Dear Future Husband E22 by Tomi Adesina

Dear Future Husband E22

© Tomi Adesina

I wiped a tear drop from my face as scanned my finger at the gate and walked in. It is not as if I could tell for sure that I was wiping tears off, it is raining really hard. ‘Stupid security system! Stupid gate! Stupid lawn! Stupid car! Stupid house! Stupid David!’ I muttered underneath my breath as I strolled across the lawn. I cursed underneath my breath as I tapped the door with no strength at all, I wanted to do was cry and tell David how much I had heard about him and how he had disappointed me. I tapped the door again, this time with more venom, as I thought of my discussion with Bolu Coker, I pounded on the door.

“Kim?” David said startled as he opened the door. “Where have you been? I have been worried sick, you didn’t pick your calls or text me back.”

I pushed him out of the way as I walked in. “So, which of these is real?” I asked, staring round the house.

David dragged his feet. “Kim, what is this? You asked for the truth and I told you, why did you have to run away?”

I stared at him. “David…”

“Kimberly, I have never portrayed myself to you as a saint, I am just a man who loves you the way I am.”

I nodded. “Really?”

“You are the only woman I have ever loved since I was a boy, I have had a huge crush on you when we were kids, and that’s why I was glad to agree to my father and your father’s plan.” He paused. “I thought we had talked about this?”

I stared at him. “Really, David? Is that all?”

He blinked as he stepped back. “What is this, Kimberly? Why are you so cold towards me?”

I scoffed. “Just in case you haven’t realized, I was in the rain.”

He nodded. “I am sorry, excuse me.” he said and walked away. I took a deep breath as I allowed the tears that had welled up in my eyes to pour freely.

David returned with a towel. “The bathroom is down the hall to the left.”

I collected the towel and walked away. I turned on the tub and lay in the water as I listened to the iPod play. I closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to stray away. For the first time in my life, love had made me stupid, I saw proof against David, yet I couldn’t bring myself to believe it.

“I won’t hurt you, Kim.” I heard. I closed my eyes as I heard the words resound. I slipped deep down into the tub and my eyes grew numb and weary.

**********************************************************************************************************************

Wole shut the door after Tola. “Baby, I hope you love my family.”

She nodded with a smile. “Of course, they are exciting, especially your sister.” She replied, as she poured a glass of water. “Water?”

“Yes please.” He replied, collecting the glass. “I would have loved to know your family.”

She took a deep breath. “Well, it’s unfortunate. But I have the useless uncles if you don’t mind.”

He smiled. “Family is family.”

She scoffed lightly and scribbled down in a paper and handed the paper to Wole. “That’s the address. Say hi to them on my behalf.”

“What do you mean? We are to go together.”

She laughed. “Really? You actually don’t think I am going to show up there, do you?”

He nodded. “I know they hurt you, but, this is tradition, we need to meet everyone, register our relationship as formal, you know.” He dropped his glass. “Erm…I will just go upstairs and freshen up.”

“When you are back, I would be gone.”

He paused as he stared at her. “What do you mean? Why?”

She shrugged. “I miss the girls.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Wole, yes.”

He walked back to her. “Mirabel was kidding, she said that herself, nothing existed between Monica and I, I swear.”

“Why then won’t you sleep with me?”

He took a deep breath as he held her hand. “Tola, I can’t do that if I am not married to you. That would be dishonouring you and God.”

She scoffed. “What are you? The pope? Wole, this is the new century, everyone does it. It doesn’t mean they are bad.”

He nodded. “It doesn’t mean it is right either. Please.”

She yanked her hand from his. “You have issues, Wole.”

“Tola, why are you making a big deal out of this?”

She hissed. “Isn’t this a big deal?”

“I mean, you deserve more than casual sex, I mean.” He paused as he raised his voice. “Maybe this is why Tolu used you.”

Her jaw dropped. “Uh…” she swallowed and fought back tears, which eventually broke.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean it, Tola.” He said, trying to hold her hand.

She pushed him back. “Just leave me alone!” she said, and ran inside her room.

**********************************************************************************************************************The door bell chimed and Ini sprang from the sofa. She wore a sad expression. ‘Shola fit dey door’ She thought as she opened the door with her head bowed. There was no one there. She looked right and left and eventually looked down to find a box and a huge teddy bear. She smiled as she picked it and shut the door.

“This is sweet! So, I will consume the chocolates before Tola or Kimberly return, who even owns the gift?” she ranted on as she opened the gift box. “Chocolates! I guessed right. There is a note here.” She tossed the note on the table. “That one is for the gods. They can read the notes.” She pulled first bar and started to eat. “Brutal life, no one gives me chocolates, and those two are having a time of their life. Stupid teddy! See how it is staring at me.” She tossed the Teddy on the table and continued with the chocolates.

The door bell rang again. “Jesus Christ! The owner of the chocolates oh…” she exclaimed and placed the box beside the table as she rushed to the door. She opened it and saw no one there, she looked down and picked the gift wrapped pack of Fayrouz drink at the door. “This is really good.” She said as she shut the door. “It has a note too.” She pulled out the note and threw it on the table with the other note and Teddy bear. She opened a bottle and gulped down eating the chocolates. “Who says the good life isn’t good? I need to get a boyfriend too, someone to baby me like this.”

The door bell rang again. “The excitement continues.” She said, aloud as she picked her bottle with a bar of chocolate and strode to the door.

“Wow…you got my gifts.” Marcus said as soon as she opened the door. “Does this mean I am forgiven?”

She eyeballed him. “You couldn’t have sent all those things.”

“Well, I did, and the biggest gift is coming, please close your eyes.”

She hissed. “Do I look like I am interested in your gifts?” she asked, raising the bottle before him and chewing the rest of the bar in her mouth. “I didn’t even know that you sent them.”

He smiled. “Please close your eyes.”

She shrugged and closed her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Now open them.” He said.

She did and saw his baby in a carrier. “What is this, Marcus?”

“I am sorry, I never really got to thank you for taking care of her for me, and I think she might just like you.”

She scoffed. “Really? The kid is too small to understand anything, so FAIL! Apology accepted, gifts received, now leave.”

He nodded. “I am sorry for earlier today. My baby would love to say thank you.”

“How?”

He smiled. “In any way you let her.”

Ini scoffed and stepped out of the way. “Take the baby out of the cold, it’s getting dark.”

He smiled as he walked in. “Thank you.” He dropped the carrier on the sofa. “Where is everyone?”

“With the love of their lives.”

He nodded. “Don’t you think you should do likewise?”

She eyeballed him. “What are you saying? Do I look like someone who is ready to be in love?”

“A little bit of love is what you need.”

She nodded and tossed the chocolate box at him. “So that’s what the chocolate is all about?”

Marcus drew closer to her. “Ini, you know I love you.”

“Like in the way a loser loves a woman. Durr!” she passed him a bottle of Fayrouz. “Anyway, this woman you say you love would be in Police custody pretty soon.”

He took a deep breath. “I want us to talk about that. Ini, you had no right to report us without consulting me.”

“I consulted you, and I took a decision.”

He scoffed lightly. “No, you didn’t.” she smiled. He paused and rubbed his forehead. “Ini, God! Why would you take a decision when angry? You left my house really upset and decided to turn us in.”

“Who said anything about turning your sorry ass in? You can’t even stand the prison.” She replied and sipped her drink.

Marcus stared at her. “Ini, what do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I am the one going to jail, not you. You have a child to take care of, I have no one to live for.”

He swallowed hard. “I won’t let you. I love you, Ini, and even though I may not be the kind of guy that you deserve and all, It doesn’t mean I would stop loving you. I haven’t stopped and I can’t.”

“Marcus…forget about me, you deserve better. I am trouble.”

He smiled. “One of the reasons why I love you.” he said and kissed her gently. Ini kissed back.

**********************************************************************************************************************Tan brown skin! My head came out of the water forcefully, I gasped as I panted.

“Kim, are you alright?” David shouted, holding my head.

Oh no! “Get me a towel!” I shouted. What are you looking at? I thought as I tried to hide my naked body. He returned back with the towel, and I yanked it instantly from his hand. “Get out!” I ordered.

“I can’t go.” He replied.

I turned the towel slowly from my shoulder as I tried to wrap it around me. “What do you mean?”

“I have been calling you for minutes and I didn’t realize you had slipped under the water. What if you do that again?”

I took a deep breath. “I wasn’t attempting suicide, I was meditating.”

“Okay. I will stay here till you are ready to come out.”

I sighed. “David, you are embarrassing me.”

He nodded and took a deep breath. “You are safe. I won’t leave.”

I scoffed. “This is serious. Can you turn around? And close your eyes and ears.”

He chuckled softly. “Seriously?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He took a deep breath and turned, I ensured that I saw him stick his fingers into his ears before I got up from the bath and tied the towel properly. ‘STUPID MAN!’ The towel was far off from my knee. I stepped out of the tub and slipped into my slippers. “Keep the eyes closed, David.”

I toed hurriedly out of the bathroom into the room where my clothes were and changed in a flash. I returned to the living room.

“Kim, what I have done wrong?” David asked as soon as I walked in.

I took a deep breath as I clasped my bag to my hand. “Do you even love me at all?”

“Kim, I love you. You are everything to me, please.”

I nodded and wiped a tear drop from my eye. “How could you fool me so much? I am still in love with you, I can’t be without you and I know you don’t love me.”

He walked up to me and held my hand. “What happened to you? Where is Kimberly? Where did you go to? I want my Kimberly back, she knows me. I love her.”

I yanked my hand away from his. “Is it not about the money? My inheritance? David, I know about everything. Don’t lie to my face.” I replied.

“Kimberly, don’t do this to us.” He said as he blinked. “I love you the way you are.”

I nodded. “I am really a fool, David. I still love you now and I know this is not real. You signed those documents.”

He nodded as he swallowed. “Yes I did, but, Kimberly, this is not about the money.”

“You said you have always lived me, how could you have ever signed it?”

He took a deep breath. “Kim, I was stupid then, but that was an agreement between my father and yours, all I cared about was being with you and not the money.”

“You don’t fool me, David. I know you have had a terrible past and I get it, but now, you should rewrite your wrongs, you still want to marry because of your father and the money, not because of you.”

“Kim!!!” he screamed and stepped back. “I am sorry I signed them, I am sorry I was bad in the past,  I am sorry you are hurt, but you know, I am more sorry for being hopelessly in love with you. I can’t take this anymore, you don’t even trust me.” he blinked and used his hand to stop his tears but I could see them all clearly and my heart raced fast, I wanted to hug him and say I was sorry, but my lips were stiff and my feet were cold. He shook his head and continued. “Kimberly, I am sorry.” He said, and walked inside leaving me standing in the living room.

**********************************************************************************************************************“Love gone sour?”

I ignored Ini and crashed into a chair.

She smiled. “God has taken away from the mighty and given to the humble.”

“Just shut up.” I replied.

She sneered. “God is a miracle worker! I didn’t even have to go for one of those ‘My Husband must come today or I die’ crusades before God provided mine.”

“What are you driving at, idiot?”

She smiled. “God has ended your little romance with hot boy and Tola’s own with gentleman to provide me with Prince charming.” She said and did the famous Nigerian etigi dance. “I know how much you love this dance.” She started singing a famous Ibo gospel song as she danced reveling in excitement.

“You are a complete fool, and until you go for one of those ‘Give me my husband’ crusade, he won’t come!” I shouted angrily. “And when he comes, he would be a stout man whose genitals can’t be seen because his stomach has covered it all up, and yes, he would have a bald head.”

“And hair in his nostrils that will flutter into his mouth.” Tola joined in the rant.

Ini jumped on the sofa in excitement laughing so hard. “Eh!!! These ones are pained oh!!!”

I threw my bag at her and Tola joined me as we slapped her from left to right. We eventually crashed by her side and had a group hug. “Who goes first?”

“Marcus kissed me and I kissed back.” Ini said, excitedly.

I smiled. “That’s good. It seems you are finally getting some love.”

“And in the oddest place.” Tola added as she sneered. “Anyway, it is better than having an impotent boyfriend.”

I jumped off the chair and so did Ini. “What???” We screamed together. Tola hissed and repositioned herself on the sofa. “You have to be kidding me.” I said as I took my seat.

“Did you guys confirm it at the Doctors or what?”

She hissed. “What do I need to confirm? The Dude won’t get into any action.”

Ini and I sneered and eventually laughed loud. “You are a slut, Tola! Is it compulsory for him to sleep with you?”

She scoffed. “What are you guys saying? This is scary, he runs away giving me the ‘marriage is best with the bed undefiled’ sermon, Durr! I have been in and out with Tolu.”

“Maybe that’s why the guy never respected you.” Ini replied.

The room was quiet. I stared at Tola and nodded slightly. Ini was right! She just dropped a bomb and she did it in style.

Tola took a deep breath. “I have to apologize to Wole.”

Ini and I smiled. “Wise choice.”

“He said the same thing to me and I left his house really mad at him.” She added.

Ini smiled at me. “Your turn.”

I paused. “Me?”

Tola and Ini nodded. “Yes ke!”

“I can’t remember saying David and I were having problems.” I blurted. I won’t want them coming down on me if by their verdict I was found guilty. David hurt me! “We are fine.”

Tola scoffed. “I see…so it is time for you to lie to your girlfriends?”

I blinked. “Girls, I am not lying.”

“Does he have HIV? Gonorrhea, Hepatitis? I mean that fine boy must have one of them.” Ini said. I hissed dryly. “Or Cancer?”

I slammed the couch. “STOP!” The room was quiet. “It is not to cool to joke with any of those diseases.”

“Just tell us, we could solve this together.” Tola replied.

I nodded. “Are sure you really want to hear about it?” They nodded in agreement. “Olofofo!” Ini drummed her hand on her lap in excitement, Tola smiled sheepishly. “David is marrying me for the money!” I blurted. Their smiles faded, Ini withdrew her hand and placed her palm in her face. Tola took a deep breath. Both of them burst into an exciting laugh. “What’s funny?”

“You people from rich families are crazy! And it is obvious that you, Kimberly have become disillusioned.” Tola said.

I stared at them. “What are you saying?”

“What do you have that David doesn’t?” Ini asked. “I mean…”

I cut in. “I have proof! Solid evidence!”

Tola scoffed. “I don’t believe you. I am sorry, dear, but you might have to cross check your facts.”

“There is nothing to cross check, Tola, this girl, clearly has lost her mind.”

I yelled as I stamped my feet. “Of course! I have! I was held at Gun point by David’s father. I saw all the legal stuffs that back my marriage to David with tonnes of money and inheritance going in his favor.” Tola and Ini signaled to me to reduce my voice. “Now you want me to shut up, I am sorry, I can’t do that, you wanna know the truth, there you have it. David signed it. He signed it.”

“Are you using this as an excuse to like Ben Ten?” Ini asked.

I scoffed. “I love David, damn it! It hurts so much that I love a man who has lied to me, he never told me what all his love was about. I can’t forgive that.”

Ini hugged me. “It is okay, Kim. Just calm down, I know it hurts too much.”

“I am sorry, but I do not believe you, Kimberly. I know David, he is a good man.”

I took a deep breath. “I know what I am saying. David fooled me.”

“Did you not say his father held you at gun point? If your father-in-law-to-be could do that, he is capable of the worst lies.”

I sighed as I took my seat. “Tola, he showed me proof.”

She snapped. “And so what?! Remember proof can be forged, and also, it may have been before you guys met, things are obviously different now. I won’t let you throw away that joy that David brings you because of whatever might have happened.”

“Shooo…wetin be your own, Tola?” Ini queried in Pidgin English

Tola took a deep breath. “I have made mistakes in my life, but if I have the opportunity of helping someone like her” she said pointing at me. “I would. Kimberly would have done this for me.”

“Tola, I appreciate you trying to return the favor, but let us be realistic here.”

She nodded. “Exactly! That’s what I am doing for you. You are pissed off and that makes you blind, I would be realistic on your behalf. Case closed!” she said, and picked up her phone. “Ini, did you cook?” she paused and hissed. “Why did I bother to ask?” she said and walked inside.

Ini smiled at me. “Tola is right.”

“You too?”

She nodded. “Yeah…now I know what love is like, I won’t want to lose it to my foolishness.”

**********************************************************************************************************************“I can’t believe those guys charge separately for Sunday evening jobs?” Tunji Bankole said as he sank into a chair.

Bolu Coker closed the door of the study. “Today is a holy day, we are asking for someone to be taken care of; we need to compensate them heavily.”

“Bolu, so, when Bello is dead, what’s next?”

Bolu poured himself a glass of whiskey. “He won’t die until he tells them who the secret partner is. We would have that information in say ten minutes.” He said, pulling his sleeves to check the time.

“I am scared, Bolu.” Tunji confessed.

Bolu shook his head. “Drink this.”

“Bello is someone’s father, someone’s brother, someone’s son.”

Bolu nodded. “I agree, but he is a stumbling block.”

“How are you so cold?”

Bolu smiled. “When you go through life the way I did, you would be cold.”

Tunji nodded. “I need to see my wife. I should be on my way.”

“Err…Tunji, just so you don’t get shocked when you find out tomorrow, I already put information on Kimberly and David’s wedding in the magazines.”

Tunji’s eyes popped. “What?”

He sighed. “We were going to do it eventually, besides, I need that Kimberly’s money, and those kids won’t get anything done left to them.”

“How on earth did you get this done?”

He shrugged. “Simple. I told the Magazine companies to make use of their photos from the Charity Fund raiser and then I sent in word on our behalf.”

“Our behalf? I don’t like being caught off guard, Bolu.”

He nodded. “Sorry about that, but the wedding party from what I announced would be in two weeks.”

“Are you mad? 2 weeks? 2 weeks, Bolu?”

He yawned. “Can you stop yelling? We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow and it is important that we get this thing done soon.”

Tunji scoffed. “It is past ten minutes, your boys haven’t replied.”

He checked his wristwatch. “They would soon do that.”

Tunji Bankole’s phone buzzed as a message popped up on the screen. FEMI: Done!

“Any problem?” Bolu asked.

Tunji shook his head in disagreement. “It is just the gardener at home.”

“Since when did your gardener have your personal phone?” he asked. His phone buzzed and a message popped on his screen. FEMI: Done, Sir. The Silent partner is dead, Bello said his shares won’t be valid.”

Bolu Coker smiled. “Bello must be saying hi to his ancestors by now, I just got Femi’s text, also, he said the Silent Partner is dead and has a clause for his shares to be invalid once dead, so, my friend, we are in luck.

Tunji nodded with a smile. “That’s good…good news”

Bolu smiled. “You don’t sound so excited about it.”

“Me? Of course, I am excited about it, it is just that I haven’t seen Wura yet, I was supposed to yesterday but I couldn’t because of those men and today might just be the same.”

Bolu smiled. “You worry too much about the wrong things.”

“Wura is my wife.”

Bolu nodded. “Okay, let’s do it this way, we would see her tomorrow after the acquisition of Millaroca, is that good?”

Tunji took a deep breath. “Yes.” I cleared his throat. “Although we know that it won’t count, I think you should read my daughter’s article in Millaroca.”

“You read it?”

Tunji nodded. “It kept me up all night, and it is really something.”

“Come on, Tunji. You are getting worse every day, go home, we’ll see tomorrow.”

Tunji nodded and walked out.

**********************************************************************************************************************

I peeped from my office door as I saw secretaries running around with trays and jugs. I ducked my head in to avoid seeing the men that walked in through the elevator door. I took a deep breath as I took my seat and stared at my article in the magazine which had drawn so much attention. My phone vibrated, ‘David’. I turned off the phone and drummed my hand nervously on my table in my almost empty office; I had packed all my stuffs in case of ‘eventually’.

The door flung open and Ben walked in. “Hello beautiful.” He said, and took his seat. “I can see you are all packed, you need to see Boye and the other staffs.” He took a deep breath. “I believe in you.”

I nodded and clenched my fists. “Is it over?”

He laughed. “Mr. Adeoye just joined them. In a matter of minutes, the door would be shut.”

I nodded. “That’s good. I just hope we win this, it would mean a lot to Mr. Adeoye and all of us here.” I rubbed my palm together. “My God, I am so nervous and scared.”

Ben walked up to me. “Mind if I hold you? We could just stay in a warm embrace until it is over.”

“Uh?” I wished at that moment that it was David. I missed him. It started to dawn on me that I had been acting too hard on him. Ben put his hand around me and even as I wanted to resist him, I was far away, my thoughts were wandering.

“I love you, Kimberly. I can make you happy.” He whispered into my ears. I could perceive the scent of his cologne, but it was nothing like David’s. Everything about David was different-his warmth, his touch, his words, his smile, his fears and tears.

I wriggled out of Ben’s grip. “I am sorry. I love my David.” I said confidently with a smile.

“Well, I am the one who is here for you. Where is he?” Ben asked, raising his voice.

I wore a wry smile. Ini’s type of response played in my heart and before I knew it, I had said to him something that was Ini-like to say. “You are in a zone, a zone you can never come out of.” I replied.

“What?”

The door opened. “I am sorry not to knock, but you are needed in the board room, Ms. Bankole.” Mr. Adeoye’s secretary said.

I nodded and picked up my phone as I followed her. The receptionist pushed the door open and I walked in to see many faces, familiar ones inclusive. I swallowed as I saw my Dad and Mr. Coker seated. Mr. Coker flashed a smile at me.

“Please sit, Ms. Bankole.” Mr. Adeoye said. I took my seat instantly. “It is a shame that Mr. Bello is unavoidably absent, but I guess we can still go on with the votes. Mr. Jega who is deputy to Mr. Bello would be handling this session.”

Mr. Jega waved lightly. “We have to go on with the voting, but we must thank Professor Bankole for his huge interest in this property and efforts to make it his to serve the society. Left to me, we should not even deliberate a company that is folding up.”

Mr. Adeoye interrupted. “Why not get along with the vote? Are you not aware that our last sales shook the market in a couple of days?”

“I am sorry I missed on that tiny detail, in absence of Mr. Bello who is not available we should be able to go on with the process.” Mr. Jega continued. I was irritated. He stared at me. “Ms. Bankole, I would say you had a decent article, but sometimes, our best is not good enough.”

I smiled back in response.

He nodded. “You are to vote on the laptops placed before you. The results would be automatically displayed on the flat screen before here.” He added pointing at the flat screen monitor.

Mr. Adeoye’s secretary came in and whispered into his ears. He smiled and faced us all. “Our silent partner just arrived. Please let’s hang on.”

I stared at Dad who was talking indistinctly to Mr. Coker, but I could tell from their expression that they were not comfortable.

The door opened slightly and all heads turned in its direction. My jaw dropped and a tiny smile lurked around my lip.

“I am Professor Wura Bankole, silent partner in Millaroca Magazine.”

Dear Future Husband E22
© Tomi Adesina
#OpraDre

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