Friday morning, Ayo dropped the girls at school and also Kevwe at the hospital. He told Kevwe he would not be able to pick her up later as he had to continue his job hunt. He also needed to go to the house and make sure it was ready for their movement tomorrow. He gave her some money and asked her to take a taxi back home once she was done.
As Ayo drove home to see Ngozi and get ready for his job hunt, he wondered if Ngozi’s conversation with her sister was favourable. If it was, preparations for her travel and that of the kids would have to be done as soon as possible. The kids were vacating in a week and that meant, they had ample time to process their visas and get settled in Nicaragua. Thinking about it made him miss them already.
He parked the car and jogged towards the main house. As he was about to tap the doorbell, Ngozi opened the door. She had freshened up and was wearing an over-sized monochrome tee-shirt on red bum shorts. Her hair had been packed into a bun at the back and it accentuated her cheekbones. Even without make-up, she was beautiful. Ayo’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at her and he got lost in her gaze for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to say something but his mind couldn’t form the words.
“Hey. Come in.” Ngozi said; breaking the awkward silence between them.
Ayo nodded and walked in. “Were you about to go out?”
“No. I saw you drive in.” She replied as she walked towards the couch in front of the TV. She was watching a news channel. She took the remote from a side stool and reduced the volume of the TV.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” Ayo said as he sat down beside her.
Ngozi blushed.
‘I guess I never had the opportunity to.” He continued. “So about your sister?” He asked changing the topic.
“Yes, I spoke with her as you advised.” Ngozi said.
Ayo nodded. “And?”
“She said it was fine. She even wants us to settle down in Nicaragua and forget about Nigeria. She said I have no business anymore with Nigeria, so she didn’t see why I would want to stay back.”
Ayo cocked his head to the side. “Did you tell her you wanted to stay back?’
“Not exactly. I only mentioned the spa and salon.”
Ayo smiled. “You haven’t been there for a while, you know? Besides, you can sell off the business and face a new life in Nicaragua.”
Ngozi sighed. “It’s all so new to me. Nigeria has been my home all my life. Thinking about settling down in another country was never part of my plan.”
Ayo took her hand. “I know. The events of the past weeks could never have been part of anyone’s plan.” He sighed as he thought about his last discussion with Chief. He was meant to be Chief’s technical assistant but here he was jobless once again and dropping CVs in organizations like he had done when he first came to Lagos.
“Are you okay?” Ngozi asked.
“I am.” He replied looking at her.
“You seemed far away just now.”
“I was just thinking about how our lives took a drastic turnaround these past weeks. Just a day before Chief’s travel, we had a discussion in the garden. I was meant to see the HR Manager on Monday and get a new appointment letter.”
“Really?”
“Yes, as his technical assistant.” Ayo said sighing. “Those plans went with him. What can I say? I can only be thankful.”
“I’m so sorry.” Ngozi said remorsefully as she squeezed Ayo’s hand.
“You know, there are times when I actually feel sorry for myself. I feel maybe I have been jinxed and….”
“Don’t say that, Ayo.” Ngozi said moving closer to him. “You are not jinxed. Things haven’t just worked out the way you want them to.”
Ayo looked at her and smiled sadly. “Ngozi, you don’t know my story.”
“I know the little Chief told me. You are not jinxed.”
“I pray so.” He said as he looked away. Even though he had been trying to stay strong, he was deeply hurt and broken. During his quiet moments when he lay on his bed with Kevwe snoring beside him, he felt dejected. He had not sent money to his parents for a while and he had been too ashamed to call them to explain the situation of things. If he was not careful, he knew he would start running low on cash. The room and repairs, Kevwe’s healthcare and the daily transport fare for his job hunt were beginning to dig a hole in his pocket.
“Ayo, what’s on your mind?” Ngozi said as she turned his face to look at her.
“I will be fine.”
“Yes, you will be. We would both be fine.” She sighed and hugged him.
They stayed locked in each other’s embrace as they both savoured the moment.
“Ayo.” Ngozi whispered into his ears.
“Hmm…”
“Why do you want to leave tomorrow?”
“Please understand. Your family would kick me out if I don’t leave voluntarily.” Ayo replied.
“I just…I don’t…” Ngozi paused as she blew air through her mouth.
Ayo pulled away from her and looked at her face. “Talk to me.”
Ngozi looked away. “I just wanted to say I will miss you. I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“It is for the best. Look at what happened the last time Ebuka was here. To them, I am just a driver. I can’t stay back and deal with Chief’s family issues.”
“And why should you care about what they say? Hopefully, you would get another job soon. They would hardly notice you.”
“That’s what you think. And what about Ebuka’s accusation the last time he was here?”
Ngozi shrugged. “Your girlfriend lives with you. I don’t see how that should be a problem. That should settle any ideas.”
“I wish it could. Unfortunately, it is not enough.” Ayo said.
“So this is it?”
Ayo stood and pulled her up. He touched her chin tenderly and looked at her. Over the past weeks, he had grown fond of her. After the death of her husband, he had done all he could to ease her grief. She had been so lost and her husband’s family had turned against her. He owed it to Chief to protect her. Right now, the only way he could do that was to leave Chief’s house. And to get her and the girls out of the country to Nicaragua. He was glad that her sister had agreed to welcome them; even though it broke his heart to see her go. He sighed at the thought of it.
He stared at her lips and his heart fluttered. The moment seemed magical and he kissed her lips slowly. Ngozi took a deep breath as she kissed him back passionately holding on to him like her life depended on him. They ravaged each other’s lips as their breaths quickened. Ayo lifted Ngozi off the floor and placed her gently on the couch. He tickled her sensitive spots as he undressed her carefully. Ngozi shivered with every touch and she responded with moans of pleasure. Ayo undressed himself quickly eager to finish what he had started.
As he was about to fulfill his pleasure in her, he suddenly felt disconnected from his environment and in that instant, he saw that the lady unclad before him was his boss’s wife. He looked at her wondering what he was doing with her. Do I want to do this? He looked at Ngozi’s naked body before him. Yes, I can’t help it. His body was already on fire and it longed for her. Chief, forgive me. He closed his eyes. I can’t stop now. Ngozi looked at him as she touched and caressed his excited body exploding all the pent-up emotions he had in him. He groaned as his body took charge of his mind. In a few minutes, the only noises heard were stifled screams and moans in the height of ecstasy.
Ngozi lay cradled in Ayo’s arms on the seven-seater couch. Ayo kissed her forehead and she looked up at him and smiled. No words were needed as their bodies had spoken their hearts desire. They lay in each other’s arms for another one hour as they listened to each other’s heartbeat and talked about their future; Ngozi’s plan for her movement to Nicaragua and Ayo’s movement out of the house the next day. The more they talked about their plans, the more it saddened them.
At about 11:00a.m, they heard the gate opening. Ayo looked at Ngozi with eyes wide open. He looked at his watch and realized they had been in each other’s arms the past two hours. They had not realized that time was far spent. He got up with speed and started to put on his clothes in a hurry. Ngozi also picked up her clothes from the floor and ran towards her bedroom upstairs.
******
Kevwe walked into the boys’ quarters and went straight to the room. She was beginning to get tired easily. She lay on the bed and in a few minutes began to doze off.
Ayo buttoned up his shirt and made an attempt to straighten it out with his hands. He looked upstairs. Ngozi had disappeared into her room. He took a deep breath as he walked out of the main house. He got to the boys’ quarters and used his key to enter into the house. He saw Kevwe’s bag on the floor in the living room. He walked towards the room and saw her sprawled on the bed. He heaved a sigh of relief when he heard her snoring. He decided to go into the bathroom to freshen up.
As he stood under the shower, his mind wandered. He had felt a connection with Ngozi which was absent anytime he was with Kevwe. He thought about Kevwe. Was his feelings for her genuine or was it because she was available at the time? And now that she was carrying his child, was this the kind of life he wanted to live? His mind went to Ngozi. He remembered how she had responded to his touch and her stifled screams as she dug her fingers into his back. A smile played on his lips as cold water coursed down the length of his body.
Even though Kevwe had more dexterity, she made love to him almost without feelings. It was more like a duty she had to fulfill. It was what she got paid for daily anyway. Ngozi may not have as much experience as Kevwe did but she melted under his touch and she responded with pleasure which excited him. An excitement that was absent with Kevwe.
The door to the bathroom opened and Ayo was jolted out of his reverie. Kevwe stood with arms akimbo as she looked at him.
“You just dey come or you never go?”
“Erm…I haven’t gone.”
“So where you dey before?”
“I went to drop something in the main house.”
“For Ngozi place? She looked down at his lower body and clapped her hands. “Ayo, you don dey go chop for dia, abi? So the one wey I give you chop never do? Na your oga wife you dey chop again.” Kevwe screamed.
“I don’t understand what you are saying.” Ayo said getting out of the bath and covering up himself with a towel. His wandering mind in the shower had been his undoing.
“How you go know wetin I dey talk? If no be say you go chop for dia, why e dey stand? She asked pointing towards the bulge he was struggling to cover up. “I look like small girl to you. Remove towel make I see am well well. Chei….I don suffer. So na me you dey do like this, Ayo?” Kevwe lamented.
Ayo felt caught in the act. He moved near Kevwe and tried to hold her but she shoved him away and he staggered backwards.
“No touch me oh. No touch me. Go meet your oga wife go continue wetin you dey house dey do. Ayo, you no know me oh. I dey tell you. You meet me when my head dey correct.”
“Kevwe, stop this. You are carrying my baby. What other commitment do you need from me?” Ayo asked cutting short her tirade.
Kevwe stepped out of the bathroom and sat on the bed. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she put her head in her hands. Ayo strolled behind her and also sat on the bed. What has come over me? He put his arms around her. “Kevwe, I love you. Don’t you understand?” He raised her head so he could look into her eyes. “I accepted you and our baby. Tomorrow, we would move out of this house and start a new life together. Please, I need you to trust me.”
Kevwe sniffed as she looked at him. “I know say you don touch your madam. No even try to deny am but no wahala. Sebi we dey pack go tomorrow? I hope say you no go leave me for house dey come hia come chop. Ayo, try am make I catch you, you go know say oil and water no be the same.”
Ayo looked away. He couldn’t look Kevwe in the eye and deny what she had said. He pulled her close and hugged her as he took a deep breath. He prayed in his heart that once he was away from Ngozi, he would be free from the entanglement he had gotten himself into.
******
The next morning, as early as 6:00a.m, Ayo got up to begin the movement of their things out of the house. He had spoken to someone who owned a pick-up truck the night before. The driver arrived at 6:30a.m and in one hour thirty minutes, everything they owned had been loaded into the truck. At 8:00a.m, Kevwe eased into the back seat of the pick-up van. As Ayo was about to ease into the front seat, he noticed Ngozi standing at the window of her room. He looked towards Kevwe and noticed she wasn’t looking. He looked back at Ngozi and blew her a kiss. Ngozi smiled a response before shutting the blinds.
******
The next time Ayo saw Ngozi was the last day he did. She had called to inform him that she was leaving the country the next day. Their visas had been processed, tickets had been booked and she was leaving Nigeria finally. She had not mentioned anything to her brother-in-laws and no one knew she was leaving. She reeled out her plans to Ayo on the phone. She would leave the house with a hand luggage only. She would drop her kids at school and book a hotel where she would lodge till school was over. She had arranged to have her car sold and she was expecting the buyer to pick it up from the hotel in the evening. She had emailed the buyer copies of all her car documents and told him to pick up the originals in the evening. The buyer was making a transfer into her account and she was going to the bank to buy her travel allowance with the funds. She would take a taxi to the airport in the evening to catch their flight and she and her kids would be gone for good.
Ayo was surprised that she had everything all planned out. He asked for the hotel where she would be staying so he could see her one last time before she left. She gave him the location of the hotel and Ayo promised to see her the next day.
*
He had gotten a job as a casual worker in a manufacturing company. The pay wasn’t fantastic but it kept him and Kevwe from going to bed hungry. Plans of buying a car which he could use to run a taxi business had been jettisoned and he started thinking of something else he could do as an alternative source of income. He thought of opening a beer parlour for Kevwe but when he considered the risks, he flung the plan into the bin. He considered Kevwe’s antecedents, the caliber of people who would patronize them since they lived in a slum and the business becoming a source of constant raids by the police looking for miscreants. He also did not want to expose his children to the environment’s mindset which would be difficult to change later in life.
*
Ayo was unable to sleep throughout the night. He was excited. He had steered clear of calling Ngozi since he left Chief’s house. It had been difficult to get his mind off her after they left but once he got a job, he thought less and less of her each day as he put his whole heart into earning a living wage. Hearing from her had made his heart grow fonder and he looked forward to seeing her again.
——–
The story continues…