Taking Chances – Episode 49

*****EPISODE 49*****

With every word Jide spoke, he advanced towards Peter, probably wanting to go physical, while Peter who had guessed an incoming assault was also retreating backwards. ‘…now look here tough boy, this isn’t America, this is Nigeria and you don’t come to a man’s home to cuddle or ’embrace’ his wife, if you don’t want stitches all over your handsome face!’ Jide completed, then furiously brushed aside Daisy that had come inbetween them trying to prevent a fight.

‘Its obvious you’re very angry now and can’t make sense of anything I would say, I should just simply take my leave’ Peter said and swerved pass the angry Jide, putting distance between him as he addressed Daisy. ‘Please keep your phone on, I will call to check on you later’ after that he hurried towards the door.

‘Don’t you even dare call her because we don’t need your faces in our business!’ Jide shouted after him.

Daisy was seated down now and crying uncontrollably.

Jide glanced down at her then back at the door. His veins were still constricted in anger, his hands clenched by his sides. He wasn’t satisfied with how he’d handled Peter and soon he was rushing out again, ignoring his phone that had started ringing or his wife that was besides herself in tears.

Jide got out just in time to see Peter climbing into his car. Adamu was already at the gate and pulling it apart.

‘I’ve got a final word for you lover boy!’ Jide barked soon as he reached Peter. ‘I don’t ever want to see or even smell you near my wife, in spirit or in body! your consoling ’embrace’ isn’t needed again! Why? She’s married to me, and am the only one with the rights to her body and as you can see, very man enough to embrace her! whatever stint you both had in Boston or what it is, is in the past now! Am the present and also the future for her! I hear you’re a lawyer, well congrats! But don’t practice it an inch near my house or with my family! The next time our path meet, I won’t be such a gentleman! I’ll make sure you understand how we love our women in Nigeria! So you had better get a good life for yourself and enjoy your stay! Don’t go looking for homes to wreck! Tell that to Brenda also! Good day Mr. Man, and have a splendid life!’ he concluded and jammed the car door without giving Peter the chance to breath a word.

Peter exhaled sharply, kicked start his car and pulled out, not even bothered about replying. A good thing he would be heading to Abuja soon, he thought as he rode out.

‘Don’t ever open my gate to strangers again. slowpoke!’ Jide shouted at Adamu after he had locked the gate. Then started for the house.

In the parlour, Daisy was prancing close to the door, waiting for a fight to ensue outside so that she could probably go settle. Soon the door opened and Jide walked pass her.

‘Really Daisy, you never cease to amaze me’ he said.

‘I see no reason why you treated Peter that way’ Daisy complained, her eyes blood shot from crying.

Jide stopped, then turned to her. ‘and Peter is who?’ he asked.

‘He’s a concerned friend, yet you…’

‘Why don’t you ever pick sensible friends?’ ‘Peter did nothing, you’re just…’

‘Over reacting? And you were what? Making him comfortable?’

‘I don’t like your tone and insinuation! Peter embraced me, nothing more’

‘Don’t you even feel ashamed saying that?’ he said irritated.

‘He’s my friend for crying out loud!’

‘Right! Tell me where a wife has a man as her ‘close friend?’ ‘He’s not any man!’

‘That I see. He’s not any man, but a man whose touch you prefer to mine!’ Jide shouted now.

‘Are you accusing me of sleeping with him?’ ‘Not exactly’

‘Good! Don’t you dare compare me with yourself! You’re the guilty one! you’re the one who has been sleeping with Grace…’ ‘At least I didn’t bring her home!’

‘Oh finally! You admit that you’ve been sleeping with her!’

‘Yes! I slept with Grace, I fuc.king slept with her! Touched, kissed and caressed her receptive skin! the truth you could kill for is finally out in the open! Hope I made you happy! Now can we move on?’

Daisy stood shocked. Her heart was shattering in thousand pieces, she had known the truth, but hearing him say it so boldly now was painfully peeling the layers of her fresh wound again.

Her breathing increased in painful rhythm as tears rode freely from her eyes.

None uttered a word. None moved. Tear stained face stared at an equally angry and hurt face. Tensed cloud hung thick above them. Even the ticking of the clock was sharp as it rode towards 3pm.

And so they stood until the shriek ringing of Jide’s phone broke the silence, but he made no move to pick the annoying thing.

‘I so hate you now!’ Daisy said with all the vehement strength she could utter and dashed for her room.

‘Yes run! That’s what you always do! Keep up with the flight’ Jide screamed after her.

He drew out the phone from his pocket and picked the call.

‘What!’ he screamed at the innocent caller.

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

Daisy slumped unto her bed as soon as she hit her room. She couldn’t rein in her tear, neither did she want to. Today was the c—-x of the teaming tension and anger

that had hung over them since on Sunday or maybe ever since they got married. It was obvious their love had been a mistake and could never survive, she should

have never come back to Nigeria, never taken this chance. She was darned fed up and wanted out. It had to be the best for both of them.

Suddenly she sprang up, and started a frantic search on her bed, soon her hand touched her phone and she picked it up, switched it on and waited for it to boot. ‘I can’t stay here, I can’t!’ she cried.

Soon the phone was ready and Daisy, with tear glazed eyes, scrolled through her contact. She needed somewhere to go, definitely not to Brenda’s or Peter’s or her father’s. But who else did she know in Nigeria. If only she was in Boston, she cried.

‘Uncle Tobechi’ she whispered, quite relieved as his number showed up on her phone.

He was her father’s elder brother that had given her away in place of her father during their wedding.

‘Hello uncle’ she said, fighting for composure.

‘Yes, who is this?’ came the reply.

‘Uncle its Daisy…Chinwe’ she said wiping her tears.

A pause, then: ‘hi! long time, how are you?’

‘Can I come over? I really need a place to go’ she blurted.

‘Is everything fine? Are you alright?’

‘I…I…I…am not’ she broke into tears again. Enough of the pretence. ‘What happened?’

‘I just need a place to stay, I want to clear my head, I really need somewhere to go, I promise not to be in your way, just…’

‘Its okay, I understand. You can stay as long as you want’ ‘Thank you’ Daisy said and wiped her tears that wouldn’t stop. ‘Ada is around with her kids, am sure you remember her?’

She didn’t remember her, didn’t care, what was his problem! ‘I don’t. Please text

the address to me now’ she said.

‘Okay’ he said. And the line went dead.

Daisy dropped the phone, stood up to get her duffel bag. She would be far from

this house before Jide even returned, that was certain. She might even take off to

Boston, if it came to that.

Enough was enough.Stories from Topster–stories

And so Daisy packed a stock of cloths that would carry her till whenever it could.

That night Jide returned early, with the resolve to apologise for his earlier actions. However, he met an empty house. No note, no word, her phone was switched off and Adamu couldn’t give a clear account of when last he’d seen his madam.

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TAKING CHANCES