Gbenro tried to stop the horrible memories but it was like the breaking of a dam. He knew he couldn't trust Kunle but he couldn't help the breaking forth. Before he could stop himself, he was spilling his guts. He knew Kunle would take advantage of all he was sharing but he was already past caring.
"After Yeside called off the wedding, the Monster summoned me to his evil shrine..."
"Sorry, who is the Monster?", Kunle asked
"The wizard my mother claims fathered me", Gbenro spat out
"Oh, I see"
"The Monster gave me two options. He asked me to choose between being disinherited and watching him rape Motunrayo for three successive nights"
Gbenro broke down in tears. Kunle almost felt sorry for him. He quickly reminded himself that he couldn't go soft now that he was already smelling the money. He'll have to find himself another girl; Motunrayo had too much baggage. Incest! He could still date her and get some money out of the deal but he had to be strategic about this deal.
"Wow! So which one did you choose?"
"I wasn't disinherited so I guess my choice is obvious! I watched my darling sister being deflowered by the ritualist that claims to be my father just to avoid being disinherited. And it's all because of Yeside and Wole. See why I can't forgive them?"
Gbenro broke down in tears. Kunle called the bartender and sorted out the bills. He needed to play this game properly.
***************************************************
"Thanks for that brilliant presentation"
Barrister Ikedia's clap was the loudest and he was the first to speak up after Yeside's presentation. She had put together the available information on the possibility of a father getting custody of the kids in the event of a divorce. They had a case where the woman was a conniving witch and knew how to use the law to her advantage. Yeside felt sick reading the brief. She knew how to pretend to care about her family in public whereas they were her meal ticket.
She had been avoiding Barrister Ikedia for some time now but she had to make this presentation. She had since decided that having an affair was a silly idea. Having an affair with her boss was definitely analogous to committing suicide. Barrister Ikedia, however, was relentless. She was grateful for the prayer sessions with Mabel. She believed the prayers had helped her from making stupid decisions. She was attracted to Barrister Ikedia, no doubt but everywhere she turned these days, all she heard was "Flee Adultery". Even Mabel had raised a prayer point about God protecting their marriages from the sin of adultery.
She had opened her eyes to check if Mabel was looking at her, judging her, but she was busy praying on. Yeside siged, relieved. If she already felt this guilty when she hadn't actually committed adultery, she would be a nervous wreck if she went further. No, it was a very bad idea.
She thanked Barrister Ikedia and returned to her seat. As she quickly checked her phone, she saw a text message from her dad. She quickly read it.
"Sweetheart, how are you doing? Please stop at our place on your way home. Wole, Olamide and Martha are already here. They brought some of your things. We all really need to talk"
Yeside panicked a bit and tried to chat with her mother. Everyone was acting so strangely.
Barrister Ikedia couldn't take his eyes off Yeside. The things she was doing to him! As she made her presentation, he could feel passion stirring in him. Her brilliance was a huge turn-on for him. He certainly wished they were both single. He wanted her badly. He couldn't get the kiss out of his mind. He knew she was attracted to him because she kissed him back. He wished he didn't pick that call. He should have kept kissing her. Now, common sense had prevailed and she was avoiding him.
He wondered if his wife even noticed that he wasn't present in the marriage anymore. If he could end this marriage, perhaps he could convince Yeside to throw away the loveless sham she called a marriage. The passion in their kiss and the forlorn look in Yeside's eyes told him all he needed to know about her marriage. The life was gone out of it and they were holding on to nothing just like he and Nancy. There was no point staying in miserable contraptions because of a piece of jewelry. She stirred him and he was determined to pursue the passion she stirred in him to a logical conclusion.
"Can you please wait behind for a few minutes, Yeside?"
Yeside looked up and could see desire written all over him. She hoped she was the only one that noticed. She had planned to meet up with Mabel to pray for about 10 minutes. She also wanted to start making calls to plan Olamide's 4th birthday. The birthday was a month away but Yeside liked starting her plans early.
Things had been queer around the house. Wole was frequently on the phone with someone. He was nicer to her but the phone calls went deep into the night. Maybe she should just begin an affair with Barrister Ikedia; she was getting tired of waiting for improvements in her marriage. Who knows what her dad wanted to see them about?
"Okay sir. I hope it won't take too long"
***************************************************
Justice Anjola felt the urge to pray for Yeside. She was enjoying her newfound faith, though the Holy Spirit didn't seem to mind upsetting her well laid-out plans. She was discussing trial dates with some lawyers but she quickly excused herself for a bathroom break.
She kept seeing visions of Yeside trying to navigate murky waters. She had shared her visions with Kunle and he had encouraged her to keep praying. They both agreed to spend 5-15 minutes every hour praying. It was more like 5 minutes for Anjola and 15 minutes for Kunle. That man was addicted to prayer! That attribute used to irritate Anjola but now it just endeared him to her.
Their relationship was getting stronger. The Holy Spirit had opened her eyes to see how selfish she had been, putting her career over her family's needs. She knew she could never undo all her past mistakes but she had to let God lead her in future.
The idea of following God's leading and allowing her husband lead was difficult for her. She was so used to making decisions for herself. She still stumbled every now and then but she was beginning to learn how to be a good follower. God was helping her give up her need to be right. It was so liberating serving her husband instead of ordering him around. It may be difficult to teach an old dog new tricks but it wasn't impossible.
Her thoughts turned to the thing she had been trying to push away. She had been downright evil to Wole. She couldn't absolve herself of guilt. She had hoped he would walk away from the marriage and Yeside would come to her senses. She even had the perfect husband she wanted her daughter to marry. Was it so bad to have wonderful well laid out plans for her only child? Afterall, she just wanted her daughter to be happy and well settled.
"For I know the thoughts I think towards you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end"
Anjola and Kunle had read Jeremiah 29 this morning. Verse 11 just showed up in her mind now and it seemed God was answering her. She quickly bowed her head and poured out her heart to the Lord concerning her only child and her grandchild. As she was rounding up her prayers, she heard a voice from nowhere asking "What of Wole?"
She grudgingly mumbled a few words in prayer for Wole. As she returned to her meeting, the question kept ringing in her head. "What of Wole?"
***************************************************
Kunle Agunbiade couldn't believe all that had happened in the past one week. Wole had poured out his heart to him. He had poured it all out. Kunle knew that it was indeed the Lord's doing. Which son-in-law would ordinarily pour such things out to his father-in-law? God was definitely at work.
Wole had spoken about his fear of failure, the humiliation he felt primarily from Anjola. He talked about how he felt Yeside was bidding her time before destroying him. He talked about how he envied Yeside's high-flying career. He talked about the hurt of abandonment by his family. The boy really needed counselling. He hadn't had a role model to learn from.
Kunle sought Wole's permission to involve his friend, Pastor Tochi. Pastor Tochi had trained as a psychologist and was already counselling couples before he was called into the ministry. Kunle thought they could all benefit from some family counselling. He wouldn't have known how to confront Anjola concerning her role in the entire quagmire. He wasn't guiltless either as he watched passively as Anjola made one terrible decision after another...They all definitely needed family counselling.
***************************************************
"We can't see each other again, sir"
Yeside moaned as Barrister Ikedia caressed her in his office. They had come here for their meeting.
"Does he make you feel this way?", he asked as he cupped her face ready for a kiss
"We can't continue sir", she replied weakly
"If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't feel anything for me, I'll let you be forever", he said softly as he kissed her.
Yeside forgot where she was and all she was saying. The passion she had been storing all the while was revolting and coming out. She felt helpless as her body seemed to have a mind of its own. Her hands were caressing him and doing things they had no business doing.
Barrister Ikedia quickly went and cleared the table. The phone was ringing but he ignored the call. He was ready for action. He had been ready before she finished her presentation. As he undressed her, she suddenly thought
"WHAT OF WOLE? WHAT OF OLAMIDE?"
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Sunday, 10 May 2015
Monday, 13 April 2015
Growing Wings Episode 20
Gbenro was excited. Everything was coming together in a tidy knot. Going by what Kunle was telling him, Wole was already excited about working with Bayo to dissolve the marriage. If he played his cards well, he could even be 'there' for Yeside when Wole walked away. It would be sweet revenge to steal some 'show' as well. She was supposed to be his, anyway.
He couldn't bring himself to dwell on Motunrayo. He would definitely kill that beast that fathered him at an opportune time. He just needed to figure out how to do that without being detected.
He tried unsuccessfully to resist the flashback of scenes of The Beast raping Mama in his presence before giving him his school fees and allowances. It was to teach him that money was not easy to come by. He thought he hated The Beast until that night...
"Gbenro, how far na? No vex. Road tight today ooo. E be like say those politicians dey do crash program. Na all of dem dey do rally today"
Kunle rescued Gbenro from his tormenting thoughts. He quickly wiped the tear from the corner of his eyes.
"Abi na. If dem no do rally now, shey na after elections dem wan start?"
They both burst into laughter. Gbenro already started feeling lighter already. Laughter sure works magic.
"How far? How Mumsy? How Motunrayo? I dey hustle make I gather money come marry that girl fa"
"No be incest be that? Cousins dey marry ni?"
"Abeg tell me how we take relate? Because we come from same villa don turn us to relatives? Oga, abeg park well, make you no pour sand sand for my garri, joor!"
"Na you sabi. How far?"
"Bros, thank God say na you dey pay Kunle. Things don be one kain sha"
"Wetin happen?"
"Ah, plenty story. Order the drinks and let me tell you a 'super story"
Gbenro called the waiter and ordered the drinks
***************************************************
"Sin lurks at your door"
Yeside read Dad's text message again. Why was that the same words that stood out to her in the post she was reading as she waited for Mabel? Mabel realised that she forgot the key to her house in the office so she went back to pick it. A text message was delivered to Yeside's phone.
"I think I'll be heading your way today. Do you mind riding with me? I noticed you didn't drive today."
Yeside knew that Barrister Ikedia would only be going her way because he wanted to finish their "unfinished business". She knew where she would end up if she drove with him today.
Why couldn't she feel like a woman? What use were her vows when she was the only one keeping them? Who knows what Wole was doing with Martha or some strange woman? Didn't she deserve to be loved? Should she die sexually frustrated because she exchanged vows with a worthless man?
Besides, she needed to leave as early as possible as the traffic reports were really scary. Mabel was taking longer than normal.
As she started to type a response to Barrister Ikedia, she got a BBM message from Mum. She quickly checked it.
"Sin lurks at your door..."
From Mum? Wonders will never cease.
***************************************************
"YOU HAVE BEEN RELIEVED OF YOUR DUTIES"
That was all that kept ringing in Wole's head. He wasn't sure how he found his way to the necessary offices to fill out the required paper work. Who was he going to turn to now? This job was a miracle job for him. How was he going to finance the divorce and prove that he was the best parent to care for Olamide?
He decided to stop by at the bar. Kunle had told him he was travelling to the North for an official assignment. He whispered a routine prayer for Kunle's safety.
As he entered into the bar, he caught a glimpse of a guy that looked like Kunle. He was quite sure the person sitting with him was Gbenro. He moved closer to confirm. What he heard stopped him in his tracks...
****************************************************
"Yeside and Wole are in some sort of trouble"
"Interestingly, I agree, Kunle. I don't care about that idiot, Wole, but I'm concerned that his foolishness can affect my darling daughter and my little prince. I also woke up with a heavy burden about Yeside"
Kunle Agunbiade was stunned to hear Anjola's response. He had expected her to mock him and make jest of him. He had steeled himself for her biting sarcasm. Nothing prepared him for her response.
Anjola could see that Kunle was taken aback. She had had an encounter in the middle of the night. She had felt someone tap her awake. As she opened her eyes, she was led to open the Bible Kunle had by his side of the bed. She found herself reading Genesis 4. As she got to verse 7, Yeside's image flashed before her. She saw Yeside in a compromising situation with a man. She quickly found a pen and wrote it down. Not long after she slept back.
When she got up in the morning, she forgot about the encounter as she went about her daily chores. As she was getting ready to call it a day, Yeside's image flashed again.
Anjola quickly sent Yeside a BBM chat. Immediately, Kunle's chat came in.
God was obviously sending strong signals to them.
"Let's fast and pray till something happens"
Kunle's heart sommersaulted as Anjola spoke those words. God indeed was answering HIS own prayers...
***************************************************
Martha sensed something was wrong. She began to pray in tongues. She wasn't sure what the real issue was but she really hoped she won't have to see Oga's manhood again!
She kept having nightmares that involved him raping her. She needed something to wipe that memory from her brain. It was too horrid to keep going over.
She remembered the rice she was boiling and stopped washing Olamide's clothes. As she raced to the kitchen, she slipped in the wet bathroom and fell. She couldn't move for a few minutes. She willed herself to stand up, turn off the gas cooker and get some menthol. She was definitely running behind with her chores. She had to pick Olamide from the neighbour's place. He had made friends with the neighbour's kids and was always eager to go over.
Martha wondered how much of the tension little Olamide picked up. She often wondered what was running through his mind every time he looked longingly at the wedding picture of his happy dad and mum hanging in the sitting room. She often wondered where all that love went. She looked at the picture again as she limped out to get Olamide. The urge to pray was very strong.
***************************************************
"I can't forgive Yeside; her desertion cost me my soul!"
Gbenro was taken aback by the venom he was pouring out but he was too helpless to stop it. He started weeping.
"Do you want to talk more about it?"
Kunle sensed that this was his opportunity to take proper advantage of Gbenro. He always knew there was something deeper he could use against Gbenro. If he was patient enough, he'll get what he needed. He was already getting bored with the Wole/Yeside side-show.
"Kunle! Bro Gbenro!"
Wole was stupefied! He couldn't believe all he had just heard. So, he had been Kunle and Gbenro's pawn all these years?
"I can explain, Wole"
Wole quickly rebuffed Kunle's half-hearted attempt to draw him in.
Kunle quickly went back to Gbenro. There was a bigger fish if he played his cards well.
Wole sat for a while and different emotions washed through him - anger, betrayal, regret, sorrow.
He brought out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. It was definitely going to be a long walk back home.
***************************************************
Just as Yeside was about to send Mabel a text message apologizing for leaving her car open, Mabel ran back to the car.
"How far? What happened?"
"You won't believe that the lights went out while I was in the lift. Thank God for His mercies"
"Thank God. I was just about to send you a text message sef and find my way. Someone offered me a ride"
"Pele. Ma binu my dear"
They both burst into laughter. The road was not as congested as Yeside expected. Yeside quickly sent a message thanking Barrister Ikedia and informing him that she was already in the car with Mabel. Their "unfinished business" would have to wait.
Mabel quickly told Yeside about her dream and how she sensed that Yeside was dealing with marital challenges. Yeside decided to tell Mabel about all she was going through. She left out the part about Barrister Ikedia, though. She didn't think St. Mabel needed to know about that. She didn't need sermons on what she was still processing.
Most of Mabel's counsel made sense to her. She couldn't understand why she was suggesting that she should seduce Wole. Didn't she hear the part about how she had tried seduction and failed? She didn't want to get into an argument so she just kept quiet. Mabel recommended that they both find time to pray daily about the matter. It sounded like a good idea to Yeside. Besides, she had nothing to lose.
***************************************************
Kunle Agunbiade felt a release in his spirit. He suddenly felt overjoyed. He wondered if it was because of the change in Anjola.
As he went to the kitchen to fix himself a meal, he heard distinctly in his spirit.
"There will be a shaking but it will end in praise".
He heated the portion of rice Anjola had kept for him in the freezer. He brought out the portion of stew that was clearly marked "STEW". She had devised that means 10 years ago after he had mistaken freshly ground pepper for stew and tried to eat it with Eba and Okra. He chuckled as he remembered the incident. He had mentioned it to his sister and his family had blown it out of proportion. He still felt sad that he had blurted it out knowing that there was no love lost between Sister Kemi and Anjola. She still couldn't believe that her precious brother would end up with a divorcee. He didn't want to remember the heated divorce related arguments and sermons. When their Little Prince had died, Sister Kemi had loudly wondered if the divorce was the reason for the calamity. No, he didn't want to relive the horrors.
His phone rang. It was Wole...
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
He couldn't bring himself to dwell on Motunrayo. He would definitely kill that beast that fathered him at an opportune time. He just needed to figure out how to do that without being detected.
He tried unsuccessfully to resist the flashback of scenes of The Beast raping Mama in his presence before giving him his school fees and allowances. It was to teach him that money was not easy to come by. He thought he hated The Beast until that night...
"Gbenro, how far na? No vex. Road tight today ooo. E be like say those politicians dey do crash program. Na all of dem dey do rally today"
Kunle rescued Gbenro from his tormenting thoughts. He quickly wiped the tear from the corner of his eyes.
"Abi na. If dem no do rally now, shey na after elections dem wan start?"
They both burst into laughter. Gbenro already started feeling lighter already. Laughter sure works magic.
"How far? How Mumsy? How Motunrayo? I dey hustle make I gather money come marry that girl fa"
"No be incest be that? Cousins dey marry ni?"
"Abeg tell me how we take relate? Because we come from same villa don turn us to relatives? Oga, abeg park well, make you no pour sand sand for my garri, joor!"
"Na you sabi. How far?"
"Bros, thank God say na you dey pay Kunle. Things don be one kain sha"
"Wetin happen?"
"Ah, plenty story. Order the drinks and let me tell you a 'super story"
Gbenro called the waiter and ordered the drinks
***************************************************
"Sin lurks at your door"
Yeside read Dad's text message again. Why was that the same words that stood out to her in the post she was reading as she waited for Mabel? Mabel realised that she forgot the key to her house in the office so she went back to pick it. A text message was delivered to Yeside's phone.
"I think I'll be heading your way today. Do you mind riding with me? I noticed you didn't drive today."
Yeside knew that Barrister Ikedia would only be going her way because he wanted to finish their "unfinished business". She knew where she would end up if she drove with him today.
Why couldn't she feel like a woman? What use were her vows when she was the only one keeping them? Who knows what Wole was doing with Martha or some strange woman? Didn't she deserve to be loved? Should she die sexually frustrated because she exchanged vows with a worthless man?
Besides, she needed to leave as early as possible as the traffic reports were really scary. Mabel was taking longer than normal.
As she started to type a response to Barrister Ikedia, she got a BBM message from Mum. She quickly checked it.
"Sin lurks at your door..."
From Mum? Wonders will never cease.
***************************************************
"YOU HAVE BEEN RELIEVED OF YOUR DUTIES"
That was all that kept ringing in Wole's head. He wasn't sure how he found his way to the necessary offices to fill out the required paper work. Who was he going to turn to now? This job was a miracle job for him. How was he going to finance the divorce and prove that he was the best parent to care for Olamide?
He decided to stop by at the bar. Kunle had told him he was travelling to the North for an official assignment. He whispered a routine prayer for Kunle's safety.
As he entered into the bar, he caught a glimpse of a guy that looked like Kunle. He was quite sure the person sitting with him was Gbenro. He moved closer to confirm. What he heard stopped him in his tracks...
****************************************************
"Yeside and Wole are in some sort of trouble"
"Interestingly, I agree, Kunle. I don't care about that idiot, Wole, but I'm concerned that his foolishness can affect my darling daughter and my little prince. I also woke up with a heavy burden about Yeside"
Kunle Agunbiade was stunned to hear Anjola's response. He had expected her to mock him and make jest of him. He had steeled himself for her biting sarcasm. Nothing prepared him for her response.
Anjola could see that Kunle was taken aback. She had had an encounter in the middle of the night. She had felt someone tap her awake. As she opened her eyes, she was led to open the Bible Kunle had by his side of the bed. She found herself reading Genesis 4. As she got to verse 7, Yeside's image flashed before her. She saw Yeside in a compromising situation with a man. She quickly found a pen and wrote it down. Not long after she slept back.
When she got up in the morning, she forgot about the encounter as she went about her daily chores. As she was getting ready to call it a day, Yeside's image flashed again.
Anjola quickly sent Yeside a BBM chat. Immediately, Kunle's chat came in.
God was obviously sending strong signals to them.
"Let's fast and pray till something happens"
Kunle's heart sommersaulted as Anjola spoke those words. God indeed was answering HIS own prayers...
***************************************************
Martha sensed something was wrong. She began to pray in tongues. She wasn't sure what the real issue was but she really hoped she won't have to see Oga's manhood again!
She kept having nightmares that involved him raping her. She needed something to wipe that memory from her brain. It was too horrid to keep going over.
She remembered the rice she was boiling and stopped washing Olamide's clothes. As she raced to the kitchen, she slipped in the wet bathroom and fell. She couldn't move for a few minutes. She willed herself to stand up, turn off the gas cooker and get some menthol. She was definitely running behind with her chores. She had to pick Olamide from the neighbour's place. He had made friends with the neighbour's kids and was always eager to go over.
Martha wondered how much of the tension little Olamide picked up. She often wondered what was running through his mind every time he looked longingly at the wedding picture of his happy dad and mum hanging in the sitting room. She often wondered where all that love went. She looked at the picture again as she limped out to get Olamide. The urge to pray was very strong.
***************************************************
"I can't forgive Yeside; her desertion cost me my soul!"
Gbenro was taken aback by the venom he was pouring out but he was too helpless to stop it. He started weeping.
"Do you want to talk more about it?"
Kunle sensed that this was his opportunity to take proper advantage of Gbenro. He always knew there was something deeper he could use against Gbenro. If he was patient enough, he'll get what he needed. He was already getting bored with the Wole/Yeside side-show.
"Kunle! Bro Gbenro!"
Wole was stupefied! He couldn't believe all he had just heard. So, he had been Kunle and Gbenro's pawn all these years?
"I can explain, Wole"
Wole quickly rebuffed Kunle's half-hearted attempt to draw him in.
Kunle quickly went back to Gbenro. There was a bigger fish if he played his cards well.
Wole sat for a while and different emotions washed through him - anger, betrayal, regret, sorrow.
He brought out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. It was definitely going to be a long walk back home.
***************************************************
Just as Yeside was about to send Mabel a text message apologizing for leaving her car open, Mabel ran back to the car.
"How far? What happened?"
"You won't believe that the lights went out while I was in the lift. Thank God for His mercies"
"Thank God. I was just about to send you a text message sef and find my way. Someone offered me a ride"
"Pele. Ma binu my dear"
They both burst into laughter. The road was not as congested as Yeside expected. Yeside quickly sent a message thanking Barrister Ikedia and informing him that she was already in the car with Mabel. Their "unfinished business" would have to wait.
Mabel quickly told Yeside about her dream and how she sensed that Yeside was dealing with marital challenges. Yeside decided to tell Mabel about all she was going through. She left out the part about Barrister Ikedia, though. She didn't think St. Mabel needed to know about that. She didn't need sermons on what she was still processing.
Most of Mabel's counsel made sense to her. She couldn't understand why she was suggesting that she should seduce Wole. Didn't she hear the part about how she had tried seduction and failed? She didn't want to get into an argument so she just kept quiet. Mabel recommended that they both find time to pray daily about the matter. It sounded like a good idea to Yeside. Besides, she had nothing to lose.
***************************************************
Kunle Agunbiade felt a release in his spirit. He suddenly felt overjoyed. He wondered if it was because of the change in Anjola.
As he went to the kitchen to fix himself a meal, he heard distinctly in his spirit.
"There will be a shaking but it will end in praise".
He heated the portion of rice Anjola had kept for him in the freezer. He brought out the portion of stew that was clearly marked "STEW". She had devised that means 10 years ago after he had mistaken freshly ground pepper for stew and tried to eat it with Eba and Okra. He chuckled as he remembered the incident. He had mentioned it to his sister and his family had blown it out of proportion. He still felt sad that he had blurted it out knowing that there was no love lost between Sister Kemi and Anjola. She still couldn't believe that her precious brother would end up with a divorcee. He didn't want to remember the heated divorce related arguments and sermons. When their Little Prince had died, Sister Kemi had loudly wondered if the divorce was the reason for the calamity. No, he didn't want to relive the horrors.
His phone rang. It was Wole...
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Growing Wings Episode 19
Wole's phone rang. He quickly hurried to pick up the phone. Who knows if that was Bayo. He had been waiting for Bayo's call.
The Caller ID showed Mr Ahmed, his manager. That was quite strange.
"Good afternoon Wole. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing well sir. Thank you"
"How is the leave?"
Wole was sure he wasn't hearing well. What kind of sick joke was this?
"It's fine sir"
He even threw in a half-hearted laugh to make it believable. Mr Ahmed's queer sense of humor was legendary. He had a knack for cracking morbid jokes.
"Can you swing by the office today?"
Mr. Ahmed sounded so cheerful. Wole wondered why he couldn't say whatever it was he wanted to say on the phone.
"Okay sir. I should be in the office in about an hour"
***************************************************
Yeside bumped into Barrister Ikedia as she was rushing to catch the lift. The files she was holding went flying in different places. She was running late so she didn't staple the documents. Nothing was going as planned today at all.
Barrister Ikedia scurried to help her pick the documents. Yeside burst into tears as she thought of the additional work required to get everything in order. She was experiencing a melt-down!
Barrister Ikedia looked at the crying Yeside. He couldn't abandon a lady in distress. His calendar was full but he just couldn't walk away. He had been watching this smart, beautiful lady. His treacherous heart was already falling for her.
He took her to his office to calm her down. He helped her call someone in the meeting to let them know she would not be able to attend as she had to deal with a personal emergency. He made her a hot drink. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms to console her. She kept sobbing. Barrister Ikedia felt so helpless as her charm drew him closer. He just found himself kissing her. It felt so good.
Yeside was not sure how she found herself being kissed by Barrister Ikedia. All she could think of was how great he smelled. She couldn't remember the last time she had been kissed. She found herself returning the kiss. She'll think of the consequences later.
As Barrister Ikedia deepened the kiss, Yeside found herself moaning. Thankfully, his desk phone rang. It was the Managing Partner. He sure couldn't ignore that call. He sent her an "It's unfinished business" look.
Yeside slowly came to her senses. What in the world was she doing? Sure, it's been a while since Wole made her feel like a woman. They were just housemates raising a child together now. Barrister Ikedia's kiss had stirred passion in her. What was she do about the passion now?
**************************************************
Mabel saw Yeside coming out of Barrister Ikedia's office. Something didn't feel right. She had another dream last night about Yeside. She had been praying for her. She felt a leading to talk with Yeside.
"Hi dear. What's up? How are you doing?"
"Hi Mabel. I'm doing well"
Yeside's voice was quite husky. She seemed unwilling to chat.
"I'll like to catch up with you when you have the time, please"
"Maybe I'll go home with you?"
"You didn't drive? Sure that'll be a great idea"
Yeside wondered how she'll survive the drive with Mabel. She had hoped to clear her head on the way home. She'll just have to find a way to remain sane.
She didn't feel like working at all. She decided to see what was going on in her favorite Facebook group. She logged on and found the article "When Your Husband Won't Make Love To You". She quickly bookmarked the page so she'll read later. Maybe she'll get useful tips that would really help. She couldn't ask questions as the judgmental attitude oozing out of these Christian women was suffocating. She just hoped this article wouldn't turn out to be an absolute waste of time like others.
She quickly glanced at her phone. She saw 3 missed calls from her mum, her dad and Barrister Ikedia! The dude didn't even allow her get back to her seat before following up. She felt some self-confidence returning to her. Barrister Ikedia had also sent her a text message that was business-like on the surface but she could read the hidden message. The dude was a smooth operator!
She saw another text message from the church reminding her of mid-week service. It was a bulk sms, as usual. She always felt there should be some personal touch like she was used to from her school fellowship. Their church was run efficiently like a business. They were very time-conscious; everyone sat in a particular pattern. Everything was so predictable. Infact, she could preach the sermon once she was given a title. She knew most of the songs by the choir and it wasn't hard to learn the new songs as they all seemed to follow the same pattern. She just felt church should play a more important role in their lives.
The third message was from Dad.
"Sweetheart, watch and pray. Sin lies at your door. Be careful dear. Love you. Dad"
If the message wasn't so serious, she would have laughed at how cryptic Dad's message was. She always teased him that he should have joined the military. He always sent cryptic messages. He was definitely her pal for life; she missed him so much!
"Sin lies at your door"
It was such a serious message. She decided to spend a few minutes to pray.
***************************************************
"Please have a seat, Wole"
"Thank you, Mr. Ahmed"
Mr. Ahmed kept cracking silly jokes. Wole had to bite his tongue so he won't ask him to get to the point. He didn't have enough time to listen to Mr. Ahmed's road show. "GET TO THE POINT", Wole screamed in his mind.
Mr. Ahmed seemed to hear him as he began to talk about the issues that led to Wole's suspension.
After about 20 minutes of talking, going off track a few times, he finally managed to get to a conclusion.
"Management has reached a decision, Mr. Akingbade. Our decision is in this letter I'm handing over to you. I'll need you to acknowledge receipt of this letter by signing here"
Mr. Ahmed pointed at a document on his table. Wole had a bad feeling. He suddenly began to sweat.
With trembling hands, he signed the document and received his letter. As he was about to open the document, he received a text message. It was a message from the church reminding him of mid-week service.
"I'll leave you to open and read your letter. Can you please do that in the lobby? I need to go for my 3:30pm meeting"
Wole went to the lobby and opened the letter.
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
The Caller ID showed Mr Ahmed, his manager. That was quite strange.
"Good afternoon Wole. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing well sir. Thank you"
"How is the leave?"
Wole was sure he wasn't hearing well. What kind of sick joke was this?
"It's fine sir"
He even threw in a half-hearted laugh to make it believable. Mr Ahmed's queer sense of humor was legendary. He had a knack for cracking morbid jokes.
"Can you swing by the office today?"
Mr. Ahmed sounded so cheerful. Wole wondered why he couldn't say whatever it was he wanted to say on the phone.
"Okay sir. I should be in the office in about an hour"
***************************************************
Yeside bumped into Barrister Ikedia as she was rushing to catch the lift. The files she was holding went flying in different places. She was running late so she didn't staple the documents. Nothing was going as planned today at all.
Barrister Ikedia scurried to help her pick the documents. Yeside burst into tears as she thought of the additional work required to get everything in order. She was experiencing a melt-down!
Barrister Ikedia looked at the crying Yeside. He couldn't abandon a lady in distress. His calendar was full but he just couldn't walk away. He had been watching this smart, beautiful lady. His treacherous heart was already falling for her.
He took her to his office to calm her down. He helped her call someone in the meeting to let them know she would not be able to attend as she had to deal with a personal emergency. He made her a hot drink. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms to console her. She kept sobbing. Barrister Ikedia felt so helpless as her charm drew him closer. He just found himself kissing her. It felt so good.
Yeside was not sure how she found herself being kissed by Barrister Ikedia. All she could think of was how great he smelled. She couldn't remember the last time she had been kissed. She found herself returning the kiss. She'll think of the consequences later.
As Barrister Ikedia deepened the kiss, Yeside found herself moaning. Thankfully, his desk phone rang. It was the Managing Partner. He sure couldn't ignore that call. He sent her an "It's unfinished business" look.
Yeside slowly came to her senses. What in the world was she doing? Sure, it's been a while since Wole made her feel like a woman. They were just housemates raising a child together now. Barrister Ikedia's kiss had stirred passion in her. What was she do about the passion now?
**************************************************
Mabel saw Yeside coming out of Barrister Ikedia's office. Something didn't feel right. She had another dream last night about Yeside. She had been praying for her. She felt a leading to talk with Yeside.
"Hi dear. What's up? How are you doing?"
"Hi Mabel. I'm doing well"
Yeside's voice was quite husky. She seemed unwilling to chat.
"I'll like to catch up with you when you have the time, please"
"Maybe I'll go home with you?"
"You didn't drive? Sure that'll be a great idea"
Yeside wondered how she'll survive the drive with Mabel. She had hoped to clear her head on the way home. She'll just have to find a way to remain sane.
She didn't feel like working at all. She decided to see what was going on in her favorite Facebook group. She logged on and found the article "When Your Husband Won't Make Love To You". She quickly bookmarked the page so she'll read later. Maybe she'll get useful tips that would really help. She couldn't ask questions as the judgmental attitude oozing out of these Christian women was suffocating. She just hoped this article wouldn't turn out to be an absolute waste of time like others.
She quickly glanced at her phone. She saw 3 missed calls from her mum, her dad and Barrister Ikedia! The dude didn't even allow her get back to her seat before following up. She felt some self-confidence returning to her. Barrister Ikedia had also sent her a text message that was business-like on the surface but she could read the hidden message. The dude was a smooth operator!
She saw another text message from the church reminding her of mid-week service. It was a bulk sms, as usual. She always felt there should be some personal touch like she was used to from her school fellowship. Their church was run efficiently like a business. They were very time-conscious; everyone sat in a particular pattern. Everything was so predictable. Infact, she could preach the sermon once she was given a title. She knew most of the songs by the choir and it wasn't hard to learn the new songs as they all seemed to follow the same pattern. She just felt church should play a more important role in their lives.
The third message was from Dad.
"Sweetheart, watch and pray. Sin lies at your door. Be careful dear. Love you. Dad"
If the message wasn't so serious, she would have laughed at how cryptic Dad's message was. She always teased him that he should have joined the military. He always sent cryptic messages. He was definitely her pal for life; she missed him so much!
"Sin lies at your door"
It was such a serious message. She decided to spend a few minutes to pray.
***************************************************
"Please have a seat, Wole"
"Thank you, Mr. Ahmed"
Mr. Ahmed kept cracking silly jokes. Wole had to bite his tongue so he won't ask him to get to the point. He didn't have enough time to listen to Mr. Ahmed's road show. "GET TO THE POINT", Wole screamed in his mind.
Mr. Ahmed seemed to hear him as he began to talk about the issues that led to Wole's suspension.
After about 20 minutes of talking, going off track a few times, he finally managed to get to a conclusion.
"Management has reached a decision, Mr. Akingbade. Our decision is in this letter I'm handing over to you. I'll need you to acknowledge receipt of this letter by signing here"
Mr. Ahmed pointed at a document on his table. Wole had a bad feeling. He suddenly began to sweat.
With trembling hands, he signed the document and received his letter. As he was about to open the document, he received a text message. It was a message from the church reminding him of mid-week service.
"I'll leave you to open and read your letter. Can you please do that in the lobby? I need to go for my 3:30pm meeting"
Wole went to the lobby and opened the letter.
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
Growing Wings Episode 18
"Which guy are you talking about na? I tell you say nobody dey here before na", Kunle insisted.
Wole was going to press further but the lawyer chose to walk in at that very moment.
"I'm sorry for the delay guys; the traffic jam was hectic."
"No problem; thank God you're here", Wole responded.
Kunle introduced them. "Wole, meet Barrister Adebayo Adebajo. Bayo, meet Engineer Oluwole Akingbade"
They exchanged pleasantries and shook hands.
"So, what exactly do you need?" Bayo asked Wole
"Actually I'm married to a witch with a witch mother. Her dad is cool but I have not made any meaningful progress since I met her. The only bright spot in the marriage is our darling 3 year old son. I want to take my son and let the witch mother and daughter have their privacy. Her mother is an influential judge. I'll appreciate ideas from you. Thanks"
Wole felt proud that he was able to summarize his 7 year old misery in a few words.
"Ideally, I should charge you for consultation but because of my relationship with Gbenro, erm erm Kunle, I'll ..."
Wole didn't hear much of what else Bayo had to say. He quickly looked at Kunle and he could have sworn that all the blood in Kunle's face was drained. It couldn't be a coincidence that Kunle had vehemently denied the presence of someone who looked like Gbenro and Bayo here had accidentally mentioned Gbenro. This was too weird for comfort.
************************************************
Kunle's head was working overtime. He needed to divert attention from the sticky Gbenro coincidences. They were really close to achieving their aim; Wole's suspicion would not help the cause at all. He decided to give it his best shot.
"So what are the options available? Olamide is Wole's closest living relative. Typically, the mother gets custody of the child. Is there anything we can do to turn the tides in our favour?"
Bayo sensed that the fact that he mentioned Gbenro's name was making Kunle uncomfortable. He didn't know why but he didn't want to lose the good money Kunle was talking about paying him. The sum Kunle was offering was hefty but he definitely wasn't turning it down. He needed the money to offset some debts. His salary at the Law firm could no longer take him to the Bus Stop. Nkem's bombshell also needed to be attended to...
"Frankly, the mother is more likely to get custody of the child or children in the event of a divorce because the factors used in determining a child's best interests are usually favour the woman. The judge will be looking at factors such as who the primary care giver has been/who has been caring for the child, the parent-child bond, your relationship with your wife"
"Please can you explain the last one?" Wole interrupted
"Erm, the court will try to decide which of you will try to foster a healthy relationship with the other parent. A parent who has tried to poison the child(ren) against the other parent or refused to allow contact with the other parent will have issues gaining custody, except there has been child abuse or domestic violence", Bayo explained patiently.
"Oh okay. Please continue"
Bayo was pleased to see that the skepticism on Wole's face and changed to rapt attention. Wow!
"Your chances of gaining custody will be greatly enhanced if you can stay civil and respectful to your wife. Getting a good lawyer also improves your chances."
"Thanks"
"Is it possible to explore the child abuse angle?" Kunle asked. "I've seen Yeside spank Olamide hard the few times I've visited them. I could be a witness?"
"Erm, Kunle, I don't think we need to get to that level yet. Let's keep that as a joker for now. Guys, I need to leave now. I have a 7pm appointment on the Island"
"Thanks a lot, Bayo. It was so nice that you could come with such short notice"
"How much do I owe you?" Wole asked
"Anytime, Kunle. Wole, let's just say I'm paying it forward. See you around, guys", Bayo winked.
****************************************************
"Whew, that was close", Gbenro soliloquized.
He couldn't let Wole and Yeside live in peace. They had made a fool of him. He had had to grovel before the Anti-Christ he called his father. The price for all his father handed over to him was destroying his soul. He couldn't look Motunrayo in the face.
Wole and Yeside could not live happily ever after while he was wasting away. They had to pay for the deep wound in his soul. He couldn't just 'forgive and forget'.
Motunrayo looked up to him as her protector. He had shielded her up until that first time when the monster had made his evil request...
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Wole was going to press further but the lawyer chose to walk in at that very moment.
"I'm sorry for the delay guys; the traffic jam was hectic."
"No problem; thank God you're here", Wole responded.
Kunle introduced them. "Wole, meet Barrister Adebayo Adebajo. Bayo, meet Engineer Oluwole Akingbade"
They exchanged pleasantries and shook hands.
"So, what exactly do you need?" Bayo asked Wole
"Actually I'm married to a witch with a witch mother. Her dad is cool but I have not made any meaningful progress since I met her. The only bright spot in the marriage is our darling 3 year old son. I want to take my son and let the witch mother and daughter have their privacy. Her mother is an influential judge. I'll appreciate ideas from you. Thanks"
Wole felt proud that he was able to summarize his 7 year old misery in a few words.
"Ideally, I should charge you for consultation but because of my relationship with Gbenro, erm erm Kunle, I'll ..."
Wole didn't hear much of what else Bayo had to say. He quickly looked at Kunle and he could have sworn that all the blood in Kunle's face was drained. It couldn't be a coincidence that Kunle had vehemently denied the presence of someone who looked like Gbenro and Bayo here had accidentally mentioned Gbenro. This was too weird for comfort.
************************************************
Kunle's head was working overtime. He needed to divert attention from the sticky Gbenro coincidences. They were really close to achieving their aim; Wole's suspicion would not help the cause at all. He decided to give it his best shot.
"So what are the options available? Olamide is Wole's closest living relative. Typically, the mother gets custody of the child. Is there anything we can do to turn the tides in our favour?"
Bayo sensed that the fact that he mentioned Gbenro's name was making Kunle uncomfortable. He didn't know why but he didn't want to lose the good money Kunle was talking about paying him. The sum Kunle was offering was hefty but he definitely wasn't turning it down. He needed the money to offset some debts. His salary at the Law firm could no longer take him to the Bus Stop. Nkem's bombshell also needed to be attended to...
"Frankly, the mother is more likely to get custody of the child or children in the event of a divorce because the factors used in determining a child's best interests are usually favour the woman. The judge will be looking at factors such as who the primary care giver has been/who has been caring for the child, the parent-child bond, your relationship with your wife"
"Please can you explain the last one?" Wole interrupted
"Erm, the court will try to decide which of you will try to foster a healthy relationship with the other parent. A parent who has tried to poison the child(ren) against the other parent or refused to allow contact with the other parent will have issues gaining custody, except there has been child abuse or domestic violence", Bayo explained patiently.
"Oh okay. Please continue"
Bayo was pleased to see that the skepticism on Wole's face and changed to rapt attention. Wow!
"Your chances of gaining custody will be greatly enhanced if you can stay civil and respectful to your wife. Getting a good lawyer also improves your chances."
"Thanks"
"Is it possible to explore the child abuse angle?" Kunle asked. "I've seen Yeside spank Olamide hard the few times I've visited them. I could be a witness?"
"Erm, Kunle, I don't think we need to get to that level yet. Let's keep that as a joker for now. Guys, I need to leave now. I have a 7pm appointment on the Island"
"Thanks a lot, Bayo. It was so nice that you could come with such short notice"
"How much do I owe you?" Wole asked
"Anytime, Kunle. Wole, let's just say I'm paying it forward. See you around, guys", Bayo winked.
****************************************************
"Whew, that was close", Gbenro soliloquized.
He couldn't let Wole and Yeside live in peace. They had made a fool of him. He had had to grovel before the Anti-Christ he called his father. The price for all his father handed over to him was destroying his soul. He couldn't look Motunrayo in the face.
Wole and Yeside could not live happily ever after while he was wasting away. They had to pay for the deep wound in his soul. He couldn't just 'forgive and forget'.
Motunrayo looked up to him as her protector. He had shielded her up until that first time when the monster had made his evil request...
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Growing Wings Episode 17
Just as Yeside began to search the house for traces of Martha, her phone rang. It was Mum, who wanted to find out if she had seen Martha and Wole. She already began to make weird speculations.
"Hey Mum, I just got home. I'll call you when I'm settled, okay?", Yeside snapped at her.
"Yeside!"
"Sorry Mum, I'll let you know when I'm settled ma. I'm sorry for snapping"
Wole felt his stomach churn as he listened to Yeside's side of the conversation with Justice Anjola. His "High Flyer" was a timid lapdog whenever The Witch Mother was discussing with her. She was tied to her mother's apron strings and it appeared nothing could snap those strings...Well, Mrs "High-Flyer" and The Witch Mother would have many days, months and years together in inseparable bliss...He'll have to see Kunle later about the lawyer they discussed. The plot was surely thickening and he had to ensure that there were no loose ends.
"Martha, Martha" Yeside yelled.
"Aunty Martha", Olamide echoed.
Yeside thought she heard a mousy response from Olamide's room (partly occupied by Martha).
Yeside went close and knocked on the door. She heard the shuffling of feet and waited for Martha to let her in.
Martha wondered what story she would tell Yeside. She had to tell her why she didn't pick Olamide from school. The truth was that she was too scared to venture out of that room. She had tortured herself with thoughts of how to escape if he had managed to get into the room where she was hiding. Thankfully, she didn't have to deal with that. She couldn't afford to tell the truth because she knew that somehow, somebody somewhere would blame her and she would eventually be sent packing. The wives always blamed the maid for their husbands' indiscretions. Sending the maid away was usually considered the best way to save their marriages...until another maid was harassed. No, she couldn't tell Mummy Olamide what happened this afternoon.
"Martha, what's taking you so long to open the door? I don't have all day, Miss"
"Sorry ma. I'm not feeling too well ma"
Martha quickly asked God for forgiveness for that white lie as she opened the door.
"What's the matter? Have you taken any drugs?"
Yeside must have asked a dozen questions in less than a minute.
"I just started feeling feverish, ma"
"But why did you lock the door? Did you tell Daddy Olamide about it?"
Martha pretended not to hear the question and quickly countered with an apology.
"Sorry about leaving Olamide in school ma. I was cleaning the room when I started feeling feverish ma"
Yeside wanted to press but she decided to watch Martha a little more closely. She sure was hiding something and Yeside planned to wait patiently till the cat was let out of the bag. She handed over Olamide to Martha and went to the room to change into more comfortable clothes.
Though Mum had told her about Wole not going to work, she decided not to say anything about it. She had learnt earlier from a post she read on a Facebook page that if she kept her cool, the truth would reveal itself and she would be calm to face issues squarely.
Wole was ready for Yeside's angry outbursts. He was shocked to see her so calm and collected. He finally had to break the silence.
"Did you speak with Martha?"
"Yes I did"
"What did she say?"
"Not much", Yeside shrugged.
Both of their phones chose to ring at the same time. Kunle was calling Wole while Justice Anjola was calling Yeside. They both stepped away to receive the calls.
"Mum, this is not a good time", Yeside told her mother.
"Guy, can I call you back in about an hour?" Wole said to Kunle.
Kunle and Justice Anjola both insisted that the calls were too urgent to ignore. Kunle had the lawyer with him; Justice Anjola would be hosting guests in 30 minutes.
Wole stepped out of the room to receive his call while Yeside stayed back in the room. Both calls went past 30 minutes and by the time they were done, the moment had passed.
"I'll try to be back before 10pm, okay?" Wole told Yeside.
"I guess it'll give you enough time to prepare for a day of going nowhere tomorrow, right?"
The words flew out of Yeside's mouth before she could bite them back. Mum kept going on and on about Wole's absence from the office all through the call and she, surprisingly, allowed the words to fly out without restraint.
"Sorry, what did you just say?", Wole asked feeling really excited that the plan was actualizing itself without his help. He needed to egg her on and get her to explode; the cool and calm Yeside would destroy the plan.
"Nothing important. Just pretend you didn't hear me"
"But I did hear you. I know you and your mother have been gossiping about me"
Everything in Yeside wanted to respond but she remembered the 1-10 exercise. She started counting 1 to 10 and she could practically feel the anger going away.
Wole stormed out of the house. He was actually beginning to get angry and he needed a clear head to follow through with the plan.
***************************************************
Wole squinted. He thought the guy with Kunle looked like Bro Gbenro. He couldn't see well, though. Just as He was about to open the outer door of the bar, the guy got up and headed towards the other bar exit.
"It would have been nice to see Bro Gbenro." Wole thought to himself. Maybe he could hook him up with a job somewhere, who knows?
"Guy, na who be the guy wey just stand up from here? He resemble somebody wey I sabi from wayback"
"Which guy?"
Kunle was acting so surprised and weird.
"Nobody sit down here na. E be like say you don dey see things ooo. Me wey being dey sit, dey wait? The lawyer said I should buzz him when you come; he had some unfinished business to attend".
"Kunle, who was that guy? I demand to know now"
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
"Hey Mum, I just got home. I'll call you when I'm settled, okay?", Yeside snapped at her.
"Yeside!"
"Sorry Mum, I'll let you know when I'm settled ma. I'm sorry for snapping"
Wole felt his stomach churn as he listened to Yeside's side of the conversation with Justice Anjola. His "High Flyer" was a timid lapdog whenever The Witch Mother was discussing with her. She was tied to her mother's apron strings and it appeared nothing could snap those strings...Well, Mrs "High-Flyer" and The Witch Mother would have many days, months and years together in inseparable bliss...He'll have to see Kunle later about the lawyer they discussed. The plot was surely thickening and he had to ensure that there were no loose ends.
"Martha, Martha" Yeside yelled.
"Aunty Martha", Olamide echoed.
Yeside thought she heard a mousy response from Olamide's room (partly occupied by Martha).
Yeside went close and knocked on the door. She heard the shuffling of feet and waited for Martha to let her in.
Martha wondered what story she would tell Yeside. She had to tell her why she didn't pick Olamide from school. The truth was that she was too scared to venture out of that room. She had tortured herself with thoughts of how to escape if he had managed to get into the room where she was hiding. Thankfully, she didn't have to deal with that. She couldn't afford to tell the truth because she knew that somehow, somebody somewhere would blame her and she would eventually be sent packing. The wives always blamed the maid for their husbands' indiscretions. Sending the maid away was usually considered the best way to save their marriages...until another maid was harassed. No, she couldn't tell Mummy Olamide what happened this afternoon.
"Martha, what's taking you so long to open the door? I don't have all day, Miss"
"Sorry ma. I'm not feeling too well ma"
Martha quickly asked God for forgiveness for that white lie as she opened the door.
"What's the matter? Have you taken any drugs?"
Yeside must have asked a dozen questions in less than a minute.
"I just started feeling feverish, ma"
"But why did you lock the door? Did you tell Daddy Olamide about it?"
Martha pretended not to hear the question and quickly countered with an apology.
"Sorry about leaving Olamide in school ma. I was cleaning the room when I started feeling feverish ma"
Yeside wanted to press but she decided to watch Martha a little more closely. She sure was hiding something and Yeside planned to wait patiently till the cat was let out of the bag. She handed over Olamide to Martha and went to the room to change into more comfortable clothes.
Though Mum had told her about Wole not going to work, she decided not to say anything about it. She had learnt earlier from a post she read on a Facebook page that if she kept her cool, the truth would reveal itself and she would be calm to face issues squarely.
Wole was ready for Yeside's angry outbursts. He was shocked to see her so calm and collected. He finally had to break the silence.
"Did you speak with Martha?"
"Yes I did"
"What did she say?"
"Not much", Yeside shrugged.
Both of their phones chose to ring at the same time. Kunle was calling Wole while Justice Anjola was calling Yeside. They both stepped away to receive the calls.
"Mum, this is not a good time", Yeside told her mother.
"Guy, can I call you back in about an hour?" Wole said to Kunle.
Kunle and Justice Anjola both insisted that the calls were too urgent to ignore. Kunle had the lawyer with him; Justice Anjola would be hosting guests in 30 minutes.
Wole stepped out of the room to receive his call while Yeside stayed back in the room. Both calls went past 30 minutes and by the time they were done, the moment had passed.
"I'll try to be back before 10pm, okay?" Wole told Yeside.
"I guess it'll give you enough time to prepare for a day of going nowhere tomorrow, right?"
The words flew out of Yeside's mouth before she could bite them back. Mum kept going on and on about Wole's absence from the office all through the call and she, surprisingly, allowed the words to fly out without restraint.
"Sorry, what did you just say?", Wole asked feeling really excited that the plan was actualizing itself without his help. He needed to egg her on and get her to explode; the cool and calm Yeside would destroy the plan.
"Nothing important. Just pretend you didn't hear me"
"But I did hear you. I know you and your mother have been gossiping about me"
Everything in Yeside wanted to respond but she remembered the 1-10 exercise. She started counting 1 to 10 and she could practically feel the anger going away.
Wole stormed out of the house. He was actually beginning to get angry and he needed a clear head to follow through with the plan.
***************************************************
Wole squinted. He thought the guy with Kunle looked like Bro Gbenro. He couldn't see well, though. Just as He was about to open the outer door of the bar, the guy got up and headed towards the other bar exit.
"It would have been nice to see Bro Gbenro." Wole thought to himself. Maybe he could hook him up with a job somewhere, who knows?
"Guy, na who be the guy wey just stand up from here? He resemble somebody wey I sabi from wayback"
"Which guy?"
Kunle was acting so surprised and weird.
"Nobody sit down here na. E be like say you don dey see things ooo. Me wey being dey sit, dey wait? The lawyer said I should buzz him when you come; he had some unfinished business to attend".
"Kunle, who was that guy? I demand to know now"
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Monday, 9 February 2015
Growing Wings Episode 16
Justice Anjola was stewing… That boy was really getting on her nerves! Who in the world did he think he was? He was so full of himself. She was livid! What was he doing in the house by 1 pm?
She quickly called Yeside back to let her know that all was well. She decided to handle Wole by herself. She called Engineer Haruna and quickly learnt that Wole had been suspended. She didn’t end up as a Chief Justice without spending time researching facts and investigating cases. She knew who to call whenever she needed anything. She remembered the young Management trainee that had been assigned to her department when she was still working with Raymond Amadi and Associates – the brilliant Mabel Douglas. She had taken interest in the girl and had mentored her as much as she could. She still felt as disappointed today as she did when she had learnt that Mabel was having an affair with one of the partners of the firm. She couldn’t help taking it out on Mabel at work. She thought she was “open-minded” enough to work objectively with Mabel. However, she found herself snapping at her for no tangible reason. She had to look for an excuse to move Mabel to another department. Apparently, Mabel had more backbone than Anjola bargained for. She queried her transfer. Thankfully, Anjola got an offer from the Department of Public Prosecutions, which she gladly took before the investigations were completed. That was an ugly chapter in her career and she was glad she didn’t have to explain herself. Kunle’s call brought her back to the present.
“Hello darling. How’s my baby girl?”
“Mr. Husband, your baby girl was day-dreaming. How are you doing? Have you had lunch?”
“Sweetheart, I’m on the ‘mountain’ na”
“Okay o. When you get to the valley, we can talk joor. Meanwhile, have you spoken to Wole recently? That boy is getting more insolent by the day. I can’t talk where I am; we’ll talk more when we see later. Take care of yourself, dear”
“Okay sweetheart. It is well.
“Kunle, you need to talk to Wole ooo…”
“Sweetheart, can we talk about it when we get home? I am not in a place where I can talk about private matters now”
“Okay, darling”
Anjola wondered why her husband because this spiritual. She had married a fun-loving guy and all these fasting and praying things were a little too much for her. She was quite concerned about his health as the fasting and praying were quite plenty. She could actually swear that he fasted more than Jesus Christ.
******************************************************************************
“Oga!”
Martha was shocked to see Wole naked. What was she to do now? “Dear Lord, please help!”
Wole came towards her with an evil look on his face. She almost passed out but she had to stay strong…She started thinking of the vow she had made to God to remain a virgin till she got married. What was she going to do? She was very afraid.
Wole came close and held her. She was too terrified to even scream. If she did, no one would hear her, anyway as most people had gone to work. She felt so helpless and she began to pray to God for help. She found herself praying out loud.
Suddenly, Wole’s phone rang. As he released her to get the phone, she quickly pushed him and rushed to the room. She quickly locked the door and continued praying.
Wole picked the phone with a satisfied smile. The plan was definitely working. He just needed to wait and let time handle the rest. He couldn’t wait to watch Yeside as she broke down in tears and hopefully took them through the ‘tough road’. He had heard her talk about what she would do if she caught her husband cheating long enough to know what was coming next. Kunle’s timing was perfect; the call came in at the right time. The rest of the plan now depended on Mabel. He prayed she would follow his script.
He hoped that the divorce would break the spell she had cast on him, though. He couldn’t even get aroused by another woman. His body would not cooperate at all. Not that he would ever consider committing adultery. He didn’t want to mess with God.
A text message came in just then. As he was reading Yeside’s text message, a message came in from the church office reminding him of the midweek service tomorrow. Sunday service was enough for him! He had minimum tolerance for hypocrisy. He had seen one of the top leaders in the bar one evening while hanging out with Kunle and the gang. The position Bro. Leader was with the lady that was with him suggested that they were having an affair. Yet, the brother was pastor’s right hand man, who served on almost all church committees. They were all hypocrites, please.
***********************************************************************************
Yeside’s phone rang. She checked and saw that it was from Olamide’s school. She quickly excused herself and returned the call.
“No one has come to pick Olamide from school, ma”
“Really? Let me call his nanny and get back to you, please”
She quickly called Martha. Martha picked the phone but the network was really poor. She had series of meetings so going to pick Olamide herself was practically impossible. As she cracked her brain on what to do, Mum called her. She asked Mum if she could help pick Olamide up. Mum told her that Wole was at home and was in a better position to pick Olamide.
WHAT IS WOLE DOING AT HOME? The alarm bells went off in Yeside’s head. She quickly called Wole but he also wasn’t picking the phone. She quickly sent Mum a text message asking her to please help with Olamide as Wole was unreachable and the network did not allow her reach Martha. Mum replied with an “Okay, dear” as she started typing a text message to Dad.
She struggled through the day and almost ticked off Barrister Ikedia when she sent him an email without the attachments. She really had to try to focus at work, though she had a nagging feeling that all was not well at home. She said a quick prayer.
As soon as the day was over, Yeside quickly checked with Mum and confirmed that Olamide was with her. She had to stop by at Mum’s place to pick up Olamide before heading home. Thank God she drove. As she drove out of the Parking Lot, she got a text message from the church reminding her of tomorrow’s midweek service. She wasn’t feeling the church as much as she used to but they had made the church their family church. She was bored with hearing the same sermons, praying the same prayers and doing the same things over and over again. Maybe she should start attending lunch hour fellowship in the church close to her office.
As she got to her parents’ place, she had a strong feeling that something was not right. She said a quick prayer and went into the house. Olamide clung to her as he saw her, which was quite unusual. He wasn’t really a clingy child…
“Wole did not go to work today. Apparently, he was suspended from work”, Justice Anjola told Yeside in a very business-like tone.
“Good evening Mum. How do you know that?” Yeside queried.
“Martha told me he was around when I called her earlier in the day. I also spoke with him. I later called his office and my contact told me he had been suspended since last week. That boy is definitely up to something”
“We have to go now, Mum. Wole hasn’t been picking my calls; neither has Martha. I hope they are okay”
Yeside quickly packed up Olamide’s things and prepared to go.
“I thought you’ll have left him here till the weekend so I can take him to school and back. Who knows if Martha has run away or something?”
“MUM!”
“What, Yeside? Is it impossible?”
“Good night, Mum”
Yeside drove as quickly as she could and found the front gate wide open. It was quite unusual. She quickly raced upstairs and found the house in a horrible mess.
WHERE IN THE WORLD WAS MARTHA?
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Friday, 30 January 2015
Growing Wings Episode 15
Martha had an uneasy feeling. She spent the entire morning praying. She just knew something was wrong. She couldn’t quite place the feeling but she just knew that all was not well. She had stayed up late the night before to finish the TV show she was watching. There was an elderly woman who had, amongst other things, kept her husband in bondage (in Martha’s opinion, anyway). One of the things Martha was uncomfortable with was this woman’s insistence that her husband should “understand” that she doesn’t like sex and that her husband had no choice but to live with it. Martha considered it hypocritical that this woman that didn’t ‘like’ sex managed to get pregnant 3 times and have kids that she doted on while the man was trapped in a marriage where he could not express himself.
Martha also found it odd that there were no signs of devotion between Yeside and Wole. She resolved, though, to mind her own business and let God show her how she could make a difference in the lives of the Akingbades and others that God would bring her way as she took care of Olamide. She had heard God clearly tell her to take the job, though she had earlier vowed not to work with children under the age of five. She discovered that it is easier to deal with kids that have a longer attention span. She almost did not show up for that interview.
First, her sister called her early that morning complaining about how her son suddenly took ill. Martha offered to help her watch the boy while her sister went to work. Eventually, their other sister, Grace, realized that her office was observing the public holiday so Martha was free to attend the interview. Then, Martha realized as she was dressing up that the shirt she had planned to put on had somehow slipped from where she hanged it and found its way to the floor, rumpled. The other option was a dirty red shirt. There had been no power supply for about a week. Martha was not in the mood for struggling through anything. As she looked through her things to find the Akingbades’ number in order to call and reschedule, she stumbled on the purple shirt that Blessing had given to her as a birthday gift a month ago. She had forgotten all about the shirt and pants. She quickly brought that out and found it decent enough for a job interview as a nanny.
She had sat for and passed the Senior Secondary School Leaving Certificate in flying colors about 3 years earlier. Unfortunately, their parents died within a space of two months, scuttling the plans to get her into a University. Blessing’s husband was barely struggling to cater for his family and there was no one to help. She had to take the first job she got as a nanny caring for an aged woman. The woman had passed on about three months ago and she was so elated when Blessing told her about the job with the Akingbades.
Martha decided to pray about the job offer as she was dressing up for the interview. She didn’t quite get an answer as she set out. Just as she boarded the last bus that would get her to the venue, she saw a vision of the man, woman and child she was going to meet. She could also see a dark cloud hovering over the family in that trance. She saw the woman holding her hands out, begging her to help them. She then heard the Holy Spirit assuring her that it was okay to help them.
She almost ran out of the eatery when she saw the Akingbades. They were putting on the same clothes she had seen in her trance. The interview had gone on for about 30 minutes when they both cut it short and told her that they would get back to her. They looked like they had been there for about 2 hours before. It appeared she was not the only one interested in the job.
When they called her back to resume, she was thrilled, though she spent time praying about the dark cloud she had seen in her trance. She hadn’t thought much about that trance till this morning. She felt like the dark cloud was about to be revealed.
“How are you doing dear?”
Wole smiled at Martha in a weird way. Martha wondered what was going on in his mind. Was he not going to work? She wondered if he truly went to work as he claimed. There was something really dark about today’s smile.
“Good morning sir”.
“Where is Olamide?”
“I just dropped him off in school, sir”
He still had the dark smile and she wondered what he was up to.
As he was about to say whatever it was that was on his mind, his phone rang.
“Guy, how far?”
“E be like say the tin fit work. I even checked the newspapers. It seems we can look at supplying cables; there may be an opportunity there. I’ll make a few phone calls and get back to you”
“She dey o; she don go work. I am working on that plan. Guy, you are a genius o. I couldn’t have come up with a better plan. I’m about to make my move now. After that, things should move fast. My guy, your head is there”
The laughter was dark again.
***********************
Yeside had an urge to pray. She also had a meeting with Barrister Ikedia. If she took off 15 minutes to pray now, she’ll be late for the meeting. She decided to pray when she got back from the meeting.
The meeting went really well. All the notes she made were on point. Everyone commended her and another partner joked with Barrister Ikedia that if he wasn’t careful, Yeside would be leaving his team to work for him. Yeside glowed and enjoyed the compliments. It was indeed a glorious day. She actually forgot to call Martha, Olamide and Wole as she got busy with the day. She also forgot to pray after the meeting. Her ‘To-do’ list was even longer after the meeting. She decided to pray by lunch time. Somehow that also got moved to later in the day.
She managed to pick Justice Anjola’s call at about 12:30pm. She asked her mum to please help her check up on her people. She had exhausted her 20 minutes phone call opportunity talking with her mum. Her day was too choked for phone calls.
**********************************************
Justice Anjola felt like telling Yeside to slow down. She seemed too consumed with work. She remembered how she was when she was Yeside’s age. She was just as consumed with work. Thankfully, her hard work paid off and she could afford to take time off here and there. She always wondered, though, if things may have been a little different if she had slowed down a bit. Was there anything she could have done more to keep her little prince with her?
She quickly braced up and called Wole. As usual, he didn’t pick her calls. She may just pay him a visit in his office; she had to set him straight! She quickly called Olamide’s school and confirmed that all was well.
She called Martha next and it just kept ringing. She tried two more times before Martha picked the call, panting.
“Why did it take you so long to pick the call? Where are you?”
“Sorry ma. I was in the sitting room and my phone was in my room, ma”
Martha did not particularly like Justice Anjola but she had to respect her as an elder and as her boss’ mother. She obviously had a lot of influence over her daughter. All she had to do was make a negative comment and Martha’s days in the house were numbered.
“Who is watching the TV in the background?”
“It’s Oga, ma”
“Oga who?”
“Daddy Olamide, ma”
“He is in the house? Please give him the phone. Thanks”
As Martha got to the sitting room, she found Wole in his boxers. She quickly handed him the phone and told him Mama wanted to talk to him.
She could hear his monosyllabic answers as he responded to Mama.
After about 3 minutes, he called her out to come for her phone.
As she got to the sitting room, she found him in the sitting room stark naked…
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Martha also found it odd that there were no signs of devotion between Yeside and Wole. She resolved, though, to mind her own business and let God show her how she could make a difference in the lives of the Akingbades and others that God would bring her way as she took care of Olamide. She had heard God clearly tell her to take the job, though she had earlier vowed not to work with children under the age of five. She discovered that it is easier to deal with kids that have a longer attention span. She almost did not show up for that interview.
First, her sister called her early that morning complaining about how her son suddenly took ill. Martha offered to help her watch the boy while her sister went to work. Eventually, their other sister, Grace, realized that her office was observing the public holiday so Martha was free to attend the interview. Then, Martha realized as she was dressing up that the shirt she had planned to put on had somehow slipped from where she hanged it and found its way to the floor, rumpled. The other option was a dirty red shirt. There had been no power supply for about a week. Martha was not in the mood for struggling through anything. As she looked through her things to find the Akingbades’ number in order to call and reschedule, she stumbled on the purple shirt that Blessing had given to her as a birthday gift a month ago. She had forgotten all about the shirt and pants. She quickly brought that out and found it decent enough for a job interview as a nanny.
She had sat for and passed the Senior Secondary School Leaving Certificate in flying colors about 3 years earlier. Unfortunately, their parents died within a space of two months, scuttling the plans to get her into a University. Blessing’s husband was barely struggling to cater for his family and there was no one to help. She had to take the first job she got as a nanny caring for an aged woman. The woman had passed on about three months ago and she was so elated when Blessing told her about the job with the Akingbades.
Martha decided to pray about the job offer as she was dressing up for the interview. She didn’t quite get an answer as she set out. Just as she boarded the last bus that would get her to the venue, she saw a vision of the man, woman and child she was going to meet. She could also see a dark cloud hovering over the family in that trance. She saw the woman holding her hands out, begging her to help them. She then heard the Holy Spirit assuring her that it was okay to help them.
She almost ran out of the eatery when she saw the Akingbades. They were putting on the same clothes she had seen in her trance. The interview had gone on for about 30 minutes when they both cut it short and told her that they would get back to her. They looked like they had been there for about 2 hours before. It appeared she was not the only one interested in the job.
When they called her back to resume, she was thrilled, though she spent time praying about the dark cloud she had seen in her trance. She hadn’t thought much about that trance till this morning. She felt like the dark cloud was about to be revealed.
“How are you doing dear?”
Wole smiled at Martha in a weird way. Martha wondered what was going on in his mind. Was he not going to work? She wondered if he truly went to work as he claimed. There was something really dark about today’s smile.
“Good morning sir”.
“Where is Olamide?”
“I just dropped him off in school, sir”
He still had the dark smile and she wondered what he was up to.
As he was about to say whatever it was that was on his mind, his phone rang.
“Guy, how far?”
“E be like say the tin fit work. I even checked the newspapers. It seems we can look at supplying cables; there may be an opportunity there. I’ll make a few phone calls and get back to you”
“She dey o; she don go work. I am working on that plan. Guy, you are a genius o. I couldn’t have come up with a better plan. I’m about to make my move now. After that, things should move fast. My guy, your head is there”
The laughter was dark again.
***********************
Yeside had an urge to pray. She also had a meeting with Barrister Ikedia. If she took off 15 minutes to pray now, she’ll be late for the meeting. She decided to pray when she got back from the meeting.
The meeting went really well. All the notes she made were on point. Everyone commended her and another partner joked with Barrister Ikedia that if he wasn’t careful, Yeside would be leaving his team to work for him. Yeside glowed and enjoyed the compliments. It was indeed a glorious day. She actually forgot to call Martha, Olamide and Wole as she got busy with the day. She also forgot to pray after the meeting. Her ‘To-do’ list was even longer after the meeting. She decided to pray by lunch time. Somehow that also got moved to later in the day.
She managed to pick Justice Anjola’s call at about 12:30pm. She asked her mum to please help her check up on her people. She had exhausted her 20 minutes phone call opportunity talking with her mum. Her day was too choked for phone calls.
**********************************************
Justice Anjola felt like telling Yeside to slow down. She seemed too consumed with work. She remembered how she was when she was Yeside’s age. She was just as consumed with work. Thankfully, her hard work paid off and she could afford to take time off here and there. She always wondered, though, if things may have been a little different if she had slowed down a bit. Was there anything she could have done more to keep her little prince with her?
She quickly braced up and called Wole. As usual, he didn’t pick her calls. She may just pay him a visit in his office; she had to set him straight! She quickly called Olamide’s school and confirmed that all was well.
She called Martha next and it just kept ringing. She tried two more times before Martha picked the call, panting.
“Why did it take you so long to pick the call? Where are you?”
“Sorry ma. I was in the sitting room and my phone was in my room, ma”
Martha did not particularly like Justice Anjola but she had to respect her as an elder and as her boss’ mother. She obviously had a lot of influence over her daughter. All she had to do was make a negative comment and Martha’s days in the house were numbered.
“Who is watching the TV in the background?”
“It’s Oga, ma”
“Oga who?”
“Daddy Olamide, ma”
“He is in the house? Please give him the phone. Thanks”
As Martha got to the sitting room, she found Wole in his boxers. She quickly handed him the phone and told him Mama wanted to talk to him.
She could hear his monosyllabic answers as he responded to Mama.
After about 3 minutes, he called her out to come for her phone.
As she got to the sitting room, she found him in the sitting room stark naked…
Please leave comments with suggestions on how you believe the story should unfold. Please credit ‘The Women Stories’ if you choose to share. Thank you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)