May raised her brow and blinked her eyes then, laughed out loud making Caroline confused that she creased her brows.
"First of all, aunty Caroline, I need you to know that a woman's well being doesn't always come from her husband's pocket. If you see me doing fine today, doesn't mean my husband is responsible for that." May told her as a matter of factly, "I now earn little money from my catering school which I am using to take good care of myself and my daughter. Also.... Please don't say I am getting fat. You could say that I am adding a little weight but not fat, my dear."
Caroline scratched the back of her ear, drawing herself closer to where May stood.
"Eh.. If you say so, no problem. But.. What cream are you using on your skin that is making it light and spotless like this?" She asked.
May fought the urge to laugh. So this was all what the talks were about? "I'll write it out for yo
"The way you said it." He replied once his laughter subsided."Oh.. Really?" She asked, folding her arms and giving him a pointed look, obviously not finding it funny at all.What an annoying goalkeeper."Come on," he urged her. She rolled her eyes but obeyed him anyways. They began walking back to his house."About your question, you see... That's to simply show you that I am not perfect." Iby answered."I've heard."They walked quietly, hand in hand until he broke the silence by asking, "So how is your health? How you feeling?"She shrugged, "I feel healthy. Thank you.""That feels good to know."Iby came out from his ensuite drying his wet locks with his white towel, looking all hot.Water was
May gave a curt nod -feeling her voice would fail her if she speaks- and before she knew it, a body is pressed against hers in a bone cracking hug. "It's really nice to meet you," Ebiere told her. Then she held May's shoulder with both her hands on the sides and looked into May's eyes, "I've heard so much about you from my cousin."May's eyes widened slightly, "Really?" she finally managed to ask."Don't believe her, May. She is exaggerating." Iby kicked in quickly before Ebiere had the chance to reply May's question."Oh! Well, come on in now." invited Ebiere, "the others are waiting."The interior was simply designed. They had cushioned sofas, a large, glassy middle table that has a small bowl of different types of fruit inside, sitting on it, a large flat-screen television hung on the creamy wall and there were so many portrait of Ebiere, a man whom May
This made Tari, who had been quiet since to laugh. She drew closer and whispered into May's ear, "This is how they get when they argue about football. They don't know how extremely boring their conversations are. I just hope you don't get bored too much or are you already?"May only gave her a tight lip smile and shrugged."Why argue about Obi Mikel and Victor Moses? When we have a man like Jay-Jay Okocha who was and still would be the best player Nigeria had?" piped in, Iby."Taa, shut up there!" Emem rebuked.Iby didn't give up, "Have you all forgotten that Jay-Jay Okocha was an attacking midfielder during his career from 1990-2008? He was best known for his technique, confidence, and dribbling skills, especially his use of feints.""We already know all that," Emem said, already feeling defeated."No. I think you have all forgotten. Let me remind you." Iby persisted, "Du
Every one had a plate full of Oha soup and pounded yam. Everybody except Iman who said it was better he ate farina and pepper soup.The dinning table wasn't large enough to contain all fifteen people so the kids sat in circle on the floor, eating from their large bowl quietly. Everyone chewed and swallowed silently until troublesome Hassan peeped into Ebiere's plate."Aunty Ebiere, all this large portion of food? Only you? Can you even finish it?" He queried. "Yes. You know I'm eating for two.""Or you're just using your pregnancy as an excuse to eat all the food in this house." He stated and received another smack at the b
May looked at the dress one more time and then, pressed her palm against her mouth to stop her from releasing loud sobs and in the process, she began to hiccup uncontrollably. The thought that she wouldn't see him for an unknown amount of time, brought a sharp twist to her chest. It hurt so much that it became suffocating to breath.Her butt took vacancy on his bed and she ran her hand on his neatly tucked bedsheet, reminiscing back to times they had spent together. All those times he had stood close to her. So close that she could feel his warm breath and his body against hers. The times he had caressed her hair freely, the day he had offered to treat her bruises and all those days all he had done was make her smile. Like it was his priority.After sometime, she found herself searching through his bag. She curled up on his bed with his T-shirt in hand, sniffing his scent and eventually began to dwell in those days again just so she would
Mother and daughter hugged each other passionately."I love you too my daughter. I am so happy to see you again. In fact, my joy knows no bound. I just want you to forgive me.""For what?" asked, May, pulling away from the hug."For not finding you and letting you live this way." Mrs. Felix looked around the house again, disliking the fact that her daughters house had cobwebs up at the far end of the ceiling.May only smiled and then offered her mother to seat. They both sat side by side on the couch."Mother, I am used to it now. There is nothing here.. It just feels normal." May assured her."Hm.""So mother what would you like to be offered? Juice or water?" May asked already standing up so she would go out and get her mother something to drink."No. No. I don't want to be offered anything, I am full." Mama May declined, "Come seat. I w
The rickshaw driver stopped at the address she had given to him after which, she gladly paid him off. Just in front of her, was a big banquet hall with people dressed so elegantly in their various attires walking in and out. She drew in a long breath and with shoulder raised high she walked towards the door. "Ma'am, where is your invitation card?" asked one of the security men. May searched her purse for it but couldn't find it, "Uhm, I cannot find it. I must've forgotten it at home due to hurry."The security man who had stopped her, shook his head in negative, "I'm sorry but you cannot go in without showing me your invitation card ma."
"Yes. I'm sorry about that. Just it was so heartbreaking at the time..""Tega...""Oh, I'm sorry."It suddenly felt awkward, making them realise that they'd been standing all along and distracting others. It became quite embarrassing especially since Tega was still holding her hand."Uhm, Tega?" She shook her hands, asking to be freed and so he let go of her hand."Thank you," she said and they both took their seats."So how has life been?" Tega asked trying to stir up a conversation."Well, life has been life." She answered, "What about you?""Well, it hasn't been easy but I'm coping. I now work in a law firm. You know, I got my degree as a lawyer." he said with a tint of pride in his voice."Wow! That's so good to hear. Congratulations man." She shook hands with him, "I hope you don't pull stunts at the office?"
A new yearNew years eve were always a beehive of activities for May's Household. The night before new year, Iby would clean up the entire house with the little help of twelve year old Maryam. If she wasn't helping her step father out, then she was busy playing with her younger brother, Oyins, who was just two years of age. As for May, she would go to the market and buy the food stuff she needed for cooking.After they were all done with the house activities, they took their baths and went to church for the cross over service. They turned off all the lights in church and lit a candle once the time struck twelve o'clock midnight. Out cry or shouts of joy followed with people gyrating and dancing because they'd live to see a brand new year. Meanwhile, other people didn't get to see the previous year.Before May and her family left the church, they took prayers of prosperity a
"When i found out about your pregnancy, i told you to abort the child because I wasn't ready to become a father," Edric continued, "But you refused.""But.. But I remember telling you that i was scared." May reminded him, "I couldn't abort the child. By the way, you recommended a quack doctor and I couldn't risk my life. What if something had gone wrong? Like my womb got damaged and I couldn't get pregnant again, would you have accepted and married me?""May, you could've just swallowed the contraceptives I gave to you. It could've prevented you from getting pregnant.."May rolled her eyes at him, "Well, you shouldn't have eat it raw then.""May, I didn't invite you to my room that night.
It was obvious May had forgotten. So to remind her, Edric had to start from the beginning because every story had one. Since May wasn't planning on letting him into her house, he stood outside and explained his own reasons to her. As he talked, everything played in May's head, taking her back to seventeen. Way back to the time Edric's father was employed. To the time her Dad had promised Edric that he would sponsor his studies abroad because of how intelligent he was and to that night. That particular night that spoilt everything.May tiptoed down the stairs quietly as she could, looking her left and right side to be sure no one saw her sneaking out of the main building and heading towards the Gateman's house that was located just few inches close to the black giant gate.The Gateman's house had two rooms, a portable kitchen and bathroom. Papa Edri
"What would happen now?" Iby asked May who visited him in prison with food and water."I don't know." She sighed, in a sad mood."Would you get back together with him?" Iby asked."Who?" May asked confused.He motioned his head towards Tega, who had accompanied May to the prison and who was standing at the far end of the hot room, waiting for May."No." She told him, "The only man I want to get back together with is you.""But I'm in prison. I'll be here for two years—""I'm willing to wait for you."Iby placed his hand on hers that were on the table separating them, "You seriously don't have to do this. I've only spent almost two months here and it already feels like years. I don't want you to wait for me. Let yourself to love someone else.. Study hard to get a degree, be a good mother and get married to a good man."
For the first time in a long while, May actually went down on her knees and pleaded with Edric to let Iby go but he refused. He was bent on making Iby see the four walls of prison, forgetting that he was a dough bag himself, a scum but May had only divorced him instead of taking him to court for domestic abuse.Not like she couldn't arrest him or make him suffer for what he did to her. Been the governor's daughter would've paid off and make it a lot easier of course. But she didn't want to be seen as using her Fathers influence, wealth and authority to her advantage or gossipped to have arrested Edric only because he arrested Iby. There was still something she needed to shape in her life and that was, to stop listening to what the world had to say about her.It was because of Iby's arrest, she found herself standing in fro
"Lies!" Edric shouted, hitting his fist on the table immediately Iby finished his explanation, "You hear me? All what you've said are lies and I'm not going to buy it.""Edric," May turned to him. Her voice low, already too exhausted with everything. "One thing I know Iby for is that he doesn't tell lies, no matter what."Edric wouldn't take it, "No. As far as I am concerned your visitor here is not only a killer but a liar, making up excuses as to why he couldn't save Elene.""Edric listen to yourself. I know you too well. If you were in Iby's shoes, you'd not even think twice. If Ebiere was your sister, and Elene was his, you would have knocked her down on purpose just so she'll get out of the way for you to take your sister to the hospital." May defended, reasonably, "It is only
It was at that very day the accident choose to occur; just directly across the old family house. That day, Edric had graced his siblings get together and Elene had ran out excitedly to buy her brother a drink without knowing that it was going to be the end of her dear life. Her twin brother had claimed to have seen the killers face.That killer was presently sitting opposite him at the dinning table with complete shock written all over his face while Edric dug his fingers into his palm, fighting with the urge to pounce on his sisters killer and squeeze the life out of him.To everyone at the dinning table, the visitor happens to be a killer but to May, he was literally everything to her. It was unbelievable. In fact, May ceased to believe it for the Iby she knew couldn't even hurt a fly.
As for Edric, he had lost hope in retrieving his money back from Bella. She was no where to be found and her line was never going through. It didn't take long for him to accept the fact that she had lied to him from the start about her family's background and now, had ran away with his money. That huge amount of money. It was frustrating, annoying and making him think alot that he lost concentration at work. When his boss couldn't take all the errors Edric would always make at work, he sacked him and that only made matters worse for Edric.He knew he couldn't get another job so easily since he wasn't a graduate but he tried his best, searching for other jobs. On looking at his curriculum vitae, his application was always turned down by the manager of the company saying that Edric wasn't qualified enough to work with them. When he tried more companies and was never accepted, it got him depressed. The sudden turn in his life was making him lose his mind slow
"Hey, Hey, hold your horses there. Iby is not just any guy, Tega. At least, not to me. Why would you lie to him? Are we dating?"He drew closer to her with a smile, "Don't you think its about time we do? It's taking too long for crying out loud." He traced his fingers down the side of her face just like Iby would've. The only difference is, he wasn't Iby and this gave her a stinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.She slapped his hand off her, "We are not dating and we would never date.""Okay, I know you're angry because of my little lie so I'm sorry. But did you see how Iby was looking at you? I knew immediately that he has feelings for you and I can't stand that. It makes me so jealous, May. That's why." Tega explained, hoping to be forgiven."You're jealous to a fault, Tega." May shook her head in negative. "And that's enough reason why we can't be together. Not today, not tomorrow and not even in o