Friday, March 29, 2024
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I WILL RATHER GO TO HELL

HORRIBLE MONDAY
Patra allowed the phone to ring. Love is wicked; Brick & Lace sang and stopped. Tears welled up in her eyes. She dialed Room Service and requested for a bottle of cognac, coke and ice. It got to her in less than five minutes.
Good service. She poured a large drink and settled on the couch. Richie called again. She tapped the green button and listened. “Baby where are you?” Richie asked from the other end. “Of what use is that to you? Go marry that woman. Yes, I know I have not been able to give you a child but I’m not God. So, go marry the woman,” Patra said in tear-laden voice. “I’m sorry, honey.
Please forgive me. I know I deserve to be shot…” Richie began and Patra cut in, “Then what are you waiting for? Pull the trigger and spare me the task of poisoning you.” Richie’s heart nearly stopped beating. Poison? He remembered he saw a pack of rat poison somewhere in the house and had wondered what his wife needed that for.
His mind went back to the well-prepared rice and stew he saw on the dining table which he ate about an hour earlier. Earth has no fury like a woman scorned! He couldn’t remember who said that, he didn’t need to.
He broke out in sweat. His bowel moved and he had an urgent urge to use the restroom. He whispered, “Baby, you said ‘poison’? What do you mean?” His voice was shaking, barely audible. “I ate the food you kept on the dining table. Was it poisoned?” “I’m sure if it was, you would have known by now. Look, leave me alone. You have hurt me so much.” Patra cut the phone and rejected other calls from him.
Patra looked around her. She felt so empty, so lonely. She poured another drink. The tears came running down her cheeks and she let herself cry until she could cry no more. Her heart ached. February 14 flashed through her mind for the umpteenth time. Richie had travelled two days earlier. He said he had a business meeting in Port Harcourt.
It had to do with a deal he had been chasing for months. It was worth a pretty sum. He had complained that it came up at a time he didn’t want to be away from his wife. Patra encouraged him to go for it since it was important. They had agreed to have a special dinner the following weekend since he would be gone for five days. Patra felt so alone on Valentine’s Day.
Everyone in her office talked about hanging out in the evening. Everyone had a plan for the day…except her. When she got home, she was lonely. She felt like going out but didn’t want to go anywhere around Ikeja which was her favourite. She didn’t want to run into her friends who would be hanging out with their spouses.
Driving through the Third Mainland Bridge had always been an issue for her since she was robbed there some years ago. You wouldn’t find her on the Island unless it was absolutely necessary. She decided to go to the Island! Her husband took her to a cozy leisure arena on her birthday three years ago. She would go there. Problem was, she wouldn’t be able to find her way there. She dialled Richie’s phone number but it was switched off. He must be in a meeting. She’d take a cab. She sent him a text message, informing him of her plan. When she got there, she was ushered to a table.
The lady asked, “Ma’m, are you expecting someone?” After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded, “My husband.” “Do I take your order now?” She asked. “Lemme study the menu first,” Patra told her. “Okay ma’m. Will be back,” she said and moved to the next table. Patra settled into her comfortable chair. It was a table for two. From her dimly lit corner, she could observe other revelers. The place was noisy. The music was good. Love was definitely in the air.
Suddenly she froze! She wiped her eyes with the back of her right palm. ‘No! It’s not possible!’ Walking towards her was Richie. He had a little girl in pink and red dotted gown in his arms. In his eyes were the twinkles she loved so much. He had that naughty curl at the corners of his mouth…only that they were not meant for her that moment. He stopped two tables from hers and gave the woman sitting there a peck on the lips and sat down. Patra shook her head to clear her thought. She must be dreaming, but no. He was still there, playing with the little girl who was struggling with him.
Patra watched them, mesmerized. He set the little girl down and she took a few paces and slipped. Richie was up in a flash, he scooped her into his arms. Patra didn’t know what propelled her. She got up from her seat and move like someone in a trance towards them. Richie saw her and aged immediately. He said something to the lady beside him and her eyes popped in fear. They stood up hastily. She was pregnant! Patra got to their table and stopped. The little girl looked up, smiled at her and said, “Daddy, daddy, see”.
She didn’t know how she managed it, she smiled at the little girl, turned to the adults and said, “I can see you are having a family outing.Cool. Very very cool. Well, enjoy it. If you didn’t switch off your phone, you would have known I would be here and spared me this.” She turned to the little girl again, smiled and walked away. She was beautiful, but she neither looked like Richie nor the lady.
Patra shook her head again. She felt woozy. Her phone was ringing again. That number had called several times. She picked it. “Ma’m it’s me, Pius,” the voice said. “Pius?” Patra could hardly think clearly. “Yes ma’m. I drove you from the airport. You said you may need me to take you round town…” “Oh Pius! Where are you? Come over,” she said. About 20 minutes later, he called again. “Do come up to the room,” she told him.
The intercom buzzed few minutes later. “Send him up,” she said into the mouthpiece and replaced it. She then switched off all her phones. She could barely get up to open the door. She swayed and Pius caught her and led her to the bed. He was alarmed when he saw the cognac bottle. He looked around the room, then at Patra. It was obvious she had been drinking and crying. Her eyes were swollen and her makeup had messed up her face, but she still looked very beautiful.
“What could be her problem? Who could have hurt this angel?” he worried. “Ma’m, er…er…what happened,” he said ever so gently and tears streamed down her cheeks again. He was confused. He moved towards her and stopped. Head bowed, she placed her two palms over her face and sobbed. Pius picked up the bottle of cognac, alarmed that she could gulp such quantity. He hesitated a bit then poured himself a drink. After a while, he took her hands and pulled her up. She hid her face in his chest and sobbed more. He clasped his arms around her and rocked her gently…until she curled her hands round his neck. They felt the heat! She tilted her head back and looked up at him.
As she opened her mouth to say something, Pius brought his mouth down gently on it. He felt her stiffen, then she yielded. He fumbled with her clothes, got her free of them and released the mound that tormented his mind during the journey from the airport. A look at her magnificent body and he decided he would rather go to hell than not have her. He carried her gently to the bed and rummaged in the drawers for a sheath. None. He picked the intercom and requested for it from the reception. Then he turned down the volume of the television and joined her on the bed. “I don’t have a sheath,” she murmured. “I’ve taken care of that,” he whispered into her ears.
She relaxed and he explored her body with his tongue. It was passion unrestrained. Buoyed by the cognac in her system, she wallowed in the joy he gave her. A gentle tap on the door, he got the sheath. He stepped out of his clothes and her eyes popped. Now she had an unrestrained view of those strong arms and firm body. Somewhere in her mind, an alarm went off but she was past caring. This would be the first time in six years that another man would come close to her. She was hundred per cent faithful to Richie from the day they started dating till they got married more than a year later. Everything changed suddenly. Pius took her to unimaginable heights and back. She cried more, but not out of frustration, but satisfaction. She needed it. She needed someone who would soothe her nerves. Richie betrayed her, she needed this.
Richie rushed into the restroom again. He had visited there three times after Patra cut their phone conversation. Was there rat poison in that food? Fear gripped him as his bowel moved for the fourth time. Did Patra poison Richie? (Culled from New Telegraph).

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