Knife in the back

I have learnt the hard way that a woman’s intuition hardly ever fails her. After the Duchess left my room that morning, I knew I was at war. I also knew that I had lost the battle already. My only chance of leaving the warzone alive was if TK decided to shield me from his mother’s attacks and I knew the chances of that happening were pretty slim.

I was to leave the hospital at noon that day. I wasn’t sure if TK would turn up so I had made alternative transportation arrangement.  TK’s driver turned up a few minutes to noon and informed me that TK had asked him to pick me up and take me “home”. I was wondering where “home” was but I was too embarrassed to ask the driver. Home turned out to be TK’s house, I was so nervous I didn’t know whether the marriage offer was still open and even if it was, I didn’t know if I wanted to accept it.

When I got into the house, I met a young lady I didn’t recognize waiting for me there. As soon as she spotted me she ran towards me. The Lady: Welcome Ma. I have been expecting you.She said with a courtesy.
Me: Thank you. Who are you please?
The Lady: My name is Rosemary Ma. I resumed here yesterday, I am supposed to be taking care of you. Oga gave me money, I have gone to the market to buy things Ma and he said I should prepare spaghetti and chicken for you. Will you eat now?

I smiled. The girl was a talkative and I fell in love with her sparkly personality and neat appearance. She was a very welcome development. TK didn’t get in till midnight. I waited up in the living room. Immediately he walked in, he spotted me. He said hello and went upstairs and straight into his room. That wasn’t the reaction I had been expecting so I was a bit confused. I thought about going to the guest room that had been prepared for me and accepting defeat for the night but I couldn’t, I needed to just confirm the situation of things and make a decision. If he didn’t want me there, I had every intention of leaving his house first thing in the morning and never looking back.

I marched up to his room and knocked on the door. He didn’t respond at first so I kept knocking. Rosemary had gone to her room in the BQ behind the house and I knew we were the only two in the main house. He eventually opened the door; he was wearing only his boxers and a really scary look.
TK: What do you want?
Me: To talk.
TK: Not interested.
Me: Don’t worry I’ll do all the talking, just listen.

I told him everything, the fact that I didn’t really know who my father was or his family. Told him about my mum’s struggle with cancer and having to live with Aunty Titi and then my brother. I told him about Emeka and how much I had hoped to be his wife someday, I told him about the pregnancy and Emeka’s denial and never hearing from him afterwards. I told him of my intense battle with depression and my aversion to men and relationships until I met him.

I told him about how scared I was that he had only offered to marry me for the wrong reasons and why I needed to know if he no longer wanted to marry me. He didn’t say anything for a while. He lit a cigarette and just leaned against the door staring at me. I realized he didn’t intend to say anything so I decided to leave his room.

I got to the door but he didn’t move, that was when he spoke.
TK: She got to you didn’t she?
Me: Who? What are you talking about?
TK: My mother, how much did she pay you to give me this lecture, play the victim and disappear? I couldn’t believe my ears, I felt so insulted, so violated! I was so angry; I didn’t even realize I had slapped him until I saw him touch his cheek in disbelief. I was trying so hard not to cry.
Me: Your mother came to me, insulted me and my family.

She had no right to do that but I made sure I did not disrespect her. Not because she didn’t deserve it but because I respect you too much to ever disrespect you or your mother! I have never asked you for anything and if you think for one second that I was with you for your money then you are even more arrogant than I thought. But for you to even think for a second that I would accept money to leave the father of my child then you don’t know me and you don’t deserve me.

He moved out of the way and I headed straight for the guest room to pack my things. I heard the front door slam shut a few minutes later and I knew he had left the house. The next morning I was showered and dressed by 5am waiting for day to break so I could leave.
I heard a knock on the door. It was TK.
I opened the door and saw him there on one knee with the familiar red box in his hand.
TK: Please say yes.

I nodded and for some reason, I had goose pimples. This wasn’t how I had expected to feel when I got engaged. Something was wrong especially because at that point, I wondered how I would have felt if it was Emeka slipping the beautiful ring on my finger.

The wedding preparations went by in a flash. We were to get married exactly four weeks after the second proposal. TK got the most expensive event planner in town to plan an outrageously expensive wedding. I was wondering why he changed his mind about a small wedding, until he confessed that the night I told him of the duchess’s visit to the hospital, he had gone to the family house in the middle of the night and had threatened to disown her if she didn’t back off.

The wedding jamboree was TK’s act of defiance to her instructions. I didn’t hear from her again and TK had said she was not attending the wedding. My brother and his family flew in from America a few days to the wedding so did Banke. Having them around was such a blessing. It was then I really got into the wedding mood. The traditional wedding had been a very quiet and intimate affair because I had insisted it was what I wanted. Aunty Titi and her husband stood in for my parents and TK’s mother and sister were noticeably absent. It was that day I met his younger brother and his father. Nothing about the whole affair was normal. He didn’t seem to care but tongues were wagging and I was so nervous about the drama that might ensue at the white wedding in front of hundreds of people. For the white wedding, TK had booked all the rooms at one of the most expensive hotels in Victoria Island very close to the reception venue for my guests and the presidential suite for me.

The night before my wedding I was in my suite, wearing a silk white robe that had “TK’s Angie” embroidered at the back which had been a gift from Banke, my maid of honour when I heard a knock on the door. I ran to the door expecting to see Banke.

Guess who it was…Emeka!
Hmmmn… I was in such shock he had to literally take my hand and lead me back into the room. I lost brain function for a few minutes and just stared at him. He was the one who finally broke the silence.
Emeka: My angel

At the sound of his voice I burst into tears. He tried to hold me but I pushed him away. I had thought of what I’d say if I saw him again but in all my mental pictures I had never seen myself crying like a complete idiot.
Emeka: Shhhhhhh….I didn’t come here to upset you.
Me: Then why did you come here? Why are you here?
Emeka: Angel I love you. You can’t marry this guy, you know you can’t.
Me: How can you come here the night before my wedding, after all these years…after what you did to me. Do u know how much you hurt me? Emeka: Hurt you???  You broke my heart into a million pieces but I forgive you for it all. Come away with me.
Me: Forgive me? Who should forgive who??? I am pregnant and this time the man is willing to do right by me!  So you can leave now!

I said in anger…I was so mad at his arrogance.
Emeka wasn’t expecting that his eyes darkened and I could tell he was angry.
Emeka: I don’t care. I’ll accept the child as mine. I just want you.
Me: You had your chance and you didn’t take it. Too bad Mr Odiachi you’re a lifetime too late!
Emeka: Do you know what it took me to fly here to Nigeria to ask you to come away with me the night before your wedding, after what you did! I LOVE YOU

DESPERATELY AND I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOU, THAT IS WHY I AM HERE!
Me: Am I supposed to forgive you just like that?
Emeka: You surprise me Anjola. You actually want me to beg for your forgiveness?  I couldn’t believe you were pregnant for another guy. Sometimes I wish you had never sent that text but I forgive you Angel. I love you.
Me: What text? I didn’t know what he was talking about.
Emeka: The one you sent after you asked Banke to tell me you didn’t want to speak with me.
Me: Whaaaaat? I never asked her to do that!
Emeka: Wait a minute. So you never sent me a text saying the baby wasn’t mine so I should move on with my life? Me: of course not! Emeka: Banke! That witch! She must have sent it from your phone.

I couldn’t believe my best friend in the whole world, the sister I never had, my maid of honour had betrayed me. Had watched me cry myself to sleep for months and had said nothing of her deceitful act.
Me: You should have trusted me more than that Emeka.
The baby was yours and I lost and you weren’t there for me Emeka! It’s even too late; he has paid my bride price.
Emeka: I know Angel but it’s not too late. The bride price can be returned. Come away with me. Do you even love him? Does he love you like I do? I can’t promise you all the money in the world but I can promise you unconditional love that would forgive anything. The kind of love that would make your life beautiful, I would do anything to make you happy baby. I swear.

I knew Emeka was for real, with him I felt peace. The kind of peace I had never felt with TK. With TK I would have a lot of battles to fight …with Emeka I knew I would be truly loved and cared for. My choice was not an easy one to make because it was going to change my life forever and I was running out of time.

DISCLAIMER:
Diary Of A Bored Housewife is a work of fiction and Names, characters, businesses, organizations, associations, places, events and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, events, locales, associations or organizations is entirely coincidental.The content is strictly the opinion of the author and does not represent the views of Diamond Bank Plc or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.