Efua{light}

Chapter 9

Suspicions

Temmy and I grew really close. We became fond of each other.
One could easily mistake us for lovers but we weren't. We were just friends who understood each other deeply.

We've been friends for five years now. Pearl graduated last year and since she is now a changed person, their father invited her abroad to join him in managing his company.

Temmy and I graduated this year. I was back home preparing for my National Youth Corp Service.

I was posted to Lagos state and so was Temmy. But dad again for some reasons best known to him refused me going to Lagos. Instead he worked my transfer to Benin. To no other place than his company.

At first I had thought that maybe dad just didn't like Temmy. Though Temmy and I were just friends. There was really nothing between us. Yet dad still wasn't comfortable with him around me..I later got to know that it was not just Temmy but any male at all.

Madam had mixed feelings about all these. I mean dad's over protectiveness over me. But she said nothing to me and for this I was grateful.

It became too obvious the day Temmy wanted to take me out on a date. Dad reluctantly allowed me but kept calling me every minute.

Hey, why is he like that? I mean your dad. He has called you like five times in three minutes.

I seriously don't understand but am sure he's just been protective. You know what they say about the girl child na?

Nop. What did they say.

Come on Temmy, don't tell me you haven't heard that saying that 'if you build one fence round a boy child, be sure to build ten round the female child!'

Oh that? Yes I have. .

So what you're insinuating now is that your dad is building ten fences round you to keep you from me? Temmy asked laughing.

I soon joined in the laughter. It Was the waitress that interrupted our moment of laughter. We gave our orders and Temmy suddenly looked at me in the eye.

Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?

I was about to reply him when my phone started ringing. It was the usual caller - dad.

        *****†******†***

These past five years have been good. At least Omoye no longer call Efua witch. But the sight of her still angers her.

Omoye and her friend Collette separated after she found out that Collette actually ordered her arrest five years ago even though Collette asked for forgiveness but Omoye was slow to accepting to. 

When Collette was confronted why she ordered her arrest, she let the cat out of the bag...

'You have everything Omoye. A loving husband, who loves you dearly.  Two lovely kids though I tried to make you over pamper them so that they could become wayward like my only son.
Whom his father took from me after our divorce.

You were just too happy for my liking.

And yet you were related to the cause of my misfortune.

But how? Omoye questioned

Your mother advised me to divorce my husband after I caught him with our maid. He pleaded and pleaded. I wanted to forgive him but your mother who was my boss then, advised me not to. And so I proceeded with the divorce despite Osagie's plea.

I soon realised my mistake and wanted to go back to him. But it was too late as Osagie had already relocated to the States after our divorce with our son. I was devastated.

As though that wasn't enough, two years later I heard he got married to a White woman who had a daughter for him.

I sworn to revenge. I found out that you were the daughter of my then boss- the woman who ruined my marriage and decided to befriend you so as to ruin yours too..

You mean you built our friendship on revenge?

This is unbelievable. You fought to destroy everything about me for the sins of my mother........?

Omoye was heart broken. For days she neither eat nor speak to anyone. She has never trusted anyone as much as she trusted Collette. But it was all a revenge to Collette....

If not for Osas, Omoye would not have survived the brokenness she felt from this awful experience. It's been five years now, and it was now a thing of the past...

******†********†*****
Omoye POV

I was just recovery from the shock I got from the realisation of Collette's mission in my life when I got a call from my children that they were done with their studies and that l should come over for their graduation.

I gladly accepted because I needed fresh air.

But I was somehow worried about Osas' recent behavior of been over protective of Efua.

She was now a grown up girl. Yet Osas didn't want to see any male around her.
Another thing Osas spends his time on was letter writing and reading. Every night he would sit at the reading table writing a letter to an unknown person. This act always makes him happy.

I knew something was going on but I couldn't ask him as he barely spoke to me. He blamed me for allowing Colette use me as a toy and as a means of making our children wayward ..

These gave me sleepless nights but I didn't want to ask him anything as this might bring distrust to our union of about twenty five years.

Each time the thought of infidelity comes, I try to rebuke it.

My flight is tomorrow. I needed to pack my luggage. As I brought out my travelling, more and more questions were popping into my head..

Was Osas cheating on me?

Who was he always writing letters to?

Was Collette right after all?