Wild goose chase

I don’t even know where to start from…I told you about my mission to catch TK in the act abi? He came home two days earlier than he was supposed to maybe he wanted to catch me doing something bad, I don’t know. The day TK got back, I got a call from Tomike (TK’s annoying and spoilt sister) that there was to be a party at The Villa that weekend in commemoration of the Duchess’s birthday. Apparently, it was supposed to be a big deal because a lot of big shots would be there including the governor and his deputy. The part that even annoyed me was the fact that she asked me to “report” to the villa to find out how I could be “useful”. Yes, those were her exact words.

The girl is only two years older than me and she treats me like I’m her maid. I instantly went to report to TK who jumped to her defense as usual saying I am too uptight and she was obviously joking. I tried to cite the various instances of her rudeness towards me and he left the bedroom and locked himself in his study saying he had just come back and he didn’t need my drama… I bet he went in there to talk to “Bee”…rubbish! That was strike one.

Strike two happened the next day. Madam Emem, TK’s PA/Admin Manager/Events Planner because quite frankly I don’t know what that girl does in his office arrived in the house with a huge wrapped present for The Duchess. I had gone jogging across the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge and was just returning when I spotted her and some men trying to move the gift into the house. Of course I accosted her and she told me it was The Duchess’ birthday present and TK had instructed her to deliver it to the house that morning. Imagine my husband picking out a gift for his mother and having it wrapped without me even seeing it. I waited for Madam Emem and her short skirt to leave and then I went and unwrapped the present. It was a very elegant oil painting of The Duchess in a gold plated frame. Truth be told, it was the perfect gift for a woman with her kind of personality but he should have consulted me first. When TK got back it wasn’t a pretty scene. The portrait had been placed in the lobby and I intentionally left it unwrapped.

TK: Anjola! Anjola! Come down now.

I heard him yell from the bottom of the stairs. I ran down the stairs with an innocent look on my face.
Me: Welcome darling
TK: What is the meaning of this? This portrait was wrapped when it was delivered.
Me: I know, I unwrapped it.
TK: Without asking me? What rubbish!
Me: First of all you decide on a gift for your mother without discussing with me; then you have it delivered here, wrapped! What statement were you trying to make, that it is none of my business abi? If it is in this house it is my business so I unwrapped it.
TK: Don’t provoke me. If this gift is not wrapped by the time I come downstairs in the morning, you will be very sorry.

He marched past me and went straight to our bedroom. Trust Rosemary now, Miss Proactive, she had witnessed the showdown. Immediately she heard the bedroom door slam shut, she ran to the portrait and started wrapping it up. I had bought another wrapping paper in anticipation, I gave it to her and got Oladunni’s nanny to help her.I had made my point and now it was time to submit, sometimes a woman has to stoop to conquer.

Strike three was the day before the party. I had gone to The Villa to supervise the decoration when I accidentally stumbled on the sitting chart for the party. I scanned through the list and couldn’t find my aunt, Aunty Titi and her husband’s name. I went over to Tomike who was in charge of the chart.

Me: Tomike please I noticed my aunt and uncle don’t have a place on the sitting chart. Tomike: Then it means their names are not on the guest list. Everyone on the guest list has a seat on the chart.

Me: I don’t understand. TK personally called them to invite them why won’t their names be on the list?
Tomike: Oh that was before mum insisted she wanted only 250 guests not 300. We had to remove some names.

Me: And my aunt and uncle’s name just had to be on the elimination list right? Tomike: Oh well. I figured it won’t matter too much. I mean it’s not like they are your parents. If your parents want to attend, that’s a different conversation but your uncle and aunt cannot. Sorry.

Me: My mother is late and if you know where my dad is you can send him an invitation because I don’t.
Tomike: Oh please am I supposed to be emotionally blackmailed into putting them back on the list? There is no one I can take off this list for them. Period. Me: No problem, its fine.

Tomike: They wouldn’t fit in anyways. It’s a strictly A-list party, you know the sort of people who would be there.
Me: Oh so I guess your ex-husbands wouldn’t be attending then.

I left The Villa in tears. I couldn’t believe Tomike would have the nerves to do something like that and I knew reporting her to TK was a waste of time when it came to his mum and sister he never sees my point as being valid. Just minutes after I left The Villa, TK called screaming on the phone that his sister had called him crying because I insulted her over her failed marriages. I kept quiet and took his ranting not because I didn’t have a response but because I was too busy trying to come up with a plan.

I called my girls Linda and Funsho…Lol. You know this is the kind of gist they like.  I met Funsho Alade through her husband Gbenga who happens to be TK’s childhood friend. She recently moved back to Nigeria to join her husband. She had been living in the states with her son while her husband had been running his business here. Gbenga Alade her husband is one of those rare Lagos men…rich, young, very handsome and what everyone would call a “great catch” and they seem to have a picture perfect life. Fortunately for her, unlike Linda and I, she has a successful career as a Communications Manager in a leading telecoms company.

When she first moved back she was constantly in need of information; where to make her hair, shop for groceries and all sorts. We started getting closer and Linda warmed up to her quite easily. Soon enough, three of us became inseparable.  All three of us met up later that evening to discuss how I should handle the fiasco with TK and his family.
Linda: You must go for that party and play your part as an Iyawo (wife). Don’t start what you can’t finish.

Funsho: Why should she constantly accept being treated like dirt? She is a part of that family and if they don’t recognize that they have to be forced to accept it! Don’t go!
Linda: Anjola you know this one is an Americanah! Abeg you must go o. Infact what are you wearing make sure you look very good. Hold your head up high play your part and go home with your husband afterwards. If you humble yourself it would be easier for you to make a case about the way you are being treated. Funsho: The only way to make a case is to make a statement and the statement is your not attending! If your family is not welcome there, then you are not welcome! I left the girls more confused than when I got there. Linda was right, I couldn’t win this game but Funsho also had a point. I had to stand my ground if I wanted to be treated better.

Later that night, we were having dinner and TK brought up the party.

TK: Anjola please no drama at the party tomorrow, you know the sort of people that would be there. If any member of my family upsets you, just save the fight for later. Anjola: Don’t worry, there won’t be a fight because I am not going.

TK: What! Anjola, you are going for that party and that’s final.
Anjola: Tokunboh I am not going!
TK pushed back his chair and sprang on his feet.

TK: You have been intentionally provoking me and trying to pick a fight since I got back from D.C and I’m getting dangerously close to giving in. With that he walked up the stairs in anger. Maybe TK is right; maybe I am deliberately trying to pick a fight because I am being distracted by Emeka and his rather indecent proposal. We have still been texting everyday but I haven’t seen him since the night we went to dinner.

I sent him a message:

Me: This has to stop. You are distracting me.
Emeka: Angel you know you don’t want me to stop. I miss you, I need to see you.

I ignored his last text message.

The day of the party I went to Ogudu and explained all that had happened to Aunty Titi, I didn’t know how else to tell her she couldn’t attend the party. She was very understanding; she prayed for me and urged me to attend the party so as not to offend my husband. I caved in.

By the time I returned, TK had left for the party without me. I wore an off-shoulder floor length custom made taffeta dress. It was wine and black and clung to every curve on my body. I had gotten a make-up artist to help me with my hair and make-up. I completed my look with the diamond necklace and matching earrings TK gave me a while back for my birthday.  I was so sure I looked stunning.

I got to the party very late and made a grand entrance; I spotted TK talking with his mother and some guests and headed in their direction. TK saw me approaching and I could tell he was completely dazzled by my appearance. I greeted everyone at the table and blushed at the endless compliments on my dress and look that night. I sat down next to TK and we acted normal…no one could tell that we hadn’t spoken to each other in over twenty four hours.  I kept my promise and didn’t cause any trouble. After dinner, it was time to mingle and TK informed me had to dash to the office for an emergency conference call from Washington. I walked him out for appearance sake even though we were still not speaking.

I got home a couple of hours later and discovered TK hadn’t returned. I decided maybe it was time to make peace; after all he just returned from a long trip and had been working so hard lately. Still in my dress, I took a bottle of champagne from our mini bar and headed to his office to surprise him with a steamy session in the office…like one of the many we had when I worked for him. To my greatest dismay, the compound was empty and the guard informed me that TK hadn’t been to the office all day. I knew TK was with his mistress whoever she was. TK did not return till about 3am that night. I pretended to be asleep and he went straight into the shower. I quickly checked his phones they were locked and of course I didn’t know the passwords. I checked his pockets, and found only his wallet…still no clue. Then I saw it…the unmistakable smudge of a woman’s powder on my husband’s white shirt. I knew his shirt was not stained when he left the party because I had walked him out myself.

I was getting really frustrated…I was getting more evidence but no substantial leads. I needed help; obviously my detective skills weren’t sharp enough. By the time he got out of the shower, I had pretended to be asleep again. In my usual nature, I didn’t confront TK…I needed concrete evidence before taking action.
The next morning I went out jogging, Emeka was waiting for me at the corner of the house.
Emeka: Angel mi (my angel)
Me: Emeka what are you doing here?
Emeka: I just wanted to see you and I knew you would be out jogging at this time.
Me: This is careless and stupid. You have to go.

I kept walking in case someone from the house was watching me. Emeka followed closely behind. I could hear what he was saying but to anyone passing he was just walking behind me.

Emeka: Anjola it’s been over a week. I need an answer!
Anjola: Your decision should not be dependent on me. Do what you want to do!
Emeka: Is that all you have to say?
Anjola: I am dealing with a lot right now. Please I can’t deal with this.
Emeka: You will choose me this time Angel. I am sure of it.

When I got home from my morning jog, Adamu the gateman informed me that someone had slipped an envelope under the gate addressed to me shortly after I left the house. I was scared so he offered to open it first. Inside was a piece of paper with a message, the message was written with alphabets cut out from a magazine just the way it happens in the movies. It read

“I know where your husband was last night”.
Dear Diary, I guess I can stop trying to look for Bee; it seems Bee has found me instead.