CHAPTER 18
SWB: Akinsehinwa Oluwaseun.
I quickly wiped off my tears and hid the test kit behind the wardrobe.
I took off my clothes, wrapped myself in a towel and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I didn’t want my husband to notice I’d been crying.
“Hey Babe, I’m home” Richard greeted.
“You’re welcome Sweet. I’m in the bathroom” I answered.
“Yeah I can hear the shower running. How’s your health? Are you feeling any better?”
“Yep, yes I’m fine. I’m much better” he paused for a while before speaking. I could hear him pouring water into a cup.
“Are you sure babe or you are just afraid?” he asked and I almost rushed out of the bathroom.
Afraid? What does Richy mean by that?
“Afraid? Afraid of what?” I asked in the calmest tone ever.
“Afraid of injection now.
I know you are afraid the nurses will inject you, you have never liked injection” he laughed while I took in a deep breath.
I didn’t know he was joking, I thought he already had a clue about my escapade.
I stayed in the bathroom a little bit longer.
I later came out of the bathroom and realized my husband was no longer in the room.
He probably has gone to the kitchen or to watch the TV downstairs.
I stared at nothing in particular, thinking about what to do to save my face from this shame.
My phone rang , it was an unknown number. I picked it up after the fourth ring.
“Hello Nifemi” it was Mr Jude calling.
“What’s the problem? Why are you bent on ruining my marriage?” I said in whispers.
“I’m sorry Nifemi, please give a listening ear…. “
“I don’t want to hear anything from you, I said leave me alone. Why did you even come to my house in the first place? Imagine the gibberish you were uttering out of your mouth, that you’ve increased my salary and you want me back to your company. What was that all about?”
“I wanted to come and see you, I didn’t know I’ll meet your husband at home,I had to cover up with something. It’s you I wanted to come and see. Nifemi I love you, I can’t live without you, please give me a chance in your life. I’m going crazy for you”
“It’s obvious you are mad! I am a married woman for crying out loud”
“But it’s obvious you aren’t happy in that marriage. It’s obvious that something is wrong Babe. Or how do you explain the fact that after weeks of been married, your husband refused to touch you? And those things you said in the car the other time I took you to Tracy’s counseling session they make the whole thing glaring and obvious enough for even a blind man to see. I know you aren’t happy Nifemi, stop hiding it. Stop the pretence already”
“I am happy, I was happy until you came to the picture. Jude stay off me and stay off my home”
“It’s too late Nifemi, I’m too much in love with you to back off at this stage”
“I don’t love you, I love my husband”
“You love your husband?”
“Yes I do” I responded angrily.
“And what about my baby?”
“Which……..” I was about to ask which baby when my husband suddenly flung the door open. His eyes were as red as crimson, they were burning like flames. The phone in my hand dropped as he stared at me.
“Why Nifemi?”
“I….I…..can …… explain” I had suddenly become a stammerer.
“Your Boss is asking you out and you refused to confide in me? That dirty thing wanted to touch my wife? “
My mind was a bit at peace that Richard has not heard more than he was supposed to, I stood up and came close to him, just when I was about to place my hands on his shoulders to calm him down, he withdrew from me.
“Don’t touch me. So were you thinking of considering him? Were you thinking of giving him a chance?”
“No Richy, I mean…..why will you think of such thing?”
“But why didn’t you tell me about it?”
“Because…..I’m sorry……just try to understand” something in me told me not to bother confessing to him that I’d slept with my boss , considering his reaction now.
“So when were you planning to tell me?”
“Tell you what” I asked with fear written all over my face.
“That your Boss has been pestering you?”
“I….. don’t……” I didn’t know what to say.
“Was that the real reason you resigned from the company?” He asked holding my hands, he sat on the chair and made me to sit on his laps. He had already calmed down a little.
“Yes” I simply said.
“I’m so proud of you Nifemi, thank you for not giving in to the pestering of that man. Thank you for not dishonouring me or our marital vows ……” By now I had begun to shiver from within. Here is my husband thanking me for not doing what I had already done. How do I now confess to him that I slept with Jude?
“I can’t believe he even has the gut to came to this house. No wonder he was praising you endlessly. No wonder he wanted you back by all means. You know what? I’m going to deal with him in a way he will never have imagined”
“Richy please don’t do anything we’ll both regret, let’s just leave him to God’s judgement” I was afraid of what my husband could possibly do to Mr Jude. I was more afraid of what his reaction would be when he finds out I slept with him. What will he do to me if he finds out I’m pregnant?. Those were the thoughts running through my mind.
“Nifemi, I’m sorry I’ve not been meeting your sexual need but I assure you, before the end of this month, we would have been good to go.
It’s the good news from my consultant” he assured me.
“Okay” I said, not been able to look into his eyes.
“Thank God you didn’t yield Nifemi, I will never have been able to forgive you. Thank you so much my Love for not giving that devil a chance. I’ll do all it takes to satisfy your sexual need, it’s not going to be like this forever Babe” I don’t know whether to be angry or not but one thing was certain I was really scared.
“I’ll be right back honey” he said as he took his car keys and left. I was wondering where he was headed to. I’m sure he doesn’t know Mr Jude’s house, so he’s definitely not going there.
My phone rang after my husband left and it was Jude calling me again. Is he monitoring us?
“What is your problem. I keep barring your numbers and you keep calling with new ones.” I said angrily.
“I can’t stop thinking about you. I’m sorry, I heard your husband’s voice before I hung up, does he know anything yet?”
“Isn’t that your prayer? What do you care?” I asked angrily.
“You know as much as I really want you to myself, I’ll never risk your life. If your husband gets to know about us, it will be too risky for you and our unborn baby”
“There’s no us here Mr. There’s no us and there can never be. I don’t love you, I love my husband”
“But I love you Nifemi. I’m crazy about you. When I sleep I see you. When I’m awake I fantasize about you. When I’m eating is you. When I’m…….”
“This is not love but lust, it’s an obsession. Listen Jude, I know I made a mistake sleeping with you. I allowed an unguarded passion get the best of me but please I’m trying to go back to God and make things right, please stay off me. I can never and will never be yours”
“Nifemi I’m sorry but now that I know you are pregnant with my baby I’ll do anything to make sure you are all mine. I will go any length for you and our baby”
“I am not pregnant! I am not! Jude please leave me and my family alone.”
I hung up and switched off immediately. My legs were moving vibrantly. I didn’t know what to do. This man is bent on ruining my joy all because of his selfish interest. I laid on the bed crying and did not know when I slept off. It was Richard’s gentle kiss on my forehead that woke me up.
“Richy,you are back?” I asked weakly parting my eyelids slowly.
“Yep Baby, are you alright? You’ve been crying”
I didn’t know the tears were still on my face, I quickly wiped it off and tried to feign a smile but Richard wasn’t convinced, he knew something was definitely wrong.
“I was thinking about Dunmininu before I slept, I didn’t know when tears started dropping” I lied.
“May her soul rest in peace. Please don’t hurt yourself , Dunmininu is gone. Nothing can bring her back again” he said and I nodded.
“Here have it” Richard handed a nylon that contains two beautiful gowns and a nice silver wrist watch to me.
I smiled happily before thanking him.
Richard was in the habits of buying me different kind of gifts especially when I do something that makes him happy.
What have I done to make him happy this time? I kept thinking.
“This gift is my own little way of saying thank you to you, for not giving in to the pestering of Mr Jude. Thank you for leaving his company just to save our marriage.
Thank you for being the Proverb 31 woman. Thank you for…….”
As my husband was praising me, I was shedding tears, he thought it’s because I’m getting emotional. What he didn’t know is that I’m crying for my sins. I have sinned against my Creator. I have failed my husband. I have betrayed his trust in me.
“It’s not like I expected anything less from my virgin wife anyway. Or what else do I expect from the woman who kept her virginity for me and remained untouched just so I can be a proud husband?”. Richard said placing his face on the side of my face. Was the devil trying to taunt me? I thought.
“Richy please let’s talk later, I have to rest now, I have a slight headache. Thanks for the gift , I really appreciate it” That was the only excuse that could save me from this tormenting moment. I laid on the bed while Richard stroke my hair smiling happily.
“I forgot to tell you that the Pastor’s wife asked of you when she didn’t see you in church today”
” Oh, that’s very kind of her”
“You should probably call her she told me she wanted to see you for something very important” Richard said.
“Okay I will”
“Let me get downstairs, my club is playing against a powerful team today and the match started about five minutes ago. If my club wins I’ll credit your account , so you had better start praying now that we win.” Richard laughed while I smiled, he pecked me before leaving. I picked up my phone to call my Pastor’s wife immediately he left , I was eager to know what that important thing she wanted to discuss with me was.
It rang thrice before she picked up the call.
“Hello Mummy, good evening ma”
“God bless you my sister. I’m sorry I didn’t pick your call on time. Your husband said you aren’t feeling too well the other time , how are you feeling now?”
“I’m fine thank you ma. It’s getting better” I responded.
“Oh good, I’m sure it’s a good sign, it’s an answer to our prayers. It shows the twins are on the way” she said and laughed, to her it was a joke but to me it was an haunting word. Twins? Pregnancy talk again? I thought.
“Actually my sister, I told your husband to tell you that I want to see you. I don’t know if it will be preferable we meet in my office or are you okay with the discussion on phone?” She asked with a serious tone.
“Yes Mummy. We can discuss on phone ma” I answered nervously.
“Last week when I was praying for all the wives in our church, I had a vision where I saw you trying to get out of a pit. I’m not trying to scare you, I have prayed about it and I believe the devil has lost this battle but my major concern is that, a Bible passage keeps coming to my mind and I was directed to give the message to you”
My mind went straight to my own dream that I had before Dunmininu died. In that dream I was trying to save Dunmininu from an horrible pit when a force pulled me into another pit. Now that my Pastor’s wife told me about her own vision, I was beginning to connect things.
“Are you there Sister Nifemi?” she said making me to jerk back from my subconscious mind.
“Yes ma, I’m listening”
“I hope I’m not getting you scared?” She asked with much concern.
“No ma” I responded.
” I didn’t intend to tell you but the inner witness won’t let me rest. Normally when I have those kind of vision, I just fast and pray over it. I prefer to share only good visions or dreams, but there’s a strong urge from within that I must let you know about this one”
“Thank you ma for your concern. I’m grateful” I said trying to be composed.
“The message I was talking about the other time is from Proverbs 28:13. Please get your Bible and prayerfully meditate on it , probably there’s something the Lord is trying to say to you”
I didn’t know what that Bible passage says but I got up immediately to get a Bible from the shelf.
“Please let me know if you are able to get the message, so that we can pray together” she added.
“Okay ma, thanks a lot ma. I’ll read it once I drop this call”
“Alright my sister. Good bye”
I hung up the call , praying that the Lord will console me with the words from those Bible passage but as I opened my Bible and started reading the verse, I became terrified.