IRREPLACEABLE! Episode 1.

On a Friday evening, stylish, tall and attractive Jason Olabisi, popularly known by his friends as ‘Mr. Nicest guy’ was driving out of the compound of his company at 5:15pm. He was on his way home. He was thirty-four years old, wealthy and generous. His mood turned cheerless after one of his closest friends called to inform him about the crisis happening in his marriage. He thought of what he would do to make things work for them. He was not perfect but he worked hard to live a good and peaceful life. One of the things he hated was untruthfulness. He preferred to be hurt with the truth instead of making him happy with lies. 

Being taken care of by a single mother taught him many things. Not all that glittered was gold. He was only eight years old when his rich father walked out on him and his mother. He left them with nothing and took the nanny away with him. No one had seen or heard about him. His mother changed her surname, never remarried but suffered and worked day and night for her son to get a solid education and upbringing. God answered their prayers and his mother became a successful businesswoman. Years later, she owned the best and biggest shopping mall in Abuja. 

After his secondary school, he went to Canada and finished his university education. He read architecture, returned home and received huge amount of money to do anything he wanted. He built his company and with the help of his mother’s influence, he got contracts. After few years, he became a multi-millionaire.

His single mother, Socialite Deborah Muyiwa, was the woman he cherished. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her just to put a smile on her face. When she mentioned he should date and marry her best friend’s daughter, he never objected or argued he was not in love with her. He went ahead and obeyed her wish. His joy was see his mom happy and that was more than enough for him.

********

In a polished mansion, a fair complexioned woman in her early thirties sat at the balcony close to her kitchen. She was dressed in a red gown. Her Brazilian curly long hair fell to her wide shoulders. She had sharp eyes, pointed nose and there was loud makeup on her oval face. Diana inhaled the ciggy between her fingers. She was smoking weed like a professional. 

She had received a text from someone and the message passed across to her made her nervous. After few minutes, she heard the sound of the gate. All the houses in Jones Estate had remote control for their gates. She quickly took a long drag into her system before she threw it on the floor, marched it and picked it up and threw it inside the waste bin. Diana ran into the kitchen, locked the door with the key, grabbed the air freshener she kept on the sink, and sprayed half the content into the air.

She went straight to her own bedroom upstairs, changed her gown, opened her Louis Vuitton handbag, brought three different expensive perfumes, and squirted them all over her body. She dropped the fragrances, motioned to her dressing table and took a bubble gum. She went into the bathroom and hastily brushed her teeth before throwing the gum into her mouth. Diana rushed downstairs to open the door and waited for her husband at the doorstep.

Their main living room was very big with exquisite furniture’s worth millions of naira. The plasma television was huge! Instead of their wedding photos, they decided to beautify the white walls with rare paintings of notable artists. The couple had their own money but Diana chose to be a housewife. She had a rich immediate elder brother who relocated abroad with his family eight years ago and her late father’s inheritance she shared with her older sister and her monthly allowance she got from her husband was more than enough to last her for a longtime. Her mother Mrs. Ojo lived lavishly and travelled outside the country frequently. Her favorite place was Paris.

“Hey honey.” Jason said coming towards Diana. He pecked her on the forehead. “Did you hear what happened?” He entered and dropped his leather briefcase on a long sofa.

She closed the door and gave him an awkward look. “What happened?”

He heaved an audible sigh and wore a worried expression. “Rume wants a divorce.”

“What!” She exclaimed and rolled her big eyeballs.

“I didn’t want to believe it but it’s true.” Jason stated and sat down.

“But this could be a big scandal for his wife.”

“That’s what I told him but he won’t listen to me. I am still surprised his wife has not told you. Preye didn’t call you?”

“No.” She said and shook her head. “Maybe she has her reasons.”

“There’s more honey, Rume is divorcing Preye because he caught her with a woman.”

“That’s impossible! Has he forgotten his wife is a pastor?”

“Well, that is why we have to see them and talk about it.”

“What about the others?” She asked.

“I did not ask if they knew but we are going there together after we eat dinner.” Jason replied.

Then it occurred to her the food was not ready. The person she was expecting to bring stew was yet to arrive. “Must we go there today?”

“They are our friends and you know Rume has been my childhood friend. I have to be with him and do all I can to stop him from divorcing Preye. Their children are very young.”

“I know Mr. nicest guy.” She teased him and that made him smile a little. “They need some space. I think it’s better if we see them tomorrow.”

“Is that proper?”

“Yes.” Diana replied. “You can call him later."

“Please call Preye. I would also like to hear her side of the story.”

“But how can Preye commit such a disgusting act?”

“Don’t discriminate. You don’t know the truth.”

“I do not think Rume is lying.”

Jason rose on his feet and stared at her surprisingly. “You are supporting him now?”

“I am not supporting anyone,” she said angrily. “Go to the room and have your bath. I will call you when the food is ready.”

He didn’t like the tone of her voice. He was annoyed she made such statement but choose not to involve in an argument with her. He was hot tempered and he always tried to control it. He swore he would never lay his hand on any woman. He would rather leave the house and get drunk.

The moment Diana watched him leave, she went to the kitchen to search for her IPhone7 and dialed her elder sister’s number who was a medical doctor.

“What?” The answer she received from her sibling.

“The person you sent to bring the stew is not here!” She said in a panicky tone.

“Is that why you are calling me?” Her voice was harsh.

“Rita, I know you are not happy with me but I need the stew now! Jason is back from work!”

“Have you prepared rice?”

“Yes!”

“That’s the only thing you know how to cook.”

Diana frowned. “I know how to boil water, fry egg, plantain and cook noodles…”

“Please keep quiet! Gina called there was traffic but she should be close to your house now.”

“I will go to the gate and wait for her.”

“That’s your business.” Rita sharply said. “A time will come when I will stop cooking for you. Learn how to cook and take proper care of your husband. It is two years of marriage, yet you don’t want to learn. Shame on you!”

“Mrs. Adviser, send my regards to the family.” She ended the call.

********

Thirty six years old Pastor Preye Damijo, a slender woman with fine features was on her bended knees. She has been married to Rume Damijo for six years and they had five-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. Preye went to a pastoral school and opened a church before she met her husband. She became the owner of her own church at the age of twenty-six.

Rume worked as a consultant in a media firm. He was average in height, and good looking. Despite she was older than him with a year, Preye’s simple lifestyle attracted him when he met her. He dated her for a year without premarital sex and married her.

Few days ago, he travelled and came back home unexpected and found his wife with another woman. He remained in the house because of his children and informed her he wanted a divorce.

“Please Rume forgive me,” Preye begged and had tears in her eyes. “It is the handwork of the devil.”

He was seated on the bed and stamping his right foot. “You are not even ashamed of yourself! Are you not the one preaching against same sex relationship to your church members? You go at their backs to commit such sacrilege! Thank the fake God you serve that I did not kill both of you yesterday! You should be lucky I didn’t meet a man here, if not I would have committed murder!”

Tears were all her face and neck. “Please forgive me! I was tempted by the devil. I will never try it again. It was my first time!”

Sweat creased his body. “And you want me to believe that? Lies from the pit of hell! Are you mad?”

“It is the truth Rume! I am ready to do anything. Don’t bring shame upon me. What will I tell people?”

“You will tell them the truth! Ashawo! Prostitute! Lesbian! Fake pastor!”

“I am finished!”

“You have not seen anything yet! I will open your secret to your congregation.”

She rolled her body on the floor and started crying loudly.

He jagged a finger at her. “Don’t disturb the children with your noise or I will expose you to them! Useless mother!”

She closed her mouth and crawled to touch his feet. He pushed her on the stomach with his leg. She gripped her chest and sobbed silently. “I know you have been cheating on me. I believe there is another woman in your life but I never accused you because I felt God will change you.”

“Shut up! I am not cheating on you!”

“I shouldn’t blame you for my unholy mistake but you pushed me to it. For some months now, you no longer touch me, you come back home at any time and I dare not question you. What have I done?”

Rume hissed. “Just thank God I have not leaked your secret to our friends. Jason is the only one that knows about this and if you continue to beg me, I will spill it out to the rest.”

“Please don’t! I know Jason can keep the secret without telling anyone except his wife. I am ashamed of myself. I can’t face him!”

“Shameless woman!” Rume yelled. “Don’t serve me anything for dinner otherwise I will pour the food on your head. Get out of this room before I spit on your face!!”

Preye simply obeyed him and went to the guest room, knelt down and began to pray for forgiveness.

*******
In the midst of their friends and relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Diobi acted like a perfect couple. They had a son who was in a boarding school. Mr. Denzel Diobi aka DD was a Nollywood actor and producer. He acted only in his own movies after he became a super star with a large fan base. Denzel and his wife Hajiza were proud and rich. When they are in public, people envy them of their love but deep down, when they got home, things changed into abnormal.

Hajiza always knew Denzel had a wealthy sponsor and they were romantically involved but she kept her mouth sealed about it and planned to find out the person when she was ready to confront the other woman. She had her own fault too. Getting married to him exposed her to the good things of life. She met him while he was an upcoming actor and she did everything to get close to him. Her hourglass shape fascinated him. They dated for few months before getting married. She met his close friends and got close to their wives.

Behind closed doors, they acted like strangers. They hardly talk with each other and when they spoke like a normal couple, it was in front of their son when he was around. Hajiza had her flaws. Before she was pregnant, she started having an affair with Denzel’s new personal assistant Kalu who was in the university at that time. After he graduated, he was promoted as the manager. Hajida had no idea who was the real father of her only child.

Hajiza reading a fashion magazine looked up at the entrance door when she heard the sound of the handle. “Are you going out?”

“Yes.” Denzel said with a frown. He was always frowning whenever she questioned his movement.

“And you couldn’t tell me?”

“You are busy.”

“Busy reading a magazine is not enough excuse.” She said and crossed her legs.

“How much do you want?”

“This is a routine now. It seems you are not coming home tonight.”

“No. It might take four days.”

“I will be all alone in the house again for the third time this month.”

“I will tell Kalu to check up on you tomorrow or next.”

Hajiza shook her head and glanced back at her magazine. “When should I receive a bank alert?”

“Tomorrow money,” Denzel replied. “I hope five hundred thousand naira is enough before I come back?”

“Yes. Safe journey and please come back in peace. DD always remember you have a son in an expensive boarding school.”

Denzel sneered. “I know!” He came out and shut the door. Few seconds later, she heard the horn of his car.

“Fool.” She muttered and threw the magazine on the floor. Hajiza carried her android phone to check a shopping website. All the money given to her by Denzel was spent on clothes, jewelries, Kalu and gadgets. She felt saving money was a total waste of time.

*******

Eromosele took a lump of pounded yam with okro soup into his mouth and spat it out on the plate. His wife Meredith who sat closed to him at the dining table acted shocked. She knew she was in deep trouble. He rose up and before she could ask him what the matter was, he gave her a hot slap.

“Why is this food tasteless like this?”

She was holding her face and sobbing.

“Are you deaf?”

“It’s sweet to me!” She cried out.

“I just don’t want to touch you this evening because if I do, I might break your neck. Take the sacrifice you made and leave my presence now!”

She carried the food and ran to the kitchen. She dropped them on the table, sat on the floor, and wept.

Getting married to Eromosele was a mistake. Her parents had warned her never to leave her home. If she had a scar on her face, she would use makeup to cover it up and when anyone noticed and ask about it, she would lie to cover up what her husband usually do whenever he was angry with her. She had lost three pregnancies because of his constant beating. Recently it was difficult to get pregnant and was scared she might never be again. The only person that knew what she was going through was her pastor and friend Preye. She felt Hajiza would laugh at her and Diana would curse her. She didn’t want to be judged.

Meredith had a boutique. She was into shoes and bags. Eromosele was a manger in a telecommunication firm. They have been married for four years and dated for a year. She knew he was abusive but went ahead to marry him because of marriage pressure. Meredith hated divorce and she hoped Eromosele would change one day but every day, he got worst.

Eromosele abused Meredith emotionally and physically. He would hit her and make mockery of her body. He was always calling her a shapeless woman with K-legs.

*******

In her one room apartment, Kemi eyes were focused on her seven-year-old son as he ate his noodles and boiled egg. She had mixed emotions and was grateful to God for not aborting him when she found out she was pregnant and the father denied the pregnancy and lied he never touched her. She thought of committing suicide but she remembered how her parents begged her never to give up on life on their hospital beds after a terrible accident. The drunk driver who had caused the accident walked freely after settling the judge on the case. Young Kemi swore to work hard, train herself to school and become a successful Lawyer. Her desire was fight aganist murderers getting away with murder. 

Things didn’t go as planned for her. Life was unfair. Her relatives called her a witch, threw her out and she was homeless. She lived in the streets, worked as a sales girl, cleaner, did petty jobs, hawked to feed herself and pay her school fees. One thing she never did or thought of was sleep with men even though they drooled over her glowing cholcolate skin, curvy body and pretty face. Kemi turned into a damsel. Her incandescent beauty never made her turn wayward or lust after rich men, she was a Christian and never missed church on a Sunday. She saved some money and shared a room with another girl Eniye.

After her secondary school, she got pregnant but that pushed her to stay focused on what she wanted. Kemi named him Nathaniel Adebayo, her late father’s name. She rented a small place to live, gave birth to a boy at the age of 21 and gained admission to read law in a federal university two years later.

Kemi was never shy to flaunt her child in school. Her son existence made people offer her money without needing anything in return but that did not stop men from asking her out. She entered into a relationship with a course mate but after a year, when he suggested she should give her child for adoption, she broke up with him. Whoever wasn’t ready to accept her and her child together, was not the one God created for her.  

Currently, she was in her final year and was trying to save for law school. She had two best friends. She was different from Tina and Eniye but loved two of them equally. They always quarrel when they are together but settle before departing. They made her laugh too. Tina was married to an old man because he was rich. She was educated but lazy. Eniye and her husband loved each other but were currently having financial problem. They had four children.

“Mom?” Nate said as he noticed his mother’s eyes on him.

“Yes baby.” She said and smiled.

“Why are you not eating?”

“I’m eating.” She dragged some noodles with her fork and shoved it into her mouth. “See.”

He looked at her food. “Why don’t you have egg?”

The money she had wasn’t enough to buy two. She could not tell him the truth that she was sacked because she refused to sleep with her boss she worked for as a house cleaner and cook. She was searching for another job.

“Don’t you know too much intake of egg for adults like me is not good?”

“But we have not been eating egg.”

“Nate it is a bad habit to be talking while eating. Concentrate on your food so that we can work on your school assignment before going to bed.”

“Okay mom.” he said. He cut his egg into two and put the half into her plate.

“Awww… thanks Nate.” Kemi gestured her right cheek towards him. “Oya kiss mommy.”

“Muah!” He gave her a thick peck and laughed.

*******

Diana had landed a slap on Gina’s face before taking the food flask from her. It was not the first time hitting her. “I will give you another one if you don’t leave right now!”

Gina was sobbing. “My transport fare is not enough.”

She hissed, dipped her hand into her pocket and brought out naira notes she threw on the floor. She didn’t wait for her to pick them up. She entered into her compound and closed the gate. Diana headed towards the kitchen to dish out the food. She was setting the food on the table at the dining when Jason walked in.

“I have been waiting for you to call me.” He said and sat down. “I couldn’t wait.”

“I understand dear.” She said and dished the food into their plates and sat down to eat.

“I have called Rume to inform him that we will be coming to his place tomorrow morning before I go to work. I have a project I am working on and it requires I go to work on Saturday.”

“Okay but I think its best you should go alone to see Rume and Preye.”

“Why?” He asked in a surprised tone.

“He told only you about it. It’s best you hear from them first before I talk with Preye.”

He knew if he insisted, they would quarrel. To avoid that, he agreed. “Your stew always tastes like Aunty Rita’s own. I told her the last time she served us at her place.”

Diana felt insulted. She managed to smile. “We are sisters. We kind of cook the same way.”

“Yeah.” Jason said and paid attention to his food.

She eyed him and began to eat.

********

Kemi and her son were in their mini living room watching Jenifa’s diary. After it ended, she took his book to assist him on his assignment.

After he finished, she received a call from her friend who was three years older than her. She grinned. “My friend my friend good evening.”

“Good evening K.” Eniye said. “How are you and Nathaniel?”

“We are doing fine.” She said and quickly moved to the room.

“I heard what happened. I’m so sorry!”

“Tina didn’t allow me tell you myself.” She faintly smiled. “That’s life but don’t worry, I will get another job. What about you? Have your husband been paid?”

“Not at all.” she said in a saddened tone. “We are managing with the money I make from my hair business. I won’t lie K, I am tired."

“Don’t be. Remember when we lived together and swore never to give up. Don’t lose hope now. For the sake of your children.”

“I know and that is why I am working so hard and going to the shop every day. Chibuzor is frustrated. His employee keeps promising them he would pay, yet nothing! Five months’ salary is not a joke.”

“I know but he shouldn’t stop going to work.”

“He won’t.” Eniye said. “Are we still seeing on Sunday after church?”

“Yes. We should meet in your shop. I will inform Tina.”

“Okay. Take care of yourself.”

“I will.” Kemi said with a smile on her lips. “Thanks for the call.”  

********

Rita called Diana on the phone in the kitchen. She rained curses on her for slapping her maid. The poor girl had called it quit. Diana never apologized but gave unnecessary excuses. After the call, she joined Jason in their bedroom. He was tired and appeared sleepy.

“I thought I heard you arguing on the phone.” He said to her.

“It’s nothing. It's between my sis and I. Don't worry yourself.” She said and entered into the bathroom. After purposely taking her time bathing, she came out and found Jason sleeping. “Better.” Diana whispered. She wore her nightie, crawled gently on the bed and rested. She grabbed her phone from the lamp table beside her and sent a text to Rume.

‘I saw your message about the divorce. We need to talk. I miss you.’

She waited for a reply and got a message tone. She read it.

            ‘Okay my love. Let's meet tomorrow evening. I miss you too.’

**********

To be continued on Sunday… please!