Before we left Toyin’s place, I managed to brief her. She was
mute in disbelieve. We got home and Kassim was nowhere to be found. He
abandoned the poor girl at home to nurse her pain all alone.
My feeling towards Ope was mixed, a feeling of pity for her
and a feeling of jealousy for sharing my man with me. We waited till 7pm but
Kassim never showed up. We left back to Toyin’s place that night. Her husband’s
flight was scheduled to arrive Abuja by 6pm and he would pick a chartered taxi
to Lokoja that evening. How will he feel when he comes and see me in their
house? I don’t want to create problem for Toyin because they are living in
harmony with her husband. They have just two children and David was already in
boarding school while Tola schools in Lagos with her father.
Toyin’s husband worked with a big telecommunication company
in Lagos as a legal adviser. He only comes to Lokoja by weekend and returns on
Monday with the first flight. Toyin too is a lawyer, they met at the law school
and they have been married for thirteen years. Toyin, let me go and lodge in a
hotel, I don’t want your husband to meet me here, I pleaded with her.
I already told him you are here and he’s eager to meet you.
Did you tell him what happened between me and my husband? Yes of course, you
expect me to lie to him? I have never lied to my husband and I don’t intend to
ever lie to him. This is one secret that have helped us live together in
harmony since we got married. When he comes he will intervene and use his
masculine wisdom to address the matter. I felt ashamed of myself because I have
been lying to my husband and he also have been lying to me.
We had caught each other lying to each other on many
occasions. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Toyin what happened? How will I be able
to face her husband when he comes? When he finally arrived, it was late and he
only came to say hi with Toyin. When I saw the way they held themselves
romantically I had an urge to cry but I let them out before I bursted into
tears.
While I was struggling with my tears, I noticed a beep on my
phone, it was Kassim. He sent me a text apologizing for what happened in the
morning. “My dear I’m sorry for what happened in the morning, it was the devil
who pushed me. I know I have offended you but I still love you”. I took my
phone and deleted the message in anger. Love my foot!
The following morning, I called my mother-in-law to inform
her that I was no longer in her son’s house due to irreconcilable differences
and the need to advice Ope to return home. She tried to asked me what happened
but I insisted only Kassim or Ope will tell her. The following day she was on
the road to Lokoja. Kassim and family are from Ajase close to Omu-Aran in Kwara
state. When she arrived she called me to come to the house. She also called
Kassim to come but he refused.
She begged me to return home but I refused. How can I stay
with a man who abused his sister right in my presence? Would I be happy living
with him again? How will the wound he created be healed? What can erase that
memory of what I saw that day? It was obvious Kassim will not come, it’s
getting late ma and I need to go, I told mama. Nneka you can’t go anywhere,
this is your house, she said as she held me and her tears swept me off my feet.
I broke down in tears, Ope joined us as we all wept like someone just died for
us.
The tears we shed that day wouldn’t be greater if Kassim was
dead. I was tempted to stay back because of mama’s tears and pleas but I was
adamant. If I stay back, who will encourage me and keep my mind off the ugly
situation like Toyin will do? I pretended I wanted to use the toilet and
sneaked out. Mama had stayed three days but Kassim was yet to show up.
