LOVE AND LIES
ONE
The whole room was suddenly filled with a terrific silence that sent cold shudder down Kola’ spine. The light was out and he could only make out the positions of things in the room with the flakes of faint blue light from the banana moon that spilled in from a side of the window.
Lara suddenly wriggled awake as she heard a creak at the door. Her half n***d body rose and threw a dangling lanky shadow on the floor. She knew it was Kola and they had had a conversation earlier that they needed to talk. She was broke and her rent was due. She had no job nor any source of income. Kola had been her regular boyfriend and had been helpful in that regard. She hoped he would budge. But what could make Kola budge if not a regular bout of s*x. She had undressed herself and was waiting like a trap waiting for a prey. Kola stood at the door waiting for Lara to put on the light. There was a regular snorting of breath and bouts of cough that emerged from the room.
“Come in” Lara’ s faint voice suddenly split the silence.
” You know how much I detest staying in the dark” Kola replied with a guttural voice.
” I have really missed you”
“Spare me that!” Kola snapped back at her
“Seriously Baby”
“Just put on the God-forsaken light. If not, I am leaving.” He turned to leave and Lara quickly clicked the light on. The switch was right beside her bed. The room suddenly came to light and life. Kola gazed round. Some clothes were flung at a side of the bed. A few pair of shoes here and there. An unwashed plate and spoon took a corner of the table and had a host of flies hovering over them. Few dusty books also sprawled at another angle of the table, probably untouched for many years. A tray of lipsticks, powder and perfumes gleamed from it centre.
“When are you going to start keeping your room clean? You don’t seem to have time for that.” Kola jabbed at her.
” You know I have been busy” Lara cut in ” I will do that once I am up. Kola sat at an angle of the bed, staring at Lara like the devil herself.
“Why did you call me?” Kola inquired with an angry scowl in his eyes.
” I just want you around.” Lara told him. She rose and shifted closer to him caressing him all over. Kola shove her off. “But you know I am married. You can’t just call me up anytime. When will you get that into your thick head?”
“Spare me that” Lara flared up.” You don’t realize you are married when you make love to me. If you continue like this Kola you will force me to come and tell your wife we have a baby”
Kola showed a deadly grin. “I know you will not do that.”
Night was frozen and far spent. Breezes came whisting through from the window Nkiru had left open. A croak was tearing through the night from a distance. Occasionally, a cackle and rustle would emerge then die into a tap- tapping squeaking of faint voices. Constant whirring and hooting of cars and the clip- clap pattering of neighbours’ generators could not suppress it. Nights in Lagos had never been quiet.Often there would be a frequent patter and incoherent gibbering from afar that could j**k someone up from sleep. Nkiru was pacing round the room oblivious of her husband’s whereabouts. She stared at the window often and the only thing she could see was the galaxy of light flickering from the bulbs and the cars on the road. A rush of breeze enveloped her. She hissed and continued her pacing. She got tired and threw herself into the bed. Suddenly her phone rang. The noisy voice of her ring tone threw her up. She picked the phone and stared at it. It was her husband.
“Hello babe. I am at the gate.” She rushed out and stared down. Floods of light from Kola’s car gave her a sigh. She eventually opened the gates with several screeches before he drove in and whizzed the car to a halt. They both capered in without saying words to themselves.
” I think I demand an explanation for coming home so late” Nkiru broke the silence as soon as they edged in. Kola threw himself into the bed and it sank in protest, letting out a shrill cry.
” We had a board meeting at work today.Business baby. You need to understand that this is Lagos”
“That’s what you say every time. I have missed you anyway. Let me set the table.” She hurried off. While Kola pulled his tie and kicked his shoes way. He unbuttoned his shirt absent-mindedly and a chest with a mat of hair came to view. A sweaty offensive odour oozed out of him and filled the room. Kola was wondering the kind of mess he had put himself. Lara needed three hundred thousand to pay her rent and her school fees. Where on earth was he supposed to get all that? He thought to himself and scratched his chin. And not giving her that would mean he cared not about her and their son. Nkiru walked into the room and scanned him over with a sharp inquisitive glowing of her eyes.
“Is there any problem?” Nkiru demanded. “You look worried”
“I need a loan from your bank”
“What?” A fierce glow of shock leapt out of her eyes.”I got a loan of 500k for you the last time and you haven’t thought about paying that. What are you doing with all the money baby?”
“Business” Kola coughed. “You need to understand business. Once I make the money I will pay back”
Nkiru listened and sighed. The scowl on her face suddenly settled into a wry smile.
“Atleast you need to eat. We will talk it over later.”
Kola smiled. He knew Nkiru would surely come to his rescue. She had experienced real love from her. As far as he was concerned, she was a definition of a good and caring wife. But Kola didnt really love her. She wanted Lara instead. His heart was not just with her. Why he married her, he couldn’t explain. But if he could remember, he was a youth corper then and Nkiru was already building her career with one of the global banks in the country. She sponsored the wedding and cared for him till she got some loans for him to start a business with his friends. Kola picked his way tiredly to the table, He settled himself into a chair and uncovered the plate of rice. The aroma hit his nose and made his stomach churn. He returned the cover and shifted it away. He dropped his head on the table and napped off.
To be continued……….
© Emmanuel Erondu,
