Mr lecturer episode 25 – 28

Mr. Lecturer

Episode 25

As i headed to my office that fateful morning, I prepared my mind for the difficult task ahead.
Not only was i about having a long talk with my father in law, the old man equally was a faculty dean and a very powerful academia. Of course he could ruin my future with just a signature. There was no doubt I had to be extremely diplomatic when dealing with him.
On getting to my office, i tried calling my wife on phone but she refused answering just like i expected. I breathed deeply, muttered quick prayers and tried concentrating on a new work i was getting ready for publishing while waiting for my father in law at the same time. I really would have preferred going over to the old man’s office for the discussion but since he chose coming over to mine, I had no choice than to nervously wait for him.
He finally showed up an hour later, looking very serious and grim. I quickly stood up to greet him, respectfully offering my hand for a handshake which he declined accepting, giving me the first hint of trouble.

“i hope you know the reason i’m here?. My daughter told me she moved out of your house. She told me everything” he said seriously, searching my face with his eyes. I swallowed hard and stared back at him, visibly confused on how to explain myself to him.
“I did wrong sir. I cheated on my wife. I betrayed your daughter’s trust. I broke the sacred oath of marriage, but don’t kill me. Allow me to fix things. I beg of you” i pleaded solemnly. The old man simply scoffed and sat down on the empty seat opposite my table.

“how do you fix a house that has already collapsed?. You were unable to fix it when the structure was still shaking. How do you fix it now that it has collapsed?” he asked seriously.
“i will start from the beginning sir. I will start from the foundation to build it over again” i answered quickly as if it was a simple thing to do but the old man wasn’t moved at all.
“shut up!” he barked.
“do you think i’m a fool?” he asked,
“no not at all sir” i answered with panic.

“so don’t try acting a telenovela with me. Everyone now acts as if the world is as easy as this nonsense shown in movies. Your marriage with my daughter is barely a year, you got another woman pregnant and you are here trying to tell me you will fix things. What do you thing you are going to fix?. Our relationship is over from this minute. I will personally see to the divorce formalities. The bride price will be returned, but then better start packing up your things because your days in this school is now on countdown” he barked and stood up while i shook with fear.
“i beg of you sir, don’t add more fuel into the fire already consuming me” i begged with all my heart but unfortunately the old man looked more hurt and annoyed than his daughter when she left my house.

Not only did the world crash on my feet. It exploded and shattered the only hope i had left that very moment. I felt that the prayers i offered to God earlier in the day was rejected. I felt my sins were totally now beyond redemption even though the priest’s words kept ringing in my head as the old man left my office. I slowly dropped down and cried hard.
The reality of losing my wife and job in a hard country such as ours was so hard to bear.

Episode 26

I was still going through my plight, praying, crying and thinking when my phone rang, attracting my attention. I grabbed the phone and sighed on seeing the name of the caller who was no other person than Comfort.
At first i wanted to decline answering her but the priest’s words came ringing back in my head once again.
I breathed heavily, controlled my mood and answered the phone call.
“hello good day, hope i’m not calling at the wrong time?” she asked quietly, her voice devoid of the usual spirit i was used to.

“what do you want?” i asked a bit coldly.
“i think you shouldn’t be asking that sort of question to me. You already know what i want from you” she answered quietly. I bit my lips and closed my eyes.
I surely felt like smashing her head that moment but i just couldn’t, instead was about doing the opposite in order to set things right.
“where are you?” I asked curiously.
“i’m at the school front gate, heading to my lodge” she answered.
“you can come over to my office. We have some things to discuss” i said to her calmly.

“alright, i’m turning around” she replied while i hung up and sighed with resignation.
Fifteen minutes later, she walked into my office looking serious and a bit scared. I silently signalled her to sit on the empty chair before my desk, she sat down and returned my gaze.
“you broke into my life, broke into my home, ruined my marriage, ruined my happiness and my job is equally now on the line. Yet i have no choice than to accept the reality that you have come to stay in life. What a life” i poured out with regret. She simply stared at me, saying no words.
“so what exactly do you need from me. Outline the basic things and don’t try mentioning the impossible” i asked seriously. She shrugged with a shoulder, her eyes all over me with disbelief.
“emm i need money for my ante natal and personal expenses. I need a new accommodation. You already know my hostel rent expires this December and i can’t live comfortably with my parents. Moreover I’m doing my Nysc in this town, so i badly need the accommodation.
Finally you need to meet my parents, it’s very Important. It’s not as if i’m asking you to marry me but meeting them is the right thing to do” she listed out while i weighed her demands in my mind.
“alright” i muttered with resignation, leaving her gasping with joy. Her eyes instantly sparkled as she drew forward with wet eyes.

“did you just say alright?” she asked excitedly. I nodded silently while deep down i felt like murdering her.
I simply accepted doing all the things she outlined in a way of correcting my wrongs even though i saw no way it was going to change my situation which undoubtedly was very bad.
“hope it’s the right step?” i wondered over and over……

Episode 27

“the most difficult thing i see in your list of demands is meeting your parents. Am i supposed to meet them?. Do i meet them as what?. An inlaw, your friend or what??” i slowly asked, cutting short her joy.
“don’t worry about that. I’ll will first talk to them before you show up. All i want is just for you to show your face to them” she answered after a little hesitation.
“okay i think this coming Sunday will be free for me. It will be on Sunday then” i announced quietly. Her eyes lit up once again.
“thanks for changing your mind. Thanks for doing the right thing” she said softly, standing up to leave. I quickly looked away and avoided her eyes. She left without another word.
I couldn’t help but think of my own parents that moment. There wasn’t any doubt i needed telling them my story before some else does the task for me. I badly needed their support to pull through my current crises. I was very sure they would stand by my side even though i destroyed the family name with my randy behaviour.
“God help me” i sobbed once again.
____

I headed home by 4pm after a very difficult work day. One thing about academic work is that no matter your state of mind you must do the work you are paid to do or risk being sanctioned by the head of department whose job could equally be at risk over any unprofessional behaviour from a lecturer under his authority. I had no choice than to struggle with my job even though the state of my mind was far from being normal.
I headed home very hungry, tired and emotionally drained. I was already badly missing my wife. I just didn’t know how to win her back, moreover her father has already threatened me and i knew her mum would probably do more than just threaten me as well. I was thinking about all these as i walked into my apartment which was surprisingly unlocked. I walked in cautiously, thinking perhaps i failed to lock the entrance door as i hurried out earlier in the day but as i got to my bedroom i saw my wife packing up the rest of her things in a big travelling bag.
I was very surprised to see her because she was the last person i expected to see in my apartment, moreover her car wasn’t in the car park.

“gracious me!” i exclaimed, startling her with my outburst. She turned and faced me while i rushed and hugged her, throwing her into another wave of Surprise.
“please don’t go. Don’t leave me. I beg of you” i pleaded with all my heart.

Episode 28

“please don’t leave me. I need your love to survive. I need your presence in my life” i poured out while she stared at me with eyes filled with tears.
“when someone you love misbehaves, no you don’t push him into the fire to burn because the fire not only burns him but burns your soul as well. I’m dying out of grief. Don’t let me die sweetheart” i begged, pushing her to the greatest depth of sympathy with my pleas. Of course she loves me, but the love and anger in her were battling for supremacy. The house she was about leaving was equally hers as well.
She drew back and sat on the bed, covering her eyes with her palms.
“i beg of you sweetheart, just do anything to me but don’t walk away from my life. I badly need your shoulder to lean on” i begged passionately.

“If only she will change her mind, perhaps my future will take a new better shape” i reasoned.
We all know a divided house never stands for long and i had a lot to benefit if she decides staying by my side.
“i love you. You very well know i love you. But i can’t stay in a house where my husband is having a child with another woman. It’s not as if i have a child of my own to manage. I can never be happy with that reality and i’m no fool my love, i can’t ruin my life by chasing shadows. It’s already obvious to me that i can’t have a child, so the best thing is to leave and find a way to be happy. I can’t block you from having children through another woman. Yes i’m angry with you but i’m not leaving your house out of anger but just as the right thing to do” she poured out with tears dropping from her eyes.

Read also – Mr Teacher

“but it’s you i want. I don’t need children to be happy. Our marriage is still too young for this” i pleaded solemnly. She cleaned her eyes, stood up and breathed deeply.
“i don’t think we will be seeing again. I’ll try my best to avoid your path. You can get back the money you spent on my head through my father” she said softly.
“nooo” i breathed, grabbed and kissed her with quivering lips. She didn’t protest nor break away from me, instead stared into my eyes as if she saw something in them.

“i wish you well my love, but i’m leaving” she said softly.
“that’s cool, i leave with you. I go wherever you go” i said seriously, cleaning my eyes. She drew back and stared at me with surprise.
“you can’t be serious?” she asked.
“try me” i answered with all seriousness.
“nothing is tearing us apart, nothing in this earth” i concluded, leaving her gasping with shock. She breathed deeply, sat on the bed once again and looked at me with disbelief.

Of course the last thing she wanted was creating a scene with me outside our apartment and she definitely knew i was very serious about leaving the house with her even though to be candid i never knew how such idea got into my head….

Tbc