Must Read: Taking Chances

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Taking Chances

she didn’t regret her marriage at that moment any bit, she couldn’t rein in her joy as she just let the music take over her and soothe her nerves, while she ignored the anger and irritation on Jide’s face. ‘He won’t spoil my fun, not this time around’ she thought happily as she danced away her sorrows.

**********

Daisy waved sadly at the Olukoyas as they boarded their car back home while Jide waited impatiently for her in his car. The normal thing would have been to go the Family house to celebrate proper, but counting on Jide’s acceptance was a tall order, so that would pass.

Mama had promised to send in her clothes and phone later that day and she found herself wishing that she could drive home with them instead.

As she climbed beside the visibly irritated Jide, she wondered what fate had in stock for her in her forever after.
Jide zoomed off without as much as a glance or word to her.

That night again, he slept on the settee in the parlour.

Daisy woke up by 6am, it is a normal routine for her because her body had grown accustomed to it, today was Monday. She went to the kitchen to see what she could fix up as breakfast for Jide before he left for work, much as she would have preferred a honeymoon, she knew it was as
close as wishing for the moon so she thought it best to settle herself into her wifely role, even though she knew Jide would neither care nor appreciate the gesture.
At about 7 when Jide came out from his study-for that was where he had
moved his clothes to yesterday while Daisy watched with a sunken heart
as the hope of them ever consumating their marriage slipped-he hardly
paid a glance to the set dining table before he picked his car keys and left the house without a word at her either.
Daisy wasn’t hurt, she had half expected that to happen, it wasn’t even as if she had fix anything spectacular for him to eat, she had improvise with the little food items she could find in his scanty kitchen and
fixed him jollof rice cooked with sardine, she however applauded herself
mentally for her super effort in bringing something out of nothing, so
it was totally Jide’s business if he decided to starve himself!
Her piece said, she rose from the chair in the parlor where she’d been sitting and carefully carried the untouched food back to the kitchen then walked to the room to go arrange her legion of clothes, mama had
sent them yesterday evening through the family driver.



Though Daisy would have loved if Mama had came herself for she needed
company to cope with the cold silence that pervaded the house after they returned, she consoled herself with the cartoon of juice mama also sent, it meant her ‘juiceless’ nights were over.
As she hung her clothes in the now empty hanger, she sang along Alicia
Keys’ ‘Super human’ playing from her phone, she wondered where her
husband would continue sleeping and wished he had rather slept here with
her even if he decided to still keep his distance on the bed.
‘As if that was possible’ Daisy said to herself and giggled.



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


she was through with her clothes ‘chore’ and was now hanging her bags
when she heard a noise out in the hallway. Stopping, she tiptoed to the
door and listened closely by placing her ears by the door, she heard a
noise like someone opening a door. Immediately she opened her door and
looked down to see a guy trying to open Jide’s study which was the last
room at the left side of the hallway. She guessed him to be in his
mid-twenties.
So many thoughts coursed through her mind, was he a burglar? a friend?
or at worst Jide’s male part…… She stopped that train of thought,
she didn’t believe Jide would stoop that low!
The guy, very oblivious to the fact that he was being watched had opened
the door and was about to enter when he turned and saw Daisy. She was
in between the half opened door.


‘Don’t come any further’ she spoke now, alarm in her tone. The guy had
been walking towards her then.
He stopped midway and smiled very unsure.
‘Am sorry ma, Adamu told me you were around but i….’ he had this
slight calarbar accent.
‘Who are you?’ Daisy interrupted still not pacified, she also made no
move to leave her position.
‘oh, sorry…’ he apologised again ‘i should have… Well my name is
Okon Edet, i am the house keeper here, well…sort of’
‘The housekeeper?’ Daisy asked, she was getting a bit relaxed.
‘yes, i come to clean every Monday, Wednesday and Friday’
That’s plausible enough she thought, her initial alarm gradually
evaporating.
‘oh…okay…hello’ she greeted now and wanted to come out fully, but
remembering that she was still clad in Jide’s shirt now turned to her night wear since since he seemed not to need it anymore, she stopped.
‘Hi’ okon replied smiling.
‘but how did you get the key to that room?’ Daisy asked.
‘Mr. Jide dropped it with Adamu, he asked me to clean it up and do other things there cos…’
‘its okay’ Daisy said, she couldn’t care more. ‘Let me leave you to your work then’
‘ok ma’ Okon said and walked away.

Daisy closed her door and locked it this time, she wouldn’t take any more chances with whatever housekeeper of Jide that came calling again. She chastised herself now for where her stray thoughts would have led her then and resumed her ‘chores’ singing along the song that was now playing in her phone, it was Beyonce’s ‘halo’.

So much for the neat freak jide she had formed, for there goes the secret. She thought again.

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