01/11/2025
THE SINGLE MOTHER - Episode 7
It had been almost 4 year since Debby met Kelvin.
Life at Baba Tunde’s workshop had changed completely — there was laughter, love, and small moments of peace that made the struggle worth it.
But just when everything seemed to be going well, life began to shift again.
One hot afternoon, Kelvin came rushing into the workshop, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Debby! Guess what?!”
She looked up from where she was washing tools.
“What again? You win lottery?”
He laughed. “Something like that! One customer say he go help me open my own small workshop at Oshodi. He say he like how I dey work and how I dey treat people. He even promise to bring customers for me.”
Debby froze. “Oshodi? That place far from here o.”
Kelvin nodded eagerly. “I know. But this na big opportunity. You know say Baba Tunde don dey talk about me starting my own thing.”
She forced a smile. “I know. I happy for you.”
But deep inside, her heart began to sink.
She had seen this before — when people leave with promises to come back but never do.
A week later, Kelvin moved to Oshodi.
He still came to check on Debby and Peace sometimes, bringing small provisions or foodstuff.
“Debby, I no go forget you, I swear. Na you be my biggest motivation.”
She’d smile and wave as he left, but once he was gone, her eyes would fill with tears.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. The visits became fewer. The calls became shorter.
Sometimes she would stare at her phone, waiting for it to ring, only to end up hugging Peace tightly and whispering
“We go dey fine, my baby. We no go cry again.”
The neighbours soon noticed Kelvin’s absence.
They began to whisper whenever Debby passed.
“She don use her bad character pursue that boy and the boy don run.”
“You know say that girl get bad luck. Every man wey love her, something go happen.”
One evening, Debby overheard two women talking behind her room.
“I hear say the mechanic boy don marry another woman for Oshodi.”
“Ehn? I no surprise. That girl no get shame.”
Debby froze. Her knees became weak.
That night, she cried quietly on her mat, her daughter sleeping beside her.
“God, why e be like say love no dey stay with me?”
Baba Tunde noticed her sadness. One afternoon, he called her to sit beside him after work.
“My daughter, I know say you dey miss Kelvin. But you go learn something from this life — men no be promise. You go learn to stand strong even when nobody hold your hand.”
Debby nodded quietly, wiping her eyes.
“I just wish say e no forget us.”
Baba Tunde smiled gently. “If he truly love you, he go come back. If he no come back, then God just remove wrong person from your path.”
Months later, Debby received a small folded letter through a bus driver.
The handwriting was shaky but familiar. It was
from Kelvin.
“Debby, I know say I never call for long. Life here hard. I dey struggle to set up. But no think say I forget you and Peace. You dey my mind every day. I go come back soon
, I promise.”
She read the letter over and over again, smiling and crying at the same time.
For the first time in months, she slept peacefully.
But she didn’t know that “soon” would take years.
Life became harder.
Baba Tunde’s health began to fail, and Debby had to take on more responsibilities.
She repaired small bolts, attended to customers, and even learned how to mix oil and change tires.
People started respecting her again — not because she was beautiful, but because she was strong and hardworking.
But each night, when she lay down beside Peace, the emptiness inside her grew deeper.
“God, if e no be your will make Kelvin come back, just give me strength to raise this child alone,” she
prayed softly.
It had been almost three years since kelvin left for Oshodi.
Peace was now a bright, talkative five-year-old, and Baba Tunde’s workshop was no longer as busy as it used to be.
So when Debby saw Kelvin again, standing in the rain with a nylon bag in one hand and a spanner box in the other, it felt like a miracle she had been waiting for.
Debby ran towards him, her heart beating fast
“Kelvin! Na really you be this?”
He smiled, wiping rain from his face.
“Na me, Debby. I tell you say I go come back, abi?”
Before she could speak again, Peace ran out from the workshop, shouting
“Uncle Kelvin! Uncle Kelvin!”
He lifted her up, spinning her around as she laughed.
The sight melted Baba Tunde’s heart, who was watching quietly from a bench.
“Welcome back, my son,” Baba Tunde said, smiling. “You no change much.”
Kelvin knelt to greet him. “Baba, thank you. I miss this place.”
Over the next few weeks, Kelvin began working again at the workshop.
He repaired cars, taught younger apprentices, and helped Baba Tunde with customers.
He and Debby grew close again — laughing like before, eating together, and walking home side by side.
But this time, it was different.
They were not just two struggling friends anymore; they were more like a small family.
One evening, as they sat outside after dinner, Debby asked quietly,
“Kelvin… why you no call for long? I think say you forget us.”
He sighed deeply.
“Debby, life no easy for Oshodi. The man wey promise me shop no fulfill am. I dey sleep for motor park sometimes. But every night, I dey remember you and Peace.”
Debby looked down. “You for just tell me. I for understand.”
Kelvin smiled sadly.
“I no want make you pity me. I want make you dey proud d of me.”
As the months passed, Baba Tunde’s health got worse.
He began to cough often, and sometimes he couldn’t come to work.
One night, he called Debby and Kelvin to his room.
“My children, I no know how long I get left. But one thing I want be say make una continue to love each other. I no get biological children, but
I get una.” And I thank God for that one.
Tears rolled down Debby’s cheeks.
“Baba, no talk like that, please.”
He smiled weakly.
“If anything happen to me, Kelvin, take care of Debby and the girl. She be your responsibility now.”
Kelvin nodded firmly. “Yes, sir. I promise.”
A few months later, Baba Tunde passed away quietly in his sleep.
His death broke both of them.
They buried him beside the workshop — his second home.
Kelvin took charge of the place, promising to continue the man’s legacy.
But even in their sadness, life moved on.
Kelvin began to do well. More customers came, and soon, he was earning enough to rent a small
apartment nearby.
“Debby,” he said one evening, “How about make you and Peace come live with me. This place no safe for una anymore.”
She hesitated. “People go talk o.”
He smiled. “Let them talk. We no owe anybody explanation.”
And so, Debby and Peace moved in with Kelvin.
The new house was small — one room and a tiny kitchen — but it was filled with laughter.
Peace started calling Kelvin “Daddy Kelvin,” and he didn’t correct her.
At night, Debby would lie on the bed watching him sleep, her heart full of gratitude.
“God, thank you for bringing him back,” she whispered. “Even if I no deserve am, you still show me mercy.”
Life was finally peaceful again.
👉 To be continued in Episode 8
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