The unholy prayer Episode 2

Episode 2

Jemima dropped the kids off at school and returned home. She was alone in their duplex, a six bedroom duplex, the house was so big that first time visitors always commented on it. Some of her female friends would tease ‘Jemima you are so lucky, look at this house and you don’t even have to work…big madam!’

She would usually laugh it off, and change the subject. Only her best friend knew the truth, Angie had been her friend for 9 years, they had met in the hospital she went to deliver Shindara nine years ago, Angie was also an expectant mother, both their husbands were absent for the delivery so they supported each other, more like a forum of neglected wives; that’s what they called themselves. The only change from nine years ago and now is Angie divorced her husband three years ago, but then Angie is a career woman, she has a stable job and stable income.

Jemima was a stay at home mum with a degree in Business Management, she had tried to start up businesses but her husband and her in-laws always fought against it and she was too timid to fight against them.

She gave up easily, that who she was easy to control, but she didn’t see it that way at first, when he asked her to marry him 14 years ago and he told her he wanted her to quit her job she was so in love, and her job was very tasking so she readily agreed.

Her parents were against that decision , her father has spent good money for her to do her masters in UK for her to decide to be a stay at home wife, but she convinced them, put a boundary line, it was her marriage and she had made her decision. She was so in love, more like foolishness now that she thought about it.

They say a fool at forty is a fool forever, she will be forty in two years and well she’s definitely not a fool anymore.

When did she become wise? story for another day, now she had plans to meet up with Angie in her office. Her husband’s frequent travels gave her more opportunities to do things she wouldn't usually do.

He no longer monitored her movements like before, she fought had to make sure it stopped. He tried to cut her finances off but she maintained her stance, one of the toughest fights they had but it was worth it.

She got to Angie’s office, the receptionist already knew her so she went straight to Angie’s office.

‘Managing-Director’, Angie got promoted last year, she was so happy for her. Sometimes she couldn’t just help but wonder if… just if maybe…

“Jemima Babyyyy” Angie called out from inside her office, ”Come inside na ….wetin you Dey look”.

Jemima shook off the "what ifs" like dust from her shoulders and walked in. The cool air from the inverter AC was a sharp contrast to the humid Lagos heat outside, and for a moment, she just breathed it in.

"Managing Director! I’m so happy for you my love ," Jemima said, her eyes soft with genuine pride. She sank into the plush leather chair across from Angie’s desk. "He left this morning."

“Did he tell you where?”, Angie asked.

“No, you know how he is. It turned into quarrel sef, Angie I’m tired”, she bowed her head, her eyes brimming with tears “How long do I have? I can’t keep sleeping on the same bed with him, pretending that everything is normal”.

Angie stood up from her chair, walked over to Jemima, she raised her face and wiped her tears with her fingers. The sweet scent of Jemima’s Clive Christian perfume filled Angie’s face as she drew her closer “ it’s almost over, you know this, we just need to wait, just get the next pay out and it will be over”.