Sisterhood episode 71
TITLE: SISTERHOOD
AUTHOR: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 71
ESTHER
Jake had a major misfortune in his business. He had been cruising for years but he noticed a decline in business. When Esther completely ‘closed shop’, he observed he was having bad business encounters or almost getting caught in one transaction or the other. He tried to convince Esther to be intimate with him again, but she refused. She was done with him and his cheating ways.
He had just left a business meeting abroad when the police swung in there and arrested everyone there. There was evidence of their crime. He escaped in whiskers. There were other near encounters that were more dangerous. He knew this was serious. He called Baba and shared with him what happened. Baba told him to call back in an hour so he could consult.
“My son, when last did you meet with your wife?” Baba asked.
“Baba, I told you she refused. She was giving too many conditions and I blanked her.”
“You what? If you don’t have sense, have it now. Go and beg your wife. If you sleep with her willingly once, you will see how things will turn around.”
‘What if she doesn’t agree?”
‘Call me let me talk to her. She will agree.”
Esther refused to speak with Baba on the phone. She told Jake she will never allow him access to her body when he has slept with countless women. He understood her anger. To him, Esther was boring in bed. He needed someone exciting and daring. Why didn’t she accept her position and enjoy the wealth instead of interfering in his private life? Baba decided to come.
Esther was surprised to see him in her home. She greeted him and quickly ensured he was well taken care of. Jake watched her give Baba respect. She made his meal and arranged where he would stay by herself.
Read – Vampire queen episode 47 – 48
Baba called them out in the middle of the night. He asked Esther why she denied Jake his conjugal rights. He tried to scold her for depriving her husband and pushing him into the arms of other women.
Esther was glad to give her reasons. “Baba, thank you for coming. As it is, I cannot continue this sham of a marriage with Jake. Jake carries different women and has infected me many times with STIs. I treated them until I got tired and stopped sleeping with him. He does not love me; he loves only himself. He can travel with different ladies but he has not travelled with me and the children even once. I don’t know what he takes me for. We have not had sex for over three years now. What is he saying? When he had problems, he wanted to sleep with me. My business is doing fine, I don’t want him to infect me with bad luck he is getting from those girls he is sleeping with.”
“Three years! Jake, you didn’t touch your wife for three years? How won’t you have problems? Esther, you are a beautiful young woman, have you also not had a man for the three years? Because my spirit is telling me you have been busy. Have you desecrated your family by stepping outside?”
Esther was silent. With Baba, there was no need to lie. He already knew the truth. She had ended it with Efe but she still wants him. He contacts her often but she avoids their meeting physically. If Jake could grant her a divorce, she would be with Efe immediately.
“That’s right” Baba replied, “I guessed as much. When a man disrespects his wife continuously, she will find solace in the arms of another man. Once she does that, her husband will lose out on his good fortune. Jake, I don’t know how you will make it up to her but you need to beg her and treat her right. No more women otherwise I will place a curse on you. Esther, you will end that relationship. Don’t talk to the man again. Do you understand?”
“Baba, Jake cannot change? I don’t want to be infected again so I can’t sleep with him. I want a divorce. He should set me free so I can go. I am tired of the marriage.”
Jake couldn’t take it anymore and so he flared up. “You want a divorce so you can be with the man. It won’t happen. I made you what you are today. The man wants you because of my wealth. He believes you will get a piece of it. You will get nothing. I mean nothing at all. You are a whore screwing around behind my back. Who is the guy? Esther, I want to know who you have been fucking. I gave you the world and you treat me like shit. You want a divorce. I will kill you first before I allow you to divorce me. You are shameless! A married woman sleeping with other men. What are you doing it for? What don’t you have? I change your cars every four years. Your three cars. Women are insatiable. You deny me sex but another man has free access to your body. Esther, you disgust me.”
“Jake, I don’t want anything. I don’t want money, I don’t want cars or houses, you can have them all; all of them. But let me leave this marriage. I am a young girl with needs. You satisfy yours with different ladies. This trip you travelled with two ladies. I have the evidence. I cannot be treating infection and then have cancer. I have accepted you don’t love me anymore, then let me go. Or I will just leave and start life over.”
“Esther if you leave my house, you will never come back again. And I am an Edo ma; you can’t take my children. If you leave, forget you ever had children. You are an ungrateful woman. Is it today you knew I liked women? You have always known. Why do you want to destroy me by laying with another man? Another man saw you naked. Esther! What I had so much pride in you opened for someone else. I will never forgive you for this.”
“I know you will never forgive me. If I apologise then I am being insincere. Jake, please let me go with my children. They are the only ones keeping me in this house. I don’t want to run away and you come looking for me. It is like that is what will happen. I will leave with my children.”
“Esther, I will hunt you down. I will find you. You know I have the network. I will find the guy that has been screwing you.”
Baba sat still watching the two of them argue. He knew whose fault it was but at the moment he couldn’t say anything except to make peace. If Jake had to succeed, he had to forgive Esther and make peace with her. He has to forgo other girls for her. At least until he gets his bearing.
Baba asked Esther to excuse them. Then he faced Jake. “You don’t listen and it is a bad thing. Why would you disrespect your wife like that? Three years without intercourse. The luck you have is that she is still under your roof. If she leaves this house, you are finished. You will see sand, you will call it ‘owo’ (money). You don’t know anything. You have made her fall in love with another man. This girl is not one of those girls that go up and down like the ones you travel with. She will be with one man and he will love her. I will call her out for you to beg her. Then you will enter the room and have sex with her. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Baba. Let me call her.” Jake was indifferent about asking Esther for forgiveness. His annoyance was that she had a lover. He could have sworn he was the only one she had ever been with but even that he couldn’t brag about it. If he didn’t need her, he would have dealt with her.
Esther joined them. Baba scolded Jake in her presence and also scolded her. What she did could cost her husband’s and first son’s lives. He asked if she had ended the relationship, and she confirmed it. Then he asked them to forgive each other and make peace.
Esther wasn’t having it. She told Baba she was not going to have sex with Jake until he does some tests. She claimed he doesn’t like to use condoms and she doesn’t want to die young. Jake flared up. He accused her of wanting to disobey Baba. He said he was tired of her attitude and it was why he faced the girls outside. It didn’t move Esther. She was not interested in intercourse with Jake. Her mind was no longer in the marriage.
Baba could see that. Esther was not remorseful. He had to help Jake so he asked him to go with Esther for the tests. No matter how long it takes, he would wait until it comes out. Jake wasn’t happy about it but Baba insisted. Esther went to her room and left Baba and Jake to continue their discussion. Baba told Jake to listen to Esther and be more careful. If he contracts a disease, it is not fair to give it to her. He should do it for the sake of the children.
Esther was up early. She attended to the children and Baba. She then woke Jake up for the hospital visit. Jake didn’t want to go with her but she insisted otherwise she won’t accept the result. They went to a credible laboratory. Esther spoke with the Medical Director(MD) of the diagnostic centre. She wanted credible results. The MD took the samples himself and submitted them. He assured both parties no one would tamper with it.
In four days, the results were ready. Jake went with Esther to pick them up. Apart from having chlamydia, fungal infection and staphylococcus, he also had acute Hepatitis. It was highly infectious. A war of words broke out when they got home. Esther accused Jake of knowing about his infections and deliberately wanting to infect her. Luckily, the viral load of the hepatitis was low. The doctor wanted to have his liver checked. The test results made Jake calm down. He didn’t have any symptoms. It could have been worse.
Baba left to come back after two months the doctor had given for the hepatitis virus to clear out of Jake’s system. He also took his medication for the other infections religiously. Esther kept the children away from him during the period. He left home so he could recover.
Finally, when Jake was declared virus-free, he came back. He came back with Baba. He apologised to Esther and asked for her forgiveness. Baba talked to both of them and made them promise not to stray again. Esther finally agreed to spend the night with Jake. When they made love, Jake knew he had lost her. She lay there like a log, unresponsive. It killed his morale. He would have fought with her after but instead he apologised and promised to change his ways.
He became more discreet. He went the extra mile to hide his indiscretions. He didn’t find her interesting in bed and she refused to make effort. He slept with her because he needed her. Giving herself to another man hurt him badly. He could never forgive her for it. But he needed to focus as Baba had said. She had to be happy. He didn’t travel often anymore; he spent more time with family. Within six months, business was booming. He had to keep it this way.
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While Jake was working on their marriage, Efe was putting pressure on Esther to leave. Esther was reluctant; she was convinced Jake would find her and the kids. He knew bad people around the world. Efe wasn’t scared. He wanted Esther by every means. He came up with the idea of leaving their children behind and starting life afresh together. When the chaos dies down, they could come for the kids. Esther refused. She had to stop seeing and talking to Efe so she doesn’t do something drastic and also so that Jake doesn’t find him and have him assassinated.
Efe felt betrayed once again by Esther. He gave her an ultimatum: run away with me with your children or forget about me forever. Esther chose the latter. She couldn’t take the risk and Efe was being unreasonable. She decided, although she didn’t love Jake anymore, she would make the marriage work. Jake bought her a beautiful diamond ring to appreciate her.
Baba begged Jake not to make Esther unhappy. Now she had left her lover (Baba knew) he had to make sure she was always happy. If she is ever sad, he would have another encounter with witches. He should pray not to have that experience again. Jake didn’t want it so he kept his side of the bargain; being very discreet.
Tbc