Till It Happens to You

Chapter 14

Jude has been misbehaving since his visit to the police station. He drank, hasn't responded to communication, and the nightmares were back in full force.

He lay awake remembering the discussion with the detective as his wife sleeps beside him as he stares at the ceiling, recounting the conversation.

The detective was right unless he said he paid someone to kill Jamal. The detective's story if presented in court is strong and it will take a superb lawyer to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jude is not guilty. If this case goes to court, Jude doesn't think he can handle the humiliation because he is a public figure and the public was not too forgiving. Besides, Jude hasn't forgotten his old sins; the rape. Maybe that one will catch up with him too and be presented in court.

He imagines himself in jail and envisions the day he will meet Chioma again and his fears are becoming a reality. She will be one of those to watch him get electrocuted on a chair or hanged on a tree.

Chioma's thought brought back memories of the night he is with her in his car many years ago.

"Oh, how he misses Chioma." Jude dreamt

He wishes she was the one sleeping right next to him as Sandra opens her eyes to listen to the rhythmic brush of Jude's hand masturbating under their bed sheet calling out the name "Chioma" with a drunken breath.

Sandra asks in shock. "What are you doing Jude?"

Silence

Sandra shoves Jude hard on the shoulder

"What do you think you are doing?" Sandra asks again and gets out of bed, switching on the bedroom light

"Were you just masturbating" She continues the questions

"I was not," Jude responds

"Yes, you were," Sandra says

Jude brings out his hands from underneath the sheets and they are wet.

"I haven't had sex in a while, Sandra," Jude explains

"Because I am pregnant," Sandra says and rolls her eyes repelled

"What is wrong with you Jude? Since I came home from my father's place you have been so distant and now you get drunk most nights which I can stand but never masturbate while I am right there beside you and you are calling another woman's name." Sandra shouts

"Okay, I was masturbating... What's wrong? I still have blood pumping, my heart beating and am still your husband with needs. I haven't died Sandra, so stop denying me sex because I am not dead." Jude shouts back

"Never turn this on me, Jude. I am expecting our baby and can't do sex for now until the baby is born. Is that too much for you to understand?" Sandra asks and reaches for her pillow and a bedspread

"Where are you going?" Jude asks

"I will sleep downstairs and when the day breaks, I am going back to my father's house until you stop acting unwise," Sandra says and walks out of the room

Jude sinks back into the bed. He remembers that while Elizabeth was pregnant, he had Sandra and now that Sandra is pregnant, he has no one. At first, he looks sad but after a moment he smiles, looking content. He still had Chioma

Jude barges out of Chioma's office at the hospital shaking with blood on his hands. He breaks in tears at the door post.

"What have I done?" he asks looking at his bloodied hands

What he wanted to do was talk with Chioma. He went back to the hospital earlier to confirm if the Chioma his wife had mentioned was the same Chioma. After confirming it was her, he had gone back to apologise; beg for forgiveness.