*THE PUZZLE*
Written by Moyosore Teniola
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Episode 11
*APPEARANCES OF EVIL*
Roseline laid on her bed that night but she was unable to sleep. She kept having this bad thought about her husband. For the first time ever since she was married, she suspected that her husband was having an extra marital affair.
“If he doesn’t have any woman over there, why does he usually feel comfortable days away from home? She wept silently for a while then sprang to her feet as if she suddenly remembered something. She went to where she had dropped her bag earlier in the evening and searched for Michael’s complimentary card. When she found it, she smiled as if she had just found a source of comfort.
“Is this guy married?” She asked herself. “I just wish I can call to appreciate him again but this is an ungodly hour to call a married man.”
She checked the time again, 10:55pm.
“Let me give it a try, is he not a doctor? At least he might have sometimes received emergency calls at times like this…”
She switched on her phone and dialled the number, he didn’t pick up. After trying again three different times, she gave up. Just then, a thought crossed her mind, “why not send a WhatsApp message, when he receives that, he will definitely respond later and they can chat on from there.”
It seems to be a good idea to her. She sent the message to him via WhatsApp immediately. Thank goodness that it was the same number he gave her that he uses for his WhatsApp. She sent a short message to him,
“Thanks for today Doctor Michael, you are so nice. God bless you.” – Roseline
The message was delivered immediately. Rose also noticed that he was online.
“That was probably why he couldn’t pick her call,” she guessed.
Meanwhile, what really happened was that Michael was on a call with his ex-wife, Eliz on his other phone line when Rose called, he didn’t know who the caller was but decided to check back later. After his conversation with Eliz, which of course proved abortive as usual, he decided to chat with some friends online since he wasn’t feeling sleepy yet. He had slept for like two hours after he came back from work in the evening but now, he didn’t feel like going to bed. He saw Roseline’s message on WhatsApp and he replied. Rose was just coming back from the bathroom where she went to shower when she heard her phone beep. She rushed to it in anticipation, wishing it was Michael and indeed it was him.
She smiled with great delight. The kind of feeling that engulfed her was the type that engulfs a girl that had just fallen in love for the first time.
She kept reading Michael’s message over and over again. It reads:
“It’s my pleasure Rose flower, beautiful women like you deserve this kind of favour, I am glad I did.”
After some minutes, she noticed that Michael was still online, she wished he would just send another message so that they could continue chatting, she didn’t want to be too forward. She waited and waited and jumped at every beep thinking it was Michael but no it wasn’t.
“He is probably busy chatting with his wife, my own husband will not do that. Only two minutes phone call, he is gone, Hmmmmm,” she sighed.
Then, she suddenly started feeling guilty.
“What is wrong with me? This might be a married man or at least another woman’s future husband, why should I be doing this? Oh God,” she cried.
“I just wish my husband is there for me especially on lonely nights like this…”
Just then, her phone beeped, it was Michael’s message on WhatsApp.
“Hello, are you still there?”
Rose quickly wiped her face, she was so excited. Why she’s feeling this way for this man, she couldn’t understand.
“Yes, I’m here,” she typed.
“Wow, I thought you would have slept and also I didn’t want to disturb a married woman at this time, knowing fully well that you will be with your husband,” he replied.
“Oh! My husband has travelled. He went on a business trip and besides, I don’t feel sleepy yet.”
“I see, can I keep your company then till you feel sleepy, give me the privilege to do just that.”
“Thanks, I will appreciate that a lot but how about your wife?”
“Wife? No wife”
“I don’t understand, what do you mean by ‘no wife’?”
“My wife left me some years back, she insisted on staying abroad, which I opposed vehemently, I don’t like staying abroad, I prefer owning my own hospital in Nigeria, so she left with our daughter ever since.”
“So, you stay alone?”
“Yeah, for now.”
“I am sorry about that.”
Silence….
“Hello,” Michael typed, “do you mind if I hang out with you next tomorrow, that is Saturday?”
“Hmmmm, what kind of hanging out, if I may know?”
“Just to go somewhere to have some nice time, I don’t really keep friends, I feel bored at times, you know.”
“Okay, no problem”
“Alright then, see you by 7pm on Saturday.”
“Okay, I have to go now, I am feeling sleepy already.”
“Alright dear, sweet dreams”
Roseline felt so happy. She wasn’t sure of where this was leading her to but she didn’t mind. All she wanted was to start a friendship with this wonderful guy. She yawned and lied on the bed, satisfied at last that she would see Michael very soon.
Just then, she remembered she hadn’t prayed. She sat up to pray but her tongue was tied.
“Do you think God is foolish Rose?” Came a voice from within her.
“You are lusting after a man who is not your husband, yet you have the guts to pray?”
Rose felt so guilty all over. She lost the boldness to talk to God in prayer and at the same time, she couldn’t ask God for forgiveness because she knew it’s of no use, she was still planning to see Michael anyway…
She soon slept off and dreamt of the outing with Michael all through the night….
Episode 12
*THE OUTING*
Pastor Daniel was seated in his study in the early hours of Saturday morning observing his quiet time when David’s call came in.
“Hello Bro David, how are you doing? I hope all is well, why this early morning call?”
“Good morning pastor, all is not really well. I decided to call you this early because something has been troubling my spirit.”
He narrated his ordeal with his wife two nights before and how he had tried her line all through the next day but she didn’t pick up…
“Pastor, my wife has never behaved this way towards me since I married her eight years ago. She seemed like a total stranger to me the last time we talked. I don’t really understand what is happening and I have lost concentration here but I can sense in my spirit that whatever it is needs to be attended to urgently.
I should be back home by tomorrow afternoon by God’s grace, we will both come over to see you tomorrow evening after service please.
I know I have my faults, I have been abandoning her for some time now because of my tight business schedule, I just hope I will be able to make things right from now.”
“Alright Bro David,” Pastor responded “all will be well, just put your mind at rest, I will be praying for you both. Meanwhile, I will call on her to hear her own side of the story.”
“Okay Pastor, that will be fine. I will really appreciate that. Please I count on you. My wife is all I have got aside God, I don’t like having issues with her.”
“It is well Bro David, count on God.”
“Thank you sir, my regards to mummy.”
*****************************
At exactly 6:30pm on Saturday evening, Roseline was already dressed up for the outing with Michael. She wore a short blue fitted gown which made her look five years younger than her present age. Judging from her pretty young face, her flat tommy and figure eight structure, one would never have guessed she was a mother!
She had left Debbie with a friend that stays in the same estate with theirs. She didn’t want anyone or anything to stand in the way of this outing, it’s been a long time she had the opportunity to hang out and have fun.
As she was about to step out of the house, her phone rang.
“Pastor? What could have made pastor call me at this time? I hope he is not planning to pay us a visit? Well, I’ll just tell him my husband is not around and I am on my way out, simple. Nothing can hinder me from going out with Michael this evening.” She thought.
The phone rang again and she picked up.
“Hello Sister Rose, how are you?”
“Hello sir, good evening to you, I’m fine sir. How is mummy?”
“We are fine. Please, I need to see you this evening. I should have called since morning but I had a busy schedule today. Can you just spare me some minutes of your time and come over?”
“I am sorry pastor, I am on my way out right now, I need to go see someone and it must be now.”
“Is it that urgent Sis Rose?”
“Yes pastor, very very urgent sir.”
“Okay then, please make sure you see me at church after service tomorrow, it is very important.”
“I hope all is well sir?”
“All is well, no cause for alarm.”
“Okay then, tomorrow after service,” Rose replied hastily, eager to end the call.
“Good night sir.”
“Good night sister Rose, it is well with you, my regards to Debbie.”
After pastor has ended the call, Roseline smiled to herself and said, not even pastor can stand in my way, no way, I must enjoy myself this evening.
She walked out of the estate to look for a motor bike that would take her to her destination, which is one of the finest eateries in town, a bit far from where they live.
She decided not to take her car, she didn’t want anyone to trace her. She knew going out with Michael was improper for her as a married woman, but she had damned all the consequences.
“I need to enjoy myself, I am dying inside, who knows if David had been doing worse on his numerous business trips?” she had told herself.
She soon got to the eatery. She had expected to see Michael’s car in the parking lot but he seemed not to be around yet, so she decided to go in and wait for him. She settled on a seat at the corner of the restaurant and ordered for a cup of ice cream. She brought out her phone, and just as she was about to dial Michael’s number, someone’s hand covered her face from behind, she knew definitely that it was Michael, she had perceived the same perfume on him the last time they met.
“Come on, I know it’s you already Michael,” she responded, removing his hands from her face gently.
“Hello babe!” Good to see you again,” he said and sat on the chair opposite hers.
“Hmmmmmmm, You look so stunning! Where were you when I was looking for a wife?” He remarked smiling as usual.
“I wonder where I was,” Rose thought and said aloud,
“You have started your flattering again? Why did you keep me waiting?” She asked trying to avoid his gaze which was fixed on her.
She had observed him once and turned her eyes away. He looked so handsome and breathtaking in his pink polo T shirt and blue jeans and there is this thing in his eyes that made her want more of him…
“Me? A gentleman can never keep a beautiful lady like you waiting. I have been here since 6:50pm. I hate getting late to appointments, you know?” Michael replied confidently.
“Really? But I didn’t see your car parked outside,” Rose pursued.
“It’s right there,” he replied pointing at a Royal blue Jeep parked outside.
“Oh, I see!” Rose said as she peered through the glass windows, “I was actually looking out for your Toyota.”
“No, I didn’t feel like riding that one today…
So, what will you like to take? Mention it and I will get it for you right away. I am at your service, your majesty.” He stood up and took a slight bow…
“Stop it Michael, people are watching,” she giggled.
To be continued…
Awwwwn… Sister Rose is in love. Poor brother David.
