Lola stepped right in front of the full length mirror. A satisfied smile worked itself over her made-up face. She loved the way she looked, stunning like she had always appeared. The deep orange pair of Givenchy pointed heels added to her height. The black pencil skirt moulded her hips ending just above her knees. It accentuated the curve of her hips making her slim waist obvious. A sleeveless black peplum top with deep orange underneath showed off the structural shoulders she was blessed with. Her hair was tied at the nape of her neck with just a simple black ribbon. Dangling from her ears were a pair of sparkling gems she found in her jewellery closet. A simple bracelet adorned the slim wrist with a side bag held to her side.

"Just perfect" she praised her image.

Before she left the room, she did not forget one thing. She did not forget to removed her wedding ring and keep it in the drawer where Joshua keeps his watches. She does not need the nonsense. He could sell it. It actually cost much. The money should help him pay his debts.

She had always been stunning. She does not have to be told that. Men had fallen for the irresistible look. She liked it but loved it more since Joshua was also enthralled by the way she looked when she got down the staircase. She swept past him, giving him a disdainful look over her shoulder. When she opened the door, she saw a woman standing at the entrance, her hands closed in a fist as if she was about to knock the door.

"Oh my God!" The woman squealed, her breath seizing. "Lola Kola-Daisi? This is unbelievable" She shrieked, hugging Lola. "It's nice to meet you"

"Oh God! Will you please take your filthy hands off me?" Lola, flabbergasted, pushed the lady away. "What's wrong with you?"

"I have been dying to meet you? You are prettier in person" The woman hopped on her feet, her eyes vibrant.

"Hey look here" Lola snapped a finger, her face contoured with repulsion. "Don't ever..."

"Good morning" Joshua greeted from behind halting her rude words.

"Good morning" Sandra greeted, still giddy. "How are you?"

"Fine" He returned her smile.

"I see your guys just moved in yesterday. I am Sandra" she held out her hand which Joshua shook. "Who are you?"

"Her husband"

"What?" Sandra screeched. "You are married? When? How?"

"Please, come inside" He offered with a charming smile. Lola rolled her eyes then went back inside.

They found Lola seated on the armchair, scrolling through her phone.

"When did you guys get married? There's nothing about it online. How did you do it? This is the biggest news of the century" Alarms went off in Lola's head. She hops the lady will not go and give the news to some blogger for big money.

"Actually we...." Joshua started.

Sandra cooed. "You guys are a beautiful couple. I actually stay here with my husband, Lanre. He's a banker so he has already left for work. We might be here to greet you. We got married about six months back"

"No one asked you" Came Lola's reply as she kept her phone away.

"What?"

"I said...."

"You guys have been married for a while. That's nice" Joshua cut in.

"Yes, we live in the first flat on this line. The guy in between is AY. I will not tell you about him but I will expect you to notice some things about him. Opposite you are some girls. About six of them" Lola wondered how six of them stay in a three bedroom flat. "They are oloshos" Sandra whispered with a sick look. "Mummy Purity is next to them" Lola rubbed her temple. She was already having a headache because of the lady's rant. "She and those girls give enough drama in the house. They fight almost every day and the last one, those opposite my house, are another family. A man, his wife and two adorable daughters. They....."

"Do you know you are actually delaying us?" Lola spoke. "We have somewhere to be. If you are jobless, you need to know everyone isn't"

Sandra's cheeks flushed due to embarrassment. "I am so sorry. I am just here to greet you guys and welcome you here"

"Now that you have done that, take your leave" Her proud eyes stayed on Sandra's face. The woman fidgeted under her gaze.

"I am here to invite you guys for dinner. I will be happy to see you guys"

"We are not interested. Leave now!"

"It's just...."

"We will try to make it. We are not promising but we will try" Joshua spoke again.

Sandra got up, ready to take her leave. Joshua did the same thing. "I will be glad, Mr?"

"Just call me Joshua or Josh"

"Okay"

"Thanks for visiting"

"It's my pleasure"

When they stepped out, the sonorous voice of a woman vibrated through the compound. They stepped out into the new day. There were more cars parked in the massive compound that she felt there was barely space for people to walk through. Lola noticed. There was a chubby woman with two kids next to her.

"Halimah!" The chubby woman, screamed at the top of her voice. "Come and move your car o! You this girl, it's too early for trouble"

A girl, thick and almost white in complexion came out. She wore bum short and a camisole. Her breasts danced in the camisole. "What's wrong with you?"

"Halimah, you have started again. You know I will drop my children at school this morning yet you parked your car behind mine. When you know you will not leave early, you should have parked it in that free space" The woman pointed at a free space.

"That space was not free last night. A car was parked there"

"You this olosho, if....."

"Don't even start that nonsense" Halimah cut in. "How dare you call me olosho?"

"Are you not one? Are you not? Sleeping around with married men and rich men? What are you? You are olosho! A prostitute!"

"Mummy Purity, you have started and I will show you what I am made of this morning"

"What a nuisance?" Lola murmured under her breath before entering the car. What sort of neighbours does she have? This place is like a barrack!

Lola had to meet her mother. She will visit her home after her outing with Haseenah. She has a shoot at the studio. A magazine wanted to have an interview with her and she was to grace the cover of that magazine. She had told Sukanmi to get her some new clothes for the shoots from one of her favourite stores in Lagos, Modan Luxury, a perfect place to shop for someone of her kind. There was a shoot for some jewellery line and some few works here and there but she will leave by twelve to meet Haseenah.

Joshua focused his eyes on the road while his ears picked every conversation Lola had on phone. She was making an appointment with some person. The drive was silent after her call. While he rode as if he was her driver, she pressed her phone and chatted away until her studio came into view. She had nothing to say to him when she proceeded to get down.

"I hope I get a reply soon" he said before she left. Deaf ears met his words.

Sukanmi informed his boss Lolu was around. She smiled remembering she had texted him in the morning that she needs to see him.

"How is the new bride doing?" Lolu asked when she walked into her office. He knows about her marriage. The curtains had been pulled apart. The bright beams of the morning sun entered with ease. Lolu stood by the window looking out at the city he had grown to cherish.

"Miserable" she murmured threading to him "Good morning" she said wrapping her arms around him.

"Morning" he gave her a soft smile. "You called to see me" he said after they pulled away.

"Yes because I want to talk to you"

Lolu skimmed his eyes to her ring finger. There was no ring in it. Where was her ring? His chest tightened like someone held his heart together with a rope. On Saturday, he had watched her announce with tears in her eyes her marriage to Joshua while his heart shatter into million unfixable pieces. Due to rage, he had broken his piano at home causing him to resent himself. For the first time, he considered himself a coward. He was a coward for not knowing how to show his feelings or say them out, for making her believe she was just a friend.

"Where is your wedding ring?" Lolu asked.

"At home" she answered nonchalantly getting a seat for herself

"Why did you remove it?" He sat down on the armchair opposite her.

"Because it reminds me of how miserable I am" she sat up, straightening her spine. "Lolu" she blew out air from her painted lips, glided her flawless finger over her face. "I don't like him. I don't love Josh. I feel nothing towards him. I don't know what to do. I tried to avoid marriage or commitment and I ended up in it. I am trapped. We are strangers and I just dislike him"

"You accepted him without pressure from anyone. It still baffles me why you agreed to marry him. Lola, is there something you are not telling me?"

"No. There's nothing"

"Then why did you agree to marry him? You don't even like him. You despise him" She said nothing, He sighed and continued. "You have no choice Lola but to give this guy a chance" Lolu surprised himself with the words that came out of his lips. Lola lashes fluttered up to look at him as he took the wind out of her sails. "He seem nice and not the type to put your fear to life. Life is full of risk. We take risk in everything even in the decisions we thought were right"

"You are telling me to" her breathing came out faster. Her heart constricted. "Give him a chance which is like putting my life and heart on the line"

A smile ignited on Lolu's innocent face. He stood up and met her.

"You are the one in it. It is your life" He sat on the arm of the chair. "It is you who will live in it for years. I am sure you won't want to continue this way. One day, you will get tired of the entire scenario and just give in. I can't promise he is the best but he should give you the best out of it"

"I am speechless"

"I know friend" he rubbed her shoulder. "But you will survive it. With God, it will get better. Just have fate in Him. I will take my leave" he said and turned to leave.

When he got to the door, Lola said "I am giving him a divorce paper. I am divorcing him today"

He froze. "What?" he spun around.

"It's what I am going to do, Lolu. I can't keep leaving in hell when there is bliss out there"

"You are not going to do that, Lola" he twirled around and took long steps to her.

"I am" she held his eyes giving him the chance to see she meant it and felt so miserable with everything happening at the moment. "I will and no one is going to stop me"

Lolu exhaled. "Do you know the repercussion of what you are doing? Joshua won't suffer a bit of it. You would"

"Lolu" she called walking to him. His eyes were full of worry which touched her heart. She rested a hand on his tensed shoulder. "You have nothing to worry about. I will be fine"

"No, Lola" he grabbed her shoulders. "You have no idea what you are doing. You are in a country where divorce is frowned upon. Do you know the things you would go through?"

"The world is changing. People should learn how to mind their business and stop sticking their nose into other people's life"

"What about your parents? Your family?"

"They will be fine. Just leave this to me. At least, maybe my mother will finally look at me"

He looked into her eyes. His wavering with concern. Lola's smiled, allowing his heart to judder in his chest. He felt his feelings pushing forward so he took his hands off her. Saliva could hardly go down his throat as his body hummed with emotions for the woman before him. He looked away then back at her.

"OK" he said. "I will leave. Take care hm?" he gave her a brief side hug then left.

As he walked away, he looked back. What was he doing by saying that? Was he giving her up for him? Was he giving up on the love he hoped to have? What is wrong with him? He headed out.

Just as he closed the door behind him, her phone rang. She glanced at the item and smiled before picking it up.

"Hello boo boo" she smiled into the phone.

"Lola!" Toke's sharp voice came. In a jiffy, Lola's smile shrunk. "What the hell is this everywhere?"

"What?" she frowned, adjusting in her seat.

"You went to the club yesterday?"

"Yes I did and what's the big deal in that. It is not like I robbed"

"This is so ignorant of you. The internet is going wild because of it. Gossip bloggers are posting your Snapchat video where you danced with that guy. You gave that guy a lap dance! A lap dance, Lola! Do you have any sense at all? Why will you do that for God's sake? You are married!"

"Toke" she shut her eyes trying to calm her nerves as anger found its way through her system. "I do not need to be reminded I am married. It is not like Joshua has an issue with that. And the bloggers and those gossip magazines and pages on Instagram are just doing what they are good at in order to make money. Why do we have to bother?"

"You are taking this so lightly. Don't you get it? You are married! That guy grabbed your bum and squeezed it" There was disbelieve in Toke's voice as if she was too shocked that her younger sister did that.

"I know!" she shouted. "I know I am married before I danced with that guy! I know I am married before I posted that picture! Will you all stop reminding me of that? Why don't you all understand? I do not want this thing called marriage. I have barely been married for a week and everyone expects me to be completely faithful and loyal to that idiot called a husband. Joshua could go to hell. I don't give a fuck! You can all say what you want! Just let me be!"

"Then why did you agree to marry him?" Toke shouted back. "No one forced you! You accepted the proposal. Stop making it sound like....." Lola ended the call and slammed the phone against pile of file.

Her breathing was heavy, chest rising and falling. Water gushed into her eyes. She held them back. She won't cry. They won't make her cry. A call came in from the reception. The receptionist told her the magazine were there to interview her. She got ready, put away her feeble and angry look and masked it with her confident proud one then headed out. It took a while for the shoot and interview to end. A question she expected had been asked. It was about the club and the video. I have nothing to say was her reply. It was few minutes to one when it ended. She was late for her appointment with Haseenah.

Haseenah Gerda, daughter to Usman Gerda, the Governor of Zamfara State, Nigeria. She was married to Ahmad Danlami, successor of Danlami Incorporation, one of Nigerian's moneybag business. They were into food production, textile production, constructions, and real estate business. Danlami Incorporation headquarters was located in Lagos, a reason why the couple moved to Lagos after their marriage.

"How have you been?" Haseenah asked as Lola sat in front of her.

"Good" she lied with her happy expression. "Wonderful and just the way you left me"

"I was worried. We are all worried you just grew distant"

"I did not mean to. I have family issues I am dealing with and I was enjoying my time with Ahmad"

Lola cooed noticing Haseenah's flushed cheeks. "It's been three years since you got married. Don't you think you should start having kids now" she teased.

Haseenah gave a nervous laugh. "We are trying"

"I hope to hear good news soon. I pray you get the best in it"

"Ameen"

They had a chat together. Haseenah had to leave because she needed to get home before Ahmad arrives. If Ahmad finds out she had left home, she will be in a trouble. It was just few minutes past three when they departed. Lola called her mother. Her mother picked after few rings.

"Mommy, I will be coming home"

"Lola!" Cynthia exclaimed that it shocked her. "So soon. You are tired of the marriage and coming home? Did something happen? You can't give up just like that! Marriage is not something you opt out from like clothes! It was your choice to marry him. So why are you leaving?"

Lola could hardly believe the sarcasm dripping from her mother's voice. Is she still angry at her? "Mommy, I am not coming home to stay again. Well, not for now. I want to see you. I want to discuss something with you" Cynthia exhaled hard on the other end.

"When are you coming?"

"Now. I am leaving R.S.V.P. I had an appointment there"

"Alright, I will be expecting you"

"And I will be taking my car back home"

Lola arrived home after calling for a taxi on Uber. Her mother was ready for her arrival. In the garden, a table was set with drinks and snacks in the gazebo. Her siblings were yet to return from school. Tenny and Kenny were out for a ride on water in their father's yacht. They planned a little party on it and had invited few friends over. Cynthia had still given her daughter the cold treatment.

Lola breathe out before saying, "I am sorry"

"You did not do anything wrong?"

"Mommy, I know you are angry"

"About what? I am happy with you" She feigned ignorance.

"Mommy please stop!" She voiced out unable to take it anymore. "Stop this!" She rose to her feet. "Do you think I like the fact I am married to Joshua? Do you think I am happy? I had no choice. I had to just marry him"

"What choice did you not have, Aralola?" Cynthia shouted back. "I am asking you a question. What choice did you not have? What are you hiding from me? It still baffles me you agreed to marry that good for nothing"

"Mommy, please" She took her mother's hand sniffing. "Trust me. I beg you to just trust me. I know what I doing"

Cynthia said nothing. She just stared at her daughter who pled silently with her eyes. Cynthia blew air from her lips then removed her hands from her daughter's hold.

"Why do you want to see me?" Cynthia asked after they sat down.

Lola willed her sadness to surface. The hollowness began, sinking deep into her heart. Tears brimmed her eyes before she held her mother's hand for comfort.

"He asked for a chance" she whispered, her voice broken from the water that pooled in her eyes.

"And?"

"I told him I am not giving him one"

"Lola" Cynthia placed a hand over her daughter's one.

"Mummy" a tear rolled down. "I feel dejected and sad"

"I know dear. I wish I understand how you feel"

"I am married mommy. My worst nightmare" Lola cried.

"We don't know why fate has done this, Lola. We do not know why your destiny is knotted with this stranger's one"

"We barely talk. OK" she sniffled. "I barely talk to him" She admitted. "I dislike him. I find it hard to create likeness for him because I feel he is the reason behind everything. If he had not appeared in my life then nothing of such will not have happen"

"I thought about you Lola" Cynthia wiped her daughter's tear stained face. "I thought about how you will cope with a stranger" her mother's eyes met hers. "You said he asked you for a chance" Lola nodded. "Give him a chance" a soft smile formed over Cynthia's face. Lola's eyes grew wide. Her mother nodded.

"Mommy even you? It is not easy after marrying him"

"Yes dear. Who are we to change fate or what has been planned by God? We do not know why this has happened. I understand you Lola. You are scared, scared your marriage shall end up like mine but I prayed to God to not give you a husband like mine nor a marriage like mine. You are scared of heartbreak. You don't want to be broken by a man again. You are scared to give in because he might end up like that one. You are scared that after giving everything, what you would give him won't still be enough. You are scared of change"

"How much do you know me?" Cynthia laughed at her daughter's naïve question.

"I am your mother. My marriage to your father had not been entirely his fault. When there is a problem, one person is not to be blamed. Both parties are to be blamed. I don't know where I had gone wrong but I had also done wrong. Your father cheating on me was the least I expected. It was worse when I found out he has a family somewhere else. Do you know how it feels Lola? It feels like I would die. It hurt deep inside. I felt betrayed and a broken heart was worse. I was torn from within. He has a secret family which your grandmother knew about. How come I was not suspicious about it?"

"But mommy, Joshua is a stranger. I barely know him. He is not even rich"

"Money is not everything Lola and the guy is not poor. If money was everything then it would buy us complete happiness. Maybe it would have bought us everything we wanted from peace of mind to a perfect life" she paused. "Give the poor guy a chance"

"I should take the risk?"

"What is life without risk? Life has always been a risk"

At the moment, her mother made her decision about the divorce waver. Should she really take the risk? She was not ready for that.

"You don't like him"

"I don't" Cynthia admitted

"Mommy" her shoulders shook.

"Your husband can't be perfect. No one is. No relationship is perfect. It takes two imperfect persons to make the right relationship. He will have his flaws. You both have to accept one another's flaws. You will both fail and make mistakes. You learn from them. It is not an easy journey but you have to go through it. Accept him. It is the only way you can get peace of mind"

"It is very hard to do mommy. I don't even know what to do again"

"Just relax and think. The decision is yours to make. The ball is in your court"

"Mommy" she cried out hugging her mother. "I am scared"

"I know baby" her mother rubbed her back.

"I am scared of commitment. I will give too much"

"You are also scared of falling for him" they pulled away. Cynthia cupped her daughter's face in her hand. "You know spending more time with him will make you like him and end up falling for him and you do not want that to happen so you blocked everything with hate for him. Did you hide your drugs from him?"

"Yes"

"Good, we can't take the risk of him knowing" Cynthia wiped her daughter's face with a handkerchief on the table in between them. "But you and I know we can't hide it for long. He will find out everything you are hiding one day" Lola heart propelled with fear.

"Stop scaring me mommy"

"It is the truth. Where is your wedding ring?" Cynthia caressed the ring finger.

Lola looked down at her hand "I removed it before I left home"

"There is something called respect. Respect is not just for the elderly. You give respect to everyone around you including those younger than you"

"So me removing my ring is a form of disrespect"

"Yes, to him, to your marriage. I used to wear mine with pride. Now, it is just for a show" Cynthia paused. She reached for the iPad on the table in between them. Her secretary had brought something to her table this morning which baffled her. Lola needs to learn so many things. "Here" she placed the iPad in her daughter's hand. Cynthia had not missed the scoff that marred Lola face at the sight of what was in the iPad.

"I have seen it"

"Of course you would"

"Some of my followers on Instagram are blasting me because of that. What's the big deal in that mommy?" she frowned, anger seizing every part of her.

Cynthia smiled, her eyes soft. Lola has a lot to learn. Her daughter is twenty four but was still yet to learn many things. The cool demeanour from Cynthia was the least of everything Lola expected. She had expected her mother to flip just the way her grandfather had flipped when he called her on her way to meet her mother. Cynthia shifted closer.

"Aralola, there is a big deal in this. Do you know the meaning of what you had done?"

"It was for fun mommy. Nothing more!"

"Of course it was! But you have embarrassed Joshua"

"That's what he deserves"

"Shut up!" Her mother yelled in a very low voice. "What do you know? This is a form of disrespect to him. I am sure he won't like this"

"It is a scandal that many would forget soon"

There was no remorse in Lola's voice or expression. Cynthia knew she had a lot to teach Lola. How much does her daughter hate this man?

"But it is something your husband won't be proud of. No man would be. Do you know this is a form of cheating?"

"Cheating?" Lola moved away, her jaw slacked. "Cheating ke? The guy no romance me. How come this one be cheating? (The guy did not make out with me. How is this called cheating?)"

"You might not like him but please, please Apeke, accord Joshua some respect. Even though there would be nothing between you two as husband and wife for the time being, just be loyal"

"I did not do anything wrong mommy. You don't even like him and you are begging for him"

"hut up! So you won't admit your mistake. Put yourself in Joshua shoes. If he goes to the club and you find a video of him dancing with a woman and doing this way with her, what will you do?"

"Nothing?" Lola shrugged nonchalantly. "I won't even feel a thing. It is not like there is anything between us"

Cynthia laughed out at her daughter's naïve answer. "So good at lying. Tell me you had not cringed inwardly"

"I did not" Lola pouted looking down at her hand.

"Alright, let's put this aside"

There was a moment of silence before Lola said "Your marriage to daddy scares the hell out of me. I did not witness the rest because I left Nigeria but everyone told me it got worse that he stopped coming home and you began to act like you have gone mad"

"I went mad" Cynthia chuckled "But I ended up realising I can't kill myself because of him. He will continue to live and my children, what will be their fate? Miracle will be leaving for Baltimore anytime soon" water brimmed Cynthia's eyes.

"Mommy" Lola held her mother's hands.

"I will miss him like I missed you when you were away" she rested a hand on Lola's cheek.

"You will talk to him. Crying won't solve a thing"

"My mother heart makes me a water work mess all the time" she chuckled.

"I am happy for having a mother like you. For a woman who has a very busy job, for a rich woman like you, who still created time for her children. Only few busy mothers will create time for their children"

"I grew up in a home where my parents barely had my time. It was just money, money and money and I know the effect that had on me at one point. They kept chasing the money so I made a vow to myself, I shall never be like them. Irrespective of what kind of busy life I will have, I will always be there for my children. I love all my children. You are the ones who kept me going"

"We love you too"

A mother and child's bond had always been the strongest. Lola had not believed until she felt hers and her mother's bond. Every time, the woman settles in her heart and thoughts. She might not have lived with her all her life but she had always had her heart. Her mother was her true love, her only love, her first love.

-----

Leke came home because he had a big fight with Anita. He's been home for two days and they barely speak to one another. They slept on the same bed with very great distance between them until the night before when he touched her the way a man touches a woman. She obliged for reasons she does not one. Once they had pulled apart, the known silence and coldness dawned over them once again.

His family gatherings were a thing she despised with all her heart. She started to hate it when she found out Anita had given birth for him. Since her mother in law had no iota of liking for her, Anita had become a regular guest at such events. She's treated more like a wife than a mistress and she, the woman who's legally Leke's is treated like piece of garbage mostly thrown aside during such events. Some guests sent pitiful glances to her side while some were there to remind her of her ill fate in rude and sarcastic words.

"I will like to say something to you" Leke said as he pulled her aside. He leaned into whisper in her ear "I will like it if you can behave yourself tonight and not try to cause any drama with Anita. She's pregnant and her condition is delicate at the moment"

"How about you say that to your mistress?"

"You are mostly the problem" The words jabbed at her heart like a knife that it nearly had her choking.

She hid the painful expression behind cold fiery gaze. She swallowed. "I think you need to lift the veil over your eyes then.....

"Leke" A voice called across the hallway halting her words halfway. They both swirled to it. Anita stood few feet away from them, a hand on her slight baby bump. She used to be a slender woman but motherhood had made her thick. Anita had grown thicker due to pregnancy.

"At least her thickness is a sign of motherhood" someone had said to Aunty Dammy's face few months back at this same kind of gathering. "Anyone who sees you will think you are fit without knowing it's barrenness that cause you to look as slender as you have been since you got married. The difference is you look older" The lady had not meant for those words to come out that way. She was trying to state facts but it turned out to be sensitive words. Some people speak without thinking about how much effect words can have on people. Aunty Dammy remembered crying herself to sleep that night when she got home.

As Anita approached them, Aunty Dammy looked back at her husband before walking away. She was halfway to the back where the party was taking place when a voice yell "Dammy"

Aunty Dammy stopped, her hold on her clutch tighter before she turned around. She was not ready to speak to the woman who's approaching her. "Hey, Yemi. How are you?" She greeted, the edges of her lips twisted up into a false smile.

"Fine. I did not know you will come. I thought after what happened at the last gathering, you will be too embarrassed to show your face" Yemi smiled, her eyes running through Aunty Dammy.

"That's in the past and it's gone" Aunty Dammy threw a dismissive hand.

"Look at you" She gasped. "You look beautiful as always" Yemi touched the silky material of Aunty Dammy's dress. "How can you dress to kill when Anita is pregnant again?"

"Excuse me?" Aunty Dammy blinked twice at the spoken words.

"It's because of the way you slay that's why you cannot give birth. If you dress up less, you will find time to look for solution to your childlessness. It would be obvious on you if you are seriously finding solutions to your inability to get pregnant. You will eat less, dress less and have your worries written on your face. It is then people will know how much your childlessness is beating you but like this" She eyed Aunty Dammy from her sleek expensive hair to her Givenchy heels. "I doubt if it is"

What does her inability to get pregnant have to do with her dressing? She does not have to wear her worry on her face like makeup to let everyone know what she's going through. Nobody know how many sleepless night she got. They don't know how she cried, how she had gone to the hospital many times and how she had to even go the spiritual way.

The last pastor she went to meet had wanted to sleep with her. He was the man Tanwa recommended on Mainland. The pastor had told her she was to spend the night at his church because there are prayers to be done in the middle of the night. The church was shabby, made of wood and rusted zinc but she was ready to do anything just to conceive. In the middle of the night, when she was praying the man had come to her. He told her the Holy Spirit had sent him to sleep with her. God! She had gone mad. She had hit him as she ranted curses on him. Even though she's to sleep with another man, why will it be a dirty white garment church pastor? She left that night and gave up on searching for a child.

"I am speechless"

"Don't be speechless dear. I am just advising you. Enough of us hearing the good news from Anita alone. Let's hear it from you" She pats Aunty Dammy's back then left.

The society will always talk and complain. It's what will always happen. They do not want to know what pain you are going through. What they care about it when you will drop a child from your womb to prove you are a woman. She once had a fight with another woman who had called her a man because it's only a man that cannot get pregnant. She never knew that people will always watch whether your stomach is growing big or not until she got married. Any slight illness must be pregnancy for them. If she complained of headache, the next question will be, are you pregnant? She exhaled hard before stepping into the garden.

It is worse when they blame your childlessness on everything you do. One of Leke's uncle had said to her face that he wondered what sort of life she lived in her youthful days. She might have done a lot of abortions just to never get pregnant again. She was angry like she had been at the woman who had said her slender body was due to childlessness. She had cried because she had no one to vent that anger on. Few years back, she would have told her husband who would have comforted her but at that time, she had no one to comfort her except Tanwa. There are times she was jealous of Tanwa because her friend is a mother of three teenagers. Tanwa's youngest child is thirteen, the eldest eighteen and the middle one sixteen. Those children have tried to keep her company. There are times they spent many weekends with her and make her feel less burdened about her inability to get pregnant but nothing feels like your own child.

Aunty Dammy had been so engrossed in her thinking that she was obvious to the woman coming her way. It was a painful cry that had her snapping out of her chain of contemplations. Anita stood in front of her, slightly bent, a hand on her stomach as painful cries left her lips.

Alarmed Aunty Dammy stepped closer. Worry laces her facial features. She rested a hand on a whining Anita. Anita slapped her hand away as she gasped out in pain. "I am sorry. Are you alright?" Anita might be her rival but she was not heartless enough to leave a pregnant woman moaning in pain.

It seemed the raw shriek had not gone unnoticed by the guests because many people had their eyes on them. "I am so sorry, Anita. What's wrong?" Worry laced her voice.

"What's happening here?" Leke's authoritative voice demanded. His eyes wavered between the two women before he rushed to his distressed mistress. "Anita, are you alright?" He settles a hand on her back as he held her to his body. Aunty Dammy was yet to understand what was happening. She had done nothing wrong. The woman's acting.

"My stomach" Anita managed through gritted teeth. Her agonising eyes glanced at Aunty Dammy then Leke.

"What have you done?" Her husband barked at her then rushed to help Anita into a seat. Anita won't stop moaning in pain.

"She hit my stomach" She gripped Leke's hand.

"I did not do that"

Anita lifted her teary eyes at her rival. Aunty Dammy saw the spite and she wondered why it was there. Throughout the time she knew about Anita, she has never confronted her or try to fight her but the young woman whom she was seven years older than had always tried to find a chance to fight her. What was happening right now was one of her schemes.

A little crowd had formed around them. Some watched with the interest to know what was happening and others gave Aunty Dammy that blameful look.

"Baby, you will be fine" Leke whispered to Anita.

Aunty Dammy watched her husband. He bent down before Anita, her hand in his. She saw the softness and apprehension in his eyes. There was fear etched on his face. She could swear seeing Anita in pain weakened him. Realisation dawned on her. After five years, she confirmed something. Leke's in love with Anita. Her latest discovery squeezed her heart as if someone held it in between their hand to squash it. Every muscle melted like molten that she could take few steps back from shock but she pulled herself together. For how long has he loved the woman? For how long has she been blind to the truth?

"I knew your coming here had a reason" She heard her mother in law's voice. She spun gently to the woman who stood few feet away from her. Her thin lips were pressed into a firm line, her eyes held that usual hate for her daughter in law.

Aunty Dammy wanted to say something. She wanted to defend herself but she knew it was going to be useless. They won't listen to her. They will only believe what their eyes had seen. She granted Anita a scorching look before walking away. Leke followed her.

He called after her but she refused to stop. When he reached her, he spun her around. She met his angry face. Anger boiled deep in his system as hot as lava. It etched on every feature on his face. His mouth trembled. His eyes burned. They were wide. His nose twitched and cheeks were flushed.

The pressure of the storming briny of fury had him saying "Just because you can't have kids does not mean you have to cause another woman miscarriage" He gripped her arm tighter.

She yanked her hand away. She was breaking into pieces one after another yet she held unto the little strength that kept her together before she breaks down. "When you do not have an idea about what happened? It's best you keep shut!" She hissed at Leke's face then proceeded to leave but he held her.

"Will you wait? I am not done talking to you"

"Leave me alone!" she snatched her hand away. She can't believe she loves the man before her. The sight of him rose bile to her throat.

"There are many things I have turned blind eyes to"

"I am not going to defend myself but I will say this. Open your eyes and don't be blind because she has kids for you"

"You just acted like the barren you are. You just showed how heartless you can be. I hope this jealousy won't be the end of you" He said with so much spite potent his voice as bitter as poison as he released her arm.

When he turned around, a tear rolled down her cheek. The way his words had pierced her heart like a hot knife had water gushing to the brim of her eyes faster than the speed of lightening. She had not been able to hold it back. She felt his words bite deep into her soul, tearing her apart. She will never forget the way he had spat out those words with nastiness. The acidity in his voice as he threw those words at her had burnt her. Another tear followed. She felt herself breaking, crumbling apart. How more does life want to be cruel to her?

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