Maybe, You Will See Me Now

06

A light scoff left Ijeawele's lips just as she momentarily rolled her eyes away from the woman in front of her. "I can't make a bad person feel bad." She added before her gaze was back on Maria.

The young woman's eyes held an increasing annoyance and hatred for Ijeawele. "Well, this bad person is the family woman you never agreed to be. I have a husband and a child. You have..." She looked Ijeawele from up to down. "... fancy clothes."

Ijeawele glared at her. Not because her words necessarily annoyed her to the core. Yes, it did but it was more about the memories it brought back. The fact that she was the one who brought this rotten human into her own home and introduced her to her husband made her feel like the biggest idiot that ever existed.

Ijeawele threw her handbag on the floor and rushed to pick up a plugged coiling iron from the counter. She charged at Maria and only stopped when the sound of the sizzling flesh on her face filled her ears and Maria's scream filled the room. The smile on her face was wild, satisfying and maniacal.

"You can go. I'm busy." Maria's words jilted Ijeawele out of what was her imagination.

Ijeawele blinked a few times as she forced herself to gather her mental strength and ignore the part of her feelings that felt disappointed that the scene in her imagination never happened.

"I need you to tell Kingsley that what we had was over the day we signed the divorce papers. He should restrain from talking to my brother or any member of my family. I don't care what either of you do so stop trying to drag me in and make me care." Ijeawele was done and was on an attempt to turn away when Maria bursted out into a quiet laughter, mockery ridiculed in it.

"The problem with you is you try too hard. You try too hard to look perfect. Your husband cheated on you and you didn't even confront the woman he did it with. No reaction whatsoever from you." Maria nodded her head while she realised something. "Kingsley was right. You don't care enough. It was more important to you that you look educated and the example of a modern woman. With you, he felt unloved and that's why... he chose me. He came to me. So, thank you. Keep being you."

Even as she watched Maria walk away, Ijeawele's heart raced, her chest went up and down more visibly. Her breathing is slightly louder than usual. She felt like her blood boil and folded her hands by her sides into tight fists causing her nails to dig deep into her palms.

Ijeawele forced herself to look away from the young woman. Her eyes lurked left and right. More than upset, she felt overwhelmed with confusion. She wasn't sure what to do. Fight this woman, turn her salon upside down or simply walk away. Her anger was such that option one sounded like the near best thing to do but... Ijeawele couldn't bring herself to do it. What would be the point of crying over spilled milk? While she thought she was the better person, could it be that she had been the coward all this time?

The ability to ultimately arrive at a conclusion, an answer, messed with her thoughts. She wasn't ready to handle it. Not yet. Not here especially with every other person in the room stealing awkward glances at her. Her discussion with Maria should have been discreet but perhaps, along the line, they became audible enough for other ears. Maria was without shame so she went back to her work like nothing happened.

Ijeawele turned back to leave and was met with stares from two unlikely people. One of them being the last person she would prefer to see right now. Without wasting a second more, she ignored and walked right past them out of the salon.

When she was seated in her car with her hands on the steering wheel, Maria's words came to her again. This time, it forced memories she had always buried deep down. Memories that time and time again, she told herself to forget that period ever happened. Maria could run her mouth because she didn't know the extreme to what actually transpired between her and Kingsley. She didn't know what she had to put up with. She didn't know how many times she had to tell herself to forgive him and believe him when he told her that his behavior was a mistake and that he would never do it again. She never told anyone. Never let anyone see it. Whether conscious or unconsciously, everyone sees her as the only one to blame for her failed marriage. Nobody bothers about the details that led up to her taking a stand in the end. Why should they? After all, society believes a woman either makes or breaks her home. She's divorced so it must be her fault.

The tears welled up in her eyes. Ijeawele slightly threw her head back to control and stop it from rolling down her cheeks or gathering any further. She didn't want to shed any more tears for their sake. She's a strong woman and she was going to get over everything eventually. Without waiting to calm down any further, Ijeawele started the car and drove out of the parking space she was in. Her driving was unavoidably without errors especially because her thoughts were occupied with her life drama.

It wasn't long with her on the road and she failed to notice a red car driving out from an adjunct street. It was a little too late to step on the break. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She could only pray her encounter with the other car wasn't serious. Her fear worsened when the driver, a man, stepped down from the car. The first thing he did was look at the side of his car where her car rammed into his. His expression turned sour before he directed his gaze at her. Ijeawele knew this was probably not going to turn out well. As he walked over to her side, she panicked and pressed the lock button for the doors.

"Madam, come down from your car and see what you have done." The rather average heighted man in his forties stood his ground. He was bald and in a native attire.

When she didn't reply, he knocked on the window. "Madam! Madam!!" He called again. Ijeawele knew she couldn't ignore this forever. Finally, she convinced herself to unlock the door and step down from it.

"You crashed into my car and broke the headlight." He complained and she walked forward to look at the damaged part. A little glass was broken from the headlight.

"It will cost me to get it fixed and you have to pay for it."

A frown surfaced between her brows. The annoyance from the whole late evening is still attached to her. She might as well take it out on this man.

"Oga, I'm not paying for anything. You're also at fault. You weren't careful enough while driving out."

His expression was rather puzzling followed by annoyance. "Hmm, madam, I don't care if you're a woman. Today, you and I will not leave here if you don't pay for the damage you caused."

"I said I will not pay for anything. This is not my fault. I'm not always at fault. Women are not always at fault. For once, you men should take responsibility for when you're wrong. You can't always leave us to shoulder the abuse and scorn."

He looked at her rather confused with her words. Most of it didn't make sense to him and he wondered why she was pluralizing everything.

An approaching danfo bus honked continuously, slightly startling Ijeawele. "My friend make una comot for road!" The driver yelled while he rode past them. Other cars did the same even though the space had become narrower because of Ijeawele and the man in front of her.

Ijeawele reached for the handle of her car's door. Immediately, the man grabbed her by the wrist. "Ah ah madam, where are you going? You think say I dey play?" The look in his eyes changed and it scared Ijeawele a little.

An unexpected hand grabbed onto the very same hand the man held Ijeawele with. Both looked at the owner of the hand at once. Ijeawele was surprised to see Andrew.

"Leave her hand." Andrew told him while matching his gaze.

Although his appearance was a surprise, more than that, Ijeawele felt glad to see him.

Hey there, sorry for the late update. I'm really sorry to those who looked out for an update last week. I was in a different state of mind. Nonetheless, I hope you liked this chapter. To make it up to you guys, I'll post another by tomorrow or the next. 

Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to vote or comment. It means a lot to me.