Taking Chances – Episode 5

****EPISODE 5****

Just then, a middle aged man dressed in a long flowing robe came out through the small gate, bowed and muttered something before disappearing inside to go open the bigger gate.

‘The fool! is always sleeping on duty’ Jide said angrily.

Soon they were driving into the compound, Daisy eyes instantly became busy scanning her environment.

When the car stopped. Jide got out first and slammed his door, this jolted Daisy who gathered her gown, opened the door and came out. The gateman was already at their side.

‘Oga, good evening’ he greeted, Jide didn’t answer him, he just pressed the lock button in his car keys and started walking.

The gateman waved to Daisy smiling, she waved back. It really was a shock to him to see a lady on a wedding gown with his Oga who is also on suit. Jide had kept his wedding a secret, his house keepers didn’t know, much less his neighbours, but then it was a ‘mind your business’

neighbourhood which suited Jide just fine.

‘Oga, Madam fine well well’ the gateman exclaimed, Jide heard him from where he was fumbling with the door.

‘Why don’t you stick to your business for once Adamu’ Jide shouted back, before entering inside.

‘Its okay, thanks for the compliment’ Daisy said, she had a slight American accent, developed during her years in the States.

‘What’s your name?’ she asked

‘Adamu ma’ the gateman replied smiling sheepishly

‘Adamu it is then, see you tomorrow’ Daisy said walking away.

‘Ok madam’ Adamu replied.

He walked down to his tiny room that adjoined the gate, he looked back severally at the retreating figure of Daisy, he was going to like this his Madam he thought.

Daisy walked inbetween the shrubs that led to the door. The shrub formed a ‘Y’ shape towards the front porch of the blue painted bungalow. It

was well trimmed, the compound she noticed, was a bit spacious, to her

left was a tennis lawn with an adjoining basketball post, ‘no wonder he looks fit’ she thought.

To her right was a small swimming pool with few chairs arranged close by, that man sure liked to be comfortable.

‘Not bad…’ she said ‘I will surely need that’.

She moved on, she had been standing during the exploration. When she opened the door, what she saw didn’t amaze her, the parlour had the aura of a bachelor crib, It was decorated predominantly with blue. The settee were dark blue, the curtain that led to the hallway was blue, the wall paint was a light blue, they were hi-tech musical appliances at

one side of the parlour, she could also see the dining room, typical male, she thought as she went to seat on one of the settee.

‘Home it is’ she said drily, kicking off her heel shoes, she felt sore all over. What a day indeed, she thought.

Jide was nowhere in sight, ‘good’ she said to herself, she didn’t feel

like seeing him now. Slowly she lay on the settee, she was very tired and hungry. The pangs of hunger jolted her again, she sat up and now wished to see Jide, if atleast to get a meal, her eyes moved to the clock hung just above the Plasma television, it was quarter to 10p.m! And she was still in her gown? This was worst than a nightmare! She almost exclaimed.

Just then, Jide walked in, he was all freshness, he had taken his bath, the light jersey he wore clinged to his body just too perfectly, Daisy thought, that had earned her a feeling way down in the pit of her stomach.

‘For Jeez sake, Daisy!’ she chastised herself silently ‘this man has treated you less than human and you still feel this way for him?’ she mentally gave herself a knock.

Jide didn’t even act like there was someone in his parlour, he just walked past Daisy, picked up the remote on a nearby side stool, pressing it, he sat down on the chair directly opposite the television. Immediately the television lights came up and few seconds later, a wrestling match surfaced.

He threw the remote onto a nearby chair, raised his legs unto the chairs and focused his attention on the match.

Daisy was short of words to say, she felt so like crying, did he hate her that much? She thought.

Yet nothing, not a move or realisation from Jide.

It was then obvious to her, she had to make a move if she wanted to come

out of these annoying gown, ‘cos that man sitting over there doesn’t seem to care one bit.

As if to confirm her thought, Jide smiled, obviously at something or someone in the wrestling match. Maybe he had forgotten her or he was just pretending. Daisy wasn’t sure.

Daisy stood up slowly, she was too spent to feel angry, had she expected Jide to carry her high up in his arms unto their ‘matrimonial’ bed and give her the best wedding night ever? Yeah right that’s if pigs finally knew how to fly, she snorted.

‘Jide I need to freshen up and I’m hungry’ she said calmly. Somehow she knew that she dared not raise her voice if she didn’t want to bring his irritable temper to fore for that would only worsen her situation.

TAKING CHANCES