Taking Chances – Episode 10

****EPISODE 10****

Daisy woke up by 6am, it is a normal routine for her because her body had grown accustomed to it, today was Monday. She went to the kitchen to see what she could fix up as breakfast for Jide before he left for work, much as she would have preferred a honeymoon, she knew it was as

close as wishing for the moon so she thought it best to settle herself into her wifely role, even though she knew Jide would neither care nor appreciate the gesture.

At about 7a.m when Jide came out from his study-for that was where he had moved his clothes to yesterday while Daisy watched with a sunken heart as the hope of them ever consumating their marriage slipped-he hardly

paid a glance to the set dining table before he picked his car keys and left the house without a word at her either.

Daisy wasn’t hurt, she had half expected that to happen, it wasn’t even as if she had fix anything spectacular for him to eat, she had improvise with the little food items she could find in his scanty kitchen and

fixed him jollof rice cooked with sardine, she however applauded herself mentally for her super effort in bringing something out of nothing, so

it was totally Jide’s business if he decided to starve himself!

Her piece said, she rose from the chair in the parlor where she’d been sitting and carefully carried the untouched food back to the kitchen then walked to the room to go arrange her legion of clothes, mama had

sent them yesterday evening through the family driver.

Though Daisy would have loved if Mama had came herself for she needed company to cope with the cold silence that pervaded the house after they returned, she consoled herself with the cartoon of juice mama also sent, it meant her ‘juiceless’ nights were over.

As she hung her clothes in the now empty hanger, she sang along Alicia Keys’ ‘Super human’ playing from her phone, she wondered where her husband would continue sleeping and wished he had rather slept here with her even if he decided to still keep his distance on the bed.

‘As if that was possible’ Daisy said to herself and giggled.

************

She was through with her clothes ‘chore’ and was now hanging her bags

when she heard a noise out in the hallway. Stopping, she tiptoed to the

door and listened closely by placing her ears by the door, she heard a

noise like someone opening a door.

Immediately she opened her door and

looked down to see a guy trying to open Jide’s study which was the last room at the left side of the hallway. She guessed him to be in his mid-twenties.

So many thoughts coursed through her mind, was he a burglar? a friend? or at worst Jide’s male part…… She stopped that train of thought, she didn’t believe Jide would stoop that low!

The guy, very oblivious to the fact that he was being watched had opened the door and was about to enter when he turned and saw Daisy. She was in between the half opened door.

‘Don’t come any further’ she spoke now, alarm in her tone. The guy had been walking towards her then.

He stopped midway and smiled very unsure.

‘Am sorry ma, Adamu told me you were around but I….’ he had this

slight calarbar accent.

‘Who are you?’ Daisy interrupted still not pacified, she also made no move to leave her position.

‘Oh, sorry…’ he apologised again ‘I should have… Well my name is Okon Edet, I am the house keeper here, well…sort of’

‘The housekeeper?’ Daisy asked, she was getting a bit relaxed.

‘Yes, I come to clean every Monday, Wednesday and Friday’

That’s plausible enough she thought, her initial alarm gradually evaporating. ‘Oh…okay…hello’ she greeted now and wanted to come out fully, but remembering that she was still clad in Jide’s shirt now turned to her night wear since he seemed not to need it anymore, she stopped.

‘Hi’ okon replied smiling.

‘But how did you get the key to that room?’ Daisy asked.

‘Mr. Jide dropped it with Adamu, he asked me to clean it up and do other things there cos…’

‘its okay’ Daisy said, she couldn’t care more. ‘Let me leave you to your work then’ ‘Ok ma’ Okon said and walked away.

Daisy closed her door and locked it this time, she wouldn’t take any more chances with whatever housekeeper of Jide that came calling again. She chastised herself now for where her stray thoughts would have led her then and resumed her ‘chores’ singing along the song that was now playing in her phone, it was Beyonce’s ‘halo’.

So much for the neat freak jide she had formed, for there goes the secret. She

thought again.

************

To be continued…….

By Oden Green

TAKING CHANCES