*TOO LATE*
*Episode 4*
Since Stanley left home, Chioma found it difficult to reach him. His lines were always switched off. He never sent the money he promised her.
Chioma boiled the last derica of rice that morning and what to eat in the evening wasn’t available. What she earns as a teacher isn’t enough. Monthly, her children’s fees are deducted from the salary and the rest, she used to settle the debts she owes Iya Kafayat.
Her thought began to run wide. The children will never understand why there is no food in the house when they are hungry. Moving lazily to her room, she opened her purse and drawers whether by chance she will see any money. There was none. She picked a bag in the wardrobe and turned the content on the bed. Once she saw two hundred naira note in that same bag. Who knows luck may smile on her again.
She opened the old diaries searching for money. She went through them one after the other. As she searched, she also noted that her husband documented some events. Curiosity took over. She picked up another diary, she opened it and as she read, her blood pressure rose. The hair on her head stood still.
“What is this?” She asked rhetorically.
Dropping the diary on the bed, she closed her eyes and tried to stop the tears threatening to fall. Her heart beats faster. She picked the diary again and continued to read what was written in her husband’s handwriting. As she read on, Chioma discovered that her husband recently bought a car and a land.
“But where is the car?” She asked rhetorically
“What he is using currently was bought two years ago, so where is the car?”
At the second page, he documented his thought.
“You make me happy Rosa. I hope you will be impressed with the car I bought for you. I will hand over the keys to you after our trip. I will watch you laugh when I present the gift to you”
The diary fell from Chioma’s hand and she screamed. Her kids ran into the room and met her crying. As she cried, she kept hitting her chest lightly.
“I am pay your school fees, I buy clothes and feed you with my meager salary, yet your dad bought a car and land for another woman.”
The kids didn’t understand her. They just looked on.
“Currently, I have nothing in the house with which to feed you guys” she said hitting her chest.
Chioma cried and tried to reach her husband through the phone again, but it was switched off.
“What have I done to deserve this?”
It was already evening and the kids must eat, Chioma went to the bathroom. She washed her face and looked at her swollen face in the mirror.
She has been showing Stanley love but he wasn’t reciprocating. Rather than changing, he became worse. Stanley was always complaining of lack of fund, yet he bought a car worth millions of naira for another woman. Chioma powdered her face and went out. Iya Kafayat had been of help to her. Anytime she is stranded, she runs to her to collect the food stuff she needs and at the end of the month, she offset her debts.
In a time as things, Chioma ran to her for assistance and Iya Kafayat obliged her. After promising to pay her at the end of the month, she returned to cook supper. When the kids had gone to bed, she knelt and began to pray.
“Your word says in the time of trouble when we call upon you, you will answer. I am calling upon you father, answer me, for my heart is on fire and I am dying slowly. You also said, come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest…” She kept quoting bible verses and she poured her heart to God.
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Charles felt insulted when Brian gave him a cheque. He was angry and bitter.
“I never asked for your assistance” He said “You just insulted me”
“Calm down!”
“Don’t tell me to calm down” He said standing up from the chair “I never said my fiancee is living with you forever. I only said give me some time. Now I understand what she told me, that you want her out of the house because you wanted her, but she refused to lie on your bed”
Aghast, Brian stood up too.
” Me?, Wanted her?, When did she say this?” He said removing his glasses
“Never mind. I am disappointed. You want to have sex with her. Thank God she has the decency to say no to you. The difference between us is that your father left his business for you and I am just coming up. You use your wealth to intimidate her”
“Wow!” Brian exclaimed.
Saying nothing, Brian picked his car keys from the table and walked out. He was pained. How could he ever make a pass to his friends fiancee. He drove angrily home. He knocked on Karen’s door and waited for her it come out. She came out with hands akimbo on her chest.
“What?”
“When did I make a pass at you?. You told Charles lies. Stop it Karen please”
Ignoring him, she entered her room and locked it. Brian stood there for a time before entering his room. She peeped through the lock hole, noticing that Brian was no longer standing there, she laughed and sat in the bed.
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When Brian left, Charles was expecting Karen to call him that she had just been sacked, but nothing like that happened. Charles likes comfort. He wanted a comfortable place for himself. Immediately Brian left, he visited a house agent who took him round, showing him vacant houses for rent. He didn’t like what he saw. Either the rooms were too small or the kitchen not big enough. The one he likes was disqualified because of the toilet. It was just too small. Then he remembered that once he saw a vacant apartment in a nice area. Quickly, he thanked the agent and left his office. He boarded a bike to the said place and called the phone number written on the board. Charles waited as he was instructed. The agent for the house came and together with him, Charles inspected the house. Just what he needed. He was told the price but be couldn’t afford it.
“I don’t have that kind of money but I like the house” He said
“Well… that is the rent for 2 years”
“Alright, let’s strike a deal. I like the house but I don’t have that amount of money. Can you please, allow me pay what I have and then pay the balance instalmentally for two months?”
Charles waited for his response and he watched the agent dialled a number. After speaking in an unknown language with the caller, he returned with a smile.
“It’s a deal”
He gave Charles his office address. The next day, he went there and paid for a room and parlour self contain. It was a two years rent. He was glad that, at least, he had been able to achieve what took him so long. He out a call to Karen to give him good news. No more was Brian and Ann ever going to traumatize his fiancee. Even if Brian decides to sack her from his company, he would try his best to meet her needs until another job comes her way. Charles was so excited as he went home and broke the news to his parents
Watch out for next episode
