The other room

“Dunni, how long do you want to remain on the same spot? How long?”

I kept quiet.

“Are you there? Dunni, se o n gbo mi?” I replied with a sigh. I never had anything to say; just a bunch of confused thoughts constantly racing through my head.

“Well, let me leave you. Some people have a head but have no cap; others have a cap but no head. You have both your head and a cap to grace it, yet you cannot muster enough courage for a display. Reality is just a few years away, then you will realize how much time you have wasted. And when your husband refuses you the cheese or better still, shares it with another, then you will realize how bad it can be. You must have heard of women who are thrown out without a loaf, yet you choose to live your life under obvious circumstances. Well, good luck.”

I heard the click at the other end. She had dropped. I couldn’t really blame her. It can be frustrating talking to a friend who refuses to listen to advice. I removed my apron and folded it away. I looked through the window, appreciating my well-groomed garden, one of my many shameful achievements. Even the butterflies that loved my flowers never attempted to perch on the hands that tended them. I rubbed my hands against my skirt. The friction between the patchy, dry and rough skin of my palms and the fabric of my skirt sends shivers down my nerves.

The delicate thread of designs on my wedding band were equally worn and weathered. The words filtered through the door. I stopped in my pace and pressed my ears closed to the keyhole.

“Babe, I will come at 8pm and I promise to spend the night.” I waited a while.

“Of course, I have missed you. You deserve all of me for that beautiful presentation. To be honest, it was the highest point of the pitch.”

He opened the door and he was startled. I pulled away and walked towards the back door.

“I will call you in just a moment.”

I could feel his eyes piercing through the back of my head.

“Dunni, so you were eavesdropping? What was that about?”

I turned and tried to explain but the words cleaved to my tongue.

“Anyway, please get me some puff-puff, spring rolls, fried meat and a cup of chilled juice.”

I turned to see him chatting on his phone. “Gbenga, I just finished cleaning all we used for dinner. I am done for the evening. I need to rest.”

He squeezed his face in disgust.

“Ehn! What did I hear you say? Whatever you are smoking these days is sure very potent. I ask you for snacks, and you give me excuses. Exactly where do you think your place is in this house?

“You belong in this kitchen, and then the other room. I work and pay all the bills. I clothe you, feed you and extend the same to your family and you have the guts to look me in the eyes and complain?”

I sighed and remembered two nights before then when all I could do was lay on my back with tears flowing down my eyes as my husband took me from all angles without a care. He moaned loudly while I cried silently. He jerked with pleasure while I remained still in misery. As he snored with satisfaction, I kept vigil with the woe that betided me.

“So after all the sacrifices, this is what I deserve?”

“How do you mean? Look here Dunni, I do not need to hide anything from you. Our pitch was the best, and it wouldn’t have happened if not for Chiamaka. She is just pure gold. She designed everything. Anytime I run into a problem, she simply solves it.

“Oh, okay. So that gives you the right to openly flirt with her and even promise spending the night?”

“Dunni, stop acting up and stop being unnecessarily emotional. You are a beneficiary of what she is doing or would you have been able to design the slide?”

I dropped the knife and threw all the pineapples I had peeled into the bin. I switched off the gas and left the spring rolls in the oil. I washed my hands and left the kitchen.

***********************

I waited and waited as the phone rang away.

“Hello, I thought you were never going to pick my calls.” I took a seat on the coach.

“Hmm, I thought you were never going to call back.”

“I have signed the offer. I just mailed the scanned copy to the HR Director.”

Dunni’s laughter resonated through my ears to the whole of my being.

“Welcome to a brand new world girl. I am so proud of you”

***************************

“So where are you off to this early?” I continued to brush my weave till the curls cascaded down the nape of my neck like a braid of waterfalls. I pushed an envelope into his hands and picked my bag.

“What? Dunni, why wouldn’t you tell me you got a job? When did you start this? I didn’t answer. I stepped into my stiletto heels with caution, sending some subtle vibration through the tiles.

“Mum, you look so beautiful.” My daughter hugged me.

“Thanks darling, let’s hurry up to the car so I can drop you off at school in good time.”

She ran off after hugging her dad. I picked my way carefully towards the door, the freshness of the morning breeze stroking my skin.

The driver hurried towards me. He collected my bag and the laptop. I looked behind and saw my husband standing still like a hired party robot.

I stepped back a bit and placed a kiss on his cheeks. I walked straight into the car as the driver held the door for me.