Akwaugo – Episode 44

PART 44

By this time, I was very hungry and angry. I came downstairs in search of his boy so I could make some food to eat. His boy asked me not to enter the kitchen to cook as his ‘oga’ said I was not allowed to. The oga was fast asleep and the boy was cooking ‘ofe onugbu’. I was bored so I took over the cooking of the soup from him. The meat was already soft so I completed the soup. He said his boss doesn’t like to swallow often but eats only Sweet potato flour. I asked him to make the swallow. I left him to finish the preparation. I took a bottle of malt from the fridge and went out the kitchen door to the compound. I almost took off when I saw a huge golden retriever run towards me. I had learnt growing up never to run when a dog is chasing you. I stood still. It snooped around me and then jumped on me panting with its tongue out and tail wagging. I patted it and it was more excited. “Trevor!” I heard someone call it and it left me. I turned to see who called it; it was Dubie.

“What are you doing outside?” he asked me.

“I was bored. You were sleeping. I had to find something to do”

“Come inside. I wonder why he didn’t attack? Even dogs are attracted to you”

It was meant to be funny but the joke was lost on me. I entered the house and went upstairs. Upstairs, I sat in the sitting room flipping through channels and I found the crime and investigation channel. I watched until the food was brought upstairs. We settled down to eat. I took my food and moved to the love couch to eat while still watching. I felt eyes on me but I wasn’t bothered. I was pissed but I wasn’t ready to have that conversation and show any form of insecurity. I just wanted the remaining two days to go fast and I go back to Enugu.

“What’s the matter?” Dubie asked.

“I don’t understand”

“Why are you keeping your distance?”

“I sit here and watch television. Or should I leave the place for you?”

“You are angry about something. Who offended you?”

I didn’t answer him. I wondered what he was trying to prove. Did he want me to shout or create a scene before he apologises to me? Or even give a believable explanation. Emeka would never treat me this way. I felt his being young and being a ladies’ man, made him feel irresistible to everyone. I didn’t care. I just wanted to leave.

He finished eating and I did too. I stood up and arranged the plates together. “Don’t do that, the boy will do it” he said to me but I ignored him. I arranged them while he rang the bell.

“The ogiri you put in the ofe onugbu this time was just the right amount. The bitter leaf wasn’t too bitter. I enjoyed the soup”

“It is madam that instructed me how to cook it. We cooked it together”

Dubie turned to look at me but I didn’t acknowledge him. I continued to watch the programme. After the boy left, Dubie turned off the television. I turned to look at him.

“What is the problem? Tell me what you want me to do to get you out of your mood” he appealed.

“I want to go back to Enugu”

“Why? Aren’t you having fun here?”

“No. Your idea of fun isn’t my idea. I will like to go home”

“You are the first lady to come into Dubie’s house and complain of boredom. You don’t drink, you don’t smoke or club, you don’t hang out, you don’t watch movies nothing at all. You are watching a programme about people dying. See, it is the fact I don’t want to rush you that’s why you are bored. If you want me to make your stay fun, we have to be connected somehow. We are not and I am hurt. I wanted to take you to see my mother tomorrow. But this attitude you are giving is not encouraging”

I didn’t answer him. I sat back and just stared at the television. This seemed to have infuriated him even more. “Talk to me, I am right here. Shout at me. Be angry, you have a right to. I ignore your calls and messages; how does that make you feel? Express it instead of ignoring me”

I still kept mute until he came to sit beside me. He asked again, “What do you want?” my reply was still the same, “I want to go back to Enugu”. I wasn’t willing to play his game and I could see he was upset about it. I didn’t tell auntie Nneoma I was with Dubie; she didn’t know him. I felt like calling her and asking her to help me book a flight for me to leave at that moment. Dubie was upset. I was worried he would do something we will both later regret. He left me. He grabbed his car keys and left the house. I quickly put my things together to leave. This weekend was a disaster. I just wanted to go home. I dragged my box and bag downstairs. I went outside to ask the security to help me with a taxi. As I was outside, waiting for them to call me a taxi, Dubie drove in. He stood and looked at me.

“Leave your bags here. Come inside let’s talk. If you still want to go, I will drop you off at the airport. Give me thirty minutes”

I didn’t want to join him inside. This was not what I envisaged my weekend would be like. Yes, he had been a gentleman but he had also disrespected and treated me like I wasn’t important. I remained outside.

He came out, opened the car and put my luggage into the car. He opened the door for me to enter. I did and he closed it for me. We drove off. As we were going, his phone rang, he picked up and put it on hands-free.

“Mr Chidubem, there are no flights to Enugu by this time. I can book for tomorrow but not today. It is past 3pm. Let me not deceive you. If she is desperate to leave, she should enter night bus…..”

‘She is not going by night bus. Check Port-Harcourt so she can get there and commute to Enugu. I need a flight now. I will charter an airport taxi to Enugu”

“You are taking a risk. What is the difference between today and tomorrow morning? I think you should check at the airport”

We went to the airport. He parked and helped me drag my luggage to the departure. We checked each of the airlines and there was no flight to Enugu. We then checked for Port Harcourt and there was a flight but for 5:55pm. I would arrive at 6:55pm. I couldn’t travel to Enugu that late. We had to leave. I asked him to get me a hotel I would lodge in close to the airport so I could leave by the next available flight the next morning. He refused. He said it wasn’t safe for me to stay alone in a hotel unless he stays with me. But if I wanted him to hand me over to someone, he can do that. He assured me he will change my ticket to the next day and I can leave.

I tried to reach Uju but I couldn’t. I knew no one else in Lagos. Emeka was out of the question. I didn’t know whom to contact. Should I tell auntie Nneoma what was going on? How would I explain ending up in Dubie’s house? By the way, Dubie had been of good behaviour. I decided to go home with him until the next morning.

Dubie stopped to buy me ice cream. He claimed he was on his way to get it when his boy called him. He allowed me to choose my flavour by tasting each flavour. He bought all the flavours I like. He even did a signature mix for me. He asked me to take the mix on the way home. He was caring in an odd way. Getting home, we had more ice cream. He mixed his with rum, peanuts and cashew nuts we bought the previous day while I enjoyed mine plain. I couldn’t finish it and he placed it in his fridge upstairs. I relaxed on the love couch to watch my new favourite channel.

“Why are you staying far away from me? Come here, I miss you here” I didn’t respond neither did I move. “I am sorry. I was angry. You ditched me. I was so upset I drank to stupor. I crashed at my friend’s place on the island close to the club. I feel you don’t like me at all. You have refused to compromise for me and each time you get upset, you pack and leave. I have a right to be upset too. If you were with me, I would never have slept on my friend’s couch. I won’t drink much. But, while others had babes with them, I was alone”

“You should have come back if you felt left out”

“To what? To you sleeping? If I had made advances, you would be in Enugu by now. I am a very affectionate person and it comes from loving. Isioma enjoyed it

and doesn’t want to let go. She knows how loving I can be. You are stopping me from doing the same with you”

“But we are friends. I don’t feel we are more than friends. You never apologized for Isioma barging into your office or explain why she embarrassed me like that. You went out all night and refused to pick my calls or respond to my messages. I didn’t really care who you were with but I was bothered about your safety. A simple message of ‘I am fine but drunk will nap a bit before coming home’ would have been more than enough for me. You gave a nasty attitude when I decided to keep quiet. You expect me to fight? No man alive is worth disgracing me over. I want you to understand that. If you want a jealous wife who will be snooping around and fighting girls you bring around, Isioma is your best choice. I am not that type of person. I want you to understand that. I enjoyed your company when you visited in Enugu but to be honest, I no longer enjoy it since I came to Lagos”

“Isn’t this better than of keeping malice. I knew you were upset about Isioma and my retaliation but I expected you to talk about it instead of telling me you won’t go clubbing with me to meet my guys”

“I didn’t want to go clubbing. I don’t enjoy it. I won’t go no matter what. We have what we enjoy doing and clubbing isn’t one of them for me. I enjoy us being in our own company. We can go out and eat or explore but it is us. No third party. But asking me to do what I don’t enjoy and then wanting to show me off to your friends is not something I will do”

“You just want to be with me. I get it now. I am sorry. This weekend is not going as I envisaged. I want to make it right. Give me tomorrow to give you the time of your life. Just the two of us. Is that ok?”

I accepted both his apology and proposal. I had mainly ice cream for dinner; I was stuffed. He had something light when I went to have a bath. We hung out in the sitting room together. He asked if I could cuddle upon him which I did. We watched the series together. When it was very late, we went into the bedroom. I prayed and laid down. He joined me on the bed. We talked some more mainly about the series we watched then I drifted off.

Sunday morning, Dubie woke me up. We got ready and went to a Catholic Church in Ikeja. Dubie wore a suit while I wore a cream-coloured long sleeves lace top on a pleated high-low Ankara skirt. I wore the shoes auntie Nneoma bought for me and carried my clutch purse. I wore mild makeup with no lipstick because of communion.

After the service, we came back home. Dubie asked me to wear something casual so we could visit the beach. I was excited. I sent a message to Chiamaka asking her what I should wear.

“Shorts, sleeves top and flat sandals. Tie a scarf on your head to keep the breeze from scattering your hair. Send me a picture”

I had a pair of white shorts I came with; it was above the knee and showed a lot of my laps. I wore the shorts with a beige coloured top. I tied a white scarf on my her and wore multi-coloured sandals on my feet. I wore three different types of perfumes. I wanted to smell good. I carried a sling bag to house my phone and some cash I had on me. Everything I wore was brand new. I wanted to post as many pictures of my adventure in Lagos on social media. I knew Emeka’s family will see them. I purposely didn’t take or post any pictures with Dubie.

Dubie loved my look. He wore a pair of combat shorts and a light green t-shirt with a nice pair of slippers. We went out in his truck; he said it was because of the sand. We stopped by to pick some food at an eatery in Victoria Island before heading to the Oniru beach.

I had a nice time at the beach. We strolled by the shore to a distance and walked back. We took by the water for the waves to our feet. We took pictures together. Dubie took several pictures of us. We even took selfies. I had a wonderful time. We danced to a live band that was performing and I went on a horse ride. As we walked back to our space, we met a group of friends who invited us to join in their games so we would help complete a team. The games were fun. They asked questions, a partner will write down the answer while the other would respond verbally. I was the one writing while Dubie responded verbally. They asked mainly questions about me and Dubie got all of the right. He didn’t fail any. Other couples hailed our non-existent love but I knew better. How did Dubie know so much about me? How did he know my favourite colour is white? How did he know who

my best friend was? I know he just discovered my favourite cable channel but what about my favourite food and drink. It was even him guessing palm wine that blew me away.

From the beach, we went to the mall. He went on a shopping spree which I didn’t understand. He bought provisions and toiletries. We had shopped two days before so why were we doing it again? We had lunch at the food court. We took more pictures together. It was while we were being silly taking pictures a guy stopped over and called Dubie’s name. Dubie stood up to shake his hand and he introduced me to his friend. I said hello and that was it. The guy made me uncomfortable because he kept staring at us as we had fun. I didn’t pay any attention to him.

We left the mall for Ikoyi where he went to buy suya for me when I mentioned it was my favourite snack. We bought enough. By this time, it was very late. I had a wonderful time with Dubie. This was the best time I ever had since I got to Lagos.

We got home and had showers. We had the suya with juice. I was fagged out and I had to fly the next morning. I wanted to call it a night but Dubie wouldn’t let me stand up. He began to play with my ears. Then he pecked me gently on my neck. They were light pecks that felt more like a feather, but they were doing a number on me. He played with my forearms, stroking them lightly while still planting those featherlike kisses on the back and side of my neck. I had goosebumps all over my body. His gentle touch was sending the wrong signals to my body. I wanted to leave but the will power to stand up or stop him wasn’t there. I enjoyed the touch. Dubie had taken possession of me. He had complete control over my body. AKWAUGO