Tonia grabbed her handbag, and car keys, then left for her mother's room.
"I need to go out ma. I'll be right back. Please take care of the children."
"Going out, by this time? It's past 6pm already. Where are you going that can't wait till tomorrow?" Her mother asked, worried.
"Mum, I just need to see a friend. I won't stay long."
"But you're not allowed to drive yet."
"Bayo my driver is still around, he'll drive me. Bye ma."
She had called Damilola earlier on phone.
Damilola worked at the Ikeja city mall and her shift would end by 8pm. She was a supervisor of the cashiers at the mall.
She was now married to a young banker and expecting their first child.
"Bayo, come, we're going out." Tonia called her driver.
"Yes ma."
Usman heard a car drive out of the compound, he ran out to check who it was but they had left before he could get out.
He asked for Tonia and the Nanny told him she had gone out.
He knew he was in trouble again.
Tonia had seen through him. Again.
"Bayo, Please take the fastest route, we're going to the Ikeja mall. We need to beat rush hour traffic."
"Ok ma."
They got there some minutes after 8pm. Damilola was waiting for her at one of the eateries in the mall.
They hugged each other and exchanged pleasantries.
"It's so good to see you up and about. You looked weak during Farouk's naming ceremony. How's everybody? Hope there's no problem? I was worried when you said we had to meet urgently."
"I'm sorry if I scared you but i just had to talk to someone before I go crazy. I can't talk to mum. She still believes it's a man's world."
"Is this about your husband?" Damilola asked.
"Yes. I think he's cheating on me. I'm drained, I don't think I can take this anymore." Tonia was in tears now.
"Awww. Are you sure about this? Have you confronted him?"
"Yes. He denied it then. But I had to put my mind off the issue because of my pregnancy. You know it was difficult for me with Farouk.
But I can't just pretend all is well with my marriage when my instincts say otherwise."
"I understand you. But I think you should confirm and be double sure first."
Tonia nodded.
"Then, when you're sure you can think of what to do. I cannot tell you whether to leave or stay with your husband.
Besides, you guys are Muslims and your religion allows polygamy. But the question is, are you okay with it?"
"Now you sound like my mum, you know she's a practicing Muslim too, my Dad was a christian. But then, men will always have excuses to cheat."
"My point exactly. Make sure he knows where you stand. In fact, he should have known your stand on this before you guys got married."
If only Damilola knew, that Usman couldn't be a man with her, not to talk of cheating as at when they got married.
But she couldn't tell her. She had promised herself never to tell anyone apart form her mother .
"So, I still think you should have a serious talk with him. Not aggressive, but assertive. He needs to get his act together. This is not good for you or the children." Damilola concluded.
They stood and left.
"It was good talking to you Damilola, thanks for listening. Do you still hear from Biola, it's been a while I heard from her." Tonia said.
"Oh, that one, we talk once in a while. Ever since she left for Dublin, we hardly get in touch."
"And Chichi, she calls me sometimes but only when she's broke. That girl cannot change, she lives for money." Tonia said, laughing.
They both laughed, reminiscing about old times.
"We'll drop you off at home. I've delayed you. It's too late for you to take public transport. Especially in your condition." Tonia told Damilola.
"I can find my way, it's okay."
"No, I insist, besides I brought a few things for you. The dresses and shoes I bought for you when I travelled, you refused to come pick them up. So I decided to bring them along."
"Oh. Okay. Thank you." Damilola hugged her again.
Tonia slipped a bale of one thousand naira notes into her friend's bag as she does everytime.
She had been planning to get her a car, but wasn't sure of how Damilola's husband would react.
They took Damilola home, her husband was already waiting for her at their entrance. They exchanged pleasantries, said their good byes and Tonia left.
In an hour, Tonia was back home.
When she got in, she checked her mother and her children first. The boys were sleeping but Farouk woke up at the sound of her voice and started crying.
Tonia quickly washed her hands and breastfed him. While she was breastfeeding him, Usman appeared at the door.
"Where were you? Are you seeing someone? Is this how you go out whenever I'm not around? Has it come to this? So you now go out without informing your husband?" He kept drilling her.
"Which of your questions would you have me answer first? As you can see, I am breastfeeding my son, our son.
When I'm done here, I'll answer you."
Fuhad at that moment started grumbling in his sleep. "Dada, Dada."
"I'm here son." Usman went to his bedside and patted him back to sleep. Tonia's mum was already out of the toilet.
"You two should resolve your issues and not disturb these children. Tonia, give me the baby and go to your husband."
"Thank you Ma, please burp him." She told her mum and followed Usman to their room.
"Usman, before you say any other thing, let me just tell you this. If you accuse me of infidelity one more time, I will leave this room.
So, what do you want to know? I have questions and a lot to talk about too, so let's hear you."
"I'm just angry that you didn't tell me you were going out. And for that long. Almost six hours and at night. I was worried.
You also refused to pick my calls." He said, standing over her as she was seated on the bed.
"Don't raise your voice at me. Do you remember how you snapped at me when you came in? Don't you know your behaviour for some time has been driving me crazy? Do you think I'm a fool?" Tonia asked him.
"What do you mean?" He asked, feigning ignorance.
"I mean the days I call your office line after I've called your cell phone but you've refused to pick up, only for your secretary to tell me you're not on seat, but when you get home in the evening, you tell me you didn't step out of the office through out office hours.
Or those times when a friend sees your car at one end of town and calls to ask if I'm with you, but when you get back you tell me you were at the opposite end of town.
What do you take me for? A fool? A child?"
"Are you policing my move..."
She didn't allow him finish.
"It's my turn to talk, so I will talk, and you will listen, and I will be heard. Usman, I am your wife, the mother of your children, I'm not something you bought off the rack.
I told you I loved you first, remember? Yes, the same way I professed my love to you and went out of my way to have you in my life, I can get you out of my life if you push me to the wall.
And I am so close, I mean very close to the wall.
I will not be the object of ridicule in this town, simply because you are rich and can't keep your manhood in check. Grow up!"
She left him staring at her, went into the bathroom, took a shower and went to sleep.
#fiction
#marriage
All rights reserved
Written By Tolulope Fakayode-Faniran
5th June, 2017
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