"Tade!" I screamed from the room and ran to the sitting room where Tade was sitting on the couch, calmly watching his sports game oblivious to my shouting. I angrily went to switch off the television and marched back to stand in front of him further infuriated by his nonchalance to my action."Tade" I shouted again.
He finally spared me a glance from his phone that he picked up after I switched off the television."What is it again this time, Tessy?" He asked me like one would a troublesome child.
I was about to make an angry retort but calmly swallowed it in the hopes that we could have a diplomatic conversation. I was tired, tired of always quarreling in the house almost every day for the past two years. "Care to explain what this is?" I retrieved his second phone from the front pocket of my jeans and showed him the contents. It was a chat between him and one of his numerous girlfriends, trying to pick a date for a rendezvous and probably another roll in the hay.
He peers closely at the phone in my hand and upon seeing the contents, he lashes out. "How dare you, Tessy? What the hell are you doing with my phone? I have told you time and time again to lay off my phones. Whatever I do with my phones is private and absolutely none of your business." He stretches his hand and snatches the phone from my hand. "Listen to me woman! I don't want you snooping through my phone any longer, I have had enough of your insecurities and senseless jealously. I don't owe you any explanations and you better behave."
He stands and shoves me out of the way before heading into the room surely to continue his game and flirt with his girlfriends.
I don't know where I went wrong with Tade, he used to be the best of men when we were dating. He totally swept me off my feet and the rest they say is history. He was a charmer through and through, and we dated for over two years before finally deciding to get married. In all the time I dated him, never once did I catch him cheating on me. He was always attentive to my every need and he knew what I wanted even before I asked. So, how did it all go wrong?
A question I have never been able to answer. All I know is, he changed overnight. At first, he was very discreet and always had an excuse for his late-night crawling and obsession with his phones. Back then, he had the decency to hide it so well from me, that it took a while for even my practiced eye to see the signs.
At first, he used to be discreet but now, he doesn't even bother to hide it anymore. His phones are not even password protected and every time I browse through either of his phones, I see heartbreaking love messages and lots of nude female pictures.
It's almost like he wants me to check and see at my own risk.I have tried to talk to him so many times to no effect, I'm not sure we even love each other anymore. It's just like we are co-existing in the house with no mutual ties.
One day, in a desperate bid to save my marriage, I called to threaten one of his girlfriends he's notoriously fond of, confident that she would back off. She goes by the name, 'Eva'. On the said day, I got her number from his phone and called her. We exchanged hot words and she rained all sorts of incentives on me even daring me to come and confront her.
This is the height of it. How dare he? How dare he ridicule me like this? It's bad enough that he cheats, even worse that he does it with absolutely no regard for me. Lord knows how many nude pictures and videos I have seen on his phones. It's almost like he's challenging me to do something about it, the same way that Eva girl was daring me to confront her.
I begin to pace restlessly in the sitting room and recount the many occasions he had stepped all over me on account of the girls he frolics around with. Is he the only lecturer in the world? How can a lecturer be this promiscuous? He even dates his students. The nerve! Has he no regard for the work he does?
The only good thing that came out of his lecturing job is the admission he secured for my little cousin, Efya.
After many failed attempts at gaining an admission despite having one of the best results in the country, I begged him to help Efya secure an admission. She's my favorite cousin and her parents are dead. I am solely responsible for taking care of her needs, and she's very dear to me.
He used his connections and helped her gain an admission into the university he lectures at. Asides from what he did to help Efya, I have always regarded his job as a curse and nothing more. I have simply had enough of it. It can't go on like this. I can't let him keep trampling all over me without doing anything about it.
Those girls need to be taught individual lessons, girls that can't stay away from other women's husbands.
I picked my phone off the table and proceeded to call my best friend and partner in crime, Olabisi. We have been friends for as long as I can remember, and she always has a solution to whatever issues or problems I have. The call has barely gotten through before Olabisi picks up and her gay voice fills the phone.
"Hey, Tessy. How are you doing?"
I sigh and swallow for a few seconds before getting myself together. "I am doing good, Olabisi. How about you?"
She seems to sense something is wrong with me as I don't sound as cheerful as I usually am.
"What's wrong with you, Tessy?" She asked.
"We would talk about that. I just need to see you today."
"What about? Can't it wait until tomorrow? I have lots of stuff to do today as it is."
"It can't wait Olabisi, I just need to see you." I raised my voice at her in anger.
"Okay calm down tigress. Let's meet for dinner at our usual spot. Is that okay with you?"
I breathe a sigh of relief knowing fully well that Olabisi is going to turn up for me and that's enough at the moment. She has never once failed me. I even manage to chuckle before responding. "Yeah, it's fine by me. What time?"
"Let's meet by eight, tigresses and please, tone down the attitude. I don't want to be had for dinner."
I burst out laughing and take a seat on the couch Tade vacated. Olabisi just knows how to make me feel at ease. She's a problem solver and she always makes me laugh.
She joins in the laughter at the other end of the call. "I got to run, Tessy. See you by eight."
"Okay then. See you too." And just like that, she clicks off.
I take several deep breaths and begin to strategize on the plan forming in my head. First, I have to make peace with Tade. It's important. I don't want him to suspect a thing. I would go through the rest of the plan with Olabisi when I see her. She's good at strategizing.
I stand up from the couch and make my way into the room to execute the first and most important part of my plan, winning Tade over. I approach the room cautiously all the while rehearsing what I would say to him in my head.I gently knock on the bedroom door and enter.
Tade is busy with his phone and he ignores me again as usual. I move towards him and sit close to him on the bed where he lays pressing his phone, no doubt chatting with one of his girlfriends. I swallow the bile in my throat and bite my lower lip for self-control. "Tade," I call out to him softly.
He merely turns his head in my direction and regards me curiously in silence. I pay no heed to his nonchalance all the while keeping sight of the goal I had in mind. "I am sorry, Tade. I am so sorry."
He finally drops his phone and looks at me suspiciously. "What are you sorry for? I hope you are not looking for another excuse to start something else?"
I knew I had to alleviate his suspicions for my plans to work. "I am sorry for shouting at you and causing such a tantrum. I don't want us to quarrel anymore. I am fed up with everything. I still love you, Tade. Remember how we started. I know I am also at fault and I'm admitting my mistakes. I promise to lay off your phones and keep my nose out of your business. I don't know what gets me jealous that much, it's just because I am madly in love with you."
I pause for effect and try to read the expression on his face. He's listening attentively to me and I see that as progress. "Please, baby let's not fight anymore."
He sits up on the bed and shifts closer to me. "Don't play games with me, Tessy. Do you mean what you just said? You mean I can finally have peace in this house?"
I am inwardly seething with anger but I clamp down on it and manage to smile sweetly at him. "I promise you, baby I'm done fighting with you. I am calling a truce."
He throws his head back and sighs in relief.
"Thank God you have finally decided to come to your senses. I mean how can a woman decide to frustrate her husband in the house simply because she suspects him of cheating? It just doesn't track. Do you know how frustrated you have gotten me with your unfounded suspicions? It's all good though, as long as you have decided to be reasonable."
How dare he? He's blaming me for everything, he's not even willing to take responsibilities for his actions. How I am going to enjoy dealing with his smug ass. "It's okay baby. I am going to be good now I promise." I smile at him and close the distance between us.
He smiles back and winks at me. "How about we seal this deal in bed?" He taps the bed indicating what he means.
I almost can't believe his guts. Does he mean to sleep with me with that dirty dick of his? The dick he has used to sleep with almost every girl in town? No problem at all. Two can play this game. I wink back at him and proceed to begin undressing. He stands up to do the same, and soon, we are both entangled in bed and I am laughing inwardly. Tade is so going to pay!
IMAGE CREDITS BY ME.