Chapter Three
Otiti couldn’t concentrate. She sat through the seminar like a zombie thirsty for the blood she knew she would never get. Her eyes lingered on Ikpea, the Assistant Managing Director of her Telecom company. He had charisma. God! How come she never noticed? She couldn’t even hear what he was saying. She was too busy lost in her own sexual fantasies.
Last night, she had finally begun replying his chats on WhatsApp. She had waited forever for her husband’s return, unable to get any sleep. After several agonising hours she had decided to let herself look through the messages Ikpea constantly sent her on WhatsApp messenger. As soon as she typed ‘hello’ on his WhatsApp line, he had immediately come online. Didn’t he ever sleep?
Her phone had then begun vibrating non stop with his messages.
“Hello beautiful…finally.”
Otiti’s fingers froze. She hadn’t known what next to write.
“How’s the husband?” Ikpea asked.
Something squeezed her insides. How was she supposed to answer that? Her husband had slapped her savagely and gone out to God knows where. She sighed and let her fingers type, “He’s fine.”
“How come you’re awake at this time of the night?”
Otiti didn’t reply.
After a while his message dropped again”…having issues with the husband?”
She still didn’t reply. Otiti was about to drop her phone when another message came in, “I’m so sorry dear. That wasn’t my business.”
Otiti stared at the message and wondered if she should open up to Ikpea. If it were another man, she probably would have already. But Ikpea was a ladies man. Everyone in the company knew that. But that only made him irresistible to the ladies. They were always shamelessly competing for his attention. Worse still, he was single. They probably thought one of them would finally win his heart and make him think about settling down. Who wouldn’t want to get married to a young handsome successful bachelor?
“Are you mad at me?” His message flashed at her one more time.
“No, I am not. Why should I be?” Her heart raced faster as she typed the words.
“So I’m forgiven?”
“Yes!”
He had then sent her a smiley with a sheepish smile.
After some seconds he asked, “Can we talk after the seminar later today? It’s not a date, I promise.”
“About business?” Something already told her it had nothing to do with business. But she needed to be sure.
“Nah. Not business. About my future. I want you to help me make a decision, if you don’t mind.”
“Okay. No worries.”
“Thanks a lot beautiful. If you weren’t married, God knows I would have long since proposed to you.”
Otiti’s heart rate began galloping like a young energized Stallion.
“Don’t wash me I beg. I am not one of your women.”
“That’s my point exactly. You’re sexy as hell. Very intelligent. Look how much you’ve done for the company since you became Head of our Marketing Department. Your husband is a lucky man…”
Otiti couldn’t type anymore.
“Are you there?”
She still didn’t reply.
“I am so sorry I went out of line… Pls say something.”
Otiti exhaled deeply and typed, “it’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow after the seminar.”
“Thanks, beautiful.”
“Good night. Don’t want to end up stepping out of line again.”
“Good night.”
Otiti kept staring at his messages long after Ikpea went off-line.
“How was the seminar?”
Otiti looked up at the man who had asked her the question. His voice had broken into her thoughts. His dashing smile brought butterflies to her stomach.
“Erm, very fine,” She lied. She wasn’t about to tell him she had not been paying much attention.
“Can we go now?” Ikpea still had that charming smile in place. He wore a navy blue two-piece suit that made him look a lot smarter than he usually looked.
“Go where?” Otiti gave him a look of surprise.
“Come on! You didn’t think we were going to talk about my future in this office, did you.” He looked over his shoulders. “Look at all the prying eyes and ears.”
Otiti smiled. Her first in many months.
“Wow! She actually smiles!”
Otiti’s smile widened as they left the conference room together. She was trying so hard not to stare at him.
Itua left school earlier than usual. He was a good looking lad with handsome features. His uniform contrasted the dirty landscape of his dilapidating secondary school. He balanced his school bag across one shoulder and walked towards the bush path leading to the express way.
No one stopped him. No one cared. His teachers were not serious. They seldom came to school, let alone to class. He always took this path on Wednesdays and Fridays. It was important he wasn’t followed. His man friend kept telling him he had to be careful never to be discovered. And Itua didn’t want to get his friend angry. He didn’t want him to choose someone else over him.
Itua knew his friend loved him very much. He came into his life when he thought he had no future. He currently provided all his needs. He was even paying his fees. His mum had been surprised when he told her that his new friend had got him a brand new phone, and had enrolled him for WAEC and NECO exams. His mum had been so happy she had wanted to meet the generous man he was always talking about.
Itua had then excitedly told his man friend about it, but the man had frowned and told him never to mention such a thing again. He had been too afraid to insist. Itua stopped a bus going to Airport Road. He jumped in with a lot of enthusiasm. He loved Wednesdays.
Oboh stopped at the reception. He paid for a room and went into the hotel. He looked at his watch. He had only thirty minutes today. He had been held up at work. He quickly took a shower. Then he brought out his phone and dialled a number.
“Hello…” A young boy’s voice came from the other end.
“Sorry I’m late today. Hope you’ve not waited too long?”
“About an hour sir. I’ve been watching Super Sports sha.”
“Good. Please come to room 24A.”
“Okay sir.”
Oboh dropped his phone and waited in anticipation.
To be continued…
© Oselumhense Anetor, 2016
