THE WAGES OF SIN
“Who is this?” she stammers in fear as she turns around to see Stanley right in her sitting room. “How did you get into my home?”
“I am sorry for coming on you surprisingly.”
“You have not answered my question.”
“Bolu, your husband arranged the whole thing. He told me you are alone and made access to your home easy for me.”
“You bribed Bolu my husband to further make my life a hell. Are you making fun of me?” She turns her back to him.
“No, my dear.”
“I am not your dear and I will never be one.”
“I am sorry please; I have come to make amend.” He places his right hand on her shoulder as she refuses to turn to him.
“Don’t touch me!” she snaps, “I am somebody’s wife whether he loves me or not. I am dignified and I have self-esteem.”
“I am sorry,” he sounds apologetic as he draws closer to her.
“Not on your life or I will scream.”
“Please hear me out.”
“Not on that matter. On other ground you remain my friend and hero; but nothing to be said on marriage.”
Stanley stands for a while as he gazes on her beautiful slender frame from the rear. She refuses to look at him. How much he wants her to ease off many years lost to Kate cumbering overture and tantrum.
“Come to look at it Susan,” Stanley begins, “Bolu arranged this meeting and you are here defending this marriage. He arranged you his wife for me because he has money to gain from me. I told him I will give him any amount to allow me have access to you and he has given you up for me. He gave his marriage up so easily.”
“I will not do the same,” Susan smiles dryly.
“Apart from having you to me, I am doing this for you Susan. I have come for your peace. I can no longer watch you live unhappily the rest of your life. Even if you would not marry me, I will settle you with everything you would ever need; only that you are freed from this beast you called a husband.
“Bolu is living with another woman Betty. Yet you are here alone pitching for him. Susan, shake yourself out of your dream. I remember we were both neck-deep in the school Christian fellowship but you should not take this God to the extreme. Both of us are not enjoying our marriages, and God would understand our strong reasons my dear. We once made mistakes of our lives by not getting married then, but this is our chance to correct it. Pelensiri the godfather, dad of Kate is dead and Bolu is ready to hand you over to me. Easy please.”
Susan laughs as she begins: “God doesn’t understand us when our passion and mind is driving our decisions,” Susan tells him. “Do you know that Adam did not leave Eve even when she was obviously the architect of man’s fall? Marriage institution is God’s design where the stronger person helps the weaker one; or rather complement each other’s strength.
“Sometimes, a seemingly mismatched relationship could be an arrangement to bring out the glory of God. Yes, we could have made some mistakes in times past but the Bible says that all things work together for our good when we seek for his perfect will in a situation.
“It is in this marriage that I have found the strength to build a school and to own a thriving ministry growing from city to city. I have moved from being a poor village girl to own thriving institutions in the city. I may not be as rich as the Boudahas yet God had compensated my pains with his blessings because I have been faithful to him. You might promise to make me fabulously rich but I want you to know that some of us are very contented with what we have. I lack nothing good. Susan has moved forward long time ago.
“I may have momentary emotion hurt because of the kind of husband I am married to, yet the grace of God has been with me. Tell me; is there anybody without his own share of life’s problem? Stanley, I want you to know this today: My marriage to Bolu is beyond him; I put God first ahead of my enjoyment of this thing called marriage in spite of the pains.”
“Susan, this is why I love you,” Stanley begins to cry. “If you can stake it so firmly for a man who is grossly irresponsible, what wouldn’t you do for a godly man? I made the terrible mistake of my life by not following through.” He places his two hands on his heads.
“It is a thing of the past. Old things are passed away, behold, all things are new Stanley.”
“I cannot go on with Kate.”
“Where would you put the children? Where would you put the extended family, the cousins and the many people in your big marriage network? Stanley, remember that marriage is beyond two people. You are no longer married to Kate alone, but a community. This is why in marriage contract, we do have many people represented and as witnesses. You too become a witness to the vow: In good time and in bad time. Divorce is on the increase because we are leaving the traditional model of extended relationship in homes and marriages.”
“Susan, give me a place in your heart please. I need you now than ever. I want you to be in the big picture of my next level growth; leave the philosophy that’s not working for you or me.”
“I may not like every outcome but I am contented with my life estate,” Susan insists.
“Susan, the youths want me to play strategic role in the transition since the President and his cabinets were crushed in the last month’s uproar. I cannot tell the extent of my involvement once the transition in government is complete, but I will want you to be the first lady in my life.”
“Where would you put Kate?”
“Kate will be gone beneath just as the fearful dynasty of Pelensiri ended. She will be gone into history with Pelensiri her dad. You will replace her just as Esther replaced Vashti in the Bible.
“For God’s sake we are Christians not heathen King like Ahasuerus, so let us find our examples among the saints of God who gave their lives for the just cause. More so, I have to set a positive example for the youths who I am leading. You might expect me to jump at the offer. No, no, no.”
“Is Ahasuerus and Vashti outside the Bible?”
“Even the devil spoke in the Bible. We don’t follow everyone just because they appeared in the Bible. Remember Judas committed suicide yet he too was a character of the Bible.” She replies him whimsically.
“Then let us leave this argument aside. I wouldn’t be able to handle a no please; give me your heart. Bolu is no longer coming back; right now he lives permanently with a lady called Betty. I have given him enough money to get himself off you. You have nothing holding you back.”
“Enough of that thrash Stanley. I have his children to care for and I have my conscience to nurture. Go back to Kate.”
“Kate?”
“Yes, go back to Kate your wife. Bring out the best in her. She needs you now that her dad is late. If you can reach her heart now you might win her forever. This is your chance to mend fences and captivate her. If you want me to support you in doing this then I will be available. My heart is closed to loving you as a husband.”
Stanley hesitates for a while and is about going out when Susan who has her face to the wall all along suddenly turns to him for the first time and asks for Kate’s phone number. He gave it to her reluctantly. Her face is drenched with tears flowing down freely.
“I want her close to me.”
“Wouldn’t you come close? I cannot watch you and leave you in tears?”
“Bye Stanley.” She looks away and never turns to him. He stands for a while, and then he realizes Susan is no longer connected to his conversation. Stanley’s steps fades away without having any of his requests met.
Susan rushes into her room, falls on her bed, face down she weeps sour. All her being wants peace, joy and a great home with a man like Stanley around her but she ends up with Bolu, a beast in human clothing. It has not been easy living most of her married life as if she isn’t married. The few times he seem available he spends to thrash the little joy within her.
Here is the man she once dreamt for her life; coming back to beg for her to come bac: The perfect person she ever wanted coming back on platter of gold. Everything within her wanted Stanley, she yearns for his touch, love and cuddle but her resolve was supreme. She wants him but she couldn’t go a step further. She remembers that Bolu entered her life when she was spiritually fallow and empty. She had made the vow never to allow such again, not to allow her emotion to rule her. She also wants the best love for her children and wouldn’t want her selfish drive for Stanley scuttle their joy. She remembers her children, Samuel, Eniola and Lucy.
Why would she seek for a joy at the expense of their joy? She shivers and writhes in pains due to the intensity of her emotional turmoil. She falls asleep while crying.
The man she loves is so close to her yet she couldn’t have him. This is the irony of life. Susan is in a lonely world of hers.
Stanley gets into his car and sits for a while as he also weeps uncontrollably. He finds it difficult to forgive his parents especially his dad for his role in his choice of Kate over Susan. Susan he has always loved yet he couldn’t come to get her in his grip. At the depth of passion he felt if she could just allow him to have sex with her just to show love to her; even once. She would not even give him the least attention talk more of sex.
What kind of lady is Susan, he thought.
Stanley picks his phone and dials Bolu. “I have done all I could but Susan would not yield. I am giving up and wouldn’t hurt her by going against her will. She remains my best friend and the best lady I could have married. I cease to trouble her anymore.”
“Ah, I am sorry. Let me try harder. I will go back home and appeal to her and possibly intimidate her and force her to respond to your kindhearted gestures.”
“Don’t do such; she had been through so much already in your hands.”
“She is making me lose your favour and all the promises you have made would not be holding anymore.”
Stanley smiles: “All I have given you keep. I forfeit the four million; it worth seeking for the woman I love. Meeting Susan and feeling her voice is enough.”
“Thank you sir,” Bolu seems to be relieved on account of the four million already in his account.
“Secondly, I will still make the ten million transfers to you.”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Bolu wants to run mad for joy. “I cannot hear you right boss.”
“I am not your boss. Here the new line of agreement.”
“Yes sir.”
“I want a written agreement to the effect that you will never in your life molest Susan. She is dear to me and I have to protect her with all I have. When the agreement is ready through a lawyer, then I will make the transfer to you immediately.”
“It is done sir.”
Stanley cut off Bolu and drives home. His face isn’t in the best mood.
“What is the matter dear?” Kate asks with curiosity and love.
“It is nothing.”
“Stanley, you know I have been trying to be the best of wife to you of recent. I care.”
“How could that be possible? An offspring of Pelensiri cannot deliver goodness. Is it because your dad is no longer in the picture? Your political arrangement is squashed and like your father you too want to find another means to use me to rise again? You don’t know what love is.”
“I am still mourning my dad. You know that Stanley.”
Kate couldn’t handle the barrage of questions and heart renting words of Stanley; she eases herself back to her room in tears.
Few days later, Bolu calls Stanley.
“I have the agreement ready through my lawyer.”
“Okay, I will be with you in two hours time.”
Stanley through Bolu’s lawyer accepts the letter and he transfers the sum of ten million.
Bolu is overjoyed that he breezes to a car dealer end and buy a brand new car and he zooms off back home where Betty and him live. Betty upon sighting him through the window runs out to meet him.
“Congratulations.”
“It has happened.”
“He transferred everything?” she ask inquisitively.
“Yes the fool did just that.” Bolu responds as the two of them hug beside the new car.
“How do we celebrate it?” Betty asks happily.
“Let us start with you. You are the special delicacy for the celebration.”
“No problem. I am all yours but at my pace.” Betty understands his language.
Bolu leads her gently into the room as they chatter and banter along. As soon as they step in, he locks the door and they duck into each other in long kisses. As he begins to remove her clothes she stops him.
“Why?”
“The rules begin now that we are richer. One, promise me there would not be a side chick beside me; only me. I know how much you frolic around. I have my facts Bolu.”
“Sex first and now.”
Betty understands him. With money, Bolu decides everything so she gives in without argument. She wants her share; and it will come through unfettered cooperation. This requires being the best player of sex and whatever Bolu wants.
“Okay, next rule. I want this sex to be deep and unforgettable as my token to celebrate this windfall of enormous cash.” She hollers.
“I am fully in with rule number two,” he answers.
“I have the drugs and more than enough drinks,” she whispers into his left ear. “I want to be high.”
Bolu is given to alcohol and he can go for days with little food. He gets into drug when he met Betty and she becomes his teacher in all conceivable vices except criminality.
She brings the white powder to the table and they both sniff the content. Suddenly they become ravenously engaged. They turn themselves over to depraved gambit in full sexual orgy to no end; the drug tasks their stamina to the hilt. The shouts and moaning they make during the intercourse echoes into the neighbourhood. They suddenly become silent and sleep off deep.
“Hello Mrs Susan Boluwatife.”
She has some uneasiness as the three policemen approach her at her school. Has Bolu committed some atrocities that they want her to answer to? What could be wrong?
“We are sorry to tell you,” the most senior officer speaks with concern and brevity, “Boluwatife, your husband is dead.”
“What?” she is silent for a while. She remembers Samuel, Eniola and Lucy. “My children would no longer have a father? I trust that one day he will come back home like the prodigal son did.” She begins to weep.
Immediately she calls her mom, Mrs Beatrice who has been her confidant and strength all through the challenging times in her marriage. Her dad also took off along with her mother from the village to come mourn with their daughter.
Three days after Bolu received the ten million cash transfer from Stanley he was found cold dead in his room all by himself. The police through a hint from Bolu’s lawyer get Stanley as the prime suspect; and they had some evidences against him.
Why would Stanley want Susan by all means and to warrant the killing of Bolu?
Watch out for the next part
