TWO~

DERA.

  

    By the end of the week Damilayo's parents invited us to their Wedding Anniversary party for that friday night. Just like before, The makeup artist came to transform me into a doll that I could barely recognize myself. I was on my period so when they brought the beautiful white lace dinner gown, I refused to wear it because I was afraid my pad would shift or I'd have an over flow and end up staining the dress but I didn't tell Them that. I just said I didn't like it but Ope informed me that Damilayo's Parents had sent it to me as a gift. Which made it really hard for me to refuse so I ended up wearing the dress and just to be safe I doubled my pad.

  The Off-Shoulder White dress was adorned with silver sequins at the bottom from were the lining stopped above my knees and it fitted me perfectly. It's only when I look in the mirror that I realize how curvaceous my body was. I wasn't blessed in the boobs department but mine was ok for my frame. If you ask me the Dress complimented my fair skin.

  When I got downstairs Damilayo was already there in his Black Armani suit that fitted him perfectly and he didn't even spare me a glance since he was busy on his phone and I was glad for that. The last thing I want is having his eyes on me. Accessing me, Judging me and making me feel even more insecure that I already was. Damilayo is between fair and dark skinned with the body and looks of a Greek god. That alone could make anyone feel insecure. I hate being in public with him because everyone's eyes are on Us, on me especially and I feel like they're judging our Compatibility. The thing about being amongst the rich and posh is that they always complimented each other and end up talking ill about themselves later behind their backs.

  They can tell you how beautiful you look in a dress then later they gossip about you, talking about how you looked fat in that same dress. So each time Damilayo and I are complimented on how good we look together, I have to take being flattered by their two-sided compliments and when I feel their eyes on us especially on me It feels as if they're judging and probably wondering why a hot stuff like Damilayo would be doing with an Ugly being like myself. Sure I have no pimples nor blemishes but that doesn't mean I'm not Ugly. The makeup can only hide so much.

   Once we arrived at The Adelaide Mansion. Damilayo led us inside to meet his Parents who were more than happy to see us. His Mother kept complimenting me in Yoruba even though she knows I can barely understand Yoruba. She didn't fail to mention how lovely I looked in the dress and how glad she is that I wore it.

   After walking around the room for what seemed like eternity greeting people and faking being a happily married couple. I finally get the chance to just sit and watch. I took a glass of Champagne from one of the waiters passing by but Damilayo took the Champagne away from me.

"I'll go get a non-alcoholic wine." He utters before excusing himself. I didn't take offense by his action since I was used to him treating me like a child.

  While I waited for his return I decided to make a video for my Instagram story not of myself but the event. Everything else.

"Dera?" A foreign voice calls. I end my video turning to the direction were the voice came from. I'm surprised to see the familiar face.

"Seun." I state a smile appearing on my face.

He chuckles claiming a seat at the table.

"I almost didn't recognize you. You look amazing." He says taking in my features.

I grin. "Thank you. You look good too." I say taking in his black senators attire.

"If I may ask, how are you related to The Adelaides?" He asked bringing his glass of champagne to his lips.

"Daughter in law." I simply say and his face morphs in one of confusion.

"Damilayo Adelaide is my Husband."

His eyes widen. "Wait. You are the fifteen years old Chidera that was married to him."

My smile falters. So he knows.

"Yes though I'm not Fifteen anymore. "

"I can see that." He utters eyeing my body.

"Ok..." I drawled. "Um so what are you doing here?"

He scoffs. "Damilayo is my Cousin. My Mother is the younger Sister to his Father. I'm Seun Akindele." He explains and I just nod. I could sense some Aversion in the way he spoke about his relatives. I open my mouth to make a remark when Damilayo finally shows up placing a bottle of Non alcoholic wine in front of me.

"Non alcoholic wine for you." He offers before pouring some into a glass for me. I couldn't help but snort when I read the words on the Label. Pure Heaven

This isn't wine. It's basically grape juice in a fancy bottle but I don't complain. It's not like my protest would result to any change even though I really wanted a taste of Champagne.

"Cousin." Damilayo says as some form of greeting when he finally acknowledges Seun's presence. Seun throws a nod his way. Damilayo takes a seat beside me.

Seun probably notices my displeasure with The drink I'm being forced to have.

"You can have my Champagne Dera." He offers. I want to accept but I instinctively throw a glance at Damilayo.

"She doesn't take Alcohol." Damilayo simply states and I press my lips together.

"I only offered because she looks like she doesn't like the wine you offered." Seun utters.

"Chidera is not allowed to Drink." Damilayo says again glaring at his cousin.

Seun leans forward. "I wasn't exactly asking you. She can speak for herself." They both turn to me expectantly.

"I...I don't mind a little Champagne." I stutter.

Damilayo scoffs and Seun smirks. "You should let her decide for herself." Seun says pushing his glass to towards me.

My fingers reach for it but Damilayo pushes it away from my reach.

"I am her Partner so only i have the right to make choices for her." Damilayo states and i don't miss the way he said Partner instead of Husband.

I guess he refuses to accept that our marriage which is okay by me.

Seun notices this too and his eyes trail towards me and I don't miss the pity in them.

"I believe she deserves a Man who will be more than just a Partner to her" Seun remarks turning to His Cousin.

Damilayo was now way beyond pissed as I see him clench his fist on the table and before things escalate beyond control I decide to intervene.

"Seun, I'm Sorry but I think you should... go." I mutter. I expect him to be angry but he only gives me a smile before getting on his feets.

"I'll see you another time Dera. Have a good night." He tells me.

"You too." I send a small smile his way before he leaves.

Damilayo scoffs beside me and I turn to him. "I leave for a minute and you're already talking to another Man."

I stare down at my lap when he turns to me. "It's not like that. We met at the Supermarket few days ago."

"What were you doing at the supermarket?" He asked and I remembered he wasn't suppose to know I went out or Ini would be in trouble.

I fiddled with my fingers anxiously. "I needed a few things from the market."

I feel his eyes on me watching me intently. "And why didn't you just send Opeyemi or Inioluwa to do that?"

"They were both busy that day." I reply.

"Then you should have sent someone else. Maybe even Tami." He counters.

"I didn't see the need to when I could go myself since I was home all day. Besides Tami escorted me." I tell him. Damilayo doesn't say anything for a while but I feel his eyes on me which made me really nervous.

"I know I asked you this before but I just want to ask again." I start to say meeting his eyes.

"If it's about you working then no. I won't have you working for any body." He says.

"It doesn't have to be anybody. It could be in one of your companies. I don't mind." I try to reason.

He scoffs. "Well I do mind and it's funny you think you can handle Work." He says and I look away letting out a shaking breath.

"You are not to ever see or talk to Seun again." He orders after a moment of silence and i slowly lift my head to look at him. My brows furrow in a frown and he gives me a questioning look.

"What? Do you have a problem with that?"

I want to say No and just drop it but I also want to know his reason. "Why shouldn't I talk to him again?"

"Your Naïveté is so annoying. Could you not see that he is interested in you. A married girl."

Did he just call me a married girl. Who says that?

"I am not Naïve and You make it seem like him being interested in me is a bad thing." I utter Not that I believe Seun is interested in me. I think he was just being friendly.

"You are Naive and it is a bad thing. Don't think any Man would be interested in you if they didn't think you were an easy shot." He turns around in his seat so he's fully facing me.

"It is evident how gullible you are. Which makes you an easy target and if he places his part well then you'll willingly spread those legs for him."

My breath hitches and tears stung the corner of my eyes. We rarely converse with eachother but when we do it involves me being scolded or insulted sometimes both. This wasn't any different.

"Excuse me." I mutter abruptly getting on my feets. He immediately pulls me back down. I turn to him.

"Are you on your period?" He whisper.

My eyes immediately widen and the thought of being stained pushed it's way into my mind.

"Yes. Am I stained?"

He nods. "Hold on." He gets on his feets taking off his tux. He folds it and places it over his left arm neatly. "Get up." He orders and I obey. He wraps his arm around my waist and I flinch staring up at him.

"The jacket is covering the stain on the dress." He assures me.

"And the chair?" I ask.

Both our eyes trail back to the chair I once occupied. The chair is gold but the seat cushions are a dark shade of red.

"No one will notice." He says before leading me upstairs to his old bedroom.

"Do you have an extra pad?" He asked and I shake my head. He let's out an annoyed hiss.

"You knew you were on your Period and you didn't even come prepared." He spat in annoyance. He pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Eh. Seyifunmi, Hello?" He continued to speak with his Older Sister with Yoruba. I can't speak Yoruba but I understand a little and i assumed he was explaining the situation to his Sister since he mentioned my name few times and didn't bother to hide the look of Disdain on his face as he spoke

He finally ends the call glaring at me.

"Why would you even wear a white dress knowing the risk. If I wasn't there then the whole Lagos will know you're on your Period. How careless can you be?! Why do you always have to disgrace me all the time. This is why I hate taking you anywhere. You're such a child and an embarrassment. Heaven knows what my parents saw in you." He kept ranting and yelling at me while I just watched him.

I'm not a child.

"What?" He asked and I realized I said that out loud.

I let out a sigh. "I'm not a child." I tell him.

He snorts. "Then start acting like it. You think because you're all grown now, you're not a child anymore but all of that doesn't matter when you have the mentality of a Child."

"If I'm a Child and I embarrass you so much then why are you still married to me? Why not divorce me?" I question.

"Then where would you go? Back to Your Aunty? The poor woman has enough problems of her own so She wouldn't even take you back. She made it clear the day she sent you off with me that she didn't want you. You should be glad I remained married to you especially since you reap me no benefit." He spat.

"Or do you want to go back to Delta State? Back to your Poor parents."

What?

"Wasn't it because They could not afford to take care of you that's why They gave you to your Uncle to train? Even when he died they didn't even have the decency or sympathy for your struggling Aunt who has two boys of her own to feed and take you back. I always wondered why Poor People bothered to have kids knowing fully well they didn't have the resources to take care of children." He paused cocking his head to the side.

"Or maybe you were a Mistake. Maybe before your Mother realised she was pregnant it was too late for an abortion. 

Maybe they didn't bother to claim you back because they didn't want you to begin with. Just like your Cowardly Parents who gladly gave their child away, you are also a Coward yourself and you will always remain the Scared Fifteen years old girl I was forced to marry.

  No one wants you. I don't even want you! But unlike your cowardly parents who left you. I'm still here because I pity you so you should be glad that i still let you stay under my roof."

I hadn't even realised that I was crying.

"Aww...Look at you. You're crying because I'm telling you the bitter truth that no one else wanted to tell you.

  Shebi you want to work? So if someone at work insults you or speaks harshly at you is this how you'll cry and come to my office?" He mocked. By now I was a sobbing mess.

"I swear, if it were up to me you'd be on the streets by-

"Damilayo stop it!" I hear Mrs Adelaide yell at her son from the doorway. My teary eyes trail towards the door and I see that Both Seyifunmi and Mrs Adelaide is standing by the door. Their faces morphed into apprehension from what they had heard Damilayo say.

Damilayo seemed shocked to find his Mother and Sister at the door.

"Mummy-

"Egbami! Don't Mummy me o! Ah! Omo mi! Is this how I raised you?! Ah! Moku o!" Mrs Adelaide laments in yoruba. I couldn't handle it anymore so I scurried out of the room in a crying mess.

"Dera! Dera wait!" I hear Seyifunmi call as she follows me.

"At least change." She says and I stop in my step. I almost forgot I was stained. I turn around to face her.

"Ma binu o. I'm Sorry for my Brother's behavior. He didn't know."

Since her older sister Tofunmi was now Married and had relocated to London with her husband, Seyifunmi took it upon herself to remind me everyday that she hates me so i didn't expect her to show any remorse for me.

"T-thank you." I manage to say taking the bag that contained clothes from her. I made my way to the guest room going to the bathroom to fix myself up. I was now in a black fitted dress that stopped above my knee so I put the damaged white dress and my stained underwear in the bag. I made sure wiped off every ounce of Makeup from my face before leaving the house through the back.

  I got into the car and left Damilayo at the party. He can find his way home.