Taking Chances – Episode 40

*****EPISODE 40*****

Welcome’ Daisy more like perfunctorily whispered as she heard the door to the parlour open. She knew it would be Jide for she had heard his car drive in, but still she hadn’t bothered to raise her head from where she sat

crossed legged, staring vaguely at the television.

A day after their little dinning scene, and she was yet to bounce back to her cheerful self. Somehow, that part of her had simply died. Now, what she felt was the strong need to avoid him at all cost.

But this was unlike her former disappearing acts where she had been too afraid of his temper. No, this was an act preempted by the desire to keep from seeing the man who had the power to hurt her deeply.

And she simply didn’t feel like seeing or welcoming him home. Infact as it was, she was mad at him, mad at herself, mad at mama, mad at Brenda, mad at Peter who’d cheated on her and ended their wonderful relationship, mad at her mum who couldn’t wait to get married before opening her thighs to some irresponsible hormonal teenager; mad at the coward of a father who couldn’t accept his responsibilities then and even now. Everyone one of them, including herself put her in this

situation. Wouldn’t her life had taken a better turn if they hadn’t all messed up? It wasn’t fair that she got all the blame and pain at the end, life was more than unfair to her, it was simply wicked, taking her through pain, love and heartbreak, every step she took, ended with another cold slap. And she was tired of it all, tired of Nigeria, tired! She missed Boston more than ever, missed the hospital, missed her colleagues and patients, why had she taken these decision in the first place? what was it worth at the end? Nothing!

Jide who was now seated on the settee after Daisy’s, stared fixedly at her, not sure if she realised that he was sitting close by or that she

was pretending not to notice. He made a throaty noise in bid to catch her attention, but that hadn’t worked, reluctantly he stroked her arm and that the trick because she turned around to face him, her lips set in hardened lines while her brows were raised in a questioning frown.

‘I don’t know if you realised am back’ he asked pulling his hand from her arm.

‘Yeah? I said welcome home too’ she said quietly, her face unsmiling.

‘Guess I didn’t hear that then’ Jide replied.

How’s that my business? Daisy thought angrily and looked away.

Jide sighed then placed a nylon wrapped stuff on the table, but Daisy didn’t act like something or someone had moved.

‘I…uhm… bought this on my way back…’ a pause then ‘just like that, I saw it, liked it and thought you’d like it also’ he said. Daisy still didn’t move or reply him.

‘Oh I forgot, you probably don’t know about this’ Jide said, then busied himself with un-tieing the nylon.

Daisy stole a glance at the stuff Jide felt she didn’t know about. Jide was now unfolding the silver metallic wrap that further hid his prized possession, ‘its called suya’ he beamed, then took a piece, smiling at Daisy.

‘Suya’ Daisy said irritated, then scoffed.

‘Yeah’ Jide replied as chewed away, ‘I don’t know if they sell it in Boston or…’ Daisy sighed. Jide’s ignorance was very irritating, she thought and

drowned out subsequent explanations he was making. Where did he think she was from? The moon? His oblivious knowledge about her, was making this dude feel like he had brought home some prized trophy, who didn’t know what a suya was in Nigeria!

‘…You should try it, am sure you’d love it’ Jide completed still smiling. ‘Hmmm’ Daisy sighed. ‘am not in the mood for that’ she snapped. ‘…am sure you’d love its taste, its chilly and…’

‘…and roasted, with onions and its simply meat, a special delicacy of the Hausa’s, you can find it in Boston, but it wouldn’t have the original flavour of the home made. And I’ve eaten it countless times, not only in Boston but in Nigeria, Ijebu-ode precisely where I lived for over sixteen years! So that dear husband, is not a goldmine neither is it the least of my problems! Daisy cut in angrily, her tone rising with every sentence.

Jide who had been in the act of eating another slice of suya, started at Daisy in surprise and disbelief, wondering what he’d said to warrant such outburst from her. ‘I didn’t know you knew about it’ he said, his hands frozen in midair.

‘Am sure you didn’t, and am sure you don’t know a lot also! Infact…’ she stood up now, ‘…that’s exactly the issue here, you don’t know farthing about me, yet I know everything about you! you have all the liberty to mess around, while am stuck here, playing the fool!’ she shouted angrily.

‘Well…I…I realise I don’t know much about you but…’ Jide defended, hoping to calm the angry Daisy.

‘Then maybe you should direct your gimmicks there if you really wanted to be all loving and…’

‘I want to do just that if only you would let me, everytime I try take a step with you, you get all furious…exactly like this!’ Jide cut in angrily and stood up, he was also fast losing his temper.

‘That’s because you don’t know the right way to do it!’ she shot back.

‘Then you could teach me, the right ‘spots’ to touch, Daisy’ he drawled

‘Okay then, lets start. I go first. Who the hell is Grace to you?’

‘What has she got to do with us?’

‘Just answer the d–n question!’

‘And I’ve told you she’s my ex?’

‘Pretty clinging ex, don’t you think?’ her hands crossed now.

‘I don’t understand you’ Jide said calmly.

Off course you wouldn’t! The Grace who attacked me at the club, didn’t look like an ex of a married man, I know you’ve been tripping Mr. Jide olukoya, I know you’ve been! And you wanna know what else? You guys were probably laughing at the foolish American girl Who is so desperately in need of a man, that she flew all the way from Boston to come to cling unto one!

‘Who the heck is feeding you with all that nonsense?’

‘Just say I grew wiser and smarter, no longer the movie-crazed-naive Daisy or what? didn’t you bloody notice that?’

‘You are getting this issue all wrong, I’ve never discussed you with…’ Jide voice trailed now as he suddenly realised that he wasn’t really telling the truth there. ‘…go on, keep at it, keep lying through your teeth! I urge you, please go on!’ ‘Daisy you have to calm down and lets talk about this like adults’ Jide cajoled. ‘Like adults right? Okay. But I just have one question’ Daisy said, her

voice lowered now.

‘Yeah?’

‘Can you confirm that Grace is truly your ex?’ ‘Yes’

‘Good! was that title very operational after you got married to me?’ ‘I don’t understand’

‘Did you bloody sleep with that chick even when we were supposed to be married’ ‘There! you said it, ‘supposed’ to be married. You and I very well know that our marriage didn’t kick off on a wonderful conjugal note so…’

‘So, she provided the bed while I provided the food and bear the title, Ain’t it?’

‘All this is pointless!’

‘It’s a yes or a no answer’

‘Grace don’t matter to me anymore, you do! And now I want to build our marriage together, that’s what matters, and that’s what we should be talking about, the future!’

‘The future my wonderful ars.e! that’s a wrong answer dear husband, its either a yes or a no, and you got didn’t come close to getting it right. and guess what again smart boy! I have forgiveness issues, you can go

ask my dad or better still ask Peter, he would explain to you perfectly’ She shouted and marched towards the hallway stopping briefly to add: ‘and you can eat that all you want, because dinner this night is not at all feasible!’ this said, she stormed out, smoke literally fuming behind her.

Jide just carelessly slumped unto the settee. To say he was emotionally drained was an understatement, he was physically, mentally and

spiritually drained at the moment. Why couldn’t they ever get it right

for once? Why was trouble ever rearing its ugly head at every turn in their relationship. Who was the mastermind behind this outbursts now? Daisy, Brenda or Grace, maybe even Ade! He couldn’t be sure, the only probable thing here is the obvious fact that he was surrounded by enemies at all corners. Mama and his dad had to step into this issue, he was done shifting the call to her, or pretending all was fine with his

marriage to his dad, he had to face his dragon head on, and every single member of his family who had gotten him entangled in this marriage was definitely going to be involved in saving it or he would make sure they saw hell the way he was seeing it now.

‘Oh my God’ he whispered and sighed. It was very obvious, this would be a long and tiring night. He stared with hatred at the suya which had been the bone of contention.

‘You are also gonna get yours!’ he said angrily and stood up, his mind set on

disposing the annoying meat like it had indeed caused the heated argument of

minutes ago.

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TAKING CHANCES