Chapter Three

Ada pov

Ada wouldn’t believe that she escaped being caught by Ike, he was a very handsome man, and from the look of things, his wife does not treat him well. She felt bad for him, he was speaking with pain when they were talking a few moments ago. Although she was sad for him their situation benefitted her, she didn’t need to sleep in his room and does not need to pretend to be sick so he won’t touch her. 

“All these will end tomorrow,” she said to herself. Tomorrow she will be free from this, she thought as she went to sleep.

Waking up to the music of the birds in the trees, Ada looked around her environment, she did not have the time to appreciate the décor of the room she was, she loved the grey and cream colors of the wall, the bed was a king-size bed and the wardrobe was so large it could contain the clothes of an entire football team. She needed to take her bath, she was so tired yesterday that she forgot to shower. She was able to find the bathroom room easily as it was just beside the wardrobe. After taking her shower she opened the wardrobe and was amazed by the many clothes and shoes were there. She picked a lovely v and neck red grown, wore the slippers beside the bed before going towards the noise in the kitchen.

“Good morning ma,” a short thin old woman said after she had opened the door to the kitchen.

“Good morning” she replied 

“I was just about to bring your coffee to your room,” the woman said “I am so sorry for the delay”

“No it’s fine, I would rather take tea”

“What?” the woman said surprised “You always have your coffee every morning”

“Let's do tea for a change,” Ada said trying to smile 

She sat on the sit there and watched the old woman make the tea and serve her.

“I could get used to this” Ada murmured to herself, feeling that she has to do something she got up and made a way to the old woman, she collected the potatoes she was peeling.

“No” the woman protested “I will do that don’t worry,” she said smiling 

“I want to help, I can’t just sit here and watch you do that,” she said seeing that the old woman’s jaw dropped, realizing that she had shocked her, she smiled and said

“I had a near-death experience, I have changed Mrs……”

 “Okonkwo”

“Yes, Mrs. Okonkwo, I hope I am not late to change, or am I?

“No, you are not”

Ada was filled with joy that she didn’t trust her voice to say anything else, she only nodded as she went ahead to peel the potatoes. It was very glaring that Joy did not get along with any of her profession.

“What is going on here, why is the madam peeling potatoes?” Mr. Okonkwo said as he walked into the kitchen 

“My husband seems to be shocked by what you are doing,” Mrs. Okonkwo said to Ada laughing “She wanted to do it,” she said to her husband.

“Really?” Mr. Okonkwo asked surprised 

“Yes I did”

Mr. Okonkwo just kept staring at her, studying her as if she was a stranger, yes she indeed was a stranger she thought but they don’t know that only she knows that, well it won’t matter what they think anyways she was leaving today. 

 “You have never helped my wife out in the kitchen before, the incident with the plane must have made you this way” Mr. Okonkwo finally said 

Ada laughed a dry laugh before saying “I think so too”

“Honey, you are up early” Ike’s voice came ringing in the kitchen.

Ada turned to face her supposed husband, he was still wearing his nightwear, he had a cup of water in his hand, his eyes were still reddish an indication that he was just getting up from bed and he had this huge smile on his face, Ada felt butterflies in her stomach, how on earth will she be able to cope with him if he keeps smiling at her like that all the damn time, she might lose it and just go in for a kiss.

“Honey are you okay?” Ike asked after seeing the way she was staring at him

“I am all right, it’s just that you are looking handsome this morning,” she said before she could stop herself. She could see how stunned that statement made him and everyone else there. “ What?”

“Nothing,” Ike said “I like the new you, and thank you for the compliments, I have longed for you to say that to me”

“Well, I have a feeling this is not going to last long” she wasn’t laying 

“I will enjoy it while it last” they were interrupted by the sound of the ringing telephone across in the living room, Ike went to pick it up, Ada could hear him saying things like “Okay”, “alright”, “she will come” and then a “bye” before hanging up. She was curious to know who called.

 “Who was that?” she asked

“It was Tolu, she wanted to know if you are all alright because of the plane incident and asked if you are still coming as arranged for your salon appointment as you always do every Tuesday, I told her you will, figured that you would need to do something to get your mind off yesterday” Ike explained.

“Oh” Ada managed to say 

“Why are you shocked by the news, don’t you go there every Tuesday for your hair?”

“Of course I do” She snapped 

Ike just nodded

“Sorry, it’s just that I forgot that I normally go there every Tuesday,” she said.

“Today seems to be my lucky day, you complimented me and also apologized? What is going on”

“Don’t push your luck” 

“Will you two love birds leave my kitchen,” Mrs. Okonkwo said with a fake anger

“Yes we will, I need to go get ready for my appointment” I will be leaving from there, Ada thought before adding “Plus I have finished peeling the potatoes too”

“Thank you,” Mrs. Okonkwo said

“I just want to ask, does su-chi taste good?” Ada asked

 Making a face Mrs. Okonkwo replied “It’s raw fish”

“Does it taste good?”

“Yes” Ike mocked 

“Really?”

“No!” Mr. Okonkwo and Ike shouted together 

They all laughed while Ada and Ike left the kitchen.

“I have not seen Ike laugh for a long time, now I think I just saw a miracle,” Mrs. Okonkwo said 

“There have been two miracles today” her husband replied.

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

Ike pov

Ike stared out of the window in his office, he did his best to get excited about the view outside but all he could see were buildings next to his. Although the view on the right was better with him seeing the sun touch the water on the beach far way from him but yet he was less excited about it.

He had big plans for the weekend, he wanted to celebrate his wife safety with his family and friends but he was nervous about it not being up to her taste, he knows how picky she can be about things like this.

“Excuse me sir” his assistant said standing in the middle of an opened door “Someone is here to see you, sir”

“Who?” He asked 

“You mother sir”

“Let her in”

Ike adjusted himself ready to meet his mother 

“How my baby boy,” his mother said hugging him

“Does this make me look small?” He said touching his suit.

“Chi mi! You look thin, have you been eating? Why am I asking when I know the answer to that question, that lazy brat wife of yours, she does nothing, can’t even cook for her husband always leaving it to others”

“Mama please, I can’t believe you could still talk about her like that after what happened last night”

“What happened last night” Mma Nnenna sat down looking worried, Mma’s back was rigid, her posture perfect, just like everything else about her, the woman did not allow a hair out of place.

“You mean you didn’t hear, it was on the news last night” Ike puffed, surprised at what his mother had said, “What were you doing making up in your room?”

“Watch your tone boy, I am still your mother,” his mother said soberly “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

Ike breathed in heavily before saying “Joy was almost involved in a plane crash yesterday”

“Chi mioo!” his mother exclaimed “Is she alright?”

“Yes mother and she has been acting odd, maybe I am overthinking but, she has changed, like this morning she was in the kitchen peeling potatoes”

“Peeling what? Are we still talking about your wife?”

“I know you are surprised, so was I but I have a feelwhatevert whatever changed her is going to make things good between both of us”

“I hope so,” Mma said “Take me to her, I want to see her”

“Okay let me arrange with her first”