Bed of Roses (Episode 3)

"But why are you treating me this way? Why?" Sewa broke the deafening silence in the car.

"It's been three months; three whole months. I can't take this anymore..." She continued, ignoring the fact that Kunle remained silent all through.

"Whatever lesson you're trying to teach me has been duly noted." Sewa stepped out of the car and hurried into the house to cry her eyes out since her husband had suddenly become mute.

"Lord, why? I said I was sorry for being foolish, for almost losing my husband because of my stupidity. Why is he still treating me this way?..." She sobbed softly in the bathroom.

"One minute, he's all cool and sweet. The next minute, he switches to this man I don't even know; cold and withdrawn... Please Lord, have mercy..." She continued her plea, while wiping away the tears from her face simultaneously.

She immediately turned on the tap and began washing her face when she heard Kunle's footsteps. She walked out of the bathroom and went to her own side of the bed. She figured she should keep quiet and allow Kunle come out of his shell. Maybe he was worried about some work-related issues, she thought.

She changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, slid into a pair of slippers and rushed down the stairs to make dinner. She silently wished her husband would call her back as she walked out of the room, but Kunle just collapsed into the bed without taking off his native attire. He was exhausted from everything around him. Apart from the pressure from the office, the usual doubled stress that came with wrapping up work for the year, his wife seemed not to have learnt anything and that alone worried him.
The way she jumped out to attend to what she thought was a friend's need was scary. He loved the fact that she was selfless, but something about the mention of Fikayo's name suddenly put him off. He couldn't place his finger on what it was exactly but he had to find a way to warn his wife.
With that thought in mind, he got up from the bed and walked down the stairs barefooted to meet his wife.

Sewa hummed a song as she washed the beef with rapt attention.

"I'm sorry babe..." He moved close to her and wrapped his arms round her waist.

She rinsed her hands, turned off the tap and turned to face him. Her small frame remained firm in his embrace. She hugged him tight and hoped they would remain in that position for as long as it took. She was not about to find out what he was sorry for. She just wanted her pleasant man back.

"It's fine hon..." She whispered.

"I don't know what came over me. I just really..."

"Shhh...." Sewa placed her hands on his lips. Another word might ruin the moment and she wasn't about to let that happen.

"So, you forgive me?" She started out softly, releasing her hold just so she could look into his eyes.

"You forgive me for being insensitive and leaving you all by yourself to answer that stupid call?" Sewa continued. This time she kissed him lightly without waiting for a response.

Kunle kissed her back and deeply too. She smiled as she responded passionately to his kiss. She had gotten her answer.
He lifted her up and placed her on the kitchen counter. He paused a bit and looked into her eyes.

"I love you babe... so much. And I can't bear the thought of losing you. Okay?" Kunle said with passion in his eyes.

Sewa nodded and instead of responding with words, she drew her husband closer to herself and enjoyed the warmth of his feel around her.

***

Her call came in yet again and instead of Fikayo ignoring the call like she had done to the previous ten or so calls from Chioma, she picked pu this time.

"Fikaaayoooo... Chai... Finally..." Chioma exclaimed.

"Hey..." Fikayo did her best to sound the weakest she had ever been, despite the fact that she was beginning to regain her strength after the sumptuous meal her husband made her once they returned from the hospital.

She had napped a bit and woken up to her favorite meal made with loving hands and heart.
Fikayo and Bosun had laughed at the way she scared him earlier that morning and her reaction at the hospital. She was actually very happy with the way Bosun had began to pamper her. Bosun had just gone into the kitchen with their plates when Chioma's call came in again. She had called a couple of times when they were at the hospital, and when the calls would not stop, Fikayo placed her phone on silent mode. It was the only way her numerous calls during lunch with her husband did not cause a distraction.

"Hey? Just 'hey'? I've been calling since forever and all you can say is hey?" Chioma was furious but she calmed herself down. Fikayo was her friend and she cared about her. She had woken up with a terrible feeling and had found it hard to stop tracing the feeling to Fikayo.

"I'm sorry Chioma. I'm not just in the best mood right now. I'm really sorry" Fikayo apologised genuinely. She knew it was unusual for Chioma to call countless times if there was no emergency.

"No wahala o. I just hope everything is fine with you. I..."

"Everything is great, thank you. How are you doing too? And Tracy? Her dad?" Fikayo cut in.

"Tracy is fine. She's asleep now. Her dad ke? He's gone o..." Chioma replied.

"Gone? Gone to where?" Fikayo sat up properly. Her voice had regained its usual tone. She also cared about Chioma and her daughter. She was particularly concerned about the man Chioma bore Tracy to, and the many complaints of irresponsibility that Chioma had told her about.

"I chased him out. I just couldn't continue with that piece of liability. You said I should keep praying he gets a good job so that he can marry me properly..." Chioma continued.

"Yes? So you sent him packing because he wouldn't get a befitting job?" Fikayo was shocked at what she was hearing.

"Yes now. What's the use? Anyway, good riddance to bad rubbish." Chioma answered.

"It's you I'm worried about. You just abandoned me..." She continued.

Fikayo went on to apologise and explained that the silence from her end was not intentionally. She would find time to visit her soon, she said before ending the call.
As soon as she dropped the call, a message came in.

"Is now a good time?"

She jumped out of her seat, deleted the message and walked up to the kitchen to meet her husband.

"Hey hon. I need to get Ribena. I just have this sudden craving for it." She smiled.

"Okay babe. Let me finish up here. I'd go get it..." Bosun began to rinse the plates in a hurry.

"No no no. Don't worry hon. I can definitely use a stroll. I'll be fine." She hugged him briefly and hurried out of the kitchen before Bosun insisted on getting her the drink she suddenly began to crave for.

Once she was out of the house and about two blocks into the street, she dialed his number.

"Hey you... What's up?"

His voice alone nauseated her. She cleared her throat before responding to his usual 'hey you'.

"We have a problem." Fikayo said sternly.

"Okay... you miss me?" He chuckled.

"Oh shut up!" Fikayo was disgusted. She pulled down the phone from her ear, hissed and then returned to her call.

"That was harsh..." He sat up in bed to listen to whatever was making Fikayo so mad at him.

"I'm pregnant." Fikayo said in almost a whisper.

"You're what?!" He stood up from the bed. His spacious studio apartment suddenly felt smaller. He walked up to the air conditioner to see if it was on. It was on, the room was supposed to be cool but he was hot. He felt his tummy turn.

"You heard me." Fikayo whispered this time around.

"No no no. This can't be happening." He was not the type to lose his cool but strange enough, he found it extremely difficult to compose himself.

"So what are we going to do" He broke the silence that was beginning to build up.

"You tell me. Figure something out. Don't call me till you receive a message from me." And with that, Fikayo ended the call.

She rushed into the next provision store, bought a pack of Digestive biscuits and a small Ribena juice pack before hurrying back to the house.

"Honey, I'm home..." She announced as she stepped into the house.

She sat quietly beside her husband that was now dozing off on the sofa. She rested his head properly on the sofa and helped him stretch properly. She turned off the TV, smiled at her prince charming doctor and ran into the bedroom.

She locked the door behind her, rushed into the bathroom, turned on the tap and cried at the top of her voice.

"I said I was sorry Lord. I was sorry indeed!!!" She let the tears flow freely as she held her tummy.

***Bed of Roses by Faith Tunde-Yara OLATUNBOSUN
***Photo Credit: 123RF.com