CONTRACT MARRIAGE
Episode 23
By GranAmah’s Heart
“ What the hell just happened back there?” Ashley threw the question at Zoey the moment they got home.
Zoey remained quiet as she struggled to curtail the emotions that had built up in her.
Ashley sighed and gave Zoey a gentle touch on her shoulder.
“ Zoey….. how did you know Ife.” She asked calmly.
“ He is my ex….. he is the man I told you I dated two years ago before I traveled to South Africa.” Zoey replied calmly.
Ashley exhaled in exhaustion and held Zoey tenderly by her arm.
“ I’m so sorry Zoey…. I didn’t know….”
“ Its ok Ashley, I understand…. I guess he’s the one married to your friend now.” Zoey said softly.
“ Yes….. Although the circumstances is quite complicated.”
“ What do you mean it’s quite complicated?” Zoey asked in curiosity.
Ashley swallowed hard and paused briefly.
“ It’s a contract marriage.” Ashley spilled.
“ A contract marriage?”
“ Yes…. Meaning it was based on a business agreement which would expire in a few years From now.”
Zoey rolled her eyes in surprise and was about to say something but she hesitated.
“I know how much you love this man Zoey….. and I also know he is the reason you came back to Nigeria…. And I don’t know what to think about this because from the look of things, Omar loves him too.” Ashley said and sighed.
“…So what do you plan to do?” She asked Zoey.
Zoey fell silent for a while.
“ I need his number…. Please can you get it for me?” Zoey asked her sister.
“ Zoey…. I don’t mean to sound offensive but…. Why this man?….. Why not move on with your life and get another man…. See….. I could link you up with some really cool men if you don’t mind.”
Zoey shook her head in refusal.
“ I want Ife…. He is the only man I can ever love!!…” Zoey replied soberly.
“ Zoey…. Please do not short change yourself…. There are several men out there who would love and cherish you …. Why not move on with your life!!” Ashley advised her sister.
“ Why are you discouraging me Ashley?…. I thought you said it’s a contract marriage?…. This means I might have a chance!!…. Or is it because your friend also loves him?” She fired at Ashley.
Ashley swallowed hard.
“ I am only saying that whatever it is you shared with this man, was in the past!!…. There are so many men out there who will kīll to have you!!…. Why don’t you move on!!”
“ Move on you say?…. Do you know how much I’ve been combing the city looking for Ife?…. I even went as far as going to his family house, but I didn’t find him there!!…. I’m sorry Ashley, I can’t move on!!…. I came back because of him…and I’m going to have him!!”
Zoey fumed.
“…Are you giving me his number or not?”
“ I don’t have his number Zoey!!”
“ I know you can get his number if you want to do it!!…. Please Ashley, I need his number!!” Zoey pleaded desperately.”
“ Fine!!… I’ll see what I can do.” Ashley said and rolled her eyes.
“ Thanks Ash…. I’m grateful.” Zoey replied with a smile.
******************
Three weeks later.
“ Wow! This is great Binta!!…. I am really optimistic that this project will come out with a bomb!!” Omar exclaimed in enthusiasm.
“ Yes ma’am…. Infact this is just the beginning of what we have in store for Mike Davis Entertainment…. I told you we are up to the task and we will deliver!!” Binta replied, letting out a broad smile.
“ Yes you did…. And I believe you!!”
Binta crossed her legs and smiled.
“ Thanks so much for believing in Avalanche Investiture and awarding us the contract…. We promise not to disappoint you…. In a couple of weeks, we will round up the project and submit it ma.” Binta said.
Omar nodded her head.
“ Your services are good!!…. I must say ma.” Omar replied in agreement.
And Binta giggled.
“ Would you love to join me for lunch Mrs Nwachukwu?…. There’s this very good restaurant my husband took me to some weeks back and their recipes are very good!!…..We could even discuss some more about our amazing project over lunch.”
Binta chuckled.
“ It will be my pleasure ma.” Binta replied pleasantly and together, they both left.
One beautiful thing about Binta was not just only the way she handled her business expertly, but was also in the way she carried an air of positivity around her, her pleasantness and her humility. These were the attributes that attracted a strong bond between Omar and her.
They finally arrived at the restaurant and ordered their meals.
“ This place is really good Mrs Davis….their services are truly top notch.” Binta commended.
“ I told you so…. Ever since my husband brought me here…. I have become addicted to coming here.” Omar replied cheerfully.
“ You can say that again ma’am…. Their services has an affinity to compel people into coming a second time.” Binta agreed.
Omar nodded her head and exhaled.
“ Please can I ask you a question Mrs Nwachukwu?”
“ Yes you can ma.”
Omar raised her head and shrugged.
“ Do you have kids?”
Binta chuckled.
“ Yes I have a handful of them.” She replied.
“How do you manage to balance it all…. I mean…. Your work…. Kids and marriage?”
Binta smiled broadly.
“ It’s by the Grace of God ma’am…. I just take it one day at a time…. And I must say….. God has really been helping me.” She said and chuckled.
Omar nodded.
“ Have you ever had a nagging fear in your heart that your husband might fall in love with another woman and leave you someday.” Omar asked.
Binta almost choked on her drink. She let the glass gently on the table and directed her gaze at Omar.
“ Why did you ask?” Binta inquired.
Omar shrugged.
“ Because I feel that is what is about to happen to me.”
“ Why do you feel so?…. Did you see any sign or something suspicious about your husband?” Binta asked her in curiosity.
“ No….” Omar paused in hesitation as worry creased on her face.
“but ever since my husband saw his ex on my birthday, he had been unusually so calm and quiet….”
Binta sighed.
“ Have you discussed this with him?” she asked Omar.
“ Yes …. I mean…. I asked him about what happened in his relationship with her, but he said he’d rather not talk about it…. And I must be frank with you…. This gets me deeply worried…. Especially when I remember the way he transfixed his gaze at her on that day.” Omar replied.
“ Hmm!…. I think you should give him sometime….. he would come around…. Just continue to pray for him and show him so much love.” Binta advised.
Omar nodded her head and narrowed her gaze to the plate of food in front of her.
“ I think he had quite an history with her…. And I’m really scared these days…. Ife has become so withdrawn and I feel like he is slipping away.” Omar expressed her worry.
Binta sighed.
“ like I said earlier…. Just take your worries to God in prayer and show him some more love and understanding…. He might be going through something totally different from what you think…. Men can be like that sometimes.” Binta said.
“ Okay…. Thanks ma…. I’ll do as you have said.
“ please call me Binta.”
“ Ok thanks Binta.”Omar replied and continued eating her food.
They discussed extensively for a few more minutes, before returning back to the office.
And from that day on, the bond between Binta and Omar grew stronger, leading to a cordial frienship between them.
Oma can’t seem to take her mind off the new cold development between her and Ife.
Ever since his encounter with Zoey, he became very quiet, withdrawn and act like she doesn’t exist anymore.
She will give him time like Binta suggest while hoping for the best.
CONTRACT MARRIAGE
Episode 24
By GranAmah’s Heart
He woke up with a sharp pain on his chest. Groaning quietly in a bid not to wake her up.
The last few weeks had been awfully distasteful for him, bringing memories he wished he could erase completely from his memory. But today was the worst of the days.
He swallowed hard as pain engulfed him. Reaching towards the drawer in front of him, he brought out a bottle of aspirin and threw two tablets into his mouth.
The pain he felt was both the physical and the emotional one.
Skipping his routine exercise, he moved slowly into the bathroom and grudgingly took his bath, groaning quietly as the sharp pain on his chest engulfed him.
He managed to take his bath and stepped out of the bathroom dripping wet, with his towel wrapped around his waist.
In the same slow pace, he dressed up and climbed down the stairs with his suitcase. That was when he noticed she had been up a while ago and seated in the dinning table.
Omar got up immediately she saw her husband descend the stairs.
“ Hi darling…. I hope you slept well?” She asked, flashing him a smile.
“ Yes I did…. Thanks.” He said dryly and was about to move past her, when she quickly stood in his way.
“ I prepared your breakfast already…. Let me serve you your meal.” She said in enthusiasm.
“ Thanks but I don’t have the appetite to eat anything….. I will see you later..” He replied dryly, and brushed past her.
“ Ife!!…. What is the matter with you?….. Why have you been acting so withdrawn and cold towards me…. Is there something I did that got you offended?” She asked in annoyance.
“ Omar please not now…. I’m not in a good mood.” Ife replied wearing a grimace.
Omar scoffed loudly.
“ really!!…. Is this the new normal between us?…. You have not been in a good mood since you saw your ex!!….”
“ Omar please!!…. Don’t make this about Zoey!!…. I just want to be left alone for now….. is that too much to ask?” Ife retorted.
Omar scoffed a second time.
“ Yes!!…. It’s too much to ask Ife…. You said we could make this work!!…. And everything was going well between us until that witch came on my birthday!!!…. And since then, you’ve been acting all cold despite all my efforts to reach out to you!!”
“ Omar please…. Let’s have this discussion later…. I’ve got some work to do!!”
“ No…. I think it’s time we trash it out now!!…. Do you want to go back to her!!…. Is that it?” Omar queried angrily.
“ That’s it Omar!!…. I think you are overstepping your bounds…. Learn to respect my privacy!!”
Omar laughed loudly.
“ Privacy you say!!…. I’m your wife Ife and the last time I checked, there’s no privacy in marriage!!”
“ And you also seem to have forgotten…. This is a contract marriage!!…. And I Ife!!….. I call the shots in this relationship…. It will be good for you to know your place and stick to it!!!” Ife fired back and winced a little.
Omar shivered and bit her lower lip as tears gathered in her eyes.
“ Is this it?…. Is this how you feel?” She asked and nodded her head, allowing the tears stream down her eyes.
Ife ruffled his hands on his head as he felt the impact of migraine on his head. The pain relief didn’t seem to be working fast and he had to find a quick solution.
He sighed and walked out.
*************
The doctor examined him for the third time and penned down some information.
“ I’m through with the examination…. Please come with me to my office Mr Davis.
Ife nodded and followed the doctor to her office.
“ What is wrong with me doctor.” He asked anxiously.
The doctor adjusted her glasses and smiled.
“ Calm down Mr Davis…. It’s nothing serious…… the test shows that you had a panic attack which could be due to stress…. Or probably some events that had occurred within the past few days.” The doctor said.
Ife sighed.
“ So you mean it’s nothing serious?” he asked in clarification.
“ It’s nothing serious Mr Davis….. When last did you had a good sleep?” She asked him.
Ife exhaled.
“ It’s been weeks…. I got somethings on my mind which had been nagging at me!!”
The doctor nodded.
“ you need some days of good rest and you will be alright…. I will add some sleeping pills to the drugs I’ll be prescribing for you.” The doctor said and jotted some things down.
“ Here you go Mr Davis….. you’ll get the drugs available at our pharmacy.” The doctor said, handing him a prescription form.
“ Thanks doc…. I’ll get them on my way out.” He said.
“ You are welcomed Mr Davis…. Make sure you take some days off from work and rest well.” The doctor advised.
He thanked the doctor one more time and left, transfixing his gaze on the prescription form on his way down to the pharmacy department, and passing through the long corridor of the hospital, when he almost bumped into a lady.
“ Oh!!…. I’m so sorry ma’am…..” he was saying as he took a second glance at her.
It was Zoey.
“ Ife!!…. Oh!!…. What a coincidence!!” Zoey said in smiles.
“Zoey….so we meet again.” Ife muttered.
“ What are you doing here?” She asked him eagerly.
“ I came to see a doctor.”
“ What are you doing here?” he asked her in curiosity.
She chuckled softly.
“ I work here.”
“ Oh!…. That’s good…. Nice to see you again.” He said and was about to walk out when she tactfully stood in his way.
“ Uhm…. Ife…. I actually need us to talk.” She said.
“ There’s nothing to talk about Zoey.” Ife replied immediately.
“ please Ife…. I promise I won’t take much of your time…. Please.” She said pleadingly.
“ Fine…. Where do we talk?”
“ Let’s go to my office.” She said and led the way.
“ So I’m all ears.” Ife said, immediately they settled in her office.
Zoey narrowed her gaze and exhaled.
“ Ife…. Please…. I… uhm….. I’m sorry for walking out on our relationship…. I’m really sorry…. The last two years of my life has been a life of regrets…. And that’s why I came back…. I… uhm …. Please Ife….. I need you back in my life.”
Ife rested his gaze on her for a while and chuckled.
“ So you think coming to me with a few muddled up words of apologies will cut it?” Ife asked.
Zoey swallowed hard.
“ I had to leave as at that time….. Ife I didn’t mean to leave you hanging when you needed me most….. I loved you….. and I still do.” Zoey said, choking back the tears from falling.
“ I don’t think this is the best time to discuss this…. I’m not in a good mood right now.” He said and got up.
Zoey nodded her head.
“ It’s ok….. I’ll wait for you to come around.” She said in whispers.
Ife swallowed hard.
“ I’ll see you some other time Zoey.” He said and and try to leave but Zoey stopped him.
**********************
“ Are you alright Mrs Davis?” Binta asked Omar when she noticed she was loosing concentration and had a far away look on her face.
But Omar was still far gone.
“ Mrs Davis?….. Mrs Davis!!” Binta called and tapped her lightly, causing Omar to jolt back to reality.
“ So sorry ma’am…. I got distracted.” Omar apologized immediately.
“ You look bothered Mrs Davis…. Care to share your worries?” Binta asked.
Omar’s expression grew pale.
“ I think my husband is having an affair.” She said soberly.
Binta expression changed to that of concern.
“ And why do you think he is cheating on you ma?”
Omar shrugged.
“ Because he has completely changed…. See Binta…… I’ve been in this relationship game for many years and I can categorically tell you that I have experience in this things….. I tell you Ife is cheating on me, and that is the reality.” Omar said painfully.
“ I’m so sorry about what you are going through Omar.” Binta replied sadly.
“ I remembered how I felt when I discovered my husband was cheating on me with a brute woman….. it was really painful…. And I must say I understand how you feel.” Binta said in sympathy.
Omar shook her head sadly.
“ I would have dealt with them both by now…. But I am really pained because I truly love him…. And marrying him was the best thing that ever happened to me….but just when I thought I would be forever happy….. then this happened!!….” Omar said and broke down in tears.
Binta sighed and wrapped her hands around Omar tenderly.
“ it’s ok Omar…. This is not the end….. if I can get my husband back…. Then you can too…”
“ How did you do it?….. Please tell me how?”
“ I prayed Omar…. Prayer is the key…. Have you really taken your time to pray for him?” Binta asked her.
Omar sniffed.
“ Prayer….. I don’t even know how to pray anymore…. And sometimes when I mumble some words I wonder if God listens at all…. I also wonder if that is even the right way to pray.” Omar replied in honesty.
“ God is your father…. And he knows what you are passing through….he listens Omar…. What you need do is to confide in him….. what if I invite you to church?…. Would you honor my invitation?” Binta asked her.
Omar chuckled.
“ Its been ages since I ever went to church…” Omar replied.
Binta nodded.
“ We have our evening service tonight, and I am inviting you.” Binta said.
Omar sighed.
“ Fine…. I’ll come….. but I do not know the address.”
Binta gave a broad smile.
“I could come pick you up this evening.”
Tbc