FARIDA
PART 46
When she arrived London, the black cab took them to Covent Garden. He stopped in front of a block of flats. It was located in a posh area and looked more luxurious than the houses they passed. The cab driver gave her a package. He told her she was in flat 4. She opened the package while her mom and the cab driver helped her take their things upstairs.
It was a note from Wale.
I got you another apartment because of Sam. I hope you like it. It is a few minutes’ walk to the school. I took the rent from the other place and paid for this one. I have paid for the first two years you will be there.
I miss you already. I wish I could join you over there. It will be selfish of me to distract you. Go and soar. Conquer the world. You can do it.
I will wait for you. If you come back to me, I will be here waiting. You are all that I want. I love you. Always remember that.
Love always,
Wale
She couldn’t believe it. She had paid rent for six months so she could look out for a cheaper accommodation to save money but now she was in a very comfortable studio apartment for two years. What would she do without Wale? How could she have been blind and stupid all this while. He had always looked out for her. Was it because he didn’t pressurize her like others she took his love for granted?
She went upstairs to join her mother. The apartment was clean and ready for use. She took a tour around the apartment. Maami was not tired. She began to unpack. Farida hid the note in her handbag and joined maami.
After putting away all their belongings, they decided to make something light. There were groceries in the house. The fridge and freezer were stock with food. The cupboards too. How did Wale manage all this?
“I know it is Wale’s doing. I like him. If only you listened to reason. I don’t see Sam letting you go. He will fight for you. He will do anything to make this right with you. He believes he can manipulate you. Ah, my Farida, where did you go? How could you have fallen for someone like Sam? He didn’t genuinely love you. How do you love someone and betray the person? Imagine him telling you not have children because he has had his own. This world is very unfair. You stayed in that village with a man to support him and he repaid you like this. No advancement in career; only two promotions. I am happy you have gotten your senses back. I could have said he jazzed you. Do not allow him take you away from here without getting your certificate. No matter what he says, don’t leave here without them. I have said my own”
Farida had made up her mind. Regardless of what happens, she was not leaving London until she had her MSc in her hands. She didn’t care what Sam had to say. If he came around she would tell him she wanted a divorce on the grounds of bigamy. She still held on to his property documents. She took to Sam’s advice; she didn’t want anything from him. All she wanted was a divorce and he would get his property.
Maami went with Farida to her school. They used that opportunity to sightsee. It was exciting for both mother and daughter. Farida concluded her registration. She asked if she could get a job while schooling and she was told there were well paying research jobs which also added points to her academic work. She signed up immediately. She was to commence her studies in September. She hoped the job would come soon so she could use it to while away time.
Every morning, Farida and maami went for walks. They bought fresh bread for breakfast. Farida had cooked her soups and stored in the freezer. She wouldn’t have to cook for months to come. She wanted only fresh ingredients to cook with which she told maami she would have to be sending to her.
A job offer came. Farida was to be a Market research analyst. She was to tap knowledge of different industries and their trends to assess how products or services fare under various economic conditions. The industry she was given was the retail market. The job kept her busy all day. She worked non-stop. She cooked and cleaned and worked.
Farida had been in constant communication with Wale. They talked everyday and Wale ended every conversation with I love you to which Farida replied with same. She was grateful for all Wale did for her. His method of showing love was being caring. She hadn’t spoken to Monica since she found out about Francis. Farida felt betrayed by her and refused to extend the hand of friendship. Worse still, she knew Idara was in her mother’s house bearing children for her brother and she said nothing. The hurt was deep. Very deep.
Farida couldn’t believe she went back to that house. Wale really had a lot of influence on her. How could Sam have believed she had forgiven him? All she wanted was to make him happy. She did things to please him. She was only interested in making him happy. Why then did he betray her like this? She was never going back to him.
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Sam waited for Her mother’s number too was switched off. the date of Farida’s trip to come and go before he reached out to her. Her numbers were not connecting. He wondered why. He called her mother, her number was switched off. He went to her mother’s house but there was no one home. He saw a neighbor and asked after the family. She told him no one was home. She gave him Ahmad’s number to call. Ahmad picked the call on the second ring.
“Hello, my name is Sam, your sister’s husband. I am at your house now but there is no one home. Where is she?”
“She has travelled”
“Travelled? To where?”
“She went to London. I thought you were aware”
“Aware of what? Please, where is your mother?”
“She travelled with her”
“Can I have their contact?”
“I don’t have a number; they call with call cards. They said phone calls are expensive”
Sam was in a state of shock. Farida actually travelled. How did she get her documents again in such a short time? He was confused. He was sweating. So she actually left without his consent. He would be busy for the next few months but he would have to travel to London to find her.
Sam was moody after he discovered Farida was gone. He snapped at any little provocation. Idara was not spared but she didn’t care. He insisted she remained in Lagos while he worked on bringing back Farida. Idara waited for him to leave Lagos before booking a flight and joining him in Ibeno with the children. Sam was upset. His wives don’t obey him. He insisted Idara goes back or he will divorce but she refused. He refused her sharing the bedroom with him saying it was strictly for himself and Farida. She took the other two rooms for herself and her daughters. There was always a fight or quarrel in the house. Idara refusal to leave caused Sam to ill treat her. Sam’s father had to get involved in the matter. He asked Sam to allow his wife live with him peaceful as Farida would be gone for more than a year.
“Dad, I am going to bring her back. Idara can’t be here when she comes back”
“I am not leaving this house. Go and bring her back, we will live together here. I am no longer going to hide away like a coward. I am the mother of your two children and I am pregnant for the third. I am not leaving you. I am staying here until I am ready to have this child. Hopefully it will be the son you so desired”
“She is pregnant. Allow her stay. She will learn how to take care of you like Farida did. Guide her”
“She can never learn. She is too lazy”
“I was born with a silver spoon unlike your first wife who was born into poverty. She is used to hard work I am not. I will employ people to ensure all your needs are met. You don’t have a problem”
“Will they also have s*x with me the way I like it? Would you bring ladies to me to satisfy me? Farida never gets tired but you are always tired. So, I think you need assistance in that department”
Idara was shocked at Sam comment. Saying it in front of his father who she knew was also a chronic w0manizer made her feel inadequate. Was that the hold Farida had on him? She couldn’t give him children but she turned his head with s*x. She decided to be spiteful.
“Well, I get tired because I can have children. The one that can’t have doesn’t get tired”
Sam slapped Idara for that comment. He had been warning her to stop calling Farida barren but she wouldn’t listen. Idara was shocked. She tried to say something else and another slap landed on the other cheek. Sam’s father had to hold his son to stop.
“I married you because I wanted to fulfil an agreement and also to have children. I didn’t marry you because I loved you or you had any value to add to my life. I married Farida because she is smart and valuable. I discovered she is a good homemaker, hardworking, and very good in bed. She is more valuable to me than you are. So, if you disrespect her, I will divorce you and marry someone else”
Idara didn’t believe Sam’s undying love for Farida was ordinary. She suspected she had done something to make Sam not to be without her. Imagine Sam slapping her because of Farida. She had to go for prayers. Sam had to be released from Farida’s stronghold. She knew what to do.
Sam’s father took his son into the study and had a talk with him.
“You don’t hit a woman no matter what”
“I have warned her on numerous occasions not to call Farida barren. She doesn’t respect or obey me. She is a spoilt brat. She is lazy and completely disorganized. I can’t live with her. I am bringing Farida back so she has to leave”
“Please, leave Farida to acquire her second degree in peace. You can visit her as often as you like but don’t force her to come back. If she does, the house won’t accommodate all of you. Idara is feeling that you didn’t love but used her to have children. She won’t leave this house and rightfully so. You need to work on Farida knowing about the situation so when she comes back, she will be prepared”
“Idara is troublesome and mouthy. Farida can never talk back at me in your presence the way Idara does. If not for the children, I would have sent her away”
“You didn’t like her but you got her pregnant again. She is bad in bed but you were having sex with her. What is really your problem? You have to learn to manage both of them. If it is Farida that is making you act like you have lost your senses then go and see her so your body can come down”
“I intend to go when we are through with the project and commission it”
“Ok. Apologise to Idara and treat her right please”
“I have heard you dad”
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One morning, in mid-August, Farida collapsed in the bathroom. Her mother heard a stomp and rushed into the bathroom. She saw Farida on the floor unconscious. She was scared and didn’t know what to do. In tears, she picked up Farida’s phone which was unlocked and called Wale. Wale asked her to call 999 immediately. She did and they asked for her address which she gave them. They were there within minutes. While waiting for them, she tried to make Farida look decent but she couldn’t move her to wear her clothes as she was naked.
Farida was rushed to the emergency room of the hospital. The medical team trying to revive asked her mother questions. Some she could answer, most she couldn’t answer. Farida was immediately admitted and tests were conducted on her. Her mother refused to leave her side as she was worried her child was about to die.
One of the doctors came to see her. She asked her if she was Yoruba and she said yes. The doctor then spoke to her in Yoruba. She calmed her down and asked her if her daughter had been eating very well of late.
“She has a job which keeps her busy. She hardly eats”
“But for her condition she is supposed to eat very well and take her medication”
Iya Farida became more scared. She looked at the doctor, grabbed her two hands and asked her, “What condition? What is wrong with my daughter?”
“Relax ma, your daughter is fine. She is only pregnant”
“Pregnant? Farida is pregnant? I can’t believe this. Farida pregnant ke? I don’t believe you. Run the test again”
“We ran the test twice. It’s confirmed; she is pregnant”
“Ah! Farida has killed me. Who is this pregnancy for?” she said talking to herself.
“Calm down. She will wake up soon. She needs rest”
Maami was by Farida’s side. When Wale called, she told him she was still unconscious. He asked for the diagnosis but she said she was not told anything. She didn’t want to tell him. It was in Farida’s place to tell
him herself.
Eventually Farida woke up. The doctors examined her again and then asked her when her last menstrual period was. She tried to recall. It was awhile ago.
“You didn’t take care of yourself in this condition. Have you started antenatal?”
“Antenatal for what?”
“Are you not aware you are pregnant?”
“No, I am not”
“Yes, you are. You will be having an ultrasound done by 2pm today. We want to check the condition of the baby”
“Which baby? I am not pregnant and I have never been pregnant. How would I be pregnant and I wouldn’t know?”
“It is possible. We will keep you here for further observation”
Farida couldn’t look at her mother in the face. How did she get pregnant? Do people get pregnant from k!ssing? She knew it wasn’t possible. Her mother had a suspicious look on her face. She told her mother she doesn’t know how come she was pregnant.
“You don’t really know? Did you have s*x with Wale? I saw the way both of you were all over each other. Are you sure you didn’t cross the boundary with him?”
“No maami. We only k!ssed. Can someone get pregnant from k!ssing?”
“K!ssing leads to other things. What happened after the k!ssing?”
“Nothing. We just k!ssed briefly and that was it”
“How can a legally married woman be frolicking with a single man? Now you are pregnant. Who will believe you? You stayed in a man’s house and you both k!ssed and nothing happened afterwards? I don’t believe that”
Farida was upset with maami’s reaction. Didn’t she trust her anymore? She told her the truth; they just k!ssed. Why was she emphasizing on it?
Just then, she was wheeled out to have the ultrasound done. Maami went with her. The sonographer asked her some questions while she did the scan. Then she explained what they were seeing on the screen.
“Do you have a history of twins in your family? I can see two sacs”
“Yes, I have twin brothers”
“Well, you are having twins. From the scan you are sixteen weeks gone. Your babies are doing well and have met milestones. You need to take it easy and rest”
Farida looked at her mother. Twins? She was pregnant?
“Please, around what time could I have conceived?”
“At about late March or April”
Farida turned to her mother and said, “Maami, Sam is the father”
They both sat down in total silence. Maami was happy that it was Sam but didn’t want to show it as it affected Farida.
Farida was upset with the news. For how many years she desired this pregnancy but I didn’t come. When she had left their father, it decided to come and it came in double portion. She was upset. What now happens to her relationship with Wale? Her education? Would she have to quit school and come back to Nigeria? Would she have to reconcile with Sam? It was too overwhelming for her that she burst into tears at the ward. Maami was frightened and asked her,
“What is it?”
“I don’t want these babies. I don’t want them now”
“You want these babies. You have waited for them for so long and they came silently. If you had known they existed, you would have removed them but now they appeared without warning or any sign at all. You can do nothing about them. It has always been my earnest prayer that you have at least a child in your home so it will not be said of you that you are barren. It has happened. I am grateful to God. You should be too”
‘What of Wale? What of school? My job? I don’t want to be with Sam anymore. What happens?”
“You are a married woman and can’t be talking about a boyfriend. Focus on school and your job but you have to eat well and be healthy. If Sam comes, let him know what has happened. But, you mustn’t be with him. Tell him you want a divorce; I will never support what he did. Only when you are legally single can we talk about Wale”
‘I think this is unfair to Wale and I. How will I tell Wale about this? How do I explain how it happened?”
“You lived with a man. Was he expecting you to deny your husband s*x?”
“Maami I am confused”
“You are pregnant. Today should be your most joyful day. Be happy; forget about Sam and Wale for now. After how many years and without IVF you are pregnant with twins. What more do you want?”
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