Rachel – Episode 2

Two

The party starts at 6pm, and by 5:45pm, Rachel is ready for her husband’s party. After their marriage, her husband had shown his intentions to have his own firm.

He wanted to be a boss of his own and though her parents tried talking him out of it, even used her as a bait, they had to let go. This action of his strained his relationship with her parents especially her Dad. Raymond &Co. Law Firm, situate at Sango, Ibadan, Oyo state, is now a force to reckon with.

Being in love with litigation, this was the focus of the firm, tho his other partners, Seyi Olawale and Dotun Ojo,deal with real estate and property. Corporate practice wasn’t his thing.

They still lived in the Ajah area of Lagos State, a middle class family with everything at least going well for them. They were married for a year and 6 months. No kids yet. This was their plan. Not to have kids until they’re are financially capable of raising them.

They plan to space child bearing too; maybe 4 years interval. Just 2 kids. Raymond came home every two weeks from Ibadan to Lagos to spend the weekend with her. There in Ibadan, he rented a suitable apartment. She was working in the accounts section of her parents firm, in charge of the company’s account under the guide of the head. The pay was okay. And on getting a job as the accounts manager of Dixon Enterprise, an enterprise that deals in all sort of building materials there in Ibadan, she moved in with her husband amidst mixed emotions from her parents and former colleagues.

Their marriage is now 3 years, and they already have a house of their own, a duplex which he built on a land he had inherited from his family.

“You look beautiful” a voice startled her. It’s Raymond. She smiled at him, knowing this is just a farce. He wants the evening to go smoothly. “I like this cloth on you. You look like a fairy tale goddess” and maybe for a while, she thought she saw his eye twinkle in excitement.

Being a fair skinned lady, the print of his palm is on her face and she had done a good job of concealing it with her foundation and brown powder. She looks fresh. Walking hand in hand with Raymond to the sitting room, she could make out the faces in the living room, Dotun breeze to her side “Rachel, how have you been? You look so beautiful and I must say, Ray is lucky”.

She only smiles at him, as she greets the other guests. She maintains her smile. The perfect and happy wife of Raymond Ajayi. The party is a get together of the staff of the firm to celebrate their second year of existence and relevance.

Raymond throws this party to relieve his staff of the rigours of legal work. Lawyers do know how to party too. There is plenty of food. Jollof rice, fried rice, pounded yam, Amala,Eba. Plenty of drinks and wine too. This is more than a get together.

She catches a glimpse of a figure with her husband. A dark skin woman with robust hips hugging her husband tightly and appears too clingy. Maybe she’s just one of his workers.

“Beautiful wife” Raymond calls out to her. She spurns and smile up at him. The lady holding his arm tenderly.

“Meet Janet, a friend. I met her at a party I went with Seyi and Dotun. She’s a business woman. She trades in kids wears” he rolls out.

“Hi, it’s so nice to meet you finally” Janet said. What does she mean it’s so nice to meet me finally?. Definitely, she’s more than a mere acquaintance. “Hi, nice to meet you too. Hope you are enjoying the party. Make yourself comfortable” she replies while also smiling. With none of her friends in attendance, the party soon bore her. She keeps smiling at everyone. Her husband made sure everyone was well attended to. She wasn’t needed for that. After all, it’s his party.

By 9pm, the guests begin to take their leave. She scans the room for her husband, but he’s nowhere to be found. “Where can he be”?. She sees Janet laughing so hard at whatever it is the man beside her is saying. Janet, seeing her, waves at her and saunter to her.

“Hey, I didn’t get to, you know, really know you that time. It’s like Ray doesn’t want me near you. You look beautiful though. I was expecting some kind of fat and shapeless being. My bad. I’m sorry” she says.

Fat and shapeless. What has Raymond been feeding this woman. Such horrific imagination!.

“Ray is so lucky to have a beautiful woman as his wife. In fact I think any man will be lucky to have you as his wife. A woman to show to the world” she continues.

Rachel feels elated at her words and was almost swelling with pride when she said “but a beautiful woman who doesn’t know how to give her husband the maximum sexual satisfaction is not doing well”. What?! Did Ray tell her that.

She was going to ask if her husband told her that when she said “with you looking sullen and life seeming to pop out of you. You don’t seem to be having a good time with your husband”. Rachel just smile at her.

“Janet, I really appreciate your concern, but what my husband and I do in the confines of our bedroom is really not your business” she barks.

“Hey, calm down. I can see through the facade of this foundation and brown powder. Your cheek is pink. See Ray is a good guy. There must be something you are doing that’s pissing him off. You have to be obedient to him”. Rachel looked at Janet like she’s gone bonkers, fights the tears threatening to spill down her cheek and walks away to grab a drink.

What right does this woman have to come tell her what to do. Is Ray cheating on her?. No, she shrugs. The thought of Ray shagging another woman leaves her trembling and almost spills the drink. Even while they were dating, he never for once looked at another woman lustfully.

Owing to his good looks, she had thought she was going to have problems of dealing with girls who will find him attractive. But he wasn’t the type that chases anything with a hole. He was committed to her and her alone. Or so she thought.

She never saw any sign of another woman in his house anytime she visited him. Say a lingerie, bra, pant, lipstick or the likes.

“Maybe he hides them well” her subconscious opines. She shakes the thought away as quickly as it came. Can a person pick up a new habit, albeit bad?.

“Are you okay sweetheart?. Seyi and Dotun are on their way” his voice jolts her back, she smiles down at Seyi and Dotun, who couldn’t help but appreciate her beauty and for the umpteenth time tell Ray how lucky he is to have a beautiful woman warm his bed every night especially in this cold season of the year.

Ray looked at her and for a while sees what his partners are talking about. “I’m one lucky dude” he says to them as he ushers them out of the house to bid them goodbye.

Rachel waves at them and walks to the bedroom thanking her stars the party has ended. She wouldn’t make it if the party had lasted another hour. A woman came in to tidy the living room. Ray had surely hired her to do so.

With the water washing away the stickiness, her mind wanders away to Janet. She’s such a fine young woman. Ebony. Curvaceous. She’s just a friend to Ray, her subconscious reminds her. Towelling her body , she sits at the mirror to examine the patch near her face.

“Thanks Sarah, Goodnight” she hear him say. It must be the woman. Her name is Sarah. He enters the room, glances at her and made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower. She was already in her pajamas when he got out of the bathroom, dripping wet. He towels his body and walks gracefully to her. She swallows hard.

“You look really beautiful today. I like your smile” he says to her as he envelopes her face in his hand, gives her a kiss on the lips. He looks at her, at the patch, “baby, did I do this to you. Aww. I’m so sorry” he says as he kisses her there.

Trailing kisses from the patch, her cheek, he nuzzles her ear, licking the corners of her earlobe, trailing kisses down her neck to her cleavages. He looks at her hungrily. She just allow him take charge and control. He’s so sweet tonight and she wouldn’t want a change of atmosphere.

The kissing and all continues and they made love. They had not made love in a while. Maybe it’s time to have kids. Though she’s so skeptical about having kids, owing to his constant change in behavior.

He might change for the better. She just needs to keep praying for him. That’s what Pastor Mrs said. Maybe finally she can patronize Janet. She smiles.

She and Ray were caught up in the moment. He keeps saying he’s sorry and swears with his life that he won’t ever lay his fingers on her anymore.

“Ray, are we going to have kids”?she asks

“Should we make babies?. It’s been three years tho. Are you still taking the pills?” He asks

“Yes, I am. Since we’ve not really discussed having babies. I don’t want to spring surprise on you by announcing my pregnancy” she replies

“Awwww, that’s so thoughtful of you. My parents been bugging me about kids and I’ve been reiterating that we are just taking our time. Can you believe Mom said if it’s about child care, she’ll do it. I just laughed”

They both laugh at the thought of her mother-in-law taking care of their baby because they couldn’t afford to. It’s sickening. Her mother-in-law, Bose Ajayi was a civil servant before her retirement. Her husband had died while the kids, Ray, Felix and Pamela were young.

She had single handedly taken care of Ray and his siblings. So to her, taking care of her grandchild is no work. She’s the reason Ray worked hard and he’s still working hard.

“I want to give the best life to you, our kids and to that woman” he always says. Though Bose hadn’t liked her at first, because she thought she’s a spoilt brat, they now fond of each other. Felix and Pamela like her, and had all come to spend some time with them. She liked their company.

They revered their brother and see him as some sort of god. Anytime there arose a conflict between her and Ray, they’ll always advise her to calm down and listen to him. If things go haywire, they will still blame her for not advising him. She’ll be at lost. The best thing she’s decided to do is to keep quiet, do his bidding and if things go otherwise, they bear the brunt together. For better, For worse, they say it is.

“I love you sweetheart. Goodnight. You have to stop taking the pills now” he mutters to her.

“Yes, I’ll stop. I love you too. Goodnight” she replies.

He kisses her on the cheek, spooning her, he switches off the bed lamp.

Tonight is good. She hopes there are better days ahead.

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