THE WIFE I NEVER MARRIED - Season 1 - Episode 24

Episode 6 years ago

THE WIFE I NEVER MARRIED - Season 1 - Episode 24

ek love, attention and acceptance, you derive pleasure in taking our pride away from us, you derive satisfaction in reducing us to nothing less than a piece of rag. Why are you men so heartless?”

Laibe was screaming on the top of her lungs now. Helen tried to sq££ze her hand lightly earlier when her voice started rising, but she didn’t even feel it. It feels like a smoke, too hard to be constrained in the muddy four walls of the kitchen of her voice box. Her eyes were firmly shut while she spoke and a thin line of tear dragged down her cheek now.

Helen had become more uncomfortable, so was Ezekiel. The security man was beginning to make moves from inside the compound like he would soon open the gate.

This is not good, Ezekiel thought within himself. What exactly has he done to deserve all these outpouring? Especially that this isn’t the first time. He was only giving a simple apology for crying out loud. He swallowed and looked on at the girl that’s just screaming like a wounded elephant.

“The next time you want to treat a woman like trash just because you know she is in need of love and attention, remember that it was a woman that bore you” she spilled out like the words were hot searing coals that would burn her tongue if not said that fast and quick.


“Ok! Laibe, just shut up already!”
Helen almost yelled, speaking out for the first time since Ezekiel got here. She was fed up with whatever emotional outpour her friend was doing right here in public. Yea! Public.

Ezekiel alone is enough public eye before Helen, things should be done pronto and well-coordinated before him and not making a public show of shame at any point. She held onto Laibe tighter and dragged her away into the main road. Ezekiel was too dumbfounded to say or do anything. He just stood there like he had been glued to the ground watching the two girls as Helen pulled the reluctant Laibe all the way to the road. He didn’t know what to think. Laibe has been every shade of mystery lately, sometimes, she is all outspoken and violent, at other times, she is returned to her shell and not saying anything, and at other awkward moments, she seem to be thinking about something only her knew about. What was going on? He asked himself again and the opening of the gate brought him back to planet earth before he could decipher an answer. He quickly adjusted his tie – nothing happened to the tie actually – and headed in before the security man would have the luxury of asking him about who and why someone was shouting. He didn’t have answers to give so he wouldn’t give him a chance to ask in the first place. He bowed lightly as he crossed the gate into the compound, keeping his head straight up, he moved towards the administrative building. There was something he needed to urgently find out.
*****

This was meant to be a making up moment right? Of course, that was why Miss Mary permitted them to leave school few minutes to closing time. Helen had attempted to start up a conversation ever since they got on the lonely road that linked the school and the expressway. Whether it was the confusion as to what necessitated that show that’s stopping her from talking, or that the look on Laibe’s face could sting with venom, she cautioned herself just to stay quiet and enjoy the speechless walk. Laibe, as usual, had dragged all the ropes on the handle of her strap back, Tightening into a knot on her sides, it felt like she was trapped in a seat belt. That’s what she does anytime she’s beginning to want to stay off the world. It would look like a flight off the planet to a ‘thought world’ only her had access to.

Helen had to call her attention when she saw that the black Toyota Camry that’s approaching them had drastically reduced in speed so much so that it appears to be crawling right now.



“uhmmm?” Laibe gave that her questioning look again and it came quite irritating to Helen. How was it possible for someone to walk without being aware of her environment? It beats her imagination.

“The person in that car was staring at you” Helen said, pointing at the car that had just passed them with nothing longer than a mile distance.


“Me?” Laibe pointed her finger to her chest like she didn’t believe what her friend just said now, she then continued, “…but there are two of us here, right?”

Helen shook her head from side to side, “I know, I know! But the person was looking at you, so seriously, so engrossed. I’m not joking!”

Laibe hissed and stepped up her pace.


“Perhaps if your mind wasn’t so far away, you would have noticed” Helen said amidst trying to hasten up her steps to meet up with Laibe’s. Just then, her tone changed from the loud way it’s been a while ago to somewhat whisper…


“Oh! My God! He is reversing. Laibe, let’s hurry!”

It was at this point Laibe actually turned back to look at the car in question.

It look so new, the tires, the mirrors, everything on the car was sparkling.

If the person in the car was actually staring at her as Helen here claimed, then it’s not safe now that the person is reversing back towards their direction. She couldn’t even see whoever was in the car to start with. All thanks to tinted mirrors. Guess, ‘let’s hurry’ should actually be the action at this point, Laibe thought within as she increased her steps furthermore.

The car wouldn’t stop. It was as though whoever was in it was coming for them actually. It wasn’t coming across as something funny anymore.

Though they are almost close to the main road, it is still about at least five fences to get there fully. By ‘fully’ it means, to get to a place where one can easily shout for help and get help. Helen’s heart was palpitating as she held tightly on to Laibe’s hands. Since Laibe can walk as fast as the speed of light, at a point Helen thought, people win ‘award for walking’ in the villages.

As they walked faster, the speed of the car increased as it still reversed backwards, now they heard the honk and it appears as if the person was asking them to stop but they did not stop.

They cannot even stop. As if what they feared had finally befallen them, the car came to cross right in front of them in a way they had no choice than to stop. Though Laibe’s heart was also beating hard against her chest, she needed to be a source of strength to her extremely babyish and pampered friend right now. One person has to be the man in every situation.

She shoved Helen behind her as the car came to a halt. Laibe had this unshaken confidence within her that they would rather end up taking everyone here to the hospital than for the owner of this car to hurt them. She waited nervously, trying hard not to bend over to see whoever the person is, till he or she gets down. It’s even more scary that the fellow is taking almost forever to sought himself out in the car and come out, especially when he had practically blocked people from walking.

Moreover, the route is not frequently navigated by cars and motorcycles.

Helen had started breathing out so long that the breaths sounded like the sounds of talking gong at a typical village new yam festival.

Finally, the door of the car opened and the four eyes belonging to the two girls standing couldn’t wait for who would be the first to identify whoever this person is that’s taking the living day out of them.


☆☆

Continues..

“Touch my palms to be sure I’m not a ghost, like we were taught in Sunday school.” He said, mimicking the teacher.

Laibe giggled, “Really?” She gave him a questioning look and continued, “Of course I know you are not a ghost anymore. You drove Helen home and here you are driving me home as well, a ghost wouldn’t possibly be this tangible. It was the way your car was moving on that lonely road that got the both of us agitated, especially that that route has a reputation for kidnapping.”

She rattled on, relaxing more and more into the soft leather chair in the car. She threw her school bag to the back seat earlier so she could relax better and especially use her seat belt. Her aunty mustn’t hear that she was in a moving car without her seat belt on.
He kept looking at her, with the characteristic way he always looked back then. His eyes boring holes on her body till she started feeling shy and uncomfortable. He hadn’t changed much; he is still wearing his big shoes – timberland, as they call it. Just that this should be the original and expensive brand as opposed to the one he used back at the village. He would always say in defence that his shoes should show his kind of work, because he was made for the farm.

He has also learnt some gentlemanliness and good looking business, Laibe thought. His dreadlocks look so clean, one would think it’s braided hair he had on. Needless to say that the recent glistering of his fair skin has hidden the bulk of the tribal markings on his face. She also needed to be sure she wasn’t sensing any form of foreign accent in his voice. For real! His once scattered and unarranged dreads look as attractive as C. Ronaldo’s sporting waves now – that’s in addition to his well-trimmed beards. Money truly answereth all things. Look at Omachoko looking all beauteous. Her hand involuntarily landed on his shoulders at the last thought, with a smile plastered on her face.


“What?” he gaped when Laibe’s hands landed on his shoulders heavily… well lightly maybe, because her hands are nothing to be compared with his.


“Why are you staring at me like you are just noticing my presence here?” Laibe questioned him, sticking her tongue out of her mouth while at it.


“You… You know… I can’t stop marvelling … I mean, I can’t stop wondering how grown and changed you have become within this short time… three years right? Or two?” His eyes still bore absolute unbelief in them.


“See who is talking! Oh! You think I’m not marvelled as well huh?” she retorted.

“Ehnn!!! C’mon, look at you, you speak English so fluently, knowing all the phonation and intonations. You know all the exclamations as well. OK! I guess I’m not so surprised because that’s what you have always wanted.”

Laibe smiled, more like blushed away the statement. On this aspect, her grammatical prowess that is, she feels so fulfilled at the moment. At least everyone is commending her – Ocholi, her Aunty, her uncle, her classmates, her teachers and now him? This is some grace really.

She cleared her throat after he killed the engine in front of their gate.


“But seriously, how did your farm at Ofabo buy you this big and costly ride? What am I saying? You must have borrowed it right?” she questioned with curiosity written all over her face.

Omachoko broke out into a loud train of laughter. He laughed so much that the car key he just removed from the key hole fell off his hand.


“You didn’t have to specify the location of my farm, did you?”

Laibe rolled her eyes, “Well, I need to be sure that you are not into some 419 games too.”

Omachoko laughed even louder, “It feels good to know you still care…” he winked at her and she gave a smirk, “…Of course not. I am not into any game. Anyway, Laibe, we would have to talk better some other time, OK? You said it was a make-up moment for you and Helen, I’m sorry I interrupted the comeback moment.”
She sighed, “No problem, Helen and I would always have our time. The most important thing is that we are back now. But you? I’m seeing you for the first time in three years. The last time, you were still peddling your much-talked-about inherited bicycle, and right here, you are cruising a Camry, don’t you think I deserve an explanation of some sort?” she sounded serious now and Omachoko noticed that in her tone. He needed to tread with caution, Laibe would always be Laibe regardless of the years that had passed.


“I know right? I know! But…”

“No but, let’s go into the house, I’m sure you want to greet aunty too, even though you still don’t know my aunt’s husband till now.”

Omachoko took in a deep breath,
“I couldn’t have known him. He, unlike aunty Udale, almost doesn’t come to the village…” he paused to think, “…OK, let’s do it this way. You alone would go in today, I’m just coming from an errand and my boss is still waiting for me. You see the time?” He took up his hands to glance at his glistering wristwatch like he was showing her.

This is incredible, Laibe thought.


“So I may have to make it down here some other time. Definitely, within the week.” He begged with his eyes.


“I saw you mistakenly today, according to you. How will I see you again? How am I even sure you didn’t come there looking for me in the first place?” She asked like a statement.

Omachoko quickly nodded his head from side to side, “Nah! I told you I’m running an errand. We have a work going on up that Opulega area where your school is and I was just on my way there to settle the labourers when I saw someone that looked like you. Remember, I was driving slowly at first? I needed to be sure my eyes were not deceiving me. Then I recalled Baba telling me you got enrolled into Aleka Academy that year. That recollection made me sure it was you, so I reversed faster and came to double cross you both.”


Laibe chuckled, “Na wa for you o! It’s your boss’ car after all?”
Omachoko smiled and slide the question away as though he didn’t hear her.


“So you see, I still need to go back to Opulega and return to town before 7pm today. Permit me to go, please! I will call you when I plan to come over.”

Laibe started laughing. “Call me? Do you have my phone number? How are you even sure I have a phone?”

“Well, I was just hoping you do.”

Laibe slapped him on his shoulders again, “You will not change ‘Choko.”

Opening the door, she got down after pulling her bag from the backseat.


“Here…” Omachoko handed her an official card, “…the other number at the bottom of the card is the most reachable and available. Call me anytime, with your number I suppose, or better still with anyone’s, I’ll call you back.”

Laibe stared at the little paper in her hand in awe; the company name on it look very familiar to her. She just couldn’t recall where she had seen that before.


This is incredible, she thought again as more questions and suspicions flew through her mind but she had to be considerate; the young man is running out of time and since they were going to be talking over the phone, there is no need keeping him longer.



“Alright!” she turned to him smiling.

Omachoko smiled broadly too before kick starting the car,

“Remember you are still here…” pointing his right hand to the left side of his chest without taking his gaze off her. Typical. “…now, always and forever.”

Laibe only smiled sheepishly.
Omachoko stepped on the accelerator and drove off with an alarming speed.
Laibe stood still for a moment still staring at the official card in her hand before dropping it. She didn’t need to knock on the gate. She saw when the gateman opened to peep at them after the car halted initially. She knew he surely had left the gate open seeing it was her. She pushed it and walked into the compound, thrusting the card in a pocket opening on her school bag before her aunty or anyone else at home would see it. Just like the case of the white paper two weeks ago.


She walked briskly through the sitting room, seeing that there was no one in. Her aunty must be sleeping inside, she supposed and it wasn’t normal to have her uncle at home. She would just dash into her room and into the bathroom. She needed to ponder on the ordeals of the day while those cold water ran down her body under the shower. Starting from Miss Mary’s reconciliation mission, to her outburst on Ezekiel, to seeing Omachoko and then this familiar official card. A lot of things to ponder upon indeed. As she walked briskly through her most dreaded corridor, she made efforts to be as quiet as possible. Walking like she had hot coals littered on the floor she passed through. Her aunty is a deep sleeper, she know. In fact, she also know that the woman would not wake up even when a home theatre is set sounding at the highest volume close to her bed, but she didn’t want to take the risk right now.


“Boys now drive you home from school, right?”

She almost froze to her bones when she heard her uncle’s voice as he came out from the kitchen behind her. What is he doing there… or be