“I’m sorry to disturb you, I just need a place to cool my head off.” Jide said, sounding distraught.
Debola opened the door wide to allow him in.
“Have your seat. Let me get you a glass of water.”
Jide sunk into the couch in the living room and heaved out a deep sigh while Debola walked into the kitchen to fetch him the glass of water. After serving him, she sat in the chair opposite him and watched him gulp down the water.
“Jide, what’s wrong?”
Jide rested the back of his head on the sofa, to subdue his nerves from the plethora of thoughts running through his mind. How was he going to tell his elder sister that he had just walked in on his wife of 17 years with his best friend?
“Jide! Talk to me now.” Debola urged.
“Sister mi, it’s Bimpe.”
“Yes? What happened to Bimpe?”
“I have been suspecting it for a while now. Ah!” Jide said, shaking his leg in a new rush of overwhelming anger.
“Jide, stop putting me in suspense now. What’s wrong?”
“I caught Bimpe with Tunde. I went directly to his house from the airport to get some things from him before going home to surprise my wife but lo and behold!”
Debola couldn’t believe her ears. Throughout the years she had known Bimpe, she never had a reason to doubt her rectitude. Bimpe was a good wife and a very wonderful mother. She had also extended the same graciousness to the family members and was everyone’s favorite.
“Jide, calm down. Are you sure of what you are saying?”
Jide gave her a bewildered look. He rested his head back on the sofa, hurt beyond words and visibly angry. He had started suspecting when he wanted to make use of his wife’s phone, checked her Whatsapp messenger and saw that her chat with Tunde was empty. He had asked her about it she had given a flippant excuse, saying maybe one of the children mistakenly deleted it. He had begun to notice a change in her during one of his occasional visits home. Finding her in that compromising position with his best friend was disorientating. He had broken the closest piece he could lay his hands on and stormed out. Debola was his elder sister and his confidant, it felt safe coming to her place to get his mind together.
“I can’t believe Bimpe can do such a thing. What entered her?!” Debola grimaced.
Jide shook his head. As he was about to reply, his phone beeped. He checked it, it was a long apologetic message from Bimpe; explaining how she had been lonely, became weak and had fallen for Tunde’s persistent advances. She expressed her regrets and promised never to repeat such, begging him to come home. Jide passed the phone to his sister for her to read.
“Jide, I know you are hurt and angry now but you are going to have to forgive her. Bimpe is a good woman and I know you know that. Everyone makes mistakes. It must have been a really weak moment for her. You are hardly ever around! I’m not justifying what she did o but…” Debola said, after going through the message.
Jide thought about it. Bimpe had been a wonderful wife. In his previous bad times, she had stood by him like a solid rock. It was because of her strength and support that he was able to achieve professionally and personally. She was also a very good mother, she has brought up his two daughters beautifully and they are turning out to be extremely gracious ladies. They have been separated by geography because of his work and Bimpe has been alone for most times.
“A marriage needs work. They are not always perfect. You have to put in that work before you give up. Think about Fadeke and Funmi. I just want you to think about this deeply before taking any drastic decision. And I want you to think responsibly.” Debola added.
Jide didn’t want his daughters to lose their parents for the mistake which was absolutely not theirs. Divorce cases always have an adverse effect on children. He thought about his own parents, they would be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary the following year and they have always been a source of inspiration to him in terms of keeping a family.
“I will think about it. Thanks so much, Sister mi.” Jide was glad he came over to Debola’s place. She lived an idyllic life and had a very rational way of thinking. It added fuel to why they were so close and each other’s confidant.
Debola gave him a reassuring smile, urged him to go home and talk things out with his wife. Both people in a marriage need to work hard to make a marriage work. There will always be testing times in a relationship, it’s the people involved that must be resolute to sail through the times.
Jide thanked her again and left. On his way back, he ruminated through everything; it might take time but he knew he would get over the hurt and betrayal. Bimpe was indeed a good woman, he thought of it as a weak moment and not a grave mistake. He also knew, with certainty, that if the case was opposite, she would forgive him and work harder on making their marriage work.
Fly in the Ointment
Oredolapo Siyanbola
Dec 20 2018
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3 min read
1
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