on RAUL STREET #projectNigeria

5~THE ODUKOYAS

Kemi stared at her husband’s phone and tapped the table at the same time.

She bit her lip and stretched her hand to take the phone.

Just take it. He is in the bathroom. Be fast or else you wont get another chance.
She withdrew her hand as fast as she stretched it.
Should i take it? Should i not?

She contemplated. I am tired of all those nightly calls he doesn’t even bother to hide. Is it another woman? Be late than never. Let me check it now.

She stretched her hand and withdrew it again. She was nervous and her palms were sweaty. Eh! But i am afraid of Peter’s fury o! What should i do now?

She made up her mind and took his phone. She unlocked it and checked his call history first, then she went to his messages. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't realise when her husband emerged from the bathroom.

“Kemi, did you—what are you doing with my phone?” Peter asked, already becoming furious.

Kemi was so shocked that she dropped the phone. She covered her mouth with her palm and moved backwards, “dear, I’m…I’m so sorry…I…”

Peter glared at her and took his phone and checked it. Kemi watched smug expressions filter across his face. He raised up his head and smirked, though his fury was still present. “Are you out of your mind?!” He asked silently and deadly.

Kemi moved backwards, her eyes pleading earnestly, until her back hit the wall. Peter moved towards her until he was some inches from her and set his furious eyes into her. “You are dumb, you know right?”

Then Kemi knew she was finished. Peter would never raise a finger on her, for that she was sure but he had no control over the way he speaks to her.

“You think I’m cheating on you, uhn? You even had the audacity!, the guts to check my phone. Seriously? Who does that?—” he paused and continued, still speaking silently but loud enough for her to hear, “You are really dumb, just too dumb. Instead of you to find a way to fix this sham of a marriage, you are looking around, fishing around for who your hubby is dating. I still come home, don’t I? I sleep in our bed, don’t I?” He shook his head, but he wasn’t done yet. “You can’t do anything well. I wonder why i married you in the first place”

Kemi’s eyes widened and tears which had formed in her eyes started to spill down her cheeks. Peter was like a stone, unbothered.

“Oh, you’ve started your crocodile tears, right?—” “dear please, i cant take this” Kemi choked on her tears.

Peter smirked and continued, “You can’t cook, you can’t clean, you can’t maintain a business. You can’t even give birth to a child! I wonder what I am still doing here!”

Kemi slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Peter just hissed and went into his closet. She tried to keep her tears at bay but she couldn’t. They just kept on coming. The front of her shirt was soaked with sweat, tears and mucus.

Peter brushed beside her, buttoning his shirt. Without glancing at her, he ordered, “remember to feed the cats.” Kemi groaned.
Both cats were Peter’s pets and she was afraid of them. She knew that was Peter’s own way of punishing her: telling her to feed them. He had always kept them in his den. Kemi looked at her husband with so much anger and tears. Peter turned to go and Kemi held on to his trousers.

“What?!” He asked in annoyance.

“Pete, what happened to us?” She whispered. They had been so much in love. They had been so happy.

“You.”

Peter replied smugly and took his leave. Kemi raised a palm to her forehead and fresh tears spilled out of her eyes. After sitting and crying for what seemed like hours to Kemi, she made up her mind and walked into her walk-in-closet, brought out her clothes and began packing them into a small suitcase.