It's Another Novocaine Saturday

It’s Another Novocaine Saturday #9

God bless you all for your prayers, encouraging words and messages.

I can’t thank you enough.

I love you guys!blow kissΒ So to make up for lost time, there will be double episodes this weekend. One today, and the other tomorrow.

Enjoy!

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She has never heard her heart beat so loudly and so fast. She is certain everyone in the room can hear it. That and the nonstop flapping of butterflies in her tummy. She is a nervous wreck and not even Mahmud’s hand on hers can calm her.

Her eyes are fixed on the floor. They stare hard at Mahmud’s dad’s well-manicured toes. She dares not look up at the man, with his full, white beards and rheumy eyes that enjoy seeing into her soul and ripping out her self-assurance. His wife has a more agreeable face but even the calm on it is not enough to dispel her fears today.

Wura, Mahmud and Bilal had flown into Sokoto two days ago on the old man’s request. It is not Wura’s first visit but it is her first, true welcome. She is received warmly and given one of the best rooms to stay in. Mahmud’s mother lets her into her kitchen to help out with the meals and cleaning, even though there are other girls in the house – relatives of the family. All of Mahmud’s older siblings are absent, although the first two live with them here in Sokoto. Wura is rather glad that the house is quite empty. The last time she visited, the whole family, excluding Asma had put her in the same spot she is presently seated, and told her without flinching to cut off ties from their lastborn. That night had been frightening. She remembers staying awake until morning and disappearing at the first break of daylight. Echoes of that night still haunt her and this is why she has imagined the worst this morning.

β€œWuraola,” Mahmud’s father calls. It is the second time he is saying her name. She keeps her head down even though she answers him.

β€œLook at me.”

His quiet, commanding tone forces her head up. She swallows as his soul-ripping eyes go straight into hers.

β€œEveryone knows that I do not speak many words,” he says. Her stare breaks away from his to the sparkling white jalabia he has on. β€œSo, I’ll go straight to the point. Look at me.”

Wura takes her eyes back to his again.

β€œFor reasons that are best known to us in the Suleiman family, we approve of your marriage to our son.”

Wura’s stare widens. She shoots a sharp look of disbelief at Mahmud and back at the old man.

β€œWe also do not compel you to convert to Islam. Mahmud has always been an extremely liberal Muslim and we are not quite surprised that he has chosen a Christian girl to marry…”

β€œFor the second time,” Mahmud’s mother adds.

β€œBut he is our son and we want the best for him. If he is convinced that you are that best, despite everything we have done to separate both of you, then alhamdulillah. All we ask is that you stay faithful to him. May it not be found in you that you went back to your old ways, Wuraola. Be a good, humble and submissive wife to him. Do not follow the ways of today’s women who feel they are equal to their men. I know Mahmud does not mind but please, respect him in all areas.”

Wura nods as a force of unnecessary tears distorts her view.

β€œShould he ever have the desire to get married to another wife, preferably a Muslimβ€”even though it’s not our way in the Suleiman familyβ€”please, don’t stop him.”

Mahmud tightens his hold. She knows he is assuring her that she’ll be his only wife.

β€œStay close to your God. Take care of our grandson. He must be raised a Muslim.”

Wura neither nods nor shows any sign of agreement. Bilal already has a foundation of both religions. He always follows her to church but has his little prayer mat on which he imitates her cousin each time he prays. Sometimes Wura lets the boy take him to the juma’at mosque near the house for the evening asr prayers.

β€œWe pray that God will bless your marriage and your home,” Mahmud’s father concludes.

The unnecessary tears now make a full residence on Wura’s face as she leaves the comfort of Mahmud’s hand and goes to her future parents-in-law to show her appreciation. She falls on her knees before them. The hands that touch her are not the same cold hands that had reluctantly approved of her marriage to their son two years ago. She can feel the warmth. Something has changed. She wonders what.

On the flight back to Lagos, she and Mahmud talk about it.

β€œHe thinks he’s dying,” Mahmud explains. β€œProstate cancer.”

β€œAww.”

β€œIt’s a silent killer. He’s had it for years and didn’t know but it has been treated. He’s in remission.”

β€œThat’s good, right?”

β€œYeah. But he believes it will come back again and has made up his mind not to treat it if it does.”

Wura looks at Mahmud. His face holds no expression. He has never been the type to wear his emotions outwardly. You can only read him by a rise or drop in energy. For the past couple of days, he has been quiet.

β€œHe’ll be fine, Mymood. Just have faith.”

Mahmud smiles at her, adjusting a sleeping Bilal to lie properly on his chest. Wura slips on a pair of earphones to listen to her collection of Christian soft rock and she goes into silent prayer.

∞∞∞∞  ∞∞∞∞  ∞∞∞∞

β€œOkay, madam, give me one last push.”

A tired mother, just about to have her first baby, gives me a drained look. I smile back.

β€œI know. But your baby is here.” I take her hand which her husband is holding and guide it down to the tub of water she’s seated in so she can feel her son’s head between her legs.

β€œYou feel that? He’s here. That’s why it hurts so much. But one push will take away all the pain. Can you do that for me?”

She nods.

β€œOkay, ma’am. Push!”

β€œOya, PUSH!” her husband shouts and gets me laughing. The man has been a relief for sour mood. I don’t particularly like water births because of the extra mess they come with – I have done it only once, owing to its unpopular nature in Nigeria – but this man has made my time with him and his wife in their home bearable today. He is the coolest Caucasian I ever met and his pidgin is high grade stuff. Warri approved.

His wife lets out a scream and she births her baby with just that one push. I slowly bring the baby up for air, letting him have a feel of the water first. He lets out a cry, I pass him unto his mom and my work is done. A junior midwife takes over while I capture the moment. I am not allowed to upload this one on Instagram yet until the couple first shares it with the world.

water-birth

I walk away from them to give them their moment while I get set to leave.

Nne once told me that he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day.

In many ways, that proverb is true. But not in my case, not when I don’t feel like fighting with Honey anymore. I have acted irrationally and insensitively towards her. This is me admitting it, but not to her who deserves to hear it.

It’s been four days too long and I miss everything about her. Even her insecurity and misgivings. I miss Jiney too.

The only cure to the emptiness is to swallow my ego and go back home to them.

But there’s a lot I want to say. I want to be honest with her about myself, tell her things I was supposed to have told her before we got married. I had thought they would burn up under the fiery flame of what we shared but some other things came in and turned that fire down too fast.

Now, we are here, me hiding secrets, Honey hurting from my misbehavior. But I hope she knows that I didn’t set out to hurt her. I hope she recognizes how much I love her.

β€œThank you, DOM,” the grateful mother tells me. I smile back at her, watching the familiar scene before me as her husband gives me a thumbs up. I leave their home and drive back to the hospital. Somehow, I have lost track of my activities and I need to be reminded. I stop in front of the roster board at the midwifery wing to see if I have any more patients today. I rub my eyes that have been longing for sleep over the past couple of days as I inhale the spicy scent of Hauwa’s perfume. She comes up behind me to stare at the board as well.

β€œHi handsome.”

I give her an eye.

β€œYou and I need a talk,” I tell her.

β€œTalk?”

β€œYeah, the long-winded type that would leave you in tears and make us stop speaking to each other in a while.”

β€œSomebody is pissed this morning,” she says in a singsong tone. I face her with a glower.

β€œWe need time apart, Hauwa.”

β€œYou’re…breaking up with me?” she clutches the stethoscope around her neck with both hands.

β€œCan you be serious for once and just try not to get on everyone’s nerves?”

β€œI’ve tried. It doesn’t work.”

I grunt silently. Hauwa is an annoying person, and I’m saying this in the nicest possible way. She enjoys getting a rise out of people for fun. She has always been like this. But she is actually kindhearted beneath. Six years ago, her generosity had overlooked the fact that I was a strange man in a strange city, and offered me the spare bedroom in her house just because she had heard me ask a mutual colleague for the number of a house agent.

That generosity helped me get settled into my new job and was there for me on nights when the pain of losing Ezinne was too much to bear. She hadn’t been inappropriate towards me; rather it was I that read the signals wrongly on a rainy afternoon when I went for her lips.

Hauwa had laughed and pushed me away that day, giving me the β€˜you’re like a brother to me,’ look. A few days after, my new apartment was ready and she helped me move into it. Contrary to what Honey imagines in her silly, little head, Hauwa and I have never been physical or romantic. She helped me score many chicks back then and always came to me whenever she had man problems. She took Mary’s place in my life for the time I spent with her. I felt no need to share this with Honey. Not that I was hiding anything but Honey had acted coldly on their first meeting and I didn’t see it as a good sign. Hence, I kept details of my relationship with Hauwa away from her.

The time spent in Canada had been fun for Hauwa, mostly because she was getting out of a two-year relationship that had been hell, and secondly, because the other midwives and nurses at the hospital were pissed that I picked her as part of my travel team. The beef was that she was a newbie in the hospital and didn’t deserve the spot. But I had not cared what they thought. I was repaying a favor to a friend who had been there for me in the past. She needed the vacation.

Nobody saw her whenever she withdrew to a corner to break down in tears and mull about her failed relationships. Being two years older than I am, she believes she is way past the marriage age and may never find the man of her dreams. This is made even more difficult with her standards. Hauwa is saving her body for marriage and will not date a man who is struggling, abusive and a cheat. These are realistic deal breakers I think all women should have. Unfortunately, women like Hauwa always find themselves being left out of the marriage circle. I feel bad that all my reasonable guy friends are married. All the same, I’ll find someone for her.

β€œSo do you want to have this talk over lunch or in your office…?” she holds on to her stethoscope.

β€œLet’s do it here,” I reply, taking my eyes away from the nurses watching us but pretending to be going through a file.

β€œOkay, I’m putting on my serious face.” Hauwa pushes her lips to a pout.

β€œCan you be more professional with me when we’re working?”

β€œI thought I’ve always been.”

β€œYou haven’t, and I’m tired of the gossip behind our backs. I’m your boss, you’re under me. Keep it strictly professional. Asides that, I’m a married man. That Facebook stunt you did put me in a lot of trouble.”

β€œI apologized nau, Jide.”

β€œYou did but I have to draw the line. So, please keep you distance. Can you do that?”

β€œSure.” She giggles. Her eyes, however, read something different. My words have hurt her. β€œCan I go now, DOM?”

β€œYeah.”

β€œHave a nice day, sir.”

She walks away, as do the eavesdropping nurses. I head towards my office, feeling like an ass, tired and craving for Honey’s afang soup. I’m craving for her lips too. All four of them.

We haven’t spoken to each other since Sunday, but she has uploaded a video of Jiney on Facebook in which she tagged me. I have watched the video over ten times.

I stretch out on the examination table in my office and as I am about to shut my eyes, I receive a call from my mom. I stare at the phone, having no desire to answer, but somehow, I do.

β€œJideofor, kedu?”

β€œI’m fine, mom. Good morning.”

She doesn’t reply in English as she straightaway goes into the reason why she is calling. Honey has told on me and the old woman summons me for questioning.

β€œI’ll be there shortly,” I reply, leaving the bed. Still wearing my scrubs, I walk out of my office and down a long pass that leads to the parking lot. IΒ get into the car and start the engine. The car hums for a while before I force myself to move it out of its spot, towards the gates.

I still am not in the mood to be doing a lot of driving. I love to be chauffeured around but the idea of having a driver does not just appeal to me yet. Maybe when I get older and look like RMD, I may fit into the narrative.

I drive to the family house. I am ready for whatever Nne has to say, as long as she lets me have a proper home-cooked meal which I haven’t had in a while.

β€œIs it not you that wants to live like a bachelor?” she tells me, serving me a dish of oha soup, filled with all sorts of meats and fish. Beside the dish is a plate of akpu. For the first few minutes when I start to eat, I can’t even hear anything she is saying. Her words begin to settle in after the fifth swallow and second piece of fish.

β€œErhinyuse must be treated like gold, Jidenna. I don’t want to ever see her cry the way she did when she came here. Do you think it’s easy to see your husband with another woman?”

I stop chewing for a second and gaze at my mom. Her question is from a place of pain.

β€œDon’t treat her less than she deserves, and let it be the last time I’ll hear that you slept outside your house.”

β€œBut Honey has trust issues and I can’t deal, abeg.”

β€œIt is for better and for worse, Jide. Besides, whose fault is it that she has trust issues?”

I give no answer.

β€œYou no fit talk abi?”

I almost laugh. In one short conversation, my mom has gone from English to Igbo and now to pidgin.

β€œNo be like that,” I answer her.

β€œThen, how is it?”

I exhale. I want to tell her my own side of the story but this is a bad idea already, having a third party in my marriage. I never planned to do this. Honey and I had agreed that we would not let family or friends in but I guess I pushed her to this point. I’ll take responsibility and fix things.

β€œMom, I’m sorry that you have to be called in to put me straight. I messed up and I’ll do the right thing from now on.”

Nne melts.

β€œMarriage is not easy, I must tell you. Sometimes…” She looks away and comes back to me. β€œSometimes, a lot is lost in translation even when you’re face to face. The end of a discussion can become the start of a squabble and then little issues become major ones. But you have to keep the fire burning.”

β€œI’ll try.”

β€œPlease, don’t hurt her again,” she advises me in Igbo. β€œShe’s your wife. Your baby. Hold her like an egg. I know she wrongfully accused you and I know how she gets irrational but be gentle with her. Follow her like a child. Small-small. Hot soup is eaten little by little.”

I look down at my plate of soup which has not been eaten little by little. All that is left is the large chunks of beef in it.

β€œCan I have more, please?”

Nne points to the kitchen. I walk in there, top the soup and return.

β€œI’ve spoken to a friend of mine to get you people a maid since that silly Ndidiamaka cannot have sense to know that all the housework rests on her.”

β€œNne!” I laugh. β€œDidi is actually a nice girl.”

β€œDidi? Is that what you call her?”

β€œYes.”

β€œHmmm. Okay o. Let her just hurry up and find her own place so that two of you can have peace.”

I say nothing further. The woman has refused to let Didi into her heart no matter what we try.

β€œNne, this soup na die!” I lick my fingers. β€œI really miss your cooking.”

She smacks my head. β€œYou don’t have sense. It’s your wife that prepared it.”

I glare at the soup as if just seeing it for the first time. β€œEziokwu!”

β€œI’m telling you. She did it all on her own,” Nne replies with a proud smile. β€œNo supervision whatsoever. Go home and thank her.”

I say a silent β€˜wow’ as I keep on eating; the soup suddenly becomes a hundred times more delicious. Honey amazes me every day with the things she does. She deserves more than I give. I’m going home straightaway to make things right with her.

∞∞∞∞  ∞∞∞∞  ∞∞∞∞

My feet touch down in Lagos. I step on familiarity – and wait for some form of elation to hit me but I feel nothing.

I thought I would miss this place but I haven’t. I just want to turn around, hop back on the plane and find myself in Fiji again.

β€œI understand exactly how you feel.” Naomi touches my hand and guides me towards the airport shuttle. When we sit in, alongside other passengers, Naomi is facing me, staring at me in that eerie manner she had stared at me throughout our three-week vacation in Fiji. The look basically spells her desire for me, of which I have no business with. I tell her this on the morning I leave the house after Shady hits me. I think of the million places to be other than hers but all those other places belong to my friends whose marriages are perfect. I could visit Peace but she is sleeping over at Honey’s. And so I choose the least person my commonsense wants me to go to. Naomi welcomes me, arms open, my face pressed to her chest. I don’t care. I just want to let the tears out. Nobody told me boobs can be this comforting.

β€œCan I stay here for a while?” I request.

β€œOf course, darling,” she replies, stroking my hair. At this point, I am not thinking. I just want to be far away from Shady.

β€œYou know what?” She takes my face and brings it to hers. β€œLet’s travel out. Have you ever left the shores of Nigeria before?”

I lift my shoulder and drop it in embarrassment.

β€œNo need to be ashamed. But you do have a passport?”

Yes, I have a passport. My pastor once told everyone who had hopes of flying out of Nigeria to make a move of faith. Many dropped seed faith offerings. I decided to get a passport because I was too broke to afford a seed faith and a passport at the same time. I had figured that if the opportunity came knocking, I’d be ready. I had figured right. And as Naomi holds my face I tell myself that God is answering my prayers.

β€œPick anywhere you want to travel to. At least, somewhere that doesn’t require a visa.”

My eyes dash left and right in thought, and then I remember reading an article about places one can travel to outside the shores of Nigeria that wouldn’t require a visa.

β€œLet’s check online,” I suggest. Both of us hunch over her phone for almost an hour and then we pick Fiji Island. Immediately, she calls a luxury travel service and makes arrangements to request a travel concierge to Fiji.

β€œI’ll give you a good time,” she says to me with such thirst in her voice that I see a horny man’s face on her. It is at this juncture I explain to her that I’m not going to open my legs for her.

β€œI just need to go away and clear my head, Naomi.”

β€œI don’t care. Being with you on a holiday is way better than sitting here, playing dutiful wife to a man who is hardly around.”

Still, I make her promise not to jump on my lips again.

β€œBrownie honor,” she swears. Two days later, we’re flying first class to Fiji. There, I have the time of my life but I find myself falling into quiet moments where I rather wish to be enjoying the holiday with Shady and Dara. It is on one of those occasions I succumb to my heart and call Shady. He tells me he’s sorry for the zillionth time. He says he misses me. He puts Dara on the phone. I listen to my baby with tears in my eyes as IΒ gaze ahead at the ocean. Over me, the shadow of a palm leaves dance. Sometimes, it’s Naomi’s fingers making forms in my view.

cee

Shady tells me he’ll save the number. I don’t want him to, knowing he will call at every chance he has.

β€œHow are you coping?” I ask. But what I really mean is, β€˜have you gotten your lazy ass a job?’

β€œWell, we’re managing,” he replies. β€œStill scouting around for something. God will provide.”

I sigh inwardly. I’m no longer upset. I have given up. Naomi offered me the job of being her personal consultant cum assistant, and that involves traveling everywhere with her on business trips and basically helping her make most of her decisions. It’s a great offer, considering the financial benefits that come with it. I accepted the proposal but I asked her if it comes with groping my breasts. To that, she laughed.

β€œI’m not that horny,” she replied.

β€œThan what do you want from me?”

She smiled that manly smile and that was all I got. I guess it’s some sort of mating thing lesbians do.

β€œCee, are you there?” Shady calls my attention away from a Caucasian couple that are snorkeling in the body of water not far from me.

β€œJust be praying for me,” Shady adds in a depressing manner. It is this same mood that meets me when I return to Lagos. Naomi’s chauffeur who has driven us into town from the airport, parks the car outside the compound Shady and I share with three other families.

Naomi moves closer to me and links her hand in mine.

β€œThank you for the fun I had back in Fiji.”

β€œThank you for the vacation. I really needed it.”

She dips her other hand into her handbag and takes out another envelope, much like the one she gave me almost two months ago, only fatter. I had returned the other one on the morning I went to her.

β€œI added two thousand dollars, Cece. You need it. Take it.”

Am I to be a hypocrite and say no after I have enjoyed an entire trip on her tab? No, not when Shady and I both need it.

I take the envelope and on my own accord, hug her. Despite the attraction thing she has going on in her head, she has been a good friend. Not tested, not trusted, just good.

I come down and head into the compound as her car drives away. At the entrance of the compound I see my neighbors, all three of them, seated on a bench. Two are married while the other lives with her fiancΓ©e. They are all housewives, the types that sit and gossip about working women like me. I know that I’m always the main topic of all their discussions.

Walking past them, I throw in a greeting that is tersely answered. I walk to my door, and just as I insert the key, I hear, β€œIya Dara, your husband and pikin no dey here again o!”

I pretend not to have heard. I turn the key, push in a rather dusty door and walk into an empty living room.

I stop, not sure if I am in the right house. Everything is gone. From the furniture, to curtains, and even our wedding photos on the walls.

I hear a voice behind me. It’s the neighbor who had spoken earlier.

β€œI been dey tell you say your husband don pack but you no answer.”

β€œMy husband packed?” I turn. β€œTo where nau?”

She hits the back of one hand over the palm of the other with her lips pressed together and sloped down in a gossip manner.

β€œLast week, hin carry one big lorry wey come pack everything commot. You sef, where you go? Una been dey fight abi na wetin?”

I don’t answer her. I walk to my bedroom and find it in a similar state as the living room. Same with Dara’s bedroom.

β€œYour husband sha don change. Hin get one fine jeep like this.”

I look at her.

β€œChasis ride! Whether dem dey call am Pathfinder abi na Range Rover, I know no. The car sha fine die! Even the cloth hin dey wear these days…correct, correct corporate. I no know say the man handsome like that.” She laughs. β€œIf na vex you vex am, biko, go beg am before all these Lagos girls help you manage am.”

All she is saying is strange in my ear but I intend to get to the bottom of it. I give my empty house one last look and step out. Outside the compound, I restore my Nigerian SIM card and the first thing I do is dial Shady. He picks my call.

β€œHey, bae.”

β€œShady? What is going on? I’m at the house and there’s nothing there. What happened? Where are you? Where is Dara?”

He laughs. Heartily. β€œCalm down, madam. Your blood too dey hot. Where are you?”

β€œAt home.”

β€œStay there. I’ll come get you. Welcome back.”

He hangs up and I contemplate on whether I should go back into the compound or wait outside. I choose the latter, settling on a bench with my travel case beside me. I wait for a long time and Shady eventually comes – driving an SUV I don’t recognize. Like my neighbor noted, it’s a Pathfinder, sleek and black. When Shady steps out of it dressed like he owns the stolen billions the president has been trying to recover, I blink several times.

He walks to me, sweeps me up and kisses lips that are parted in surprise.

β€œShadrach, what is going on?”

He doesn’t reply. He ushers me into the SUV, taking my luggage along. Later on, after long kisses, him gushing over me and refusing to let go of my hand, he tells me how Ibro changed our fortune.

I sit beside him, quiet, staring. I can hardly recognize him. He is happy, talking rapidly, telling me how many more doors have opened since then but he is wiser now to hold on to what is working well for him. He thanks me for walking out on him to shake out the lazy man he used to be.

β€œYou did the right thing, leaving me, Cee.”

But it hadn’t felt that way that night when I was sitting on the floor, wondering what I was supposed to do. I always used to have a quick answer to situations like that.

β€œWalk away from the marriage,” I would say. β€œOnce he hits you, he’ll never stop.”

But there I was, the woman who was hit by her husband, and the last thing I wanted to do was leave Shady. He was on his knees. He was begging, having just called my brother, Joey, and reported himself. I would have warned him against doing that if I had known he would. Joey will thrash him like a child when next he sees him. One, two, ten years from now, Joey will enact his revenge. Shady was never Joey’s choice for me.

β€œToo broke,” Joey had told me after their first meeting. β€œFind someone with the means to take care of you.”

But I had never been that woman who puts money before love. I loved Shady with that deep kind of love that was rare. And I still do. I still love the man who has abused me.

I didn’t stop weeping. My mind was plagued with many things.

Shady was not an abusive man…but what if he really was? What if that was the beginning of an abusive marriage?

Was I to walk away? Or give him another chance? If I give him another chance will things go back to how they used to be? Could I trust him not to hurt me? And then there was that little issue of my pride that had been bruised. Where was the Celia who would not take nonsense from any man? Why did I feel so weak? What the hell was I to do?

He didn’t stop begging, and the hardest part was that he gave no excuses over what he had done. The devil, jealousy, a bad childhood, my sharp mouth, his financial situation – none of them were to blame. It was all on him. He didn’t even say it was a mistake, nor was he asking me to forgive him. He was simply begging me not to see him as a monster. In-between were moments when he stopped and thought back to the time when he hit me, shocked at himself for what he had done.

I was shocked as he was but hours passed and some kind of numbness took over, bringing dark silence as we both lay in bed. I did not let him touch me. I cringed at the feel of his hand over my skin, and so he withdrew.

Neither of us slept. The morning came as quietly as the night left. I rose from the bed, packed my clothes into a bag and told him I was leaving.

β€œTake the car.” He jumped out of bed and went for the car key. I shook my head. β€œPlease… you need it.”

β€œI don’t.”

β€œCelia…”

β€œShady, stop… I’m just going away to clear my head and know what to do with us. I don’t need the car.”

I couldn’t look into his faceβ€”at expressive eyes that always drew me in like quicksand, or at generous lips that had kissed me a million different waysβ€”and lose my will to leave. This marriage thing, nobody tells you, is iron mixed with miry clay. It gets you stuck and you cannot leave without breaking your legs. But it wasn’t entirely about leaving. It was about knowing I had the choice whenever it became too difficult to clutch. It was about power.

Yes, I had it all figured out, feminist me. I knew all my options and I’d been through scenes like that in my head but nothing trumps reality, when you have to tear away from the person that has become your breath.

β€œAre you going with Dara?” Shady had asked.

β€œNo.”

I didn’t give him an explanation, and that was because I didn’t have any. I just wanted to stay far from everybody.

I hurried out before he said something that could break me further. I didn’t check on Dara. I just breezed past her bedroom and through the living room to find the cold, moist air that was outside my warm home. I had no plan when I went away that morning but somehow I found my purpose out there. Fiji gave me freedom. Fiji showed me I can do and be whatever I want to do and be. It awakened my wanderlust.

I love my husband, I have forgiven him, I am ecstatic for what Ibro has done in our lives but this is not who I want to be right now.

Shady’s warm, wet lips rest on mine in a loving kiss. I almost tear up at the happiness I see in his eyes. Finally, he is here. He can hold his head high without pretense. I am happy but I am sad my own dreams will take me away from him.

β€œLet’s go home,” I say. β€œWherever home is…”

He chuckles. β€œWe’ll pick Dara from the office, first.” He starts the car. His left hand is on the wheel and the right one holds mine.

This is a perfect scene, one we have always fantasized about but how do I tell him that in a short while I’ll be jetting off to some other part of the world and I’ll abandon him and Dara again? How do I tell him that I’ve found my dreams but they have nothing to do with him?

Β©Sally@moskedapages

Translations:

Juma’at – Friday

Asr – The late part of the afternoon when Muslims pray

Eziokwu – Is that so? Oh yeah?

 

Images:Β favim.com, birthwithoutfear

 

 

Sally

Author. Screenwriter. Blogger

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40 Comments

  1. adebayo says:

    Nice to have you back Sally, God will perfect all concerning you.
    Can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode. Jide should explain all to Honey.
    I’m not married but I do not subscribe to keeping secrets from your spouse. I might be wrong.
    Celia should try and find a balance…follow her dreams and still keep her family.
    No way Naomi won’t make a move…flying some1 to Fiji is not beans.
    You rock Sally!

  2. Faithy says:

    Damn! It was a beautiful read…all four of Them, seriously Sally u are good. I love the way u blend words. Can’t wait to see what u have for us tomorrow. God bless you.

  3. Sandra says:

    … and Jide finally receives sense, hope he can make it up to honey. Am happy for Shady buh definitely not for Celia. its hard to eat with the devil, no matter how long the fork is. Naomi and her offer are bad news Jare..
    Thank you plenty and looking forward to tomorrow ‘s post.

  4. Adeshina omotayo* says:

    Its good to have aunty sally back here, naomi bad omen I sense, jide shud take care of my sweet honey

  5. Toyeen says:

    Sally! Sally!! Sally!!! You D best. May God continue to strengthen you

  6. Jay says:

    Deep Sally. Really deep. Welcome back. Hope your hand is better. If you were not married I would have offered to help you massage it. But ngwanu! Make me and you no con be like Max and Yaz.

    Celia’s part touched me the most. Deep conflicts in marriage that suddenly opens up your eyes to wish to wanna walk away to chase your dreams. Or ask if it is worth it, chasing a dream that takes you away from your family but makes you feel fulfilled OR staying back with family but pining away with the desire to chase a dream.

    And that part of the violence. I recently learnt that all men are capable of violence. Be it pastor or thug. Whatever the temperament. It’s just that before venting all the anger or frustrations with our fists, can we choose the lesser evil of staying away for sometime like Jide did? Which is better sef? Abusing one’s spouse or staying away and being at high risk of sleeping with one’s ex?

    Chai! Na comment o, I don write half story sef. No mind me

  7. Oluwakemi says:

    Sally, welcome back Dear. Trust your hand is better now.
    Thanks for this episode,your Ill-health has further helped me to appreciate you more. Thanks for all the efforts you put in place to keep us entertained and happy.
    Glad Jide has received Sense, I hope Honey too will receive sense. Glad for Mymood and Wura too. Glad for Shadrach,hoping Celia will be able to balance things and effectively communicate with her Husband.
    When I read all four of them, I had to pause and think.
    Well done Sally!

  8. Marion says:

    Good to have u back Sally, am glad u are much better, thanks for the upload u try gan. Hide should better go back to his wife. My love to ur family ? bye

  9. gbemmy says:

    sally thanks. I had to stop and reflect on each paragraph, I don’t trust Naomi’s help not to ruin Celia & I like mymood’s part.
    oya midwife, borrow brain & don’t fuck up again.

    waiting for tomorrow’s episode. may God heal you completely sally

  10. Welcome back madam, Bless the Great Physician for you. Glad to know mamood family finally accepted wura. Jidenna is hurting a good friend ooooooo ,this read has eased my weekend. Thanks.

  11. Ifeanyi Onochie says:

    How can I find me a woman like Naomi who just wants to shower me with gifts and wants nothing in return? Somebody, help!!!

    Good episode. I wonder, though, if Ibro’s temperament would have been the same if he still didn’t have a meaningful job.

  12. Busola says:

    Yay! Sally is back! Thanks for the episode. I hope you are much better now?. I’ll praying for you because I dont want anything to happen to you…

    I am so happy for Wura and Mymood. I have always loved their story. I’m glad they have been blessed by Mahmud’s parents… I’m glad Jide is back his senses but I wonder what awaits him at home. How will Honey accept his secrets?. I can understand Celia, how will she trust that Shady wont hit her again?.

    Thanks again Sally

  13. Thank God you feel much better. You will continue to experience the best of health.
    Hmmm Celia I don’t know for this your dream with Lesbo Naomi oh, make you think this matter well. What you’re about to do, is it more important than your man and daughter… Jide please go make honey happy already, what with her mental ilness, don’t be a trigger.

    Can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode. Great read as usual.

  14. Carah says:

    Yaaaay? I am glad Wura got received by mahmoods family and I feel d same way abt jide and Honey too. As fr Celia, I am not really feeling her like dt but I hope she makes d right decision . I miss Dominic, Genesis , lex and kasi hoping to read abt dem in d next episode. As fr ur hand thank God you are healed now. Much love to you!!!

  15. Zee says:

    Sally, thanks for this. I hope Celia finds peace in whatever decision she takes. she’s in a real dilemma. And I hope she also doesn’t abandon her baby, no matter d decision she takes about her marriage. So happy for Mymood and Wura… Jide, way to go… Relationships can be crazy, aswear down. Plz do take care of yourself, Sally

  16. Nykky says:

    Sally welcome back sure you are good now. Hide pls your mum’s advice. How I wish all mother in-laws are like Nne I even doubt if they exist the daughter in-law is always the bad one. Happy for Mymood and Wura. Celia dreams that put your family secondary is really not worth it in the long run o, you have to prioritize otherwise you loose your man and you remain unhappy dreams and all. Ekene and Mary where art thou? Sally you rock

  17. yipie Sally is back!!! thumbs up to you

  18. Damilola says:

    Hmmm so she is going to have to choose bt w this new wanderlust and her famuly…very tough…make the right compromise both ways so you dont regret
    Honey and Jide…lol shakara people
    Una go dey alright mbok.

    Sally hope you are better. Do take care
    Xxxo

  19. Biola says:

    Sally, may God perfect all that concerns you.

    I enjoyed reading every bit of this

  20. Dayo says:

    so glad Jide want to go back home. Celie shld pls make tins work with her husband

  21. wasmakelly says:

    welcome back mama, let me go and read. am coming back. yeeeeah.

  22. Celia is just gonna have to find that balance,one way or the other.
    I’m so happy for Mymood and wura. Jide pls make up with your wife, I pray hauwa will actually give Jide some space too.

    Welcome Back Maami “sally”…Hope you’re fine now?

  23. Scribbledheartbreak says:

    Welcome back Sally.. Thank goodness you are hale and hearyu again..
    Hmmm,. This part just had me all mushy, Celia abeg just oardon Shady.. Its not the devil or his angel i think he just lost himself though i still don’t think its ever right to hit..
    Abeg Jide should stop famzing and go xplain thingz to Honie if he had done earlier the hole no go deep reach dis one sef..
    Mymood is baq and now Wura has been accepted.,abeg make dem marty asap before sand enter their garri again..
    Wondrous story.. You made my night gidigaan…?

  24. Elect says:

    This kiss ehn….. great work always

  25. Bimbola-Rikitava says:

    You are the best ?

  26. adeesi says:

    I am happy to see that you’re back aunty Sally. for two days now I’ve been refreshing this your page like kilode

    as for Celia, I can only wish she would try to make the balance between her new wanderlust and her family. it isn’t going to be easy though…..as for Honey and jide, I believe those characters are too in love for them not to find a way to fix their issues and I admire them for that. meanwhile, Naomi is a disaster about to happen. I’m looking forward to today’s episode.

    welcome back

  27. Sophia says:

    Thanks Aunty Sally,good one there!..How are you doing and hope you are feeling better from the arthritis.?. God Bless You

  28. Akan says:

    Awesome episode. Really loved it. Welcome back

  29. Jumes says:

    Naomi’s offer is just Pandora’s box waiting to be opened….Celia really has a tough decision to make and i can’t even imagine being in her shoes…I think if she want she and shady to get their groove back, thry need therapy…
    Jide please just go home and be good to our Honey.
    I’m happy about Mymood and Wura… beht sha It’s hard to find people like Mymood’s parents who will respect their child’s decision no matter what…
    Sally this was a good read… I just thought you should know that you’re my bestest writer ever… God bless you.

  30. Sarrie says:

    I’m happy that mahmood’s family have accepted wura. I have been secretly rooting fo them from the beginning as i find inter-religious marriages fascinating. As for jide and honey, jide should hurry home to his wife jhoor. I have been struggling to think if there could have been a better way to put hauwa down, but none seems to come to mind, needless to say jide did hurt her feelings . As for celia, I’m glad she realised that she has the power to walk out when things become unbearable. I have discovered that its the toughest of women that find it difficult to make such decisions. They find it difficult to believe that the chicken has come home to roost. Imagine when you advise another lady not to stick with an abusive man, and voila, you wake up one day to discover one has been sleeping on your bed.! With regards to naomi’s offer, celia should remember that nothing comes free and the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. This episode was a great read Sally, more ink to your pen.

  31. Seye says:

    Glad you’re able to put this up Sally. You’re daily strengthened and refreshed by the grace of The Almighty.
    There’s this fulfillment that comes with the kinda acceptance Wura’s got. Makes one feel all the sacrifice or what have you hasn’t been in vain. Hoping they finally kick it off from there.
    For many people, coming down from their high horse when they’re wrong is a big deal. Jide’s def getting on the right path by seeking Honey’s forgiveness and making efforts to put the other babe in her place.
    Celia Celia…I just hope she won’t run into trouble. It doesn’t look too good for her from where I’m looking. Temporary sweetness with Mama Fiji, and a whole lot of goodness getting sacrificed…fingers crossedm
    Thank you Sally. That says it all…

  32. ola says:

    Thanks for d proposed bonus episode

  33. Omowunmi says:

    Welcome back Sally, hope you are much better now.
    ‘How do I tell him I have found my dreams, n they have nothing to do with him ‘.Men that’s Deep!
    I feel for so many of us women who are in that stage of our lives or have once been . It’s not an easy ride.

  34. loolah says:

    welcome back sally, hope you are feeling much better. it feels so great to have u back.

  35. Glowing Kosnie says:

    Welcome back Sally…The Lord will perfect All which concerns you Sweetheart… You are Healed already

  36. Sarah says:

    Yah! Thanks Sally for this episode, my expectation is long overdue

  37. Celia be steady pissing me off. your dreams? really? now? Wow!

  38. Toyenlon says:

    Hmm, Celia wants to dine with the devil himself, hope you wont get burnt.

  39. AOS says:

    So good to have you back Sally and congratulations on Fourth Finger….damned you nailed Okada…xoxo.

    Happy things are turning out well for Wura. Hmmmmnn, there is more to Naomi’s gift but I won’t be surprised if it’s all good intentions bcoz some people are natural born helpers in time of need.
    Jide let Honey know so she can also help out with hooking Hauwa up. And she can join the committee of friends.

  40. Calliboom says:

    wow! it’s good to have you back, may God perfect your healing in Jesus name Amen.. am so happy for wuraola final find peace with her in-laws, and for shady too, but Celia plz be watchful of Naomi offer, finally jide plz treat honey she is ur egg, just hope some men will learn from jide… thank you Sally u rock!

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