Scars (Romola 2)

33: Hell Inside

"Just turn to your left. You will find the boardroom." The usher pointed to his right.

Olumie thanked the man and walked in the direction given. So far, it seemed like neither Ajoke nor Tomiwa would manifest in the main hall. He had searched everywhere, including the toilets.

He neared the boardroom, picking up faint sounds of a discussion.

"...stupid decision."

"...do...better."

The voices became clearer as he closed the gap between himself and the door. Clearer and louder.

"How can you tell me you spent a hundred thousand on this hall and expect me to be happy about it?"

That angry tone was Ajoke's. He could recognize it because that was the tone she used to wake him up when he was late for school. Which was very often.

"It's just 20 thousand."

"Dollars, Tomiwa. Dollars. Did you have to touch the money in the domiciliary account? Don't you have your own money?"

Olumide stood by the door, waiting for Tomiwa's reply. It didn't feel right to barge in on the couple while they were having a serious conversation.

"Well, I have the money. The local banks were taking too long to grant me loans. Besides, when the money comes in, won't you spend it?"

"It's not about the money."

"Then what is it?" Tomiwa roared.

Olumide's hand touched the cold metal bar of the door handle. He gulped oxygen to calm his nerves. Conflict was normal in a relationship. Besides, his older sister could take care of herself. She often said that to Muyi.

"For the last time, you should have told me before you touched the money. It is a joint account."

"It's a business investment. Why should I tell a brainless person before I make a decision?"

"Tomiwa," There was a note of finality in his sister's voice. "You are the brainless one."

Her words were followed by the sound of metal scrapping against the floor and shouts of, "Leave me. Leave me oh. If you touch me—"

"If I touch you., what can you do?"

Thud

Something hit the ground. There was a scream.

Olumide forced the door open and hurried in to find Tomiwa standing over his sister with his fist raised over her face while she sat in a chair, cowering under her husband's glower.

His sister stood so quickly that anyone who entered the room after him would have missed the tears in her eyes. She pushed up the sleeves of her dress before holding on to Tomiwa's shirt like she was buttoning it. Tomiwa's hand dropped to his sides but his glower remained like a scar on his face.

Ajoke addressed him first."Why did you just barge in like that? What if my husband and I were—"

Tomiwa pushed her aside and she fell back into the chair then he walked towards the door and Olumide matched his brother-in-law's looks with a glare of his own. Tomiwa broke the eye contact first, turning towards the door and leaving the room.

Olumide faced Ajoke. "Was he going to hit you?"

Ajoke's eyes remained on her hands over her laps."Why would you say such a horrible thing? We were having a normal conversation."

Olumide felt his breath quicken. His need for oxygen tripled and his lungs responded by inhaling and exhaling faster. "Don't lie to me. The day you called me to come to the house, he had hit you, right?"

Her brows narrowed at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Mom asked me to find you. She needs help."

Ajoke sat up, running her fingers through her hair extension to smoothen it. She rose and picked up one shoe. "Help me get the other pair. It's by the door. Do you know why she needs me?"

Olumide picked the other foot of her silver heels and handed it to her. "She wants to know the name of the wife of one old barrister."

"Typical mom." Joke strapped her foot in her heels then stood, spreading her arms out. "How do I look?"

"Like a Makinde."

She frowned, but the purple coating on her lips did not crack. "I'm married now."

"I mean that mummy won't have any reason to complain if she sees you."

"Good. Let's go." She led the way out of the boardroom.

Olumide took one look at the room and shook his head at how far the chairs and tables had been displaced from the centre of the room.

As they walked down the hallway, he took her wrist, asking. "How often do you and Tomiwa fight like that?"

"Mind your business, Mide."

Twenty minutes later, he'd found out that the barrister's wife was named Oluchi and that the word about his search for a Yoruba girl had passed around the hall.

He stood beside the staircase that led to the stage, waiting for his name to be called so he could make his presentation and escape this choking environment.

From where he stood, he watched his mother and sister converse, with Ajoke throwing her arm left and right as she did when she wanted to make a point. He hoped they were not discussing his marriage.

He would hate for it to even look like one percent of what had happened in the boardroom. If his wife looked at him in the same way that Ajoke had stared at Tomiwa, it would end him faster than his mother would end him if he brought Whitney home.

Tomiwa walked towards his sister, then placed his hand on her back. She turned from his mother to her husband smiling. Their lips meet in a small kiss and Tomiwa drew her closer to himself. She let her head rest against his shoulder.

Olumide shook his head. He knew this version of Tomiwa very well. But today, he found out that behind closed doors, they were another couple.

He didn't want that.

He didn't want heaven outside and hell inside.