Chapter 24

EYARE

I expected Red to have contacted me on the day he said he would.

That was one week ago.

I had been holding back on calling him, because I didn't want to seem too eager, but damn it, this was my wife we were talking about.

My hands hovered over my phone. They were itching to tap on his number.

Oh what the heck!

I snatched it up and dialed his number. It rang and rang until it rang off. I called again, still no pick up. I stood up from my chair and began pacing the length of my office. I just knew I wasn't going to get any job done today. When I looked at the time, it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

I'd better push off home then. I'd cleared my table for the day, anyway. I stuck my head into Mr. Jolaoso's office and told him I was off. He grunted something unintelligible and continued typing on his laptop. I smiled. He didn't like being disturbed when he was working, it made him loose focus. I understood perfectly.

As I drove unto the free way, I suddenly didn't feel like going home.

What was wrong with me?

Something inside of me seemed to have cooled towards Osagiede. I didn't know why, neither could I put my finger on it. It started on the day we went out to dinner. She had seemed out of sorts when she saw Osaze. She stared at him somewhat . . . lustfully.

Naah! But she had stared at him, longer than I would have liked. That didn't go down very well with me.

Did she fancy him then?

Was it because of all his muscles?

Do I need to start getting some?

I briefly looked down at my arms before swinging my attention back to the road.

I wasn't lean, but I wasn't packed like him either. Truth be told, I found his muscles disgusting. Why did I need to have all that, when I wasn't a wrestler.

Thanks, but I'll pass!

I didn't know where I was driving until I pulled up into the parking lot of the country club. The tightness in my chest eased a bit. As I put the car engine off, my phone vibrated on the seat beside me. I tossed my jacket unto the chair, loosened my tie, tossed it down too and picked up my phone.

It was a missed call from Red.

I eagerly dialed his number and waited impatiently as it rang. I was already loosing hope when he finally picked and answered curtly.

"Red?" My voice was eager.

"Yes, who is this?" His reply was curt and impatient.

"Um. . . this is Eyare. I'm the one who contracted you to do a job for --- "

"I'm sorry, Mr. Eyare, but I haven't gotten any information for you yet. I will contact you when that happens, until then, don't contact me." And the line went dead.

I stared at the phone in my hand. The nerve of the man. He just cut the phone on me. I shook my head, suddenly angry at his behaviour. I locked up my car and strode into the building. I wasn't in the mood to hear loud music so I went to the pool side. Luckily, no one was there yet. That was fine with me because I really needed solitary.

I ordered some tequila from the waiter idling around. I know I had promised Osagiede I wouldn't drink again, but I was going to break that promise today. Here and now. When the bottle came, I dived into it with a vigour. I thought about calling Gboyega, but thought better of it. I couldn't keep dragging him into my problems.

I settled into my chair, making myself more comfortable. I was livid with anger as I recalled the words of Red. It seemed he couldn't wait to get off the phone. I poured another glass for myself and threw it down my throat. It burned, but that was what I really needed now --- to drown my thoughts and deaden the sounds in my head that kept telling me my wife fancied my once - upon - a - time best friend.

My mind kept replaying how she had looked at him. How shock had widened her pupils.

Did she know him?

Why hadn't I asked her about it?

I scoffed in disgust. Of course it was clear why I hadn't. I couldn't lie to myself. I was scared. I was scared shitless. I was scared she might have had a love affair with him in the past.

Where did he go when she got up to go to the toilet?

I could bet my last bottom dollar he followed her there. He'd come out some few minutes later, looking angry. He laughed and joked with us, but we grew up together, so I knew when he wasn't himself. There was a tick in his jaw and his legs kept smacking against the table. He became clumsy and spilled wine unto the table cloth. These were classic signs of nervousness and guilt.

My heart suddenly beat faster. I would kill him if he so much as laid a finger on my wife. I would kill him and I meant it. I poured some more tequila into my glass, sloshing some of it unto the table in the process. I was getting clumsy. The alcohol was doing its work. My stomach rumbled in protest and I suddenly remembered I'd only eaten breakfast this morning before leaving the house.

Some words came to the forefront of my consciousness, just then. Osagiede's words. But they skittered away as quickly as they had come. I tried hard to remember, but I couldn't.

I don't know how many glasses I took, but when I lifted up the bottle to pour some more, it was empty. I cackled foolishly. "Waiter!" My voice came out high - pitched and I giggled to myself.

He came over, hovering with a worried look on his face. "Sir! We are closing in the next twenty minutes. I'm sorry, but I can't give you another bottle. Please, you need to go home now."

And he walked off. He just walked off. Seemed like everyone was misbehaving towards me today. I tried to stand, but failed miserably. I flopped back unto the chair like a rag doll.

Damn!

I was messed up now. I picked up my phone and winced at the bright light that hit my eyes.

What!

The time said 13 midnight. But that can't be right, so I shook my head to clear the cobwebs, but that just made me dizzy. Everywhere was spinning. I tried standing up again, but slipped and fell. I cackled gleefully. This was hilarious.

I decided to lay on the floor and blacked out thereafter.

***********

There was a heavy load on my chest, I couldn't breath. I struggled to sit up and I heard a grunt, and my chest eased up a bit. I opened an eye and winced at the banging in my head. The pain was daunting. I squinted and opened my eyes wider.

It was pitch black.

Where was I? What was this place?

I flailed my hands in front of me. I just couldn't see a thing. My hand came in contact with soft skin. Was that a nose? My hands moved and I touched something soft.

Oops!!

"Hmm! I like being woken up like this." An unrecognisable sleepy, breathy voice whispered in my ear.

What??? Who the hell am I in bed with? This isn't Osagiede. The voice that spoke was a little deep and husky. Who the heck was I in bed with? And where on earth am I?

I struggled to get up and was met with a tangle of legs. Suddenly, light filled my vision, momentarily blinding me. I put a hand across my eyes to shield it from the onslaught of the light. It seemed like someone was knocking my head with a hammer --- it was pounding.

I heard a giggle and I opened my eyes slightly - tentatively. I was stunned at the sight before me.

Onari lay beside me in a very revealing night gown. She was smiling like a bloody Cheshire cat and twirling her hair round her middle finger. She looked like a class C hooker. I took in the sight in disgust and was about to shake my head, but stopped, just in time, remembering my throbbing head.

I struggled once more to get up, but she stayed my movements with her fingers. She stifled a giggle and pointed downwards at me. I frowned. That single move shot daggers into my head.

Damn this woman. I'm getting out of here.

I pushed the duvet aside and got up. I felt cool air on me and pondered a bit on this as I looked down. My eyes almost popped out of my head with what I saw.

I was naked. Starkers. As bare as the day I was born.

No one was supposed to see me like this, except my wife. I cupped my goods with my hands and turned round to look at her.

She had been trying hard not to laugh. When she saw my expression, she threw her head back and cackled like a witch.

"Why the fuck am I naked and what am I doing here?" I thundered, forgetting my pounding head.

She looked at me then, the laughter dying in her throat, her face suddenly becoming somber.

"Is this the thanks I get for helping you?" She got up and moved close to me. "You don't need to hide yourself from me baby, I've seen it already. I must say; you drove me crazy last night." She giggled again.

I looked at her and realised this was what she had always wanted. To get me into a compromising situation so Osagiede could leave me.

I sighed and rubbed my face with my two hands. "How many times have I told you I don't want you. I never wanted you. It was Osagiede all along, it has always been her. She's the only woman for me and she will continue to be the only woman for me." I looked at her pointedly then.

Tears formed in her eyes and her lips quivered. I really didn't have time for this drama. I just wanted to get home to my family. I wanted to stay in the arms of my wife for the rest of the day. I wanted to hold my baby and smell her sweet scent and also crack jokes with my parents-in-law, while watching a movie in front of the Tv.

I suddenly couldn't wait to get out of this place.

"Your wife. . . isn't as innocent as you are led to believe." Her voice came out in a whisper, almost like she was speaking to herself.

"What did you just say?" I turned towards her, forgetting my naked state.

'"Nothing, I'm just rambling." She nodded and looked at me with sorrow in her eyes.

Just then, wisps of words formed in my mind to make a sentence, and they flashed into my mind as clear as crystal.

Forgive me my love, forgive me for all the wrongs I've caused you. . . two times over.

That was definitely Osagiede's voice I had heard. And then it clicked. She was apologising for stuff she had done. . . twice.

I didn't get it. I became more confused. But I knew Onari could give me some answers. I covered the little gap between us. "Tell me!" I shook her shoulders. I was frantic to know what secrets Osagiede held locked up. I was desperate to know.

I kept shaking her and insisting she tell me.

"Stop it, you're hurting me." She was panting hard.

I let go of her suddenly and she lost her balance and fell to the ground in an ungracious heap.

"Where are my things?" I asked suddenly, not bothering to mask my annoyance.

She pointed to the clothes draped on the back of the setee.

I walked over to it, once more forgetting my naked state. She had already seen me like this anyway, so what the heck.

I quickly pulled them on. They were quite dirty, but I had no other option. I vaguely remembered falling to the ground.

I grimaced in shame.

I was never drinking again. Okay maybe not to the level I had gotten to last night, anyway.

I turned round and looked at her when I had finished dressing up.

"Did you bring me here?" I asked, tight lipped.

She sighed resignedly from her perch on the ground. She hadn't bothered to stand up. I took in her dejected frame and felt pity for this woman who had tried so hard for years now to make me want her.

But it was never going to happen!

"Yes, I did. Your car is still at the country club." She replied forlornly. And in a small voice, she added. "I can drive you."

"I appreciate the offer, but I have my wallet. There's some money inside it."

I fished out my wallet and was pleasantly surprised the money was still intact.

I muttered thanks and walked off. That's when it occurred to me I didn't know how to get out. I didn't see any door.

"You will regret this, Eyare. One day you will wake up to find out your prissy wife is not the woman you thought she was."

She giggled then. She was driving me nuts with those giggles. She was either bi - polar or there was something clearly wrong with her brain.

I turned round to level a gaze on her, instead of looking for an exit. She saw the look on my face. It was a look that brooked no argument. She immediately pointed to a door at the far end of the room and I strode towards it. When I got out, I took in the opulence of the compound and wondered if it was a friend's house. She obviously couldn't afford to stay in a place like this. The décor in the sitting room was antique and obviously expensive.

I breathed in the fresh morning air as I strode out to the gate.
It was a far walk, but it helped to ease my headache. I eventually got outside the gate and flagged down a taxi. The ride to the country club did wonders for my head as I lay my head against the cool pane of the window and promptly drifted off to sleep.

I was startled awake by the voice of the driver informing me we had gotten to my venue. I paid him and got out. Luckily my car was as I had left it. It was still intact. I dug my keys from out of my pocket and drove off.

I felt I was missing something. It suddenly dawned on me that my phone was missing.

Could I have lost it at the club?

All my client's contacts were on it. I couldn't afford to loose it.

As I drove into my compound, I realised I didn't know what I was going to tell Osagiede.

Do I tell her the truth about where I had been last night?

How would she take it?

Would she even believe nothing had taken place between her best friend and I?

Had something taken place between us, as Onari had inferred?

My head began throbbing again.

I sighed, came down and locked the car doors and braced myself.

I went in to face the music I knew was coming.