"Darling I'm sorry I am late. I couldn't tell you I would be late because at the time I left the hospital, you were performing a surgery." Valerie said with the most innocent look she could put up. "It's alright," he said, caressing her legs with his hands and teasing her breast with his lips. The current Valentine had ignited which the cold water she had intentionally bathed hadn't quenched were rekindled by Alfred's touch.
"But where were you exactly?
You were not at the hospital. I called your brother and mother and they didn’t know where you were. You got me worried", he said, taking his attention away from her nipples and looking directly into her eyes.
"I had to go to Joy's place. She called and pleaded with me to come over and I couldn't refuse", she said as she got up and sat astride him. "Hmmm, I attempted calling her to find out where you were, when my calls to your phone were not answered." My heart skipped a bit as I got up and lay on my back to prevent him from looking at my face because I was thinking of something else to say to him. Alfred who was obviously surprised at his wife's reaction on hearing that he called her best friend asked, "Are you offended that I called her? Well, her phone was switched off", he added.
"I'm sorry to have gotten you worried. I was so caught up with taking care of her that I didn't hear my phone vibrate."
Valerie, not believing her narrow escape, quickly added; "Yes I know. She was so sad she switched off her phone to prevent him from calling." She knew what his next question would be. "Who?", he asked. As if she read his thought, "her husband", she answered. "They are having a little issue but I'm sure they will work it out." Alfred noticed his wife's reaction to the news that he had called her friend. "I had to call her, I was worried because my calls to your phone were not answered and I knew you were not at the hospital." Alfred, clearly not willing to push the subject any further, said, "well, enough of the 21 questions. Have I told you how wonderful you look and smell right now? I couldn't wait for the question to end so that I can show you what this nightgown of yours is doing to me."
"What?" I asked, with a mischievous smile on my lips. "I am not against being shown anything that will benefit both of us," I said, giving him a wink which made him smile. "Oh yes! It will benefit both of us," he said. Alfred swooped her into his strong arms and pinned her under his strong and well-toned body. As he dropped light feathery kisses on her neck and found his way down her body, he raised his head and muttered, "let me get the light and make sure the door is locked”.
Pulling his face down to hers, she said; "Doctor Alfred, I thought you wanted to show me something. Leave the light on, we might need it." Just before she captured his lips in hers, Alfred whispered, "Mrs. Alfred, you are getting naughtier by the day."
Alfred woke up a few hours after. With her back to him, they were all cuddled up together. He lay beside her for a few minutes, enjoying her warm body. His mind drifted to the moments they just shared together and a satisfied smile lit his face. This time it was more of an adventure. There was no doubt his wife was undergoing a lot of changes and he was enjoying every bit of the change in this department. His vision moved to the dressing table and he saw the phones he had charged, his mind quickly alerted him to check his office line to make sure there were no calls from the hospital. Not that he didn't have capable specialists and doctors but sometimes he is called in, particularly in extreme cases that cannot be handled. He disentangled himself from his wife and walked to the dressing table. Luckily, there wasn't any call from the hospital, none at all on his office line but there was a message on one of his private lines. The sender also aroused his curiosity. After digesting the contents and implication of the message, Alfred leaned on the dressing table for support. He looked at her lying down; looking so beautiful and innocent. He switched off his personal and public lines, keeping only his hospital line on, Alfred went to bed. Lying on his side of the bed with a little space between them, he stared into the ceiling. His mind kept wandering but couldn't come up with an explanation to the text he just received, no explanation at all.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Valentine had been met with so many surprises since his return; from his being a father to the fact his one true love still loved him dearly. Every day, he met with new surprises but when he noticed Valerie's bag in his car, he didn't know how to handle this particular surprise. Having pushed her away last night, he didn't know how to face her. The way she jumped out of the car worried him, not only because he didn't know what was on her mind but mostly because she didn't give him a chance to explain his actions and he knew he won't be seeing her any time soon. He was actually scheduled to fly the President to Ghana for a courtesy visit and he wasn't certain of his time of return.
Exactly twelve forty-five pm on the sixth floor of Alfred's hospital, Valerie couldn't help but weigh the problems she had successfully gotten herself into; having a date with Valentine was the craziest. She had to continuously remind herself that it was not a date; she only wanted to tell him to back off. When Valentine told her that he wanted to be a part of his son's life, she knew he meant it and that sent shivers down her spine. Not only would that affect her marriage, her extended families too. How would she be able to face her in-laws? They never liked her. Her mother-in-law made it clear that she was an irresponsible girl and over the years, she had only come to tolerate and exist in peace with her. If Valentine's threat or promise like he called were to see the light of day, her whole world, which Alfred had helped her build would collapse on her. Valerie got up from her chair and moved to the window. She scanned the entire parking lot, at least the part that was within her vision. A part of her hoped that she would see one of Valentine's cars parked in the lot. Not that she knew all his cars but she has seen him in two different cars. It dawned on her this morning that neither of them knew each other's home address. Why would she ask her ex-lover for his home address. Right now that address would really help. Valerie knew that she would be in a fix if Alfred called her on her mobile phone and couldn't get through to her. Not only was Valentine not picking his call but he was also not picking the calls she had been making all day to the phones in her handbag.
Chidinma Okorie Okpala cleared up her table at Pinn Margaret Secondary School. Having spent the last two periods marking students’ notes, she couldn't wait for the school to close. Strangely, after Valerie's husband called her yesterday, she had this unsettling feeling come over her. Although that was not the first time Alfred had ever called her, it was the strange feeling that crept all over her like goosebumps that made her decide to see him. All her efforts to speak with her on phone had been futile. She must have called her phone a hundred times but Valerie didn't pick any of her calls. As Chidinma approached, some students walked by her. "Good afternoon, Madam Okpala," they greeted with smiles.
"May we carry your bag for you?" With smiles, she answered, "Thanks, but no thanks".
The two friends smiled and walked past her.
"Hold on!" Chidinma called out. "You are in SS2B, aren't you?" she asked, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes. "Yes, Ma", they both chorused. "Good!” Replacing the glasses, she turned to the light complexion female student standing to her right. "You are Evelyn, right?"
"Yes, Ma."
"Locate SS2a class monitor and his assistant, tell them to pick the notes by my table and distribute it to their classmates.
Is that clear?"
"Yes, Ma", Evelyn answered. "Tell him to tell the students that have remarks on their notes to see me tomorrow"
“ Yes, Ma." Evelyn answered. "We will go there immediately", she added.
"Have a nice weekend, Ma," the other student said.
"You too dear," Chidinma replied, walking to her car parked on the football field.
After breakfast, Alfred and Valerie were both organising their things to leave for the office. Valerie picked a black Prado-crocodile bag to match her shoes. Alfred placed his tablet, phones and notebook into his briefcase. Valerie, noting that she had to pack a new set of
make-up, hand sterilizer and other personal effects, moved to the table to get some. Thankfully, she had a spare of everything. All those important things were in her handbag. As she was placing them neatly in her handbag, she felt Alfred's eyes on her. She raised her head, turned and saw that he was really staring at her. The look on his face was something she was familiar with and it was mostly when he was angry and disturbed. "Alfred, why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. "I don't think you really want to know," he said, closing the briefcase with a little force than was needed. "Alfred, something is on your mind and it is upsetting you. Tell me what is it?"
She said with a voice that always soothes him. "Your friend, Joy, called me yesterday. She told me she switched off her phone last night because she was at an all-night prayer meeting at church." You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you have just been caught stealing meat from the pot. You have taken the meat from the pot, closed the pot securely and turn to find your mother behind you and the meat half-way into your mouth. "Sweetheart, I know this might seem like I'm blowing it out of proportion but I can't help this feeling that you are lying to me. Why would you say that you were at your friend's and you left your bag there, meanwhile you were not?" Alfred said, turning to face Valerie where she was sitting on the bed. Alfred sat beside her on the king-size bed and adjusted himself to face her. "Where were you till about past eleven yesterday?".
A knock on the door startled her back to reality. "Come in", she said. A nurse came in. "Matron, I have been calling you but you didn't answer. Mrs Okpala is here to see you".
Just who she wanted to see. "Let her in." Chidinma was given the name Joy by her friends because she always looked for every reason to laugh or smile. Even if she had just been flogged, it won't take Joy long to laugh. Most of her friends call her Joy and true to her name, she always found something joyful in every circumstance. "Hello, friend", Joy said, dropping her handbag on the table not minding the files and folders on it. "Joy, I was planning on seeing you today," Valerie said getting up from her seat. "You always say that I know you are busy, so I understand." She paused and gave her friend a good look. "You look like you need a good hug, come here", she beckoned. The two friends hugged each other and truly the hug made Valerie feel better because she exhaled with delight when they separated. "Joy, that hug was exactly what I needed and I also need a friend right now." Taking her friend's hand, she led her to a couch by the window. They both took opposite seats. "My friend, what is it?" Joy started. "My dear, the ghost from my past has reappeared to haunt me".
"You are not being clear, which ghost?" Joy asked. "Valentine is back".
"Valentine is back?" Joy asked, repeating the statement, trying to process it. Her face lit up with a smile but immediately she remembered the implication of it, she sank back into the cushion. "You told him, didn't you?" Joy asked. "Yes I did, I couldn't stop myself."
"Why would you tell him, do you want to wreck your marriage?"
"Joy, I wasn't thinking when I told him. I just did. I didn't want him to keep believing that I went off to marry immediately he left. I loved that man".
"Does it matter what he believes?" Joy said and then it dawned on her. "Who am I kidding, that boy is a spitting image of Valentine. It would have been only a matter of time before he found out".
"My friend, it was really God that brought you because I wanted to come and see you”, Valerie said, drawing close to her friend.
"I told my husband yesterday that I was with you ". Joy's countenance fell and that caused Valerie to pause and ask; "Baby, why the long face?"
"I have already spoken to your husband". Valerie drew even closer
"I came back from an all-night prayer meeting and when I switched on my phone, I got a voice message from your husband. He sounded really upset and worried that you were nowhere to be found. He asked if you were with me. I sent him a text later, telling him I had not seen you the whole day. I told him that my phone was switched off because I was in church." As everything fit together, the only thing that could come out of Valerie's mouth was "Oh God!" When Valerie didn't say anything, Joy couldn't help but ask, "what is going on?"
It was palpable that Joy had indirectly caused some sort of problem, so she repeated her question.
"Valerie, what is the problem?" I told my husband that I was with you all evening yesterday".
Joy cut in immediately, "you told your what.... why would you lie, using my name?" Joy, realising how inconsiderate she sounded, quickly retracted her statement. "Okay, I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. But why did you have to lie?" Valerie got up and paced for a while.
"I was really surprised this morning when he started questioning me and accusing me of lying. The emergency call from the hospital couldn't have come at a better time. That was what saved me".
"I get nervous when I see someone pacing. I'm still asking why you had to lie to Alfred. Where were you by that time?"
Valerie took a seat beside her friend. She drew very close and said in a very low voice, a voice that would have made someone beside them unable to overhear; "I was with Valentine".
Joy's disapproval was visible on her face.
"You stayed with that man till around past ten, do you want to break your marriage?" Valerie's two hands were placed on her head. "My friend, I don't know anymore. I wanted to clear things up with him, but then."
"But then what?" Joy cut in. "I don't know what to tell Alfred now. It's obvious I have been caught in a lie”.
Around 3:45 pm, Valerie was exhausted from seeing patients after Joy had left. She continuously massaged her neck but the sharp discomforting pain wouldn't go away. A nurse knocked once and entered. "Madam, this letter was sent up here from the reception".
Sensing that Valerie was not interested, she added, "It’s addressed to you." Valerie got the letter and dismissed the nurse. She sank back in the chair and opened the letter.
Sweetest heart,
How is work? I didn't know if it is proper to come to your office, so I resorted to this means of communication. You forgot your bag in my car. If the circumstances were different, I would say it is a ploy to see me again. I couldn't get to you sooner because I had to fly. My phone is on now, so call me and I will tell you where you can meet me to collect your bag.
Be safe,
M+U-EF=LOVE.
Valentine signed the letter.
A smile tugged at her lips. She remembered the first day she wrote down those words on the back of Valentine's Physics textbook.
"Sweetest heart, why are you frowning?" Valentine had asked. I have told you there is nothing like sweetest heart", she had exclaimed.
"You have been reading and frowning, is there something you don't understand?"
"I understand it. It's just that I want to memorise it but it's not working", she said. The frustration she was feeling evident in her voice. "What exactly do you want to memorise?" he asked, shoving his book aside and moving closer to her. They both enjoyed reading together. Most Saturdays were reserved for reading in Valerie's school. "It's Newton's first law," she said unconsciously nibbling on her right index finger. When she noticed Valentine's disapproving stare, she stopped. "Why does biting my finger make you uncomfortable?" She asked. Valentine ignored the question. "It states that a body will continue to remain at rest or in uniform motion except acted upon by an external force," he said, looking all serious. "You don't memorise if you understand, try likening it to a real-life situation."
"Ehmm..." Valerie said, "I understand what you are saying but I can't think of any real-life scenario that depicts it".
"Okay, I think Newton's first law can be likened to our relationship."
"Our relationship?" She interjected, "How?"
"We will continue to love and remain together, except," Valentine said, raising an eyebrow at her; "except what?" she asked, poking him. "Well, except you leave me".
The atmosphere got tense and serious. "So the external force does not include you leav
ing me because of some other smart and beautiful girl? Oh! I probably understand Newton's first law very well." Valentine took her right hand in his and assured her; "one thing that I'm sure will never change is my love for you. No external force will cause what I feel right here to cease", he said, placing both their hands on his chest. A few seconds passed and Valerie's palm was still on his chest. She extricated her hand and turned the back of his P. N OKEKE and wrote; M+U-EF=LOVE. Valentine studied what she wrote for a while and finally asked, "I guess it's your turn to explain. What does that mean?"
The M stands for Me
The U stands for You
EF stands for External Force." Valerie said. Valentine smiled and so did his eyes.
"I promise you that there will be no external force from me Sweetest heart. I promise you that".
The students passing by in groups and their chatter did not disturb the two love birds at all. In fact, they didn't see anyone apart from each other. They didn't hear anyone either. She took his hands and placed it on her neck so he could feel her pulse; "I promise you that this heart will beat only for you and... I will never forget Newton's first law of motion." They both burst into laughter.
Valerie helped herself to a glass of champagne while she waited. She ran it through her head again; she will collect her bag and plead with him to forget about her and stop contacting her. She dropped the wine glass on the table and paced a bit to relieve the tension she was feeling. Forgetting her bag in Valentine's car was not part of the plan, neither was lying to her husband. The worst is that Alfred knows she wasn't where she told him she was. She stopped and lay on the bed, the tension had resulted in a mild headache accompanied by light-headedness. She closed her eyes for a while to calm herself.
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