The Second Wife – Episode 17

The Second Wife – Episode 17

© Onyinyechukwu Mbeledogu

Thursday, 13th May 2004
RUSUT

And it was a wrap!

After five plus years as an undergraduate, Soki couldn’t believe she was finally done with her degree examination. She was so glad to be a law student, for final year students in other faculties still had pending examinations. Unless there was foul play, she was certain to graduate top of her class with a first class degree.

She took group pictures with her classmates, some of whom were popping bottles of wine. This would be the last time they would ever be together like this. Some of the students would be having resits and those who passed would end up in different law school campuses. There would be reunions but at no time would everyone attend it at the same time. It was a very emotional moment with long hugs and exchange of emails and home addresses.

She had packed her bags that morning, before leaving for her examination. Dienye had promised two days earlier to pick her up after her exams but around 5pm. It was a few minutes past 1pm so that gave her a few hours to celebrate with two of her closest course-mates, Ebitari and Ibukun.

They took a cab from school to Kingfishers along Olu Obasanjo road.

‘Finally we are graduates,’ said Ebitari.

Soki smiled at her course mate. Ebitari, tall, very slim and with a noticeable limp on her left leg courtesy of an accident that had claimed the life of her parents and kept hospitalised for months. Tari had been two sets ahead of Soki before the accident. After four major surgeries, learning to walk again, and having to rely on the charity of her mother’s relatives, Tari had lost two academic sessions and ended up in Soki’s set. She had felt really bad about returning to school at a time her course mates had graduated, but Soki had befriended her and encouraged her to focus on graduating from the school rather than what could have been. Soki was so happy for her friend. Tari had informed Soki earlier that if she graduated with a minimum CGPA of 3:00, her mother’s immediate elder sister had promised to foot her bills for law school.

‘Abi o,’ said Ibukun in agreement. ‘Just look at us. After many years in the University of Stress and Tension, we are finally free.’

The students of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology had nicknamed the school University of Stress and Tension because a lot of students were put through tremendous stress in order to graduate; and once in a while students were turned into 100m race athletes as a result of the hits or reprisal attacks carried out by rival cult gangs. It didn’t matter what part of campus the hit occurred; once there was a gun shot, everyone took off, half of the time running through lecture room windows and forgetting about the doors. Surprisingly, there had never been recorded any case of a student severing an artery while running through the louvers.

‘What’s left is for us to pray continually about our scripts and results so that nothing goes wrong,’ Soki added.

‘That’s very necessary.’

They ordered plates of jollof fried rice, peppered chicken, salad/moi-moi and packs of juice. Their conversation was loud and their laughter drew attention to their table but they paid no attention to the other persons present. They talked about the years they had spent in school, the various experiences they had both socially and academically. They talked about lecturers they would miss and those they definitely wouldn’t miss.

They were back to school by 4:05pm. When Dienye didn’t show up by 5:00pm as promised, she got worried and called him but his number was busy. It wasn’t like Dienye to be late and if he was running late for any reason he would have called her.

While waiting for Dienye, she bought drinks for her roommates and promised to visit them the next week. When by 6:45pm Dienye still hadn’t showed up or called her, she walked down to the back gate to pick a cab. She sent a text to Dienye telling him not to bother picking her as she would be taking a cab home.

Dienye wasn’t home by the time Soki arrived. One of the guards helped her get her things into the house. She looked around but there wasn’t a note from Dienye explaining where he had gone. He also didn’t call her. She unpacked her bags before undressing and getting into the bathroom where she had a quick shower. She dressed up in a light blue dress and black high heeled knee length boots. She applied a light makeup and picked up her black purse.

She had intended to take Dienye out to celebrate the conclusion of her examinations but since he wasn’t home, she would either get a take-away dinner for him or fix something when she returned home. She had a large bowl of stew in the freezer which she had made last Sunday.

She drove to Bovatti Restaurant, along the Old Aba Road. One slip that she had just graduated from the university and Soki had a number of willing and voluntary sponsors: young men and a few older guys. She found their attention amusing but she allowed herself to have a wonderful time, enjoying the flirtatious remarks and advances. After all, she was still a young woman.

She left the restaurant a few minutes past nine with the food she had bought for Dienye. Dienye’s BMW was missing from its parking space. She called his number once more but couldn’t get him. Where was he? Did he spend the night away from home any time she wasn’t around? Was he seeing another woman? No, she didn’t think that was the case. She also knew he wasn’t visiting his parents for she had spoken to them not long ago. He also wasn’t having a guys’ night out with Belema who was off shore. Or was he with B.B? She wasn’t aware of any JCI programme happening that weekend, or had he been invited for a training outside Rivers State for a training? She didn’t want to consider the thought that he might have been in an accident. God forbid! Someone would have called her if that was the case.

She ensured that the guards and the dogs had something to eat and then waited for Dienye in the large sitting room.

*****

9:57pm

Sapphire room

Riverglade Hotels

Omoku, Rivers State

Dienye lay on the queen-size bed in a white BYC singlet and navy blue jean trousers, with his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle. His green t-shirt was tossed over the back of a chair beside the bed in the large, air conditioned room.

‘Thanks once more D-Baby for picking me up from the park and bringing me here,’ the young woman with the red and gold braid held in a ponytail said as she closed the wardrobe. ‘Isn’t it my good fortune that your young wife isn’t around?’ she added teasingly as she turned to him. ‘Had she been home you wouldn’t have agreed to spend the night here.’

She walked barefooted to the bed, dressed in a yellow top with black spots and a tiny pair of black silk shorts that revealed her endless fair legs. She stretched out horizontally on the bed and placed her head on Dienye’s chest with the familiarity of a woman who had been doing this for a long time.

She was in Omoku for a two day seminar starting on Friday and had called Dienye the moment she arrived Port Harcourt. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, although they communicated as often as possible over the phone. She had served as a Corper in a company in Warri and had been retained after service the previous year.

‘Yes,’ Dienye responded. ‘Soki’s in school, that’s the only reason you get to have me here.’ He pulled playfully on one of her braids. ‘Besides, you should also be thanking me for having to endure the terrible network service here just to be with you.’

‘Special people things,’ Atili laughed, her laughter vibrating on his chest. ‘That’s called love.’

‘See your mouth,’ Dienye laughed in return.

‘So how is Soki?’

‘She’s fine. She’s rounding off her degree examinations tomorrow afternoon. I promised to pick her up in the evening. That should give her enough time to celebrate with her friends before I whisk her off.’

‘Wow, that’s great.’ Atili said, clapping excitedly. ‘That means your semi-married life comes to an end tomorrow.’

‘I don’t remember complaining. She comes home every weekend so that makes up for everything.’

‘I hope she’s launched the night attires we gifted her with.’ Atili teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

‘Fortunately for me, I married a decent woman,’ he said with mock relief. ‘She wears silk pyjamas…’

‘Shorts…’

‘No, trousers. Not every woman is like you, with all these your tiny shorts. I hope you are not getting those young Warri men into trouble.’

Atili laughed and playfully punched her eldest brother on the stomach.

‘Pyjama trousers, if I hear. I doubt if mum would use something like that let alone a modern day young woman like Soki.’

Dienye shook his head. Soki may not have launched the night wears beyond the lingerie she had worn on their wedding night, but that the nightshirts she wore were far from granny style.

‘You promised me gossip about those Warri boys,’ he reminded Atili. ‘Oya start the stories.’

Atili laughed.

‘I used to think I had a crush on B.B, and then I met this nice guy in Warri. He’s…’

They talked well into the night before they both agreed that Atili had to sleep in order to be up in time for her seminar and Dienye had a long drive back to Port Harcourt.

*****

12:16am

Oroma Estate

Port Harcourt

Soki turned off the television. Dienye was clearly not coming home that night. She went into the kitchen where she took the plate of food still in its plastic take away pack and put it in the refrigerator. She locked up and turned off the lights as she headed for the bedroom.

She couldn’t believe that Dienye had forgotten she was graduating that day. He had the memory of an elephant for crying out loud!

‘I refuse to be upset,’ she told herself, taking a few deep breaths and exhaling.

7:51am

Oroma Estate

Port Harcourt

Dienye pulled into his parking space. He’d left Omoku by 6am in order to get home before 8am and was happy there hadn’t been traffic on the way. He unlocked the door with his keys. At first there was nothing to show that the house wasn’t empty as he had left it, and then he heard humming coming from the kitchen.

Surprised, he headed in that direction. He came to an abrupt stop the moment he saw Soki. He clearly hadn’t been expecting her.

‘You didn’t have to rush back this morning on my behalf,’ he told Soki, pausing to take her into his arms and place a light kiss on her lips. ‘Or was your last paper moved?’

Soki stared at him. He had clearly forgotten their last conversation. And to think she had barely slept, worried about him! Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘I came in last night.’

‘Wow. I had to take Atili to Omoku yesterday evening,’ he informed her. ‘She’s here for a work related seminar. She also sent her ‘warmest greetings’ – in her words not mine.’

Another day, Soki would have smiled and asked how her sister-in-law was faring. But not this morning! She was upset. Had he recalled their conversation he would have called to let her know that he had to drive his sister to Omoku and as such wouldn’t be around, or even better, had his driver take his sister to Omoku. After all, Simon was available most of the time since Dienye loved to drive himself.

Rather than voice out her annoyance, Soki gently extricated herself from his embrace and headed for the small sitting room.

‘What did I do this time?’ Dienye asked as he followed her into the sitting room. She was clearly upset about something.

She rewarded him with a long silence as she picked the remote control and flipped through the channels.

‘You’ll have to talk to me sometime,’ he told her.

She gave him a look that said, ‘Don’t count on it.’ And he actually laughed!

‘We live in the same house, babe,’ he reminded her. ‘You can’t help but talk to me especially if you’ve missed me as much as I have missed you. Although I can’t for the life of me imagine what I have done wrong.’

When she ignored him, he shrugged and left the room, tossing over his shoulder, ‘Let me know when you’re ready to talk about what’s bothering you.’

Soki stared at the television screen, unseeing. There had to be steam escaping from the pores of her scalp. He’d walked away as though her anger meant nothing to him. Then again, what had she expected him to do? Go on his knees and beg her to forgive him for everything he had done, both past and present, and for the things he would do to her in the future.

She was surprised when he returned about half an hour dressed in a three piece suit and carrying a brief case.

Just like that, she thought. No ‘Why are you upset?’ This was definitely not working out as she’d thought. For a man who had been married for seven years, he certainly wasn’t that sensitive to a woman’s mood. Then again she wasn’t his perfect Nengi. Had Nengi been the one in her shoes, Soki had no doubt that he would have apologised without even asking what he’d done wrong or caring if he’d been at fault.

He’d probably return later in the day, eat his supper, watch the news and expect her to come willingly into his arms, knowing that she would. They both had their needs and she had been taught that one should never deny one’s spouse the delight of one’s body even in anger.

He announced to her that he had to get to his training firm and from there he would be attending a few meetings fixed for later in the day. He would be back a bit late.

Soki frowned when she heard the front door open and then close. She was still upset. She eyed the wedding album which remained in the sitting room. What would happen if she was to hide it? She thought meanly. Nengi had been Dienye’s closest friend and not just a woman he had married. Soki lifted her left hand and looked at her rings which seemed to mock her. He should be more sensitive about her emotions even if he couldn’t love her. They had been friends for crying out loud.

She hated the fact that he had to consciously stop himself from calling her Nengi. He did that especially when he got carried away in a discussion with her. It was probably reminiscent of his long conversations with Nengi. In situations like that he seemed to be seeing Nengi while talking with her.

Perhaps she was overreacting. This had nothing to do with Nengi. She had to cut him some slack.

He called her a few hours later to say that one of his meetings had been cancelled and so he would be back around two for lunch. She didn’t have such a long face by the time he returned, and he commented on this as they ate lunch.

‘I feel better now,’ was her response.

After lunch he was ready to step out again. He changed into his sports outfit.

‘I have a squash game with B.B,’ he told her as he laced his sneakers.

‘Can I join you guys?’

‘You don’t know how to play squash.’ He reminded her.

‘I could learn.’

‘I’ll teach you some other time,’ he promised.

‘Can I at least watch?’

‘You’d be bored to death, babe,’ he smiled. ‘Besides, B.B and I have a few things we need to discuss in private.’

‘And I’d be in the way,’ she finished.

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘But you implied it.’

‘You shouldn’t read meanings into my words, babe.’

He got on his feet and picked up his squash racket. He approached her and she lifted her face for his kiss. His lips brushed lightly against hers.

‘I’m glad you’re home,’ he told her.

He straightened up and began to walk out of the room.

‘You owe me a squash lesson,’ she called after him.

‘I guess I do. Remind me later.’

He had just reached the front door before she found herself racing out of the sitting room. She hadn’t told him she was done with her examinations.

‘D.D, hold on for a moment,’ she called after him just as he opened the door. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’

‘We’ll talk once I get back,’ he promised her, shutting the door before she could say anything.

She didn’t follow him outside. It wasn’t necessary. She would tell him over supper. Her phone rang just as she walked back into the sitting room. She picked it up and flipped it open. She didn’t recognise the number.

‘Hello.’

‘Hi, Soki. It’s B.B.’

‘Hi B.B.’

‘Is Dienye there?’ B. B asked.

‘No, he just left but I’m sure you suspected that,’ Soki responded. ‘After all, we both know your best friend is always punctual.’

B.B laughed.

‘I actually called to say congratulations. I heard you wrote your final paper yesterday. Once you’re done with law school, I’m adopting you as my counsel.’

‘Don’t you mean that you would provide an immediate employment for me?’

‘I would be engaging you as my personal lawyer on a retainership basis.’

Soki smiled.

‘And what happens to your present lawyer?’

‘I’ll discharge him. After all, he isn’t good looking as you,’ B.B laughed. ‘Congratulations once more, dear.’

‘Thanks B.B.’ she smiled, and then curiosity got the best of her. ‘How did you find out?’

‘A friend’s younger sister is in your class. Samantha Ogbebor.’

She knew Samantha. In a class of 112, it was easy to know everyone even if you weren’t friends with them all. They chatted for a few minutes before he hung up. He had promised to send her graduation present through Dienye.

‘Oh dear!’ she thought.

She tried calling Dienye at once, not wanting him to hear the news from someone else. But she couldn’t get to him and it wasn’t something she could send via text.

She really should have dragged Dienye by his t-shirt and made him listen to her!

*******

Soki was on the phone with her dad when Dienye returned that evening. She could tell from his countenance that B.B had made good his promise to send her graduation gift through Dienye.

He looked at her for a moment and then walked away. She heard the master bedroom door open and then close. Rubbing a palm over her face, she quickly concluded her call.

‘I have to go now, daddy,’ she told her father. ‘I’ll call you later. Send my regards to mum.’

She left the sitting room for the kitchen to check on supper which was a pot of beans porridge and croaker fish. She had fried the croaker fish earlier and cut the ripe plantain to go with the porridge. She added the plantain to the food and closed the lid of the pot.

She left the kitchen and headed for the master bedroom. Dienye was in the bathroom. She hesitated for a moment and then left the bedroom. He joined her in the sitting room a few minutes later. She had already dished out their supper and served it in the dining room.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he asked, accusingly.

Soki didn’t bother pretending that she had no idea what he was talking about. ‘I did tell you three days ago when you called me that I would be done with my examinations yesterday. You were even supposed to pick me up.’

‘And when I didn’t show up you didn’t deem it fit to remind me.’

‘I called you but couldn’t get through to you. Besides, you have the memory of an elephant. You barely forget anything and so I expected you to remember,’ she simply told him.

‘Well, I didn’t. I sincerely thought you were writing your last paper today. If I had known differently I would have made other arrangements for Atili.’

‘Not to worry, darling, I took a cab home. I sent you a message to that effect, didn’t you get it?’

‘I just got it this evening.’ He acknowledged. ‘There wasn’t much network service where I was.’

‘When I got home there wasn’t a note from you saying where you were.’

‘That’s because I forgot you were to return yesterday,’ he reminded her.

‘No sweat. I wanted to tell you about it when you were leaving earlier but you were in a hurry and so I decided to wait for you to return.’

‘You had more opportunities to do that before I left,’ he reminded her.

‘I was distracted,’ was her simple response. And then she added, with a sweet smile. ‘I took myself to Bovatti and the moment they heard I had just graduated, lots of persons fell over their feet in a bid to buy me dinner.’

‘And I am sure you basked in all the attention,’ he said sarcastically.

‘But of course. I’m a young woman.’

Dienye sighed deeply. ‘I should have been the one to take you out.

That was my intention.’

‘Incidentally, I had the intention of taking you out last night.’

They looked at each other for a moment and then burst into laughter.

‘I got you a graduation gift,’ he said once he stopped laughing.

His gift was a golden brooch that was a symbol of justice and came with a matching set of earrings.

‘Wow.’ She has never seen anything like it before.

‘Thanks,’ she said excitedly, pushing back her seat and rising to her feet.

She walked around the table to him and hugged him from the side. She kissed him. He stroked her cheek as he returned her kiss.

‘So you owe me a celebration dinner,’ he reminded her once they ended the kiss.

‘But of course,’ she smiled, returning to her chair and then she added slyly. ‘Eat up your food, my darling, you have some serious work to do tonight. Five days is a long time you know.’

She could have sworn that he blushed.

To be continued

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