#TENDER_BEAUTY_2 (Life after the wedding)
EPISODE 12
Oyinade drove her car so recklessly that she had almost gotten herself killed by on-coming vehicles. It is so early in the morning and no one should be seen in such speed. She nee-ded to see Ronke. She could really use some advice.
The previous day is what you would term her worst nightmare. She couldn’t believe she had actually spilled the beans to that tormentor. She closed her eyes briefly as she remembered the awkward tension she felt in her own office.
“I love Richa-rd ma” she had dropped immediately Prisca st©pped talking. Prisca’s facial expression did not change one bit. You would as-sume that she alre-ady knew it with the way she pasted that smile on her face.
“I have seen him times without number on the television and I decided to work here in BRH, hoping that he would love me back” she said in one breath.
“Oh… so you are trying to tell me that you never knew he was married?” Prisca asked.
Oyinade sniffed and shook her head. “I never knew until I got here. When I got here and discovered he was married, I just wished I would have something with him”.
“You are a terrible liar. I am going to let that slide though. I thought you denied being a who-re; tell me: what ‘plan’ did you put in place to ensure that Richa-rd leaves his beautiful bride?” Prisca asked
Oyinade looked at her. She had truly heard everything she said to Ronke, she thought. She had hoped that she didn’t hear everything; the ending p@rt p@rticularly. “You would tell her ma’am. You would tell them and my life would be shattered, I would be jobless.” She had cried.
“No. I would not tell a single soul. I just want to determine if you are the best person for me to use. You see, Belina c@m£ into my family, taking away my parents’ attention and drawing it to herself. She bec@m£ showered with all kinds of gifts and my parents scolded me all the time because of her. She bec@m£ a peasant; a thorn in my flesh. I have wanted to pay her back somehow, anyhow, but I hadn’t got the chance till now. You taking Richa-rd would mean that I have my revenge and you also have your man. What do you think?”
Oyinade was speechless. She had known from her distant study of Prisca that she is dangerous and unpredictable but she hadn’t expected her to be that way with her sister. She knew how neglect can make you do silly things having experienced it first-hand with her parents.
“Ok ma. I tried to s£dûç£him with my b©dy but he is too immune towards me. The only thing I did and succeeded with was to create discord between them. Maybe you can give me an advice as to how to go about it though, I have not even had twenty-four hours of complete victory.” Oyin said, happy that she now had a formidable ally.
Prisca stood up, raising her phone in the air. “Thanks for you sincerity my dear, it was most helpful. For the record, I did not have your earlier phone conversation recorded, it was just bait. Now, I have your confessions recorded. Next time, think twice about scre-wing with my family because Richa-rd and Belina are family. Chao” Prisca blew her a k!ssand waltzed out of the office with a cool smile. All the blood flowing throu-gh Oyinade’s veins seemed to freeze as she choked.
Oyinade parked her car in front of Ronke’s compound. She had been too worn out to call her last night but she could really use some advice right now. She had rejected all of Ronke’s advices, relying on her own ideas and impulses but pres£ntly, she could not even think of a single line of action.
She knocked on the entrance door and Ronke c@m£ out in her night go-wn to open. They greeted normally and she sat down on the chair f0rç£fully. Ronke stared at Oyin, expecting her to begin her blabbing about her stupidity and asking how they were going to deal with Belina’s pregnancy but instead, she just sat there, looking at her with her head in her hands.
“I am finished Ronke. Totally scre-wed” Oyin said after long silence.
“Yeah, I got it. The pretty wife is pregnant” she said sarcastically, going to gr-ab a bottle of water even though she really wanted to drink something strong.
“No. it is much worse than that” Oyin said, catching Ronke’s attention with her grim face. She narrated all that happened the previous day, right from the very t©p where she had refused to see Richa-rd , ma-king him feel guilty, to the very bottom. Ronke just gaped at her when she finished like she had ten heads.
“You are the most stupid idiot I have ever seen in my life. Were you possessed or something?” she barked.
“Don’t insult me, damn you. Let’s just find a way to solve this problem, plea-se” Oyin said.
“You must be crazy if you think that I am going to help you with anything. The time I was there to help, you did not listen to me. This is your problem and you would solve it yourself. If I were you, I would be more concerned about a bigger problem.” She said, finally gr-abbing a drink.
Oyinade was confused and stricken. “What are you talking about?”
“I can b!ow the whistle fas-ter than any referee in a football match. I know of all your plans, everything you did just to get Richa-rd and his wealth to yourself. I also know of the two million naira fraud you committed last year in your former hospital before leaving”.
Oyinade blanched. “How did you know about that?” she asked, shaken to her roots.
Ronke walked back to her seat, glas-s of whiskey in one hand. “Unlike you, I am not so stupid. Now, if I were you, I would be looking for five million Naira. I give you two weeks; two weeks to get the money, if not, you would be behind bars fas-ter than you can ever imagine” Ronke said, placed her glas-s against herl-ips and took in a mouth-full of whiskey.
********** **********
Oyinade could not quite believe that her world was falling ap@rt right in her very face. She stared at Ronke as she drank from her cu-p slowly, hoping that she was just pu-lling her legs but the facial expression she saw told her that it was definitely not a farce. She swallowed ha-rd .
“plea-se Ronke, don’t do this to me; we are best friends, remember?” she pleaded.
Ronke laughed sarcastically. “Best friends my foot. What do you take me for, uhn? Do you think I am someone you toil with? I watched you take up positions in various places; being offered t©p positions in every company you entered. You come here and ru-b it in my face instead of helping me secure a job. Do you think I like warming people’s be-ds for money? Listen to me and listen well: if you don’t get five million Naira in two weeks, be re-ady for a shocker”. She stood up alre-ady furious.
“Five million Naira? Where am I supposed to get that?” Oyinade yelled, alre-ady in tears.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Rob a bank, whatever. You know me girl, don’t take me lightly”. She threatened, refilling her cu-p.
Oyinade was breathing ha-rd . “You are a betrayer. I hate you” Oyin said quietly.
Ronke nodded. “Not as much as I hate you. Now, get out”
Oyinade stood for a while then made for the door quietly. Ronke’s voice st©pped her at the door. “Don’t think I don’t have proof. Two weeks” Ronke said and went into the room. Oyinade closed the door and made for her car. She ought to have arrived office by now.
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Prisca dropped off Patricia at school, leaving her with a loving pe-ck on the cheeks. She had snacks in her lunch bag which she dropped with her teacher – Miss Terri. She went back home to enjoy her day. p@rt of the advantage of being a boss is the fact that you can decide to stay at home anytime you like. She hadn’t been able to tell Richa-rd and Belina what she had found out yesterday. Belina had been asleep and Richa-rd had been too concerned about Belina to even be concerned about whatever she had found out. She had poured it all out to Tony immediately she arrived home and had pla-yed the recording to his hearing. He had been too impressed with her role as the interrogator that he had s£nt it to his phone to listen to it over and over again. His anger towards Oyinade was not disputed though. He had relayed the story of how Richa-rd had been distraught when he saw the picture s£nt to him.
Prisca eased into a chair, lemon jui-ce in hand, switching on the plasma to watch some American movies. She would make sure that Oyin girl is put exactly where she belongs. She had said some things which held an element of truth.
When Belina bec@m£ a member of the family, she had almost become invisible to her parents. Her dad was doing all he could to make up for lost time. He wanted to do everything just to erase the bad things that Belina had to cope with in the hands of Mr. Badmus. He never c@m£ back from work without buying something special for Belina. Prisca had felt neglected but Belina, being wise had always shared everything that was bought for her. She would have res£nted Belina but the bond between them is far too de-ep to allow jealousy. Belina had noticed the extra attention she was receiving and had confronted their parents. Belina is the best sister she could have ever had and if she had to choose again, she would choose Belina a thousand times over.
She remembered the fact that she would be an aunt in a matter of months and a wi-de grin was pasted on her face. As for that Oyin girl, she would deal with her personally; another trip to BRH should put that little gold-digger in her place.
WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE 13