“Dad I didn’t agree to that, besides this is the first time I have picked those designs up in three months, just couldn’t stop myself, but I’m almost through”.
Valerie couldn’t hide her excitement, “sweetheart you mean you are almost through with the design for the orphanage?
I’m happy but Daddy is right that you focus on your schoolwork for now”, she finishes off as she notices Alfred’s scowl.
They always try to keep a united front when disciplining Zeal, that way he doesn’t grow wings.
Alfred notices Zeal eyeing his plate of oat.
“Zeal, don’t even think about it, you just finished yours”, Zeal laughs. “Dad, you know I need this proteinous meal more than you do”, Valerie reaches across the table and caresses his face “don’t worry I will mix you another plate, our walking protein”. They all laugh.
“So dear, how is today’s schedule going to look like, any meetings?” Valerie enquiries.
“Just two, one at the Ministry of Education and another with the airport authority”, Alfred answers.
“I thought we already won the contract so why the meeting at the ministry”.
“It's for another purpose. Yes we won the contract and some members of our staff will be working alongside some of my colleagues at the teaching hospital during the health evaluation on the new recruits”, Alfred explained.
“Well that sounds like a busy and interesting day with more money in our pocket at the end of it”, Valerie said giving Alfred a peck on the lips. “Please, I’m still here, the sixteen year old kid, please take it easy” Zeal protests.
Alfred makes a face at him, and reaches for Valerie’s hand and gives each of her fingers a kiss. “My dear, don’t mind the boy talking, tell me how your schedule looks like”. She smiles at him and answers “nothing much, just something I have to take care of, other than that I will be in the hospital”.
They all continued their meal in silence. Valerie looks at her husband and son and thinks of how lucky she is.
Ten minutes later, Alfred sits drinking a glass of juice while Zeal assists Valerie in clearing out the table. As she returns to the table, she notices something on Alfred’s neck just above the collar of his navy blue shirt. “Sweetheart, I noticed something on your neck, where did you get such a scratch from?”, she asked, caressing the spot.
Alfred answered, “Is it bad, actually I noticed it this morning while taking my bath, I felt this sting,” Zeal approaches the table and Alfred quickly changes the topic, “I will tell you about it later. I have to go now. I want to be on time”. He gets up to his full 6’5”.
“How do I look?” Alfred enquires, taking a spin.
“Oh, Dad! You always look good”, Zeal answers.
Valerie took a look at her husband; in a navy blue suit, white shirt and a red tie, with brown leather shoes, Alfred was just perfect and very sexy.
“I do hope they don’t have female workers at the airport, cos you really look good”.
“Thank you, my love, and so do you”, Alfred said. In a brown trouser suit, Valerie’s curves were still irresistible. The milky colored camisole couldn’t hide her cleavage and her hair was pulled into a ponytail exposing her beautiful angelic face. One of the things that attracted Alfred, even while her face was soaked in tears, her face was still very breathtaking. As she smiled at him, Alfred secretly prayed that beautiful smile was just for him. But as she walked to the car alongside his son; he just couldn’t shake off the feeling; insecurity, that was just the word for it.
On their way to the hospital, Zeal couldn’t help but notice the frown that creased his father’s forehead. “Dad is something bothering you?” Alfred who was deep in thought answered,
“I’m perfect. You are stopping at the library, right?”
“Yes Dad”. Alfred stole a glance at his son, his pride; he loved everything about the boy. His maturity, his kind heartedness, even the silly way he twitches his head unconsciously. He smiled and focused his attention on the drive to the state library.
After a day full of surprises, twists and turns, Alfred lies on his back on his luxurious bed and watches his wife perform her daily ritual.
Valerie has a habit of using moisturizers every night before going to bed, on her legs, palm, neck and face. Her hair is already swept into a loose braid. As much as she enjoys this daily ritual, there is someone who enjoys it more. Alfred just loves watching her. Sometimes he even gets aroused just seeing the way she rubs the baby lotion on her ebony skin and today he can’t just wait for her to come to bed.
“Alfred, what are you thinking of? You didn’t finish telling me how your day went” Valerie admonishes, fully aware of Alfred’s eyes all over her. “Oh yes, my dear.
I met the young man I told you I assisted once”.
“The man with the tyre issue” she added dimming the light and walking towards the bed.
“Yes, we even had lunch together”. He gently sweeps her into his arms.
“It’s indeed a small world, dear. So you didn’t tell me how you got the scratch on your neck”, she said nestled in his arms.
“That’s true. That scratch as unbelievable as it may sound, was ...”, they are interrupted by Valerie’s phone.
“You didn’t switch off our phones”, Valerie gets down from the bed and walks to the dressing table. She switches off Alfred’s phones except the hospital line, it was always on in case of an emergency and picked hers. After reading the text, she switches it off and gets back to bed.
“So you got a text ?” Alfred enquires. “Yes, it’s from my service provider, something about a caller tune, she said caressing his hairy chest.
“Don’t mind those people, So how was your day?”
“It was really uneventful. I went for my meeting and went back to the hospital”, she said.
“Sweetheart, you smell so good and in fact, I have been meaning to show you how much I missed you”, Alfred said, giving her a long deep kiss. When his mouth finally left her lips, Valerie said, “show me just how much”, and she pulled him to her and returned his kiss.
Valerie had an interesting and really coincidental meeting, one she didn’t share with her husband. She met someone in an unexpected place, or a place she forgot they both shared. As she lay that night, the text message she read was on her mind. Even while in bed with her husband, her mind and soul were far away, really far away.
Please let’s meet, in an open place I promise to keep my hands where you can see them. You can fix the time and place and let me know.
xoxo
The message was short and straight to the point but still, it said a lot to the reader and the sender knew a lot could be gleaned from the message. As she reads it a second time, she is startled by a female voice.
‘Hello, madam. We meet again.
Mrs. Richardson, fancy meeting you here”, a woman said standing just by her table.
Valerie recognizes her to be the woman that was among the new recruits; at the hospital. “Oh Mrs. Owoh, sorry I was engrossed in my phone. You can join me”, she said adjusting her tray, so that Susanne could place hers.
“It’s been a while. I hardly see you in the hospital. I have been looking forward to seeing you”, Susanne said opening her bottle of water.
“My dear, I have been busy. I guess you don’t work on the morning shift. Besides I’m mostly in the office”, Valerie clarified.
“No wonder. I’m on day shift and I’m mostly at the wards. It’s been really boring especially since this is my first time in Nigeria. I don’t have friends”. Susanne said sadly. “I’m so sorry about that. Don’t worry you will soon make new friends in this country”.
“I intend to, by the way. Please give me your contacts. I realised when I got home that I didn’t save your number that day”. She pulls her phone out of the side pocket of her bag and hands it to Valerie. Valerie types her number saves it and returns it to her. “I have stored it as Mrs. Richardson”.
They eat in silenc
e for a few minutes. “You can always call me anytime and call me now, so I can have your number and one of these days when we are both free, we could hang out”, Valerie offered.
Susanne is really excited about the offer. “I’m glad to hear that. Lately it’s been lonely”, she seemed to be swept by her thought “Are you alright” Valerie asked, seeing her mood change.
“Sure ! By the way, since we are getting acquainted, what’s your name or do I keep calling you Mrs. Richardson?”, Susanne said jokingly.
Valerie smiled at her and said, “Yes you can call me that and you can also call me Valerie”.
“Your name sounds familiar, the first day I saw you it felt as though I had seen you somewhere before. But I don’t forget faces and since we have never met, let’s call it a coincidence”, she said.
Valerie who was taken aback by the remark said, “I’m sure we have never met. So Mrs. Owoh what is your first name? Susanne laughs shortly and answers, “I am Susanne”. As Valerie drove home that day, she couldn’t help but remember the comment Susanne made. She wondered how a woman that had a family could be so lonely even with him around. She had to consciously stop thinking about her encounter with Susanne. She told herself that someone else’s marriage is not her business, after all, how perfect was hers.
Susanne herself lay on her bed that night while Valentine slept and she wondered why she was feeling anxious all of a sudden. She could not pinpoint why she was feeling that way or when it started; If only she knew.
At exactly 8.00 am the following day, a text message was received that read.
Let’s meet today at 6 pm I will text the venue to you...
The message was read and deleted immediately.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Alfred holds out a black suit and trousers and a navy blue shirt. “Sweetheart, what do you think, will this suit look great on me?”
Valerie walks towards him dressed in a creamed colored silk long sleeves shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt, she analyses the clothes, now laid on the bed and comments, “it would be great, but add a little color, like a purple shirt maybe”. Alfred smiles and returns the shirt and brings out a purple shirt from his side of the wardrobe. “You are getting very creative these days, I can’t help but notice’, Alfred says putting on his shirt.
Valerie drops her red shoes by the side of the bed and begins to transfer her things from the bag she used the previous day. “What do you mean by being creative these days”, she said, “Am I not always creative?”
“Valerie, you have changed a bit, and yes creative”, he drops his tone a bit and adds, “even in bed”. She stops what she was doing to look at him, “what do you mean by that?”
“Okay I don’t know how to put this, but you have changed the way you make love. The other day, you got a bit scratchy”, Alfred said walking to the dressing mirror to brush his hair.
Valerie didn’t know how to react to this new development, “you mean I was responsible for that scratch on your neck?”, she asked, now a bit apprehensive.
“Well, that was not the only place you scratched me, you also mentioned Valentine a couple of times”, Alfred said, now aware he was swimming in dangerous waters.
“If this wasn’t the month of May, I would think Valentine’s Day was on your mind or something”.
Valerie just kept quiet and after putting on her shoes, she went to her dressing table to put on some accessories. Alfred asked, “are you okay? You are not saying anything”.
After clipping on her red earrings and packing her hair into a bun at the back of her head, Valerie said, “Alfred, I’m sorry about the scratch, or scratches. I guess I was really tired that day”.
Alfred sensed her mood had changed and decided to drop the topic.
“Okay, I will see you at the hospital. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the scratching thing but I was just surprised. That is all. Have a nice day”
Alfred picked up his briefcase and walked out. She sat there and the only thought that came to her mind was, everything had to stop. Valentine had to go back to her past and remain there, else she won’t have anything in the present to boast of.
A lot would collapse, especially if his name keeps popping up in the worst of moments.
She was aware of his schedule; he just went into the theatre to perform an operation and after that, he would do ward rounds before heading home; the right time to settle some scores. Valerie had sent the message and as she checked herself in front of the mirror one last time, she was aware her dressing might send the wrong message. Clad in a black cotton gown that clung to her body in the right places, she knew her intent that evening was not seduction.
But she still dressed carefully. She just loved the way he looks at her, his eyes just does wonders to her. She stopped to tighten the strap on her six-inch metallic colored wedge, that matched her Dolce and Gabbana purse; her silver loop is exposed by the ponytail she wore her hair.She switches off the lights and the air conditioner and walks out of the room.
As he savored the taste of the vegetable salad, he couldn’t help but appreciate their culinary skills. When he had walked in fifteen minutes ago, he had wondered why she had picked this restaurant, but now he knew that one of the reasons could be the fact that they served tasty meals. As he raised another fork of creamed salad to his mouth he noticed her come upstairs. Just before she reached the table Valentine got up as if they were both deliberating whether or not to do it, but they ended up hugging. They could feel how clumsy it felt and of course the tension that was between them.
“Welcome, you are right on time”, he said running his eyes all over her.
“Thanks”, Valerie answered avoiding his eyes but not able to ignore the butterflies that were flying about in her stomach.
They both sat quietly enjoying the Britney Spears’ song playing. Valentine had picked a seat hidden from view but far away from the air conditioner. He remembered she was not a fan of the air conditioner.
“I can see you have already made yourself comfortable”, she said gesturing to the plate of food. “I didn’t think you will like the place”.
He swallowed the food that was still in his mouth, took a sip of his pineapple juice and answered, “I must admit I was surprised at the place, but when I tasted their salad, I suspected their culinary skill was one of the reasons you picked this place. Am I right?” he asked.
“Well, yes. Secondly, I wouldn’t want to bump into anybody I know, this place is mostly patronized by younger people”, Valerie said.
“That is true, I noticed it”, Valentine added. She excused herself and went to buy her own plate of fried rice and salad.
They ate in silence for a while with only the music coming from the speakers; Valentine’s voice broke the silence.
“I’m glad you set up this meeting and I must say it was surprising and not so surprising seeing you at the orphanage”. She was tired of avoiding his gaze, which is what she has been doing, Valerie finally looked him in the face. “Why wasn’t it surprising and why was it surprising?”
“Finally she looks at me”, Valentine said smiling. “I thought you forgot all about us, the places we used to go to, and then I wasn’t so surprised because when you told me everything that happened and I looked you in the eyes I knew that you remembered everything about us”. He reached across the table and held her hand, Valerie unconsciously looked around to be sure no one was watching. She tried removing her hand but he held it tight.
“Valerie, I loved you and that never changed, even when I thought I hated you, I still loved you even then and I still do”, he said fondling her hand. She never knew it was possible for someone to feel so many things at the same time. She loved the way his hand feels on hers, and how handsome he looks. She couldn’t tell him how much she had stopped herself from calling him, how she had dreamt of their encounter but each time the dream ends when he lays her on the bed, she wakes up grateful it didn’t go beyond that and wishing it would. He interrupted her thoughts, �
�Seeing you in that orphanage playing with those babies and handing out gifts to them made me picture how loving and tender you must have treated our son at that age, I wish I was there”.
“Valentine please I have something I need to discuss with you, and what you are talking about isn’t helping me”, she cut in
“What do you want to say, my dear?
You know you don’t have to remain married to him.
I love you and will marry you in a heartbeat just say the word that you will marry me and we will both get a divorce. Just say it, my dear and we will both have our home with our son”, he said looking into her eyes. Two young girls in their early twenties passed by with their trays to a table behind them, so Valentine had to keep quiet for a while.
When they were both sure the girls weren’t paying attention to them because they started talking and giggling and were obviously engrossed in whatever they were discussing, Valerie broke the silence that hung like a wet towel between them.
“I admit I still feel something for you but you can’t tell me to, and expect me to leave my husband”. Finally extricating her hands from Valentine's, she paused trying to calm herself because she was clearly upset. When she was calm, she started, “That man has been with me for the past sixteen years, loving, caring, providing and protecting my son. You don’t just expect me to just up and leave. For Christ's sake, where is your conscience because I have one. I married my husband because I had to. Maybe I shouldn’t have, maybe I could have done something else but it has already happened and we can’t change it. If we do, Valentine, we will hurt a lot of people, my son will be hurt, he has known my husband as his father all his life”.
Valentine cut in, “so what do you expect me to do, just walk away?
That boy you are calling ‘my son’ is also my flesh and blood and I will not relinquish my right as his father”.
The atmosphere was getting tense and the ladies at the table looked their way, obviously curious because they were raising their voices.
“Please, let’s discuss this as mature people. I’m not saying you should relinquish your rights or anything. All I’m saying is, let’s just leave things the way they are. Have you ever considered how hurt your wife will be if we continue whatever this is”, she said slowly so no one could overhear her. “You never told me why you married your wife, except it was an arranged marriage or a farce but if not that woman whomever she is, loves you deeply and will not give up her marriage and home without a fight. Valentine are you even considering what will become of me if we continue this” she said.
Choices Page 6
