UNMARRIED AT THIRTY
EP 3
After the ugly experience with the prophet, Toluwani had immediately rented an apartment somewhere without disclosing the address of the place to any members of her family. She had packed her belongings secretly and for the last eight months, she had not visited the family house. Her mother had gone to her place of work several times demanding for an explanation but she never said anything valuable.
“Mom, I’m old enough to live alone and I’m not coming home or telling anyone where i live. And if by chance you found out, remember that my door isn’t opened to anyone so don’t be surprised if you’re thrown out by the security man” she always told them. The parents had gone to her new apartment few times after finding out where she lived. They were never granted entrance.
That Sunday afternoon after 8 months, Toluwani decided to visit home after hearing that the youngest boy was deadly illed. She parked her car and went inside to joined her siblings. She greeted but everyone except Fumilola gave her a cold reception. “I’m greeting you Jumoke”. “It’s mummy Savior to you sister. It’s disrespectful to address a married woman by her name even if you’re her elder sister” Jumoke vituperated. “Maybe because you’re not married, that’s why you don’t know the respect attached to marriage” she added coldly in a low voice. Toluwani heard her but choose to let it go. She tried to touched her baby but Jumoke swept her hand away disgustingly. It was this attitude that led to Toluwani slapping her earlier.
Toluwani became easily irascible and quarrelsome with her family so she decided to cut ties with them by 70 percents. They only met when very necessary to discussed some family matters. Her father had tried to let her understood that marriage was beautiful but not everything but it fell on Toluwani’s blocked ear as she had already decided to get married by all means to shamed the devil and those pointing accusing fingers at her.
She literally became overly sensitive and soon became irritated with her chubby body, she decided to tamed her excessive fat. Toluwani wasn’t pursuing her happiness anymore, she has lost reasoning to the wrong societal definition of a responsible woman. She was constantly tizzy and in the state of anxiety. One evening when she returned from work, she had stood before the mirror in her room completely unclad. She decried and debased herself before the mirror. I need to excercise more, i need to cut down on eating calories” she told herself. Toluwani was gradually becoming a shell of herself. Recently she barely ate any reasonable food. Immediately she closed from work, she spent the rest of her day inside watching YouTube tutorials on what foods to eat without consuming much calories. As each day came, Tolu exhausted herself comparing her looks with Jessica’s, Deborah or other girls she watched on YouTube and Facebook social apps.
Career wise, Tolu was doing pretty well. She was a productive and enviable head of department. She had successfully lunched several campaigns and brought great results to the company. She had a Toyota Camry car she used for work and she had a two bedroom apartments. She was okay as a human but as a woman, she considered herself a failure. A cursed being and spiritually haunted person.
It was on a Tuesday afternoon, she had just returned from a business meeting at Agege with a client. When she reached the office. She dumped herself in the armchair and slept off, she was tired and hungry, she had only drank water and a single slice of bread and an egg she divided into three pieces in the morning. In her sleep she dreamt of Kolawale, the first man that had sex with her. The first and only man she loved sincerely, the man she had planned her marital future with. She even had written down names of their future children in a paper. “Tolu! Tolu!! Toluwani!!!!” It was the director’s voice screeching loudly through the door. The director, young man of 42 years old who was recently appointed had being on Toluwani’s neck. He wanted a relationship, he had openly declared his love for Toluwani but as long as this life was concerned, and earth abound, the director would never be Toluwani’s husband or boyfriend. She hated his thin-skinned nature, he was a highly fractious man.
Within the last five months he was transferred to the company, he had lost his temper uncountable times, sometimes he broke tables during meetings. His presence always sent shivers to the spine of every workers. “Good afternoon sir” Tolu greeted covering her mouth as she yawned drowsily. “Oh beautiful Toluwani, seems you were sleeping from the tiredness of overwork”. He said friendly adjusting a seat for himself. “I was thinking of coming to your office tomorrow morning after compiling the details of the meetings today sir”.
“Oh common Tolu, you can’t be concerned about work every time. You’re being overly overstrung about work. Today I’m here to ask for a movie date with you. Toluwa– I’m neck deep in love with you, can’t you please give me a chance”. He said gently caressing Toluwani’s fingers. “Sir, I’m not going to lie to you, i can’t date you because you’re too short-tempered. Your fuse is too short” she replied coldly pulling her fingers away from his grip. “You know i love you and i won’t ever hurt you. I will make you believe in me somebody that I’m not a violent man who’s irrational before women” the director said as Toluwani ha
TBC
I’m Victor Your Local writer
© Oinu Victor Achegbulu 2023
**** Learn to accept yourself. Everyone can’t have flat tommy and big nyashh. You may have extra flesh compared to others but that doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful and lovable..
Exercising is very healthy but your reason for exercising can also become a problem. Take things easily without being too desperate.
