Pelumi's Memoirs - 31

He sent his word
And healed them
He delivered them from their afflictions

- The Psalms of David

****

Tare met with Ineye for lunch at The Ocean view Restaurant. They were seated on the upper deck which overlooked the ocean. Tare watched the yachts floating on the waters as the gentle breeze slowly caressed the side of her face.

"Ineye, I feel bad for Ivan. He's gone through a lot of bad publicity these past weeks. To add insult to injury, Pelumi hasn't been speaking to him. Mum and dad were disappointed when they got to know about the situation."

"Yikes!" Ineye exclaimed. "I can imagine how they feel." Ineye used his fork and knife to rip apart the large piece of chicken on his plate.

"Dad is concerned that the board of directors may lose confidence in Ivan's leadership abilities."

"That won't be fair." Ineye voiced. "I know this is a shitty situation, but it's Ivan's private life. He has a right to a private life. People aren't perfect. They are bound to make mistakes sometimes."

"I guess we've all viewed Ivan as a Super Human. He doesn't do stupid stuff."

"Fair enough!" Ineye responded. "Makes me remember David in the Bible. He had been a Superman until he slept with Bathsheba and killed her husband, Uriah. I mean who would have thought?"

"So what happened to him after that?" Tare questioned, curiously.  "I know the story of David and Bathsheba. Just never knew what went down after that?"

"David was a man after God's heart. God forgave him but he suffered the consequences of his actions. Forgiveness doesn't always remove the consequences of sins committed, especially willfully. The first child that Bathsheba conceived with David died. A deadly illness from God killed the child."

"Wow!" Tare exclaimed.

"I'm sure your parents will come round though."

"Oh they will!" Tare chimed. "They love him too much."

“Don’t get me wrong Ineye. Our parents are not one to declare a favorite child or give preferential treatment to one child instead of the other… But I can just tell that they really love Ivan.”

Ineye smiled. “I’m sure they love you too.”

Tare looked around the restaurant, moving the spaghetti and meat malls in her plate around.

"Eat." Ineye told her with a small smile on his face.

"I got news from my folks last night. My great aunt just passed on. They are burying her in two weeks."

Tare looked up slowly and glanced at him.

"Oh no, I'm sorry.”

"From the little information I gathered, I think she'll be buried in Ikoyi. I'll get the details. Wanna come?" Ineye asked Tare, staring into her eyes.

Tare blinked and looked away. She saw warmth and something else in Ineye's eyes.

"So, what do you say about my invitation to home fellowship tonight? Are you game?" Ineye asked.

"The home fellowship at Dolphin Estate?"

"Yep." Ineye responded.

Tare tapped her fork gently.

"Yeah, I'm game."

"Like I have a choice!"

Ineye laughed. "C’mon honey boo! You know I'd never force you to do anything you don't want to."

"Because you are such a gentleman, Ineye Ogbeha!" Tare said softly.

Ineye winked at her. "You already know!"

"I don't want all those Single Sisters at your home fellowship snatching you away from me!" Tare said, sticking out her tongue.

Ineye laughed again. "Many daughters have done well but you excel them all!"

"And to what do I owe this honor?" Tare said with a glint in her eye.

"My lady, thou art priced above all rubies...." Ineye said, mimicking a heavy British accent.

Tare doubled over with laughter. "Go away!"

It was Ineye's turn to laugh. "You should see the look on your face. You look like a damsel in distress."

"Lunch time over!" Tare voiced.

"Yeah, let's head back to the office. See you tonight at 8pm. Don't be late."

"I'll try to be super early." Tare replied.

"Okay, sweets."

****

"Alistair, thanks so much." FJ looked excited.

"So, are you being let off the tax hook?" Alistair inquired.

"Nope, I still have to pay. But I won't be paying so much now. They factored in some deductions. Apparently there is a tax relief scheme that my company hasn't been taking advantage of."

"Wow. I'm happy for you." Alistair said, giving his friend a bright smile.

"Hi Alistair."

Pelumi paused on entering her former boss' office. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company."

Pelumi looked at the man in Alistar's office. He was middle aged from the looks of it but something about him smelled Money and class. He had a small goatee that gave him a debonair look.

"Pelumi, meet my friend, Faramade Jokotade. We call him 'FJ'."

"Good afternoon sir."  Pelumi curtsied a little.

"Pelumi.... that's a beautiful name. I'm Faramade."

Pelumi gave him a small smile.

"Alistair just introduced me. Don't mind me." FJ stated, like he'd just read her mind.

"Let me excuse you both. I'll come back later."  She stood several steps backwards and exited the room.

"Wasn't that the lady I saw the other day?"

Alistair smiled. "Yep."

"The lady in white." FJ said slowly. "She's beautiful." He said to no one in particular.

Something about her seemed familiar, apart from the fact that he'd seen her the other day. He couldn't place it.

"Do you have her cell phone number?"

Alistair raised a brow. "Not on your life! So I hand over her number and then what?

Asabi's warm arms are waiting to receive you at home."

"Na you sabi!" FJ said to his friend

Alistair grunted.

****

Liyel and Alero sat in the car waiting to see whether Titi Ighodalo would surface sometime soon. Alero had spoken with her and she had told her she would be home.

When they arrived at her residence, she said she had been waiting but had gone out to get food stuff in the market.

Liyel rolled his eyes and wondered exactly how much time she was going to spend at the market.

"Look!"  Liyel said to Alero. That may be her. Alero's phone rang in that instant.

"I've just arrived at home. I'm trying to park my car. Did you leave yet?"

"No." Alero replied her curtly.

"Wicked witch!" Liyel voiced out frustrated. "Cheap whore looking for cheap money!"

"Liyel!" Alero's harsh voice cut him off.

They both got out of the car and headed towards Titi. When her eyes and Liyel's crossed, Liyel saw something akin to fear that quickly disappeared. Boy, he was going to have some fun rattling her!

Even in her pregnant state, he had to admit that she was a very beautiful woman. Her hips were pronounced in the long, sleeveless, leopard printed lycra dress she had on.

She folded her arms across her chest and gazed at both he and Alero.

"So you guys want to talk? What? You don't think Ivan is the father of my unborn baby? Anyway, first things first, let's go inside so we can talk. I don't want the world knowing my business."

Liyel smirked. "Like they don't already know?" This chick was pissing him off.

"So is my brother truly the father of your child?"  Liyel looked at Titi's bump.

"Can you not see that I'm pregnant? Why are you still asking me that kind of question?" Titi replied saucily.

"Well, I'm not blind but we both know any man in this Lagos could be the father!"

"Excuse you! Who do you think you are? If you are here to hurl insults at me, that won't take place in my house!" Titi snapped her fingers and hissed, batting her eyelids.

When Alero realized that an argument between Titi and Liyel would serve no purpose, she quickly cut into their conversation.

"Titi, just in case Ivan isn't the father of the child you are carrying, you need to let us know now. This will be our only attempt to reach out to you. Know this one thing, that Ivan will order a paternity test once you give birth. If it so happens that the baby isn't his, there will be consequences. There will be consequences that you never thought of."

Liyel watched Titi as she shifted in her seat. He was good at reading body languages and something told him that Titi was lying.

Titi scratched her head and Alero narrowed her eyes, wondering whether she was telling the truth.

"We want you to think about this conversation. My calendar is free tomorrow and you can give me a call if you have something else you'd like to let us know."

"Liyel, shall we?" Alero stood, adjusting her trouser suit. She marched out of Titi's sitting room.

****

"Ineye, what just happened in there?"

Tare quizzed, the minute they were outside the building where the home fellowship had taken place. It was a semi-detached terrace house in Dolphin Estate. The owners of the house who were also the hosts had received everyone warmly. The lady of the house served everyone warm donuts which had been slightly covered with sugar.

"It's been so long since I heard the song that lady just sang. I was admiring her and her sweet voice. She sang in such a rich tone. Next thing I know is...... I was on my knees and tears were streaming down my face." Tare explained.

"I couldn't help myself. I confessed my sins and asked God to give me a new heart. A new heart with new and right desires.

I know you have been inviting me to your church since forever and I never really listened but I was wondering if I could go with you on Sunday."

Tare's words sounded like music to Ineye's eyes. "Of course! I'm actually excited!"

"You are?" Tare questioned, her eyes widening.

"I have been praying for this day to come."

"Really?" Tare probed.

"Yes. Really."

"You didn’t tell me."

Ineye smiled at her. "No I didn't."

He stole a glance at Tare. This was his Woman. He had known that from day one. He had no iota of doubt now. The lines had fallen in pleasant places.

He was going to ask for her hand in marriage soon and he was going to buy her a ring with the hugest rock ever!

***

The days flew by quickly. When Tare and Ineye accompanied Ineye's parents and siblings who were in Lagos for Aunty Tsemaye's funeral to the airport, Ineye's mother sniffed in her handkerchief.

"You both need to come and visit us soon."

"Tare, our daughter. Please come along with Ineye on his next visit."  Ineye's father told her, holding her shoulder.

"I will, pops." Tare affirmed, smiling.

"Pops!" Ineye winked at her. "I like the sound of that." Everyone chuckled amidst the family's sorrow over Aunt Tsemaye's passing.

Several weeks later.......

Tare took off her shoes on getting to Ineye's house and curled into a foetal position on one of Ineye's sofas. She had a slight migraine and had just popped two tablets of paracetamol in her mouth. He was making grilled salmon and potatoes with cream sauce in the kitchen.

When Ineye returned to the living room, he knelt beside Tare with a box in his hands. He had imagined this day for a very long time.

Tare whose face was leaning in the couch didn't see what was unfolding before her.

"Marry me, Tare." She frowned wondering if she had heard right.

She turned around and saw Ineye on one knee with the cutest yellow stoned ring she had ever set her eyes on.

She shrieked and sat up, joy masking her features.

Ineye had his eyes fixed on her like she was the best thing that had ever happened to him since sliced bread. He watched as the joy on her face got replaced by something else he couldn't put a name to. Agitation? Anger?

She shook her head. "No, Ineye. I can't."

"Stop playing around, Ebitare."

"I'm not." Tare stated, sitting up.

"Why on earth do you think I'm joking?"

"I can't marry you, Ineye." Tare shook head emphatically.

Ineye became befuddled.

"You can't or won't? Which is it?" He could feel his voice hardening. Tare had a horrified look on her face.

Was his proposal so preposterous? Had he been wasting his time on Tare all along?

Tare clasped her hands in her laps and stared Ineye down. He stood up and paced around the living room ruffling his hair in the process.

"Do you need more time? Is this too sudden?"

"No." Tare replied. She bent over and tied the ropes around her lace up sandals.

"Ineye. I'm not who you think I am."

Ineye squinted. Was she some sort of monster with two horns? A Witch? An Ogbanje?

"Tare, you are not making sense."

The words poured out of her slowly at first and then she started speaking hysterically.

"I was 16 when I got invited to another friend's sleep over party. She was turning 16 and her parents were planning on throwing her a big party. I was excited. I had been looking forward to the day. We had a lot of fun and danced late into the night at her house. Her parents left us where we were all still partying. They lived in a mansion. We were in a different wing of the house, partying.

I'm not sure who served us alcohol. It seemed as though my friend, Pamela had worked something out with her uncle."

"We were 8 girls left. When I took my last shot, I could literally feel my head spinning. I saw the rest of the girls falling asleep. I wonder till this day whether he drugged us all. Pamela was saying something, but she sounded incoherent."

Tare ran her fingers through her hair, bowing her head.

"Then her uncle picked me up and carried me up the stairs. When we got inside one of the rooms on the upper level, he threw me on the bed.

She paused and drank from the bottle of water on the table.

Ineye looked at her, his eyes urging her to continue. He could feel bile rising on the inside of him.

"He had what looked like a duct tape in his hands. He had my hands tied and the duct tape over my mouth."

Ineye gasped. "What?"

"My senses were inhibited or so it seemed. Everything was foggy. I just wanted to go to sleep."

"His hands started roving all over my body and that was when an alarm rang in my head. I tried to scream but I remember him slapping me and telling me to be quiet."

Tare laughed. "How much of a scream could I even muster with a duct tape over my mouth?"

"After that, I remember him forcing his way inside me. It was the most excruciating pain ever. I begged him to stop but he didn't. He went on and on. It seemed like forever."

Tare looked at Ineye where he had sat on the floor. He had a dazed look in his eyes.

She had never really seen Ineye weep but she saw him weeping that day.

"Oh my God, Tare." He said to her while gathering her in his arms. They were both crying and when it seemed like only the sound of the clock could be heard, Tare broke the embrace and slowly stood.

"I'm going home." She announced.

"Did you ever tell anyone? Your parents? Your brothers? Anyone?"

"No." Tare replied quietly. "It's been my secret all these years. A secret which has been haunting me. I have nightmares and wake up screaming some days.

A part of me thinks I'm normal, while the other part thinks I'm not. I must have deserved what I got."

"My goodness." Ineye uttered.

"How can you believe you deserved what happened?"

"Of all the girls that night? Why was I the only one singled out for such a horrific act?"

"Why me?" Tare cried, yelling.

"You know, Nkoyo pleaded with me to let her come along but I told her no. We broke into a fight and I told her she was a disgusting little sister. Nkoyo had been nothing short of sweet to me all her life."

"I felt like I was a terrible person and I deserved what I got."

"Someday, maybe a woman who is more worthy and more deserving can accept your ring. That woman is not me."

Ineye curled over as he watched Tare walking out of his house. Despair and dread suddenly enveloped his being. He wanted to run after her, comfort her and tell her she didn't deserve to be violated. No woman deserved to be violated. But his legs stuck to the rug like they had been glued.