Itohan 5

 How I could have been so blind, eludes me. How could I have been so stupidly trusting?!

The day, that day my world collapsed on my shoulders, started uneventfully. Had breakfast with my sons and went to my plaza to see to business. Hubby called me up at noon to invite me to a party thrown by a friend, scheduled for the evening. According to him the celebrant was 'our’ mutual friend. I kept musing as to who this friend was. I asked him but he said it was going to be a pleasant surprise.

Anyways, I’m always game for a party. No be to chop ofada rice, ayatmase sauce washed down very favourably with Smirnoff? All free! I dressed carefully and called my beautician to fix my face specially. By the time she was done, I was looking like a million dollars.

I left to join hubby at his office and we set off. I noticed Chief was unusually happy. 

‘It's like this party is going to be the bomb oo' I teased him. He smiled and nodded

‘This one that you are so happy’ I continued

Chief laughed' it’s a dream come through'

‘ Really? It’s good to be happy for our friends. But I’m perplexed, we do not have any friend living in this area, Chief'  I had noticed the driver was navigating the Yaba axis. Chief just smiled, patting his immense stomach.

We disembarked from the vehicle at the entrance of a striking, one storey building, after being admitted through the electronic gate. I saw a gathering of people. Some women were busy cooking, whilst other guests were under an immense canopy. My hubby became the cynosure of all eyes as people gathered around him, congratulating him. I kept looking at him, trying to make sense of the situation

‘Maybe it’s a house warming. Ah Chief! Wanting to surprise me with the gift of another house!’ I instantly brightened up ‘Yes, that must be it. Another house gift for me! I bless the day I agreed to marry Chief!'

'Wait a minute, I should be the one being congratulated not Chief. What’s going on here?!'

I didn’t have to wait for long as Chief drew me into the house and into the master bedroom judging from its opulence. There, seated across us on the even more opulent bed was my ex maid, nursing a baby, Chief’s baby!

As Chief was introducing her as his second wife, I felt blood rushing into my head, my breath appeared to be ceasing

This cannot be happening! This, must be a bad dream. I tried pinching myself but my fingers were numb, I didn’t know when I collapsed on the expensively rugged floor.

I found myself on a hospital bed. I was told I had been in coma for two days. I enquired after my children and I was told they had come in earlier to visit with their nanny. What about Chief? I was told after depositing me at the hospital, he hadn’t looked back. I wept bitter tears. I felt so sorry for myself. 

Looking back, I remembered how i  had insisted we get a maid though Chief was against the idea. Eventually he came around and I brought in the maid, Nancy. I had found her slothful and did away with her after three months. Apparently, Chief had picked interest in her during her short stay, unbeknownst to me. What was most painful was the fact that it was my maid, an ordinary, ugly, shapeless and  smelly maid that had taken my place in my husband’s heart!

I wept all the more bitterly as my future which I had thought secure, was now a very blurry vision before me.

Karma is indeed a bitch. It had been served to me as hot as possible. Then, I remembered the look Chief’s ousted wife had given me during the court proceeding and shivered.

The End.