Episode 14: Now That You Are Here; A Tale of Deception and Betrayal

[Excerpt from Episode 13: “This madness has gone on for too long, I would be a very bad friend if I let this nonsense go on. It is time I do something about it. I have watched you make a fool of yourself just because I felt you knew what you were doing but it’s apparent you don’t. Halima and I need to have a talk. She must not marry that pig, pregnancy or no pregnancy.”]

Anu hurried into the almost empty restaurant and sighted Halima right away. She was sitting at the far end of the restaurant with her back to the door and her dark head bent over her phone. Anu sighed resignedly with what she was about to do of telling Halima all about Damilola and Muyiwa’s affair. This is going to be a betrayal you know, a voice in her head said but she quickly shut it out. I am simply trying to save them from themselves, she chided herself silently.

“I am so sorry I am late Halima, I got caught up in this stupid Lagos traffic. You know how it can be.” She said as she reached the table and touched Halima by the shoulder. Halima looked up with a welcoming smile on her pretty face and replied

“It is no problem Anu. How are you doing, and how is your husband?” she laughed and continued before Anu could answer “I should not even be asking that silly question. Look at you, you are practically glowing.” Anu laughed along with her and wondered how she was going to break the news to Halima.

“I do hope that Muyiwa would be as loving and caring when we are married. You know the way men can be, always so sweet and caring during courtship but then they start to misbehave when you are married to them.” Anu’s ear perked at that and she saw that as her cue to broach the subject.

“About that Halima, are you sure you really want to get married just yet? I mean pregnancy is not enough reason to get married to a guy.” Halima’s pretty face puckered slightly as a frown appeared on her face and she looked at Anu with a questioning expression.

“Tell me you are not serious about that if I want to get married to Muyiwa? He is the love of my life and the pregnancy is simply hastening what we have always both wanted. I love him and he loves me, he makes me happy and nothing would make me happier than being his wife. He is a rare guy.”

“When you say rare, what do you mean?” Halima’s eye lighted up as she gushed

“He is so sweet and caring, he treats me with the utmost respect and puts my feelings first. Just consider the way he quickly asked me to marry me when I told him I was pregnant. He knew it would be scandalous if my parents find out that am pregnant but with the marriage they would be pacified. He doesn’t even look at any other girl but me, what more can I ask for?”

Anu rolled her eyes and asked “You are sure he doesn’t look at other women?” Something in Anu’s voice sent warning signals to Halima’s head and she looked intently at the other woman in front of her before asking

“Of course I am sure he doesn’t look at other women. I was at first suspicious of him and your friend Damilola but looking at those two you can tell they are just friends. Damilola is a respectable woman and Muyiwa is a good man.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Anu replied sarcastically, “You honestly in your heart of hearts believe those two are just friends?” The warning signals in Halima’s head rang louder but she tried to quell them as she adjusted in her seat and took a sip of her drink which the waiter had brought shortly after Anu’s arrival.

“Is there something you are insinuating at Anu? Tell me, is there something I should know, after all you are friends with Damilola.”

Anu was tempted to blurt out the entire truth right then and there but something about Halima’s troubled face stopped her. Halima’s beautiful face was marred with a deep frown and there was an anxious look to her eyes that made her look a bit wild. She waged the war between telling the truth and changing the topic and at last she answered.

“I am not saying there is anything other than friendship going on between them. All I am saying is that you should look closely before you take a leap. Marriage is not something one should rush into.” 

Shrugging nonchalantly, Anu laughed and continued “Enough of all these depressing talks, what plans have you started making for the wedding?”

Halima’s face relaxed at this change of topic as she launched into talks about the upcoming wedding.

Damilola jumped down from the chair she had been using as support while putting the final touches to the camera she had had set up in her room. She looked up at her handiwork and smiled to herself in satisfaction. From this angle the camera took in the entire room while its vantage position allowed it to go undetected.

She had called Muyiwa earlier in the day and asked to see him so they could have a serious talk before his wedding which was to take place in about one week’s time. Following his announcement, he had been avoiding her and she was feeling slighted. It was obvious that they had lost what they had built together as they barely talked again. He rarely called her or chat her up and when they did find time to talk, the conversation was always stilted. They felt more like polite strangers than anything and Damilola was sure not ready to lose him.

After intense mind racking on how she could get him back despite his fast approaching marriage, she had decided to resort to this. If he refused to carry on with her then she would be left with no other choice but blackmail. It sounded desperate but then she was a desperate scorned woman and she would do anything to get what she wanted. After her satisfactory inspection, she went into the bathroom to get ready for the night’s seduction.

He was punctual as usual and she sashayed to the door in the slinky blue gown that she had bought specially for the occasion. She had not bothered with underwear and her breasts jutted out proudly on her chest, pushing against the thin fabric. She opened the door and welcomed him with a glowing smile as she tried to act natural.

“You have been avoiding me Muyiwa and that is not too good you know.” She said after he was sitted comfortably with a drink in hand.

“I have been extremely busy Damilola and you and I both know that too much contact between us is not good. We had a good time but we both know there is no future for it. I just don’t want to encourage it anymore especially not if it is going to affect my marriage or your chances of getting yourself a good person.”

“Just because we are ending the affair doesn’t mean we can’t be good friends Muyiwa. We were friends before all of this started. None of us planned to fall in love.” She moved closer to him and sat down on his lap as she talked. He tried to dislodge her but she wrapped her hands tightly around his neck.

“In the meanwhile, you can’t just end everything without a proper goodbye. So consider this our last roll in the haystack before you tie the knot. I am not willing to stand in the way of your happiness.” As she talked, she unbuttoned his shirt and teased his ear playfully with her tongue.

“We really shouldn’t do this Damilola.” He protested in a weak tone and she shut him up with a kiss as she placed his hand on her breast and squeezed lightly. He kissed her back then and she pulled him up as she led him into the bedroom like a lamb being led to the slaughter. Mission accomplished she thought as she smiled to herself and closed the bedroom door after them.

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