HE SAID NO
EPISODE 7
Fresh tears rolled down Mrs. Akinwale’s face, she sobbed as her mum hung up on her. She was just 25 but she looked twice her age, she wasn’t always like that, she was a beautiful lady, whose skin mimicked the color of baked clay only that hers shone brighter. Thanks to her father, professor Abiodun, she grew up to be an ambitious young lady with a promising future, her father was a solid source of moral support for her and her younger brother, even though she only discovered this after her father passed on mysteriously.
She remembered how her mum used to tell her to introduce a man to her when she had none. She remembered how she met Akinwale, the short, dark, and plump young man with a broken front tooth. Although he was well-read, he had a staunch local Ekiti accent, Akinwale wasn’t her type so she paid him no attention at first until he trolled her home and met her mum. Her mum liked him from the very first day, maybe it was because she was eager to give her out in marriage but she didn’t want to get married yet, she still wanted to take her time, she had always wanted to get a masters degree in English and build a career in the communications industry, but her mum wanted a grandson, she wanted to show off to her friends. She just hoped that Daniel, her younger brother, and only sibling won’t fall prey to her mummy’s gimmicks/ tactics.
She knew that if her father, were alive, he would never consent to her getting married without at least, a master’s degree. Now she is stuck with a man with anger issues, and she had no one to run to, she rubbed her belly, which was gradually shooting out as she blew her nose into the edge of her wrapper. Getting married to Akinwale not only stopped her from furthering her education, but it also shattered all her dreams of being a career woman.
After they had Tobi, he made her quit her job at the Oriental T.V where she worked as a presenter and told her that he would take care of the bills while she played the role of a full housewife.
Akinwale initially appeared to her as a sweet young man who could barely talk, or maybe that was the only part he showed her and that made her change her mind about him quickly.
She remembered a particular incident that made her wonder if Akinwale was actually who she thought he was…
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Grace Biodun had gone to visit her fiancé, Akinwale in his house, he seemed excited to see her even though it wasn’t her first time visiting, at a point, Akinwale excused himself to get something, he came back home after some minutes with a plate of peppered meat and two mini bowls of ice-cream, she was seeing a movie on his laptop and he just joined in,
“I don’t really like meat, I prefer fish,” Grace remarked, as he uncovered the plastic containing the peppered meat, she picked a bowl of ice cream instead,
“I love meat,” Akinwale objected, chewing the meat vigorously, “This particular one is tasty, c’mon have a bite,” he said as he made to put one into her mouth.
Grace seemed to enjoy it as she took more and more, the pepper made them open their mouth at intervals for their tongues to cool off a bit as they kept eating while seeing the movie.
“I thought you said you don’t like meat?” he inquired, the plate was almost empty and Grace didn’t seem like she was ready to stop.
“Did I?” she chuckled, “I said I prefer fish, that doesn’t mean I don’t eat meat moreover this one is really tasty,” she said, picking at another piece of meat. They kept eating until it was left with just one.
“Baby let me have this last one, “Grace requested, stretching her toothpick into the plate,
“Don’t try it!” Akinwale objected, taking a hold of her hands rather firmly,
“Please please,” Grace must have thought it was a joke because she kept struggling with him as she tried to have the meat. But he was too strong for her and he was holding her in a rather harsh manner, so she devised another strategy, “Okay, fine. Let go of my hands, you can have it,” she said. As soon as he released her hands, she swiftly too the meat and threw it into her mouth without the toothpick.
She had not even gotten to chew the meat when he landed her two hot slaps that sent the peppered meat straight out of her mouth as her lips bled slightly, at first, she thought she had gone deaf.
“Are you mad?!” he yelled, as his eyes widened angrily. She held her face in both hands as her ears hovered, she did not have an answer for him, she had never seen anyone that mad before and she was too awestruck to say a word. She packed her bag and stood up to leave,
As if he was temporarily possessed by some wicked demon, he knelt down before her and tugged at her dress begging her to forgive him as he blamed it on the devil,
“Please baby, I don’t know what came over me, please forgive me,” he pleaded, she did not say a word as she jerked her dress off his hands and made for the door.
As soon as she got home, she sent him a farewell message but he wouldn’t have it as he kept calling and sending apology messages.
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Looking back at all those times, she regretted that she didn’t dump him. He claimed it was a mistake and her mum thought it was too.
Whatever charm Akinwale used on her mum was definitely working wonders because Mrs. Biodun seemed to be blinded to all his faults, he didn’t touch her again after then and so she thought he had changed or maybe it was because they got married shortly after…
To be continued…
Written by Sodamade Olamide Tolulope.
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