FARIDA
PART 51
Wale was summoned by his immediate family over the video. They made it clear to him they were not in support of him marrying Farida who was married. He tried to explain to them.
“She is getting a divorce. She will be single soon”
“She won’t be single; she will be a divorcee. Why would you want to marry a divorcee? You have a girl that hasn’t been married before having a child for you but you choose to be with a divorce” his sister asked.
“Not just a married woman but a barren one at that” his mother added
“Mum, you haven’t gotten the memo? Farida is pregnant. She is not barren. She waited on God’s time and he rewarded her”
“Pregnant? Is she pregnant for you? Is that what this is about?” his mother asked.
‘It doesn’t matter who she is pregnant for but those children are my children. I love them as much as I love their mother”
“O pari. I said it, the girl has used something on my Wale” his mother replied.
“Mum, please stop being dramatic. I am doing this with my right senses. You know how long I have been in love with Farida even though you didn’t like her. I want to be with her”
“You cannot. I will not support it. Tomiwa is here. She is having your child, marry her instead of this woman that is married and pregnant”
“You can’t tell me whom to marry”
“Why not. How can you want to marry someone that is already married?”
“You married someone that had two wives. You knew he was married and still married him. Why? How can you now blame me for following in your footsteps?”
“It is not the same o. I am a woman. I woman can be second or third or forth wife. But a man cannot be second husband or third “
“Says who? She is divorcing the man to be with me. I don’t need your consent to be with her. I will remain with her”
His direct siblings could see he was very much in love with Farida and a man in love cannot be compelled to do anything. Wale had always been independent and has made good decisions. If he insists on Farida, there was nothing they could do but his mother wouldn’t have that. She was stressing them out to talk him out of his decisions. They couldn’t talk him out as he was adamant. They reported the situation to their father. He told them not to listen to Wale’s mother but rather to their brother. He encouraged them to allow Wale tell them why he wants to be with Farida and they should listen without any bias. They did and they understood how much love they had for each other.
His step brothers were not in support. They fought tooth and nail to get him to succumb to them to no avail. Then they recommended their father withdraws him from the operation of the business. This was purely family politics because Wale had grown the business beyond their imagination. He had even added real estate development to their business.
Their father asked them on what grounds they would want to displace their brother. They all had stories which other family members were not preview to. He understood Wale and his love for Farida. Wale was his favourite child. He had a head for business. He needed little or no supervision. The arm of business he was managing was currently the most prosperous and the brothers individually wanted it for themselves. Their father watched in amazement as they plotted individually and collectively to take over their brother’s sweat. He called his lawyer and changed his will. Jealousy was brewing in his family; he needed to nip it at the bud.
In all, Wale didn’t care what they thought. He was ready to give up everything to be with Farida if she would give him the chance. Their opinion didn’t matter. His mother’s opinion, after plotting against him, didn’t matter. What mattered the most to him were Farida and himself.
Sam came to London to have another discussion with Farida as the lawyer had said she had filed a case of bigamy against him. Why she had to make their reconciliation difficult he couldn’t understand. Was the new guy better than him? Was he richer? Better looking? Or better in bed? Those were his questions that needed answers. He was ready to risk jail to talk to her.
Nobody understood his love for Farida. They called it obsession but in reality, it was undiluted love he had for her. She was the only woman he could trust with his life. Idara was a thorn in his flesh. Since she found out about Farida’s pregnancy, her mental problem increased. He has called her family to take her away, Farida never behaved this way when she discovered she had a rival. It was getting out of hand. She had starved herself almost to death with a pregnancy. He has warned her; if she loses the pregnancy it is entirely her fault and a ground for him to divorce her. His children were not well taken care of. Farida’s legacy of helping the widows and those in the community, she couldn’t continue. Everyone was a suspect that wanted to snatch her husband. How he ended up with a lunatic, he could not explain.
That was why he needed Farida back. She brought sanity to his being. Also, the primaries for the party’s house of rep was coming up soon. He wanted to be seen to be in good standing with his family. He had moved back home in preparation. If Farida could come back so they could see his two wives living in peace and harmony, it would be nice. He knew his people talk. The video did some damage but he used some means to delete it from the internet. He told people who cared to listen, it wasn’t his wife. Why did she have to tarnish his image like this?
He waited for her outside the university premises. As she walked out, he followed her. She stopped at a café and had tea with some friends. He waited for her to resume her walk. They walked for a little while before they stopped at a building. She used her key to get in and she locked the door after her. He found out where she lived.
As Sam waited outside, Monica came with Hugh. She saw the frame of the person standing outside and recognized it instantly. She asked Hugh to excuse her and went to meet him.
“You have traced her to her apartment. What’s next? You want to kill her and yourself?”
“Monica, how are you doing?”
“That’s not the question. What are you doing here?” she brought out her phone and took pictures of him in front of the house. She sent them to Farida.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you are no good for her. She is worth more than what you need her for. Stay away from her. Leave her alone. She wants to be with another, accept it. You have a new family, work with that. She doesn’t want you anymore; be a man and leave her alone”
“So, you are in support of what she is doing?”
“A hundred percent. She deserves better and Wale is way better than you”
“Wale? Wale? I know that name. Isn’t he the guy she said was her best friend? The one that went to school with you guys? So, they have been lovers all this while? I will add infidelity to the list …..”
“On whose part? On yours or mine?” Farida cut in.
“Farida, so you have been dating Wale …..”
“Please shut up and get the hell out of here before the police shows up”
“You called the Police?”
“Yes, I have a restraining order against you. I don’t feel safe with you around. Hugh you heard his threats, right? Once a white man corroborates my story then it is final. It’s best they don’t meet you here. And yes, add infidelity to the list but it’s both ways and I want out!”
Sam was shocked at the monster he beheld. This was not his Farida. Even when offended, she was always calm and gentle. That was why it was easy to get his way. Where did this monster come from? He was dealing with Idara and now Farida. But she looked beautiful. Did she grow taller or the pregnancy made her stand perfectly upright. The baby bump underneath the layers of clothes looked so cute on her. Why would he be missing out on this special part of her life? Of their lives? Why did she have to be with someone else? Wale. He had to find Wale and ask him to keep off his wife.
Finding Wale wasn’t difficult. He was surprised that Wale was from a very affluent family. He never appeared like that when he met him then. He went to Abuja to visit him at the filling station where his office was.
Wale was told he had a visitor and from the CCTV he saw it was Sam. This was going to be an interesting day. He planned on recording the entire conversation and then sending it to Monica and Farida.
Sam came in confrontational but met a calm person behind the table. Wale welcomed him and offered him a seat
“To what do I owe this visit?”
“Wale, do you remember me?”
“Remember you? I know you very well. You are Monica’s brother and Farida’s ex-husband”
“Ex? Is that what she told you?”
“That’s what I know. You have been separated for over six months now. She calls you her ex”
“So, when did you get her pregnant?”
“Why did you come here? I hope you didn’t come to fight me over a woman. You are a legend when it comes to woman matters. Do you want to destroy your reputation by coming to fight your wife’s perceived lover? That will be terrible. I have no farther interest in this discussion because it will cause both of us more harm than good”
“You have a girlfriend that is pregnant for you. Why don’t you marry her and leave married women alone?”
“You have an illegal second wife who is pregnant for you. Why don’t you focus on her and leave the one that doesn’t want you alone?”
He hit Sam below the belt. Sam was angry but Wale wasn’t giving room for an outburst. He was so calm and watched Sam make a fool of himself. Sam stood up to leave. Wale had deflated him. Wale was the one giving Farida the confidence she had to refuse him outrightly. He had lost control over his wives. He felt like he had lost everything. He decided to hit back.
“When I married Farida, I could have sworn she was a virgin, but she was not. She was already used. She pretended with me initially not to have skills but I later discovered she did. For seven years, she was my sex slave. A woman that can’t bear you a child will be used for strictly pleasure. I used her as I wanted and she was ever willing to please me. She tended to me and gave me pleasures I desire. In truth, that was all she was good at. I have enjoyed the best part of her. You can enjoy the remnants. I won’t disturb your love affair anymore because she will come back to me after she has had the babies and needs good s*x”
“I can see clearly now why Farida insisted on leaving you. You don’t know how happy I am that your egoistic self was not the first man to be with my Farida. Farida is a well brought up girl who took very good care of you as a wife. She performed her duties diligently as expected of her. She helped your career; she gave you directions that made you whom you are today. What I have to offer Farida is what you can never offer her. Genuine love, care, faithfulness, career and personal advancement, a stable environment to enable her blossom, and peace. Can you give her any of these? She was aware of your indiscretions even when she was your supposed sex slave. But she stood by you. How did you repay her? You betrayed her by getting another woman pregnant and didn’t tell her. You went ahead to marry her. It destroyed Farida. That was when your marriage ended but you never realized it. She plotted her way out. But as usual, you had to make it all about you. That’s was the final nail on the coffin. I want Farida. Vagina doesn’t read meter and I have to agree with you, she is a sweet girl. I’m taking it from here now. You don’t have to worry. She is in safe hands. Have a nice day”
Sam wondered what was giving both of them so much confidence to talk to him in this manner. How did Wale know about his indiscretions? They had been in this relationship for a long time. Farida deceived him. She used her innocent face to deceive him. So, all her trips to Abuja for work was to be with Wale. Ah! They played a good trick on him. He wondered why he didn’t suspect anything. She had played her part very well. He was tired. He was fed up. What was he to do?
Sam’s father summoned him concerning the upcoming primaries. They had a serious discussion. Their chances of winning now was slim because of all the drama happening in his household. He needed to make everything right before he contests.
“Go back to the village and make peace with Idara. She is expectant, show her genuine love and care. Separate her from all those greedy spiritualists. Get her house helps that will take care of your home. Make Idara happy and ask her to start an initiative”
“I will try”
“Farida doesn’t want to come back. Tell them she is in London furthering her education. Do not allow the divorce to be finalized before the end of the election. After the election, let her go. She is no more interested in the marriage. You can’t tie her down. She has moved on, please let her be”
“Did you know Farida was having an affair if when married to me? She was meeting her lover in Abuja all this while. I met him and he had the effrontery to insult me. Imagine!”
“You went to see her lover?”
“Yes, I did. He was so rude to me”
“You went to fight with her lover? You will ruin me this boy. How could you fight with your wife’s lover? Are you that senseless? What if he sells it to the tabloids? Is your career not important to you? What did this Farida do to you that has made you crazy? What is inside that thing that will make you want to give up everything to have it back? If you as much as seek Farida or her lover out again, I will drop my support for you and face another serious minded candidate that knows how important his career is. I am warning you for the last time; if you seek anyone out concerning Farida, you will cease to be my candidate. Mark it anywhere. I have two other sons I can groom to be someone. Go back home and attend to Idara first”
The threat worked as Sam knew is father was dead serious. He would follow up with Farida but he will do it from a distance. He went to the village and reconciled with Idara. She said to owed it to one prophet. He told her if she wanted him to be loving to her, she would have to drop all these people completely. He changed her number and phone; they couldn’t reach her anymore. He changed the security at the gate; they couldn’t have access to her anymore. He hired two maids; one was for the children while the other was for the house chores. The maid prepared the children for school, took them to school and brought them back.
Sam asked Idara to continue Farida’s initiative and even the one with his stepmother. She refused. She wanted to have her own. He told her to continue Farida’s and also add hers but she was adamant. When she went around to invite the women for her new initiative, they kept asking after Farida and the help she gave to widows and sick. Idara realized she had to continue the legacy no matter how hurtful it was. December will sort this out.
Wale’s father informed him of the plans of his brother. He told him to prepare for a fight. Wale wasn’t interested in family rancor. He knew his brothers were jealous at his achievements. He was never jealous of theirs. He had completed the second estate and delivered seventy-one units of four bedroom houses to his father. The seventy one unit was his as agreed with his father. He needed a break. It was close to Christmas and he would have to join Farida in London. He applied for a three months break from work. His father believed he deserved it and approved his request. Before he left for the UK, the estate was sold out. How it happened, his brothers could never fathom.
It was a surprise visit. Wale hired a woman to buy him things he would use to travel. Especially soup ingredients women needed. Iya Farida was upset with her daughter and had refused to talk to her. Her brothers were indifferent about her decision; it was her life. Maami’s behavior was quite surprising to Wale. This woman loved Farida more than life itself. What changed? Why would she want Farida to be unhappy for the rest of her life? He couldn’t understand it.
Anyway, his mother shared the same attitude. She wanted him to marry Tomiwa. She had resulted to all sorts of blackmail to achieve this. She didn’t know her behavior was what his brothers were capitalizing on to displace him. He had been thinking of going solo. He was thinking of floating his own company for both the filling station and the real estate business. It was one of the things he wanted to discuss with Farida when he gets there.
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