The Odds Are Against Me - Episode 24

 

I had worked for three months while at home, sitting in front of my laptop but I didn't make enough money like I earned while being employed. I helped companies to advertise their products online, inorder to reach wider views for them. One hundred and thousand naira was the highest amount I ever made from the advertisings. I made some thing less than fifty thousand naira last month . The only advantage was that I have the peace of mind, and enough rest while working from home. Our children appeared more happy, and relaxed having me at home because I attended all the activities they needed their parents for, in school. Dozie was furious that I had to resign from my job.

"I pray your wife, won't be riding you, after she had accumulated all the wealths in the whole world", Dozie said.

"Do, I really care? I have my house and she had never shown any sign of whatever you are predicting", I said. Dozie got married last year, and he rarely do visit us most times unlike he did during his bachelorhood mostly for meals. Deep down me, I wasn't happy. My wife now have the guts to tell me about Raymond. It wasn't like she wouldn't have told me about him if I was still with my former job and pay. I was only brewing in jealousy, by the things people fed me with. 

"Honey, I bumped into Raymond after how many years", Funmi said and gesticulated.

"Really? Where?", I asked with a fake smile.

"He is my company new personal medical doctor", she said.

"Oh really? He came to treat you?", I asked.

"Oh please, don't be like that

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. An employee was down and we needed to diagnose him, and he came over. I guess he was employed when I was off to United Kingdom", she said.

"How far? Is he married? How is he faring? Or do you still have some bad blood with him and never engaged him in conversations", I asked all at once.

"Uhmm, you are funny. We never had a bad blood. He is still not married, but with hopes that he will, one day. Well, according to him, he visited a shrink who handled him after he had an emotional beakdown", she said.

"Oh really? Breakdown? On what exactly?", I asked.

"You know he wasn't mentally okay, hence his aggressiveness and battering his girlfriends", she said.

"So, his case was a mental one? Or rather "is?". Why didn't you work it out and help him", I asked stylishly.

She laughed, "you really want me to say what you don't want to hear, but I'll still be honest. Well, he never accepted he had a problem during our time. That was why I went around the circles with you before I disengaged from him emotionally", she said.

"Na so", I said and laughed.

"He is still single and searching. I invited him over to have a dinner with us tomorrow", she said.

"What about we invite Lola and we be the match makers for both of them", I said.

"No, I don't want. Lola doesn't worth a good man like him. Let her find a husband by herself. Raymond loves to the bone marrow and Lola is an opportunist", she said.

"Really? But your ex isn't equally a better person", I said.

"But he is a changed person", she said.

It was a Saturday morning, and Funmi supervised the kitchen while Bisi made breakfast and, then lunch. In the evening, she stayed throughout in the kitchen cooking foods. After they were done, Bisi came to the dining table to arrange the whole plates on it, and kept some covered plates on the table. Anderson and Bola had gone to Funmi's parent's house. Funmi's mother requested they come every Saturday to visit her. Funmi has two siblings, who were still in the university. After Funmi was birthed, her mother waited over a decade to deliver another girl, and then a boy.

Raymond arrived at 7:00PM after everywhere was already set, and Bisi opened the door and we welcomed him. We shook hands, exchanged pleasantries and he took a seat. 

"We can all start", Funmi said as she opened the big plate that had a cover and served food in all the flat ceramic plates.

"Hmm, this food is delicious. You are a lucky man, Afam. I lost a gem. Funmi was the only woman I dated that gave me the unconditional love, that was why I was sad when I lost her, but my ego got the best of me and I couldn't apologise", he said.

Read " The Missionary's Journey " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. I gazed at Funmi as she tried to wipe off tears that had accumulated her eyes with a handkerchief.

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My mother had a problem with me, resigning at my job and doing nothing at home as she assumed. I told her I wasn't doing nothing that I do online advertisings, but she didn't want to hear. She had started having a problem with my wife. She always said my wife exchanged my destiny with her own. I even told her that the job I do at home, offers me more time with my children, but she didn't want to hear.

She spent two weeks with me before she left. I always told my wife to ignore her rants that she would leave one day, which she did. My mother reported me to her brothers and my father's kinsmen, because my father was dead. She said that my wife had turned me to her houseboy. I still made Mama to know we have a house help that did all the house chores, but she didn't listen. She always yell that I am a man, and it's my duty to leave the house every day while my wife stayed at home to take care of the kids. I always conclude with, "I have heard you Mama", till she left to her house.