CHAPTER 7- “THIS FAMILY CALLED MINE: COLOUR US UP

©️ Opeyemi Akintunde

As Inspired by the LIVING WORD..

“Why is your father-in-law taking forever to get here?” Setemi asked, her voice laced with sarcasm as we all sat in the living room waiting impatiently.

It was funny how none of us was even talking about burial plans.

Right then, the door creaked open. Bolade, our father’s nurse, walked in, saving Tobe from answering the taunting question.

“Good morning, Mas and Sirs!” Bolade greeted, her tone laced with excitement.

“It’s been years o!” she added with a bright smile, looking around. No one shared in her enthusiasm.

I stood up quickly to cover up the tense atmosphere.

“Ah, Sis Bolade! Thank you so much. Everyone has been so busy… We’re grateful to have had you care for Daddy till his last days.”

“Don’t mention, Ma. I was only doing my job,” she said modestly. “Grandpa really wanted to see you all before he passed… especially in the last month.”

Setemi gave a sarcastic laugh.

“His sons… you mean?”

“No… all of you o,” Bolade replied. “Especially you aunties. He said he wanted to give you back what belonged to you aunties.”

That caught everyone’s attention. The entire room went silent and all eyes fixed on her.

“What?” Morayo asked, narrowing her eyes.

“He didn’t tell me what exactly,” Bolade replied quickly. “He just kept lamenting. I told him to call you all, but he said it wasn’t about your phone lines.”

“This must have something to do with his Will,” I said aloud, heart racing. “Maybe he left something out when he was being manipulated… and when he saw death coming, he tried to correct it. Right?”

“I can’t say, Ma,” Bolade replied gently. “He didn’t give me details.”

Tobe stood up, adjusting his shirt with an air of control.

“Madam Nurse, ignore my sisters. They’re trying to squeeze hope out of you. My father’s lawyer is already on his way to straighten things out about His Will”

“Okay,” Bolade said slowly, though her expression said otherwise. She looked genuinely concerned at how much more interested we were in the Will than his last moments on earth.

“So… what are the burial plans?” she asked, trying to lift the mood. “How soon are we doing it? Or are you waiting for—”

“We are not ready for now,” Setemi cut in sharply. “You’ve kept him in the mortuary, haven’t you? There are more important matters to settle first.”

Bolade got the message. She straightened herself and nodded.

“Okay, ma. I’ll take my leave then.”

She walked out quietly. I quickly followed after her, catching up with her by the gate.

“Sister Bolade, I’m sorry about the tension in there.”

“It’s okay, Aunty Mololuwa. You were the only one who truly cared for your father. I understand you’re probably the only one genuinely mourning him. The others… they’re just after what he left behind.”

She looked at me with concern and then said something that pierced my heart.

“A word of advice… Don’t take a pin from it.”

“What?” I asked, stunned.

“Yes. Don’t take anything that your father ever owned. Give him a proper burial… and return to your life in the city.”

“What? Why? I don’t understand.”

“I’m afraid… I can’t say much,” she said, her eyes scanning the compound as if someone might be listening. “But because of how kind you were to him… because of how you stayed close till his last breath… my advice to you is this: Don’t take anything he left behind.”

It felt like a dagger to my chest. She wasn’t speaking from mere emotion—this sounded like a warning based on something only she knew.

I walked slowly back into the house, mind reeling.

So even in death, Daddy’s wealth wasn’t for us? Not when he was alive, not now?

This revelation… I wasn’t going to share. We needed My Father’s money! 

Setemi was our hope! Her plan was Simple…According to Yoruba Customary Law, if there’s no valid Will, a father’s property is to be shared equally among all surviving children, regardless of gender. That was the loophole Setemi had mentioned earlier. If the Will could be “handled” or destroyed, that law would work in our favour. It would mean our stepbrothers and stepcousins wouldn’t be able to edge us out.

I wasn’t sure I agreed with tampering with anything or making the lawyer get ‘lost’, but right now… 

Everything was boiling down to either the Will ( which would not be in our favour) or the Customary Law ( which would be in our favour).

I walked back in and went straight to where Setemi was seated.

“How far?” I whispered.

To be continued…

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