As embarrassing as it is to admit, we ladies often know what we want, even if we know its not going to be ours forever, the time being will suffice with memories. But we usually get what we want.
My name is Linda, from Delta state, I am 25 years old with a small stature that makes me look 20. I had my eyes on a man of 32 who apparently was hooked but I still had my share of the pie *winks* so I’ll love to share this story.
Collins is a tall broad urhobo boy with a well chiselled face, muscular shoulders and impeccable dress sense. He shuts the whole street down whenever he comes out for a stroll or for an outing. He leaves every young girl peeping through their windows just to catch a glimpse of him. No one knew is age or his tabs except that he is a HUNK!
Being a fresh graduate who just concluded serving at that time, I had the upper hand in my estate so whenever I wear my NYSC khaki in my area, I usually don’t want to take it off until I am sure I have been noticed – by Collins.
I would parade his house a thousand times, I would go to the neighborhood mart a million times until one day my luck ticked. I ran into him at the mart. My game was turned on, my accent impeccable and my audibility level was clearer. I kept on engaging the mart attendant so my voice could be heard. We talked about the camp which gave me an opportunity to really talk in a loud voice about the ordeals of NYSC camp. Then:
Collins: ‘I’m glad you enjoyed the whole exercise, I’m sure our country is proud of you’, he chipped in with a deep rich voice that made me turn my head with a start. I swallowed, then smiled, ‘yeah, really fun, just the language barrier I was able to overcome through a friend’, I replied. Looking at him face to face was entirely different from admiring from afar. He had the best eyes I have ever seen in a man, facial wrinkles to let you know he has had his fair share of life, His shoulders were really broad and I didn’t know I was still smiling until he said, ‘fond memories I guess’, this jolted me back to reality and for a moment I was thankful that thoughts can’t be read from the face. I replied with a weak smile and tried to draw him into a conversation.
Moments later, we were walking to his car with our shopping bags laughing gleefully at a joke he cracked and I realized we had covered a lot of grounds, from fashion to politics to travel and tourism to economic issues. He definitely was as intelligent as he looked. The thin strip between strangers had fallen apart under 20 minutes and we were now talking like we really knew each other.
When we got outside, the looks I got from other girls in my neighborhood can’t be described. There were some with obvious shock written on their faces and some peering at us with wide eyes – at me especially. I know he was aware of this also because he told me he knows a lot of people have been trying to get his attention (I hid my guilt behind my smile and makeup). He continued, ‘But I will soon be married o, that’s why I don’t want to be too friendly with them so I don’t have any girls palava on my head’. I got the message as intended. LOL. Then I said, ‘I’m sure there will be a mature mind that can handle that, friends are beneficial to everyone’, I said with a smile. He gave me a long look that burned into my skin, leaving me wondering if I had said something wrong.
‘Let me drop you at your house on my way home, I cant leave you dragging your shopping bulk home all by yourself’, with this He took the bags from me and heaved them into the car. I gingerly entered beside him in the passenger seat, we had a little more small talks but couldn’t be more aware of the eyes peering inside his car to know who the lady with him was. When we pulled up at my house, the eyes were already probing. LOL!
We became close, saw more often and it started. Lunch, dinner, expensive restaurants I wouldn’t have been able to get into at that time. Hangouts that I know my struggling boyfriend couldn’t take me to, we spent nights together and under the ‘normal’ circumstances, he made love to me with an expertise that leaves me craving to keep him. I got to meet his friends who obviously knew who I was but I DIDN’T CARE, I needed the exposure jare. Slowly but deliberately the feelings built. I could tell he also enjoyed my company even though he always made it a point to discuss ‘HER’ with me, I always listened with no betrayal of emotions. Though at times I wished I could keep him, he is just too good to be true. The affair was one I couldn’t share with my best friend in the neghborhood because of the gossip and envy.
One fateful day, I was in his house when ‘SHE’ came unannounced. I heard the knock on the door, I was the one who opened it, when she saw me, the look on her face made me shiver and I didnt know when I said, ‘I am a neighbour, my father sent me to bro collins, I am so glad to finally meet you, I wish you both the best of the marital world’, I finished with a smile as I saw her expression softened. ‘awww, thanks so much dearie, I am really grateful’ and smiled back. I felt stupid.
I couldnt leave immediately to avoid suspicion, so I stayed around a while, looked at her well and realised “THE BABE PASS ME!!!”, I wasn’t sad, just jealous, ALOT! But happy for collins, she is pretty inside out, a lovely babe. To make matters worse that day, she needed to get sanitary towel, she innocently said, ‘could you please help me get the ladies handkerchief, I just started sweating and I dont want collins to know I forgot to bring mine, you know we ladies miss the date at times’, I just couldnt say no. I ended up going to about 3 marts that day to get the one she requested, when I got back, collins couldnt meet my gaze, he just mummured something and was going up and down trying to fix something here and there, I knew how he was feeling – uncomfortable.
I then asked to take my leave, she was all so charming and said, ‘you are such a darling, I would want you to be around for our wedding’, then she came over to me and puts her arms around me that dwarfed my already small body and said to collins, ‘hey baby, I’ve made a new friend today in your neighborhood, something you found dificult to do in 3 years’, then she laughed out. Collins and I joined the laugh with mock sincerity. I replied, ‘I’ll definitely be there to witness it’.
Then I left. I kicked myself all day but reminded myself that was the price to pay for the experience I have stored in my head.
I was there to witness the wedding. the good thing is .. we still see..I am still the wife’s little friend who the husband feels free to discuss marital issues with and I always seems to have a temporary solution. (winks)LOL.
