Marriage Chronicles - Season 1 - Episode 5

Episode 5 years ago

Marriage Chronicles - Season 1 - Episode 5

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..ANNA..


The call came two days later.. I was washing William’s and my clothes outside while humming to Brandy’s ‘Long Distance’, a song I’d come to impulsively love over a course of two days. And I don’t know why but I was really hoping to find condoms in one of Willy’s pockets because I remember Rajesh had mentioned a real man always moves with protection. Thinking Willy was cheating on me was ludicrous cause I knew too well he wasn’t, maybe it was because I myself was cheating thats why I was thinking in bizarre lines? Anyway, the bottom line is I didn’t find anything to suggest my husband was cheating on me and this made me feel a pang of guilt. Why cheat on such a sweet, loyal and faithful man ai? Ah, the thrill of cheating.

I was now loudly singing along to the song as I hang the clothes on the line, “With you is where I’d rather be..but we’re stuck where we are..it’s alright..it’s okay..this long distance is killing me..” when my phone rang, disrupting the song.

Clicking my tongue, I wiped my hands by rubbing them against my chitenge (wrapper), grabbed the phone from the heap of dirty clothes and checked the caller ID. It was a strange landline number.

I put on my best feminine tone. “Hello.”
“Is this Mrs. Anna Mumba Njapau?”

My heart began thumping. Who was this man that I was talking to? “Um..yes.”

“Okay. This is Mutale, am calling from ERB to inform you you’ve been hired as the boss’ personal secretary.”

No..I couldn’t believe my ears. Anna Mumba, a secretary, at Energy Regulation Board? OMG, this was huge news!


“I..thank you.”

“Please report to the office before 8 AM tomorrow.”

“I surely will.”


When William turned up home in the evening, I gave him the news.

He seemed thrilled. “Am so happy for you, Anna. At least now you won’t have to nag me about staying home all the time and watch paint dry as you phrase it,” he chuckled and pulled me into his arms. “The Lord’s hand is finally upon us.”
I couldn’t help cringing, why did he have to mention God?

William kissed my lips, trailed kisses down my neck and I knew he wanted to make love to me which was fine by me but remember the steamy session with Rajesh? Am sure you do.
Once again, I let William do as he pleased. I had nothing to worry about as I was after all back on the pill. You wondering why when I said I wanted to have a child? Well, not anymore. Falling pregnant at this juncture would just cut my fun short so I was better off back on the pill.

It was only after the lousy love making session that I showered and gave Coreen a call, informing her about my job. She sounded genuinely happy even for someone who had once quit a nice job just because her husband had said so.


“That’s really nice, Anna, at least you now have something to keep you occupied.”

“William kinda said the same thing,” I giggled. “Anyway, am just thrilled, Coreen.”

“You have every right to be..” we talked about other stuff for a while and wished each other good night.

William and I slept, cuddling.

I woke up at 5 in the morning, went jogging for twenty minutes and came back. Since when did I start jogging ai? Since Rajesh happened.

Don’t be mistaken, I was really comfortable in my own skin but a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.

7:30 AM found me at the office, I had a job!
The first day wasn’t hard as the old secretary, who was apparently stopping after a week, was there to help me even though I sensed she was kinda envious of me. I just wonder what it is with ugly women and their attitude towards us the pretty ones, mmmmph!

Willy called at lunch and we talked, how refreshing.

I also couldn’t wait to inform my parents that after so long, I had finally landed myself a job.


“Finally!” mum exhaled when I called her once I was back home. “Finally my prayers have been answered. Wishing you all the best, sweetie. Love you.”

“Love you too, mum. My regards to Dad.”

“I’ll pass them along, he’s in the shower.”

“Alright, bye.”

“Bye.”
.


Saturday afternoon, I found myself at an exotic lodge where William had taken me. He was overly sweet this past one week, almost as if he knew what I’d done back at Coreen’s party. Almost as if he wanted me to feel so guilty that I just blurt out I’d cheated on him. But again, don’t they say ‘the guilty are always afraid’? Aha, I was just being paranoid.

Anyway, the date or whatever I can call it was dead boring. I would rather have stayed home and watched Twilight, another movie which doesn’t deserve it’s massive reputation, am just saying.

William and I were having some smoothies when the idea popped up in my mind. I set an alarm on my phone for four minutes later, putting my usual ringtone as the alarm tone.

William was saying, “See, told you Lady Valerie would give me a break,” he patted my hand across the table. “Being with you is just beyond me. I am honestly one of the luckiest men in the world to have married such an understanding, patient and virtuous wife. Thank you, Anna.”

“For what?”

“For being you.”


Was he mocking me? If so then screw him! Thank the Lord, the four minutes was up so my phone rang. I looked at the screen and feigned frowning.


“It’s my boss,” I lied. “I have to take the call. Make a good impression and all.”

William flashed me an assuring smile. “I understand.”

“Hello..yes..like right now?…oh..okay. Am on my way.”


I fakily cut the line. “My boss says I gotta go to the office and work on something which should be presented first thing Monday morning.”

“But didn’t you just knock off like two hours ago? And now you have to go back?”

“I can stay here if you like, Willy. And then I’ll probably lose my job over a trivial thing in the course of time cause my boss will be mad at me for making the company lose this deal.”


If there was one thing William didn’t like, being or feeling guilty so he shrugged and said, “Go, Anna. You have to go.”

“Thanks.” I rose from my seat and kissed him on the lips. “You’re a darling.”

“So are you.”


Once I was on a taxi going nowhere, my mind started processing what I’d just done. Look, Willy had left me so many times claiming he had work to do so now it was my turn to make him feel the pain of your spouse leaving you all alone, prioritizing their work.

Since I had nowhere to go and remembered I’d not yet called Rajesh Sharma since last Saturday, I figured now was the best time to call him. Being me, I’d already made a mental note of all his three lines, which are his office line and two personal lines. And I’d already gotten rid of his business card in case William were to stumble upon it..prevention is better than cure.

I dialled Rajesh’s MTN line and told the driver to reduce the volume. The first call went unanswered. I called again.


“Hello,” he finally picked up.

I felt butterflies jitter in my stomach. “Raj, it’s Anna.”

“You called me Raj.”

“Why..you don’t like being called that?”

“No..as in, I don’t mean I don’t like being called Raj but no one really calls me that so-”

“Well get accustomed cause that’s what I’ll be calling you.”

“Sure..it’s so nice hearing from you again. What have you been up to?”

“I’ll tell you when we meet. Where can I find you?”


There was a pause. “At the hotel, Golden Peacock Hotel.”

“Sharp..Am on my way.”

“Can’t wait to see you.”

“Me neither.”


I arrived at the hotel and told the receptionist who I wanted to see.


“Just a minute,” she sounded all business while she dialled a number on her landline and spoke into the phone. “She says her name is..” she gestured I give her my name again.

I really hated having to repeat myself. “Anna.”

“Anna who?”

“Just tell him that, he’ll know.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ok..I’ll send her up.”

She put the receiver down and curtly said, “Third floor..room 408.”
“Thanks.”

I softly knocked on the door and Raj opened the it, wearing nothing but a towel. I swallowed hard when I saw his abs. “Nice body you got..”S--t! that came out wrong. “Am sorry..was about to say..hi.”

He chuckled, a handsome smile. Is there such a thing, a handsome smile? Really? Whatever!
Raj opened the door a fraction wider. “Come in.”

I went in and he closed the door. I sat on the bed which was nicely made, courtesy of room service I suppose.


“Am just from taking a shower,” he dropped the towel and grabbed a bottle of Nivea from the dressing cabinet. “What’s up?”

I was tongue-tied, mostly because I couldn’t take my eyes off his body. His flaccid penis turned me on already. His whole body was to die for!

My phone saved me by ringing and even as I removed it from my purse, I knew it was William calling.

Real bummer, it wasn’t him. It was Cephas calling me. For the first time in forever!

I picked up and what he told me left me in tears.
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