I found it difficult to sleep after the dream so I decided to work out in my own funny way.
I started walking all around the house and by the time I was exhausted it was 2:25 am.
I decided I had earned my self a snack so I strutted to the kitchen and treated myself to a cookie and juice. I already knew that it wouldn't go well with my stomach much later but I didn't care. I was hungry and I needed to be satisfied.

On stepping out of the kitchen, I noticed a figure behind the curtain. What was he doing there? I walked closer only to get brushed past by him. He headed to the door and tried to open it but failed.

"Charles! Charles! " he didn't answer
What was wrong with him?

He stepped back from the door and headed to the room. I followed behind him wondering if my husband had been possessed.
I still had my cookie and juice clutched by my side but whatever Charles was up to kept them out of my mouth.

He walked into the room, removed his pajamas and stepped into the bathroom.
I followed closely thinking that maybe this was a stunt he was pulling to get sex. Couldn't he have just asked for it?

He sat in the bath tub, finally he decided to lie down in there.
I waited for him to scream or tell me how I had been pranked but Charles was genuinely sleeping.

It was 3am and he was still there sleeping. I walked into the bathroom and noticed that he was now in a crumpled position probably because it was too cold.

It was then that I noticed the running water, did he turn on the tub tap?
"Charles! Okay, this has gone beyond a prank, get up"but he still wouldn't move

The water was gradually reaching his head and he was still in that position. I quickly stepped into the tub and raised his head. I tried pulling his huge frame up but failed miserably.
I slipped and almost hit my head on the tub but somehow I managed to be on my two feet.

Hun, why are we in the tub? It's cold here. Let's take the love making to the bed shall we? " he said sleepily.

He gently lifted me and placed me on the bed. I was more confused than ever, what in the world just happened?

Charles, what kind of prank was that? " I questioned still disturbed

What prank? " he replied as his fingers started trailing up to my thighs

Were you trying to get yourself killed? "
Me?, I saved you from falling. Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? "

My breathing hitched a bit as his hands reached my stomach. what kind of game was he playing. I quickly held his hand and sat up. He lay just staring at me.
Whatever game my husband was playing I was ready for that and more.

"Listen you're the one who is naked and I'm not, which means I have an advantage over you. So we are going to do this the easy way or the hard way. What the heck was that you did few minutes ago? "
He only smiled and raised his hand to caress my body. I sat on top of him making sure that his hands were above his head. They needed to be still for me to get my answer.

" Why are you punishing me? I have no idea what you're talking about "

"Charles I am, serious you scared me"
He some how over powered me and I was beneath with my hands above my head.
"I am stronger hun, don't forget that "
He started tickling me with his fingers. Circling my tummy, trailing down to my thighs. This was keeping me very much distracted.

"You need to tell me.... Mmmm"I was cut off by his lips on mine so I just gave in. He would still have to explain himself but that would be after layer three of the onion was off.

Four hours later i was still trying to process what happened with my husband as he prepared for work. "That wasn't a prank, was it? "
He turned to face me and nodded.
Is that why the key to the doors stay in christy's room? "

He also nodded
At first I hadn't thought about it, but somehow I found it strange that all the keys in the house were stocked in christy's room and she always locked her doors.

"When were you going to tell me Charles? "

"Technically I've told you before, you just ummm forgot"

My God!!! Charles you sleep walk, how is that even possible? Does Christy do the same? "

No she doesn't and I'm glad she didn't get that or anything related to it from me"

"You were in that tub with the water turned on, how often does this happen? Why keep it from me? "

" The doctor said we should not in anyway cause you trauma by revealing things you can't handle "

"Charles things I can't handle, what if I wasn't awake? What if you didn't wake up in that tub, do you know what could have happened "

Hun I'm fine now, okay don't stress your self "

"We'll talk about this later, we're not done charles"
I left the room to prepare breakfast for everyone only to find mother already preparing food.

Christian had gone out earlier mother said he went to settle a business, which was the reason he came into town.
"So you were quite busy in the morning with charles nnem"

"Good morning to you too mom, please don't bring it up. It's one of the conversations that I can't ever discuss with you "

Mother was only amused and kept teasing me.
"Next time don't be too loud, charles!! Stop!! God!! "

This time I was soo embarrassed that I buried my face in my palms.
"I didn't know you could hear us, mother please don't ever mimic me in that way again. It's too disturbing "

"You know I'm happy, that this memory issue is not a problem to you, those wicked people in the village thought they could ruin my poor child's head"

I was amused by what she was saying, she claims the accident was as a result of the juju they had been cooking up for her.
If only she knew that her daughter was the cause of her accident, which brought me back to Esther. I was definitely going to see Mr Ajayi today.

Two hours later mother had gone to visit an old friend of hers while Christy had gone to school.
Charles was already at work and I decided to join the herd and leave the house.

On getting to Mr Ajayi's office after I had booked an appointment two hours earlier. I was surprised to see him dressed in a very strange way.

He was putting on a very large, oversized trousers with a T shirt as large as the door frame.
I found it so funny but I tried not to speak about it. What had happened to his suits?

You are quite free to laugh Mrs Victoria, my wife has insisted on outfits like this ever since I told her about the seduction attempt. Apparently looking civil is also tempting"

I didn't know when I let out the laughter I had been holding in.

"Mr ajayi you look like a flag, except you're the pole in the middle. This look suits you , very unattractive not tempting  " Mr Ajayi was quite handsome for his age but women going after a married man was just outrageous. His clients were mostly female, I wonder how his wife copes with that.

" I see, thank you for the compliment. My dear wife will be pleased that I was called unattractive today ... so mrs Victoria how much development have me made so far"

Well.. " I started while he scribbled down things.
I cleared my throat not knowing a suitable way to tell him about my intimacy with my husband.

"We uh, we ummm, Charles and I"

He only moved to the next question " I see, you peeled the onion. Mrs Victoria do you still doubt your husband now that you've become intimate with him? "

"Maybe, yes I mean he still keeps things from me"
This morning I found out that he sleep walks, but that's not why I'm here "

"Why exactly are you here Mrs Victoria? "

" First you need to drop this mrs Victoria title, it is just too formal. I'd like to think we are past that.
Second I remembered someone else, i dreamt about the accident. The gunshot was intended for Esther "

Esther? " he questioned "did you save this Esther, was that how you shot yourself"

"Yes, that's her name. She's one of the ladies I told you about, but I found out that we were close. Those women were real, very real. But on the contrary the gun was pointed at her, I wanted to shoot her, I just ended up shooting myself for reasons I still don't know. I sounded betrayed in the dream, I feel Esther is the key to unravelling many mysteries about my past"

"So where is this Esther?Victoria"

"That is what I intend to find out, maybe she can help me find the other ladies, I just have one fear"

And what would that be Victoria? "

"I feel as if I'm conflicted, I do not know if my past is what I want or need. My daughter told me she likes the new me and it makes me sad. How had the old me been? Was i bad? Maybe evil? Do I really need to ruin this beautiful chance at living with my past? "

"Victoria most problems we face as humans is that conflict, wants or needs. Sometimes we choose our wants over our needs and it doesn't end well, Other times it does. But one thing I know is that fulfillment comes from satisfying needs not wants. are we humans not insatiable?
My wife wants the seductive ladies to stay far away, but all she needs is a faithful husband "

" So you're saying I should figure out if my past is a want or need" I asked puzzled

Precisely "

I rose to leave and while I was almost out of the office, I was halted by his voice.

"Sometimes we do need our past, to navigate through the present and face the future Victoria "

I left his office with a new puzzle to unravel "want or need"

******'*****************************

A/N :This is a long chapter I know 😩😩but I couldn't sleep so I put it to use.

What do you think? Is seeking victoria's past a want or need?