A GAME
OF LOVE
AND OBSESSION
Chapters 19 and 20
I followed him one night when he got up from bed to do whatever he had always been doing at that ungodly hour. I was so filled with curiosity. I trailed him as he walked on the compound backwards in a spiral movement. He removed his clothing at a point and did walked backward again with his Na-ledness. I was so frightened. He was mumbling something on is li-ps as he walked. The next thing I saw was he approaching the dog’s kennel. What I saw with my eyes can’t be explained with words. But, let me try and explain as well as I can. I saw my husband having intimacy with the dog with do much pas-sion. He had never expressed such pas-sion to me I our entire marital life. I was so horrified. It was then I un-derstood why he gave the dog more attention. It wasn’t just a dog to him,” Theodora began to wail at this point. Jesse emBr@ced her and began to comfort her.
“I couldn’t keep quiet any longer since I was so horrified. I began to scream and something unexpected happened,” continued Theodora. “What happened?” Jesse asked. “He just looked at me, smiled and continued with what he was doing. My soul was pierced with arrows of disappointment and regret. I just looked on with my mouth wide open as he continued to do what he was doing. He occasionally looked at me and smiled. I couldn’t take the humiliation anymore so I fled to the bedroom in tears,” Theodora said and took a handkerchief to wipe off her tears.
“He came to the bedroom after thirty minutes. At that time, the pillow was soaked with my tears. Newman came and knelt beside the bed. I turned my face to the other direction because I couldn’t look at him without getting a flashback of what I had seen earlier. He continued to smile and began to talk. After all, he knew I could hear him loud and clear.”
“Now listen to me you fool! You are my wife and that means I own you. You can’t come into my life and determine my pace!! Do you know how all those money you are enjoying are made? All you know is spending! I am warning you seriously, no., rather take it as a threat because your life depends on it. If you dare inform anyone about what you just saw, I will kill you with my ba-re hands and nothing will happen!! I want you to behave like my wife and I don’t give a damn about how you feel. If you can’t love me anymore, fake it for the outside world. I don’t even nee-d your love anyway. If not for my parents who pressured me into getting married, do you think I would have come for a baggage like you!!? From now onward, we will be sharing the bed with the dog. It is far more important to me than you since I get all my money from it. So you can either accommodate it or move to another room. But, don’t dare think about divorce!! I will kill you before you even do that,” that was what he told me, Jesse when he came to the bedroom.
“I cried my eyes out, but those tears could do nothing for me at the time. How foolish I have been to fall into this ditch? How could I have traded my relationship with you for materialistic gains? I have not been the same again since that faithful night. I am depressed, Jesse. I feel like taking my own life. I can’t bear this inhumane humiliations anymore,” said Theodora amidst crying. “Don’t say that, Theodora. That is not the solution to the problem, “ advised Jesse. “Then what is, Jesse? Tell me because I am going crazy!!” exclaimed Theodora. “Give me some time. I will come up with something. I promise you that,” Jesse said. “If you say so. I have to take my leave now. I nee-d to get to the house before that monster comes home. Please, Jesse, I am relying on you to come throu-ghfor me. Keep me updated,” Theodora said, wiped off her tears again with the handkerchief and stood up to leave. Jesse escorted her to her car and she drove off.
Desmond tried all he could to make Sandra realize she made the right choice in choosing him. He constantly pulled up surprises and Sandra was indeed impressed. She still hoped she could actually fall in love with Desmond one day. He was so caring and R0m-ntic. She wondered why she couldn’t just love him back. She sometimes for-ced herself to establish that missing connection, but nothing worked. It became a constant worry since she always brooded over the issue. She often found herself thinking about Jesse although she was in the caring arms of Desmond who was putting in his all. A lot of things were going on in Sandra’s mind since she was resuming work the following day. She had been playing hide and seek with Jesse since the day he proposed to her. She didn’t want to tell him she had another guy in her life. She didn’t know why she felt that way. The only thing she thought was right for her to do was to hide herself from Jesse. She ignored his calls and even refuse meeting him physically.
Jesse didn’t un-derstand why Sandra was distancing herself from him. It wasn’t like that before. She was the one who would even come to his house. But the situation was different now. She didn’t even want to pick his calls. He was wondering if what Jasmine did had caused an irreparable rift between Sandra and him. He even tried to visit her in her house, but she refused to see him. Or he had freaked her out by his proposal? He just couldn’t concentrate on anything. He was un-der stress from two situations. Theodora’s problems and the issue he was going throu-ghwith Sandra. He was happy though that Sandra would be resuming work the next day. He shared the same office with her. That meant there was no way she would be able to avoid him. He nee-ded answers for what was going on.
Jesse woke up early the next day to go to work. He quickly got dressed and was on his way. Perhaps, he would see Sandra at the stop. He was very disappointed when he didn’t see her at the bus stop. The bus that usually pick them came, but Sandra was still not in sight. He boarded the bus and went to work hoping to see her. To his amazement, Sandra wasn’t at the office too. Was she not going to work that day?
Sandra didn’t go to the bus stop because Desmond had promised to give her a lift to work. “I don’t like it when you always have to queue at the stop to go to work. You are my fiancée now and I want that to stop. So from henceforth, I will be taking you to work myself with my car,” Desmond said to Sandra. So in respect to that, Sandra waited comfortably in her house for Desmond.
Jesse was in the office looking throu-ghthe glas-s window waiting for Sandra to show up. He saw a car stopping in front of the company. The driver of the car which he knew came out and opened the car door on the other side of the car. Sandra came out of the car and they hu-gged. The guy stepped into the car and drove off. Sandra on the other hand walked into the building.
A lot of things were going on in his mind. Because, he remembered what happened at the hospital when he went to visit Sandra. He knew the guy was interested in Sandra. But, as to if Sandra was also interested, he wasn’t sure. Now, this is the same guy who had come to drop her off. He even hu-gged her pas-sionately and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Why would Sandra be avoiding me and moving around with this guy?” he asked himself rhetorically. “No, there is nothing going on. I am just being jealous for nothing. I know Sandra likes me very much and she wouldn’t do that to me. I am sure he saw her at a junction and decided to give her a ride. After all, they are very good friends,” said Jesse trying to give himself some sort of hope. He was still troubled and nee-ded answers. He was just waiting for Sandra to come to the office to explain everything to him.
What do you think will happen when Sandra shows up in the office? Would she be bold enough to tell Jesse she is dating Desmond?
A lot of things were going on in his mind. Because he remembered what happened at the hospital when he went to visit Sandra. He knew the guy was interested in Sandra. But, as to if Sandra was also interested, he wasn’t sure. Now, this is the same guy who had come to drop her off. He even hu-gged her pas-sionately and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Why would Sandra be avoiding me and moving around with this guy?” he asked himself rhetorically. “No, there is nothing going on. I am just being jealous for nothing. I know Sandra likes me very much and she wouldn’t do that to me. I am sure he saw her on the junction and decided to give her a ride. After all, they are very good friends,” said Jesse trying to give himself some sort of hope. He was still troubled and nee-ded answers. He was just waiting for Sandra to come to the office to explain everything to him.
Sandra stood at the gate that led to the office for some time because she didn’t know how to explain things to Jesse. She knew Jesse would be expecting an answer from her which she wasn’t ready to answer. She mustered courage and entered the office only to see Jesse sitting on the office desk upright facing her. She became petrified by the process. “Won’t you close the door?” Jesse asked. Sandra still became mute. She moved and occu-pied her seat in the office trying her best to avoid eye contact with Jesse.
“Sandra, you seem not to be yourself today. What is the matter? I have been trying severally to contact you, but all to no avail,” Jesse inquired. Sandra managed to put herself together to reply Jesse. “I have been around, Jesse,” she replied. “Around!? I have been to your house on several occasions and I always meet your absence. What is going on with you? You are behaving strange of late,” said Jesse. “Jesse, I said I am fine. I was still recovering and nee-ded time for myself. That is why you haven’t been hearing from me of late. I am sorry,” Sandra lied.
Jesse looked at her for some time, sighed and continued “so do you remember what we discussed the last time we met?” Jesse asked. “Yes, I remember,” Sandra replied. “And you promised me you were going to think about it. I guess you have had enough time to consider my proposal?” Inquired Jesse. “Not really, Jesse. I am still thinking about it,” Sandra replied. “Still thinking? Oh, Sandra! I thought we had some sort of connection. I thought the proposal would have just been a formality for us to build something together. I don’t un-derstand why you are dragging your feet,” Jesse lamented.
Sandra became uncomfortable when she realized Jesse was becoming emotional with the whole thing. Part of her wanted to confess to Jesse that she was dating Desmond while the other part wanted to keep it a secret. She knew she would lose Jesse immediately she confessed. She was so confused at what to do or how to reply Jesse.
Luckily for Sandra, she was saved by Jesse’s phone. Jesse got a call while waiting for Sandra to answer his question. The call was from Theodora. Jesse didn’t want to receive the call in the presence of Sandra so he went outside to speak to her. “Hello, Theodora. Please I am at…” Jesse heard her crying before he could complete his sentence. “What is the problem? Why are you crying?” Jesse asked. “I can’t take it anymore, Jesse! I can’t Just take it!! He is ruining my life! Can you imagine he sacked me from our matrimonial bed only ti be replaced that animal!! I nee-d a way out, Jesse,” said Theodora in tears. “Calm down ,Theodora. Listen, this is what we are going to do. I want you to meet me at the coffee shop near my workplace. Let us discuss everything properly there,” suggested Jesse. “What time, please?” Theodora asked. “You can leave the house now. I have nothing doing at present. I can meet you,” said Jesse. Jesse hung up the call and went back into the office.
Sandra was sitting in the office thinking about what to tell Jesse if he should return. It was undeniable that she was attra-cted to Jesse. But, she was committed to Desmond. She had been trying all her best to fall in love with Desmond, but all to no avail. She thought she would with time. To Sandra, Desmond was a nice guy who deserved the best. He nee-ded someone who would love him and reciprocate his tenderheartedness. Thinking about it, it was selfish for her to be holding on to Desmond while her heart lies with Jesse. She reasoned that if she wasn’t careful, she might lose both of them. She had to make the right decision and make it as fast as possible before she loses everything. And the first thing she was going to do was to talk to Desmond and make him un-derstand the situation. She would then tell Jesse the truth and accept his proposal.
“Sandra, I have to meet someone right now. I will be back soon. Please go over the files I worked on yesterday to see if I did everything right. And don’t forget, I will come back for my answer, Jesse said. “Don’t worry, your answer will be ready the next time we speak about the subject,” Sandra replied. Jesse smiled, took some things from his desk and went out of the office to meet Theodora.
Sandra saw the opportunity to speak to Desmond when Jesse went out of the office . “Hello, Desmond. How are you doing?” Sandra asked when Desmond picked the call. “You know I am doing well, sweetheart. Ever since you came into my life, everything has been working perfectly,” Desmond responded. “Hmmm… Desmond we nee-d to meet and talk. We nee-d to have a discussion, “said Sandra. “Talk about? I was just with you this morning. You are sounding too serious on the phone. Can’t we talk about it on phone?” Desmond asked. “Please let us meet over lunch and talk. The time for lunch break is almost due. What I want to discuss cannot be done on phone,” said Sandra. Desmond had to agree to that since he was so anxious to know what Sandra wanted to discuss with him that couldn’t be done on phone.
Jesse met with Theodora at the coffee shop. They exchanged pleasantries the moment they met. Theodora started crying immediately she saw Jesse. Jesse tried his best to comfort her. “Have you come up with anything, Jesse?” Theodora asked. “I have been thinking about this for some time now, Theodora. The only thing that came in mind was that, you should report the matter to your parents and then to the police. He is tormenting and threatening you, my dear. Your parents and the police should know about it before he carries out his threats one day,” Jesse advised. “I have thought about that, Jesse. But, the shame! The public ridicule!! I don’t think I have the capacity for that,” Theodora said. “And do you have the capacity for what he is doing to you?” Jesse inquired. “No!” Theodora answered. “Good! That is why you nee-d to do what I am saying as soon as possible. They may say they advised and you didn’t listen, but come-on, they are your parents. They will do anything to make sure you are okay, “ said Jesse.
Theodora thought about what Jesse said and realized it was a good idea. She had to inform the police and her parents. She had gone throu-ghenough torments un-der the roof of Newman. It was about time she stood up for herself before she goes to her early grave. Thoughts about committing suicide had flooded her memory for some time and she knew she would act on those thoughts with time. She went into a pensive mood for something and Jesse knew that she was thinking de-eply about what he said. “Thank you very much, Jesse for the advice. I think I should be on my way now,” said Theodora. Jesse was shocked at that statement. “why?” he asked. “You just gave me an advice and I nee-d to act on it now! I am going to see my parents from here. I have to tell them everything. I can’t keep all these things from them,” Theodora said and took her leave.
TBC….