BEING MRS SPENCE.
Episode 1.
BY AMAH’S HEART.
He looked up from his seat, gazed at her like a hawk throu-gh the tinted glas-s walls that demarcate the meeting hall. He bent his head in a total disappointment.
Cole excused himself from the board and began walking towards the door.
She was tensed as she stood outside waiting eagerly and hoping that nothing will go wrong.
She knew that he has seen her and is a matter of time he will be out.
immediately the door swings open, her heart flew to her stomach
When she saw his countenance.
Florence knew then that another trouble was looming.
“Hi darling…
She greeted while flashing him a smile.
“What the hell is this….what is all this that you put on…? he barked quietly yet angry.
She looked down at herself and stammered
“I…I thought you will like it… and..I..
“Damnit! Damnit Florence…”
He swore un-der his breath and continued.
…I specifically asked you to wear something nice and S-xy today. Today is Mustafa’s birthday and my colleagues are going over after the meeting with their wives. If you enter the visitors waiting room, you will see what my colleagues wives and girlfriends wore. They are all seated there, looking all shade of clas-s and elegant. I knew you were going to disappoint that was why I specifically asked you to wear something S-xy. I recently bought a S-xy short go-wn for you from an online sto-re. it will reveal your curves and show some th!gh… push out your cle-avageand put your b©dy figure in perfect light… your backside won’t be left out….then you grace it up with heel But here you are dressed like some maid, like you are going for church fellowsh!p. You want to embarras-s me right?
Florence inhaled slowly before re-leasing her breath.
“I’m a married woman Cole, I won’t dress like a pr©st!tût£just to plea-se your ego or the public eyes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my dressing. This is an armless flower printed go-wn. It reveals my curve enough and the length is very okay. I have a jacket in the car just in case you feel I’m ex-posing too much skin. I wore this because I thought is S-xy enough for you Cole, I wore a comfortable heel shoe…all this I did hoping I will get an applaud but here you are again bashing me…
He suddenly began to cl@p.
“You wanted an applaud right? You can have it all… Since you want to be a stubborn and disobe-dient wife it won’t be un-der my watch… never. I will rather go alone than go with you looking like this…go back home Florence.
“Cole… Cole… you are overacting. plea-se…st©p. I won’t be able to go home and change to something else because of time but I can check for a boutique around and get something different but it will be nothin like the go-wn you wanted me to wear. That go-wn is too revea-ling Cole. It ba-res out a woman’s br@less bo-ob … shamelessly and with a string tiny hand. I can’t even sit in public because my whole undies will be greeting the public eyes. There’s a whole lot of thing wrong with…
Cole started walking back inside
“Go home Florence… we’re done here. It was a big mistake to have even asked you to join me…
He walked back inside leaving Florence standing.
She shakes her head sadly before walking away.
When she got to her car, she didn’t move immediately. She sat in there, staring at nothing.
“God…I…I…
She bec@m£ speechless.
Florence sighed sadly before turning on the ignition and driving away.
She st©pped at her sister’s place.
“, wow, I love your dress. You look good Flo. Are you going on a fresh d@t£ with Cole or having a get together?
Florence flashed her a smile as she sat ha-rd on a chair.
“…You don’t look happy… what did Cole did again?
Susan asked while folding some children cloths into a box.
“What is wrong with this dress Suzy? Cole said is not appropriate for outing…is not S-xy to his standard. He s£nt me back home and said he will rather go alone to his colleague’s p@rty than go with me looking like this.
“Does he want you to walk n-ked? Because this cloth is very okay.. Is S-xy and catchy too. Flo, don’t let Cole words get to you… he’s probably in another bad mood…
Susan said as she put what she was doing aside and c@m£ to sit close to her sister.
“He wanted me to dress like a harlot. Seriously, I don’t un-derstand Cole…i find it ha-rd to plea-se him. There’s this over revea-ling str!ppers dress he saw online and bought. Suzy, did you know that my darling husband wants me to wear the dress instead of this…
“What’s wrong with that? Since that was what he wants then you should have done so. Wear it for him… you are together after all. The eyes and shame won’t be just on you…it will be on him too.
Florence waved off what her sister said.
“I wear the shoe so I know where it pinches. You won’t un-derstand Suzy. Where’re the boys?
“They’re out. Jimmy took them out for some evening ice cream. It gives me time to tidy up the house. Flo, you and Cole haven’t thought of having kids yet…
“Cole isn’t re-ady. He said children are messy and expensive to maintain…
Susan began to laugh.
“Wai.. you mean as smart as Cole is he still thinks like this? I mean no insult to your dear husband Flo. But..why does he make having children seems like an item to acquire?
Florence stood with her bag.
“Suzy, I know I dislike some of the things that Cole does but I won’t sit and listen to you insult him. Not having children now is his decision which am in total agreement with. Let’s leave it at that and it will be nice if you respect our decision.
Susan raised her hands up in total surrender.
“Okay.. okay Flo. But remember that you’re a woman and time ticks every pas-sing day with opportunity for you. Cole is a man and if you don’t convince him now to start a family it maybe difficult in the future when you feel re-ady and in desperately nee-d of babies. You are my younger sister and I won’t I advise you wrongly.
“Whenever Cole feels re-ady, I will be re-ady too and God will then perfect it. This is just our fourth year in marriage, we’re enjoying our selves….there’s no rushing Suzy. That ends it. Say hello to Jimmy and my nephews whenever they return. I’m going home. I know Cole will be coming home late tonight. Let me go and fix dinner before he returns…
Florence left, on her way home she decided to drive past her church.
The whole place was quiet. The church was always open for anyone who wants to come in.
She adjusted her go-wn before taking a jacket to wear on t©p of the cloth.
As she walks in, her eyes was focused on the front pew.
Florence sat facing the alter. She stare at the crucifix sign for sometime before lowering her eyes to her wedding ring.
This was the third time she was coming to church on a week day with no one in it.
Each of the time she was lost in words.
“God..I..I.
She went speechless again not knowing how to express all the heaviness in her heart.
Someb©dy suddenly cleared his voice quietly close to her
Florence startled before turning.
“Pastor Josh…
He c@m£ to sit beside her leaving some distance.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your de-ep session.
She sighed sadly
“Is alright pastor. You didn’t interrupt anything. I have allot on my mind that I really wanted to talk to God about. I felt God will listen more if I’m in his sanctuary… but I can’t seem to put my words together.
“He knows what you want to say even before you say it. He hears throu-gh the heaviness of your heart… God is listening and won’t leave nor forsake you. Trust him to fix whatever that is troubling you or your home. Trust him and have no doubt Mrs Spence.
She held her hands together and looked up at the big altar.
“That’s the problem pastor Josh. My faith gets weaker and weaker on each pas-sing day. I’m loosing it up..I don’t know how to trust God fully. sometimes I feel he is not listening…
Pastor Josh was quiet for sometime and didn’t reply her immediately.
“He is ever pres£nt in time of nee-d. If he cares and clothes the lilies in the field, birds in the air and animals that swims the ocean current how much more you that is made in his image. Trust him… that’s all he wants you to do. Trust him with all your heart and withhold nothing from him.
Florence nodded. Pastor Josh stood and walked away quietly.
That was all she nee-ded, a reas-surance that God still cares and always listening.
It was alre-ady dark when she drove into the gate.
She missed her husband’s and sister’s calls.
She tried calling her him back severally but he wouldn’t pick.
She called Susan and she informed her that Cole called and asked of her whereabout.
Her heart skipped when she saw her husband’s car parked in the garage.
She checked the time and g@sped out 8:32pm.
The traffic has contributed to her late arrival.
She picked up her hand bag and walked inside.
He was taking coffee on the dining when she stepped in.
“Where are you coming from? He asked while looking down at his coffee cu-p.
“I’m sorry darlin, I never knew you will be home this early. I st©pped at Susan’s place and from ther…
“Shut the hell up. He interrupted
“….I called your ugly mannered sister and she told me that you aren’t there, you left… where are you coming from I ask one more time.
Florence sighed sadly and moved closer to him.
“Cole, that’s what I’m trying to explain. After I left Susan’s place I decided to drive to church and I didn’t stay for long, it was the traffic that delayed me.
He suddenly threw the coffee at her face.
“I asked you to go home Florence. That was an order. You were supposed to come straight home and not go gossiping from your sister’s house to church. Are you having an affair with the pastor? Because this is the third time you will be using church as an excuse.
Florence tried to wipe off the coffee dripping down from her face.
Cole stood and barked angrily at her
… you are very lucky that I don’t beat women. If I was a woman beater this dirty attitude of yours would have attra-cted whole lot of beating for you. so disobeying my orders now is the new trend right? Susan is putting you throu-gh on how to be stubborn? I asked you to wear a p@rticular cloth for a colleague’s birthday p@rty, You refused and wore what you liked. I s£nt you home and you decide to go wherever you want… this will be a last warning Florence, there’s no two dictator in this house. Is either my way or no other way. Today is the last day you will go over to Susan or to your church… until I decided to lift the ban. The only place you’re allowed to go is your work place and if your office ever gets in the way of my orders I will also st©p you from working. so make sure you don’t allow your work place affect your duties as a wife. Not un-der my nose will my wife become a tyrant. Go and fix me another coffee and take it to the room.
He stood and walked away.
Florence wiped a tear before entering the bathroom to wash her coffee face.
She stare at the mirror in the bathroom.
“God…I…whenever I feel tired to carry on, plea-se push me forward in your strength. If truly you care about me then change Cole…I love him so much. make him a better man, a man after your own heart…who will love me dearly and serve you truly. Mak…
“Florence… where is the coffee. I’m still waiting and my patience is running low…
Cole called out to her from the sitting room.
Florence quic-kly wash off her face before going to make another fresh coffee for him.
He was sitting in the parlour when she brou-ght the coffee.
“I said after you are done ma-king the coffee take it to the room, isn’t that what I said earlier or have you suddenly gone deaf…?
“I’m sorry, I forgot.
Florence apologies as she started walking inside with the coffee in hand.
” I will like to take that coffee with snacks. I feel like eating a home made sponge cake or donut…
Cole said after Florence who stood obe-diently.
“I can’t bake Cole, beside we don’t have ingredients for donut and is alre-ady late to buy..”
“Remind me again Florence… what exactly are you good at? You can’t make any delicious meal, you can’t obey simple instructions, you are so boring in be-d… even things as simple as baking and ma-king donut you can’t make. What can you really do Florence?
Florence bite her lowerl-ips as tears gathered in her eyes.
She blinked severally to hold it back from running down.
“I will make a sandwich for you Cole… I also have fried chicken and rice in the fridge. I can microwave it for you if you are hungry.
“I said I want coffee and snacks… simple instructions Florence. Do what I asked of you… make the sandwich re-ady and another fresh h0t coffee. You know the way I love my coffee. After then freshen up and wait for me in be-d…
Florence did all he asked of her. She fixed extra sandwich for herself with tea.
After she was done, she had her shower.
Cole was alre-ady in be-d waiting.
She joined him
He gr@bb£d her r0ûghly, Florence m0@n ed in pain as his f!ngersdig into her.
She was used to his rou-gh way of love ma-king and dares not complain.
After the whole thing was over he turned to her and said.
“Hope you are taking your drugs.
She nodded.
“… make sure you don’t miss any. I’m not re-ady for any baby’s trouble now. So stick to your drugs to avoid falling pregnant…
Florence nodded before moving to the bathroom.
TBc…