"Arggh"
I sighed as I fell into my bed, tired and exhausted. I closed my eyes as I unbuttoned my shirt with the one hand, making sure not to move the rest of my body. I smiled at myself as a picture of a nose bleeding Ephraim flashed through my mind.
I touched my face as though to prevent myself from smiling, I tried to stop smiling but it wasn't working.
"Why can't you just obey me, dear face" I said to myself has I stood up from the bed. I had successful removed my clothes while laying down. I dragged my feet into the bathroom and had a cold bath. As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, I heard my mum's voice.
She was back. Her trip hadn't lasted just two days as my Dad told me. We did a lot of video chatting while she was away, but she didn't tell me she would be home today.
Still in my bathrobe, I scurried out of the room and into the lounge. I rushed to hug her but I stopped on my tracks as I saw the tears on her face.
She had been crying for long and that was too obvious, her face was soiled with tears, with swollen and reddish eyes. She stood there, and stared at the stairs.
"Mum" I held her hands and she snapped out of her thoughts.
"Jemi" she said as she hugged me. Releasing me, she tried drying her tears with her hands, it was not working. Instead it made her look very very bad.
"What is wrong?" I managed to ask her, I was scared, my mom was the ever joyful person. She never give in to her emotions unlike me, whatever could make her cry this much was really terrible and I was really scared.
"It's...." She was about to say when my dad opened the door. Immediately, the expression on my mum's face was a mixture of pain and bitterness.
"Honey" my dad called out excited, but as he saw the expression on his wife's face, His smile dropped. "What, what is wrong. Derin" my dad stuttered.
"How could you Dele?" My mum asked, tears flowing freely down her eyes.
"I, I don't know what you're talking about" my Dad stuttered as he moved closer to her.
"Mummy" I called out softly as I held her hands. I was really confused, my heart beating twice as fast. I took a deep breath as I tried to understand what was going on. My mum hadn't been home for close to two weeks, she hadn't call home for two days before today. Sincerely, it wasn't unlike her. I had believed she was cut up with something, and since my dad didn't make a big deal out of it, I didn't talk about it.
"You hit me Dele" she stated, her voice getting louder per word. My dad was obviously confused, he was blinking his eyes continuously. Her words had sparked a memory we all had tried to cover. I had even been in denial all the time. I didn't even tell Anne when she came home and asked me what had been happening at home.
"You made me believe I was making it all up in my head, you told me I could trust you. You've been lieing to me all this while" she was screaming as she said those words. Tears rolling down her face, as her the veins at her neck area came out in full force. My mum had a small voice, and whenever she was screaming. My heart ached at the sound, it's always like she was using all her might to scream. The sound... I never liked hearing.
"Jemi, please go to your room" My Dad said as I faced him. A million questions running through my mind.
"Okay" my voice was not audible at all. I turned to leave, as I ended up running. As I left, my mum's words rang through my ears as she screamed.
"I can't believe I'm living with a two-faced cheat"
Tears rolled down my eyes as I locked my room's door. I could hear my mum screaming her guts out, but all I could hear from my Dad were inaudible words.
After a few minutes, I stood up and left my room quietly. I needed to feed my curiosity. My parents were the perfect couple, I wanted to know what could have happened that could have made my mum react that way.
I stood behind the curtain that made way into the hallway since the door was rarely closed. My Dad was on his knees, tears flowing down his eyes. My mum was seated on the couch, her eyes tightly shut but the tears still finding their way out. I listened to my dad's words.
"Aderinsola" he started. The way he called my mum's name almost bringing a smile to my face. Until I cautioned myself and reminded myself that I needed to be sad, I was supposed to be sad.
"I'm sorry" he continued. Tears and mucus smearing his handsome face. "I really don't know how it started, but you weren't here.... Not like I'm blaming you or something, but Derin. I had needs too" he said, his voice breaking.
I had never seen my father that sad my entire life. The thought of this made my tears multiply.
"I had needs, and, and she was there" my Dad stuttered not Daring to look at my mum's face. Her eyes remained shut. "I should have said no, I should have".
"But you didn't Dele. You don't have any excuse" my mum said in the calmest tone she had used all day.
"Yes I know I don't have one". He paused "I've disappointed you, God, my kids. Having an affair with another woman. I've disrespected you all. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry".
I swallowed my saliva. My world was crumbling before me. A thousand thoughts ran through mind. Was this going to be the end of the happy times in my family?
Am I about to be a child from a broken family? Would this affect me so negatively as it did to Fikayo?
Am I about to be a crazy teenager from a separated family?
What if the other woman had spiritual powers?
Is she going to make my mother leave?
Was this the end of my father's ministry?
Toni, she would probably lecture me on how it feels when a spouse is unfaithful and how it affects the entire family.
I was in complete confusing I didn't even know when I dropped the curtain and my view was obvious to the broken couple. I was about to run back inside when my mom's words made me stay.
"Who is she" my mom asked looking at my father.
"You don't know?" My dad asked. The look on his face giving out that he was surprised my mom didn't know.
"If I knew would I be asking you" my mum snapped. "I was only told she attends our church" .
I gasped, my mouth agape. I prayed in my heart that all this could be a dream.
"How irresponsible of you, you didn't even have the decency of having a prostitute satisfy your useless urges. You had to do it in Church. Ahh, who are you Dele. This certainly isn't my husband" my mum screamed.
The expression on my dad's face changed almost immediately. From sobriety to anger.
"Dele answer me, who is that whore!!!" my mum yelled.
And then my Dad sprang to his feet, his demeanor showing anger.
"Scream at me all you want. Call me names. If possible attack me physically. But one thing I won't take is you calling her a whore" my Dad yelled too. His voice shaking the entire building.
My mom's mouth opened widely, so did mine.
I hadn't even finished processing the fact that my Dad was in an affair with a church member. Something that was going to ruin our lives for ever if it ever gets out.
Something that would make our lives food for the press.
Something that would make me a laughing stock among those who envied and disliked me.
My Dad was defending this woman!!!
I wondered who she could possibly be, my mum finally closed her eyes and faced the other side. She asked softly this time.
"Oladele, who is she?"
I waited for his reply but something inside me knew his response was going to shatter me. And plunge me into a sorry life.
Still in my bathrobe, I felt instant heat as his words gave life to my fears. My world was about to change, because of that name.
"It's Monica"
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Hmmmmmm....
The book is literally just starting. Let's see what the presence of Monica in their lives will bring.
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