Because You Love Me – Part 7

I spent five hours at the church. I drove back home to meet Adeola, I walked passed him as I got to the sitting room. I wasn’t surprised to see him as expected, but I feel disgusted seeing him.

“Baby, where are you coming?” he asked. I didn’t respond. I walked past him into the room. “Are you not the one I’m talking to?” he asked in a not too high voice. I stop walking as I get to the corridor and then I screamed at the highest of my voice, “I want a divorce.” I didn’t bother to wait for his response.

I woke up the next morning with a swollen eye, I cried all through the night as I couldn’t reason why I fell a victim to Adeola. I got to the sitting room to see Adeola smoking, I haven’t seen him smoke but then I cared less, I walked briskly passed him as I made for the door, he stood up and challenged.

Where do you think you are going?” He asked, his voice was like that of an obsessed drug addict. He pounced on me when I gave him no response. I kept screaming for help and nobody came to my rescue. He stopped and dashed into the room, I ran outside, luckily my car key was on the shelf I grabbed it with the last strength In me, I drove out of the compound only to see him from the rare mirror cocking his gun and aiming at my car, I drove at full speed  to a hotel.

I switched my phone the next morning to call my parent as I need to put them in the know on what is happening only to see about twenty messages from Oladimeji and about threats messages from Adeola. Oladimeji’s call came almost immediately, I was reluctant in picking it but then I needed to talk to somebody, I picked at the fourth call. I described where I was to him because I needed him to explain in detail. I got to the reception to meet him that afternoon, I decided to have the discussion with him at the poolside as I don’t want him to know the room I lodged in.

Oladimeji apologized again before proceeding. “I never knew he was getting married until I got to Nigeria. Actually he invited for a party but I thought it was his mums birthday I was coming for, so I told him that I will gladly love to capture the moment for him, as my widows mite for all he has done for me, I got to the country on Thursday two days before your wedding, he came to meet me at the hotel I lodged, we slept together that night, I was going through his phone while he was sleeping when I came across your picture together”

I challenged him when I saw your photo, then we had a fight, he injured me, that was why I couldn’t make it to the church service,”  he continued and I listened with interest.

He knew I loved you, so he intentionally invited me to the wedding to hurt me, that was why I was angry. After your wedding, I made efforts to see you, during your honeymoon I was disturbing him.”

“The journey I took recently to the United state was to meet him. He doesn’t love you. He married you for selfish reasons I still can figure out.” He narrated.

It has been two weeks since I left the house and Adeola never stop sending his threatful messages until I decided to change my numbers. I got back to my hotel that afternoon after going out to change my numbers to a note dropped for at the reception. The receptionist said a woman came that afternoon to look for me, I took the note thinking it my because I already told her where I was. I got to my room opened the note and discover it was my mother-in-law that dropped it, apparently, she has been trying my number for a while now. she begged me to try and see her the next day at an address she gave, she apologies for all that had happened. I was reluctant to go because I was scared Adeola will be there and they things might go sour. I told Oladimeji about it, he agreed to drive me down there, but he will stay in the car.

I got to the address grandma gave me, while Oladimeji stayed in the car outside the gate. I told the gateman that I was here to meet grandma, he called her on the intercom and she told him to bring me inside. I have never been to this house I thought to myself, I never knew she owns another house on the island. I got into the sitting and met her relaxing on the detached cushion, I knelt to greet her, but she asked me to stand up almost immediately.

“Feyi thank you for honoring me,” she said in Yoruba.

“kotope” (it nothing ma) I replied her with a slight smile.

“What should I offer you, my dear,

“Grandma I am fine, thank you ma,” I said.

She stood up, went to the big shelf holding books and came back with a big photo album. She gave me the photo album and said I should entertain myself with it.

After flipping through the old album with pictures of she and her husband loving up, all this while she kept staring at me. She cleared her throat and sipped her glass of juice. She asked for my hands, I gave it to her to inspect and she said,

“My daughter, your husband told me he beat you.” I didn’t give any reply to her, so she continued, “I was also a victim of domestic violence too, I was married for 25 years, and through those years, I was a punching bag for my husband, I am no trying to justify my son, but I am just trying to make you see life from another angle. The pictures I showed you, you see how beautiful we both looked, we were both smiling in each picture, we were other couple prayer point.

“I was a prayer warrior while my husband a soldier but then through the beating, we portray a happy family to the public. You see Feyi, my husband beat me while pregnant that I was rushed to the hospital, I lost the baby and ever since then I was unable to make another after your husband.”

Grandma continued to tell me how much she suffered in the hands of her husband and how she acted as though all was well. But then that isn’t the reason I am leaving her son, I couldn’t tell her, but I listened as she continued.

She told me to be patient with him as she had counselled her son and that he had promised to change. She swore on her life that it won’t repeat itself.

“Grandma, Adeola is threatening my life” I showed her some of the messages he sent so far. She smiles and said he is just a small child. She added that he loves me, and he can’t do anything to hurt me.

I spent another hour with her. I got up to leave after promising to fix a day to meet him next week at her apartment. I got to the gate to see Adeola, I walked passed him, but he dragged me back. I fell on my buttock. Grandma rushed out, but she stood afar on sighting him-he brought a gun and aimed it at me. I stood up to face him.

“Feyi, I never loved you, I just used you to get my father’s will,” he said.

………..

Stay with us for the final episode of this series.

If you missed the earlier parts, Read them here.

Ogunyomi Adenike Felicia is a banker by day and a prose writer by night. She has a special obsession for telling stories and seeing movies. She values her family and loves her family. She exhibits her flair for StationMag. Follow her on Facebook