A Couple of Three... Episode 6

The next morning, Sewa woke up earlier than usual, and was glad her husband was still fast asleep. She said her prayers in bed, after which she stepped out of the room to make arrangements for her husband's breakfast and lunch to be taken to work. She had no worries about getting to work late; her dance studio was not far from the house. Before walking down to the kitchen, she pulled out one of his blue dry cleaned shirts and a customized tie of the Insurance Company he worked for. It was customary for all staff to wear the tie (and lapel for the ladies) on Mondays. She noticed a new paper bag as she opened the wardrobe, but ignored it completely.
Once she was done picking out his shirt, tie, pants and jacket for that day, she gave him a light tap and urged him to wake up. She then walked down to the kitchen and began fixing both breakfast and lunch for them both.

In minutes she was done with the toast and eggs. She eventually found the yam and egg Kunle made the previous night but it was too late to munch on that. She decided to warm up the food for her own self while she made some spaghetti, with chicken stew and fried plantain for him to take to work.
She brought out the toast, butter, beverage and milk; set the table, and ran up the stairs to check up on him. In no time, the couple were back to the dining, where Kunle rushed his breakfast, gave his wife a light kiss on the head, and rushed out. Sewa rushed out after him with the lunch pack in hand. She opened the back seat of the car, and placed the pack there.
It was almost 7.00am. Kunle shouted at the gate man to open the gate, and drove out in a hurry. He was already late, and the traffic was going to horrible, as always.

She walked back into the house once he was out of sight to get ready for work.

***

He stepped in just in time, before the gate man was done pushing the heavy gate.

"Oga (Mister)..." He was shocked and tried to scream.

"Shhhh... It's your madam I'm here for..." Tade placed his hands on the gate man's mouth to stop him from him from shouting.

It was one of those mornings that daylight delayed its brightness. He pushed the gate man aside, walked quietly into the compound and towards the main door.

Once he was at the door, he brought out his phone and was about to dial her number but changed his mind.
He knocked on the door instead. He knocked some more when she wouldn't answer.

She searched the room in a hurry to see what he must have forgotten, before rushing down the stairs, with one towel wrapped around her chest and another around her hair.

"Honey, I'm coming..." She said at the top of her voice.
... what did you forget?"

She opened the door and was shocked.

"Hey beautiful..." He let himself in without struggle, while Sewa hurriedly shut the door behind her.

She began to shiver from within; the feeling had returned; the same feeling she had when she found out the combination code for the lock was her date of birth.

"What are you doing here?..." She found her voice after what seemed to be an entire lifetime. She was now shivering all over. She suddenly felt stuck to the ground; she didn't move from the door.

He walked towards the sitting room and stared at the picture frame hanging on the wall. It was a picture of Sewa and Kunle on their wedding day. Without looking back, he began...

"You know a 'good morning, handsome' would be just fine..."
"... just like old times" He continued.

Tade turned back and looked her, with a freakish smile plastered to his face.

"Awww. Don't be scared, my tiny baby. Daddy's here now..." He walked towards her with the intention of hugging her.

Sewa looked around her for anything with which she could defend herself. She moved backwards to the door, used her right hand to trace the key and slowly removed it from the knob.

"You see... I already figured that you didn't get the chance to check the box..." Tade continued. He was now few steps away from her.

"I did... I... did..." Sewa tried so hard to control the shaking in her voice without success.
"Than..ank... you.. so much...for..."

He moved closer and wiped her forehead with his hands.

"It's me... you know I can never hurt you..." Tade spoke softly into her ears, interrupting whatever she had left to say.

His breathing and voice sent shivers down her spine, but this time it meant something else. She was very afraid.

"What I'm saying is, you've not gone through the box properly..." He turned away from her and she was relieved for a second. He walked back to the sitting room and sat on the sofa.

"Tade..." Sewa started gently, without leaving the door.

"Please tell me what you want. You're scaring me..." She began to move away from the door. She removed the towel on her hair and covered her bare arms with it.

"I'll be right here. Go get dressed for work. We're going together." Tade said coldly; and ignored her as she tiptoed up the stairs.

Sewa locked the room immediately, and took out her phone. She began scrolling through her last dialed numbers to search for Fikayo's number, when Tade's call came in.

"Don't you dare call Fikayo..." He said and dropped the call.

***

"Hey... morning." Fikayo said excitedly.

"Hey you... how are you?" He smiled.

"Good, good... I just got to work now, and I was wondering what time you would be free to meet..." Fikayo started.

She went on to tell him her schedule for the day; she had a court case at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, and could spare some time after court to hang out for lunch before heading back to the office. She only needed the time and place to meet up.
Tade cooked up a story about having to meet up with an old friend later that day, but would get back to her if he finished with the friend before her lunch break was over.

"Okay then. Just call me once you're done with your friend." Fikayo was disappointed but she soon discarded the thought, as she packed up her files for court.

***

Sewa stayed put in the room for two hours, and Tade wasn't bothered. He entertained himself with the magazines on the coffee table. He knew Sewa could not be stuck in the room forever. He was going to be a gentle man about this situation.
He picked up his phone and dialed her number.

"I'm waiting..." He said and hung up.

She sat helpless on the edge of her mattress. She had found a way to get into a navy blue jeggins and a free brown top. Her assistant began to call once it was 9.00am. The dance studio opened at 9.00, and she was usually at the studio thirty minutes before the official opening time. The keys to the studio were always with her assistant, who arrived even earlier than her on weekdays. She only collected the keys on Fridays to open up before her assistant arrived on Mondays.

"Keffi..." She whispered.

"Olori, I'm at the entrance..."

"Sorry ehn. I'll be a little late today. Please get some proper breakfast at Tom's on my bill. I'll call you back." Sewa said hurriedly and hung up before Keffi could ask her any further questions.

She scrolled through her dialed numbers again, and dialed Fikayo's number. Without attempting to check the phone to see if Fikayo had picked the call, she picked her bag, opened the door and walked down the stairs to face her nightmare.

Tade got up from the chair once he heard her footsteps. He stood at the end of the stairs and smiled at her.

"Beautiful as always..." He started.

Sewa forced a smile as she walked past him to the kitchen to pick her own lunch pack. She had advised herself while in the bathroom, to play along. She had no explanation for Tade's behaviour; at least not yet, but whatever it was, she would stay calm.

"Now, let's go through that box again, since you somehow couldn't find the time to go through it properly and get my message..." He waited for her at the entrance of the kitchen.

Sewa was suddenly pissed. She placed her lunch pack on the counter and looked at him straight in the eye. She was about to speak when he continued again.

"By the way, nice dress yesterday. I really know the things that fit you..." He winked at her.

Sewa gave herself a mental slap on the face. It was no coincidence that she wore one of the dresses he sent in the pack of gifts for her wedding the previous day. She wore it intentionally for him to notice.
She reminded herself that it was not the appropriate time to blame herself for her own stupidity, and then spoke up.

"Thank you so much for all the dresses and shoes you got Fikayo and I. If you don't mind, I have work to get to."

She picked her lunch pack and tried to walk out of the kitchen. She was smallish, and could easily fit through the tiny space that was left, since Tade wouldn't step out of the way.

He had run out of patience. He grabbed her arm before she could finally leave the kitchen. He began pulling her, while demanding for where the box was placed. He dragged her into the guest room and dumped her on the bed. He pulled out the box, opened it and began flinging out the dresses and the shoes that covered yet another layer with a zipper.

The tears flowed freely on Sewa's face. She was done shouting "You're hurting me", as he dragged her into the room. She moved her scared body to the edge of the bed that was close to the door and hoped for the impossible - that anyone should walk into the house at that very moment.

It was 11.00am.

*** A Couple of Three by FAITH TUNDE-YARA
*** Photo credit: www.shutterstock.com