๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐’๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
๐
ฟ๐
ฐ๐๐ ๐๐๐
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Jumoke hissed and moved to the driver’s seat. Tears clouded her eyes as she drove home on that cold night. Holding tight to the steering as if she would pull it off the hook, she bit hard on her lower lip until she almost drew blood.
Her first impulse was to drive out of the church premises, park in a hidden place and be on the look out for Kola and the deaconess. Once they leave the church, she would discreetly follow them until they got to deaconess’ house in order to see if Kola would leave immediately or if he would follow deaconess in. She would also monitor the number of minutes that Kola would spend before leaving the place.
Rather than work on the impulse, Jumoke decided to go home and wait for her husband. While driving, his words continued to play and replay in her mind.
…๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐’๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐
Was that how he said it?
He said that … ๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ.
So, what’s my problem about that? Why did she take her car to the church when she knew she wouldn’t be able to drive it back? Jumoke said to herself. It might be that the two were only looking for an opportunity to be together, she concluded.
Jumoke wasn’t a jealous person by nature. But, what woman wouldn’t react when she sense danger around her husband?
Danger?
Jumoke, she questioned herself. When did a fifty- three-year old woman, a mother in Israel, a role model, a Christian to the core become a danger to your husband?
Hmmm! anyone could be a danger to anybody, she answered in her mind. If only the mind is like a calabash, we would be able to open it and see the intent of people’s mind. Whereas, Deaconess Beatrice is human, just like her husband is human. Because they are human, they have the tendency to fall into temptation. More reason why the bible admonishes Christians to be vigilant and prayerful. Deaconess is still very attractive. She must have been a ravishing beauty in her prime. Even now, even without make-up, her beauty is breathtaking.
Jumoke tried to put herself together. She told herself that she shouldn’t entertain evil thoughts about her husband. She was a Christian, and he was also a spirit filled child of God, no doubt. They knew what marital fidelity meant.
Jumoke held to her head as she stormed into her living room and dropped into a sofa. Something reminded her that Deaconess was living alone. Her children, three in all were based in Canada. Jumoke had seen their framed picture when they visited Deaconess’ home 2 days after she returned from Canada. They had gone back the following day because Deaconess spoke about an electrical fault and Kola volunteered to help her fix it. Jumoke had not returned to the house since then. Why then was Kola visiting almost every evening? That was what Tosin said. Would Deaconess stoop as low as to be having an affair with Kola?
No!
It had been over a year that her husband had died. Such a gentle man. Being married to Deaconess Beatrice alone was enough to make him a happy and contented man. He always had an aura of peace around him. Jumoke admired them and longed to have a home like there’s.
She sat down to wait for her husband. While waiting, she decided she would confront him about what she noticed; the growing closeness between him and Deaconess. To pass the time, she switched on the TV but couldn’t concentrate. Instead of seeing the images on the screen, in her mind, she saw a picture of Kola and Deaconess in a compromising posture. Jumoke jerked up.
God please help me, she prayed. I don’t want to think of the possibility. How is it possible? For young ladies not to be a threat to my marriage, but an elderly woman.
Kola had been faithful since the day one of their marriage. They operated an open-mind system with each other, whereby they don’t hide things, no matter how little from themselves. There were times that Kola would return home and tell her of ladies that made passes at him in his work place. He would even show her their text messages and they would laugh over it together. When Jumoke had a new boss in her office and he began to demand to sleep with her despite knowing of her marital status, both of them had sat together and decided that she should resign from the bank and start an online business. They’ve always been open to each other. More reason why Jumoke was suprised that Kola was visiting deaconess discreetly.
Or, could Tosin be lying? She asked aloud. Why would she do that? To what end and to gain what. She was doubly sure that Tosin couldn’t have lied.
Hmmm, Jumoke grunted. Deaconess Beatrice is very attractive, no doubt about that. That backside alone could make a man go crazy. She moved to the standing mirror and looked at herself from up to down. She’d always prayed for added weight. Maybe a little more flesh here and there, especially at the front and back. Something that would make her look more attractive and be able to compete favourably with…
With who? She chided herself. Has it gotten to that level? Kola had never complained about her lack of flesh or curves. So why should that bother her now?
Jumoke felt like she would go crazy if she doesn’t do something drastic like picking her phone and calling her husband to return home without delay. It was 40 minutes after she drove into her compound, an hour since she left the church. Kola must have gotten to Deaconess’ house since. Why hasn’t he returned home? Why didn’t he just drop her and head back to his house? What could they be doing presently? What would a virile young man and a single but attractive woman do when they are left alone in a room? Jumoke asked herself.
She felt as if a heavy load had dropped on her shoulder. Rising up wearily, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. Ulcer. She always had an ulcer attack whenever she’s disturbed like now. Stress and emotional disturbance were her trigger factors for ulcer. She picked herself and rushed into the bedroom to get her antacid, but remembered that she had used the remaining two tablets exactly two days ago. That was when she had an attack immediately she returned from Tosin’s place. Even that attack was due to the news that Tosin gave her.
Jumoke needed to make a decision on getting her drugs. If not, she might not be able to sleep for the rest of the night. Since her husband was still outside, it would be easier for him to get the drugs on his way home. All she need do is to call him.
Wincing, she picked her phone and dialed his number. It rang but he didn’t pick. She tried five more times without getting any response. Feeling angry and frustrated, she proceeded to dial Deaconess Beatrice’s number. She didn’t pick her call as well. At the third trial, the call was picked.
It was at the tip of Jumoke’s tongue to make a rude statement, something like, ” ๐ฐ๐๐! ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ฌ๐ ๐ je ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
The person at the other end said hello. The voice wasn’t Deaconess’ voice. Jumoke frowned. It came to her remembrance that she met a housemaid at Deaconess’ house the day they visited.
” Please where is mummy?” Folake asked angrily.
” She dey inside room dey do something,” the housemaid answered in broken English. ” She dey charge her phone in the parlour. She say make anybody no disturb…”
” Is my husband with her?” Jumoke shouted.
The line went dead.
She clearly remembered the house girl now; a southern girl with tribal marks scattered all over her face. Remembering that Deaconess had a house girl brought a sort of relief to Jumoke, though it was shortlived. She began to think that Deaconess might have sent the house girl on an errand so that she and Kola could have a good time together? People know how to manipulate whenever they want something badly.
Jumoke’s pain increased in intensity. Angrily, she picked the car key and stormed out of the living room.
TO BE CONTINUED
Doubt, mistrust and fear has a way of growing within the human mind and becoming big to the extent of affecting one’s thought, mood and actions.
Maybe all this would have been avoided if Kola had been straight forward about his movements to his wife.
Or? Do you think Tosin could have lied about seeing Kola frequenting Deaconess’ house. Some friends hen? Peradventure it was the truth, was it right for her to have disclosed the information to Jumoke or she should have allowed her to discover on her own?
I wonder what Kept Kola for so long in Deaconess’ house.
…and, where was Jumoke heading to?
@Fagbluminous stories
