📚MARRIED To Victor STEPHEN
💞EPISODE_14
I got back home with both Emmanuella, and Emmanuel. As always, they flung their school bags to one side, even after several warnings. They ran to the kitchen, and dropped their lunch boxes exactly where I told them to. Victor would say, the instruction was quite easy for them because it concerns their food, and it’s something they can’t joke with.
“Emmanuella, put it in Ben10 now… You better put it in Ben10…” I could hear Emmanuel shouting at his sister.
“Ben10, Ben10, Ben10…” Emmanuella shouted back. “Is it only Ben10 we want to be watching? I will tell Mommy for you now.”
“And me I will tell Daddy for you.” Emmanuel also said his own.
“Go and tell Daddy now,” Emmanuella said it because she knew their Dad was not around yet. “Are you not going to tell Daddy again?” I heard her laughed.
Silly girl..
I could not pity Emmanuel because I knew he would definitely do his own back like he does when Emmanuella cheats him.
“Daddy Daddy!” I knew those two would surely scream. I quic-kly off the g@s un-der the fried rice I cooked. I specially made it for Victor like I was told to do. I served the remaining chicken I fried inside the bowl, and off the g@s immediately.
“Where is your Daddy?” I asked the two who quietly sat on the floor watching their cartoon.
“Daddy is upstairs,” they both chorused. I went up immediately, and I quietly ease the door opened. Victor’s back was facing me, as I made my way inside. I moved towards him as he struggled to lose his tie. “Let me help you with that.” My hands went to the tie around his n£¢k, giving him no choice than to lose his hands.
“How was your day?” I tried to make conversation with him.
“Stressful,” he mumbled. “And I couldn’t st©p thinking about you,” he said it slowly. I finally looked up at him with a smile on my face. “Are you sure, or you’re just trying to bobo me?”
A quic-k laughter escaped his mouth, as he looked down at me. He stayed silent for some seconds watching me, while I watched him as well. “Don’t ever doubt me when I tell you something as serious as that.” He embr@ced me slowly to himself causing me to laugh a little. I threw the tie on the be-d helping him with the bu-ttons of his shi-t.
Suddenly, the door bur-st open causing me to st©p what I was doing as Victor and I looked at the two wonderful gifts God has blessed us with. “Mommy we are hungry,” they paused, looking at both Victor and I. Victor re-leased me, and helped himself with the rest of the bu-ttons. “What have I told you about knocking?” He reminded the two.
The two looked remorseful. “Daddy we are very sorry. Is just that, me I’m very very hungry.” Emmanuella exaggerated.
“And me too,” Emmanuel added, ru-bbing his stomach. Victor and I laughed, and he moved away from them. Victor turned to me with a smile. “Suzy, is as if they even like food more than you,” he tea-sed.
I smiled, choosing not to talk. “Hungry children, let’s go downstairs. If not food, what else should we love?” I shouted for Victor to hear, and I could hear his little laughter as the children and I made our way out of the room. They got downstairs before I could get to half of the stairs. I nee-d such energy.
After they’ve been served, I served Victor’s food, and took it upstairs to him. As usual, he had freshen up, and changed into his pyjamas. I went back downstairs and joined the children. We ate together, and after few minutes, Victor c@m£ down, and joined us in the sitting room.
“Mommy, we have not done our as-signment,” Emmanuella said immediately she was done eating her food. Emmanuel was very busy watching Ben10, that he could not concentrate on his food any longer.
“And you, Mr. Man, have you done your as-signment?” Victor asked Emmanuel who slowly turned his head backward at his Dad, and shook it in reply. “No Daddy, Mommy is still eating?” He gave an excuse because he didn’t want to leave the cartoon he was watching. I saw Victor took the remote, and immediately changed the channel.
“Emmanuella why-” he st©pped immediately he saw the remote with his Dad. He was trying to accuse Emmanuella who had gone inside to bring her note. Emmanuel slowly and quietly leave the front of the TV, and sat beside me. “Mommy,” he whispered, like he was trying to gossip. “Tell Daddy to put it in Ben10 for me.”
I smiled to myself. Thou shall not… “Go and bring your as-signment first,” I told him instead, using the opportunity as well. He wra-pped himself around me ma-king me feel uncomfortable. “Mommy no,” he whined disturbing.
“My friend will you get out of this place, and bring your as-signment!” Emmanuel jumped at the voice of his Dad, and slowly walked away from me.
“Mommy, our Aunty said, we should write about our family,” Emmanuella c@m£ back with her book sitting in between Victor and I.
“So what did your aunty say, and how will you start?” I asked, sharpening her HB pencil.
“I will start by writing,” she collected her pencil. “The name of my Mommy is…” She dragged it, waiting for me to tell her.
“Ah! So you don’t know Mommy’s name?” Emmanuel c@m£ back with his note.
“Then tell me if you know it. St©p doing shakara,” Emmanuella whined.
“Okay,” Emmanuel dropped his book on my l@ps. “Don’t you know Mommy’s name is sweetheart, and Daddy’s name is honey.”
“Sweet what?” Victor bur-st into laughter, while I just smiled, trying not to make the children feel bad. I couldn’t blame him. That was actually what we call ourselves in their pres£nce. But for them to have suggested that as our names baffled me with crazy smiles, and laughter.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Emmanuella tapped her head with her middle f!nger. “I forgot sha! My Mommy’s name is Mrs. Sweetheart Stephen.”
This time around, Victor quic-kly off the TV, and laughed slowly.
“Abeg, Mrs. Sweetheart Stephen, I’m off to be-d.”
“Goodnight Daddy!” The two chorused, while I chuckled at myself at the sweatheart, and honey
Emmanuel mentioned.
Mrs. Sweetheart Stephen.
That sounded really sweet though.
Little children and the way they think?
I corrected them, and we did the little we could. After we were
done, I was tired, and was alre-ady feeling sleepy. I took them to be-d, and went straight to our room. Victor was on the be-d, pressing his phone when I expected him to have sle-pt. I joined him on the be-d, and was almost stepping into the bus of dream land when I heard that sweet, melody, and low voice. “I’m sorry for what happened today,” he whispered, and I slowly let my eyes opened, seeing that cute face above me.
He k!$$£d myl-ips in a quic-k manner. “My beautiful wife, I’m sorry,” he k!$$£d me again. “You know I love you.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Mr. Honey Stephen, I’m tired plea-se.”
His rou-gh chuckle reached me. “But I’m not tired now,” he tea-sed, grinning at me.
“Ehnn go and join your mates that are doing evening exercise now. Abi is it your sleep that I cannot sleep again?” I said, forming ha-rd a little, as I tried not to smile. He couldn’t st©p laughing. He was still resting on his arm that lifted him up giving me a better view of him.
“Mrs. Sweetheart, at what time?” He k!$$£d myl-ips again, and kept on doing it. He turned it to a pla-yful act like a little boy who was bought his favourite toy and couldn’t let it go. He beamed with joy, smiling his thirty two just like my little boy, Emmanuel. “Mr. Honey, is okay like that.” I moved myl-ips away, having his k!ssmet my cheek.
I could feel his smile there. He finally withdrew his hand raising him up, and settled back on the be-d. I turned to look at him. “You that you almost beat me up today,” I told him.
He smiled a little. “Don’t ever say that again. You know I will never do such thing.” He was serious with it. “Just that, I was planning to leave home and not come back again.” He was back to his pla-yful self.
I finally allowed myself to laugh. “Mr. Honey, which one is now better?”
“Are you say saying beating you is better?”
“Oga,” I quic-kly changed it for him. “Your hand will just catch fire. You’ve not re-ad your Bible to where Jesus said, ‘t©uçh not my annoited, and do your wife no harm’. And if you leave, I pity our little junior who just started his training. He would miss his coach.”
He laughed, rolling to the other side of the be-d before he turned back facing me. “plea-se, the world nee-ds your Bible, Madam Suzy, be fast about it.”
“Shhh.. Shift jhoor!” I rolled my eyes at him smiling.
He coughed, and was back to normal. “Regarding those who will miss me if I leave the house, what about Suzy, that fat girl like this?”
He’s looking for trouble.
I squee-zed myl-ips so as not to smile, forming the seriousness that was not showing. Victor started laughing. “Suzy don’t bur-st now!” He himself bur-st into laughter immediately. He moved closer to me, and started tickling me. I didn’t know when I bur-st all the laughter inside of me out. “Victor if I do my own.”
“And I will do my own,” he said after me
“Hmm…” More laughter escaped out of my mouth.
“Hmm…” He mimicked me enjoying himself.
“This boy if I catch you.”
“Catch me now. Keep calling a grown man a boy.” He would tickle me, and ran because he knew I couldn’t run after him because of my condition.
“Catch me now,” he said for the third time. God who didn’t leave me behind, helped me, and I immediately gr@bb£d his hand. I hit him as much as I could with my pillow, before he escaped. His laughter echoed throu-gh the walls of the room, and I couldn’t glance away from his pure, and innocent look, that makes him look like a little boy when he laughs. I couldn’t help laughing as well, as I calmed my breath.
“Seriously Suzy, I’m very sure you were thinking about what I did in the morning when you hit me with that pillow.” Victor shook his head, grinning at me.
I laughed. “Thank God you know.” I wasn’t even thinking about that. I guessed if I was thinking about that, I would have added more effort.
He c@m£ to be-d, and we both laughed and commented at the silly things we did that night. I placed my head on his che-st, while he bent his head, and k!$$£d my forehead.
I couldn’t have asked for a better man. Instantly, I knew we were back together again. The happy couple I pictured were back together just like the way they were meant to be. I felt happy, relaxed, and free inside of me. My man was back, and I was glad I didn’t make it work alone, because he did as well.
We made it work together.
We built it together.
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➖➖➖➖➖➖
I was finally on break, and all I could do was eat, sleep, eat, and deal with both Emmanuella and Emmanuel after school. Victor had st©pped me from going to the shop, saying I shouldn’t stress myself anymore. I was bored alone at home, yet everything felt so good and relaxing. It was so bad that the moment I finished my meal, the next activity for me was taking a long, and peaceful nap.
Love who just finished her WAEC exams was always around to help me with house chores, reducing my work at home.
“Madam! Madam!” I j£rked my eyes open startled by the noise, as I stared at the sweaty face of Mr. Phili-p, my new driver.
“Yes,” I murmured slowly.
“Madam, sorry ma. We have reached Mommy Gideon’s place,” he said, referring to Victoria. I could hear him, but I was too tired to go back to my sleep. “Okay,” I mumbled, dozing off again, only for Mr. Phili-p’s voice to reach out to me again. “Madam!”
Nawa o…
I didn’t answer as I allowed myself to have a little rest.
“Madam!”
“Mr Phil!po!” I was f0rç£d to open my eyes. He gave a light chuckle. “Remember you told me to make sure I drag you down.”
A smile tugged myl-ips as I remembered saying so, just because I knew something like this would occur. I gathered myself up, and moved closer to the door to get it opened. On getting down, I saw Victoria coming out of the house with a smile on her face. “This indeed is a surprise!” She gave me a side hvg. “Suzy, you really have been slee-ping. See your eyes,” she pointed with her index f!nger, shaking her head at me. We both walked in, very happy to see each other again, as we held on each other, starting our gist alre-ady.
“Now that you’ve come to visit us, what should I offer you ma, Mrs. Stephen,” she tea-sed. I chuckled silently.
No dulling moment with Victoria.
We do call each other, but it had been some weeks we saw each other last. Her face was glowing, unlike mine that had little pimples on my once fresh face. Her skin was smooth, and I wondered how she got that fresh skin. Victor was still joking about not recognizing his wife again because my face and b©dy had changed, but I knew he was just being mean because I had closed my legs.
“Oh heavenly father! Suzy, you’re going to wound someone with laughter.” Victoria laughed, and moved excitedly on her seat to hear more gist. She laughed, throwing her head back as we both continued our gossip. “You know, I was wondering what the new driver was all about. I swear, that man will not kill himself.” Victoria made jest of her brother. “Ehnn! Jealousy will not kill these men. This one too will be acting like someone that has taken jealousy poison before!” She was referring to her husband Fred.
I couldn’t hold my laughter.
Jealousy poison
Why do I have this feeling that all guys had taken it
right from their birth…
Victoria and I laughed excitedly, as we went on talking about our men crazy habits. How they get jealous, the styles they use when they are ha-rd on, and wouldn’t want to tell you directly. I couldn’t keep my laughter to myself when she said her husband would stylishly rest one of his legs on her bu-ttocks, and moved slowly to her. With that, she knew what he was requesting for, and has turned it into a habit.
We both laughed. Konji, or whatever they call it is a
bastard.
I tried to picture Victor doing something like that, but I knew within me, his style was extreme, and tricky sometimes. His action was always straight to the point.
Staring at Victoria’s happy face, I was more than ecstatic to see her happy with her husband despite all that happened. I could remember some months back when she broke down, and wanted to leave her marriage. That made me realize what Mom told me.
Every marriage has its ups and downs.
There will be time of trials, frustrations, rou-gh times, and all manners of situations you aren’t expecting. But she made it de-eply clear to me that every storm would calm down. And the only work storm does…
Is to destroy, steal, take away the beautiful things
people built together, deprive people of their joy,
scatter, damage, and put everything ap@rt.
But to those who stand strong, who are re-ady to stand tough, and fight for what belongs to them would have a testimony.
“Madam!” Mr. Phil!pwalked in, and took my attention away from Victoria. Looking at the time, I realized it was time for both Emmanuella and Emmanuel to be picked up from school.
“Madam, the car is not starting,” he said, and I wondered what was wrong with the same car that brou-ght us to Victoria’s place. Then I remembered the car had been giving bad signals lately, but not to the point of not starting again.
“Take my key and pick them up before the time is gone.” Victoria offered her key to Mr. Phil!pwho collected it immediately, and left.
“Let me give a call to our mechanic.” I st©pped Victoria before she could pick up his phone. “Don’t worry about that for now. Victor will pick us up”
“That means you’ll be staying till evening?’
I nodded, “yes.”
She quic-kly embr@ced me and I felt more relaxed, and more happier around her that I didn’t choose to stay at home. She picked up her phone again. “Don’t worry, I will just call Victor later,” I quic-kly said.
She shook her head. “I’m calling Fred. I want him to get this type of bre-ad for you. I see you really enjoyed it.” She smiled at me, causing me to look down at the larger bre-ad that was almost finished. I planned on eating half, but I was almost done with the whole bre-ad. I started laughing, and Victoria was affected as well, laughing with me.
“Seriously, I’m pressing this baby with food,” I stated, laughing.
“Don’t worry,” Victoria laughed at me. “Because you have a baby growing inside of you doesn’t mean you’re no longer the Suzy James that finished my popcorn, cake, and the drinks mom wanted me to have fun with.” Heavy laughter escaped from mouth as I recollected the day Victoria was talking about. I could remember telling her everything her mom s£nt was too much, but at the end, I was even the one who reminded her we haven’t finished the cake she brou-ght.
Haha…. Those days…
That made me remember the rest of my friends, and how much I missed everyone. But having a baby growing inside of me increa-sed my appetite too much. Looking back at my table again, I saw that Victoria had brou-ght me my favourite pineapple jui-ce, just the way I want except that, it was not too cold because of the baby inside of me.
I couldn’t pretend to push the jui-ce away, instead, I just drew it closer and drank out of it. Victoria laughed at me. “I thought you will ask me to return it back.” She carried the tray in front of me.
“Let me prepare dinner before they get back,” she said walking towards their kitchen.
“I’m coming too!” I raised my voice enough for her to hear, but I couldn’t leave without ending the mission that would bring more strength to my b©dy, and life to my baby.
°°°°
Story_Continues📝