The Second Wife – Episode 3

The Second Wife – Episode 3

© Onyinyechukwu Mbeledogu

4:55pm

UST Back gate
Diobu
Port Harcourt

Nwasoka was seriously running out of options. Despite the closeness of her first semester examinations, she hadn’t been to school all week. However, she found herself heading to school from Avresons, the least of the reasons being to access the tonnes of notes she knew she would have to copy or photocopy.

She couldn’t believe how close she had come to being defiled by her father’s boss. She shuddered as she recalled his kiss and his hands pawing her buttocks and pulling her into his clothed erection. That man was nothing short of a he-goat!

Three years as his lover! God forbid! There was no way she could date him without her family knowing about it and even if they wouldn’t find out, it wasn’t an option she was willing to consider. A man like that would make her move into his home where he could constantly have his wicked way with her! If she returned to his office, whether or not it was to accept his offer, she wouldn’t leave there with her virtue intact. He wouldn’t be considerate enough as to find a befitting environment considering the manner in which she had rejected him.

She walked through the back gate and had just walked past block 1 of Hostel A when her phone rang. It had a really embarrassing ringtone but she was fortunate to even have a phone. She had sold her bigger phone and bought this tiny Sagem phone with the most horrible ring tones you couldn’t even begin to imagine. She took the phone out of her knapsack and looked at the caller ID. Priye. She quickly took the call.

‘Look behind you!’ Priye said and ended the call.

Soki turned to find her former roommate walking behind her. She forced a smile as they hugged each other. Priye Daniel-Hart was a final year Business Admin student and one of the tallest females Soki knew, topping her height with a staggering 7 inches. They were good friends but her height made Soki’s average height more pronounced. The Daniel-Hart siblings were known for their height. Her brothers were over 6 feet tall. Belema was Soki’s closest male friend. He had graduated from RSUST in Soki’s second year and presently worked with an oil servicing company.

Soki’s thoughts were preoccupied with trying to come up with ways to get the balance of her father’s debt before noon the following day and Priye clearly noticed her friend’s distraction as they exchanged pleasantries.

‘Okay, what’s the matter with you?’ Priye asked.

‘Huh?’ Soki asked, distracted.

‘What is wrong? It is so unlike you not to ask after the love of your life.’

Soki had been so worried that she had forgotten to ask about her number one crush: Dienye Daniel-Hart. He called her ‘babe’ or ‘sweetheart’ and Soki in return called him ‘love of my life’. They were not in a relationship. It was just the flirtatious way they greeted themselves, something that had started on the day they had met and to make Priye and her best friend Anwuli jealous. It had stuck so much that it came naturally. He was a good man with a big heart. He always asked after Soki when he dropped by to see his youngest sister. Soki had met him two years earlier when Priye was her roommate but she hadn’t seen him in months.

‘Forgive me, dear.’ Soki told Priye. ‘How’s my delicious Didi?’

‘He’s doing great,’ Priye responded, wondering what was wrong with Soki.

Priye knew her friend Nwasoka had a massive crush on her eldest brother. It was no secret and Dienye indulged her. Well, her big brother did like Soki but more like a little sister. Whenever his name was mentioned, it brought a unique smile to Soki’s face but that smile was missing now. ‘I’m spending the weekend with him,’ Priye continued, ‘so what’s the problem?’ Priye continued.

‘I am having serious family financial issues.’ Soki told Priye after a little hesitation. ‘I am trying to raise N5, 870,000.00 before tomorrow afternoon.’

Priye whistled at the amount but like a good friend didn’t ask how Soki’s family came about incurring such a huge debt.

‘We have raised half of the money but are having difficulties raising the balance.’

Soki didn’t bother telling her friend that the N5, 870,000.00 was actually the outstanding balance.

‘I don’t have anything remotely close to what you need,’ Priye told Soki, ‘Unfortunately Belema is off shore but I’m sure Dienye would give you something substantial as his babe. You haven’t called him about this, have you?’

Although she had Dienye’s number, she hadn’t thought of calling him.

‘No! I didn’t think it was right to take undue advantage of his friendship like that.’ Soki responded.

‘I don’t understand the kind of sweetheart you are doing with D.D o!’ Priye shrugged, scrolling down her phone for her eldest brother’s number. ‘He didn’t give you his number just so you can decorate your contact section with it. He naturally has a soft heart for the needy and I am sure he would be glad to assist you.’

* * * * *

Oroma Estate

Off Okporo Road

Sodienye Tamunobarasua Arinzechukwu Daniel-Hart was engaged in a game of lawn tennis with his best friend, B.B Briggs. 6”3 and just an inch shorter than his only brother, he looked good in his white t-shirt, shorts and Adidas canvass. Well, with his parents’ good looks, one wouldn’t expect less from him or his siblings.

He narrowly avoided getting hit on the face by the green ball when he got distracted by the sound of his phone ringing. He could easily ignore the call and call whoever it was later but it was family and so could be important or urgent. He had assigned a special ring tone for his family members so he wouldn’t miss their calls when he was really busy.

As an entrepreneur, his time was his. He had taken the day off work to rest. However, B.B had come around and seduced him into a game of lawn tennis. In the past, whenever they played the game, his wife Nengi who was also B.B’s younger sister would serve as an umpire. Nengi was a great tennis player, one of the many things they had in common but she loved being the centre of attraction when it involved the two most important men in her life.

As an architect, she spent a lot of time in her studio working on amazing designs. She’d been great at her job. He tried not to think of her and the large hole her death had left despite the fact that four years had since passed.

‘Hold on a minute,’ he told B. B as he headed in the direction of the chairs by the pool side where he had dropped his cell phone.

It was his sister Priye. Being the youngest and almost sixteen years younger than he was, he had gladly taken over her training for her tertiary education years, with the consent of his parents of course. And she spent most of her weekends with him. She had this annoying habit of emptying his fridge and freezer. She was one of those eat-and-grow-tiny females that made you wonder where all the food they consumed went. Without Nengi, his big house was lonely, and so he enjoyed having Priye around.

“Hi pumpkin,’ he said as he took her call.

“Hi Double D. How are you?’

‘I am exactly as you left me,’ he teased and heard her soft laugh. ‘How are you doing today, dear?’

‘I am doing great bro, and don’t worry, I didn’t call to cancel our plans. I am still your girlfriend for the weekend.’

‘Great. I wouldn’t want to sue my own sister.’ He teased. ‘That would be so awkward.’

‘How can I cancel our date when I know I would be returning to school with a heavy bank account?’

Dienye laughed.

‘While leaving me with an empty fridge.’

‘You eat like a bird, darling bro. Someone has to help you out.’

Dienye laughed once more.

‘I am in the middle of a game of tennis with B.B,’ he told his sister. ‘What’s the reason for your call?’

‘I have a huge favour to ask of you.’

‘Are you pregnant?’ he sounded stern but his sister knew better than to take him too seriously.

Priye laughed uncontrollably.

‘Hian, you sef. On a serious note, your babe needs your assistance.’

‘What’s wrong with my darling Soki?’

Soki was Priye’s friend, a final year law student he had met two years earlier after a training he had conducted in her school. He had taken Soki, Priye and Priye’s best friend/soon-to-be-sister-in-law Anwuli out to dinner that night. His sister had deliberately left the seat next to his for Soki and Soki hadn’t felt comfortable but he had been able to make her relax. He found her really attractive but the age gap meant that he could be nothing more than a big brother and friend to her. Soki had his number and he expected her to call him directly if she had an issue he could help her out with. Perhaps she felt that whatever it was that she needed his help for went beyond the kind of friendship they shared.

‘I think it is better if she tells you herself.’

Dienye turned to B. B. who was waiting for him.

‘Tell her that if it isn’t too urgent, I’ll call her the moment I am done.’

‘I would rather she meets with you one on one today, if you can make out the time to see her.’

He gave it a thought and responded: ‘No problem. Tell her to come to the house.’

‘Thanks so much Double D. You’re the best.’

‘Wait till I tell Belema,’ he laughed.

‘I’ll deny it.’

His laughter was rich and from his heart.

‘All right, darling. See you tomorrow. I love you.’

‘I love you more.’

He returned to the game. He hadn’t seen Soki in months. It would be great seeing her again.

‘Don’t tell me your secret girlfriend is coming to see you.’

‘Hmmm?’

‘That can only be the reason for that smile on your face.’

‘If I hear. I am smiling at the thought of thrashing you.’

‘Big talk.’

* * * * *

UST Back gate

Diobu

Priye tossed the phone back into her handbag. It always felt good to hear her brother laugh. He had always been known for his easy smile and disposition. However, the death of his wife had hit him so hard that for months he had withdrawn into his shell. She was glad he was doing better. What he needed was to get married again!

She turned to her friend who was watching her with keen attention.

‘So?’

‘Dienye is at home and he has agreed to see you there.’ Priye told Soki, taking out a jotter and pen from her handbag. She wrote down Dienye’s home address, tore out the page and handed it over to Soki.

‘Thanks so much, Priye.’ Soki hugged her friend in excitement and gratitude. ‘You are a life saver.’

‘You’re welcome, dear. You had better hurry up. There’s probably traffic around Garrison/Waterlines and then at Artillery. If you are unable to locate his house, call him.’ And then Priye added mischievously. ‘Make sure you give him a hug from me.’

Soki stared at her friend.

‘Wetin? No be your love again?’ Priye laughed.

‘It would serve you right if I end up as your sister-in-law and ban you from our home.’

‘You fit?’

Soki laughed for the first time since she had heard about her father’s arrest. She hurried back through the back gate. She took a bus to Park and another to 1st Artillery and then she took a bike from the Okporo junction to Oroma estate where Dienye lived, finding that it was actually within walking distance. Because of the traffic she encountered on the way, it took her close to an hour to make the trip from school. She was tired and hungry but she was on a mission. Food was the last thing on her mind.

She readjusted the belt on her black jean which was now a size bigger courtesy of the forced weight loss she had undergone. Her red top blouse previously hugged her figure but not anymore. She walked through the side gate and headed down to Dienye’s house which was quite a distance from the gate but she barely noticed.

She gave her name to the security man at the gate. Dienye must have left an order for him to let her in once she arrived because she was immediately allowed into the vast premises. Had she been in a better frame of mind she would have appreciated the landscape. His home was a massive bungalow in the centre of the compound. It was built in form of a ship. She was directed to the back of the house where her crush was involved in a game of tennis with another man. Dienye didn’t have his spectacles on and he looked more handsome than ever.

She sat by the poolside watching the two men. Lawn tennis was one of the sports she had always been curious about but never could understand the way the scores were apportioned. As she watched the men, she recalled the first time she had met Dienye Daniel-Hart.

To be continued

ALL EPISODES

 

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