#Grim
Concluding part!!!
© Omotayo Olukemi Aiyemo
Words failed me… I was left to choose between the devil and the deep sea… telling him the truth by agreeing or refuse it by denying it ever happened. And another problem is that I can’t place which is the devil or deep sea between the two options I have.
What do you suggest I say or do?
Nothing I say will ever make Tade feel better, so I remained silent and cried.
He asked why I couldn’t answer, why I couldn’t talk asking if rat caught my tongue. He used so many derogatory words on me and I swallowed them in silence.. nothing he said to me would ever be as awful, dirty and naked as I feel right now. I bowed my head in shame and cried the more. Tade pushed my head and held it up in such a way that I was facing him.
” Now that you know what you did, I’m sure your silence means I’m justified…that’s your problem if you feel I’m not.” He barked
“I’m sorry Tade… I’m sorry” was all I could mutter when I finally found my voice.
“You’re not sorry darling, you’re definitely not. If you were, you wouldn’t still be communicating with him even to this moment. …. well, you did well by asking for his help. I had been thinking on how to get him closer enough to make him pay, but with your help I’m certain he’ll be here soon…. ahahaha isn’t karma more than a bitch?” Tade said laughing out so loud like the Nollywood witches.
” What will you do to him” I asked foolishly. No, maybe Tade will throw him a party…
” Don’t be in a hurry sweetheart. Patience they say is a virtue, you’ll definitely watch the show yourself.” He said and then left the room. I tried my possible best to set myself free but I didn’t succeed. I might have succeeded if he had stayed a little longer but he didn’t.
“Let me tell you a little story” he said as soon as he sat on the stool.
I wasn’t interested but who am I to tell him this? The thoughts of the harm he could do to Olami flooded my heart. If he can do this to me, his wife…then I should expect the worst for Olamilekan. What have I just gotten him into?
“Will you listen to me or not” Tade shouted stopping my thoughts
“Yes I will” I replied hastily
“That’s good of you girl… you see, I was born by a cheating bitch like you but thank goodness I didn’t grow up to know her..she died while cheating when I was still a toddler. Just a toddler, can you imagine?
I could remember when I was of age, how I see my dad with different women. He didn’t marry any of them but had children with most of them. Some which he accepted and others, he denied. Amongst all of his children who lived with him, I was sure he loved me most because he treated me specially.
One day, he fell sick and was diagnosed to have a severe case of STI. My father soon returned home after staying awhile in the hospital, he said he was ok and see no reason why he should continue wasting the little he had.
His health soon deteriorated speedily and one day, on the sick bed, he told me about my mother that I have been asking him for years. He told me he received a call from the police, asking him to come identify a corpse in an hotel. He went there only to find my mother’s corpse with that of her lover. The cause of their death remained unknown, and my father became a shadow of himself. The betrayal and shame he felt made him never to be able to love or stay with any other woman. Making him treat them like trash. He told me right there never to trust any woman and should not regard them. This he told me because he loved me so much as his first fruit and splitting image. Before he finally died, he reminded me in a number of times that I lost count never to trust a woman and sincerely love them else they’ll take me for a fool and stab me when I least expected.
I didn’t like the life my dad lived and I promised never to end up like him by being responsible and finding love at the right time. You came along and I lost the zeal not to fall in love until I’m matured enough to handle it. I fell in love with you and I fell so so hard. What made me attached more is when you chose never to double date even after all I have done to prove I was truly in love with you. And when I realized Lekan was your first and only boyfriend at your age and exposure, my love for you increased. If a young, beautiful and intelligent lady like you should know just a man, then you’ll definitely be faithful in marriage, that was my conclusion.
I was glad when fate didn’t approve of you two, and was filled to the brim with joy when you accepted to be mine. The thought of proving my father wrong even in grave made me loved you more and thereby making take the shit I shouldn’t and ordinarily wouldn’t have ever tolerated during our togetherness. Things love made us do…
I was never comfortable with you still being friends with Lekan, but the fear of loosing you made me find it difficult to express my feelings. It took me years before you accepted to be my girlfriend, and I won’t let my feeling of jealousy separate us because I might never find a faithful and trustworthy person like you again… How foolish I was?
When I found out you cheated up to the point of aborting for him, right under my nose, it hurts so bad that I nearly cancelled the wedding but the thought of embarrassment it would cost me made me decide against it. I tried to suppress the hurts of betrayal with the love I have for you, but you wouldn’t let me. You kept flashing your lover at my face.
I can vividly remember how excited you became when you sighted him at our wedding…he even had the intestines to give you money as if I’m not man enough to take care of you, a whore.
You dared asked me you were tired during our honeymoon… something you couldn’t tell him making him impregnate you weeks to our wedding.
And on the day we celebrated our one month old marriage, you were even appreciating him for the good sex you both have had while I worked my ass off for you and I. The sex was so good that you had to appreciate him in a text, right?”
I wanted to interrupt him..that wasn’t what happened. Olami had just helped me fixed an appointment with a top government official who was going to help me secure a very lucrative job and position. That was the appreciative text I had sent and he had replied to, not for any sex. I never had sex with Olami since when I agreed to be Tade’s girlfriend until that day, the day we had sex that resulted in pregnancy. And never again did we have sex after. I wanted to explain all this to him but he shushed me up. He wouldn’t allow me defend my little remaining worth.
With all he just told me, I now realize that Tade is badly broken within and may never be able to be fixed. Fixing him isn’t even the problem for now but how to get help and be free before Olami falls into the trap I had unknowingly set.
Just then, we heard Olami calling out for me.
* * *
Even if I had no intention of making Bisade pay with her life, I wished nothing but death for Lekan, a slow and agonizing death. When I left Bisade some minutes ago, I had gone out to open the main gate and my main door giving him free access into my house. Thank goodness my landlord and his wife were out of the country at the moment and we were their only tenant. And also, my house being located in a new site with the building on my left and right as uncompleted, I was confident my plan would definitely succeed.
I hit Bisade so badly that she cried out in pain drawing Olami’s attention to our room. As soon as he stepped into my room, I hit his head so hardly with the little pestle I had brought in. He fainted giving me the opportunity to tie him up as well. Bisade cried as she watched helplessly what I was doing to her lover. This infuriated me the more. And so I woke the fucking bastard up with a violent slap.
* * *
I woke up in response to the terrible slap that landed on my cheek.i tried moving my hands and then legs only to discover they have been tightly tied up that it hurts.
I had stopped for a moment to call back my friend, the officer and I was fortunate enough to get through to him this time. I had given him every details to get to Bisade’s place and he had advised I do not engage. He promised to be there soon with his men to save Bisade cos he knows her too. He emphasized on me waiting for them and I promised I won’t act stupid. After waiting like forever for them, I decided to man up completely, taking the bull by it’s horns and save her. Cause I would forever blame myself for not acting if something bad happened to her. When I pushed the gate slightly and it opened, a part of me had signalled a trap but the other part felt not. When a repeat of what happened at the gate happened to the door, I felt the ‘trap signal’ so high this time around. It’s too late to back out, so I rushed in in search of Bisade, even without a plan. When I heard her cry out I ran into the room where she was only to collapse as Tade hit something on my head and woke up with a painful slap.
* * *
I began to stab Lekan as I narrated how I had known he was sleeping with Bisade, my then fiancee and now wife. Both lovers cried out in pain which was absolutely pleasing to my ears. I had no plan on ending his pain so quickly, so I stabbed him where he wouldn’t die on me so soon until at least he’s able to know the reason why he did die. At least to help him never to be a cheating bastard if eventually he returned to this world again as human, and as a man.
Also I want this moment to taunt Bisade forever because I’ll make up evidences which will make me nail her if eventually she tried to ever tried to leave me, that’s if she mentally strong enough to handle this horrific sight. It is either she lives with me forever as mentally unbalanced or end up in jail for murdering her lover, Lekan. Any which way, I would be fulfilled.
I had thought of it so well that I knew Bisade would rather stick with the first option, meaning our forever is certain. I even felt like I saw the flash of the image of the twins she’ll first give birth to, a boy and a girl both looking like us. I smiled and I stabbed Lekan more fiercely this time wishing to end him up quickly and live my happy or whatever after with my only love, Abisade.
“Hands up” I heard one of the policemen commanded and I cursed within. I have been so engrossed in the moment that I didn’t hear them come in. Shit! I didn’t include locking the gate and door into my plan. I had never thought of the possibility of him reporting the incident so soon. Damn it! I can’t let this happen! Lekan deserves to die and that’s what I’ll reward him with.
I stood up slowly dropping the dagger and raising my hands. As soon as I made the policemen relax a bit, I rushed towards one of them trying to drag out his gun from him. During the struggle that lasted for some seconds, with other officers yelling I surrender else they shoot at me, I heard a deafening shot that was immediately followed by two, three or more shots; I fell to the ground with the policeman.
I’d gladly choose death over and over than to be alive in jail, leaving Bisade to Olami, which I hoped won’t survive. Although it was painful, I lost in the process without having my pound of flesh..i would still choose death.
With my eyes wide open, I drew my last breath and breathe no more as I choked in my own blood.
* * *
It’s been a week after and I’m yet to leave my room. I haven’t even seen the sun and I don’t think I’ll be seeing it soon. My mom had stayed with me all through and wouldn’t leave me alone for just a second even when I’m sleeping. She hadn’t been saying so much… One of her maid is also here, co-watching me.
I have been told Olami was in a pretty bad state but was responding to treatment. And my husband, Tade had died on the spot together with the policeman he shot. He didn’t die alone, he took a completely innocent man with him.
I can’t define how I feel knowing fully well that all this wouldn’t have happened without me. I blamed myself for all that happened.
There’s nothing wrong with me…yes, I act and speak normally but I often see my mom crying even though she always tried to hide it. Also, a doctor would always come to check on me everyday for God knows what. I wonder why my mom would be wasting her money on injections and drugs and was sure the doctor’s fee would be on a very high side.
I just hoped what Tade had initially wished me didn’t wished me didn’t come to pass as I have no confident to pray, not anymore.
Please pray for me… pray I heal soon and completely, cos I doubt if my prayers can ever be answered. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME
The end.
Tade may your soul rest in hell