chapter 4

As a baby, he bought a whole lot of toys for him. He wanted to use his wealth to make sure his dear son was totally comfortable. Few years into the marriage, Kate began to grow and nurture an inward spirit of hatred towards Wole. Dr. Ajayimore had shown his son so much love that she became irritated by his presence. She jealous of him knowing that there was nothing she could do to make him love her more. Even though she had not married Tunde out of love but just for the sake of his wallet, considering he was very hardworking, rich and a more successful man than her other suitors. Their love life was dead. Hell broke loose for Wole when Kate had given birth to Mirabel, her first child. She made sure that Wole was beaten even for the slightest offence, and at times he wasn’t at fault. She had begun to derive pleasure in seeing the boy cry.                                                    

Kate neglected Wole in so many ways, even at his young age. At a time, when Tunde had travelled for a one-week medical seminar at Abuja, if not for the supreme grace of God, she would have starved Wole for a full day, just because he had accidentally incurred an injury on the little infant. One of his heavy-duty building blocks had fallen on a toe of her’, all remedies couldn’t stop the infant from tearing the peaceful atmosphere with her cry. Had Kate a valuable reason to explain to his father, she would have skinned Wole alive that morning. In the sight of Tunde, Kate was the responsible angel he married, but to Wole she was a heartless hypocrite. The when Wole had reported her to his father that she had beat him up and poured hot oil on him finger just because he didn’t get her Mirabel’s feeding bottle in time, that was the day, that she saw black and blue. Dr, Ajayimore used his belt on her and beat the hell out of her, and warned her never to place her filthy hands on his son. Knowing the wicked nature of Kate, that made matters only worse than they were.                                                                            

The following week, when she had recovered from the aches, she planned her revenge. When Tunde was to go to the Hospital for work she concocted a substance into his lunch. Tunde ate the food with the thought that bygones were still bygones concerning was happened the previous night. He even laid an apology for his actions. After eating he had the most severe stomach upset in his life, even as a doctor himself he couldn’t diagnose what was wrong with him. With the help of his secretary, he was able to get a dosage of a pain reliever and put his head down on his desk. He was down for the whole day. That day Kate had to drive down to pick him up after work hours, he looked so pale and sick, in her demonic mind she smiled to her success. She had gotten her revenge on Tunde for daring to lay his hands on her. “Ah Dooh”, she falsely exclaimed, loading his briefcase from his hands into her car. Throughout the drive, Dr. Ajayimore winced in pain. When she finally arrived home and pparked the car in the garage, she assisted him upstairs. Tunde didn’t have his usual after work chat with his son. He just went straight to his room and retired to his bed after taking a dose of pain reliever pills. He said a short prayer of healing for himself and slept off.                                                                                                                                                         

At times when, when Mirabel his younger sister was endorsed with new clothing and had her fill of food, Kate left him to stay on his old and becoming ragged clothes. Tunde was more than an average doctor, whose primary profession was to operate in hospitals and clinics. He was sustained in a high rank in the NMA (National Medical Association). He travelled at moderate basis and mostly came back late at night after days away, and as such had little knowledge of what actually happens in his house except  the hypocrite-based lies Kate tells him. Academically, Wole had always been a bright student right from his crèche days. He started schooling at the age of three years. Tunde made sure he sent Wole to one of the best school in the state. He enjoyed learning and always looked forward to school. Unlike most kids who cried on the departure of their parents, whenever Kate dropped him off, he would go into the class without looking back. He found comfort in his teachers and his new friends, friends he could play rough without getting beaten up by anyone. He loved to look at his colored books and scribble in his little notes. Soon, Kate found new joy in seizing his colored books and Wole would cry. Wole had always been a strong and fortunate boy in the sense that he was determined to make the best out of his academics. Since the day he met the father of one of his classmates who was a professor in books, he cultivated the dream in his heart to be like him even though he had no parental support academically except the few times his father was opportune to teach him a few things he had not fully understood. At times he would have gone through all the books recommended even before the entire class.                                                                                                                                                           

In Primary Six, Wole was ten years of age. Something dreadful happened to the Ajayimore family.