The Sugar Mum - Episode 2

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I stood up and put my jotter in my folder. As I moved to the lounging room, I saw Sophia enter the large room.

   'Uncle Alex, has mummy told you I'll not be having lesson today?' Sophia asked in her jovial manner.

   'Yes, she has. I'm on my way home.'

   'Oh, see you on Wednesday.'

   'Yeah, see you.'

   The house maid hurried to me with a polythene bag. As usual, she had been instructed to give me a food pack. I collected it and mumbled my appreciation. I noticed that the package was heavier than the usual.

   On my way home, my heart kept thumping. I could not but think of any other thing than what madam had said. I was still in shock. At this point, let me say a little thing about my private life. I was brought up in a very decent home and the idea of a young man having an older woman as a partner was never something I cherished or imagined.

   Besides, I had always believed in faithfulness and commitment in relationship. I also believed in dating one lover at a time. I had no other lover than Enny, and it had never crossed my mind that I should flirt with any other lady or have what they called a side chick.

  Madam Bimpe Da Rocha's proposition was therefore outlandish to me. I was befuddled, to say the least. When I got home and opened the polythene bag, I discovered there were two packs. One contained sausage beef while the second had laps of fried turkey. I handed the pack of turkey to my uncle's wife and she was pleased as usual with my generous madam.

   Later that evening, madam called my line. I had to leave the apartment to receive the call so that others would not hear or overhear the conversation.

   'Good evening, ma'am,' I greeted. 'Thank you for the generosity, ma'am.'

   'What generosity?'

   'Er, as usual, the house maid gave me some food when I was ...'

   'Oh, that. That's alright. So, what do you think about what I said?'

   'I really appreciate the interest, ma'am. I ... don't really know what to say, madam.'

   She laughed over the line. 'Wonderful. When will you know what to say?'

   'I don't ... I don't know ma'am.'

   'Good. I won't rush you. Take your time to decide whether you're ready for this, or not. When you've made up your mind, let me know. Goodnight.'

   'Goodnight, ma'am.'    

The line was cut off. I returned to the apartment, thinking of many things. I could see that I had two options. The first one was to maintain my decency and say no to madam. Where would that get me? I might lose the gains I had envisaged from the home lessons, but I would have my dignity.

   Option B was to yield to her and gain all the material things I could gain. But, what if it backfired? What if Enny got to know? What about some other unforeseen consequences?

   I would not be going to the house until the following week. Thank God I still had some time to think over things and to decide.

   I tried to do my other duties as diligently as possible - talking about my church administration work. On Saturday the members of the choir were around, as usual, for their rehearsals. Sophia too was there and everything went smoothly.

 

   Sunday service too was grand. The Welfare committee met after the service, but Madam Da Rocha acted as if she barely knew me. I could not but marvel at her dexterity in keeping a straight face and acting as if she never said anything close to what she had told me.

    Of course when I saw Enny, I could not broach on the topic with her. Her answer would be why had I not told the woman no? Not only that, she would go ahead and call the woman a shameless one. I didn't also discuss with any of my friends. I wanted to be the one to take the sole decision so that if it backfired, I would blame no one but myself.

   The following day was a Monday and I would be going to madam's house. Surely, she would be expecting my answer by now. I braced up as I took a bike to the place. I also had an answer for her.

    I had decided I would 'be a man' and tell her yes. But I would have to be very discreet in the relationship. No matter the circumstance, I would not want my affairs with her to adversely affect my relationship with Enny. I decided I would tell madam everything about Enny, how she had been very good to me and how we planned to get married.

   When I got to the house, I was told madam was not around. It did not take long for Sophia to return from school, so I went straight to the business of teaching her. The topic was Adverbial Clauses and I was soon engrossed in that. As usual after talking for some minutes, I asked Sophia if she had any question.

    She sighed and stared at me.

   'Do you have any question?' I asked again.

   'Yeah. I want to know, can you date an older woman?'

   I was almost startled by her question. 'Excuse me?'

   'I asked if you can date a woman much older than you.'

   I looked at her in wonderment. 'What has your question got to do with adverbial clauses?'

   'Oh, uncle Alex, I just want to know.'

   My mind was thinking of many things. Why did she ask? Did she have any hint about what her mum told me? Madam would not tell her mid-teenage daughter that kind of thing, would she?

   Sophia stared at me, expectantly.

   I sighed. 'Sorry, I'm going to overrule that question, as it has nothing to do with the subject matter.'

   I stood my ground. There was no way I would answer that very question. She smiled and I continued with my teaching. I left the house about quarter past seven p.m. Madam still was yet to arrive but as I neared the gate, her call came through.

   'Good evening, ma'am,' I greeted.

   'Good evening, Alex. How far with the lesson? Are you through?'

   'Yes, ma'am. I'm just about to leave the house.'

   'Good. Well-done. You know that last junction to the house, wait for me there. In the next ten minutes, or so, I should be in that vicinity, okay?'

   'Okay, ma'am. I'll wait there ma'am.'

   'See you.'

   I moved to the junction she said and stood by the roadside. It was twenty minutes past seven and darkness had nearly taken over the environ. My phone rang. I thought madam was on the line. No, it was Enny. 

   'Hello, dear,' I said.

   'Hi. Are you at home?'

   'No, not yet. I've just finished the lesson and I'm about to start going home.'

   'How was the lesson?'

   I smiled. 'It was great. Everything went well.'

    'I love you,' she said.

    I chuckled. 'Yeah, and I love you too.'

   'Can you promise me something?'

   I sighed. Now, what could my dear Enny want me to promise her? 'What do you want me to promise?' I mumbled.

   There was a slight pause across the line. 'Promise me that no woman will ever come between us.'

   I caught my breath. Now, what was this? First, Sophia asked if I could date an older woman. Now, Enny was asking for a promise of commitment.

   'Enny, you know I will always love you. Are you doubting that?'

   'No, but I want you to promise me that whatever is the case, no person on earth will come ever between us.'

   I sighed deeply. 'I promise.'

   She laughed shortly over the line. 'That's my sweetie. And let me promise too that on no account will I ever, ever let any other person come between us.' 

   We chatted a bit more and finally disengaged the line.

   I wondered why Enny must pick that day and that very hour for the promise. Why didn’t she ask for a promise before now? Why must she pick the time I had decided to tell Madam Da Rocha that I would be available for her heart desire?

   Ten minutes after I got to the junction, a sleek luxury car slowed down and parked a few metres from where I was standing. The driver's door opened and a middle aged came out. Even before he beckoned at me, I had started to move towards the car. The madam too came out.

   'Good evening, ma'am,.' I greeted.

   'Good evening , Alex.'  She turned to the driver. 'Alright, Taju. You can close for the day. See you tomorrow.'

   'Yes, madam.' He handed the car keys to her. 'Good night.'

   'Good night. Come early tomorrow o.'

   'Yes, ma'am.'

   The driver took his leave.

   'Let's go inside the car,' madam said. She went on to sit on the driver seat, while I sat on the next front seat.

   The interior of the car was cool and lush. I liked the scent I was perceiving in there.

   'So, how was the day, Alex?'

   'It was fine, ma'am.'

   'Good.' She looked at me squarely. Even in the dim light of the car, I could see curiosity all over her. 'So, tell me, do you have an answer for me?'

   I cleared my throat. Of course, I had decided I would be a man and act manly. I cleared my throat again and opened my mouth.

   'Yes, I ...'  No more words came out. Enny's image popped into my mind, and that was it. To my embarrassment and discomfort, all the manliness I thought I had garnered evaporated into the thin air.

  I was angry with myself. How could I become short of words, after I had decided that I would tell her my mind? Believe me I was angry that I had suddenly become lily-livered.

   She smiled. 'I can see that you're tensed up,' she said kindly. 'Try to relax, okay?  How old are you, Alex?'

   I tried to relax as she suggested. 'Thirty,' I answered.

   She nodded. 'I'll be fifty years old, by November tenth.'

   I stared at her briefly. Fifty? Gosh! So, madam was as old as that. I had thought she was about forty!

   She smiled again. 'I married my husband when I was twenty-six. I have two children - Steph and Sofia. Steph is twenty three and she's in an American university. Sofia too preferred going abroad but I prevailed on her to continue her studies here in Nigeria. I don't want to be left alone here in Nigeria. I desire a close relationship with you not because I'm hungry for s*x. As a matter of fact,' she faced me squarely, 's*x is out of it.'

    I caught my breath. S*x, out of it? Was that how it would be? Do guys keep sugar mummies and s*x would be out of the equation?

   She sighed. 'I just like you, Alex. I like your diligence and commitment. That is my reason for my interest.'

   It was my turn to sigh. What a proposition!

   'I know you're in a relationship with a lady. Don't worry, I won't be a stumbling block. As a matter of fact, I wish you the best.'

   She reached out for a bag on the back seat of the car and handed it to me. 'Take this bag. There are some wears and other things you will find useful in it. It's for you.'

   'Thank you so much, ma'am. I really appreciate all these.'

   'You deserve it. I like your coyness. Many other young men would have jumped at my offer, but here you are. Even after so many days, you could still not bring yourself to say yes. I like that. I like that decency.'

   I was quiet. If I said I was not surprised by what she was saying, then I would be lying.

   'Continue to be a good young man,' madam continued. 'If you remember, I told you before that it is good to be good. Keep it up.'

   'Thank you, ma'am.'  My mouth was dry and I felt  I was watching a drama. 'I really appreciate all you've said and done, ma'am. Thank you.'

   'You've spent your first month on the coaching, now. How do you want to be paid? Will you give me your account number so that I can transfer money there, or do you want cash?'

   'I'll prefer cash ma'am'

    She brought her handbag, opened it and removed a bundle of one thousand naira notes.

    'Can you remove forty pieces from this?' She handed the bundle to me.

   I collected the bundle, counted forty thousand naira and separated it from the lot. She collected the forty thousand naira, leaving me with the rest.

  'That's your wage; that's our agreement.'

   'Yes, madam. Thank you, ma'am.'

   'Alright. That will be all for now. My regards to your family. Goodnight.'

   'Good night, and thank you, ma'am.' 

   I put the money inside the bag she had given me and stepped out of the car.

   I closed the door behind me, waved at the madam and moved to where I would take a bike home. With the 60K cash on me, I was delighted. I was also glad about the 'gifts' madam had given me. I was however unsettled about some of the things she had said.

   On one hand, she desired a close relationship with me. On the other hand, she said she was glad I had exhibited 'decency' and had not jumped at her offer.  Were these postulations not contradictory? Was she just pulling my legs, or what? What exactly was her stand?

 

   When I got home, I went to my room to open the bag she had given me. It contained three St. Michael packet shirts, one Gianni Versace perfume for men, one 18 carat Rolex wrist watch and a Samsung Galaxy phone. I whistled to myself. All these, surely, would cost a lot. This madam Bimpe Da Rocha knew how to 'spoil' somebody.

  l didn't know I would have an imminent challenge from my fiancée over the gifts. The following day when Enny popped in to see me after closing from her place of work, still basking in euphoria, I had shown her all the items madam bought for me. Enny looked at them in wonder.

   'You mean Madam Da Rocha bought all these for you?' she asked as she picked the item up one by one and examined them

   'Yes, o.'

   Enny suddenly dropped the items and faced me squarely. 'Can you honestly tell me what's going on between you two?'

    The smile slid off my face. 'What do you mean by that?' I tried to sound angry but I doubted if I actually sounded as such.

   'You know what I mean!' Enny said petulantly. 'Tell me, what's between you and that madam?'

   'Oh come on,' I said indignantly. 'If there's anything between us, will I be showing you all these?'  That seemed to make sense a bit, but she still looked uncertain.

  'But why is she buying all these for you?' she asked. 'What does she want from you?'

  I knew I dared not give her the true answer.  I decided to play smart.

  'I think she just likes me. She says I've been teaching her daughter well. I think it's because I've been doing the work well.'

   She sighed. I knew she was not totally convinced. Maybe I shouldn't have shown her the gifts. But she would still see them when I wore them and would raise eyebrow. I was like a gold fish that had no hiding place. Henceforth, I decided that I would be very smart in the way I handled Enny. I would eat my cake and still have it, I decided.

   That weekend, Saturday morning, about seven a.m., Madam Bimpe Da Rocha ( henceforth, I will refer to her as Madam B) called my number. I was just loitering around the house, thinking of what to do with my time that Saturday morning when her call came through.

   'Good morning, Alex.' Her voice was cool and soothing.  'Are you very busy?'

   'Er, not exactly, ma'am.'

   'Can you come over?'

    'You mean to your house, ma'am?'

    'Yes, of course.'

    Since I had nothing to do that morning, why not? 'Okay, ma'am,. I'll soon come over.'

   I wondered why she wanted me to come to her place as I took my bath. Could it be that she wanted Sofia to have extra lesson? Could it be that she had a special task for me? Well, don't worry, man, I told myself. You would soon know.

   I told the wife of my uncle I would be going to the church. Since I did not know the exact thing I would be doing in madam’s house, I felt I should not mention her place. I realized that I had started lying.

   I arrived at the gate of Madam B's house eight a.m.  She was in the expansive sitting-room, still in her night dress.

 'There you are. How're you?' she greeted.

   I curtsied. 'Good morning, ma'am.'

   'Good morning. Hope your coming is not so inconvenient?'

   'No, ma'am. It's okay.'

   'Come, let me show you something upstairs.' She stood and I followed her to the staircase. My heart was beating fast.

  It was the first time I would be going up to the first floor. We got to a large passageway. The whole floor had marble tiles, and everything smelled fresh. There were doors, leading to different rooms. We went to the last door to the right. She opened it and stepped inside. I followed her inside. She closed the door to my back. It was a large bedroom, the largest I had ever seen in my life, so far. At the edge of the room was a king size bed. There were long wardrobes. Towards the right side of the bed was a small desk and a chair. There was a laptop, an i-pad and some files of documents on the table. The room smelt as if an exotic female perfume had just been sprayed there.

  As I stood and looked around the large, room, my heart beat increased. I was more curious than eager. But why did she bring me to the bedroom? I asked myself.

   Didn't Madam B say there would be nothing like s*x in the bargain? Did she not expressly state the fact that she admired my 'decency'? So, why was I here, alone with her, in the bedroom? 

   I could feel her soft hand as she held my hand. 'Come over here,' she said.

   Meekly, like someone without a will of his own, I followed her.