Must Read: Taking Chances

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Taking Chances

The drive home at half past eight was not smooth sailing, Jide was very
angry and irritable all through, he cursed and yelled at any motorist
who was unfortunate enough to make a reasonable mistake, or those that
were not in line with Jide’s ‘driving rules’. He shouted at hawkers who
came to sell their wares at his window and screamed abusive words at
motorcyclist who flooded the road.

‘Does it look like i need bread or anything?’ he yelled at one of the
hawkers who displayed bread on his window during the ‘hold-up’
‘okay make i call the guy wey dey sell champagne’ the bread seller
replied innocently.
The guy had noticed that he was speaking to newly wed’s, even though all
the decorations on the car were gone and the ‘just wedded’ insignia
that was pasted at the number plate of the car, had been ripped off by
Jide and tore into uncountable pieces.
‘you must be very S.tu.pid’ Jide shouted hitting his hands on the wheel
‘Abeg oga take am easy, no be marry, you just marry’ the seller replied
angrily.
Jide wanted to come down and beat the lights out of the guy if not that
the traffic jam they were in just cleared and the car in front of him
had moved on, while those at his back started their impatient horn.



‘God saved you’ he screamed at the guy through his window before driving
off.
‘I don’t know why this riff rats are allowed to stay on the roads to
become such nuisance’ he muttered angrily under his breath.
Daisy was calmly seated at the other side, she would have loved the
bread, at the mention of which her stomach churned, she had only eaten a
hurried breakfast before the church service, and then there was that
cake that almost choked her and a little wine she drank after the toast.
That was all the meal she had eaten today.
But she dared not mention it to Jide ears else he would turn her into
white bread either verbally or physically.
One thing she had learned about her husband was that he had a very bad
temper which can make him irrational and impulsive, whether he regretted
his actions later was one fact she didn’t know or wish to know.
She wondered what kind of newly wed’s drove home by this time, but then,
her wedding wasn’t the conventional type, it was fraught with scandals
and dramas, everybody in the Olukoya’s family were angry, all except her
offcourse, she was now part of the family indeed, this thought made her
smile briefly, she caught herself and cast a side glance at the man who
was now her husband, even now, she reasoned, he looked devilish and
handsome- if ever a combination like that existed, that lips which had
attracted and s£duced her in the picture were now curved in a frown, she
concluded that he had obviously eaten for him to have all the will
power to stay angry.

Her stomach was seriously rioting, none of the assorted meals that were
cooked at the wedding tasted her lips.
She just hoped she could find something to eat at the new home which
awaits her. A home she was visiting for the first time.
*********
Daisy woke up with a start, how long she had been sleeping she couldn’t
tell, she had slept off in between all her musing, she looked out of the
window to discover that they were no longer on the busy road, they were
on a street with identical houses on both sides, the houses were
predominantly bungalows with few scattered one-storey buildings, they
were patterned the same nevertheless, must be an estate she thought and
stole a glance at Jide.
He was driving slowly now and his face didn’t hold so much scowl and
anger it had some while ago. Whatever calmed him down she thought.
Unknown to her, while she was sleeping, her gown had tumbled around her
in disarray and her hair carelessly strewn around her face, the pins
that held them up had fallen since, Jide had gazed at her, she looked
prettier to him when she was asleep, all traces of sadness gone from her face. A sadness he knew he contributed in, even caused. The neckline of her gown had shifted a bit exposing her cleavage, they were lovely, just the size he liked, something in between big and small. Immediately he caught himself, not liking the path his thoughts were taking. He felt guilt for admiring a woman whom he had plainly shown he hated, ‘well, she’s supposed to be my wife’ he defended, but deep down he knew that he didn’t really hate her, he was angry over the fact that she allowed herself to be manipulated by his family, he should be justified for the anger he felt at everyone-his family and even his wife…what was her name again…Daisy. And so he forced himself to concentrate on the road. Not long after, Daisy had woken up.


The car stopped in front of a black gate, Jide horned severally, no response, he was getting impatient and his temper was ascending. Daisy felt like cursing whoever it was that didn’t open the gate.


Just then a middle aged man dressed in a long flowing robe came out through
the small gate, bowed and muttered something before disappearing inside
to go open the bigger gate.
‘The f.ool! always sleeping on duty’ Jide said angrily.
Soon they were driving into the compound, Daisy eyes instantly became busy scanning her environment.
When the car stopped. Jide got out first and slammed his door, this jolted Daisy who gathered her gown, opened the door and came out. The gateman was already at their side.
‘Oga, good evening’ he greeted, Jide didn’t answer him, he just pressed the lock button in his car keys and started walking.
The gateman waved to Daisy smiling, she waved back. It really was a shock to him to see a lady on a wedding gown with his Oga who is also on suit. Jide had kept his wedding a secret, his house keepers didn’t know, much less his neighbours, but then it was a ‘mind your business’
neighbourhood which suited Jide just fine.
‘Oga, Madam fine well well’ the gateman exclaimed, Jide heard him from where he was fumbling with the door.
‘Why don’t you stick to your business for once Adamu’ Jide shouted back, before entering inside.
‘Its okay, thanks for the compliment’ Daisy said, she had a slight American accent, developed during her years in the States.
‘what’s your name?’ she asked
‘Adamu ma’ the gateman replied smiling sheepishly
‘Adamu it is then, see you tomorrow’ Daisy said walking away.
‘Ok madam’ Adamu replied.


He walked down to his tiny room that adjoined the gate, he looked back
severally at the retreating figure of Daisy, he was going to like this
his Madam he thought.
Daisy walked inbetween the shrubs that led to the door. The shrub formed a ‘Y’ shape towards the front porch of the blue painted bungalow. It
was well trimmed, the compound she noticed, was a bit spacious, to her
left was a tennis lawn with an adjoining basketball post, ‘no wonder he
looks fit’ she thought.
To her right was a small swimming pool with few chairs arranged close
by, that man sure liked to be comfortable.
‘not bad…’ she said ‘i will surely need that’.
She moved on, she had been standing during the exploration. When she
opened the door, what she saw didn’t amaze her, the parlour had the aura
of a bachelor crib, It was decorated predominantly with blue. The
settee were dark blue, the curtain that led to the hallway was blue, the
wall paint was a light blue, they were hi-tech musical appliances at
one side of the parlour, she could also see the dining room, typical
male, she thought as she went to seat on one of the settee.
‘Home it is’ she said drily, kicking off her heel shoes, she felt sore
all over. What a day indeed, she thought.




Jide was nowhere in sight, ‘good’ she said to herself, she didn’t feel
like seeing him now. Slowly she lay on the settee, she was very tired and hungry.
The pangs of hunger jolted her again, she sat up and now wished to see Jide, if atleast to get a meal, her eyes moved to the clock hung just above the Plasma television, it was quarter to 10!



And she was still on her gown? This was worst than a nightmare! She almost exclaimed.
Just then, Jide walked in, he was all freshness, he had taken his bath,
the light jersey he wore clinged to his body just too perfectly, Daisy
thought, that had earned her a feeling way down in the pit of her
stomach.
‘For Jeez sake, Daisy!’ she chastised herself silently ‘this man has
treated you less than human and you still feel this way for him?’ she
mentally gave herself a knock.
Jide didn’t even act like they was someone in his parlour, he just
walked past Daisy, picked up the remote on a nearby side stool, pressing
it, he sat down on the chair directly opposite the television.
Immediately the television lights came up and few seconds later, a
wrestling match surfaced.
He threw the remote onto a nearby chair, raised his legs unto the chairs
and focused his attention on the match.
Daisy was short of words to say, she felt so like crying, did he hate
her that much? She thought.
Yet nothing, not a move or realisation from Jide.
It was then obvious to her, she had to make a move if she wanted to come
out of these annoying gown, ‘cos that man sitting over there doesn’t
seem to care one bit.
As if to confirm her thought, Jide smiled, obviously at something or
someone in the wrestling match. Maybe he had forgotten her or he was
just pretending. Daisy wasn’t sure.


Daisy stood up slowly, she was too spent to feel angry, had she expected
Jide to carry her high up in his arms unto their ‘matrimonial’ bed and
give her the best wedding night ever? Yeah right that’s if pigs finally
knew how to fly, she snorted.
‘Jide i need to freshen up and i’m hungry’ she said calmly. Somehow she knew that she dared not raise her voice if she didn’t want to bring his irritable temper to fore for that would only worsen her situation.