SHADOWS OF DECEIT
Episode 7
The next morning,
Grace slowly opened her eyes to find her husband, Chidi, already up and getting ready for work. She checked the time on her phone and realized she had overslept. She stretched her arms and yawned, feeling a bit groggy.
“Good morning, dear,” Chidi said, walking over to her with a gentle smile. “I hope you slept well.”
Grace smiled back at him, feeling a sense of warmth in her heart. “Good morning, honey. I slept okay, thanks.”
Chidi leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry about what my mom said to you yesterday. Please forgive her on my behalf.”
Grace nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. “I’ve forgiven her, Chidi. But to be honest, I don’t think I can stay here alone with her today. I need to get out and clear my head.”
Chidi looked at her with pity in his eyes. He understood her pain and frustration. “It’s okay, my love. I understand. Why don’t you go visit Linda later? You two can catch up and take your mind off things.”
Grace nodded, feeling a sense of relief. “Yeah, that’s a great idea. I’ll go see her later.”
Chidi told her he would be seeing his friend Obinna after work too, and Grace smiled, happy that he had plans to take his mind off things as well. “Have fun, but come back early, okay?” she said, smiling up at him.
Chidi kissed her lips softly. “I will, my love. I promise.” He stood straight, grabbed his bag, and bid her goodbye before heading out the door to start his day.
Grace watched him walk out of the room, feeling a sense of emptiness. She sighed and stood up, deciding to start her day as well. She headed into the bathroom to freshen up, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to face the day with courage and positivity, no matter what lay ahead.
She dressed up and went downstairs just to meet Mrs Kate in the sitting room , she exhaled and greeted her and tried walking out but she called her back ,
Grace hesitated for a moment, but then she stood and waited to hear what she had to say,
Mrs. Kate looked at her with a mixture of disdain and disappointment.
Mrs. Kate snorted and said ” I want to talk to you about your role in this family.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “My role?”
“Yes, your role. You’re not producing children, you’re not taking care of your husband properly…what exactly are you doing?”
Grace felt her anger rising, but she kept her cool. “I’m trying my best Ma And I think that’s all anyone can ask for.”
Mrs. Kate scoffed. “Your best? Your best is not good enough. You need to try harder.”
Grace had had enough. “I don’t need to try harder Ma, I need you to accept me for who I am. And if you can’t do that, then maybe you should leave me alone”
Mrs. Kate’s face turned red with anger, and for a moment, Grace thought she might explode. But then, she turned and stormed upstairs, leaving Grace feeling shaken but also relieved. She knew she had stood up for herself, and that felt empowering, she turned and walked out of the house .
Grace arrived at Linda’s place, looking frazzled and frustrated. She plopped down on the couch, letting out a deep sigh as Linda gestured for her to start talking. Grace poured out her heart, sharing all the pain and struggles she’d been facing with her mother-in-law’s constant pressure to produce a child.
Linda listened intently, her expression sympathetic, but when Grace finished, she remained quiet for a moment, her eyes thoughtful. Then, she dropped a bombshell.
“But you know you can sort this out yourself,” Linda said, her voice matter-of-fact.
Grace’s eyes widened in shock. “How?” she asked, her tone incredulous.
Linda shrugged. “I suggest you sleep with another man to know if you can get pregnant.”
Grace’s jaw dropped. “Linda! Are you kidding me right now? How can you suggest I should cheat on my husband? Are you okay?”
Linda seemed unfazed by Grace’s outrage. “Of course, I’m okay. I’m just trying to help you here. At least you’ll know if it’s really your fault. Since you can’t get it on the inside, you can get it outside. After all, nobody will know. Your husband will think it’s his, and your mother-in-law will get off your neck.”
Grace stared at Linda, her face a picture of astonishment. She couldn’t believe her friend would suggest such a thing. The idea of cheating on Chidi was abhorrent to her, and she couldn’t fathom why Linda would even think of it.
“But I can’t, Linda,” Grace said, her voice firm.
Linda raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? You can’t? Then wait till your mother-in-law sends you out of your husband’s house. Then your eyes will clear.”
Grace just stared at an empty space, her face unreadable. She felt like she’d been punched in the gut. How could Linda, her supposed friend, suggest such a thing? Didn’t she know how much she loved her husband Chidi?
Without a word, Grace stood up, grabbed her bag, and left for home. She felt betrayed and confused, wondering why Linda would suggest something so hurtful.
Meanwhile, Chidi didn’t go to work as planned. Instead, he went to the doctor’s office, responding to a call from the doctor earlier that morning. When he arrived, the doctor greeted him warmly, but her expression quickly turned stern.
“Chidi, I told you to take your fruit diet seriously, but you’re not. I wonder how you can be so careless on something so sensitive as this,” she said, her voice firm but concerned.
Chidi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’ve been trying my best to meet up with my diet, Doctor. But I also don’t want anyone to suspect why I’m eating so much fruit. I know it’s not easy, but I’m trying.”
The doctor sighed, her expression softening slightly. “I understand your concerns, Chidi. But still, you need to relax more, clear your head, and eat well. You can’t afford to be careless with your diet if you want to make good results next time.”
Chidi nodded, feeling a sense of determination. “I promise I’ll do better, Doctor. I’ll take my diet seriously and make sure I’m eating what I need to be eating.”
The doctor nodded, a small smile on her face. “I know you can do it, Chidi. Just remember, this is important. You and your wife want to start a family, and this is a crucial step in that process.”
Chidi thanked the doctor and left her office, feeling a sense of resolve. He knew he needed to take his diet seriously and make changes if he wanted to achieve his goal of starting a family with Grace. He was determined to do whatever it took to make that happen.
As he left the doctor’s office, Chidi decided to meet up with his friend Obinna at the bar. He had been looking forward to this all day, and he needed a distraction from the stress of his fertility treatment. When he entered the bar, Obinna spotted him immediately and beckoned him over. Chidi walked towards him, and they shook hands warmly.
“My main man, it’s been a while! What’s up?” Obinna asked, his smile wide and welcoming.
Chidi sat down and replied, “Guy, I dey oo. It’s just work, you know na?” He tried to brush off his worries, but Obinna could sense that something was bothering him.
Obinna nodded sympathetically and called the waiter over to take their orders. As they sipped their drinks, Obinna asked after Chidi’s wife, Grace. Chidi’s expression changed, and he looked down, his eyes clouding over.
“My guy, Grace has been going through a lot right now, and I pity her,” he said, his voice low and concerned.
Obinna’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone gentle but probing.
Chidi sighed and rubbed his temples. “It’s the usual stuff. My mum has been frustrating Grace over the same issue of giving her a grandchild. Grace has been enduring all these pains, and I can’t do anything to help her.”
Obinna’s expression turned serious. “Chidi, I told you this before, you should tell your wife what’s going on and free her from this pain. She’s suffering because of you, and you won’t like the outcome when she finds out.”
Chidi shook his head, his jaw clenched in stubbornness. “Guy, you know I can’t do that. How can I tell her such? It would break her.”
Obinna leaned in, his voice urgent. “Chidi, you should tell her. She’s broken already. I know she will blame herself for all these when you are the one with the problem. You should try and talk to her.”
Chidi nodded reluctantly, knowing that Obinna was right. He promised himself that he would think about it, but a part of him was still hesitant.
“You better do so, oo,” Obinna said, his eyes stern but caring.
The atmosphere was calm, with only the music breaking the silence. The tension between them was palpable, but they both knew that this was a conversation that needed to happen.
They drank in silence for a while, lost in their own thoughts. It was already getting late, and they both knew it was time to leave. As they parted ways, Chidi couldn’t shake off the feeling that he needed to make a change. He needed to be honest with Grace, but he just can’t bring himself to do it , he will have to keep his secret to himself .
To be continued…….
Story by Vivi
