Patriarch

They say silence is golden: that it is often wise to remain silent than to speak in some situations. This kind of idiom does not apply to the kind of pin-drop silence that occurs after Aderinsola dropped the news of handing the reigns of the family over to Leo.

They all didn't choose to remain silent because they were afraid of what to say. No! They remained silent because they were shocked into that state! Even Leo that the reign was being handed to was staring at his grandfather, utterly dumbfounded because he never saw it coming.

Even though they were all silent, all of their minds were in turmoil. Chaos of words they couldn't still make sense of were running through their minds...

"What just happened?..."

"Did I hear right?"

"Did grandpa just say what I thought he said..."

"It's been a long time coming..."

Their emotions were also very high, depending on the way their mind was currently working... Lara was stewing with anger. Tola was burning with hatred. Leo was confused, he looked like the breath had just been knocked out of him while Titi was deliriously happy.

One would think the reign was handed over to Titi instead of Leo as she broke the silence with a spontaneous clap...

"That was a very good idea grandpa!.. It's been a long time coming." She said with a wide grin plastered all over her face, looking at Leo and nudging him with her shoulder to say something.

"Wao!..." Was the only word Leo could manage to say at that moment, to Titi's dismay. He wasn't expecting to hear this kind of news at all. Or did he not properly hear what his grandpa just said? He still wondered to himself

'They will be staying here after they get married because they will be the new master and mistress of this family...'

Leo repeated what he thought he heard in his mind all over again before everywhere erupted with the noise of Lara and Tola showing their displeasure, confirming that he heard just fine

"Grandpa! How could you say that!?" Tola screamed, forgetting for a moment the presence of whom she was standing.

"Haa!.. Is their juju also working on you too!?... Now I know this girl Emma or whatever her name is, is very smart and disbolical! She targeted Leo with a well thought out plan, and the plan was perfectly executed with the aid of Juju" Tola continually ranted on and on to no one in particular.

"Grandpa what exactly is happening!? How could you make her the mistress of this family when I'm still alive!?... Da-Silva or not, it doesn't matter who her family is... Hope you realised her family name doesn't change the fact that she's diabolical! And you're just going to hand over such important position to such a girl!?

The girl that got herself attached to my son out of his wills! The girl that trapped Leo using her female wiles and juju spells!? Is that the same girl you are making the mistress of this family!?"

Lara shouted towards her father-in-law, clapped her two hands dramatically together several times, and continually paced the space within where they were all seated.

Aderinsola let them rant on and on... He already anticipated this sort of behavior from Lara and Tola, so much so that he would have been surprised if they had remained silent.

The only person that surprised him that night was Titi that seemed not to be affected by the protest going on around her. Even though she wasn't as close to her mom as Tola was, Aderinsola still expected her to be a little angry on behalf of her mother. But no! She just kept smiling all through their protest...

"Enough of this nonsense both of you!... Aderinsola's voice suddenly boomed out powerfully in warning when he couldn't take their behavior anymore.

The two hysterical women immediately went silent, but they were still vibrating. They can vibrate all they want, as long as they are not screaming like a couple of banshees, it was totally fine by Aderinsola.

"What sort of disrespect is this!? This is still my house!... And both of you might as well stand up, go inside, pack your bags and leave right now if you're not going to be civil about this!.." Aderinsola said angrily

"I have worked and toiled day and night... Even long after I was supposed to retire because of the death of my son... And now it is time for me to rest, if you don't like it then too bad!... As I said, you can go inside, pack your bags, and leave right now!...

Lara the last time I checked, this mansion does not belong to your husband. I asked you all to move in here after his death, and it's almost eleven years after... I think it's high time you move back into your husband's house where you can be the mistress for as long as you want...

Tola I believed myself a fair man with no discrimination against gender... Tell me, what haven't I done for you!?... Everything you have ever wanted and desired for, I have handed over to you on a platter of gold... But still, you have only brought me shame and disappointment in return. You failed in school! You failed in business! You failed at getting married! You even failed at getting along with your siblings.

You are a twenty-nine years old woman who still gets monthly allowances from your aged grandfather!... Please tell me what happened to the plastic manufacturing company I left in your charge?... What happened to the two businesses that I gave you money to start on two different occasions?... The boutique and supermarket I believed?...

There was never any business neither could you account for the the money I gave you... I have never for once called any member of this family to tell them all I have done for you and how you have squandered it all! How could you now think yourself worthy to stand in my presence and tell me how to run my household, you ingrate!

The only person I know I've ever treated unfairly was Leonard! I took away his dream of being a footballer just so you fools would continue to leave comfortable lives! I have never for once asked him what he wanted. I've only shoved what I wanted down his throat... Shaped and molded him to suit me and I'm satisfied with the result so far" Aderinsola finished before directing his gaze towards where Leo was sitting...

"I am sorry Leo!... I am aware of the agreement you had with your father, but if I did not take that away from you, who would I have put in charge of the empire? Your mother was only interested in being a housewife. Tola was utterly useless and Titi was too young to help out right then!" Aderinsola exhaled deeply

"I am an old man that does not know how much longer he has left... They are all in your charge now Leonard! The family, the empire... Do with them as you deemed fit."

The only business I'll still be involved in is the one between you and your future wife. I want to always have that assurance that you are always on the right part... Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, grandpa..." Leo answered and nodded in response

"Good! It is way past my bedtime... Please help me up the stairs... This meeting is over. Aderinsola stood and Leo immediately rushed to his side to give him a hand.