CARELESS LOVER Part 13
THE DIRTY GAME
Mary was growing restless by the day. She was always eager to talk about Felix everywhere. She lived and breathed him. He became her food and air. All these attitudes she put on unconsciously.
One of those days she was at home fantasizing about a home and marriage with him. She thought of everything from the kind of kids they’ll have together and how they would spend vacation.
She had never known falling in love before, now that she did, she was head over heel.
“Mary, Mary,” she heard her mom called with loud voice. She appeared promptly in the living room and stood before her. “Come and sit beside me my baby, she spoke gently and soothingly.
” My dear, you have been a good daughter, one that every parent wishes to have. As we can also see in church, every parent with a son of your age wants you as their daughter-in-law. This means one thing, Mary Mouton is a special girl.”
“Mama,” Mary retorted, “what are you driving at?”
“Mary!”
“Ma.”
“I’m afraid you’ll not lose the good name and reputation you have built for yourself and the family. You’re our pride dear.”
“Mom,” Mary said confused, “what have I done again?”
“It’s not what you’ve done but what you’re likely going to do soon. Jesus told Peter the devil want to beat you as wheat, to Judas he said what you’re about doing do quickly. You are soon going to be like Peter who fell and was reinstated or a Judas who never recovered. But I have prayed for you.”
“Mom, I still don’t get you clearly on this.”
“Mary, it is all over you. I couldn’t fathom what love potion Felix had given you. You have changed. My fear is this, people that behave as you do of recent often lose self control before the man they love. Your prayer is that Felix is not out to prey on you.”
“Mom, God forbid. Who told you he’s my fiancé? I’ve not said yes mommy. How could he molest me? It’s not possible. He’s merely a good friend.”
“OK, my daughter. Just make sure you’re careful. Never look down on the wisdom and experience of elders.
” Maybe my fear was due to the experience of my best friend Jolade when we were about age twenty. She was a very good and well behaved girl until Ariyo came into her life. Within few weeks of encounter Jolade became an opposite version of herself. Nobody could talk sense to her, not even me. She threw caution into the wind.”
Out of curiosity Mary asked: “Where is she now?”
“Hmmm,” her mom breathed deeply, “Ariyo impregnated her and denied her blatantly. As she was about aborting the baby there was complication and she died. She was my best friend.” Her mom was near tear as she remembered Jolade. Mary was sober and thoughtful at the same time.
“That’s unfortunate mama.”
“I don’t want such for you. So I began to get that fear when I saw your passion for Felix. I hope you wouldn’t lose your senses my daughter.”
“Thanks mama, I’ll not disappoint the family. I’ll be careful ma.” As she left her mom she wondered how she was able to read the depth of her love for Felix.
She remembered the last experience when she tried to offer Felix kisses twice. On getting home on that day after the outing with him she nudged herself several times asking herself what has come over her.
She entered into her room after leaving her mom and knelt down to pray against the temptations before her. She knew her natural strength and resolve that had kept her a virgin uptil the moment seem to have left her. So she called for divine intervention.
Felix also at his end was always thinking of how much he felt always being around Mary in recent time. She’s is the love ariel that interrupted his life; at the time when all things were beginning to lose meaning to him.
Felix knew how he worked tirelessly to build Experon and its subsidiaries morning, afternoon and night everyday but Sunday. He never party nor womanized, his joy was derived from his immense success.
Suddenly his joy of attainment began to wane realizing that he had conquered all the ground that would had been a feat even for seventy years man, even at thirty one.
The void began to enlarge. Initially he couldn’t place the need until much later when Helen toyed on him.
Although before then he had gotten soft spot for Mary but not yet very intense. His meeting with Helen opened his heart to understand that the void in him was a quest for a companion; a wife and a lover. Then he was already hedged by Helen.
Now his love for Mary was intoxicating and addictive. Her thought once settled upon his heart dispelled the boredom that was about settling earlier on him. That was why he always say to himself that Mary was an angel who came at the right time to light his life.
Her entry into his life helped him to stabilize his momentum on the job and at the same time gave his life a meaning. Although he hadn’t made a formal proposal yet he had a settled mind that she’s his future wife.
Yet Felix had much to learn about the expression of love because he was a green horn in the art.
Mary who was growing more intoxicated and as the woman felt she could have more of him began to drive for him by making more advances and was always there as the recipient of his warm gestures with all enthusiasm.
Felix seem to be better in managing his emotion but Mary was all out in love. In spite of her many resolves not to have any contact she often anticipate a hold or a warm embrace from him.
There was this day, for a couple of days earlier Felix seem engrossed with much task at the office that he was not available to calls. Felix had this quiet assurance that Mary the church girl will always be there for him, so he had no reason to fret or agitate.
After the third day, Mary couldn’t curtail her fear. Is Felix having another thought or a change of mind? So she called early in the morning while at the office and Felix assured her all was well with him.
“Notwithstanding, I’ll check on you at the office upon closing at my end.” Mary said as she dropped her phone.
Later in the day she drove to his office. Getting to the gate she received somewhat a red carpet welcome. It was like Felix had informed everyone that his angel will be visiting.
From the security men, everyone on the way to his secretary all treated her with first-class honour. It was obvious they loved Felix so they naturally transferred such affection to Mary. Without hesitation she appeared in a very big and spacious office.
As Felix saw her enter he rose respectfully to his feet to receive her as the secretary stepped back outward.
“My angel, is everything alright?”
“I should be asking you that Felix. I was beginning to have some weird thoughts.” She smiled. “These days I think so much of you and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. On the way I was thinking all kinds of silly things.”
“Tell me some of those things you were thinking of?” He asked with a broad smile.
“Come off that,” Mary said relieved. “I’m OK now that I see you. I wouldn’t stay long.”
“All the same, come and have your seat.”
They both sat facing each other on the office lounges. They chatted far into the evening from one topic to the other. Mary forgot her resolve to stay for a short time, now she felt like staying longer but Felix told her once:
“I have promised your dad that I’ll take care of his daughter. I am the protector of the church girl.”
“Seem you’re driving me away from you?” Mary made for her bag and stood about going pretending to be angry. Felix ran to her and pulled her hand closer.
“I don’t mean it that way Mary. See I cannot afford to lose you. I can wait and I have to do everything to protect your interest and that of your parents.
“It’s getting late and they would soon be looking out for their daughter. How do you want them to see me as the one keeping their daughter?
“Mary, I cannot afford to lose you. I love you.” He pulled her further to himself and she grabbed him looking into his eyes for more assurance.
“What do you just say?”
“Mary, I love you more than my life. You’re the spring of my life. I’ll love you until all the gangs of oceans dry up and all the mountains of the world melt. I love you.”
Mary trembled at the words and she was lost in her world as she unconsciously began to caress Felix like a little sister as she ducked her head between his shoulder.
Felix pulled her head upward telling her one more time: “I love you.” This time she held tight to him and tears of joy fell from her face.
“I love you too,” she looked into his face and gradually there defences were gone. They played, cuddled and fumbled with each other’s body with their dresses thrown apart.
They could have gone the last lap but Felix who still retained some senses and decorum. He could have slept with Mary in the heat of the passion. Suddenly Mary came to her senses, fear gripped her and she hurriedly dressed up and rushed out leaving Felix as he watch her with amusement.
As she stepped out he said: “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you please.” Mary didn’t respond as she left.
Getting home, she made for her room without talking to anybody or eating her dinner. She cried of her frailty, weakness and lack of self control. She slept off and refused to pick Felix’s several calls.
The next day her mother was early to see her in the room to know what’s troubling her:
“Did Felix hurt you?”
“No mama,” she answered, “but mom I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
“OK Mary. I’m always there for you anytime you need me.” Her mom said as she walked out her room and gently closed her door. Mary felt bad the way she talked to her.
Mary was usually the confident church girl but her recent experiences had deflated her ego. She needs God’s strength. Also, her attitudes of recent made her very ashamed and this was responsible for her avoiding Felix. She was also doing her best to make her family proud of her.
She wasn’t fighting Felix, instead she was fighting her weakness and the fear of falling into sin knowing how vulnerable she had become.
Mary became incommunicado.
Felix was frantic getting in touch to no avail. After the second week he became utterly depressed and blamed himself for all that have gone wrong. He felt Mary had left for good because she wouldn’t want to come in contact with him and was not ready to trust him with her life.
Then finally, Mary was ready to talk to him as a result of encouragement and advice from friends especially Agnes. The line opened and the line of discussion was dry and that further made Felix felt guilty the more.
Then Felix cut in: “Mary, I know you don’t want me again. To avoid hurting you again and again I have moved on with my life. I wish you find joy and happiness out there. I’m reinventing my life.”
This was all that Felix said as he put off his phone… And Mary couldn’t get through to talk further. She had a soft heart, she couldn’t handle the stress so she crashed out.
As Felix sat beside his bed at the hospital, he realized he could have handled it better. He knew he cannot forgive himself enough if she doesn’t come off the state of coma she was in.
He didn’t know that Mary loved him so much. Above all was the messy past haunting him. Helen was pregnant and she was not ready to hide it.
Felix wept and asked for God’s intervention: The woman he truly loved is sick, the one he didn’t love is pregnant.
“What kind of life is this?” He said to himself.
