces burst in.
I recognized the Al-Hassan sisters first. I'd recognize them anywhere. Mostly because I had screengrabbed their expensive clothes and hairstyles too many times and sent them to my Tailor and hairstylist for much cheaper versions. Their company was Lili Odumosu, the daughter of the Chief Justice of the federation of Nigeria. I watched as the Al-Hassan sisters noticed Tokunbo Carew and smiled.
They were the daughters of Abiodun ‘Abbey’ Al-Hassan, a Yoruba-Hausa billionaire who was the heir to the Al-Hassan business empire. An empire that was started by his grandfather Qudus Al-Hassan – a billionaire himself – and that had transcended two generations.
The Al-Hassans were Nigeria’s ultimate poster child of generational wealth. Their grandfather, the Patriarch of the Al-Hassan Empire had made his wealth from transacting business with the British, supplying British protectorates mainly with tobacco, cocoa, and kola nuts.
Eventually, the empire had expanded, and by the time Abiodun Al-Hassan, his entrepreneur grandson took over the reins of the family business, he turned over billions. And then, as if bent on showing the world he could start his own and make it work, he began trading his own commodities. Abbey Al-Hassan’s businesses included food processing, cement, and a multinational bank.
He was recently listed as one of the richest men in the world.
“Layal, Aaliyah," Tokunbo Carew called.
I watched in astonishment as they hurried towards Tokunbo Carew, smiling. “Hey, Uncle Toks!”
They took turns to hug him, Lili Odumosu went last and I figured that she was the least familiar with him.
"Hey, Lili."
"Uncle Tokunbo, good afternoon sir."
I massaged my temples, trying to mentally prepare myself for possible introductions.
I was still trying to steady myself when my mother glanced at me. “You okay, baby?”
I nodded. She looked worried. She reached for my hands and gave me a gentle squeeze. It felt reassuring.
“Layal, Aaliyah, Lili, please meet my daughter, Nimi Carew.” Tokunbo placed an arm around my shoulders, making quick introductions.
“Oh hey, Nimi!” Aaliyah, the older one, with 1.5 million Instagram followers, hugged me tightly. She smelt sweet; a mild sweet-smelling fragrance of citrus fruits. Like Ryan, they all had a trace of foreign accents.
And even though I had never touched couture in my life, I knew instantly that Aaliyah the one who hugged me was wearing couture. Aaliyah Al-Hassan wore couture to breakfast.
She smiled, revealing a set of sparkly dentition. She was the bubbly one. Her younger sister Layal was more laid back and less interested in public attention. Unlike her sister, her cologne was some wild scent.
Layal waved and smiled.
She was beautiful.
The girls were of mixed heritage – their father Abbey Al-Hassan had been married to their mother, a Lebanese, Amira Ahmad for twenty years before she passed on after an intense battle with cancer.
Layal was a perfect reflection of her mother, as graceful and as insanely beautiful.
"Hi, Nimi. Pleased to meet you," Lili said, a smile that didn't reach her eyes creasing the corners of her lips. Unlike the other two, she was wearing a full face of makeup. She looked as if she followed Kylie Jenner's beauty regimen quite seriously. Her hair was dyed blonde. It cascaded her shoulders. She was dark-skinned and gorgeous as hell. Her demeanor reflected her black ensemble. She didn't really give a fuck about this meeting. She wanted to get food and be on her way already.
I waved back at the billionaire heiresses, overwhelmed by the meeting, too stunned to think.
“I never met Nimi,” Aaliyah said. Lili’s eyes bored into me. She made me slightly uncomfortable.
“Long story, A.”
There was an awkward pause. Then Tokunbo said, “You know, she’d be at the Carter event this evening.”
Aaliyah said gleefully, “Oh, nice! Ryan and Malik are driving me, Lili, and Layal to the party. You should come with us, Nimi.”
Hell to the Nah!
“Actually…” I began, “I think I would just ride with-with them.” I pointed to my parents.
I didn't miss the look of relief on Lili's face. She was fiddling with her phone. It rang and she picked it, her face lighting up as she said, "Hey Ryan," she distanced herself from the duo, chuckling as she said, "No babe. We came to The Kick to get some croissants and chicken sandwiches."
Ryan's new girlfriend. I watched as she toyed with strands of her hair, smiled, and paced. Her steely demeanor gave way to something softer.
