Chapter 2
By Mid April, the wedding preparations were already in full swing. With Alhaji shuttling between Abuja, Lagos and Asaba sharing whatever gold he had in between his legs and his briefcase.
It didn’t bother me as much because I was still angry and too occupied with plotting my revenge. I remembered my wedding. It was too hushed and to quiet, not because I was ashamed of Alhaji but because I was so much in a hurry to get the rites done with. I opted for a not so elaborate nikkah against my mother’s wishes
My best friend Hadiza almost had a heart attack when she realised we wouldn’t be flying all the way to morroco to paint Casablanca red.
Now look at Alhaji planning to shut down Dubai with this igbo girl.
One cool afternoon, I was by the pool side, sipping a drink and trying to catch up on some latest magazine copies. My phone rings, waking me up from myself. It’s a strange number but I pick up regardless.
The deep husky heavily accented voice drowled, it’s Andrew. I knew it, Andrew, but I didn’t remember giving him my number or calling him, but I was so excited about his interest to pick offence. We had a little chat and he invited me to dinner.
By 5pm, the car was ready by the gate. Again I wondered how he did manage to know my house but it wasn’t too important, I was hell bent on having an amazing day.
There’s no doubt that I enjoy having a train of eyes on me, I was wearing a grey sequin dress and patent red Louboutin’s with a purse to match. Of course, I always covered my hair, the only accessories on my head was the diamond drop earrings alhaji had gifted me on our first date. The car was chauffeured by a black short man and he drive all the way to Eko Atlantic.
It was a dinner on the pent house of one of those mansions there. Andrew was a gentle man, offering me water, pulling my chair and all the other sweet things that would have left any other girl drooling from under. The only thing I loved about him was his singsong British accent that felt like music to my ears.
After the dinner and our light conversation, I found out that Andrew was here on government request for 3 months and he had spent about two months here. The way he looked at me, I could tell he wanted to be buried deep inside me. The lust was evident with the way his breath stopped momentarily every time he looked at me.
I told him I wanted to divorce my husband for taking in another wife and I needed him to help me prepare the divorce papers.
We dined and drank wine and talked about everything from living in Lagos, travel food to music late into the night. I loosened my scarve, letting my sleek permed shoulder length black hair fall freely, he lit a Cigarette and started o smoke, I let him blow the smoke on my direction as we sat there talking till it was late.
By 11 pm, I had to leave for the house, Andrew placed a call to his driver who came around on feet to inform him that he car wasn’t working.
I was fuming, how was I going to get home, I had never had any reason to use the uber app and my car was far away at home in Opebi. I was left with no choice but to spend the night in his guest room.
I was uncomfortable at the idea but on Andrew’s word and the fact that it was just a few hours until 6am when my own driver would pick up my car from the house to take me home.
That night I could barely sleep, I spent all night tossing and turning on the bed. Something felt off, but I couldn’t place it until I realised I was trying to sleep in my complete clothes. I picked up the pyjamas Andrew had offered and proceeded to change into them.
As I undressed, dragging the sequin dress across my waist, down to my hips, a shocking revelation hit me.
My bead!, the bue eye waist beads wasn’t on my waist! ” how could the entire string fall off my waist without my knowledge, did it cut?” I wondered. But such a thought was silly. How could the bead have loosened without my knowledge, I tried to remember whether it was on my waist this morning as I forced this silver sheat up my hips.
“this bead has always been here, securely strung together with shoemakers rope., my heart is racing fast, trying not to think of the implication of this.
I hopped over to the bed to get my phone and call madam J, informing her of this latest. There is trouble in my camp!
As soon as I swiped in my password in, boldly was a text from Alhaji , informing me that his lawyers would be at the house with divorce papers tomorrow.
Somehow the shock had caused a tear to start rolling off my left eye
“Kai! rayuwata ta tabarbare”
So I finally got around to doing chapter 2 of Zainab’s tale. I really love how the story seems to be spinning.
I know it’s been a while, so pardon me on that. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you like it, it would be great to read from you.
Love,
Chukulee
Chukulee 