Thorn between episode 39 – 40
TITLE: TORN BETWEEN
WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI
TROUBLE 7
Adim stayed at home for a full month trying to pacify Eucharia. She accepted his apology but the closeness and intimacy were lost. She made his meals and that was where it ended. She never stepped into his room when he was at home. She cleaned the room herself every day when he was not home. Relative calm had returned to the home. The children were happier seeing their mother more active and jovial when their dad was not at home. She made herself scarce when he was and only sat to speak with him in the sitting room upstairs or downstairs.
Adim did not appreciate the slow pace of the progress. He needed an ally to help him talk some sense into Eucharia. He believed once he could get her into bed with him, half of the problem would be solved, but she was proving difficult. He had made subtle moves, but she either acted as though she did not see the signs or just walked away. He had tried to go to her room at night when the house was asleep, but she locked the door and would not open it no matter how long he knocked. He knew Eucharia could be stubborn when she believed in something, but she made the move for the reconciliation, so why wouldn’t she complete it? He was getting frustrated.
He went back to the Priest and shared his concerns. “Were you expecting her to welcome you with open arms? Wouldn’t that be suspicious to you? It will take a long time for her to come around; you should understand this.”
“I do, but I am a man with needs. If she cannot give me what I need, I have to get it from the other lady. I do not want to be going and coming; I do not want that. I also do not want to see the other lady only for sex and my sons; it is wrong. Talk to her for me.”
“Maybe I should talk to both of you together. Tell her I want to see both of you, and we can arrange a date suitable for two of you.”
Eucharia got to the meeting before Adim. She did it deliberately because she wanted to know the agenda of the meeting. The Priest tried to downplay it, but she insisted. He scolded her and asked why she was pushing her husband back into the arms of the concubine. He talked to her for minutes and all Eucharia did was silently listen to him. She did not utter a word until Adim joined them.
The Priest expressed joy that the reconciliation process had begun and Eucharia had resumed some wifely duties towards her husband. He asked her if there was anything she was not doing, and she replied in the negative. Adim complained about intimacy and missing her. Eucharia did not respond; she avoided the topic completely. Instead, she said, “Adim owes me because his woman works with a bank while he made me give up my career and business. If he is not afraid that men will want a fornicator like her who sleeps with married men, why should he be worried about me that he disvirgined and has never caught being unfaithful except when he is delusional?”
“She is not my wife; you are.”
“Then swear before the Priest and the Blessed Sacrament that you will never make her a wife?” Adim was shocked. He did not expect the ambush. He kept quiet. “Since you can’t, because I know you will want to claim the boys, then I have to start a business. I need one million Naira to start this business. It is part payment for your betrayal and not for the business because your woman will not reap where she did not sow.”
The Priest could not hide his admiration for Eucharia. He thought she would be excited and carried away with his return to their home, but she had proven to have a clear head to reason. Refusing her husband sex and what she said now made him realise she had accepted her fate and was taking advantage of the situation to have her way. He had to support her. “Brother Adim, I do not think her request to start a business is too much to ask. After all, you made her stop a lucrative business while you allowed the mother of your sons to work.”
“I provide for her, so why should she work? She wants to entrap me in a web I cannot control. I will pay her monthly if she wants, but I do not want to work. By the way, how can you ask for one million Naira?”
“The three months you abandoned us and were with Thelma in Nnewi, did you provide for me? Did you send us any money? It was my shop that sustained us. Soon, you will refuse to provide for us because I can already see what will happen. If you refuse to give me the money, it is not a problem. The advertising company sent me a proposal for another tour for a different company. It will help….”
“Eucharia! Stop all this! I forbid you from doing any more modelling jobs. Do you hear me? I will not allow you to advertise yourself everywhere; you are mine and mine alone.”
“Adim, I forbid from being with Thelma! I forbid you from seeing her or the boys. I forbid from ever having intercourse with her. I forbid your Thelma from working. Let her stop work before you never see her again, just as you planned for me.”
Adim was fed up at this point. He never won arguments with Eucharia. Why was she proving so difficult? He came here to get her to resume sexual activity with him,but she had turned the whole thing into an argument. He looked so stupid, and he did not like it. She made him appear weak as a man and also insecure (to be precise). He wasn’t like this with Thelma; since he left he had not worried about if she had been with another man, why would he? But he worried and checked on Eucharia everyday to know where she went and how long. He loved her too much to lose her. He was with Thelma because of the boys, if Eucharia had found out about the relationship before the boys, he would have ended it to please her. Why was she behaving like this?
Adim was not willing to change his mind, Eucharia had to leave to do school run. She left Adim with the Priest. Adim was also upset with the Priest for not emphasising on the main reason he wanted them to meet.
The Priest was not having it, “She asked for money to start a business as compensation, but you refused. I’m afraid you do not realise that this woman is bearing your name for now. She is pained, and only genuine repentance and restitution from you can help this situation. Give her money to start a business if you do not want her on billboards any more.”
“One million Naira? I can’t afford that. What business does she want to start with that amount? Is it not shoes she wants to sell?”
“If you cannot give her one million naira then meet her halfway. I am sure she will source the balance.”
Adim did not want Eucharia to be independent, and he felt he was losing his grip on her. Her demand for one million naira did not make sense. He knew where she could have gotten the money without being a model. If he gave her what she demanded, she had to agree not to ever model again.
That night, he issued a cheque for five hundred thousand Naira to Eucharia. She collected the cheque from him and thanked him.
Adim was not satisfied with mere words of thank you. He told her they needed to talk in private.
Eucharia agreed and asked the children to go downstairs until she allowed them to come upstairs.
“Not here,” Adim insisted, “in the bedroom.”
“What are we discussing in the bedroom that we cannot discuss here? If it is what I am thinking, you should have a rethink. Because you gave me five hundred thousand naira you think I would spread my legs for you? That is Thelma’s work, not mine. You did not give me the amount I wanted and now I have to source more money. Please respect yourself so I will respect you.”
“Are you now denying your husband sex? Why? Am I with Thelma now? Am I not here with you? So why should I get sex outside when you are here? Tell me.
“Do you want the cheque back? Take it! What the advertisers are offering me would make me comfortable. You can keep your money, and your woman let me keep my business.”
Adim was speechless as he looked at Eucharia. He could see there was no convincing her. He missed the times only an eye contact she got the message and would join him in the room. He loved how submissive she was in that area. Now, she would not let him touch her for whatever reason. Why couldn’t she look beyond this mess? It was over five months, and she was still this bitter.
Read – Witches lust 4 episode 114
9
TITLE: TORN BETWEEN
WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI
TROUBLE 9
Eucharia paid the cheque into her bank account. Thelma received a notification from clearing for the cheque at the bank. She wondered why Adim would give Eucharia such a large amount of money. She was upset and called him to confirm the cheque.
“I issued it; pay the cheque,” Adim instructed her.
“What is the money for?” Thelma asked.
“Why are you asking? When I gave you money, was she aware? You can not be my woman and manage my account; I will not accept that. Don’t you ever question me again about what I do for my wife because it has nothing to do with you? You put me in this mess I am in right now; if you hadn’t smuggled yourself to Nnewi I would still have had my wife the way I loved her and be happy. So please butt out of this, it doesn’t concern you.”
Thelma was surprised at his outburst. She asked because she was concerned. She believed Eucharia was shaking him down for the money and she should not do that. She returned the cheque with the inscription “Drawer’s Confirmation Required”. When Adim calms down and realises what she has done for him, he will appreciate her. A wife should not take advantage of her husband or exploit him. The money was too much for him to give away like that. She felt she was also protecting her sons from an exploitative stepmother.
When the cheque returned, Eucharia was surprised. It was unlike Adim for his cheque to bounce unless it was intentional. She served the bounced cheque alongside Adim’s food. When he saw it, he was furious. He turned to Eucahria and told her she would join him at the bank in the morning to collect cash. He was not willing to play around with this anymore. He ate his food and went upstairs.
When he had left, Flora came out from where she was hiding to join Eucharia by the dining table. She said to her, “Eucharia, I hope you know he did not bounce the cheque. Thelma is his account officer at that bank, and she must have refused to pay. He was genuinely upset. If you are going to her office tomorrow, nne please look amazing. Let one of your girls roll your hair for you this night, and wear light make-up in the morning. Do not be disrespectful to Adim in her office; pretend as if all is well. The most important thing is to be friendly with her. If they ask who she is; tell them she is the mother of your husband’s two sons with a smile. Can you do that? I never want her to see you sad.”
Eucharia looked at Flora and shook her head. Was this the same Flora or someone else? Why was she giving her such good advice when all she did most of the years she was married to Adim was hate her?
“What?” Flora asked.
“What happened? I can swear that you love me now; what changed?”
“I have always loved and admired you. Initially, I was jealous, but later on, I saw you were genuine. Standing up to the Umu Adas without violence sealed it for me. I do not hate you. Most of what I told you was about having a son, didn’t what I said come to pass? It is my turn to support you. I have discouraged Njideka from coming often to see you, the less people know about your plans, the better. How much did he give you?”
“Five hundred thousand naira only; he couldn’t even make it one million naira.”
“Hmmm. What business do you want to do? Let us talk to my cousin together tomorrow so we will know the modalities for that business. He said registration was two hundred thousand naira. But there are only two telecommunications companies for now. You have to register for both. He is doing it for me. Have you registered the new company?”
“The lawyer is on it; it should be ready before the end of this week.”
“Good. I will ask my cousin to register for you to cover Port Harcourt. You need an office so quickly rent one.”
“I have a property I bought close to the market. It is a two-storey building and the topmost floor is vacant. I have given the tenants quit notice because they became a nuisance. I can use the entire building if I need to.”
“You have properties, Eucharia?” Flora asked surprised. She remembered Njideka telling her Eucharia was rich but humble, and she did not believe it.
“Yes, I do. I have three more. Adim is aware of all of them, but he has shown no interest in them. I own the shops I used for the shoe business. I do not need Adim’s money to start a business, but I wanted my pound of flesh. The day you mentioned company registration, I called my uncle and his lawyer commenced the registration. If I let Adim know how much I have, it will be war so I play along. He doesn’t even know where the properties are and their worth because he was involved with another woman and did not pay attention. I still don’t want him to know.”
“You are smarter than I thought. I knew you were making money from that business but it did not show and you were completely dependent on Adim.”
“That’s what he likes, he likes to provide and he never visited my shops to know how well they were doing. Selling them off was not funny at all. But then I used the money to buy other shops, at least I collect rent.”
Flora looked at Eucharia in amazement. She was bigger than any of them thought and was still humble to a fault. She admired her the more. She reiterated her advice for the next day and she left her.
Adim was surprised to see Eucharia dressed and ready to leave early the following morning. She served him breakfast and went to get her handbag. Adim had never seen her in the outfit she had on. The bag she came out with looked expensive. She looked amazing. It was not just the bank she was going to, where else was she going?
“Where are you going after the bank?” Adim asked her.
“There is a meeting at Urenna’s school I would love to attend, I don’t know how long collecting the money and depositing it in my bank will take.”
“You smell so nice. Will there be fathers there as well so I can join you?”
“I do not know; feel free to join us.” She was irritated but covered up with a smile.
When they got to the bank, Adim asked to see the Branch Manager and was ushered into his office with Eucharia. They exchanged pleasantries and Adim presented the cheque to the Manager. He wanted to know why the cheque was returned when he confirmed it. The Manager was surprised, he called in Thelma to explain. He wasn’t aware of their relationship, and not all the staff members knew.
Thelma was offended that Adim came to her office in the company of Eucharia to report her. Eucharia acted shocked to discover she was his account officer.
Eucharia greeted Thelma and told her she did not know she worked in that branch of the bank and also did not know she was his account officer.
Thelma claimed Adim’s confirmation came after the cheque had been returned. Adim issued another cheque for one million naira in favour of Eucharia and confirmed. He asked the Manager to ensure Eucharia received the cash timely. He left them for work.
The Manager did not want the branch to lose that amount of money so he asked Eucharia to open an account with them so they could deposit it there. She agreed but insisted on another branch. She did not want Thelma to have access to her account.
“But why is that? You know her and she is your husband’s account officer.”
“And she is also his mistress. I do not want her managing my husband’s account too.”
The Manager was shocked. He looked from Thelma to Eucharia in amazement. Eucharia did not stop smiling and acted unbothered by the bomb she dropped. Even Thelma was surprised at Eucharia’s boldness. She wondered if she thought she could command her in her bank. The Manager promised to give her an account officer who would ensure her transactions were private. He sensed the hostility from Thelma and advised Eucharia to make a complaint to the head office if she felt Thelma abused her position in the bank. He wrote out the email address for the complaint. It was the first time Thelma was scared.
As Eucharia left the Bank, the Manager walked her out. Some of the staff came out from their offices to admire Eucharia. Some wanted to see Thelma’s rival in the fresh and were shocked at how lovely she looked. Eucharia had fulfilled her aim of advertising herself for Thelma’s colleagues to judge or compare them.
Thelma went to Adim’s office at the close of work and waited for him outside. She was furious and needed to speak with him that evening.
Adim saw her and asked his driver to wait for him outside. They went to a corner to talk.
“Why did you bring her to my office? She wants to file a complaint to the head office because of what happened.”
“Why did you return her cheque? Didn’t I warn you to stay out of anything that has to do with my wife? How dare you insult her and me by extension? I hope she files the complaint because what you did caused my cheque to bounce for selfish reasons. I will remove my accounts from you, I cannot support you when you do things contrary to what I ordered. Have I made myself clear?”
“Why did you give her one million naira? What did she need the money for? You increased the amount to spite me. I will not allow you to move the accounts from me, it will not happen. My children have to be protected by all means. They are still young and have not enjoyed their father’s wealth.”
“But you have? Eucharia never cared about whom I gave money nor did she go through my bank statement to see to whom I wrote cheques. If she does that, what do you think will become of you? If she adds up all the money I gave you before you had the boys, what do you think she would say? You have no right to do what you just did, no right whatsoever. I have to ensure it never happens again.”
“You brought Eucharia to my office to shame me. Is that fair?”
“I brought my wife to my bank to withdraw money that you refused to pay her, what is unfair about that? Eucharia hardly talks about you but our conversations are always about her. She is my wife and will always come first. You have no idea what the money is for and it is my money to do as I please. Do I ask you for your money and what you spend it on? Mind yourself, I am going home.”
“When are you coming to see us?”
“It is just a little over a month, I have not resolved issues with Eucharia yet. There is a lot to be done; my girls are yet to fully forgive me. I know if their mother gets back to her bubbly self, it will become easier.”
Thelma felt that Adim had become comfortable at home with Eucharia finding out about them. His claim that she had not forgiven him was suspicious because she came to the bank with him and was friendly and jovial with him. She couldn’t help but wonder what hold Eucharia had on Adim that he clung to her. The war was not over yet.
Eucharia renovated her building in preparation for the Telecommunications business. She went for training as a Distributor and Partner in Port Harcourt with Flora. Everything she did, Adim did not know about it. Even when the business was fully opened, she did not mention it to Adim. He was unaware of her business.