CHAPTER 14
SWB: Akinsehinwa Oluwaseun.
The following morning I was reluctant to go to work.
I didn’t know how I was going to face him.
Yesterday when I came back from work, my husband noticed that I was not stable at all. He asked me what the problem was but I couldn’t tell him. How do I tell him I allowed another man to kiss and caress me right on the steps of his house? Yes it caught me unawares but I could have withdrawn immediately.
If my phone had not rung,what would have happened. It was Dunmininu’s call that distracted us yesterday. I didn’t pick up the call at my Boss’ house, but I called her later in the night when I got home. She had called me to inform me that she would be coming back to Abuja yesterday, she said she was already in the car but she won’t be resuming work, neither will she be coming to church until she recovers from the shock.
I told her it was an understandable decision but that she should call her work place and explain things to them, she agreed to do so and we said our goodbyes. I promised her I will come by to her house later to check up on her.
Guilt rubbed on my mind all through yesterday, even till this morning, I almost slept with another man barely two weeks after my wedding. What will Richard do if he gets to know? Though I didn’t want to go to work, I had no choice than to go. I made up my mind that I would avoid Mr. Jude for the next one week and if at all, our path cross, I’ll pretend as if nothing happened, though I wasn’t sure that would be possible.
Getting to my work place, the first person I met was Mr Jude. I greeted him quickly without looking at him at all and immediately rushed to my office.
Amara came to my office to discuss with me but I couldn’t flow freely with her. The memory of yesterday clouded my mind. It stick to it and just won’t leave. It kept replaying itself even without being asked to.
“The Boss calls for you” the secretary announced and my heart skipped a beat. I suddenly developed a cold.
“Why not tender your resignation letter?” That was the instant thought that came to my mind but I couldn’t obliged.
I got to Mr Jude’s office and met him discussing with the accountant. He didn’t even give any sign that anything happened between us yesterday and I was glad.
“Mrs Thomas” that will be the first time he’ll address me by my husband’s surname.
” please you’ll have to get to my house, my maid will be waiting for you,I left some of the important documents I’ll be traveling with today at home and I have instructed my maid to give them to you, as you’ll be coming for it. Please hurry up. The company’s driver has been sent on an errand I would have asked him to go instead. I apologise for any inconvenience. Please be back in the next fifteen minutes” he said authoritatively and continued talking with the accountant.
I turned back almost immediately, I had my doubts. Why can’t he ask someone else to run the errand? I didn’t want to step my feet in Mr Jude’s house again but I have to obey his orders, he’s still my boss. I got to Mr Jude’s house but I didn’t meet the maid at home,I gave Mr Jude a call and he asked me to wait for the maid,he said he had called her on phone and she said she went down the road to get something which won’t take long. Five minutes later, I heard a car zoomed in and then the door opened and it was Mr Jude, I stood up with immediate effect as I was already becoming uncomfortable.
“Please take your seat Nifemi” he said and I obeyed.
“I’m really sorry for what happened yesterday. It’s all my fault, please don’t feel guilty about it. I deliberately send you down here so I can have time alone with you to apologise, I knew if I had invited you,you might not want to come,so I cooked up the story of those documents. I’m sorry about that too, you know we can’t discuss such things in the office. So I had to look for a way out”
“It’s okay sir,let me quickly go so I can get back to work” I stood up and made to leave when he came closer.
“Please don’t go yet,you are still not happy with me. I’m sorry,I truly am. The problem is just that I can’t resist the temptation of wanting to have you to myself each time I see you. Nifemi you are all I think of, you mean so much to me” he moved closer to me and then resumed kissing me. I melt in his touch.
“Jude please ….stop” I said weakly.
“I like the sound of that, call me Jude , take the Mr away” he said as he caressed me non stop. This continued and I couldn’t resist him and then he lifted me off from the ground and carried me up the stairs to his bedroom.
I covered myself with the bed cover as I tried to find tears but none came. I’m in trouble. I have allowed the devil a chance in my marriage,just because of an unguarded passion. My pride is gone, a stranger took it. Not even my own husband. I’m completely finished!
“Nifemi, I don’t want you to regret this. I promise you I won’t give you a reason to. I’ll do anything you want. Thanks for making me happy. Thanks Baby for giving me this special gift. I never knew you were a virgin. My goodness! That’s to say your husband hasn’t touched you since you got married, I just can’t believe it. Nifemi just tell me anything you want and I’ll do it. I love you so much Babe”
He was talking but I didn’t understand a word of all he was saying, I had lost my understanding. My garment has been stained. I waited twenty eight years for my man but barely two weeks after my wedding, I slept with another man. My heart bleeds. I was crying but tears wasn’t coming out. All these because of an unguarded moment. Everything happened so fast.
“You can stay here all you want, you don’t have to go back to office, Love I’ll instruct the company’s driver to bring your bag, okay?”
I didn’t say a single word. My mind was full. I looked dirty, what can wash off this dirtiness?.
“Let me get you something to eat, I’ll make an order, what do you want? Or better still let me order for you? You’ll like my choice” I have never seen Mr Jude this happy. I wish it were my husband, maybe he would have been happier.
As soon as Mr Jude stepped out to make the call to order, I quickly got up and rushed out of the house before he could noticed. I got into my car and drove home straight. Getting home I ran into the bathroom and stayed there for hours, washing my body like it was going to wash my stains or reverse the deed that had been done. A virgin who turned an adulteress, how shameful! I said to myself, this time my tears had started flowing but the shower washed it off.
I wished it was a dream but no,this is not a dream but a reality. I just committed the forbidden act of adultery. I’m so cheap, he got me so easily. Was I that crazy for sex? The untamed desire had now suddenly cool down. No wonder they say an untamed desire is like a spark of fire which can destroy a whole city.
“Oh Lord I’m dirty. Richard must not hear this, I’m in deep mess” I was crying profusely. A shiver of cold ran down my spine. My phone kept ringing but I refused to come out of the bathroom, I knew it was Mr Jude calling. After hours of scrubbing my body like it was going to wash me clean, I came out of the bathroom sluggishly. My phone rang and my eyes caught the caller, it was Dunmininu.
Do I have the courage to speak with her in my condition? I have once condemned the act of sexual immorality she was involved in but now, my case is worse. I’m married yet I slept with another man, my boss at that.
The phone rang again and I picked it up with shivering hands
“Nifemi, I killed him” Dunmininu blurted out and my heart sank within me.
“You killed who?” I asked in whispers
“I killed him” she repeated and sobbed.
“Dunmininu please where are you?”
“I killed him” she said again.
“Dunmininu please tell me where you are, don’t do anything stupid”
“Goodbye Nifemi”
“Jesus, Jesus, Dunmininu , hello, he…..” She has hung up. The cold suddenly disappeared. I got a gown , my slippers and my car keys and ran out with an accelerated speed. I wasn’t even thinking about myself or what happened earlier on again. Like a speed of light, I got to Dunmininu’s house, I flung the door opened and there he was lying lifelessly on the ground with a knife stuck to his neck. I saw a deep cut on his stomach too, his blood flowed on the ground. He was cold, dead and gone forever. Smith has paid for his sins with his dear life. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as his eyes opened wide. Smith is never coming back again. Dunmininu finished his life completely.
“Dunmininu!!!” I screamed out in fear. Dunmininu came out of the kitchen, with a weary smile on her face. I saw some white substance on her lips and I knew immediately that my friend has just taken some poisonous content.
“Nifemi please….go” she signaled at me to leave and was about falling to the ground when I caught her in my arms
“Dunmininu why?” I wept bitterly.
“Ni….fe….mi” she said weakly, with a weary smile planted on her face.