Strong Emotions - Episode 5

 

         It was a Monday morning, I laid sprawled on my bed like a log of wood. My favourite sleeping position would remind anyone of a stubborn baby been lured to sleep by a lullaby. Even after I woke up, I just lay there motionless, booting up slowly like a computer. When I eventually opened my eyes, I was hit by blinding sunlight streaking through the space between my blue and white flowered curtain. It was so good to be back home, I sauntered towards the window and I could see the bright azure with sun coming up in the skyline.l looked up, it was 7:30 am . I braced myself against the window and folded my arms across my chest, my mind flashed back to the scene that happened on Saturday night when I was still in the hospital.I wondered when my love life had turned into a movie show that my parents just watched as we performed our drama, Lola didn't return that night and I could see the disgusted look on my dad's face when George tried to tender an apology for an offence he didn't commit, dad raised his hand in anger to dismiss his unwelcomed apology.
           

        " what's happening here Enny? Why are you giving these men the chance to play with your emotions? I didn't raise you to be like this. Is this why you told me to Wait? To watch your love sick drama?" 
           

         "Dad..." I called , trying to calm him down.
           

        "Will you shut up?" He commanded and I froze, It seemed so obvious that he wasn't expecting me to reply to his questions.
           

         "Darling calm down, you know she is just recovering

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. Please take it easy with her". Mum coaxed. Mum has a special of manipulating him with her words especially whenever he flares up like this. He looked at mum who patted him softly with hands to calm him down, he glanced at me, shook his head and walked towards the door.
 

        " I can't stay here any longer. I will come very early in the morning to pay your hospital bills and take you and your mum home ". He said this time around trying to suppress his anger, I agreed in tacit and smiled because I know dad wasn't planning to stay at all and he used this situation as a genuine excuse. I was left alone with George when mum escorted dad outside towards his car.
         

         " Enny, I know how you feel..." George broke the silence. I felt the urge to cry but the tears weren't coming, I wondered whether the tear gland had been drained or my eyes saw no reasons to cry. George held my hand and looked up at me with a smile. I love it when he smile ,he look more romantic that way especially when he display his front gap teeth.
         

         "You don't know how I feel..." I replied, I repositioned myself on the bed so that I could face him well. I wanted to be remarkably candid with him. "You didn't express your feelings to me on time, you even said Alfred and I make a great couple when I told you about him, so why are you expressing your feelings when it's too late.."
         

        "Too late? See Enny, I know that I was stupid not to express my feelings on time but it's not too late. You are not married to him yet, so why saying it's  too late? I love you". 
         

          " I love you too but...." 
               

          "But what?" he retorted. He moved closer and devour my cold lips into his, I shuddered and I felt a cold chill ran down my spine and I felt my heart pulsating for no reason, when last have I had a kiss like this? I know it's wrong to kiss him back but I couldn't help it. I loved the way he kissed me and he seems to be good at it, I drew his chin closer not ready to let go of his lips, he sensed the urge,held my waist and played along. We kissed for almost how long I couldn't tell but he knew I didn't want him to stop. I realized that I love me and he loves me dearly but how can I explained to him that I lost my virginity to Alfred and I had vowed to marry who so ever deflowers me. No, I can't tell him that, if I do he will treat me with disdain and consider me to be too cheap. I don't even know what I want, I love Alfred because he was the first man I had romantic affairs with, but I fear if I could cope with his over jealous and aggressive attitude although when he is in a good mood, one will think he was the best lover ever liveth. George on the other hand had been a cool,calm and kind gentleman, he doesn't behave like a typical Nigeria which Alfred portrays himself to be but rather like a foreigner who believes strongly in love.
         

          "Enny...I'm travelling back tomorrow because my parents want me to. I want you to have this with you. It's a symbol of my love". He brought out a small red box from his knickers, opened it and brought out a diamond necklace. I gasped at how lovely it is, he smiled, satisfied that I love it , I turned and he wore it on my neck. Mum entered to see me admiring the necklace, she smiled, " Thank you George, for putting a smile on her face". She said.
         

       Daddy knocked on my room door taking me out of my reverie. He wore a white caftan, even though he was in his early fifty, his hairline had receded significantly, and his hair was almost completely speckled with gray. He sat on my bed and ordered me to do the same. 
     

            "Enny...how was your night? Hope you slept well?" He asked and I nodded positively. "My child, I'm not happy with your love life. You seemed so confused,your mum and I don't even know who you actually love. You can't love two men at the same time, you need to sit, think and decide who to choose among these men. I don't think you are emotionally and psychologically for a relationship right now. You need a break from all these relationship trauma ,so your mum and I decided that you travel to London to stay with my sister Theresa." He paused ,waiting for my reply.
I sighed heavily, dad was right I think I need a break from my relationship love life but...I don't think I want to travel anywhere for now. I know my decision to him doesn't count, he had made up his mind already to send me off to my aunt but I have to confront him this time around, I'm not a kid, I deserve the right to my opinion too. I know mum wasn't comfortable with that idea, he took the decision on his own.I summoned all the courage I could acquire, stand up , look him up in the face "I'm not going anywhere dad. I will stay here". I blurted out amidst tears, I wonder where the tears were coming from, why would I have to cry? I thought I just replied him with courage and now with the tears I looked like a coward. 
       

          " You dare not disobey my order". He roared.I said it, he wasn't ready to listen to my opinion, he had already made the decision.
       

          "No I won't". I replied defiantly, I sniffed and rubbed my eyes with a jiffy. I went to the bathroom, turned on the tap , I washed my face and grabbed a towel from the rack. I looked at the mirror and saw how swollen my eyes were, my hair though tied in a bun style was rough,the last time I combed it was on my birthday. I looked exhausted and nervous, 'Oh God! what's happening? I'm surely dreaming I can't wait to wake up from this slumber. Someone knocked on the bathroom door, it was mum. 
       

         " Eniola...why did you act so rude towards your father? What has come over you?". Mum asked with a scowl. I stared at her ruefully putting one of my childish pranks to play. I wanted her to understand my feelings which I know she perfectly does.
       

          "I'm sorry mum, but I don't want to travel anywhere. I want to stay here with you mum." I placed my arms on her shoulder, trying to create a cosy atmosphere.
     

         "I don't want you to go dear. You are just twenty year old dear, you are still young to experience all this. Your dad loves you and that's why he cares so much about you". She flushed when I kiss her forehead. I have a kind of way that somehow unnerved her. She took me to my room and promised to dissuade my dad from taking his decision. I smiled, I won't travel but since he wants me to take a break from having a relationship because he thinks I'm still young to know what relationship entails , I will definitely oblige to that but if you ask me what year was mum before he got married to her, she was definitely younger than I was. Anyways that seems to be none of my business.

          By 9:00am, Dad went to work and mum said he went to work without eating his breakfast and when this happens that means there is danger. No amount of water can extinguished the fire to which he was burning with extreme rage not even his wife. I decided not to go to work to avoid dad's aggression towards me, of cause I wouldn't want him to embarrass me in front of the other staffs. I picked up my novel" The broker " by John grisham, flipped to a page and settled down on my bed to read. Mum entered with my breakfast, rice and stew with chicken.

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       The next day, I woke up early to assist mum in the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Dad has left for work without eating his breakfast again he had been quiet throughout the time he had arrived home in the evening yesterday and he wouldn't want to talk to the both of us. The most surprising part was when he brought home a fast food which he got from a nearby restaurant. Mum felt hurt and for the past twenty five years they have been married this was the first time dad would refuse to eat mum's food. I felt so sorry for her because I knew all these were happening because of me. Mum dissuade me to go to work, she feels I needed to assist dad. I agreed to do so without a demur, she was right, dad was not in a good emotional state. Mara his secretary called to tell mum about how dad complained about almost everyone's work and how he dismissed her even when she had important information to tell him.
      I watched how mum fumbled with a slice of bread and chewed it slowly. She had barely eaten a whole slice.
       

        "Mum..don't worry, dad will be OK. I will talk to him today, he shouldn't put any  blame on you". I said in a bid to soothe her.I swished up the stairs towards my room, I grabbed my towel and headed towards the bathroom.
       

          After some minutes, I was done with bathing, I looked up trying to figure out what to wear.I opened my wardrobe, my eyes landed on the necklace box George gave me, I opened it. 'This is one of my best gift, I have to keep it well' I said to myself with smile. I looked up at the clock, Oh my God! It was 9am, dad wouldn't like it if I get to the office late, he would rather prefer me to stay at home. I had no time to select clothes, I picked a short pink plain dress with white shoes and  a white hand bag to go with. I combed my hair and tied it in my normal bun style.
     

         I got to the office at exactly 10:00 am, it was difficult to find a taxi, I had no access to my car anymore after the day I hit a man on my way to school with my friends and I thank my stars that the man survived the incidence. Dad said I was too careless and naive to own a car and he wasn't prepare to give me access to one until I'm married.
       

          "Good morning ma". Mara greeted politely, she was an epitome of beauty with big, sexy eyeballs, model like nose , kissable lips and an aggressive chin, she was tall and light in complexion and her skin was fresh and glowing just like my dark melanin skin. She was one of the workers that really earned my dad's trust and was very hardworking , punctual and respectful.
         

        "How is my dad?." I walked towards her with an air of pride.
       

           "He is in a meeting right now ma". She always addressed me as 'MA' though merely looking at the both of us, one will  observe that she was older than I am. I walked towards my office, I found the office almost empty, I could see my laptop neatly placed on my desk, my photo frame hanged beside the flat screen and some files were arranged in the shelf in an orderly manner. I turned on the air conditioning and slipped into my office chair, I had barely settled in my chair when my phone rang, I stared at Alfred's number on my screen and toyed with the idea of ignoring his call but in the end i decided against it and pressed the receive button.
     

      " Hello, Enny..." His voice sounded far more chirpy than was natural for him.
     

         "Hi.." I responded, eager to listen more.
     

          " I'm sorry Enny...I felt jealous that night and I just have to leave. I want to take you out for a dinner tonight. Are you in?" He said. 

         "I'm in". I replied without a second thought. I can't believe I said yes. This was the same guy I wanted to take a break from? What will happened if dad finds out that despite his warnings?, I still had time to go out with him. Anyways, I can't deny my body of some things I'm still young, I still have time to explore. Dad should stop treating me like a baby, shits are meant to happen in life. Alfred made a mistake and he is ready to learn from his mistakes and bury the hatchet. I will just make sure nothing romantic happen between us and I will use the opportunity to tell him I need a break after all he had said that night he attacked me that it was over between us.
 

       I waited till in the evening before calling mum, I lied to her that I was going to Lola's house and I might not come back home. She  agreed without hesitation, I careless about what dad will say if he doesn't see me at home, after all he ignored me at work and didn't even bid me goodbye nor give me a lift home.
   

         Alfred appeared in a blue Camry car, he appeared cool with a sleeveless top, knickers, and a sneaker. I love his appearance. He smiled at me while he opened the front door of the passenger's seat for me." Hello angel". He bowed in a sarcastic manner trying to put one of his jokes at play.
 

        "Thank you". I replied coldly, trying to play 'the girl is hard to get' attitude. He gazed at me while he fastened his seat belt. I cautioned myself not to stare at him but I couldn't help it, I glanced at him and so how romantic he looked staring at me. All of a sudden, he drew me closer and placed a kiss on my lips. My hands felt stiff when I tried to push him away. Lord! What's happening.
     

          We settled down at sweet sensation a nice restaurant at Ikeja, we ordered for grilled chicken and chips with a glass of juice and a brandy. He watched me as I eat and that made me eat with caution but I ended up spilling the juice on my dress. We talked, laughed and engaged in tidbits about his job, his family and friends. We ordered for another bottle of brandy after we had finished a whole bottle. I kept drinking until I vomited on his clothes, I was drunk to stupor. He took me home, changed my clothes, and we took a shower together. I could feel the pleasure he derived in touching my body, I didn't stop him because I enjoyed it too. He took me to his bedroom and we did it. Although I was unaware of the whole scene because I was drunk and was still dizzy but I felt the wetness on my body when I woke up the next day. I looked around the room but he was nowhere to be found, my phone rang, I checked who the caller was and alas! It was my father.