BURGUNDY.
Episode 13.
By Amah
I could not hold back myself from knowing why Ireti could do such to me. I have try to wave it off but I Just kept falling dee-per into depression.
Ireti’s Papi was arrested and later interrogated and he said he knows nothing about what Ireti did.
He actually thought she bought the shoe and aquarium for him, he wasn’t aware that it was stolen.
He wanted to return everything back to me but all I nee-ded was Just my aquarium which was s£nt back to me immediately.
Ireti’s Papi had alre-ady wore the burgundy shoe and there’s no way I could have it back.
And I refused to collect compensation of any kind.
I decided to let it all go and Ireti was bailed out.
Even after all this, the trouble in my heart refuses to go.
Sandra’s number bec@m£ reachable but she refused to pick my calls or reply my messages.
She will re-ad several of my messages and ignore.
One day Musa c@m£ to inform me that Ireti was at the gate.
I asked him never to let her in, to avoid risking his job in the process.
She remained outside my gate and refused to go and I totally ignored.
Even though I still want to un-derstand why the lady i treated so well, the lady I had a big time crush on and was re-ady to tolerate all her bagages, I overlooked her bul$h!t behaviour and even hurt an innocent lady in the process, I never knew she was a wolf in sheep clothing. I wanted to un-derstand why she will hurt me so much.
What if I have gotten married to her because of her beauty and supposed clas-s and she ended up killing me and claiming all the important docvments that my dad, Martin Snr left in my care. All the property entrusted to me would have been hers if that had happened.
What if i wasn’t so careful and she bec@m£ pregnant for me. How do i explained that to my parents and even Live with myself.
As much as I’m glad that none of that happened, I still can’t place a f!nger why Ireti, who I was re-ady to do anything for will steal from me. Not just an ordinary thing but my aquarium and the shoe I cherished most.
When she told me I had the same size with her Papi and she will do a replica or something close to my burgundy shoe for her Papi’s birthday pres£nt, I thought it was a compliment and i felt thri-lled thinking her Papi was her father.
I Never knew it was all in her plans to steal it, she was only waiting for a perfect time to do so and when the chance pres£nted itself, she gr@bb£d it.
Ireti hanged it on the n£¢k of an innocent Sandra. She abused, insulted and humiliated the poor girl. the most sad thing is that I joined her in tagging Sandra a thief.
I don’t know if I will ever be free from the guilt of all I did to Sandra.
She was unjustly accused of a wrong she never committed. Will she ever forgive me?
Ireti kept coming to the house but she was locked out.
I blocked her every means of reaching me.
As I was coming back from work one day, I saw her sitting outside my gate.
I stepped down from my car and she approached.
” If you don’t st©p coming here or anywhere close to me…I will get you arrested again and lock you up for good this time.
I said angrily to her.
” Mart, plea-se hear me out first. I’m sorry…I regret everything I did to you. I know you loved me but I took it all for granted. I can’t sleep at night or do anything anymore. All I want to do is to plead and let you know that if I’m given another chance I won’t mess it up, I promise. I will do anything you want me to do. Anything!
She wiped a tear. I relaxed back on my car and kept watching her hypocrite ashen face.
She began speaking again.
“…Let me tell you the real truth about me and Papi. I promise that I won’t hold back anything. I’m from the middle clas-s family but Papi makes me feel like I got it all and I bec@m£ the envy of my friends. Papi’s wife found out that he has a side chick and left him with their son. He went begging her and she later returned. I decided to pl@ycool and not be the reason of a broken home but Papi will not let me be. He showered me with different gifts and when the wife found out about us again for the third time she left him for good, seek for the custody of their son and finally divorced Papi. I was there for him and I promised never to leave him because I was the reason why his wife left him. He loves me and I sincerely loves him too. He bought me a car and furnished an ap@rtment for me. I have been wanting to show him how much I appreciate his kind gestures, how much I care and love him but I couldn’t come up with any perfect gift to do that. His birthday was coming and I kept thinking of what gift to get for him. Papi loves shoes and when I saw you at the wedding p@rty, I fell in love with the shoe you wore. I had never seen anything like it before. When I visited you and saw the aquarium it was another beautiful thing I haven’t seen before and the perfect idea c@m£ to settle on my head. At first I wanted to do another type of it and pres£nt it to Papi but it will never be like the original. I checked your wardrobe if there’s another thing to add but I couldn’t l@ymy hands on anything. I settled with the shoe and aquarium. I took the polish first and was looking for a perfect time to take the main shoe. I have tried to become Papi’s baby mama but I don’t know why I couldn’t conceive for him and I try to make you do it … to make out with you raw so that I can conceive for Papi but you refused to go raw with me and chose to use c0md0minstead and I kept hoping. Just maybe I will fall pregnant and it will be a compensation to Papi for loosing his son to his ex wife. All I have ever done is to make the only man that cared de-eply about me even after loosing his family he sticks with me, all I wanted was to make him happy. We planned to get married but he had too much expenses, paying for child care and many other things after loosing in the court case. I didn’t want to bother him much with my extravagant lifestyle. I decided to make you do the expenses for me. I’m sorry that you are a victim in all of this. Papi is seriously angry with me right now and said I betrayed him. He doesn’t even want to see me anymore but all I ever did was for his happiness. Just to prove my royalty and love for him but now he refused to see me or listen to the reasons behind my actions. Mart, I’m de-eply sorry for ma-king you a victim in all of this and I hope someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me. I’m re-ady to do anything to prove to you that I regret everything I did. I did it all for Papi because he really spoilt me with money and gifts and went throu-gh divorce all because of me. If you ever give me a second chance, I promise not to disappoint you. Forgive me Mart. Papi is very angry with me bec….
My hands where in akimbo style, my b©dy was resting on my car as I listen to Ireti’s story.
She was still talking when I interrupted and began cl@pping my hands.
” you deserve an accolade for such a sweet story. Very interesting one. Your story want to make me cry…oh mine. You will make a fine actress with this stories of yours. I have heard your fantastic tale is time to take your leave Ireti. Now, listen to me for the last time, never in your life or your next life smell near this house. If you ever come an inch close to me I will lock you up for real this time…. and I mean every word of locking you up.
I went into my car and honk for Musa to open the gate. I drove in leaving Ireti standing outside.
She’s indeed a selfish fool. Using me all along to plea-se her stupid Papi. Can you imagine the nons-en-se. With all her beauty yet she can’t put her br@in to a good use.
I really do not want to think about her because I gets more angry when I do so.
After knowing the reasons behind her actions, I feel Like I wasted 15minutes of my life listening to that bul$h!t story of hers.
I have looked throu-gh Sandra’s CV to get her house address, gone to the said address that I got from her CV and was told she no longer lives there. She moved out long time ago.
I asked if they have an idea of where she maybe but nob©dy does.
I even called the number she put as reference but it was switched off.
Despite Sandra’s number was going and I have s£nt several apology messages to her WhatsApp, called, text but she refused to respond and later blocked me from reaching her.
I wish I know where she is, I still wished I can see her face to face.
I have tried all means and exhausted all ideas of reaching her. I finally resulted to fate.
I planned to fly out of this country to join my people abroad.
So tired of everything here and nee-ded fresh air.
Everything is becoming suffocating and I get dee-per into thinking, loneliness and sadness.
Is time to plan my next move and leave this country for good.
Maybe with that I will be able to start all over again and this time I will never take a good girl for granted. Neither will I allow myself to be deceived with a woman’s appearance.
I got a message on my phone one day with an unknown number and it was same Ireti begging for a second chance and kept promising not to ever take it for granted.
I shakes my head sadly and blocked the number again.
I woke up one morning with another message from unknown number. When I opened it was same Ireti. She was threatening to kill herself if I don’t see her.
“She is a psychopath…”
I said to the quiet room
I continued with my plans to travel out and still hopes Ireti doesn’t kill herself because all her hustle to secure royalty with Papi will all be in vain.
Papi’s ex wife and child she kicked out of their main home, all the effort she put in doing such will be in vain if she dies.
I Just hope she doesn’t kill herself but I will never give a lady like her another chance in my life.
Once beaten twice shy
Episode 14.
The continues noise from my phone woke me up very early in the morning.
It was an unknown number again.
I didn’t pick at first, I thought it was Ireti who kept texting me with different numbers threatening to kill herself if I don’t accept her back.
The phone kept ringing and I decided to pick up
The female voice from the other end do not sound familiar.
” Hello, am I speaking with Mr Martin Jr?
” Yes, who’s this?
I queried impatiently.
” My name is Doctor Kate of Royal Hospital. I’m calling on behalf of a patient who was admitted to our hospital yesterday. She gave us your number to call and insist we do . Her name is Ireti and she took an overdose drug and pas-sed out in her ap@rtment. sir, we will appreciate if you can come down to see her because her life depends on it. plea-se. When should we expect you sir?
I ended the call and exclaimed sadly to myself.
“Oh my God, what sort of problem is this now. Why is Ireti doing this to herself? she actually meant it when she said she will take her own life.
Or is this a set up to get me back to her?…I seriously hate this.
I breathed in, changed over, took my car keys and drove out.
Since Ireti’s life depends on me showings up, that is exactly what I will do.
I pray she doesn’t die and I also hope is not a set up to get me to pity her and accept her back.
That girl is capable of anything.
I drove to the hospital and was directed to where she was
I began to count my step as I walk down to her hospital room.
It doesn’t seem right to me coming to see Ireti after all she did but I hate the idea of she trying to kill herself and I don’t want to be the reason for that.
She was lying still in her be-d and a nurse was checking on her.
Immediately I c@m£ in the nurse left.
Ireti turned and looked at me, she looks normal to me but she had tubes and drip tagged on her b©dy.
” Thank you for coming Mart. I know you are not so heartless to want me dead.
I stood watching her. She still looks pretty and even had make up on her face and redl-ipstick on herl-ips.
” Why did you asked them to call me? You should have called Papi and not me.
I said with a frown while trying to un-derstand why I even c@m£ at first when it was obvious she set up the drama.
She doesn’t even look like someone that wanted to kill herself.
“Mart, st©p doing this to me. All I ask is for a second chance. Everyone deserves it Mart. plea-se, reconsider. I totally ba-red myself open to you. I withheld nothing. I told you all my secrets that I never told anyone. Is all because I don’t want to hide anything anymore. I wanted you to un-derstand every reason behind my actions. I regret most of my actions and wish I can undo them. I’m not proud of my past but I can’t change it. I was spoilt with money and gifts and felt like I got it all. I’m sorry Mart for hurting you…I never meant to and I promise, I swear with my life that I will never hurt you ever again. Trust me this time and I won’t disappoint…I will do everything you want me to do. Anything at all. I love you so much Mart. I loved you more than I do for Papi. plea-se, don’t turn me down. I have told you every of my secrets, everything I hide away from everyone. I told you because I don’t want to hold any secret, no matter how small it may be from you. plea-se Mart…
I shakes my head unconcerned.
” And when your Papi shows up, you will returned back to him. Ireti… I’m done with your lies and deceit. I won’t fall for this pretense. I’m moving on and wish Sandra will forgive me for what I did to her. Sandra, the lady you accused, humiliated and insulted. I wish I can see her… searched everywhere for her alre-ady but is negative. she’s very angry with me all because of you. You caused it Ireti and you are putting up this show for me to consider and accept you back but someb©dy like you do not deserve a second chance… at the end you will mess it up…
She straightened from the hospital be-d and sat up.
” Mart if you leave me I will kill myself for good. I can’t live without you. Papi is not Coming back for me. He said I betrayed him and does not want to have anything to do with me. I won’t disappoint you Mart, give me a try first. Sandra is gone for good. She asked you not to look for her. I guess she’s gone to be with her b©yfri£ndand do not nee-d disturbance or reminder of what she’s trying to forget. Mart, plea-se don’t forget the good moment we share together…give me a chance to make it up for the bad time we had. I promise not to ever leave you for any man or disappoint you.
I try to have a rethink over Ireti’s offer. She seems real but I’m trading safe. I don’t want her to pl@ywith my intelligence.
I left her and went home.
After two days I kept thinking of my traveling out or giving Ireti a chance.
she sounds sincere and I want to give her benefit of doubt.
I desperately wanted Sandra but I think Ireti maybe right. She has gone to be with Jeff, her b©yfri£ndand do not want to have anything to do with me.
I wish to set my eyes on her but it appears to be a very ha-rd task.
Ireti c@m£ over and I asked Musa to let her in.
She c@m£ in and sat like a repentant sinner in my sitting room.
She acted as if she was not the Ireti that i used to know.
I did not t©uçh her but we had a good k!ssafter few days.
Ireti was not as before, she changed. There was no longer eating and messing the whole place up. She quit smoking and also reduce her alcoholic intake.
She was really different and I like the new Ireti that she portray to be.
i did nott allow her stay for long at my place or come every weekend. I try to be discipline and not t©uçh her but morals failed me. Her beauty comes out the more on every of her visit.
I cancelled my traveling plans and resumed again with Ireti.
I just hope I’m doing the right thing because sometimes I feel guilty for no good reason.
After two months I started suspecting her. She was either hiding to receive calls or talking in a whisper.
I waved it off at first.
I thought is because of what happened in the past that was ma-king me to suspect her every move.
Well, I couldn’t explain the reason why I feel she’s hiding something and I don’t want to drug her like the last time just to find out what she’s up Ireti clears her chat and I can’t l@ymy hands on anything negative.
When I bec@m£ certain that Ireti was up to something was when her number was off for two good days.
I drove down to her house but she wasn’t around either.
she c@m£ after few days to my place I asked her where she has been and why her number was off.
She told me that she was at her house all throu-gh.
” Which house? I was at your place but you weren’t there and I couldn’t reach you either …
” Ooh, is probably when I visited my aunt and there was no network there. It was an emergency visit, she was very sick and no one was there to care for her, so I nee-ded to go. I even try s£nding you a message to inform you but it didn’t go throu-gh. i’m sorry my love.
Why do I think she’s lying?
I challenged her.
“Your aunt huh? I hope you haven’t resumed back to lying to my face because if I find out…it won’t be funny this time.
I Walked away from her and few days later I caught her. I woke up in the middle of the night and was hearing a whisper Coming from the bathroom.
I ti-p toe to the bathroom and listened.
” …yes, I’m at home. Yes… I’m tired right now and can’t take a picture of my nûd£. My girlfriend is around and I wouldn’t want her to see me doing that. Papi, C’mon, you know I love you very much and re-ady to do anything for you but definitely not tonight. I will do that tomorrow… plea-se. Don’t be mad at me…yes, I promised tomorrow. I will also try and come over next weekend to be with you. I thought you will be mad at me forever, I’m really happy to have you back…I won’t. I promise you before and I’m promising again. No one else except you… just you Papi. I love you. I believe you know that right?
I went back to be-d and stayed awake until she c@m£ out.
The phone almost fell from her hand when she saw me.
With the look on my face she began to give unsolicited explaination with trembling.
” Mart, I was afraid to tell you that Papi was back. He wants me to return back to him but I said no and told him I was with a loving man who cherished me. I was just trying to make him leave me alone. I don’t mean anything you heard me say to him over the phone. All I wanted was to dismiss him so that he will let me be for good. I don’t want to be harsh due to the fact that we got a past together and he was very nice to me… so I decided to pl@ysmart by talking and acting so loving to him but I don’t mean any of that. Mart believe me. I promise not to disappoint you and I won’t…
She sound convincing to me but I have my doubt.
“what if she was lying?.
I waved it off and went back to be-d.
I was within my compound one day and heard Musa shouting excitedly on the phone.
” Small madam, Na where you come go since. I miss you pas-s oo. Chai small madam I don dey try reach you but your number no dey go. I just say make I try again today and you pick. Walahi, God go bless you well welloo…
I paused and listened and wondered if it was Sandra that Musa was talking so happily to or was there another small madam aside Sandra?
After the call ended, I called Musa and asked him who he was talking with and he was filled with joy and told me is the small madam that worked for me before.
He was actually talking with Sandra and couldn’t hide his excitement.
I was surprised and quic-kly c@m£ up with a plan that Musa will stylishly ask her where she resides whenever they speak next time.
Musa got the details after I waited for one long week.
I got the address to locate her.
I drove off to see Sandra.
It was a very long drive and I wasn’t bothered.
Ireti was calling me but I told her I wasn’t home and don’t know when I will return.
I kept driving and began to wonder if Musa gave me the right address or did he pla-yed with my intelligence.
I drove and kept asking around until I was directed to the street and from there I was shown the house.
I parked outside and rang the bell at the big gate.
The gate and the fence was very high like an army barrack.
I silently prayed that I was at the right house.
After sometime, i began to hear someb©dy unlocking the gate.
I stepped back and try to calm my racing heart as the gate suddenly opened and I stood face to face with an elderly man.
” Goo..good day sir…
I stammered at the tall man who wore camouflage t©p and blue jean.
” Yes. How may I help you..Who are you here to see?
The man sound so authoritative and very eloquent. I was almost turning back because it appears I was in the wrong house.
This man was very intimid@t!ng. I breathed de-eply, trying to appear br@ve.
” I think I lost my way sir. I’m Sorry. I was actually looking for a young Lady. Sandra is her name and I was directed to this p@rticular house…but is a misup and I will take my leave. I’m sorry to bother you sir.
I nodded to my own words as the man stand looking at me. I was about taking a step back when he said.
” Sandra is my daughter. She’s inside. If you are here to see her then is fine. Come inside then.
Fear gr@bb£d my two legs but I obeyed and went inside. It was a very large compound and there was a car parked at one end.
I followed the man silently and quietly and kept hoping that is not a tra-p.
If I get locked up in this big house, even if I scream all I can I’m not sure my voice will be heard.
nob©dy will hear me.
The man s-en-sed my fear and called out to his daughter with a strange name.
“Treasure… Treasure… plea-se come. There’s a young man here to see you.
I began to doubt if I’m truly in the right house after I heard the man called his daughter treasure.
I was there to see Sandra and not treasure or could it be the name her father specially calls her.
My eyes was looking all around when I saw her come out of the nicely painted house.
It was truly Sandra, yes. I was looking right at Sandra standing by the door side and looking at me.
She doesn’t look angry or happy, her face was expressionless. I couldn’t place it but I was happy to finally come face to face with Sandra.
My phone began to ring, interrupting the good moment I was trying to enjoy.
I quic-kly checked the caller and it was Ireti again.
TBC