Till ‘love’ tear us apart (1)

 By Segun Durowaiye     

Darling,” Mr. Adams called, “I am leaving for Abuja tomorrow for our annual Director’s Conference. I’ll be back in three days’ time. Take care of the house.”

 “Okay love,” his wife replied; “make sure you buy me lots of goodies from your trip this time around!”

The couple moved toward each other and hugged endearingly, exchanging kisses in the process. Theirs was a relationship based on false love. Mr. Adams was a smooth liar, so also was Mrs. Ronke Adams. Though they did the holy matrimony, real love wasn’t in their hearts. Mr. Adams was neck-deep into promiscuity and philandering. He loved to date women, not minding if they were married or not. He could be called the ‘married bachelor’ if there were such a term in the dictionary. He was in love with anything in skirt.

To satisfy his sexual appetite and escapades, his bait was money. He worked with Bigsum Merchant Bank as a manager; so he had a lot of money to spend on his dates. Moreover, he had three exotic cars in his garage and he cruised in them around the town, looking for happy-go-lucky girls and ladies alike.

It is a fact that women’s best bait is a good car. That’s the main reason you would always see Adams with different sleek and sexy-looking ladies of various shapes and sizes. Mr. Adams was in his early 50s but the young, delectable ladies he dated were not concerned or deterred by age. They were interested in the dough in his pocket. He always framed up lies of emergency meetings and long working hours to his wife so that he could satisfy his lascivious desires. He could spend weeks away from home. He patronised hotels and club houses to enjoy his wayward cravings with these daughter’s of Eve. Indeed, when you have money you are always handsome or beautiful.

Sincerely, Adams was handsome and tall. He had money, and everywhere he went, he was hailed by people and female admirers. Mrs. Adams too was also deeply involved in promiscuity, unknown to her husband. She enjoyed being wayward. So, anytime her husband told her he would be travelling somewhere for days far away from home, she took the opportunity to see her ‘men friends’ and frolic about with them. She was in her early 30s and very beautiful indeed. The reason she flirted about with men was best known to her because her husband was rich and she lacked nothing. It remains a mystery why Ronke indulged in prostitution.

So that particular Thursday afternoon when Adams ‘travelled,’ Ronke too was glad because she would have all the time to indulge in extramarital affairs. She bade her husband farewell at the gate leading out of their expansive duplex in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. The fact was Adams had a new catch and he had booked for three days at Exotica Hotels located in an exclusive area of town. It is one of the most expensive five-star hotels in town. The sheer magnificence, glitterati and splendour is simply awesome! Adams had high taste when it comes to comfort, particularly when he had a date. His new catch was simply charming and beautiful. She was tall, light-skinned and angelic. Her name was Vivian.

For two days, Adams rollicked and enjoyed himself at the ‘wonder-on-earth’ Exotica Hotels. At times, he would sneak to the toilet and phone his wife on his mobile, telling her that he would soon join her, that he missed her so much. He felt so happy with his escapade and hoped the moment would never end. He was really on top of the world.

The third day, something stranger than fiction happened. Adams was transfixed with morbid surprise when he suddenly saw his wife coming out of one of the suites with a pot-bellied man. He went wild with shock and anger. On further scrutiny, it dawned on him that the man holding his wife by the waist was the managing director of the bank he was working with.

“Ronke!” he screamed, “What are you doing here? My God, Mr. Ajayi! What are you doing with my wife?” he was livid with rage.

“Mr. Adams,” the man replied, “What are you doing with my wife? Vivian, what are you doing here with that man?” Ajayi was also shocked and dumbfounded.

Ronke and Vivian, Ajayi’s wife, were confused and lost for words. Suddenly, Vivian regained her composure and said: “Bode, is this the Abuja where you’re having your annual Director’s Conference? Who is that harlot with you?”

 “How dare you call me an harlot!” Ronke replied in anger. Vivian, the wife of the MD replied, “You husband snatcher! I’ll deal with you ruthlessly!” They engaged in physical combat instantly. A crowd gathered immediately.

“Mr. Adams,” Mr. Ajayi called, “It’s unbelievable that you’re dating my wife! You’re worse than Satan!”

 “You’re stupid to call me names, Mr. Ajayi! You’re more rotten than the maggot in the septic tank! I’ll report you to the board of directors for this evil act of yours!” Adams moved forward with clenched fists and before one could say ‘Action,’ the two able-bodied men engaged themselves in an earth-shaking fight. The crowd had doubled. The attention of the security men at the Exotica Hotels were drawn to the shameful and dirty squabble. The couples were arrested and taken to the police station. They wrote conflicting statements trying to rope each other in trouble. At the police station, Adams warned his wife not to come home again, as her presence could provoke him to commit murder. Ajayi also warned his wife not to bother to come home, warning her repeatedly that he would kill her if she did. The two women knew that something calamitous could happen.

The following Monday, Adams filed a divorce suit, praying the court to dissolve their seven-year-old marriage. That was how the marriage was dissolved and the couple went their separate ways. The same thing happened in the Ajayi family. Mr. Ajayi filed a divorce suit for the dissolution of the marriage. His wish was granted and both parties went their separate ways.

From that day onward, Adams and Ajayi became sworn enemies. They always attacked each other at board meetings and usually ranted gloomy threats to each other at close quarters. Whenever Adams raised a point in the board meetings, Ajayi would oppose it vehemently. Members of the executive at the meeting often wondered at the deep-seated hatred, bickering and enmity shown by these two people towards each other. The venom in the hearts of these two people got to a catastrophic level when they attacked each other physically during a board meeting presided over by the chairman of Bigsum Merchant Bank himself. They were summarily dismissed from their managerial positions.

After this unwholesome and debilitating development, they went more sinister and deadly, wanting to silence each other through hired-killers. Ajayi had sent hired killers after Adams four months after they were sacked from work. He escaped through divine intervention, having known their mission. He hid himself inside the ceiling of his bedroom. It was a midnight of horror. And he heard the hired-killers say Ajayi wouldn’t be happy that their victim escaped. He reported the matter to the police authority the following morning. Ajayi was arrested, charged to court and sentenced accordingly for his diabolic intention.

About two years later, he was released from prison and the first thing he did was to pay Adams a surprise visit, warning him in clear terms that the battle line had just been drawn. From that day onward, Adams knew he was in for bigger trouble. He became so afraid that whenever anybody paid him a visit, he would be jittery and fidgety that perhaps they had come to kill him. He was ridiculously suspicious.

On a particular Sunday morning, Adams started thinking and ruminating on what actually led to the endless problems and chaos in his life. ‘Women … women…!’ he mused, ‘women are the real serpent in a man’s life … yet, without them, a man is not whole or complete … Shakespeare even had the ingenuity to call women the necessary evil… I wonder where Ronke is now … possibly with another man… but, sincerely I’m the actual cause of my tribulations and travails … I’ve shared my love too much with a lot of women … God … Almighty God … forgive me of my sins … don’t let the evil hand of my sworn enemy, in the person of Mr. Ajayi, get me and pin me down … If I come back to this life again I won’t live a loose life … God help me…’

Thoughts about Mr. Ajayi kept worrying Adams. He couldn’t concentrate on anything. Whenever he looked into the mirror, it was Ajayi he would always see. He had sleepless nights and restless days. His abode became something of a haunted house to him. On a particular Sunday night, he dreamt that Ajayi was about stabbing him in the chest.

To be concluded next Sunday.