“A WIFE FOR MY HUSBAND” (Part Two)
Episode 4
Upon returning home, as usual, Simi wasn’t there. Lakunle didn’t care and didn’t bother to look for her. Nursing a drink at his bar, he received a call from one of his friends. Uninterested and not in the mood to be disturbed, Lakunle continued sipping his drink. He had been drinking more than usual to cope with the vacuum left by Adesuwa’s absence. The caller was persistent, so he reluctantly answered.
“Guy. wetin dey do you. Why you no dey pick your call.”
“No vex, wetin sup.”
“I dey club and you no go believe who I dey see so.”
“Who be that?”
“Your wife.”
“Adesuwa?”
“No, Simi.”
“You sure?”
“I dey sure.”
“Simi in a nightclub, what is she doing there?”
“Yes, and she came here with some guy.”
“I’m on my way, which club?”
His friend informed him, and Lakunle drove to the location. He was repulsed to see Simi dancing with another man, carelessly gyrating to the music despite her condition. Lakunle approached her, attempting to pull her away from the man. She resisted, and the man questioned Lakunle, but when he mentioned that Simi was his wife, the man backed down. Lakunle, with the assistance of his friend, carried Simi and placed her in the car, then drove her home.
That night, while Simi was asleep, Lakunle decided to call his parents and inform them about everything that had been happening. His parents were shocked; his mother promised to visit and talk to Simi.
A few days later, Lakunle was in a meeting when his phone kept buzzing persistently. It was his mother calling, he excused himself to answer her.
“Mami, is everything okay?” Lakunle inquired.
“Lakunle, iru egbin wo leleyi?” his mother exclaimed. (What sort of disrespect is this?)
“What’s wrong, Mami?” Lakunle asked.
“Your wife refused to let me in, claiming she wasn’t aware I was coming.”
“Simi didn’t allow you in? That can’t be. Okay, let me call her.” Lakunle tried to reach Simi several times, but she didn’t answer.
He called his mother back, saying, “Mami, she’s not picking up her calls. Where are you now?”
“I’m outside with the security. Imagine that, in my son’s house. A wife that I married for my son.”
“Please, Mami, calm down. I’ll be there soon.”
Lakunle wanted to excuse himself from the meeting and head home, but on second thought, he decided against it. This was the same Simi that Mami had connived with to ruin his life, claiming she was a good girl. Lakunle didn’t leave the office until four hours later.
When he arrived home, his mother was by the security house, visibly upset. He could see that she had been crying. He went ahead, unlocked the door, and let her in. Simi was seated, watching TV.
“Simi, you have the audacity to leave my mother outside.”
“Yes, I’m not Adesuwa that you people walked all over. If Mami wants to visit, I have to be informed, and only if it is convenient for me.”
“If it were your mother, would you leave her outside?”
“My mother is not a busybody; she will call before coming.”
“You call my mother a busybody.” Lakunle wanted to confront her physically, but his mother stopped him.
“Please, Lakunle, don’t touch her. You know she is pregnant. Please.” She turned to Simi. “I don’t blame you; I blame myself for saddling my son with a useless girl like you. But don’t worry. Alatunse mo atuse ara e.” (I know what to do.)
“Whatever,” Simi said dismissively as she stood up and walked away.
“Lakunle, is this what you have been dealing with?”
“You have no idea, Mami. Please go in and freshen up. I will prepare something for us to eat.” Lakunle helped his mother with her bag.
That night, before Mami could have a chance to sit down with Lakunle and Simi to resolve their differences, Simi left the house. Lakunle and Mami discussed the situation.
“This is more serious than I thought. It means Simi has been pretending all along. Now I understand why they were so eager for Simi to get pregnant for you. No man will marry her; she is not wife material at all. Hmm, as I sat outside waiting for you, I remembered Adesuwa. When she was your wife, I could come and go and act as I pleased. I was respected and treated like a queen. Do you know when I called Simi’s mother to report her, all she said was I should have called, and that Simi was raised differently. She promised to call her to order, but I didn’t hear from her again.”
“I warned you, didn’t I? You and Bami have destroyed my life. How are we even sure that this child she is carrying is mine? When she delivers this baby, I am going to do a DNA test. I can’t take chances.”
“I agree with you. We are sorry; we only wanted to help.”
Simisola didn’t return that night. Mami called her mother to inquire if she had seen her. Simi’s mother explained that Simi had visited but it got late, so she suggested she stay over and return the next day.
Simisola didn’t come back until Mami grew tired and left for Ibadan. Lakunle decided to remain silent until she gave birth. He was indulging more and more in liquor such that it began to affect his work.
Thanks for reading,
Watch out for episode 5.
Jumie Naths
