THE UNFAITHFUL HUSBAND ππ
Written by Henry Zibima
Episode 29
Everyone had now gathered around to see what was going on. But someone came, pushing himself through the crowd. He finally got to us and went straight to hold Sonia’s hands.
“what happened here” he thundered. Slowly Sonia raised her right hand with her other hand still on her cheek; she pointed at me. The man then; in towering curiosity raised his head towards me. He froze at the point and I could tell his limbs lost their function.
“Femi!!” I screamed.
*****
“Femi!!” I screamed. He was overwhelmed with shock and his legs quaked vehemently.
“Je…je… Jennifer, what are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that, is this the Abuja you travelled to??” I said with so much quaver in my voice
“Honey, it’s not what it looks like”
“What then does it look like; so you take me for a fool or for a newly born child. Something that is so visible for even the blind to see” I said weakly.
“Jennifer please it’s not as it seems” Femi pleaded with his kneels on the tiled floor.
The place was now packed as everyone wanted to see what was going on; a scene had already been created and the party was turned upside down.
“Jennifer, please I’m sorry. Please forgive me; I’m begging you from the depth of my heart” Femi said with his both hands in a praying posture.
“Why are you begging her?” Sonia asked arrogantly “can’t you see she slapped me??” Femi paid no attention to her but kept on pleading with me. I felt tears well up my eyes; threatening to spill out but I held them back. I can’t cry here. No! Not in front of this girl, I said within myself.
“Femi, so you are still cheating on me with this girl, you are not worthy of being a husband. Femi you are heartless” I said weakly.
“Wait! Jennifer, don’t tell me Sonia is your the lady you’ve been telling me about” Ijeoma asked; her eyes wide open.
“Jennifer please” Femi said leaning towards me” I couldn’t hold it back any longer; slowly, a single tear trickled down my cheek. “I don’t even know why I’m still here” I said as more tears poured out from my eyes.
“Chei, this life” one woman said with her hands folded in each other. Everyone kept muttering in the crowd; some expressed pity, others; anger.
“All men are the same, that is why I have refused to marry” came the voice of a lady who should be in her late fifties.
“Jennifer, please let’s go somewhere private and talk things out… please”
Femi continued begging while Sonia kept pulling back his hands to divert his attention. The pain in me was too much for a single person; my hormones were at their peak. I couldn’t stand the sight of my husband, I picked up my bag from the table and immediately walked out as fast as I could. Femi got up and chased after me while the typical “aproko people” ran after us to see what would play out between I and Femi.
*****
The clicking sound of my sharp heels echoed as I walked speedily towards the exit. “Jennifer please wait, just give me a listening ear” came Femi’s voice from close behind. He had almost gotten to me, I added more pace because I never wanted to have any conversation with him. It only took a short while for Femi to catch up with me, he placed his hand on my shoulder and brought me to a halt. “Jennifer, please hear me out. I never intended to hurt you; I don’t even know what pushed me. Please let’s not rush into decisions; let’s go somewhere calm and talk things out.”
All the while he talked, I refused turning back to face him; I didn’t even want to see his face. I remained silent and walked towards my car which was just a short distance away; before I knew it, I was drawn back by a strong pull. Femi dragged me back to himself.
“Jennifer, please forg…”
I mustered every bit of energy and pulled away from his grip.
“Let me warn you now” I said pointing directly at his face “I don’t ever want to see you in my life again, don’t ever try to come near me or anyone around me…if not; I will get you arrested” I said boldly.
“Jennifer!” Femi called dragging my hands. I immediately turned and gave him a slap I’ve been holding back for eternity; it was a very painful one. I could tell from how red his cheek became. A lot of people were gathered outside the building including passersby, market women and even people who had no idea what was going on. I felt better after slapping him in front of this many people. He deserved it. Femi stood at the spot, he refused to retaliate because he knew he had really messed up. I walked majestically; like a model on a runway, swaying my hips from side to side till I entered my car.
All eyes were on Femi and I
“Madam forgive am na” one man selling electrical appliances said to me.
“Oga Emeka leave that thing; you know wetin the man done do? You go just dey support am because you sef be man” said the lady beside him.
I had no concern for what people had to say, I had taken too much of Femi’s excesses. I ignited my engine; pushed my foot against the accelerator and sped off.
Ijeoma’s POV
Fear gripped me immediately I understood what was going on; I forced myself not to believe that Sonia was the sidechick I had been hearing about. I couldn’t help it as my conscience judged and punished me.
“Wait! Jennifer don’t tell me Sonia is the lady you’ve been telling me about” I blurted out. Jennifer didn’t respond, probably because it was as obvious as the clouds in the sky.
“Chei, Ijeoma what have you done?” I questioned myself rhetorically. So I’ve being one of the major reasons behind Jennifer’s pains.
My younger sister- Agatha told me about what she and her daughter were up to. I remember our discussion like it was an hour ago. She explained to me how her daughter- Sonia had salvaged their family from poverty by dating a married man. She even told me about the man’s brutality to female students as a lecturer. According to her; she jokingly said; they were just an instrument God was using to teach him a lesson.
I encouraged her, spurred her; even gave her the idea of going further to use diabolical means, since it was a common thing in our place. I urged my sister to do anything possible to make sure they extort money from the man. There were a lot of justifiable reasons to me at the time; my sister was uneducated but her husband was and he was dead, they struggled to make ends meet. Her daughter – Sonia was in the university and there were no funds to complete her education.
All these were the reasons for my action, little did I know that I was hurting my own. Jennifer would never forgive me for this, I whispered under my breath. I made a terrible mistake of which I regretted so much but it wouldn’t make any difference if I didn’t amend it.
As soon as Jennifer walked out from the hall, I went straight to Sonia who kept murmuring and uttering indistinct words to herself.
“Why didn’t you tell me he was my friend’s husband” I asked
“I was supposed to introduce him to you today, how do you even expect me to know he is your friend’s husband”
“Sonia you have to stay away from that man” I said
“Stay away from which man?” Came Agatha’s voice. She had just arrived and must have been informed of what happened.
“I heard that useless woman slapped my daughter and Ijeoma you were here but you did nothing about it”
“Look Agatha, I just found out that that man your daughter has being dating is my friend’s husband”
“And so?” Agatha asked rudely.
“Sonia has to do away with him”
“Oh! So this is what you want to do? You suddenly want my daughter to get rid of the relationship because he is your friend’s husband? Ijeoma have you suddenly forgotten how you advised me to make sure Sonia holds on tight to him. Let me just let you know something; Ijeoma, we took your advice and followed every bit of it. That Femi you see so; he is our zombie; he’s fully under our control and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Shebi the wife has sabotaged my daughter’s party, she will hear from me.” Agatha hissed.
Now I was sure that I had messed up.
Femi’s POV
What have I done to myself? how did this happen? Sometimes I don’t even see why I keep on going back to Sonia. Since I became a post adolescent Casanova, I had come in contact with lots of ladies but I never took any seriously; I only wanted ’em for the s*x, nothing more. But since I met Sonia; I’ve been unable to let her go. I became attached to her and no matter how hard I tried; I always found myself pulled back to her like a magnet.
Now it has resulted into something disastrous. I needed to trace my wife to wherever she was; I tried calling her but it appeared she had blocked my line already. I quickly started my car, if Jennifer is really done with our marriage; then she would probably go back to my house to pack her things. I drove as quick as I could to ensure I meet her at home. I had to talk to my wife even though she didn’t want to see me.
I noticed a sky blue Sienna driving behind me like it was following me. I increased my speed and the car appeared to do same, the movement was becoming fishy and I immediately became alert.
Soon we got to a lonely, bushy part close to my area and the Sienna was still behind me. I was taken unawares as another car intercepted me. Immediately four armed men came down holding different kinds of guns wearing hoods over their heads. The Sienna also halted behind my car, it was at that point I realized what was really happening.
They pointed their guns at me and signalled at me to alight from my vehicle. I was submerged in terror and I could hear the audible sound of my heart thumping against my chest. Slowly, I opened my door and alighted from my car with my hands in the air like a criminal.
“What is it you want? Is it money? Whatever it is, please I will give it to you, just let me go” I begged.
“Will you shut up before I blow off your head” came the thick baritone voice of the one in front who appeared to be their leader. I immediately sealed my lips for the fear of death. They snatched my car keys from me, took me into the Sienna and blindfolded me.
All these they did in a giffy, how they did it that no one passed the road during their operation; I have no idea. Although I was blindfolded; I could feel the car moving at a very high speed. A great fear overtook me; who are these people? And where are they taking me to?
TBC
