SOUL TIES CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

That night, Akin walked into the bedroom from the bathroom, preparing to go back to sleep when he noticed something strange. He saw his wife shaking her head in her sleep, sweating profusely, though her face remained as calm as a frown free face. He hesitated on what to do but saw the need to do something quickly. He sat on the bed beside her, placed his hands on her shoulder and rubbed gently but she didn’t wake up. He then tapped her slightly and she jerked from her sleep. She was panting heavily.

“What happened?”

“A nightmare”

“Pele dear” (Sorry dear)

“I saw this terrible looking girl chasing me”

“A girl?” she nodded affirmatively, “What’s she like?”

“She tied a white wrapper, she decorated her hair with cowries, lots of cowries, her anklets were made with cowries and so were her bracelets. When she meets up with me, she flogs me. She looks like a girl in her teens”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a dream” he said, not because he wasn’t troubled but because he didn’t know what to say to calm her. She was still panting; exhausted from the race she was involved in her dream. She was obviously scared.

“It’s not just a dream, Akin, I’m scared.” She said and put her head on his shoulder. He patted her, trailing his fingers through her hair. He kept quiet, listening to her faint sobs until she finally dosed off.

            After a month of their wedding, she still hasn’t allowed her husband to touch her. Being a very understanding and patient guy, Akin kept it between them for that month. But as the month ran out, he was troubled that he decided to involve the elders in the two families. He decided to tell her of his intentions- the way couples should do.

“Hey sexy” he said, wrapping his hands round her waist from behind her as she washed the dishes in the kitchen. She feigned a smile, resisting the urge to shrug out of his embrace.

“What are you still doing here?” he asked, not because he didn’t see her washing the dishes but because he wanted her to talk.

“I want to clean up this place before doing something else”
“Well done. Sweetheart, don’t you think we need to do some couple talk”

“About what?” she could guess what he wanted to discuss. She hasn’t been the perfect wife.

“I haven’t seen you the way I used to before we got married”

“What?” she said, giving a fake laughter, “Are you serious?”

“I mean, you hardly smile nowadays, I miss the sound of your laughter and the glow of your face when you smile”.

She didn’t know what to say because he was right.

He rested his head on her shoulder, kissing her softly on her neck. She could feel his breath all over her, her hands trembled but she resisted forcing her way out of his romance.

“Did I do anything wrong?” he asked so quietly that anyone in the kitchen with them won’t hear him.

“Wrong? No”

“Why do you make me suffer?”

“Suffer? How?”

“Did you allow me to touch you?” he waited for her response but got none, “That’s how”.

“I’m sorry”.

At this, he withdrew from her and walked to her front, to face her for an eye to eye discussion.

“That won’t do it. I’m sorry, I’m going to the Island tomorrow, which will do the trick” he said calmly, with all seriousness. Her heart leapt at the word ‘Island’, she knew exactly what that means: he was going to involve her parents. She wouldn’t allow that shame.

“Akin, please, don’t involve my parents”

“You leave me with no choice”

“What exactly do you want me to do? I’ll do it if it will stop you from telling my parents”

“You know what I want”

She hesitated before coming out clear, “Okay, tonight”

“By my time, it’s already 7:30pm. I’d prefer now”

He was authoritative but she thought he deserved to be. He tried, waiting for a month for her to recover from whatever she must be going through emotionally.

“Fine” the fear came out plain on her face again.

“No, the expression on your face is not fine”

“Oh” she said, feigning a smile, “I’m cool with it, totally”

He kept quiet, studying her as she rinsed her hand, preparing to follow him.

Eniola moaned as he had his way through her. She tried in futility to resist the tears flooding her eyes. She cried silently but he was too busy to notice it. After satisfying himself, he saw tears in her eyes.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No” she forced the word out of her mouth.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying. It’s the price paid by every virgin bride” she said with an anguished smile.

“Hmm” he said, smiling- a satisfaction filled smile. He was glad he met her as a full woman.

Early the next morning, Enny woke up to have her bath. She was feeling dirty to herself.  She sat in the bathtub as the memories of the previous night crawled into her mind. She started crying deliberately, whispering to no one in particular, ‘I’m sorry’. She was like that for about twenty minutes. She suddenly heard approaching footsteps of no one else but her husband. She quickly wiped her tears and pretended to be alright. Akin came in and knew immediately that she had been crying.

“Is everything alright?”

“Sure”

“No. you’ve been crying”

“No”

“Yes.” She didn’t say anything which made Akin take a critical assessing look at her; he saw her wiping her face again. “You’ve not been happy” she nodded.

She needed to open up to him sooner or later.

“What exactly is wrong with you?” she didn’t respond, “Why are you sorry? Who deserves your apology and why?”

Gosh! She didn’t want to him to hear that!

“Akin, I need time to think”

“About what?”

“My life”

“I’m a part of your life now; we should think it through together”

“You’ve been a part of my life since I met you”

“It’s a different story now. We are legally married”

“I don’t think so” she said and stepped out of the bathtub. She toweled herself and went back to the bedroom.

“Eniola, you need to talk to me” he said coming after her.

“Akin let me think it through if telling you is safe”

“I would have to involve your parents”

“Will you stop?!” she snapped aloud. Anger was written on her face but what baffled him were what and who the anger was about. “Will you stop threatening me with reporting me to my parents?”

“I’m sorry I can’t and point of correction, I’m not threatening you. I will if you force me to”

She calmed and sat on the bed, sobbing silently.

“Akin, I’ve made the greatest mistake anyone can ever make in life and the mistake is irreversible” she said amidst sobs.

“What mistake?” he asked, a little bit scared.

“Akinwale, you probably won’t forgive me if I tell you this.”

“Try me”

“I can’t” she said after much hesitation

“Eniola, you are my wife…”

“More reason why I don’t want to tell you”

“Please tell me, Enny” he pleaded

“I would hurt you”

At this, he started brainstorming about what the problem could be. She can’t possibly have had a child outside their home; he met her virgin.

“It won’t, I promise”

She knew he only said that to make her talk. But she also admitted that he had to know, if not, she might explode.

“Akinwale, my husband; Ayoola, my love”

Like a movie, Akin heard suspense sound effects playing in his imaginations. His legs betrayed him, he couldn’t stand. He managed to sit on the bed not close to his wife, anyway. She knew this would happen. She started crying again,

“I’m sorry” she managed to say amidst weeping. He suddenly held his head in his hands, probably crying. He later stood up, got dressed and grabbed his car keys.

“Where are you going?”

“Island”

“What?! Akin, please!” she said, clinging to him

“Leave me alone!” he barked at her

“Akin, you can’t drive in this condition, please”

“Leave me alone!” he shouted again, pushing her away. She fell on the floor, crying uncontrollably. He walked away.

“Akin!” she screamed but he was gone. She picked up her phone and dialed her friend’s number.

“Hello Tomiwa” she said crying, “I’m in trouble!”

 ...to be continued...