Vexsche World! : NO IS BETTER THAN YES 2 BY @Dottmannbricks

It was an undeniably beautiful Christmas celebration with the family and other relatives, as my house hosted this year's family reunion party. So I had no reason travelling to Festac. This is more of a family time than a story time, so get to meet the family too...

Christmas eve was almost looking boring as my mum and I went to get some food ingredients at the store. Without having to remind her, I knew mummy would never forget buying caking items and zobo drink ingredients. We got back home after having to queue at the filling station for more than three hours to get fuel at an hiked price.

So tired and looking stressed out, I off loaded the stuffs from the car, so surprising, I saw my long awaited relatives coming out through the front door to help carry the loads. Jeez, I was so happy to see them, we exchanged pleasantries, shared hugs, it was really nice seeing them all. Boom!!! Uncle Oye made it to my house, this made me super excited, I ran to get a hug from him, but with the look on my Dad's face, I instantly changed and postrated.

Uncle Oye told me that he wasn't going to make it to the reunion, which got me so heartbroken, so seeing him was more than a million dollar surprise. He shook my hands and told me how glad he felt when he got to read the story, so I jumped at him saying "Uncle, let's go discuss and conclude the story before the day gets so busy". Quickly he opted out saying "hey boy, calm down. I had a long journey down here man, let me rest and probably at night we would discuss".

We packed all the stuffs Mum and I got from the market into the house, my cousins wouldn't stop complaining about my new look, so dark and looking unkempt. I tried explaining to them how horrible and frustrating my student's internship program was, waking up early morning, taking my little ones to school, standing under the sun from morning till evening, returning home so tired, I was saying all this while I tried arranging some stuffs in the shelf, but by the time looked back, no one was in the kitchen with me, really, I been talking to me all this while?

I decided to get to know everybody and make them feel at home. As if Mom was not tired, she came out of her room and started sing thanksgiving songs, this is her regular way of attracting people to join her in thanking God for safe journey. We all talked about a lot of things, talked about life in its generality, how fair and unfair, academic progress and career achievements. I felt so happy having everyone around.

Nothing else bothered me as much as getting to hear the full story from my Uncle, we all ate together and got to feel at home with each other, so bad, my elder brother and sisters didn't show up for the gathering, they gave their excuses, that's by the way though ------

Mom and the ladies made the food, we all ate as a big family, Dad blessed the food, so unusual this feeling got me so excited that you could see my nose and cheeks twitching, I had almost screamed yeehaw!!!. I looked into my cousins' faces, I could see that "relax, we got gists for you" expressions on them.

We concluded the diner and Dad popped this question, about the Samuel and Titilope's story; "hey, Dele (Uncle Oye) that story you told my son, wasn't it that same old friend of yours that died about two years ago? I was so happy Daddy brought up the story, because I have been looking for ways to ask my Uncle without making him feel bothered or disturbed. Uncle trying to wash his hands, said: "Yes 'Egbon', you still remember or did this naughty dude, *pointing at me* tell you? He already told the whole world, trying to make himself popular..., he laughed", "It's a good thing anyways as young lovers out there would learn from some silly mistakes, good boy *he reached out his hand for my head. "

With so much haste, I asked him if he was going to tell me the complete story, my other cousins jumped in; "tell you or tell us all, Femi do you have the complete story? " Femi shook his head with lack of interest in the story. Mom left the dining table for her room, everyone thought she was going to sleep as it was already few minutes after nine in the night, but I wasn't convinced, as I knew she was up to something, few seconds she came back with her Bible, asking us to bow our heads for prayer (night devotion), I knew it...,

Immediately after the prayer that lasted almost an hour, she and the ladies packed the dishes into the kitchen.

Femi, my Dad, Uncle Oye, Dara 'Iya Ilaro' so we call her, Desi're and I were seated at the dining, as Uncle Oye got ready to tell us the story, yes finally... The ladies, Tolani, Pelumi, Oreoluwa, and my mum also joined us at the dining room.

He started from the beginning again, I tried telling him he has told those parts the last time we met and that everyone has read it from the blogs I posted it, things old people do to please themselves, iteration. We had no choice than to play along with him.

He started by saying, "my dear family, in whatever things you do in your life, please never do evil, even if it seems to be the only option, always remember there's a God above that is mighty to save." Right now we all knew it was about to get serious...,

Remember how Samuel landed in jail, forfeiting his degree, Bachelor of Engineering, Titilope got pregnant with twins as a result of the rape incidence, lived with the stigmatization from friends and everyone. She forfeited her Medical studies immediately after her delivery.

The rapist, Hassan Mustapha that caused the mishap, was post-graduate student studying Criminal Law, irony of life. Knowing the consequences for what he had done, he ran away as he had concluded his post-graduate program on the campus already.

Hassan was transferred to head the prisons at Kirikiri where Samuel served his jail terms, as fate had it, Samuel and Hassan met at the prison, hmm, the "innocent convict and guilty freeman".

Samuel jumped up at his sight of Hassan, he called him, Hassan felt so bad deep inside that he couldn't utter a word, Hassan remembered how everything happened. Samuel told him not to feel bad as he knew not that Hassan was the one behind his predicaments, since he didn't get to know who the rapist was, Samuel explained everything to him, Hassan Mustapha played along realizing Samuel had no idea he was the evil doer, he felt so relieved and sympathized with him and promised to help him out of the prison as soon as such opportunity comes up. Samuel was let out of his cell to converse with his old friend, Samuel was already feeling at home in the prison as he had made friends with other cellmates. They talked for a long time, explicitly Samuel explained all that happened, ending his words with; "the rapist ran away, I was flogged like a murderer and now convicted", with tears falling off his eyes, Hassan patting his back, saying "human beings are so heartless, may nemesis catch up with that rapist." Samuel shouted "Amen"!

My Dad with smiles all over his face, said "Dele (Uncle Oye) are you sure there are no extra additions you're putting in this story, because you are saying it as you were in the prison with them, Uncle Oye tried saying something to make us know all he said were true, but my Dad shut him up, saying; "Never mind, it is interesting anyways, continue" We all laughed, Uncle felt like we all supported the fact that he could be lying and sugar-coating the story, with a face full of anxiety to listen to all he has to say, I yelled at everyone "hey it's a story, at least at his old age he has something interesting to offer us tonight, but you, what you got? " "Ever considered investing your lives into doing something great like reading story books to the deaf or teaching the dumb how to sing? "

With so much persuasion, he got back into the story,

Titilope gave birth to her twin baby girls, looking so beautiful, Fulani father and a Yoruba mother, a nice crossbreed, I imagined. She continued with her medical studies as a nursing mother, it was tough for her but she strived so hard to make it out successfully.

Few months later after her delivery, some horrible things happened that were beyond human discretion. Uncle was about to continue his story, that how Femi took us back saying "this is the mess that comes out of keeping so much to yourself, thinking you can handle it all, Titilope just got what she deserved, I hope she never lived happily ever after in her life...,"

As if everyone planned it, nobody said a word or tried replying him, everyone kept quiet, took their eyes off him, focused at Uncle Oye and Uncle continued the story like no-one ever said nothing.

Titilope's parents got divorced due to some misunderstandings no one knew nothing about. This affected Titilope psychologically that she slumped at a mall, with her babies in a baby (carrier) bag that she used carried them in. Fate is a big deal, Hassan was also in that same mall at that same time, he helped Titilope, rushed her to the hospital with her twins, so sad one of the twins was found bleeding around the head area. Oh my God, I almost said something but I didn't want to find myself in Femi's mood, so it was best I kept quiet but I could see the change in mood on everyone's face.

Titilope was revived, she lost the 5months old baby girl as the baby had lost too much blood before getting to the hospital, the doctor got back to Hassan as he was told Titilope had lost her memory, meaning she remembers nothing about herself or anyone. Hassan hardly remembered who Titilope was, as she has grown into more of a mother than the lady she used to be. He took her to his home, took good care of her and the baby. He was so fatherly, unknowing he was really the father. This continued for a long time that Titilope became a part of Hassan's life, even though he already had a family in Kaduna State that he goes to visit every weekends.

Everything got complicated, we at the table got so confused, with no fear holding me back, I said; "Uncle, this does not sound real any longer, why on earth would coincidence bring such fate, looks more of a drama than a reality". Just as I finished saying those words, Mom almost fell off the chair, as she was fast asleep. Everyone laughed at her, Daddy took her to the room and none of them came back to join us to listen to the story, Uncle felt like the story was boring, then he switched into asking about our New Year resolutions

Me; I don't have no resolutions, I just want to be happy, make mistakes, never repeat the ones I have made before, get the best out of 2016, love more and get closer to God in all doings.

Oreoluwa: (with her head shaking and waving her right hand at me) What if you have a resolution, what else if not all the things you've said makes a resolution? Well, I also want to work harder on my relationship with others, no more friendship without gains.

Me; Like friends with benefits?

Uncle Oye: Hey, what do you mean by love more? (facing me)

Femi: He now has a girlfriend I guess, probably he wants to love her harder. *Laughs*

Me: Just love more, share more of my heart with others without getting resisted with the thoughts of getting hurt or anything, not even dividends.

Dara; Now I have a question, how are you going to share your heart when your guitar has it all?

Femi: Hey, free my little brother, he has his life to live, but tell us about the girl if it's not a guitar.

Tolani: (With her cracking voice) Can we all just say our resolutions for the New Year and leave this guy (me) with his problems, it's his life right.

Me: Thanks Dear, everyone should just mind their own businesses.

Tolani: yeah bro, all I was telling you is "get a life, stop being a jerk"

Me: I will not sit here and watch you talk trash into my face, that's enough, we all have our stuffs to handle, ama handle mine and be cool, y'all get and thanks for your concerns...,

Uncle Oye: Maybe we'll continue the story tomorrow morning, we need to settle this, you guys shouldn't allow little issues sprout out offensive words, learn to understand each others point and discuss it amicably.

Femi: Dad, maybe we all should go get a sleep and continue tomorrow.

This got me pissed, why should a thing that has no meaning scatter the gathering, I had to apologize immediately for all I said and we all settled it right of the dining table.

It was almost 11pm, we all still had our eyes opened, far from dozing, probably out of excitement, we all finally got to see ourselves after a very long time. We had a lot of plans for the Christmas and the day after it...,

Uncle Oye told us, "if you guys made me miss my early night sleep without completing this story, just know that no amount of apologies will make me tell you nothing again." I begged him, knowing I have promised my dear readers the conclusion of the previous story. He later reasoned with me and rushed the story.

A day came, Titilope and Hassan had to discuss, she was almost recovering her memory as she cried every time she realized she lost one of her babies, Titilope explained the pain giving birth to those kids brought her as well as losing one of them, it's a world set on fire for her, Hassan recalled everything about Titilope knowing he could be in trouble if she later realized who he was...,

Hassan thought of a way out, he gave a poisoned snack to Samuel at the prison, "hmm, in all dear, be prayerful, even when the enemy buries you, God will make you a seed, then you'll grow beautiful flowers and bloom." Samuel ate the snack with a bottle of soft drink, few minutes later he started having problem in his stomach, he screamed out so loud, fortunately for the unfortunate dude, that very day was an unannounced visitation by a king in the State to the prison, people helped Samuel to the hospital, where he got treated and after few days he was discharged. Before returning him to the prison, the king checked on him with some journalists to show off his act of goodwill and kindness to the world, Samuel got to meet the king and his men, they talked and the king realised how intelligent he sounded, the king asked him about how he got the prison.

After explicitly discussing with the king, the king felt his pain, believed him and promised to lobby for his bail out of the prison. Right in Samuel's ward in the hospital, the doctor brought the result and the cause of his stomach pain, saying it was as a result of food poisoning in a snack he ate, he got confused, he never believed a friend of his could do that. He told the doctor his friend gave him the snack as they've been good friends before the mishap. Hassan was arrested four interrogation, he confessed of all he did after thorough torture by the police squad, all through Samuel was shocked and overwhelmed with disbelief, because he couldn't reason why Hassan did such a thing to him, he couldn't relate it with anything possible, until Hassan told him how he raped Titilope and how he got to meet Titilope and harbours her in his apartment.

Titilope got to the prison to know why Hassan was convicted, there she saw Samuel, she could recognize him so much, that the memory of Samuel made her faint, she cried out after knowing Hassan was the bad guy that defiled her. Oh my God, it was a big drama in the prison. The king promised to sponsor Samuel's education, University of Ile-Ife took him back, he concluded his engineering program and went for his masters program at Luxemburg in Qatar. At Qatar, he met the love of his life, he became an heir to the king's family, his father that denied him, later came back for him, out of understanding he forgave his Dad. So sad he didn't marry Titilope, Hassan spent a reasonable part of his life in jail for attempted murder. Samuel became the director of a well renowned Oil company in Qatar, later relocated to Nigeria to settle with his family.

Samuel volunteered himself as a non-governmental body that visits prisons in Nigeria to empower prisoners with skills and crafts. Samuel's legacy still lives till this current date, he has died of intestinal cancer after his 68th year on planet earth..., Titilope lived happily as Samuel took good care of her until she got married to a doctor friend back in the University.

My Uncle looked into my eyes and said, every step you take in life has a way of making you fulfill destiny, never give up on prayers and always do good, it pays, even if you don't get a tangible dividend out of it, the peace of mind it gives is cool. And he also told me to get a life, man up and never hide what burns in my heart, never say no when you meant to say yes and vice versa.

NO IS BETTER THAN YES 2 BY @Dottmannbricks

NO IS BETTER THAN YES 2 (Concluding part) by Oyesomi Oyedotun @dottmannbricks