Devils In Disguise - Episode 3

 

ACT TWO SCENE ONE

The stock of books of different kinds in the library are immensely gargantuan, eight shelved books are situated at each corner with title and references on them. They were so clean as no speck of dust was found on them, the tables, chairs or the sparkling floors. The small sash windows were embellished with white flowered curtains hanging on them. A man wearing a dark grey suit in his early sixties sits on one of the rocking chairs . He is wearing an oval glasses and on top of his table is a ledger book and a newspaper, the former which he is checking upon.His hair is shaved, has a stubble jaw and a clean face devoid of blemishes. Still has a young face and could still be every woman's dream lover of sterling entity, fabled for casting a crestfallen, like one in despondent. He still has alluring qualities, urbane and suave. Few minutes later, a woman with braided hair, still very much in beauteous and suave enters the library room, with austerely looking face and inane like someone in vacuity, bearing a heavy load on her head, rambling some words to herself as she closes the ajar door behind her surreptitiously).
{LYPI}: I know you would be here. I can never imagine you staying outside this library for it's your comfort  zone, your best place of refuge long before you graced the earth crust. Your indulgence and dedication to keeping the numbers of your company's account increasing has made you inept to my cadre of feelings, emotions and happiness

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/devils-in-disguise

. You have reduced me to a concubine even when I have been married for thirty years to you.
{JACOB}: I don't share in your mediocrity woman. I have done everything a good husband could do to keep a priceless woman like you happy yet, what I get compensated of your vituperations and your tiresome talkativeness; cantankerous nature.
{LYPI}: Don't be on both the defense and on the attack. You know quite well we have been living a life of lies, projecting our lives to people as good, an emblem of emulation when we are not what they think.
{JACOB}: Then it isn't my fault we are falling apart.
{LYPI}: Then who's fault? Tell me, when was the last time we slept close to each other, had a peaceful conversion as a couple, the last time you left a note on the pillow whenever you are leaving early for work? All you do is doing business deals nineteen hours out of twenty four, and then you come back late in the night and tell me you are tired and jump out of your bed few hours later, disappearing like the thick cloud of smoke in the air. And you tell  me it isn't your fault.I have a strong convictions that you see some other girls.
{JACOB}:(disdained) Do you know the consequences of your intolerable prove less accusations? Of course you don't and I wont take an exception that sordid statement you uttered. Am a quintessence of constancy, a perfect emblem of a good husband.
{LYPI}:(Pacing about) A perfect emblem of an irate partner who doesn't care for anything other than moving up the ladder of riches and wealth, an emblem of colossal marriage failure. Marrying you was the greatest mistake of  my entirety.
{JACOB}: But you have and gave me a wonderful son, Alexander that is just like his father. You can also say your father made the biggest mistake by marrying your mother and you being the product a mistake, a fatal one and I too committed a blunder by marrying a mistake.
{LYPI}: Don't drag my parents into your abysmal situation.
{JACOB}: Oh, abysmal, abysmal.You are into the abysmal situation yourself.Equally, you are also abysmal.
{LYPI}: (Petrified) You are despicable. You have grown an enemity in me and created one among us. You have grown an ambivalence in me, sprouting from my subconscious, yet my inexplicable feeling of love is stronger than hatred and yet, the latter impedes the former to a great extent.  You are the cause of my misfortunes. Am  like the deserted fellow left all alone in obscurity, in an enclosure crying out to everyone for aid but falling on deaf walls even though they have ears but can't comprehend.(she begins to weep, her tears forming a flowing river on the floor. Jacob is unmoved by her pitiable display, springs to his feet and grasping a leather brief case by his right, he  puts the ledger book in it, locking it up with some codes.He proceeds to the unlocked door, halting and turning back to face the sorrowful woman).
{JACOB}: Lest I forget the most paramount, we will be at the Korsakoff's tomorrow morning with our son to resolve some issues.(Exits Jacob. Tears continues to emanate from her eyes until it came no more. The knob of the door makes a cracking sound, a male servant comes in tiptoeing, she reacts quickly to the unusual movement behind her.He is of a huge statue, cropped brown hair, wide face with a round grey eyes, straight nose on it and small lips.He has a limp on his right leg and his emergence is a surprise to the bellowed woman).
{THE MAN}: I can see your husband has left you in misery once again.
{LYPI}: (Wiping off her tears) What are you doing here? This is his library and he can get in here anytime and get us nabbed. I didn't send for you moreover.
{THE MAN}: Never mind, I overheard him telling the gate's guard wouldn't be coming back today.He's gone for a meeting outside the state.That leaves the night pleasurable for us.(He stretches to stroke her hair but was knocked off). You have been avoiding me of late and am beginning to question your feelings about me.
{LYPI}: My husband has gotten much worse than I ever imagined. I thought I could change him by charging towards him with my complaints. He walked out on me without a word of repentance or guilt.
{THE MAN}: He doesn't deserve to be with a woman so elegant and wonderful as you are. He doesnt know the worth of what he has until he looses it.Perhaps, his disadvantage is to my advantage.
{LYPI}: I want to put my marriage on the right path again, want to set things the right way.
{THE MAN}: (Contemptuously looking) And what does that suppose to convey?
{LYPI}: We are ending this clandestine relationship right now.
{THE MAN}:(Petrified) But you can't.Not after these months we have indulged in this. You were not happy in your marriage and not until now so why furthering the negative consequences, the disaster it has on you, the insidious that has diminished the effervescent glow in you, swindled your happiness and implanted grief in you (holding her hands tightly) let's go to a far away place, where we can be together, inseparable, where you can run away from the shadow of your predicaments.
{LYPI}: (Withholding her hands) No, Its over between us. Am done for.( Stands on her feet to leave).
{THE MAN}:(Smiling) Ok, I will let you go but I have to tell your husband what transpired between us and as you know, I don't get to loose anything and you will be a society scandal for that would provoke a hilarious laughte among your class and degrade your much cherished reputation.
{LYPI}: You will do no such callous act.I was desperate and needed a companion.
{THE MAN}: Oh, callous it is but the negligence of my feelings, not paramount and insignificant to you.
{LYPI}: You have no substantial evidence to support your claims.
{THE MAN}: On the contrary, I do have them. You remember those letters you wrote me, you said I should dispose them after reading but I didn't. I hid them beneath my clothes in my box.I bet your husband won't be so coy and blind that he wouldn't recognise the writing of his infidel wife exquisitely, that you have your lover under his roof.And what will people make jest of,they will say you have no shame that you are bedding a servant. 
{LYPI}:(infuriated) Are you trying to blackmail me. Having the pretense all this while of loving me in order to lure me into your trap?
{THE MAN}: Call it whatever you want.It is more or less a negotiation and conceeding to the indelible facts that you cannot forge ahead abandoning me in ruins like a tattered rag.
{LYPI}:(Gathering her composure) What do you want me to do?
{THE MAN}: If you want out, then you get me compensated with all your jewelry and gold at your disposal. That is all I want.
{LYPI}:That is an absurd demand.I can't grant your wish.
{THE MAN}: Oh yes, it isn't as absurd as your husband discovering your indulgence in this forbidden act.It would be an awesome sight to see you grasping his feet and fuming at your shameful act.You decided to hit my love for you against the rocks and must pay for the consequences.
{LYPI}:You are a devil in uttermost disguise.
{THE MAN}:The devil, the devil. Yes, am the devil and you want to redeem your lost soul you sold me and become a repentant.The devil gives nothing for free and will never and so am I.
A knock is heard on the door twice, she hides the man in the curtains behind the shelf drawer.She rushes and opens the door, her husband pushes her aside as he enters in rampage).
{LYPI}:What is the matter? What are you looking for in such a rage?
{JACOB}: I don't have to take a certain permission to be allowed entrance into my home. Besides, am looking for my credit cards. I must have misplaced them in one of the shelves.

Read " Ruth Vicissitudes " by the same author ( Reginald Obette )

. (He hurried to the shelve behind the curtains but she hinders him from going further).
{LYPI}: Why don't you check the table drawer while I check the shelve drawer. I will be much more quicker in finding it.
{JACOB}: (Astonished by her kind gesture) Ok, find it.
Few seconds later,she hands over three credit cards to him.
{JACOB}:(Full of appreciation) Thank you. (Suspicious) Why the sudden change of attitude? Moments ago, you were acting cold, now you are acting like an angel.I can sense that you are hiding something from me.
{LYPI}:You know I hide nothing from you.I have just come to a conclusion that we need not to be like this anymore, I need this marriage to work for the better and that I am the key to our happiness.
{JACOB}:(Smiling) Am happy to hear those words coming from you. Realising this truth, your mistakes and failures makes you heroic. I promise to get back home on time to finish this discussion. {He kisses her before departing for the door. The sound of a heavy moving object in the shelve drawer disrupts him,turning to see what it is).
{JACOB}: What is that sound?
{LYPI}:Oh! Its nothing serious. Probably, I forgot to arrange the books and replace them.I will go take care of it.
He finally departs.The man creeps from behind the curtains, holding some misplaced books in his hands. He carefully replaces them in the shelf).
{THE MAN}:That was very close. I made the noise on purpose.
{LYPI}:Enough of your schemes, it is settled.I will give what you want but promise me you wouldn't say anything.
{THE MAN}: I promise no words will spill out of my squalid lips. (They both exit with the man full of laughter on his lips while Lypi wrapped herself in the cloud).