DIARY OF A NAIJA WIFE {The butterfly}
Part 5
I didn’t answer him.
“You didn’t say you were coming.” He said, breathless.
“No, I didn’t. I wanted to surprise you.” I said with a calmness that surprised me.
See, my younger self was not one you wanted to mess with. I did not suffer fools gladly, and I had zero tolerance for nonsense. But when it came to men, I had a kind of calmness and perseverance that would shock even the most enduring martyr.
“Oh, I see. Come in, common in.” He said and helped me with my bag.
I was hurt. Hurt that from the door, all my plans and fantasies about this visit were thrown out the window. I had worn my shortest skirt and matched it with a sleeveless satin blouse and a pair of wedge sandals. The light pink colour of my blouse and off white skirt contrasted nicely with my fuchsia pink sandals and handbag. My small travelling bag was also a light shade of pink. I had dreamed about how upon opening the door, Derek’s eyes would almost pop out of their sockets in joy and surprise, how he would lift me off the floor in a warm embrace and we would kiss deeply right from the door into his living room where we would make passionate love.
My thought was rudely interrupted by her voice.
“And who is she?” She challenged him.
“She is my friend. My girlfriend.” Derek answered.
“Ehn ehn, so what does that make me?” She asked. Definitely getting angry.
This was when the reality of it all hit me. I was still hoping against my better judgment that she was his relative or whoever, but definitely not a love interest.
“You know what you are.” He replied and pulled my hand as he took me into a bedroom.
“Is this your bedroom?” I asked. The room looked plain and there was nothing personal in it. It was clean and the small bed by the wall was well laid with clean sheets. Other than that, there was only a reading table and chair with a lamp on it. I opened the small wardrobe and it was practically empty, save for a few inconsequential items here and there.
“No.” He said. “It is the guest room. Sekinat stays with me in my bedroom because of the baby.”
“What do you mean?”
“What he means is that, I, Sekinat, the mother of his child, and soon to be wife, warms his bed, every night.” The lady entered the room and answered my question. I did not know that she had followed us and was listening to our conversation.
“Sekinat, please go. You will not be rude to my guest.” He snapped at her. She left reluctantly, murmuring.
“Derek, please do not lie to me, is she carrying your child? Is that child yours?” I asked.
“Yes. Look, I am sorry but she just crept up on me, you know. I wasn’t expecting her to get pregnant or anything. I gave her some money to get rid of it, but apparently she did not, because she appeared at my doorstep two weeks ago with the baby, claiming her father threw her out and told her not to come back until she was ready to bring the father of her child home. I couldn’t turn my back on her, for the sake of my child.”
“Leave me.” I said.
“What?” He asked.
“I said, leave me alone. I need to be alone.” I said slowly.
I cried for about one hour. I didn’t know what to do. I thought of going back to Lagos, but that would mean I would have to explain to everyone why my visit was cut short. I also decided to hear from Derek what he wanted.
I stepped out of the room as quietly as I could. Sekinat was in the kitchen, the baby strapped on her back. I walked past the kitchen entrance and went to the door, hoping to go for a walk to clear my head. I stepped out and perceived the smoke from his cigarette. I followed the smell and found him at the back of the building, seated on a chair, smoking.
“Hi.” I greeted.
“Hey. How are you? Listen, I am sorry about all this. But you know I love you right? She is just my baby mama. You are my main girl.” He said as he stood up, threw his cigarette on the lawn, held my hands and touched my face.
I lost my senses when he did things like this to me. when he told me he loved me.
Let me say this here. This is what happens when you long for love all your life. The moment you get it or a semblance of it from any quarters, you do not want to let go.
Àdùnní
Part 5
I didn’t answer him.
“You didn’t say you were coming.” He said, breathless.
“No, I didn’t. I wanted to surprise you.” I said with a calmness that surprised me.
See, my younger self was not one you wanted to mess with. I did not suffer fools gladly, and I had zero tolerance for nonsense. But when it came to men, I had a kind of calmness and perseverance that would shock even the most enduring martyr.
“Oh, I see. Come in, common in.” He said and helped me with my bag.
I was hurt. Hurt that from the door, all my plans and fantasies about this visit were thrown out the window. I had worn my shortest skirt and matched it with a sleeveless satin blouse and a pair of wedge sandals. The light pink colour of my blouse and off white skirt contrasted nicely with my fuchsia pink sandals and handbag. My small travelling bag was also a light shade of pink. I had dreamed about how upon opening the door, Derek’s eyes would almost pop out of their sockets in joy and surprise, how he would lift me off the floor in a warm embrace and we would kiss deeply right from the door into his living room where we would make passionate love.
My thought was rudely interrupted by her voice.
“And who is she?” She challenged him.
“She is my friend. My girlfriend.” Derek answered.
“Ehn ehn, so what does that make me?” She asked. Definitely getting angry.
This was when the reality of it all hit me. I was still hoping against my better judgment that she was his relative or whoever, but definitely not a love interest.
“You know what you are.” He replied and pulled my hand as he took me into a bedroom.
“Is this your bedroom?” I asked. The room looked plain and there was nothing personal in it. It was clean and the small bed by the wall was well laid with clean sheets. Other than that, there was only a reading table and chair with a lamp on it. I opened the small wardrobe and it was practically empty, save for a few inconsequential items here and there.
“No.” He said. “It is the guest room. Sekinat stays with me in my bedroom because of the baby.”
“What do you mean?”
“What he means is that, I, Sekinat, the mother of his child, and soon to be wife, warms his bed, every night.” The lady entered the room and answered my question. I did not know that she had followed us and was listening to our conversation.
“Sekinat, please go. You will not be rude to my guest.” He snapped at her. She left reluctantly, murmuring.
“Derek, please do not lie to me, is she carrying your child? Is that child yours?” I asked.
“Yes. Look, I am sorry but she just crept up on me, you know. I wasn’t expecting her to get pregnant or anything. I gave her some money to get rid of it, but apparently she did not, because she appeared at my doorstep two weeks ago with the baby, claiming her father threw her out and told her not to come back until she was ready to bring the father of her child home. I couldn’t turn my back on her, for the sake of my child.”
“Leave me.” I said.
“What?” He asked.
“I said, leave me alone. I need to be alone.” I said slowly.
I cried for about one hour. I didn’t know what to do. I thought of going back to Lagos, but that would mean I would have to explain to everyone why my visit was cut short. I also decided to hear from Derek what he wanted.
I stepped out of the room as quietly as I could. Sekinat was in the kitchen, the baby strapped on her back. I walked past the kitchen entrance and went to the door, hoping to go for a walk to clear my head. I stepped out and perceived the smoke from his cigarette. I followed the smell and found him at the back of the building, seated on a chair, smoking.
“Hi.” I greeted.
“Hey. How are you? Listen, I am sorry about all this. But you know I love you right? She is just my baby mama. You are my main girl.” He said as he stood up, threw his cigarette on the lawn, held my hands and touched my face.
I lost my senses when he did things like this to me. when he told me he loved me.
Let me say this here. This is what happens when you long for love all your life. The moment you get it or a semblance of it from any quarters, you do not want to let go.
Àdùnní
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