Against The Tide

Chapter 3

Right in the male hostel of University of Ilorin, on his bunk, Nicholas rolled on
his bed to face the wall. He had been chatting with his roommates before the phone
call. Now deep in thought over the happenings at home, he knew too well his
father’s infidelity though their mother had worshipped him. She had always
worshipped the ground he walked on. He was a handsome man, even still in his
forties. With a great body, eloquent speech and great wealth, all wrapped him up in
a package that is so irresistible to the ladies. Nick had always loved his father, even
idolised him to a large extent and he often shared his opinion. He had admired most
of the cases he worked on. It had been little or no stress to him having to choose
career to pursue. As much as he loves his dad, his devotion to his mother lay heavy
on his heart. He shifted on his bed pretending to sleep so his friends will not involve
him in their chatters. He was in no mood to chat. He continued in his thought. Nick
wasn’t a saint on his own, he loved girls too. ‘I mean it’s natural for a man to look and
admire things, people and of course, “girls”’ he smiled at the words he often says to
his pals. He had intentionally volunteered to do a year diploma course before going
to university to study Law. The reason he had given his dad was that he wanted to
broaden his knowledge in order to stand a better chance when he finally get into
Law proper. His dad had thought it to be a brilliant idea however, Nick had his own
hidden motive. He desperately wanted a year to himself where he could enjoy
without having to build a G.P. he wanted to get enticed with the university settings
so that when he start his real study he would have been use to distraction. And true
to his plan he had taken the one year to enjoy and now in his year one in law with the
tests done so far, he had been among the top five in his class. His plan seemed to
have worked just perfectly as planned. He has no steady girlfriend but had quite a
number of them he chat and hang out with. Still he imagines he would be faithful to
his wife when he settles down, hence it had pained him to see his father cheat on his
mother over and over again. Though his dad is a devoted father and takes care of his
family, he even declare it often how much he loves his wife still the only lapses he
seems to have is occasional affairs. And this is a major one, from Nick’s point of
view. He knew it to be acceptable of the world today. Cheating is taken to be norms still he expects his father to be above the norm. He was supposed to be his role
model in all areas of life, he supposed. Deep in his thought he slept without
intending to.
*******************************************************
Later that night Tabitha lay on the sofa with head propped up on folded arm, she
watched television. It was one of the Korean KBS episodes. The time was 10:30pm
and she had been so engrossed that she didn’t hear the car nor had she heard the
first knock on the door. She lowered the volume of the DVD player, perceiving she
heard a sound then the knock came again. She pause the drama and got up to open
the door. It must be dad, she thought. Her mother had been very upset with the
argument earlier on that she went to her room almost immediately after dinner
stopping to chat with her only briefly, though she had suspicion of what transpired
between her dad and mum but she was too scared to admit it, in fact to keep herself
from worrying, she decided to watch a fairy-tale movie. She had chosen to play
denial as her father had done,
“Welcome dad” she greeted
“How are you, my baby?” her father greeted. It was obvious he had had a few drinks
but he was still lucid.
“Where is everyone?” he asked “Where is your mother”
“She has gone to bed” Tabitha answered. “Would you like to eat some food?”
“No dear. I ate a lot at the party” he smiled, sitting on the single sofa adjacent to the
long one Tabitha was lying on, he removed his cap. “But please get me a glass of
water”
“Alright dad” she went to the kitchen to fetch the water while Morakinyo turn to see
the movie his daughter was watching and shook his head“What exactly interest you in these movies?” he asked her as she lay the tray with
water down on the stool next to her father. “You don’t even understand their
language, eh?”
“Oh! Dad, don’t start because I do. I know; ‘are you alright?’, ‘hello’, ‘thanks’…”
Akin laughed as his daughter rattle on, on the things she knew of Korean language.
She even made attempt to pronounce the words and the names.
“Okay o, young lady” he smiled he love his daughter so much. “How is school?
When are you returning?”
“School is fine, just wanted to use up all my passes. Exam starts next month and yes
am going back tomorrow in the evening as am singing with the choir at student
chapel on Sunday” she answered. Her dad is her hero and both are very close.
“Wow! That’s true. The year is almost gone, Christmas is right at the corner” he
suddenly looked pensive.
“Dad, what is it?” she asked worried at his expression
“You will all finish my money with your shopping spree for shoes, clothes…” he
complained in mockery “Come, you are daddy’s girl right? How about saving
daddy some cash? Let’s say no to buying clothes this Christmas” he asked raising
his eye brow. He enjoys teasing his daughter.
“No way dad!” she grinned “we are going to shop for Christmas and I will still
expect my gift on the 26th “
“But you did buy a lot of things in the course of this year alone”
“Yes sir! Still this is Christmas we are talking about, it is different, dad” she argued
“You are all like your mother. You love money too much” he wagers a finger at her
as he got up. “Alright little miss, don’t stay up for long, an going in now”
“Good night dad”
“Good night little one”As he walked towards the room he had shared with Kikelomo for the past ten
years they had moved into their house, he wondered if she was sleeping as their
daughter had said. But he knew her too well; she wouldn’t sleep till he got back. Not
only because of what happened earlier but also because old habits die longer. As he
opened the door, his heart in his throat, he dreads discussing his affairs with his
wife. He entered, locked the door and went straight to her beside. She laid still, eyes
closed with duvet drawn up to her neck, breathing evenly.
“Darling, I know you’re not sleeping” he sat on the bed and held her hands to his
lip. He loved his wife and kids but there is no way he could explain to his wife that
those flings means nothing to him. Kike opened her eyes
“I want to sleep, Akin. Unless you want to talk about what happened this evening”
“C’mon, Wify, you know you and the kids are the very essence of my living. Don’t
let unnecessary things interfere with our life” he paused wiping the tears that has
started gathering around her eyes. “Please dear, I beg you” he pleaded “you are
my wife of almost twenty years. You have borne me both male and female, just what
more would I want? What more? He gathered her up into his arm.
“Akin, you tell me because I don’t know what more you want” she asked crying
“I don’t want more. Can’t you see?”
“Akin, you know very well why am upset. I’ve always feared Lagosians and their
crazy life style. The women out there are wicked. They are just waiting to get their
hand on an already made man”
“But am married to you, my dear”
“Yes you are but do you think it matters to them? Those tiny legs husband
snatchers” she began to sob “I don’t want our family to become polygamous. Akin,
jor, please, biko, I don’t have the strength for this” she looked at her husband
pleadingly
“C’mon Kike, it won’t happen to us. I am too educated for that to happen so please
don’t worry too much, none of your worst fear will come to pass” he hugged her “let
us sleep now, we need our rest”“Are you sure Akin?” she asked no longer certain of the future.
“Yes dear. You go back and sleep. I will shower and join you”. With that Akin got up
and went to the bathroom. He was just a normal male, so he thought. ‘Moreover
there is just no way he would take another wife’ he loath the idea of polygamy...

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