Episode 9
Husband Material
‘Gina, don’t do this’. I had to call myself to order after I realized I was being carried away by Oliver’s appearance.
“I won’t be doing this again”. The word escaped my mouth.
“What?. He asked.
… Please, don’t say ‘no’ to me, I mean no harm.”. He pleading, handing his phone to me.
Well, I collected the phone from him, and input my phone number.
“Talk to you later”. He said, as we bade each other goodbye.
I made up my mind that I was never going to take his call. So when I got a call from a strange caller later that night, I suspected he was the one, I didn’t pick…. I wasn’t ready for another round of heartbreak.
Two days straight, he called, morning and night, before I finally decided to respond on the third night.
“Regina, you haven’t been taking my calls”. He complained immediately I picked.
“I have been very busy at work”. I said.
We talked for minutes before he requested that we hang out and talk.
” I don’t have time for those things, always at work”. I said.
“Please, I need us to talk about something very important”. He pleaded.
“We can talk whatever over the phone”. I had told him.
After debating for another five minutes, he finally agreed to hit the nail on the head.
“I think I like you, Regina”.He professed.
“You think?”.I asked.
“No, don’t get it twisted, I like you, I really do, and I don’t know if you mind starting something with me”. He pleaded.
“I do mind, I seriously do”. I said.
We entered another round of argument until I brought it to an end by telling him to give me time to think.
I told my friends about him when they came to my salon later the next evening.
“I think you should give him a chance”. Diana suggested.
“There she goes again!. Gina, don’t ever give heed to her crazy advice this time”. Rita countered.
“I have no intention of allowing that man into my life. For Christ sake, I’m just recovering from a heartbreak, a very bad one at that, from someone I loved and trusted so much. I gave that guy access to my life and my home, I spoilt him with gifts, thinking we were heading somewhere, not knowing he was just there to play me. I gave…
… Just imagine if I had allowed that fraudster to touch me. How would I have lived the rest of my life with the guilt that I slept with my own sister’s husband?”. I asked.
“Wait, are you saying that…. you guys didn’t… do it?”. Rita asked.
“No oo, I told him to give me a little time”. I said.
And that was the truth. Though I was so crazily tripping over that guy, I wasn’t very comfortable giving in to his lustful desire so easily.
“That is a big relief, girl. She hailed.
… but I still insist, you do something about him”. She added.
“Yes, Gina, what are you going to do with him?”. Charity supported.
“I don’t understand, am I supposed to do something to him?”. I asked.
“Why not?, you need to get that criminal arrested. Remember, he duped you!”. Rita had to remind me.
I shook my head.
“I’m not doing anything to Dennis, I was the one at fault here. He only taught me never to love foolishly again”. I said.
“Oh, that guy is so lucky. He wouldn’t do that to me and go scot free”. Diana threatened.
“No, he is not lucky, he will still meet his match some day”. I said.
“What about your sister?, will you continue keeping her in the dark?”. Benita asked.
“Yes, Gina, you need to expose that fo0l before family, I think you owe that to your sister”. Rita added.
“I won’t be doing that either”. I replied.
“Why?, you owe your dad sister the truth”. Charity said.
“I’m not owing anyone… You guys don’t know my family. They may read another meaning into it. And besides, I don’t want the devil to use me and scatter anybody’s marriage, abeg”. I said.
But after days of contemplating over what they argued about, Divine came down to see me, on my request. Stella came along too
Initially, I only told them he scammed me. But when I found out the argument wasn’t heading anywhere, I added that I was in a relationship with him.
“I don’t understand”. Divine said.
“Hmm, Regina?”. Stella smiled, looking at me suspiciously.
“What’s that?. You think I’m joking or what?”. I asked.
“Why did you not tell me all these when I visited the last time?”. She asked.
“Did you not see that I was very sick that day?”. I asked.
“But that was not what my husband told me” Divine said.
“What did he say to you?”. I asked.
“He said that he did a job for you, and you refused to settle him, so he had no other option than to take away your car”. She explained.
“Hey!, that boy is a liar!”. Alicia exclaimed.
“Did what job for me?, does he even have a handiwork?. What does he do for a living?, I have asked you this before.”. I asked.
“He is into importing and exporting”. Divine replied.
“What does he import and export?. Is that the lie he uses in deceiving you?. I was getting really angry.
… That guy is jobless. It was I who got him a job, rented him an apartment, and also gave out my car to him. I was busy thinking he loves me, but he scammed me instead”. I explained further.
“Stanley has been staying in Abuja, he never based here”. She insisted.
“I don’t know how he did it, but he came down here and introduced himself to me as Dennis, a jobless guy from the ghetto, and I tried brushing him up to my taste”. I continued.
“Stanley, from the Ghetto, how come?”. She asked confused
“Didi, don’t tell me you’re going to take Regina serious. Can you not see that she is lying?. Firstly, she said he scammed her, now she is saying he was dating her. How is that even making sense to you?”. Stella said to her.
“Why are you doubting?”. I asked.
“No one in their right senses would believe you. He was the one dating you, he was supposed to follow you home, yet you were same person that introduced your gateman to me as your fiance. What are you even saying?”. She accused.
At this point, I had to give up, because further explanation makes the matter more complicated.
I thought the matter has been silenced after they left together to Stella’s house later in the evening, but how I was wrong. Mother called me before I went to bed that night.
“Regina, what is this thing your sisters are saying about you?”. She asked.
“What are they saying?”. I answered.
“What were you saying about my son-in-law?”. She asked.
“I told them that your son inlaw is a fraudster. He scammed me”. I announced
“My daughter, envying your sisters would do you no good. You need to change your attitude towards them”. She continued..
“Mama, I’m not envious of anyone, I’m only saying the truth I know, but it’s fine if nobody wants to listen to me”. I concluded, and ended the call.
“Though no one listens to you, but you’re now at peace with your conscience”. Rita said, after I narrated everything that transpired between my sisters and I.
“But it still didn’t make any difference to me, now everyone thinks I’m jealous”. I lamented.
“But the fact remains that you’re not”. She replied.
Oliver didn’t relent in keeping in touch… I kept on procrastinating, hoping he gets tired and forget me.
“I’m still thinking”. I would say.
“Okay. I just say let me check up on you”. He would respond.
That guy is so gentle..
Mother too didn’t relent in calling to remind me of my marital status.
One morning at work, I missed her call. Thinking it was something serious, I returned the call immediately.
“Regina, your birthday is in four months time, do you remember?”. Came her voice, as soon as she picked the call.
“Of course, how would I forget my birth date?”. I was amused.
“Thank God you remembered. You will be 37 then, a stone throw from 40”. She announced, and ended the call.
That statement alone ruined my entire day. I lost concentration at work and even got into a misunderstanding with a client after I instructed my girl to cut a different color of attachment from the one she requested.
“Madam, you need to take a break”. One of my apprentices suggested.
That night, I didn’t sleep a wink. I kept wake all night, pondering over what mother had said. At the end, I concluded I was going to give love a second chance, after all, Oliver seems like a husband material to me.
Or what do you think?π€·
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Typing 10…
