THAT NIGHT
Episode 14
Peculiar’s P.O.V
After caring for Edwin for a week, he remained indifferent to me, he refuses to talk or smile at me. When I couldn’t take it again, I broke down in front of him one day, instead of being remorseful, he burst into laughter.
Me: why are you treating me like i am the worst sinner on earth?
Edwin:( laughing so hard)
Me: that is not funny
Edwin: Okay, I am sorry for laughing but it is funny, you look cute when you cry. Well, I have forgiven long ago, I just needed more pampering and care from you.
Me: (surprised, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him) You are a joker like I am have been crying for nothing
Edwin: (took the pillow from me and looked at me with all seriousness) when you got me arrested, you killed my pride, you made me feel true love wasn’t meant for me. You know I have not been lucky when it comes to love but when you came around, I felt you won’t break my heart like the previous ladies did but you also followed their path. Those days in the police cell were hell for me not because of the beating or torture but because the one I love was the one behind my arrest. Then I made up my mind never to fall in love again not until you showed up last week asking for forgiveness
Edwin’s words brought tears from my eyes, I looked at him well and realized he was also shedding tears, I can’t believe I was cruel to the one who loves me despite knowing my past.
Yes, he had not been lucky with love as the ladies couldn’t stay with a man who would not sleep with them before marriage. One of them labeled him an impotent fool.
Me: I am very sorry for all I put you through, I was stupid to have done that to a good man. Please, find a place in your heart to forgive me
Edwin: it’s alright, I have forgiven you and thank you for loving me back. I promise to be a great partner
Me: (feigning ignorance) love?? When did I say that?
Edwin: I believe you are joking and mind you, I want marriage as soon as possible.
That was how we became lovers. Edwin was a great lover as he showed me love and care, i looked more beautiful and happy when I reciprocated his love. I also gave him respect and care, our relationship had its shortcomings but we were always ready to learn and understand each other plus Mrs. Akinola was always ready to help us become the better version of ourselves.
Speaking of Mrs. Akinola, while conversing with her one day, I was forced to ask after Edwin’s Dad.
Mrs. Akinola’s P.O.V
I was surprised when Peculiar asked about Edwin’s father, not wanting to hide it from her, I decided to tell her my story.
As a young girl, I had a great passion for education and even though my parents were poor farmers, I had hope that I would go to school and become a great personality.
My parent was able to see me through primary and secondary education but after my SSCE, they decided to marry me off to the rich village palm wine tapper who showed interest in me.
When the disturbance was too much for me, I ran to my uncle and reported my parents to him. Luckily, he was able to persuade them from marrying me off.
I was working on the farm one day when my Uncle asked if I would be able to work as a maid in Lagos and my pay would be used to train me at the University. My joy knew no bounds as I gave him a very big Yes.
That was how I started working for the Adebayo’s’. They were a rich young couple, the man was a manager in a bank while his beautiful wife was a model. Despite being wealthy, they were always arguing.
One day, while doing the chores, I overheard them arguing over the fact the Mrs. Adebayo wasn’t ready to have children because she doesn’t want to lose her beautiful shape while her husband was in dire need of a child.
After the argument, the couple drifted apart and Mr. Adebayo took solace in alcohol. Madam traveled to Australia for a modeling job leaving her husband and I at home. As his habit is, Mr. Adebayo would always go to the bar and get himself drunk before coming home.
He got drunk one night and I had to help him into the room. In his drunken state, he mistook me for his wife, and forcefully slept with me. That day was the saddest day of my life, at a point, I thought that was my punishment for going against my parents wish.
I came to Lagos to further my education but ended up getting raped, for the first time in my life, I wept like never before. Mr. Akinola woke up the following day and screamed when he became aware of what he had done.
He kept apologizing but what can the apology do? I ignored him, took the torn pieces of my faded clothes and underwear, and left for my room. I heard him burst into tears the moment I walked out of his room.
I freshen up, picked every one of my things, and went to inform him that I was going back to my village. He was shocked to hear that I was leaving, he knelt before him and ask for forgiveness.
He said he wasn’t a bad man but the circumstances surrounding him pushed him into sleeping with me. He refused to let me leave, he promised to help me become that great person I wanted to be.
Seeing that I was bent on leaving, he narrated how his wife had been denying him the right to her body and fatherhood. After his long tale, I had no choice but to stay back if not for anything but for my dreams.
Mr. Adebayo became more loving and caring although I was no longer free with him, he got me enrolled in the University of Lagos without me sitting for Jamb, I guess that’s the power of connection but I had to wait for the commencement of the next session.
Madam came back from her trip but her husband never looked at her, she tried everything possible to get her husband to love her but it proved abortive.
Few weeks after her return, we went to the market to buy foodstuffs. While she was pricing some items, I suddenly felt dizzy and fell to the ground. People gathered around me, some were pouring water on me while others were fanning me. I regained consciousness and was lifted from the ground, an old woman looked at my palm and said I was pregnant.
My madam became mad when she heard that, she stopped buying and drove straight to a nearby hospital where I was confirmed six weeks pregnant.
On getting home, she gave me the beating of my life and kept asking who impregnated me, how will I tell her that her husband was the only man that slept with me. She beat me till there were bruises all over me, when she became tired of beating me, he placed me on punishment.
Mr. Adebayo walked into the house and was surprised to see me on punishment, he asked what my offense was and his wife wasted no time in telling him I was pregnant. She wanted to slap me again but he warned her not to try it.
He came over to where I was, lifted me, and took me into his room. Getting into his room, he heated water for me to take my bath and tend my bruises. He gave me new clothes to wear and prepared a cup of tea for me then, he told me to lie on his bed. At first, I was scared but he promised to protect me.
Mr. Adebayo kept to his promise and protected me, I was scared he would sleep with me during my stay in his room but he never did, there were times, I do feel his hands on my stomach while asleep. At a point, I was scared of his marriage because I knew he had fallen in love with me.
An enraged Mrs. Adebayo reported her husband to his family and a family meeting was held. Throughout this period, I was so sad because marriage was crumbling just because of me. There were times I wanted to run away but Mr. Adebayo caught me and warned me never to go away with his first child.
Surprisingly, Mr. Akinola took me along to the family meeting and after everyone listened to his side of the story, his wife was blamed for everything that happened. I was so surprised that his parent and siblings apologized to me. His parent asked if I am willing to be his second wife but I refused.
I told them I would like to be with my parent till I deliver and after the birth of my child, I would go back to school. I advised my madam to be a good wife to her husband and assured her that I wasn’t ready to take her husband away from her.
Everyone was speechless after listening to my speech, Mrs. Adebayo who was in tears couldn’t stop appreciating me.
Mr. Akinola refused to let me go back to the village instead, he rented an apartment for me in another part of Lagos and brought my parent over. My parent werwasry angry when they heard that a stranger put their first daughter in a family way, they were ready to fight him diabolically.
It took the intervention of my uncle and Mr. Adebayo’s parent to calm the storm. Mr. Adebayo set up businesses for my parent and enroll me in fashion school at my request. He also paid the tuition of my two younger siblings.
Mr. Adebayo was always visiting me to see how I was doing, there were times he would start apologizing for making me go through planned motherhood. I kept on telling him that there was a reason for everything, he once confessed that he has fallen in love with me but I told him I won’t allow that because he is already a married man.
To be continued.
