The Last Smile – Episode 10


By Adeola Nissi

Tinuke sighed internally as she raised herself from the bed slowly. She had been waiting there for ages and it seemed like Ray would not open the door of the room at all. She had heard him enter the compound and had checked herself in the mirror again to be sure she was perfectly in shape. But after waiting for five full minutes without seeing him she had been afraid that he had gone to the maid’s room to satisfy his lust in her arms. She however discovered that she was wrong when she tip-toe out of the room to see what was going on. Her joy knew no bounds. She raced back to the room to dance a dance of victory. She heard the gate of the house close and she laughed silently, running to the window to be double sure that Bose was really leaving. She was finally rid of her sworn enemy; how ironic that her rival had been a mere maid. A bitter pile rose in her throat and she gritted her teeth till her jaw ached. She lay on the bed, expecting Ray to enter but he did not come in, even minutes after she heard Bose’s departure. She became frustrated and was about standing up to go and meet Mohammed since he refused to come to the mountain when the door opened.

“Are you deaf? Can’t you answer the simple question I asked you?” Raymond yelled, his gentleman etiquette was already out of question since Bose left him feeling shattered.
Tinuke moved gingerly towards him, swaying her hips and making him feel uncomfortable. She stood close to him; too close for comfort. She placed her palm softly on his chest with her other hand going to circle his neck.

“What do you think I am doing here? I am here to claim back my husband” she said huskily.

Ray was blown away. His nose had identified the scent of ‘Light Blue’ perfume and his brain was not functioning normally. Tinuke surely has an extremely sexy body and the flimsy dress she had on only hinted the promise of better things to come. He moved away from her, with his hands in his pocket, trying to put his body under subjection. He faced the window so that he would not have to look at her. “I am not your husband Tinuke, this relationship is over” he said quietly.

Tinuke was about to flare up at his spoken words but remembered the advice of her mother. She slowly walked to him, caressed his back slowly with her fingers. She then pinned her body to his back, knowing the effects she was having on him. “You don’t mean that. We are meant for each other baby”.

Ray felt his resolve shake. Just how much temptation can a man resist? He was angry; very angry. Why did God create women? They are just too powerful. Bose just crumbled his happy day and here was Tinuke, trying to bewitch him. Tinuke finally slotted herself in the slim space between Raymond and the window and Ray’s brain rang a very loud alarm. Ray stepped back but Tinuke held his hand. He groaned and pulled her to himself, devoring her lips; he remembered Bose’s departure and kissed her with vengeance. The last thought that crossed his mind before the heat of passion took over was that God should have used clay to make Eve instead of using Adam’s rib.

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

Deolu strolled out of the bathroom after having a hot bath which had lasted for more than thirty minutes. He had lay in the bathtub, thinking about the tragedies befalling him till he became accustomed to the feel of the water against his body. After laying there for a long time, the water turned cold and no longer seemed inviting. He had a white towel around his waist but did not bother to dry himself with it. He threw himself on the bed, feeling so dejected. He had gone to several hospitals and yet, none had been able to yield any valuable return. He actually felt like dying. Five days and yet, he hadn’t seen beauty or the beast that captured her. He picked up his phone and called Caleb for the umpteenth time. He was starting to believe that Fred was really not in Ogun State.

Caleb picked up and said the same thing he had been saying ever since this case started.
“What sort of rubbish is this?” he yelled back at Caleb. “Are you telling me that the entire police in Ogun State cannot fish out a filthy criminal? You guys are a bunch of incompetent idiots” he yelled.

Caleb yelled back at him and Deolu jumped to his feet. “No… No. don’t tell me that you know how I feel because you don’t. How can my girlfriend be missing and you tell me you know how I feel when you are not doing anything about it” he paused, parading the spacious bedroom. “Your best is not good enough Caleb… Don’t tell me you are sorry, I don’t need your pity, I need your action. I am paying you handsomely Caleb, I need my girl and I need to see that animal who had the guts to lay his filthy hands on my girl” he hung up. He felt bad that he had yelled at the poor man but he could not help it. Nigerian police do not move until they are moved. He heard a knock on the door and quickly threw on some clothes even though he knew that his maid would answer. He was hopeful that some good news would come his way. He got to the sitting room and was surprised to see two policemen. Tomi, his househelp, just stood there looking confused.

“Hello officers” Deolu greeted

“Good day sir. Please are you Mr. Deolu Aremu?” one of the policemen said.

“Yes, I am. Any problem?”

“Please sir, we would like you to follow us to our station for some questions.”

Deolu looked at the two policemen as anger flooded him. “What business do I have with your station?” he half yelled.

“Your questions would be answered when you get there sir.”

“No. you would answer my questions right here, right now.  What sort of nonsense is this?” The devil was definitely bent on making his life impossible. So these filthy idiots think I am responsible for Lucy’s disappearance.

“I am sorry sir, you would get your answers at the station. Please move sir” one of them said. Deolu, being a popular person, was feared by the policemen because they knew that his connections can lead to their dismissal; but they had to follow orders given to them by their boss, if not, the same fate awaits them.

Deolu closed his mouth, trying to calm down. The events of the week had worked on his nerves. He picked up his phones and stared at his maid who was still bemused. “Call my lawyer” he said and followed the officers.

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

Raymond left the state of unconsciousness and opened his eyes. He had a splitting headache which needed immediate attention. As he was about standing up to relieve himself in the toilet, his hand hit someone and he turned. The unadulterated details of the previous night came flooding back and he fell back on the bed.

He shook his head at the remembrance. He had known that he was making a huge mistake yesterday but he still continued. The gentility he usually used with her was nowhere to be found and he just held and treated her the way he would have treated a prostitute. His anger had fuelled him and he had worked on her like he was dishing out a punishment. He wondered why he was so angry. He does not feel anything for Bose, so why was that anger so strong.

He was angry because he could not love someone who deserves to be loved. He was angry because he knew that Tinuke had contributed to Bose’s departure. He was angry because Bose was sad. He was angry because Tinuke had crawled into his bed again. But most of all, he was angry because he had made Tinuke a promise.

He exhaled and stood up slowly, went to the toilet to empty his bladder and entered the room. He looked at Tinuke’s sleeping frame on the bed and wondered why he did not feel the usual desire to touch her that always comes after their lovemaking. And now, he also wondered why ‘lovemaking’ did not seem like a good term to use for their passionate night. Sex is the closest word that comes to mind when he thinks of their night.

“Come back to bed baby” Tinuke said with a coy smile on her face.

Raymond turned, saw her smile and shook his head with his back to her. “No. Get up, get dressed and leave my house”

“What? Are you crazy?

Ray turned to face her again and immediately regretted his action. She was nude from her waist upwards. Surprisingly, he was not really aroused. “Get dressed and get the hell out of my house” he yelled and stormed out of the room.

Ray was so furious and disappointed in himself. How could he have slept with her after all that happened; especially when he was thinking of leaving her? He had just made things difficult. He sighed as he picked up a bottle of water from the fridge. Now, Bose is no longer around to grace the house with the fascinating aroma of her cooking. He shook his head and drank some water. He heard the pounding of feet against the tiled floor and knew that he was in for another bout of argument.

Tinuke entered the kitchen dressed in the same cloth he saw on her last night. He no longer found it tempting, in fact, it was annoying because he could only imagine a prostitute in such a ridiculous cloth; he secretly wondered if she actually left her house in it.

“What is the meaning of what you said in there? Oh… you think you can just use me and dump me like that?” she asked, demonstrating with her hands. “It is not possible, you hear me?” she was vibrating from head to toe.

Ray finished the water in his hands, dropped the cup and left Tinuke in the kitchen but she marched after him.

“Ray… Ray… are you not the one I am talking to? Don’t you dare ignore me… Ray…” she yelled.

Ray left the main building and entered the mini building at the back of the house which he used as a gym. He removed his phone to check his notifications and was alarmed when he saw several missed calls from Duke, Philip and Sam. He swore loudly. That witch had made him forget his outing with his friends. They must be really mad right now. He could not begin to imagine how pissed off they must be. He thought of exercising and calling later but decided against it. He took out his phone and called Duke.

“Before you say anything, I am sorry….. You don’t understand….. If you knew what I met at home, you would understand….. No, not a python, something much worse than that” Ray smiled internally, knowing that he was just trying to bring down his friend’s anger.
“My house was on fire o…..” he could not hold back his laughter when he heard his friend yelling. “I am sorry, not that kind of fire….. I know…..”
Just then, Tinuke stormed the gym. She had gone back inside to put on her slippers when she discovered that Ray was leaving the building.

“Eeeeehhhnnn… so you are talking to that witch ehn? You this stupid womanizer. Give me that phone” she yelled. She got to him, within the twinkling of an eye, yanked the phone from his hand and threw it against the wall. The phone shattered.

Ray’s fury had reached the limit. He grabbed her hand and dragged her with so much force, her arm almost got dislocated. He opened the door of the gym and continued dragging her out. Her short strides could not match his long ones and she almost fell in the process but he did not even give a damn. He opened the gate and threw her out. Before he could close the gate, she had already bounced back in. He glared at her, his eyes throwing daggers at her.

“Get the hell out of my house this instant” he roared.

She started crying. Ray hates this so much and he clenched his fists in anger. “You are a monster, a bas***d, a cheat. You took my virginity and used me for years and now you want to throw me away? I am not going anywhere”.

Ray gritted his teeth in anger and guilt. His life was in shambles, he thought. He glared at Tinuke for some time until he was tired of looking at her. He opened the gate wide before going inside to get his car keys. He returned with the keys, entered his car and drove out leaving Tinuke there with the gate wide open.

…To be continued

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