Deadly Desire

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 21

The Pastor’s wife coming out of the bathroom, sat on the bed. Her husband was too busy to notice her. He was surfing the net. She covered the phone screen with her palm and the pastor raised his head and smiled.

“I was not expecting to see Sis Itohan and her son in the house. Didn’t you go to see her husband today?”

“Oh dear, let me tell you what transpired when we got there.”

He narrated what happened when he went there to see Nosa.

“Aaah! Na wa oo!”

“I was actually thinking that I should get her an accommodation”

“I don’t support that oo. Have you forgotten we have a project?Have you paid the children’s fee? Have you also forgotten that the rent of the house must be renewed?”

“Alright, what should we do”

They kept quiet without saying anything for a long time.

“Tell her to return to her family. We don’t know her like that. She is just a church member. If anything happens to her, we will be in soup. Give her some money and let her find her way”

“Alright”

The pastors wife wore her nightgown and followed her husband to the sitting room. Itohan was there watching television. He sent the kids to their room and then settled down to discuss with Itohan.

“We want to help you, but we don’t have enough cash with us. We are still managing. Sis Itohan, I and my wife are suggesting that you inform your family about the happenings in your marriage”

“True Sis Itohan. You are pregnant and if anything happens to you, we will be in soup” the pastor’s wife said.

There was silence as all of them began to think different things.

“I hear wetin una talk”

“Don’t be angry with us”

Itohan forced a smile “I nor dey vex pastor”

Pastor Martins handed her some money.

“It’s just 20k, manage it”

Itohan and her son thanked the family, then retreated to their room. She sat on the chair and began to reason so many things.

“I no fit travel to Benin with my belle. Road far.” She said.

She looked at her son and noticed he has been quiet since they came to the Pastor’s house. He sat on the bed wearing a long frown.

“You for no steal your father money” She scolded. “I no teach you that kain thing”

“I am sorry I caused all these.”

Efosa so overwhelmed by the happenings began to sob. If he had known they would be sent out of the house, he wouldn’t have touched the ATM card or even steal Nicole’s money.

“I still have money with me”

“Enh!”

“Where am?”

“With me”

She heaved a sigh of relief.

“Sleep Efosa. We go talk tomorrow”

That night Itohan didn’t sleep. A thought crossed her mind and she prayed for it to work.

———————————–

After breakfast the next morning, Itohan and her son thanked the Idehen’s for their hospitality and then took their leave. Itohan had the intention of meeting Iya Folake, a nice elderly woman whose shop was very close to where she does her business. Iya Folake, though old never ceased to visit her shop to share the word of God with her.

Itohan sat on the pavement of her shop, for she was yet to open for the day. Itohan was almost dosing off when Iya Folake greeted.

“Eku se oo”

Itohan laughed for she doesn’t understand the Yoruba language.

“How are you my daughter. I thought you would have offloaded by now”

Itohan laughed.

“E remain small mama”

“You will give birth like the Hebrew women” She prayed.

“Amen oo”

Iya Folake opened her shop and Itohan helped her displayed some of her goods.

Iya brought out the long bench and invited Itohan and her son to sit.

“I like this ground wey I sit down” Itohan said.

Iya left the chair and sat beside Itohan.

“Do you know I thought about you throughout yesterday. If I close my eyes, it was your face I see”

“Mama my husband don pursue me for house”

Itohan wept bitterly. Iya Folake allowed her to cry. When she quietened down. She told her everything.

“I don’t want you to travel with pregnancy. I have a place. It’s just a room. I don’t know if you can manage it”

“Aah! Why I no go fit manage am” Itohan smiled.

“When my grand daughter come, she will stay in the shop while I take you there”

Itohan thanked her amidst tears. When Folake came, Itohan and Efosa followed her to the house. It was a big compound.

Iya Folake lives in a three bedroom flat with her son and grand children. Beside the house is a room self contain. Itohan liked the place and she hugged Iya. She began to thank her. Iya took her round the house and introduced her to her son. Iya’s grandchildren joined Efosa to cleaned the house. Itohan came empty. The floor was already tiled. Iya brought out old mattress, bedsheets, pillow even old standing fan, pots and gas cylinder. Itohan hugged Iya and began to cry.

Iya Folake and her family ensured Itohan and her son were comfortable. By the time, Itohan would settle down it was evening.

“See as God no put me for shame” She cried. “But make you no worry, God don help me” She told Osadebamwen on the phone that evening.

“I will come when I finish my exams. We have not started though, but as soon as I am through, I will come” She told Itohan

As soon as Itohan’s her body touched the bed, Itohan slept off. I She later woke up for no reason. She prayed again and her thoughts settled on Nosa. She thought of the pain he had caused her.

“How manage Nosa come take hate me like this” She whispered.

Itohan turned another position and began to contemplate whether to actually travel to Benin to see her parents. She was perfectly sure Nosa was not in his right senses.

“Nosa wey dey beg me for forgiveness, na him come still rush meet Nicole” She said to herself and wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek.

“Nicole that thing wey you give Nosa, e go vomit am”

She tried to sleep, but sleep was far away from her.

———————————–

Nicole stretched her legs towards Nosa who sat by the edge of the bed pressing his phone.

“Are you trying to call Itohan” She asked.

“Me call Itohan! God forbid! I am done with her” He said rubbing Nicole’s toe

Nicole smiled. She vowed to transfer more money to Pastor Smart. He had really made everything easy for her. Who would have thought that the same Nosa who refused to come back to her, who ended their relationship was the one actually saying these things.

“I must surely transfer money to him”

Her thought travelled to Eghosa and she felt guilty.

“He had actually not done me any wrong except that he wanted to be an obstacle” She thought.

She remembered the several gifts she had received from him. No matter where he goes, he always buy her gifts. Her eyes caught the box on the table. It contained a wrist watch. It was beautiful. She had thanked him but refused to wear it because it was too cheap. She likes what befits her status. The last gift he bought were a pair of shoe. It was good alright. She gave it to the maid and made her promise not to wear it to work.

The maid had collected it jubilantly and hid it in her bag for weekend outings.

“What is amusing you” bringing her back to reality

“Nothing o”

“The maid has retired for the night and I am hungry. Can you get me something to eat”

“Yes ma! Right away. What do you want to eat?” Nosa asked.

“I don’t know. Let’s go to the kitchen”

Nosa helped her up and they walked to the kitchen. She opened the deep freezer but still could not make up her mind on what to eat.

“Ooh! I love plantain. These ones are ripe. Fry some for me. I will eat it with egg sauce” She told him

“Am on it” He said

Nicole returned to the bedroom, while Nosa was busy in the kitchen. By the time the food was ready, she was snoring lightly on the bed. He contemplated whether to wake her or drop the plate of food on the table. He decided to wake her. She opened her eyes very angry.

“You don’t disturb my sleep you fool”

“I am sorry ma. I brought your food”

“I want to sleep” She said.

She turned her back against Nosa and slept off. He took the food downstairs and covered it. When he returned to the bedroom, Nicole was up demanding for the food. He went back to the kitchen and returned with the plate of fried plantain and egg sauce.

“The egg sauce is not tasty” She complained “And there is no water”

He hurried to the kitchen and brought a bottle of water. When, she finished eating, he collected the plate from her and dropped on the table.

“Don’t leave dirty plates here. Take it to the kitchen and wash” She instructed.

“Okay ma!”

Nosa carried the plate and straightaway, he rushed to the kitchen to wash the plates.