Taking Chances – Episode 29

****EPISODE 29****

 

Jide woke up earlier than usual this morning. He hadn’t slept a thing the night before. To his irritation and annoyance, he found out that thoughts of Daisy assailed his dreams. In the dreams, he saw Daisy

 

 

laughing at him with scorn and hatred, dressed in that pink gown of hers. At other times, he saw himself drowning in a baseless depth, one he couldn’t quite fathom or imagine, even though he hadn’t been frightened.

 

Then at those times when his eyes simply refused to close, his heart, to his irritation, seemed to have a mind of its own, analyzing the events of Sunday night which they should have known better to push aside.

 

Jide could not explain why he was suddenly feeling like somethings were missing in his life, like his heart was in a form of pain. Jide really wished the feelings would go, even if only for that night. He wanted to be angry again so he could return to his complacent state, willing that his anger would become the defense shield he needed to fight whatever it

 

was that threatened to engulf him now, but he couldn’t seem to keep aflame that part of him, especially when it concerned Daisy. Jide feared that they were the signs of deep affection developing towards his wife and he so wanted to deny it.

 

And at the end, he gave up the fight of trying to stay awake. Having sat most of the morning on his unappealing bed, which seemed to have grown

 

larger to him now. Jide felt it would suddenly swallow him, and he sighed at such foolishness.

 

Jide found himself wishing that somehow, he could be in another room, on another bed with a certain someone, doing some certain things… But then, he mused, if wishes were horses, beggars would get a pleasurable

 

ride on it. But the Daisy he had experienced last night was a transformed one. One that was far from obliging him a ride any time soon. Not that that was what he only craved for anyways.

 

Seeing that his attempts at returning back to sleep were proving futile, Jide decided to use the opportunity to clear up his desk and rid it off unwanted documents and papers.

 

Atleast his wake keep wouldn’t amount to nothing, he reasoned.

 

At the end of his self imposed chore, his study became a pool of papers and debris but Jide cared less, certain that he would not return home to the mess, courtesy of Okon.

 

Much later, at around 7am when Jide entered the parlor all set for work, he still wasn’t feeling any better, nothing was able to change the fact that he had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. He just cast a

 

 

distasteful glance towards the dining table, half expecting it to be empty, it wasn’t. Still he had no appetite whatsoever. He simply grabbed his car keys on the table and made for the door. He couldn’t see Daisy anywhere.

 

Out in the compound, as he made for his car. He sighted Daisy swimming with abandon in the pool. He found himself exhaling in relief, maybe because he had subconsciously nurtured an unknown fear. Whatever it was,

 

Jide didn’t deliberate further on it. He just Entered his car, without

 

another glance towards the swimming form of Daisy. However, he paused for a while at the gate and peered undecidedly at the fluttered form of Adamu, who was holding the gate in a bid to restrain it from closing while his employer left. Adamu wondered why his Oga should,

 

uncharacteristic of him, stop at the gate to stare at him. Was it something he did or said?

 

But few seconds later, Jide honked once and zoomed off. He had

 

successfully fought down the momentary urge he had of telling Adamu to notify him through calls if Daisy happened to leave the compound later on.

 

Later, as he caught up with the morning traffic Lagos had to offer. Jide rejoiced at the insight and self control he had exhibited then, thanking his stars that he had not allowed his insane emotions over rule his better judgment and make him do something he would never ever have imagined himself doing. Stalking a woman, nevertheless she was his wife! Then discussing his personal affairs with loud-mouthed Adamu. The shame of it!

 

‘Daisy…’ he said calmly to himself then, ‘…see what you would have made me do’

 

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

 

‘Dee come quick, it’s about to start!’ Brenda excitedly called out.

 

‘Just a sec please’ Daisy replied from the kitchen.

 

The girls had been warming up all morning to see a movie which had gathered so much hype on Mnet ever since. When Brenda came in later on, Daisy had let her in on the gig and together they waited in anticipation for it. And now, it was about to start.

 

‘Oh my God! Daisy screamed at a name displayed on the screen, she was holding a tray containing popcorn and juice. Then Settling it on a table, she hurried to go sit on her favourite place directly opposite the television.

 

 

Soon, two pairs of eyes fixed at the screen in excitement, while their hands dug into the popcorn dish at intervals. The subject of their excitement, a movie premiere on Mnet.

 

When the film ended two hours later, the girls couldn’t stop talking about the heights and fall of the movies: who should have done this or that; why the girl hadn’t shown the other her stuff, how if it had been her (Brenda), she would have done more than required, bla bla bla…

 

Daisy hadn’t contributed much herself, she was no longer a fan of

 

romance stories, they served better as entertainment to her, but she couldn’t allow herself be taken in by the fantastic life they portrayed. Her life was tale enough. The kind of love people in the movies felt, was scripted, it told nothing about real life.

 

And with a sigh she watched Brenda chatter on and on about the movie, Daisy thought Brenda needed an experience just like hers to change her mentality about love. However, she knew her to be wiser enough to tell apart fairytale from reality, unlike her.

 

Brenda on her part, hadn’t noticed that she had lost her friend in the

 

movie frenzy. She kept on her analysis and criticism until she noticed her friend was quiet.

 

‘Why are you suddenly quiet?’ she asked, her hands caught in midair.

 

‘Really? Am I?’ Daisy asked.

 

Of course you were!’ she said her hand resting on her laps now.

 

‘You’ve not said much about the movie’ she pressed further.

 

‘I said something! but since I don’t know what to say again, I locked

 

up’ Daisy shrugged avoiding her eyes while she busied with the empty bowl of popcorn.

 

‘Dee has nothing more to say about a movie as sizzling as that? Brenda scoffed.

 

‘And stop already with that bowl, its empty!’ she screamed in anger.

 

Daisy smiled and left the bowl.

 

‘You are not the Daisy who left Boston’ Brenda started.

 

‘Why? I’ve grown tail, horns and sharp nails’ Daisy joked.

 

‘Come of it, am serious! You seem to have this ambience of of………’ she

 

paused trying to get the suitable expression, seconds later, she was still grappling with the right words.

 

‘…you mean an air of maturity?’ Daisy offered drily.

 

Brenda snapped her finger ‘yeah! something like that’ she said.

 

Daisy smiled again.

 

‘Must be cos am married’ she added drily again.

 

‘Oh! come of it, that’s not the reason!’

 

‘Well…I think yi know what you mean, it is I who changed, am conscious of it. Its just that somehow I’ve learnt that life isn’t all like the movies at all. And though I’ve always seen them as a means of escape, but allowed them shape my perception of reality. I mean I won’t be in this

 

mess, if I knew that I am not a Sarah Parker, or some Angelina Jolie, or even a Mercy Johnson acting out a part where the crushed upon, suddenly

 

turns around and say: Oh Daisy, you’ve loved me enough, why don’t I love you back! I mean the silliness of my decision is annoying. I was coming to save the beloved? But he sure don’t need my salvation, and now am the one in need of saving’ Daisy ended, her body shaking in

 

anger.

 

‘Oh my baby is finally growing up!’ Brenda said clapping her hands.

 

‘Am not joking here’ Daisy protested feigning anger.

 

‘That girlfriend! is exactly what I’ve been trying to pass across ever since!’ Daisy rolled her eyes then and sighed. ‘reality bite I guess’ she said.

 

‘You can say that again! But then again, life’s a bit.ch, and only the bitchty can stand up to her’

 

‘Jeez! Where did you get that phrase from?’ Daisy exclaimed.

 

‘Your girl here’s been building up her vocab’

 

‘With the wrongest words I see’ Daisy said rolling her eyes.

 

‘Just don’t tell dad I said any bitchty words again’

 

‘The oldman’s on your neck?’ Daisy asked picking up the remote.

 

‘Stale news’ Brenda said drily. ‘asking me to come join the company and all’. ‘That’s why you came back anyways?’ Daisy said her attention still on the television.

 

‘Yeah, but I gotta have some time to myself for a while! That man got to like chilax! Few days in the country and he’s talking about managing the branch firm! For pete’s sake! Am not a dude or something!’ ‘You should be glad and not complain’ Daisy said.

 

‘Don’t be all good girl on me pleaseee!’ she replied snapping her fingers. A pause and then: ‘that reminds me, with this boring work talk and all, is that

 

where HE went to?’ she asked.

 

Daisy lightly flung the remote on the table. ‘like normally’ she replied nonchalant.

 

‘Yeah normally’ Brenda scoffed.

 

 

‘That reminds me too! something exceptional happened last night, at the hour I called you!’

 

Daisy started excitedly.

 

‘What?’ Brenda drawled not a bit excited. To her, it was another vague story of how bold Daisy stood against Jide. If boldness what was Daisy called her skirmishes, then the mice shouldn’t be called timid. With the

 

way she had reacted after she found her kitchen in a mess, yet went ahead to cook the culprit a meal! That didn’t define boldness to her. Who slaved for ungrateful people anyways?

 

To be continued……………

 

By Oden Green

 

 

TAKING CHANCE