Tag: Relationship
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‘My husband is rich, handsome and kind. But refuses to sleep with me!’ (3)
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"So you are married! But you don't look it," he stated, his eyes going over the blue T-shirt and skinny jeans I had on.I found his comment amusing."So, how do married women look?" I asked him."Well, most look stressed and harassed most of the time, especially the ones with young kids. You look cool and calm," he said in an admiring tone. We chatted for a while before he left.To me, he was just a customer I had to be polite to for the sake of business, but I did not know I had made quite an impression on him.The following week, he called me on the store's landline."What gift are you getting for your sister this time?" I queried after he had introduced himself and remembering what he had come for the last time.He laughed."No gift this time," he stated. "I just wanted to hear your voice.""Is that so?" I noted, adding: "Don't you have anything better to do than be calling to just hear someone's voice?""You are right. I'm on leave so I have a lot of leisure time right now," he explained."Good for you. But not everyone is so lucky. I'm a bit busy at the moment as there are a lot of customers to attend to. So, bye," I stated and tried to hang up."Hey, hold on a minute. I'll be in your neighbourhood later in the day. I was wondering if I could take you out for lunch or something," he quickly stated."Well, Mr Max, thanks for the offer but as I said I'm busy. Besides I don't do lunches with strangers. Have a nice day," and I dropped the phone, a bit annoyed. Thinking he was one of those young men who liked to date married women for monetary gains, I dismissed him from my mind. Though, he called several times after that day, I refused to speak with him.About a month later, I went to the bank to transfer some money to one of my suppliers abroad. It was a large sum of money and I was directed to one of the managers to help with the transaction.I opened the door to the manager's office and sitting behind the table was Max!"What are you doing here?" I queried, surprised to see him.He looked shocked to see me too."I work here," he stated, offering me a seat."I didn't know you worked in this bank. I come here often," I said."I was transferred to this branch after my leave. Besides you never gave me a chance to get to know you," he said a bit accusingly."So, what can I do for you, Madam?" he asked. I told him what I wanted and he quickly attended to me.Before leaving, I said:"I'm sorry about the abrupt way I treated you the other day. I thought you...""I know. That I was one of these hustlers in town," and he laughed.I smiled, glad that he had taken it in good faith.He called a few days later and we began to speak regularly on phone. I got to know a bit about him. He had been married but his wife had died in a car accident two years before, leaving behind a little girl of four."My mother and sister help look after her as I'm too busy with work," he stated. I felt sorry for him, that he had to lose his wife so young.At this stage, Max and I were just good friends. I grew to like him with time as he was such an amiable and likeable person. I remembered the arrangement I had with my husband though and tried to keep things platonic between us. I was not ready to lose everything just for a fling.Things however changed some months later. It was a Saturday morning and I was in the store when Max walked in with a little girl in tow. It was Lola, his daughter."This is Aunty Amanda. Greet her," he said."Good morning, Aunty," she said, looking up at me with her big, innocent eyes."Hi, Lola!" I greeted, bending down to hold her."She's so cute," I said."Yes. She must have taken after her mother," he stated, smiling."You are not bad looking yourself," I said and we both laughed.He explained that he wanted to spend some time with Lola as it was his day off."I had told her about you and she insisted on meeting you and inviting you to join us on the outing," he said. I initially wanted to turn him down but seeing the little motherless child touched my heart and I agreed to the date.Max drove us to a theme park in town. It had lots of games for children and Lola ran around, playing excitedly on some of them. Later, I watched as Max pushed her on a swing and seeing the closeness and love between father and daughter affected me strongly. Call it the maternal instinct, but at that moment, I felt this strong urge to have a child of my own, a little girl like Lola that I will dress in pretty clothes, plait her hair and do other things that a caring mother did.For one of the few times, I felt sad that I did not have a normal marriage with my husband. 'How wonderful it would have been to have a couple of children that we could take to places like this, have fun together as a family,' I thought glumly."So, how's your husband?" Max asked sometime later as we had lunch at a nearby eatery."He's fine. He's out of the country right now on business," I stated."It looks as if he travels a lot. So, how do you cope in his absence?" he said.I shrugged."I'm used to it. Besides, I have my own business to run so I'm quite busy as well," I explained, with a forced smile.He looked keenly at me for a while but said nothing.Days after the outing, I still could not shake off that broody feeling, that strong desire to have my own baby. I knew my arrangement with my husband did not permit that but I kept thinking, what if it happened by accident? Perhaps, we both got drunk, slept together and I got pregnant? Will he ask me to get rid of the baby?I thought about this a lot until it evolved into a plan. My intention was to seduce my husband and hopefully conceive!So, on the night of his return from his trip, I showered and put on one of my sexy nighties, a short pink one with thin straps.My husband was sitting in bed, working on his laptop when I entered his room. He looked up in surprise when he saw me."I thought you were asleep. Is there anything you want?" he asked."Yes. You. I want my husband." I slipped the straps of the gown over my arms and it slithered down on the floor. I stood naked, waiting. But instead of desire, the only reaction I got from him was anger.He jumped up then from the bed, his eyes flashing with irritation."Amanda! What do you think you are doing? Get hold of yourself! And go to your room. Now!" he ordered, fuming...Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the storyYour comment(s) is importantFor Archive, Visit Patience Saduwa -
‘My cousin is married to a conman but who will tell her?’
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Ella is my cousin. We actually grew up together. You see, after her father’s death when she was just nine, she had come to live with us. Her mother could not cope raising the five children she had alone, so the family had decided that three of the children should be shared among the relatives of her father including my own father. That was how Ella came to live with us. She was about my age, just a few months older. Being the only girl in our family, Ella became like my sister. We did everything together and became really close.
We only got separated when I started secondary school as I was in a boarding house. But we made up for it during the holidays when we spent most of our time and did errands together. Over the years, this love and closeness between us remained even as we grew up to become young ladies with big dreams of becoming successful in life. My desire was to read Law
like my elder brother Mike but I was unsuccessful in the JAMB examinations at my first attempt. That discouraged me and at my second attempt I chose another course and got admitted to my university of choice which made me very happy.
As for Ella, she was more interested in business and as she used to say, ‘make plenty of money’. She was concerned about her mother who had been battling some health issues and wanted to make enough money to be able to take care of her and some of her siblings who were not doing so well.
After secondary school, my father, who was willing to train her further was disappointed when Ella declined, insisting she had other plans. Anyway, she later went into the business of buying and selling of women and children’s clothes and other products. That was the beginning for Ella. It was not easy for her as she struggled so much to establish her business in the competitive business terrain. But with hard work and focus, she scaled through and today, over ten years later, she can be considered a success in her chosen field. From the small business, she diversified into other areas including manufacturing with a small factory where she produces food packs and plastics.
Among our age group, my cousin is the richest with a few landed properties and other investments to her name. One area, however that she has not been so lucky is her love life. Ella has always faced disappointments in men, beginning from her first relationship when she was in her mid- twenties. Unlike some of our mates and I who had begun dating much earlier, Ella was a late starter. She had been so focused on her business that she had given guys and relationships a wide berth.
That changed when she met Paddy. She fell madly in love with him and was ready to do anything for him. But Paddy did not feel the same way about her as later events proved. A year after they met, the guy left her, claiming his parents were against the relationship as they were from different tribes. He did not just leave her with a broken heart, he made away with a substantial amount of money my cousin had loaned him for a business he claimed he wanted to do. Till today, we have not seen the money nor the idiot.
Meeting Jack
Almost all the other relationships she had after that useless Paddy ended up the same way: a wounded heart and a reduced faith in the male gender. Infact, Ella had vowed never to have anything to do with any man for a long time, until she was ready to get married. However, on meeting Jack, her tune changed. Within a short time, she was head over heels in love and to the shock of nearly everyone in the family, was already planning to marry him!
Afterall all her past experiences, I found it difficult to believe that she would be so reckless as to get engaged to a man whom she had met just five months before. Seeing that she was about to make another costly mistake, I advised her to slow down on the relationship with her new love.
“Ella, don’t you think you are moving too fast with this your new man? I think five months is too short to know someone fully,” I told her one day on a visit to her house. We were relaxing in her nicely furnished sitting room, watching a musical programme on the big screen TV.
At my words, Ella simply smiled then stated:
“What more is there to know, Emily? He loves me very much and that’s all that matters.”
But I was not ready to give up. My instincts, from the few times I had interacted with him, were not good. There was just something about him that did not click. I could not place my finger on it but I just felt it.
“Look, I’m not saying you should stop seeing him. Just take it easy a bit, a little slower so we know whether he is serious or not. Remember what happened with Paddy some years back,” I pointed out.
“Please don’t remind me of that asshole! Thank God, my Jack is not like him. And if you are afraid he’s after my money, rest your mind. He has his own money which he even spends on me. Since we met, he has not asked me for a single dime. Besides, I’ve learnt my lesson and I can never spend my money on any man especially when we are not married. So, don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” she reassured me, smiling broadly.
Seeing how determined and confident she was about the relationship, I decided to back off. Love or whatever it was, had blinded her to all sense of reasoning and there was nothing anyone could say to make her see reason. I however prayed things would work out well and not end up like her former affairs.
Some months after our conversation, Ella and Jack got married in a lavish wedding ceremony. Sh looked so happy and radiant on her wedding day that I renewed my prayers for her, that her union with her husband would last and be filled with happiness. Everything seemed to go well and they both settled down to marital life.
A year later, Ella gave birth to a lovely baby girl whom they named Tyra. I was happy for her, that she had found happiness at last and that perhaps I was wrong about Jack afterall. He looked devoted to Ella and doted so much on their little girl. Based on that, my earlier view of her husband changed and I began to see him in a new light.
But as later events proved, it turned out my first instincts about Jack were right…For Archive, Visit Patience Saduwa
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I’M IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH MYSELF– FILMMAKER ONYENWE
To many Nigerian film lovers, the name Chioma Onyenwe might not ring a bell but this filmmaker says that she’s out to tell a ‘coming of age’ story. Though an economist by training, she says that her desire to make films dates back to her childhood days. Chioma, who is also a Programme Coordinator for the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) speaks to OVWE MEDEME on the preparations so far, her debut feature film, 8 Bars & A Clef among other issues.
HOW are preparations coming for this year’s AFRIFF?
We are in the non-sleeping stage. Every hour counts. We are very busy. Nobody is sleeping anymore. We are waiting for the festival to start and then push it through till it finishes.
What is different from last year’s edition of the festival?
A lot of things are different this year, mainly because it is held within Lagos. Last year, the festival was held in Cross River State. In Calabar, we had that community feel. Everybody came together in one place but in Lagos, it is quite different. We are opening it up to everyone. There are a number of venues and a lot of activities. The film screenings have doubled as against last year. Also, the industry sessions are much. There is just so much happening in town throughout the week.
Why did you decide to bring it to Lagos?
We wanted to grow the festival and to do that, we had to involve people that are outside the industry. We had to involve corporations, we had to involve other film lovers and Lagos is really the place to do it. That is why we are here.
Is this your first time on the AFRIFF team?
This is my third year. I have a film in the festival this year.
As a filmmaker, what is your opinion on the films that made the AFRIFF it this year?
First of all, the films are from everywhere this year. We have a couple of them from outside Africa as well. Some of them are very fantastic films. Also this year, I find that, with the African filmmaker, the messages are very topical. We are talking about migration. Migration is happening everywhere.
We are talking about crime. I think people will connect to lots of the films in terms of what the story lines are saying. There is this very interesting football documentary that had to do with the Zambian team and how they lost their entire players to a plane crash and they came back 18 years later to win the African Cup of Nations via penalties. I think it’s very exciting the kind of schedules that we have for this year. As a filmmaker, I’ve been watching some of the festival films already because I might not have time to watch them when the festival begins. It’s all very exciting.
How would you describe your life as a filmmaker?
It should be my life more as a storyteller. I studied Economics at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). So I have a business background. And I went on to do a Masters in Management. So I started dabbling into films as way back as 2011. I did my first web series titled Goddammit Its Monday. And then, I’ve just been working in corporate Nigeria, doing one short film here, one short film there. Then two years ago, I went to AFRIFF for the first time and, at that point in time, I decided to go into making movies full time. It was from the people that I met there that I made my first feature film last year. Now, I’m premiering the film at the festival. It is titled 8 Bars & A Clef.
What is the story about?
It is about a young man who wants to overcome a learning defect, dyslexia, a dysfunctional family and an overbearing record label executive in order to achieve his dream. It is really a coming of age story. It is about music and learning and life.
For one who has always been in the corporate world, at what point did the love for filmmaking come up?
I think there has always been a connection; it just wasn’t official. It started since I was little. I used to read a lot of books and I could see the books visually. I could picture it as something I would like to make. That is where it was ignited. Then when I went into the university, I used to work on people’s set.
I worked as a Production Assistant during my off time. And then, while I was studying Economics, for my final year thesis, I wrote about Nollywood. I wrote about the economic impact on the GDP of the Nigerian film industry. So it has always been something I’ve been interested in.
Do you also direct films?
Yes, I do. I produced and directed my film. I’m still finding my voice in directing.
What plans do you have for the film?
It will be screened in this festival, and this is the first time it is showing. It is something that I’m quite excited about. I want to see where it leads. I plan to release the film next year but I really want to see what the first audience’s reaction to the film is. And then, hopefully, I will find my audience and release it next year. I hope to release it by April 2016.
How much of your time does moviemaking take?
It is like everything else. If your day is a regular 9 to 5, you make time out every day. When you are making films, you have the period when you are busy 24 hours a day and you have periods when you are not on it as much.
Are you married?
No, I’m not
Is it a deliberate thing?
I should hope so. I should hope that it’s not an accident that I’m not married (laughs).
Are you in a relationship?
I’m in a relationship with myself.
Why is that?
Because I am fabulous; that is why I’m in a relationship with myself.
Are we to expect another movie from you?
There are a number of things in the works. I work with AFRIFF full time and I’m working on something for next year.
Where you part of the filmmakers who were able to access the Federal Government’s grant?
Actually, yes I was. This film was made with the Nollywood grant.
How easy was it to access the funds?
It wasn’t that difficult for me. I think it’s because I had my paper work ready. I put together a business plan. That way, it was very straight forward. It took a while, from applying to getting the loan took about a year. At that time, I had already started work. I really can’t complain. If anything, it made me do my homework, dot my I’s and cross my Ts. Everywhere I had to present something, they expected a certain level of professionalism. It prepared me for that. I think it was a good experience.
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The Returnee (1)
My name is Erica and this is my story.
***
It was one of those days when the traffic was so heavy in the city of Lagos, it was more of a ‘stand still’ than a ‘go slow’ as it’s popularly called. I glanced at my wristwatch, noticing how late it was getting. I had just thirty minutes to get to my daughter, Tessy’s summer school at Ikeja to pick her up. She hated me coming late for her like had happened the previous week when I had arrived nearly an hour late. Most of the other kids were gone and she had stood by the school gate, craning her neck and waiting anxiously for me.“Nice meeting you. He has been talking about you, saying you made his stay at the camp less stressful,” Sam stated as he shook my hand. I had a nice time at his place that day. We saw regularly after that initial visit. Kolly told me from the beginning that he did not have a girlfriend much less a fiancé. I believed he was speaking the truth as I had not seen any lady in the house since I started visiting. Soon, a relationship ensued and we became a couple.
Thinking I was dealing with a sincere person, I relaxed and threw myself into the love affair…Join us for the rest of Erica’s story next Saturday
Names have been changed to protect Erica’s identity and other individuals in the story.
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‘I’m a high class prostitute, but my parents think I work in a bank!’
(This series is about a young lady named Vanessa who lives a double life in the big city- by day, she passes for a respectable, professional lady while at night, she turns into a high class hooker who works the streets for money). Enjoy!
***
“Vanny baby! You are looking sweet! Where are you off to so early in the morning?” Sasha, my friend and flatmate inquired. She had just come in from an appointment with a ‘client’ and looked tired, like someone that had not had a sound sleep for days. Considering the person she had gone to meet, I was not surprised.
“Babe, as you see me so, na Abuja I dey face so o!” I replied in pidgin English, fastening the clasp on my small, portable travelling bag.
“Abuja? Ha! Wetin dey? Babe, yarn me na!” she cajoled. She flopped on the sofa, kicked off her shoes and stretched out comfortably.
“No time for that now. I have a 9 o’clock flight to catch and I’m running late. I’ll call you once I get to Abuja.”
Picking up my bag, I headed for the door. Sasha came out to see me off as I entered the cab I had chartered.
“Call me when you arrive o!” Sasha said through the cab window. I waved and we set off for the airport.
I glanced at the gold watch on my wrist that had been a gift from one of my clients. It was past seven. I had enough time to catch my flight. My phone rang then and I searched inside my handbag for it.
It was Bibi, my very close friend, professional colleague and confidant.
“Vanessa, where are you?” were her first words to me. That was vintage Bibi, no time for preambles.
“Haba, Bibi! Your Mama no teach you how to greet your elders for morning?” I said teasingly. Though Bibi and I were born the same year, I was some months older than her and I never let her forget it.
“Elders ko, greetings ni!” she rejoined. She told me the time for the ‘job’ that was taking me to the capital city had been rescheduled.
“Moneybags just called to say he won’t be able to see us till late today. Something to do with an important meeting tonight,” she said.
I was to head to the hotel she was lodging as soon as I arrived the city, she stated, adding that Sheila was with her.
Sheila was the other girl in our small group with a mandate to succeed by what ‘nature had blessed us with’, in other words, our looks. More of the group later…
Easy money
The journey to Abuja was smooth. It was raining when we touched down and I took a cab to meet Bibi and Sheila who were already comfortably settled in their rooms in the posh hotel ‘Moneybags’ had booked us into.
Before I tell you what went down with ‘Moneybags’ that night, let me give a brief intro into my life and those of my girlfriends.
My name as you have already deduced is Vanessa and I’m a young lady in my 20s. I’m a graduate with a good degree from one of the Universities in the country. Bibi and I were school mates; we met in our second year and became friends. It was Bibi who introduced me into this ‘business’. Before I started moving with her, I was a typical young, innocent girl, who did not know much about life and whose dream was to be a broadcaster when I graduated.
But Bibi put all those ideas out of my head.
“Look at you. You are young, pretty with the whole world before you. Why waste all that, and give yourself so much stress working for peanuts after leaving school when you can make more money through ‘hustling’. Besides, there are no jobs these days. So many graduates are out there searching endlessly for non-existent jobs. My dear, there are better ways of making it in this country. Stay with me and I will teach you the ropes!” she had said.
Maybe it was curiosity or just youthful exuberance for I started hanging out with Bibi and her group. I noticed one thing immediately about them- they always had money and were never broke unlike so many other students in school who operated a 0-1-0 eating formular just to survive.
I found out the secret some time later when I became part of the group. Bibi and her friends dated only men who were very rich, mostly millionaires and the powerful men around. They did not have time for any one without money and steered clear of their fellow male students as if they had an infectious disease.
“Who has time for those losers,” Bibi would say with a hiss whenever a male student expressed interest in her.
With time, I joined their group and began making money. My lifestyle changed and so many other things as well. My parents who were normal, hardworking people never suspected what I was doing at school. My father worked as a top executive in a company for many years before he retired some years ago. He provided well for the family, paid my school fees and those of my other siblings on time and was generally a good father.
Coming from such a middle-class background, why would I be doing ‘runs’ and hustling on campus, you might wonder. Greed, insatiable desire for the good things of life, peer pressure, love of fun? Any of those things could have been responsible for what I became.
Anyway, after graduating, we took our game to a much higher level. With the help of Madam Clara, a woman who is into arranging young girls for top politicians, businessmen and the like in town, we began to move in really top circles. While our mates were going around searching for jobs, Bibi, the other girls and I were living the good life. I made so much money in such a short time that I was able to build my first house within two years after leaving school which I rent out. I have a fleet of exotic cars and wear only designer clothes and accessories.
I kept the house a secret from my parents and other family members. I knew my parents would have heart attacks if they ever guessed the kind of ‘work’ I was doing. So, I have been very careful in hiding things from them. I’m almost completing my second building and that too is a secret.
I live a double life. By day I’m this angelic looking, respectable lady and by night I hustle for a living.
I’m alone in the city as my parents have relocated to our home town. I’ve told them I’m working in the Nigerian branch of a multinational, financial institution and I’m well paid. As for the well furnished duplex in a classy part of town where I live, I tell them it’s my official accommodation which comes with the job.
The real ‘job’ which I’m doing though is completely different from the fake one my family believe occupies my time.
It’s the job that has brought me to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on this rainy day to meet with a man we have nicknamed ‘Moneybags’ because of his stupendous wealth. The job, which was organised by Bibi is worth a couple of millions. Not bad for a few hours work!
We get paid handsomely and also get a chance to make some top connections. What’s not to like?
Names have been changed to protect Vanessa’s identity and other individuals in the story.
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My Best Friend’s Husband (3)
All the pent up feelings I had for Eric and which I had suppressed all this while resurfaced. I held him tight as if I did not want to let him go again. That night, Eric did not go home. He stayed at my place, leaving early the next morning.
That was how my affair with Eric began. You might think I’m a scheming bitch who went after her friend’s husband. But it’s not true. I never planned it to happen. Granted I had always fancied Eric. I liked him from the first time I set my eyes on him. But I decided to let go when he started dating Patra.
After what happened between Eric and I, I felt some guilt, that I was betraying my friend. I made up my mind that it was going to be a one night stand, that I would stay away from Eric for the sake of my friendship with Patra. But it was easier said than done. The moment I set eyes on him again, all my resolve melted and I was back in his arms. The feeling was mutual as Eric too, could not stay away from me.
From weekend visits, he began to come over during the week. Though I enjoyed his company, I could see the risk.
“Don’t you think you are coming here too often? At this rate, it won’t be long before Patra finds out,” I stated one evening. I had returned from work to find him waiting for me by my gate. Upstairs in my apartment, I prepared a quick meal for him and while he was eating, I went to take a shower.
“Mmm, you smell really good. I like your perfume,” he said, coming over to bury his face in my neck. I wriggled out of his embrace and stated:
“You’ve not answered my question. Patra might see you here one of these days and what will you say then?”
He shrugged before saying:
“So what? I’m a grown man and I can go anywhere I please. And I like being with you,” he said, reaching for me again. I just could not get him to face the situation we were in squarely and I decided to simply go with the flow at least for a while.
***Things went on this way between us without Patra suspecting a thing. I was very careful and never gave a hint of what was going on- that I was dating her husband. On his part, Eric could not be bothered. It was like, he wanted her to know about us. There was a time he came over during the weekend and refused to return home on Sunday evening as we had agreed on. Worse, Patra had called me, complaining about his absence.
“He said he was going for a business trip and would be back today. It’s already six p.m and I have not seen him. I can’t even reach him on his phone as it is switched off,” she said.
I reassured her, telling her he would show up soon and not to worry.
At that moment, Eric was snoring deeply in my bedroom. I went to wake him up, so he could get dressed and return home.
“What’s the rush?” he grumbled, sitting up on the bed. “The day’s still young. Let me rest a little; and come and join me. I miss you,” he stated, stretching his arms for me but I evaded his embrace.
“Eric! It’s nearly 7 o’ clock! You need to go home. Patra is worried about your whereabouts,” I told him.
“That’s her problem. I have peace here. Why should I go home to face her nagging and bad attitude. When I’m ready, I’ll go. Besides, I thought you liked my being here. Or don’t you love me anymore?” he queried.
“That’s not the issue now. Much as I love you and want to be with you, Patra is still my friend and I care about her. I don’t know how she will feel if she finds out about us,” I noted.
“Well, forget about your friend for now. Focus on us. So, are you coming to bed or not?” he asked.
It was obvious, Eric had become quite obsessed with me. He preferred being with me than his wife, stating I made him feel loved and appreciated. I could have taken him from my friend if I had wanted. But I just could not bring myself to do it. We were more than friends- she was like a sister to me so how could I take her husband from her? I knew a time would come when I would have to choose between my happiness, my love for Eric and my relationship with Patra which I cherished a lot.
Believe me it was a hard choice. But in the end, I decided to choose friendship over love. So, about six months into the affair, I told Eric we had to end things between us. As I guessed, he did not take it well. He said I could not do that, that he could not live without me.
“How could you do this to me, Una! I can’t do without you. I love you!” he said. He pleaded and begged and for a moment, I almost weakened. I loved Eric and it was killing me that I had to let him go. But it was something I had to do.
“You can live without me. Afterall, you still have your wife. Go home and resolve things with her. It’s over,” I said firmly. And with that, I practically had to push him out of my house. He kept calling and sending text messages but I stood firm in my resolve to end things with him. It was hard for me as well as my heart still longed for him.
I thought that was the end of the matter until some weeks later when I found out I was pregnant. I am carrying Eric’s baby! Something that is supposed to be a thing of joy under normal circumstances is giving me sleepless nights. On one hand, I want to keep the baby since its for the man I love. Then again, since Patra and I are so close, there’s no way I can hide the paternity of the baby from her; what will be her reaction when she finds out I’m pregnant for her husband?
And what about Eric? What will he do when he learns about the baby which he will eventually do? Will he do something crazy like leaving Patra for me as he had threatened several times? I’m in a real dilemma!
What should I do? Both about the baby and Eric who still keeps pestering me to come back to him? Should I take him back because of the baby? The mistake has already been made, getting involved and falling in love with my best friend’s husband. It was all due to my weakness for Eric. But right now, I need to resolve this issue. So, I’ll appreciate readers’ advice on the way forward for me. Thank you!
The End!For Archive, Visit Patience Saduwa[news_box style=”2″ display=”category” link_target=”_blank” category=”82112″ show_more=”on”] -
My best friend’s husband (1)
For Archive, Visit Patience SaduwaFollow @Escapades007
The first time I set my eyes on Eric, something told me I had met 'the one' I had been searching for. My soul just went out to him as romantic writers would describe it. Unfortunately, it was all one sided- Eric did not reciprocate my feelings. Instead, he had eyes only for my best friend, Patra. Patra and I had known each other since we were very young. Infact, we grew up together in the same neighbourhood and had attended the same secondary school. Later, her father, who worked in a government parastatal, was transferred to Abuja and we lost contact for a while. As fate would have it, she was posted to Lagos for her youth service programme and that's how we got reunited. By then, I was running my own business, a wedding planning outfit. When Patra finished the NYSC, I invited her to come and join me in the business. We have been working together for about four years and the business has grown in that period. And we have not had any personal problems, that is until Eric came on the scene. I first met him at a client's house. She was Eric's sister who had contracted us to plan her wedding. She was still living with her parents and Eric, who lived elsewhere in town, was on a visit to the family. I pride myself on being someone who is not easily carried away by emotions especially where men were concerned. But meeting Eric changed all that. I think I was attracted to him from the first time we met, which was a record as it usually took me time to get to like a guy. Anyway, after that first meeting, I did not see Eric again till some weeks later. Patra and I had finished another meeting with Sharon, his sister and were on our way out when he arrived. My heart grew warm at the sight of him, wishing he had come earlier. "I see you ladies are done already," he said as he stepped out of his car. I told him we had another session with Sharon in a few days. "I hope my sister is not giving you a tough time. She can be quite stubborn you know," he stated, his eyes all the while focused on Patra. Then lowering his voice in a conspiratorial tone, he added: "This is top secret. She has been like that since we were young. I feel sorry for the young man she wants to marry. The poor guy doesn't know what is about to hit him!" And with that, he waved at us and walked briskly towards the house, leaving us gaping after him. One day in our small office, Patra and I were going through some files on her laptop when her mobile rang. She walked towards the window and spoke for sometime on the phone, then turned to me, a surprised look on her face. "Who was it?" I asked indifferently, my eyes on the computer. "It's that guy Eric, Sharon's sister. He wants to take me out for a drink or something. He says you can come too if you are free," she said. At the mention of his name, I looked up quickly, fully interested. "Why would he want to do that?" I asked. I remembered the way he used to look at Patra the few occasions we had met him and my heart fell. God, I hope it's not what I'm thinking, that he likes Patra. He can't because I want him for myself, I silently prayed. "Who knows, Una? Maybe, he just wants to show appreciation for all the hard work we have put in planning his sister's wedding," she stated, with a shrug. Deep within me, I knew it was more than that... Losing Eric My worst fears were confirmed during the outing with Eric. He took us to an open air garden bar by the lagoon front in the city. We sat close to the water front where some water hycinths grew profusely. That evening, it was clear to even the blind that Eric liked my friend. It was not just because he paid more attention to her, but the manner he looked and interacted with her. At a point I simply sat, glumly staring at a few boats that were speeding away on the water, leaving a trail of foamy water in their wake. Though it was a nice outing, I felt unhappy at the way things had turned out. Eric whom I liked so much had obviously chosen my friend over me. And she seemed to like him too as she confessed to me when we got home later that night. For one of the few times since our friendship began, I was angry with Patra. I felt betrayed and resentful, feeling that because of her, I had lost Eric. How can you lose someone you never had in the first place, the reader might wonder. Truth is, from the first moment I set my eyes on him, in my mind, he was already mine. Now, my friend had taken him from me! I knew I was being unreasonable but I could not help myself. I was consumed by jealousy, wondering what was so special about my friend that Eric would chose Patra over me. I kept all these thoughts to myself and never allowed how I felt about Eric to show. Even when they started dating fully, I wished her the best in the relationship. Deep inside me however, I prayed it would not last and that they would break up within a short time. My prayers stayed unanswered for with time, their relationship seemed to wax stronger and stronger. My friend had fallen in love and it showed in the glow in her eyes whenever she talked about him. She never hid anything from me concerning their relationship, both the ups and downs. Whenever they quarreled, I was the one she ran to, complaining bitterly about his 'difficult ways' and how controlling he could be. At such times, I would put my jealousy of her aside and console her as a friend. It was painful seeing them together but at least I took consolation in the fact that my friend was happy. Gradually, I began to accept the relationship, feeling they were meant to be. There was nothing I could do about it and I had to move on. But try as I could, the strong feelings I had for Eric never waned. It was to have dire consequences later as my story will show... Names have been changed to protect the identity of Una, Patra and other individuals in the story[news_box style="2" display="category" link_target="_blank" category="82112" show_more="on"] -
My master’s son (4)
I quickly picked up the paper and my heart froze as I read the story. The report was about Edward. It stated that he had been involved in a car accident a few days before and that he was in a critical condition in an undisclosed hospital.‘While the doctors are battling to save his life, a source close to the family disclosed that his parents are making frantic efforts to have him taken to a hospital abroad,’ I read. I stared at the paper in disbelief, not believing what was before my eyes. Edward in an accident? How did this happen? Different thoughts kept swirling through my mind. I was walking away from the vendor’s stand in a daze when the man said:“Aunty, you never give me money for the paper o!” I apologised, paid him and left. Throughout that day, I thought about nothing else but the accident. I kept praying that he would be alright. I longed to get an update on his situation but there was no one I could reach immediately. My mother had stopped working for the Addamsons some time ago after my grandmother fell seriously ill. She had resigned and had relocated to the village to take care of the old woman. As soon as I closed from work, I took a cab and rushed to the family house.The place had not changed much since I left. The security men at the gate, on recognising me, let me in. None of the family members was at home, they said. It was one of the maids, Charity, who gave me a bit of information on the situation. She said his parents were travelling with him that night to a foreign hospital.“We are all praying so Oga Edward will recover soon,” she said.It took months before Edward had recovered enough from his injuries to return to Nigeria. And it was not a full recovery as I found out when I went to visit him at home. He was in a wheelchair, a result of the spinal cord injuries he had sustained in the accident. Though I was so happy to see him alive, I felt bad seeing the once vibrant and lively Edward sitting in a wheelchair, unable to walk.That first day, I spent a long time with him and it was like old times even though circumstances had changed. He was married now, had survived a near fatal accident and was confined to a wheelchair. His wife, Cherry was hardly around as she still lived in their marital home while Edward was at the family home during his recuperation period.Anytime, I visited, Edward was always very happy to see me. We would spend many hours chatting, watching movies together or playing some board games like Scrabble which he loved. It got to a point that he even suggested I should move back to the house so I could be closer to him. It was in the evening and the nurse who attended to him at home, had closed for the day.“What about your wife? How will she feel when she hears that a former girlfriend of yours had moved into your home?” I asked.He smiled wryly before stating:“My wife? How many times do you see her here?”“Maybe she is busy with her job,” I suggested.“What job? Cherry doesn’t work! She is probably too busy with her shopping and hanging out with her equally rich and idle friends to have time for her crippled husband!” he said with some bitterness. Besides his wife, I wondered about his parents reactions too. Afterall, it was due to their interference that Edward and I had broken up. Though to be fair to them, since my return, they had been very friendly especially seeing how my presence made their son happy and less depressed about his condition.Back to baseWith no objections from his parents, I moved back to the house. Truth was, I wanted to be close to him so I could help in any way in his recovery. So, I did not mind the relocation. Each day, after closing from the office, I always looked forward to going home so I could be with Edward. With time, he became almost like his old self and less prone to bouts of depression and self-pity.Things went on this way until about a year after I had been living there. I returned from work one evening to find Edward looking despondent. Thinking he was in pain or something, I asked if I should send for the nurse to give him some drugs.He shook his head.“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong with me,” he said.It was much later I found out what had been bothering him. He told me that his wife, Cherry had filed for divorce and wanted out of the marriage.“Can you believe she broke the news to me by text message? She did not even have the courtesy to come here and tell to my face that she is no longer interested in the marriage. All because I’m now wheel chair bound! She says she is too young to be saddled with a husband who is virtually a cripple and can’t perform his duties as a man anymore! And that she has fallen for some one else!” I could see he was getting really upset so I tried to calm him down.His parents were equally shocked when they heard what Cherry had done.“What kind of wife would abandon her husband in his hour of need?” said his mother one day when she was discussing the issue with a friend of hers who had come to visit Edward.“It shows the state of the world today. Most young people don’t take their marital vows seriously. They jump ship at the first hint of trouble. No patience at all!” the friend chipped in.Some months later, after the breakdown of his marriage, Edward’s mother sent for me one day. We had a long chat, with the main focus being Edward. She pleaded with me to overlook the past, particularly the shabby way her husband and herself had treated me while Edward and I were dating.“I realize now, we made a mistake. We should not have stopped you both from being together. I can see that my son really loves you and you genuinely care for him. Look at the way you’ve been caring for him since his illness. You have stood by him while the stupid, so called wife has abandoned him,” she said.She told me that Edward had spoken to her about resuming our old relationship, that he even wants to marry me.“I want to plead with you to please accept his proposal when he eventually summons the courage to ask you. Chief and I can now see that you are the only one who can make him truly happy. Please, Laura, my dear, he needs you now. We are ready to do anything you want. All we ask is just be with our son and make him happy again, be his old self once more” she stated earnestly.True to her words, Edward proposed to me a few days after his mother spoke to me. He said he had not stopped loving me and could not imagine being with anyone now except me. I did not turn him down or accept. I simply told him to give me sometime to think about it.“I’ll be travelling to the village to visit my mother. I’ll give you an answer on my return,” I told him. He did not seem to mind, stating he was ready to wait as long as ‘my answer would be favorable to him.’Though I still loved Edward and it would make me very happy to be his wife, I had not fully forgotten the pain his parents put me through after they broke up our relationship. Now, they are begging the same person they did not want anything to do with their son because of her poor background, to marry him. How ironic! What will happen tomorrow if Edward recovers fully and they remember my roots and want to kick me out again? The last tests by some specialists doctors who had examined Edward showed he could regain the use of his legs with time and proper care. A physiotherapist had even been engaged to work on him.So, this time around, I want to be careful. My trip to see my mother in the village is to seek her advice on the matter. She is older and wiser and would advise me on the best decision to take.I also want readers of my story to make an imput, to advise me about the issue- should I accept Edward’s proposal or not? Thank you.ConcludedNames have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator, Laura and other individuals in the story. -
Dangote Industries strengthens relationship with CNN International
Amajor Africa’s largest business conglomerates, Dangote Industries Limited, is deepening its relationship with CNN International by renewing on-air and digital sponsorship of the prestigious ‘Facetime’ segment within CNN Marketplace Africa.
CNN Marketplace Africa is a weekly show on CNN International which offers a unique window into African business. The new edition of the show is hosted by British-Nigerian CNN anchor Zain Asher, who breaks down the economic trends affecting Africa, interviewing business leaders making and shaping the continent.
The ‘Facetime’ element within the programme is a high-profile segment in which a major player from the global business community is interviewed about Africa business matters. On-air content is complemented by distinctive online editorial at a ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ microsite, where popular and innovative content is shared across a range of social channels.
Since taking over as full-time host in May this year, Zain Asher has interviewed esteemed ‘Facetime’ guests including: Patrice Motsepe, founder and Executive Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals; Russell Stokes, CEO, GE Transportation; Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General; Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO and Maria Ramos, CEO, Barclays Africa.
In addition, Dangote Industries Limited is sponsoring a new segment, ‘Africa Now’, to air within ‘The Business View’.
Dangote Industries Limited’s sponsorship of ‘Africa Now’ is aimed at raising the profile of the business across the continent and outside of Africa among CNN’s unrivalled affluent audience. The campaign spans TV sponsorship, spot advertising and digital components.
Africa Now examining how business in Africa has an impact beyond the continent, will air as part of CNN’s dedicated month focusing on Africa, a series of special features and programmes about Africa throughout October.
It started early this month and airing each subsequent Monday throughout the month, Africa Now will cover topics such as: innovation, workforce trends, education and economics, with a particular emphasis on empowering Africa; growth and development on the continent.
Speaking on the development, Antonio Canto, Vice President, Advertising Sales, EMEA, CNN International said: “This is an ideal time for Dangote Industries to consolidate its presence on CNN through the renewal of Facetime on CNN Marketplace Africa and the launch of Africa Now. At a time when there is a thirst for content on Africa, the sponsorships reflect Dangote’s role in promoting pan African business and its corporate social responsibility activity through the Dangote Foundation.”