Life Before a Storm (A Nigerian Story) COMPLETED

Chapter 16

Simon had been frolicking with Beatrice. The shock in our eyes was enough to last a lifetime. I closed the door quietly and went away. Beatrice came out a minute later, fully dressed in a denim bum short and a crop top, to meet me in the living room. I sat down and crossed my legs like a boss who couldn't wait to fire a disloyal employee.

"I thought you had some honour." I said, irritated. She was quiet for some time.

"You can't tell Susan." She said casually.

"Watch me." I said, repositioning myself on the settee.

"It will kill her. Faster than her grave illness."

"So you know that she is silently suffering, yet you chose to do this wickedness behind her? I mean, don't you have shame?"

"Coming from the girl who slept with my man and lied that he raped her." She fired at me.

"Why can't I just eat my cake and have it? My sister has always had the best of everything. Our father chose her over me like I don't matter." She paced and chuckled.

She grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the wine celler and popped it open. She poured some into a cup and gulped it. She brought out a pack of cigarettes from her denim pocket and lighted a stick. She took one puff and inhaled deeply.

"You can tell her. I don't care anymore. She'll die soon anyway." Her mouth kissed her teeth into a hiss.

I couldn't believe my ears. I was about to say something nonsensical when Simon came on the scene. The look on his face showed that he was deeply ashamed. But Beatrice remained unbothered, she was unapologetically smoking her cigarette.

"I am gradually losing respect for you." I rose to a full height of Simon, feeling bolder and more older than my young age.

He pinched his nose to prevent a sneeze from taking shape, and looked elsewhere.

"I want Beatrice to pack her things and go. Tomorrow."

"Ima-obong you don't make the rules here." He protested.

"You have a problem with that? You are not going to stop her, unless you want your wife to know everything. I swear I won't leave anything out." My words sent him into a fit of hysteria.

"I'll go." Beatrice said a little to quickly.

That was how she arranged her stuffs neatly into her suitcase and moved out the following morning, she didn't wait to say goodbye. The thought of being alone in the big house will Simon nauseted me. I took permission from him to travel home, he obliged.

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The skies were dark and roared, but there was no downpour. Even the birds that found their home in the orange tree situated close to mama's kitchen were not there to sing as usual. I checked to see if the door was locked but it wasn't. Nobody was home when I arrived. I knew mama was at her shop with Rose. I didn't tell her I was visiting, I wanted to surprise her. As for Emem and Nsikak, I had no idea where they went.

I didn't sit to wait for any of them to come back. I found my way to the prison at the town to see Ferdinand. On getting there, my eyes darted from one prisoner to the other. Some wore a sullen look, while some had a blank expression. Only a few had a smug smile on their faces because they were visited by loved ones.

I waited for the jailer to bring Ferdinand to me. As soon as Ferdinand saw me, he grinned form ear to ear. He looked different from other inmates. While others looked dirty and unkempt, he was clean, and smelled fresh. His beard was slightly rough which gave him a tough, sexy look. He reached out to touch my cheek, I smiled.