Palm lines 2 - Episode 9

 

Sharon's POV

"Tell me you were pretending and what you said to Mo was just nothing but a big fat lie" Tasha asked just after the interview. She was fuming just as I assumed. If we were in a cartoon world, there'll be smoke on her head.
"I wasn't pretending" 
"Sharon we have to leave the country. We can't stay here, I can't stay here" 
"Well you don't have to" Mom interrupted, "I wish you safe journey in advance" she smiled and Tasha scoffed. 
"Mam you don't understand, she has a better chance there, she even have her own gallery" 
"Every man in life needs a break and Sharon has decided to take one to be with her family, what's bad about that?" Mom hugged me. 
"I'm proud of you" she whispered and I smiled.
 "We'll be waiting outside for you" she added leaving with Sam, Joshua and Sera . I began to wonder where Dad was.
"I hope you don't regret this" she added and I nodded. 
"I won't" 
A call immediately came in from Tuni. "Have I ever told you oh how proud I am of you?" She asked and I shook my head. 
"No."
"You just made me proud on t.v

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/palm-lines-2

. What changed your mind?" 
"You, my family and..." 
"Ade" she added and I scoffed. "I wasn't going to say Ade" I rolled my eyes. 
"I just want to figure out what I want for myself" 

David's POV

Ade stopped by at the office, I didn't make any order, I knew he came so he could let some things off his chest, perhaps he watched the show and probably came to talk about it.
"Good day Sir" he greeted and I smiled.
"Good day. What's bitting your ass?" I asked and he chuckled. "I asked Shirley out, we're dating" he announced and I kept quiet. I was trying to soak it all in. 
"You don't seem like you're okay with it"
"Of course I am Ade" 
"You are?" He asked and I shook my head.
"No I'm not but. You're mature enough to make your own decisions just like Sharon made her decision to stay back in Nigeria"
"She did?"  He asked, i was shocked he didn't watch the show. "You didn't watch it?" 
"That was the same time Shirley came and ...." He cleared his throat. 
"We were talking" he cleared his throat again. 
"Hmmmmn" I added in disbelief. 
"You mean kissing" 
"We talked too"
"Hm... I'm not going to tell you what to do with your life. All I can say is that I wish you the best in your new relationship and I wish you happiness and joy and may she never leave Nigeria and forget about you" I added and he laughed. 
"Thank you Sir" he bowed his head shortly before leaving. 

****
After work, I drove into the compound. Just when I got out if the car, I saw Tasha walk towards me with a frown on her face. "If you're here to convince me to talk to Sharon, I'll have to honestly say it's a waste of your precious time" 
"Sharon has made her decision and I can't force her to change it. I just want to know if your hospitality can be extended till Sharon plans to leave? If you don't agree, I can go lounge in a hotel, it's no bother" She asked and I gave it a thought. 
"Don't be silly dear, you're free to stay at least till you're ready to leave, why not?" I asked and she hugged me. "Thanks" she pulled back going back in and I smiled.

Erika seemed awfully happy at the mere thought of Tasha leaving Nigeria, unknown to her she had already made plans to stay back and I agreed to her staying at the house. I didn't even know how to burst her bubbles. 
"I'm going to give a testimony in church tomorrow. Finally she'll be gone" she laughed.
"Why don't you like her?" I asked and I saw her hesitate. "She's a bad influence on our daughter and she acts like she runs Sharon's life. With her away, Sharon can finally make good decisions and maybe realize she's not in love with that girraffe head boyfriend of hers. Maybe she'll fall back in love with Ade" 
"Ade's dating Shirley" I announced and Erika gazed upon me in shock. "What did you just say?" She asked and I shrugged, "Ade's dating Shirley" I repeated and she sat down on the bed. 
"Why would he do that?"
"Erika listen to yourself right now, you sound silly. He's an adult" 
"Sharon and Ade were meant to be. I was so sure of it" she muttered almost disappointingly.
"Maybe not everyone's meant to be. Maybe not every love story was meant to be like Erika and David's. Maybe Ade was meant to be with Shirley and giraffe head with Sharon" 
"I have to meet Temi Reiner,  I have to know what to do." She leaned on me and I kissed her on the forehead. 

The following morning, during breakfast, Erika rose up immediately she saw Tasha coming.
"Oh there she is" she placed her palm on her chest. "I made dinner specially for you cause it's going to be your last breakfast in this house. I call it a send forth breakfast. We're going to miss your presence in this house," she added, I could denote the sarcasm in her voice. 
"When's your flight" she added, "I cancelled it" Tasha answered.
"What?" She asked and I almost laughed. The look on her face was priceless. 
"You cancelled to book tomorrow or what? Make me understand" 
"I'm not going anymore" 
"What do you mean by you're not going anymore?"
"Mam, I believe I spoke in plain English. I'm staying till Sharon changes her mind." 
"And I understood perfectly. My question is, have you found where to stay?" She snapped, "I already spoke to your husband already and he agreed that I can stay for as long as I can until Sharon decides to leave"  
Erika glared me.
 "I was going to talk to you about it" I chipped in, "When?" She asked and I opened my mouth but no words came out. 
I suddenly didn't have appetite for the bread and fried eggs any longer.
"Who needs more mayoniase?" she asked and everyone turned towards the bottle of maynaise on the table then her phone rang, "I better get that" she walked away. 
I knew i was in for serious query, "I hope everything's fine?" Tasha asked and i faked a smile. "Sure" "Mommy is angry" Sera noted and I cleared my throat. 
 "I think the principal is going to punish you" Tammie chewed on a bread, her comment forced a smile out of me, i chuckled. 
"More like expel" i added and she laughed.
"I don't want to cause problems" Tasha answered and i shook my head. "It's nothing"

Erika's POV 

I walked into the kitchen in anger. I didn't understand why david permitted her to stay another day in this house. By the time i walked into the kitchen, the phone had stopped ringing. It was Kechi, she called again and i picked up.
 "Happy Sunday!" she screamed and i moved the phone away from my ears.
"Are you trying to burst someone's ear drum?" i heard Dorcas asked and i smiled. It their usual conference call. "Good morning Dorcas" I greeted,  "Me that initiated the call didn't even get a happy sunday back but you had to greet Dorcas. This your preferential treatment sha" Kechi complained and i laughed.
"Why are you always jealous?" Vera asked and i chuckled, the team was now complete in exception of Ify. Things have changed over the years and bonds have grown.
"Why did it take you so long to pick up?" Vera asked, "Were you getting a fourth round from David?" she added and i shut my eyes. 
"I wasn't getting anything from anyone,"
"But you were getting morning sex" 
"I was at the dinning, i wasn't having s*x"
"I recognize that voice, Erika's not happy. What's wrong?" Debby asked and i smiled. She knew me well enough.
"David agreed to letting Tasha stay in the house till i don't know and Ade just started dating one Americana like that and i'm so angry girls." i cleaned my tears. 
"Let's talk, emmergency meeting at the spa, my spa" Kechi yelled. "Just say you're looking for Sunday customers" i snapped and they all laughed. 
"Very funny!" Kechi answered. 
"Later girls" I blew kisses then I hung up. 
I made a decision to use a separate car and David disagreed.  "This is crazy" he muttered, "If you have something to say to me, do. We never use separate cars on Sundays"
"I'll be meeting with the girls after service. If i have something to say to you, i will" i replied, "Who's coming with me?" i asked and no one answered. I turned towards Tammie and she looked away then i entered into the car alone then i drove off.
At kechi's spa, I laid on the bed while a lady massaged my back. It's been a while i had one from David.
"I'm having orgasm already" Vera commented and everyone laughed. 
"Are you single?" she asked the guy and who was handling her massage.  We all chorused a scoff.
I heard the guy chuckle, "A fine guy like you cannot be single. Are you available for fuck?" She asked, "Jesus!" i muttered shaking my head. 
"Sorry i'm late" i heard Ify yelled and i turned my head sideway then i smiled at her. 
"Hello Ify"
"Sorry i couldn't pick your call in the morning. I was... busy" she answered. Kechi and Vera cheered. I knew they had to be thinking of something really corrupt. 
"She was busy getting some action" Vera answered and she blushed. "You girls are crazy. Well... Feso finally proposed and we were at it all night and we continued in the morning" she explained.
"Did you guys even go to church?" I asked and she nodded. "You probably didn't even meet up with praise session" 
 "Abeg! There's nothing better than morning s*x, it's better than any spa treatment." Kechi noted, "I agreed" Dorcas raised up her hand.
"There's no cure for stress like morning s*x. Stanley knows just how to get my morning started"
"To think that you taught him" Vera chipped in and i smiled.
"He's a good learner" she answered and i tried to remember the last time i had morning s*x. 
"When was the last time you give David morning s*x?" Kechi asked and all eyes fell on me and i turned towards the masseur and masseuse in the room. "We're not alone" I pointed out and Kechi ordered every worker to leave.  I sat up covering my br*ast with a blue bed sheets. 
"What's going on?  Don't tell me David is turning into a ten minute guy?" She asked and i shrugged. 
"David is still awesome. It's just that I'm always tired, i run a school and i have to wake up to cook for the kids. Morning s*x will just take time"
"You speak like grandma. When last did you two have s*x? Don't tell me it's been long" she asked, "Last night" i answered. 
"You should spice up your s*x life everyday, routines and tiredness will make it boring." Ify advised, speaking from the perspective of a motivational speaker"
"I get it . Congrats on your engagement" i said to her and others joined in.
"Now let's talk about your problems" Dorcas suggested,  "David granted that skinny b*tch Tasha the permission to live with us. We spoke last night about how excited i was about her leaving and he didn't mention it not until she told me. I'm so angry at him"
 "Why do you hate her? Are you worried because of David?" Vera asked and I shook my head.
"I'm not worried for David, i trust him. I just don't just like the vibes i get from her and her influence on my daughter. I thought she would finally be out of the picture." i rolled my eyes, "And Ade is now dating another" Dorcas continued, "Yes. It's annoying"
"I had high hopes for those two" Kechi sighed, "Me too. I wish i can open their eyes" I sighed too.
"You can meet Mrs Reiner"
"You know it doesn't work that way" 
"Okay, let's do this," Kechi tied the bedsheet across her chest.  "Operation getting Ade and Sharon together, we'll think of every dirty means of getting these texts together and if it doesn't work, we'll know they were not meant to be, so... who's in?" She asked. 
"Okay what kind of plan exactly?"
"With five intelligent women, i believe we can figure something out," 
"I'm in, because she called me intelligent," Vera answered and we all laughed.
 "Who else is in?" Vera asked and we all raised our hands.

I went back home and the kids made me aware that Lawrence, Sunshine and the kids left a a while ago. I felt bad that I didn't see them. With talkative character like Sera, I wasn't left out of the scoop on what happened. 
Like father, like daughter. 
There are times I fear she'll end up being like Tammie. 
****
I went into the room and I turned on the TV. I was ready to stay indoors to avoid seeing David. Sera came in by past 7, "Dad made q surprise dinner for you, he wants you to come over to the dinning to eat" she smiled and I touched her cheek faking a smile. 
"Sweet heart, I don't have the appetite. I'm not hungry" 
"But I cooked the food too"
"I'll eat it tomorrow, not now. I'm really not in the mood" 
"Okay. I'll go and tell him" she left sadly and my heart broke.
 I wanted to damn all anger and just make her happy but eating the food but my anger was stronger.
I went into Sera's room to take her bath just before she slept. "She sat in the bathtub as I scrubbed her back with a sponge. 
"You didn't eat because you were angry at daddy right?" She asked and I wondered why she asked. 
"No. I'm not angry at your Dad. Sweetie, I'm not" I lied,  "You didn't enter into the same car with us" 
"Because I had to meet up with your Aunt Dorcas, Kechi, Vera and Ify." "Okay." She paused, "Mommy what is move on?" She asked and I creased my head in thought. 
Where does this girl hear these things from? 
"Move on means to do without something. If I tell you to move on from eating noodles it means" 
"That I shouldn't eat noodles anymore" 
"Good one." 
"If someone says I don't have a shot with you" 
"It means, you don't have a chance being with the person. Where did you hear this from?" 
"Big sis and Uncle Ade, big sis told Uncle Ade to move on" she answered and I pierced it all together and it made sense. Sharon definitely pushed Ade into dating Shirley. 

David's POV
After church service i took the kids back home. Lawrence stopped by with the kids, then we spoke in the study while Sunshine stayed with the kids.
 "Maybe it's her period, this period can mess with our women's head."
"It's not her period, we just went through that"
"But mehn you no try sha, you could have told her yesterday" 
"I wanted to, I just didn't want to make her unhappy before game time" I answered hoping he'll understand. I didn't want to ruin our love making moment.
"Oh, it was a quarter before the football match" 
"Yes it was."
"But you know how Erika can get when she's angry. I'll suggest you buy her flowers or treat her to some romantic dinner" 
"True. Romantic dinner will do just fine" I smiled.

****
Erika came back shortly after Lawrence and Sunshine left with the kids. "Mummy Jeremy's teeth has removed, he's missing two teeth" Sera announced and I watched Erika pretend to be shocked as though she didn't see it a week ago on Sunshine's WhatsApp status. 
Suddenly I saw her walk towards me with a serious look on her face and laughter hid around the corner of my cheek. I restrained myself from laughing. 
"Hey um.." was all i could say when she walked past me. My only joy was that no one saw me. 
"I saw that" Sharon folded her hands as though reading my mind. "Mom's angry at you" "Yes I know but thanks for the reminder" I answered and she chuckled.
"Should I talk to her for you?" She asked and I shook my head. "No. I was planning on making dinner for her. It's a surprise"
"Is it a surprise dinner?" I heard Sera asked and I knew it would no longer be a surprise.
"Do you want help?" She asked, "Yes I want your help cause you're the best chef in the world" I carried her and she laughed. 
"Thanks for the comment dad. Let's go to the kitchen" 
"It's compliment and that was supposed to be sarcasm" I muttered and Sharon laughed. "Huh?" She asked and I dropped her. "Okay.. you're not to tell your mom" 
"Sam, Joshua come over here, Dad's about to make a surprise dinner for Mom" she yelled and I rolled my eyes.
"What happened to not telling anyone" I knelt down before her, 
"You said Mom" she corrected and I chuckled. "Sorry Mam" I apologized and she chuckled. 
I made rice and vegetables sauce, unfortunately the sauce became salty and I had no idea how it happened, "Sam, Joshua, did any of you try to play chef with the salt?" I asked and they shook their heads. 
"We're not even tall" Sam answered and I exhaled and Tammie laughed.
"Tammie"
"I swear to God that I didn't mess with that food, maybe you overestimated your cooking skills" she added and I shot a glare at her. 
"I don't have a choice, I'm giving her that way" 
"The sauce is salty" Tammie complained, "The Aunt Erika that I know gets easily angry when people cook nonsense for her. Not like I'm insulting the food but an angry Aunt Erika will get me affected and the last thing I want is her transferring anger at me"
I tasted the sauce again, "It's not that salty" i tried to convince myself but the look from the others was discouraging. 
I asked that Sera call her mom out but Erika refused coming out. She said she wasn't hungry. 
My dinner plans for the night got ruined. It was so annoying! 
Erika slept off without speaking to me. I woke up following morning, she had already taken her bath, "Good morning sweetheart" I greeted and she glanced at me. "Good morning" she replied then she went out to wake and dress up the kids. 
Then walked back in dressing up right in front of me, I knew she was definitely trying to torture me and it worked but I went into the bathroom to take my bathe.
I dashed my head against the door while coming out of the bathroom. I groaned loudly expecting my wife to come to my rescue but she didn't. 
"Ouch!" I groaned again, I saw her look at me. "Can't you hear me groaning in pain?" 
"Didn't I just look at you?"
"Aren't you supposed to say something"  
"If we're talking about saying something, you should be the last person to preach that. It's not your first time passing that door, you could have been more careful" she snapped.
"Goodbye" she added leaving and I scoffed. 

I dressed up in a blue short sleeve shirt and a black chinos trousers and I held a suitvase.

"Good morning Sir" Tasha greeted, she had her nightie on, and I forced a smiled.
Here comes the root of the problem!
"Good morning" I replied. 
"Oh my God, what's happened to your face?" She moved closer and my eyes moved down to her cleavages and I looked away. "I dashed my face against the door.

Read " Hotel Palava " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. I know it's crazy but... It just happened"
"It's totally normal. Mistakes happen" she smiled. 
"You need to dress the wound" 
"I'll stop by at the clinic" 
"First aid treatments first" 
"The last I checked, you major in Arts" I answered and she chuckled. "I know a thing or two about first aids. I've given first aid treatments" she smiled and I chuckled. 
Then she asked me where I could get the first aid tools and I directed her. She brought it to the sitting room along side a bowl with a soft cloth in it and I sat on a chair.
 "If you could allow a fifteen years old to give you first aid, how much more me?" She cleaned the wound with a damp cloth. 
"I don't understand"
"Sharon told me she once gave you first aid treatments, she told me that was when you two started bonding all over again"
"And you remembered?"
"I don't forget things" she smiled. "So your first wife was a nurse" she added, "Yeah... " I cleared my throat."Your second wife is a teacher, what will your third wife be?" She asked and I wondered why she asked. 
"It's just a joke" she laughed, "I was just joking"
"I know your wife's angry about what happened and I'm sorry" "You don't have to feel bad, we'll sort it out our way. Why don't you want to leave just yet"
"So I can drag Sharon's ass back" 
"Why?" 
"Your daughter has full potential and it'll be useless here." "You can help her, if you could help her there why can't you help her here?" I asked and she chuckled. 
"I'll think of it." She answered and she moved her face closer to mine and my heart raced in fear, was she planning to kiss me? I thought and then I heard her chuckle. 
 "She has your eyes, Sharon" she smiled then she pulled back putting the plaster on the side of my forehead.
"That will be all Sir" 
"Thanks" I stood up touching it. "You're welcome Sir" she bit her lower lip then she chuckled. "Have a nice day Sir" she walked away and I picked up my suitcase ready to leave home.