Chapter Eleven

Dejected, Jim took a few steps to retrieve the discarded ring and slowly walked back to the front steps of his house. He sank onto the stairs, burying his head in his hands. He didn't need anyone to tell him it was over between him and his fiancée. Only a miracle, and only if he were truly innocent of this betrayal, could a miracle possibly bring them back together.

 Regretting his moment of weakness with Rodiat, he sat on the steps, devoid of any solution. How could he ever convince Teni that he had been merely "lured" into the act? He sat there, lost in thought.

 Clarus, who was supposed to have alerted Jim to Teni's arrival before she caught him, found his boss on the stairs.

 "Where were you, idiot?" Jim snarled, his voice laced with anger.

 "I went to attend to the dogs, Sir," Clarus lied.

 "You're fired!" Jim roared at his gatekeeper.

 "I'm sorry, Sir. I, I, went to give the dogs food," Clarus stammered, another lie tumbling from his lips. How could he confess that he had abandoned his post to peek through the bedroom window, to watch his boss and the woman moaning in his bed?

 "I said you're fired! Go and pack your things and get ready to leave," Jim insisted, his decision firm.

 "Don't worry that she left, dear. I'm all yours," Rodiat purred, coming up behind Jim and wrapping her arms around his neck.

 "Hey! Get out of my house immediately!" Jim yelled at the woman who was about to sit beside him on the stairs. "I said leave before I do something stupid!" he threatened.

 The look on Jim's face and the harshness of his tone made Rodiat stand up immediately. She went to gather her belongings, realizing that Jim was becoming volatile. How could the man who had been making passionate love to her just moments ago suddenly transform into this wild, furious creature?

 Jim watched Rodiat leave and then saw Clarus disappear into his small gatehouse to pack his things. He would pay Clarus his full month's salary, even though it was only the middle of the month.

 After sending Rodiat and Clarus away, Jim's thoughts turned to salvaging his shattered relationship with Teni. Throwing on a shirt and shorts, he jumped into his car and drove after her. He reasoned that in her current state, she wouldn't go to the office but straight home. So, he sped towards her place, intending to beg her for another chance, vowing in his heart to be as faithful as an angel if he could somehow win back his fiancée's love. He would cleanse his heart and become a new man.

Teni drove almost unconsciously, the weight of her sorrow pressing down on her. She narrowly avoided hitting a cyclist who swerved in front of her. The pain in her heart was overwhelming, and the thought of going home in this gross sadness was unbearable. She needed a shoulder to cry on, a solace for her raw grief. Sobs wracked her body as she drove, and Bella, sensing her owner's distress, remained quiet, occasionally glancing at her flatmate with worried eyes.

 "Bella, I'll be fine," Teni whispered, wiping her face and stroking Bella's head with her right hand, feeling the dog's silent sympathy. Then, she reached for her phone and called Bola, needing to know if she was home.

 "Hi, babe. Are you guys back in the nation?" Bola's voice held surprise at seeing Teni's Nigerian number on her screen.

 "Yes, we're back. Are you home?" Teni's voice broke with a sob.

 "Hey! What's the matter? Why are you crying?" Bola asked, her voice laced with panic.

 "Jim cheated again. I caught him having sex with another woman just now," Teni's voice cracked with fresh tears.

 "Oh my gosh! You don't mean it!" Bola exclaimed in shock.

 "Are you home?" Teni repeated, her voice trembling.

 "Just about closing from work," Bola replied.

 "Janet is still around. Go wait for me at home. I would need to go pick up Mary at school on my way, but I'll be home soon," Bola said, her own heart heavy with sadness for her friend.

 "Okay, I'm driving down to your place," Teni said, flinging the phone onto the dashboard.

 As Bola gathered her things to leave work, she felt a deep ache for Teni. It was unbelievable that someone as beautiful and as devoted as Teni had been so unlucky in love, falling for a serial philanderer. With her beauty and unwavering loyalty, Bola thought Teni deserved so much better.

 "This is exactly why I stay away from men," she murmured to herself.

Jim arrived at Teni's place but didn't see her car in its usual spot. That absence confirmed his fear: she wasn't home. Could she have gone to the office in this state? He wondered, anxiety pressing on his mind. He remained behind the wheel and dialled her number. The phone rang unanswered, the call eventually dropping. He tried again, with the same frustrating result. Growing increasingly worried, he redialled several more times, but each attempt went unanswered.

 After a moment of contemplation, a decision formed in his mind: he would leave her a note. He got out of his car and approached Teni's door. Searching through his keys, he selected the spare to her apartment and quietly unlocked the door. They had exchanged spare keys long ago, a suggestion from Teni. He found Teni's reading table, picked up a pen, and scribbled a heartfelt message on a blank sheet of paper.

My love,

I know I messed up, big time, and the regret is crushing me. I am so deeply sorry for hurting you again. I foolishly believed I was becoming a better man, only to succumb to the temptation offered by that Jezebel of a client. My intention was never to disappoint you, and now that I have, I feel utterly stupid and unworthy to be called yours. But please, grant me one last chance, and I swear I won't fail you again. I promise.

Please find it in your heart to forgive me, my love. I have always loved you, and I always will.

Yours,

Jim.

Jim placed the note in the centre of the reading table and turned to leave. He tried Teni's phone number one last time, and when it went unanswered again, he decided to give her the space and time she needed to process her pain. He locked the door and drove back home, his heart heavy with despair.

 Teni's phone, lying abandoned on the dashboard, rang for the eleventh time. She would only glance at the screen before letting it fall back, unanswered.

 She arrived at Bola's apartment building, a building consisting of six apartments and, with Bella trailing behind her, climbed the stairs to the first floor. Reaching Bola's door, she pressed the doorbell.

 "Who is it?" Janet's voice called from inside. She was the only one home.

 "It's me, Teni," Teni replied, her voice thick with unshed tears.

 Janet eagerly swung the door open, relief shown on her face at the sight of Teni. Bola had already called, giving her a brief account of what had happened, so Janet had been expecting her arrival.

 "Hey, Teni! Good to see you," Janet said, embracing Teni and ushering her and Bella into the apartment.

 "I'll stay until Bola gets here," Teni said, her eyes pale and swollen, a clear testament to recent tears.

 "Bola told me you were coming. She also told me what happened. I'm so sorry, Teni," Janet said, locking the door and leading Teni to the chairs.

 Teni sank onto the couch, Bella settling quietly beside her. The moment her thoughts returned to Jim, fresh sobs wracked her body. Janet moved closer, wrapping her arms around her cousin's friend in a comforting embrace. Teni couldn't fathom that her three-year relationship had just shattered like glass. How would she ever reconcile herself to the bitter truth that Jim would no longer be hers? She wept uncontrollably in Janet's arms until the tears finally subsided.

 "A broken relationship is far better than a broken marriage, Teni, don't you see? Thank God you weren't married to him and spared yourself even more heartache," Janet said gently, trying to encourage Teni to let go of the pain and move forward.

 "Yeah, you're right. Absolutely right. It's the years I invested, my commitment, and the fact that I truly loved him that makes this so agonizing," Teni said, wiping her face with a handkerchief, trying to compose herself.

 "You'll be okay, dear," Janet said, her attempt at comforting a little clumsy but sincere.

 To distract Teni from the painful memories, Janet stood up and turned on the television. The channel showed a panel of analysts discussing national issues, including the widely rumoured tension between the president and his vice – a hot topic across the nation, debated by everyone.

 They watched the television in silence for a while. Janet wasn't sure how to initiate a conversation that wasn't directly related to Teni's heartbreak, hoping whatever she said wouldn't make things worse.

 "As a journalist, what's your take on the allegations of nepotism against the president?" Janet finally asked.

 Teni turned and looked Janet in the face, her voice ladened with pain, a little smile formed on her face.

 "Nepotism or not, the real question is, is he doing a good job with the economy and his other policies?" Teni replied, her voice still tinged with sadness.

 "I'm of the opinion that he's doing remarkably well," Janet stated.

 A knock echoed at the door, and she rose to answer it.

 "Who is it?" Janet called out as she approached the door.

 "It's me," Bola replied, her voice muffled through the wood. She was holding two paper bags of food, with Mary standing beside her, holding another.

 "Welcome!" Janet greeted her cousin, then returned to sit with Teni.

 Bola hurried to Teni, embracing her warmly and kissing her cheek.

 "I missed you so much," Bola said.

 "Me too," Teni replied softly. She managed a smile.

 "I'm so sorry for what happened with Jim. Would you mind telling me how it all unfolded?" Bola asked, settling close to Teni. 

The three women occupied the couch, with Teni in the middle. Janet picked up the remote and lowered the television volume. Mary quietly excused herself and went to her room.

 "Mary, won't you say hi to your auntie?" Teni called after Mary.

 "Good afternoon, Ma," Mary said, returning to the living room.

 "Good afternoon, my dear," Teni replied, quickly adding, "I bought something for you. I'll bring it next time I visit."

 "Okay, Ma, thanks," Mary said, disappearing back into her bedroom.

 "Now, back to how it all happened," Bola said, eager to hear the details of Teni's discovery.

 "Well, I wanted to surprise you both. That's why I didn't call to tell you we were arriving earlier than planned. I went to Jim's to get Bella, not expecting him to be home. When I got there, both his cars were parked outside, so I knew he was in. I still wanted to surprise him, so I sneaked in, only to find him… making love to the woman you warned me about at the burial party," Teni summarized the devastating scene, her voice thick with emotion.

 "You mean it was that same lady from the party?" Bola vividly remembered how close that woman had been to Jim that afternoon.

 "What are you going to do now?" Janet asked gently.

 "It's over," Teni said quietly, her voice flat.

 "If that's what you want, babe, then do it," Bola said, standing up to go to the bedroom to change her clothes. "Men are scum," she added over her shoulder as she walked away.

 "Not all of them, anyway. Some are faithful and caring," Janet countered.

 "Ninety-nine point nine percent of them are unreliable," Bola retorted from the bedroom.

 "That's a lie. A good number of them are good," Janet argued.

 "Preach on. It won't make me get involved with any of them anytime soon," Bola laughed, a sound that brought a real smile to Teni's face for the first time since the horrific discovery.

 "Some of them are nice and faithful, really," Teni seconded Janet's point sadly.

 "Nice and faithful like the one who just disappointed you for the third time and broke your heart?" Bola said, removing her wig and starting to unbutton her blouse.

 "You can't judge all men based on a few unfaithful ones. That's unfair," Janet stood her ground.

 "So says the men's advocate," Bola giggled, and Teni managed another weak smile.

…

THE SUN ASCENDED and blazed with the intensity typical of August, its relentless journey across the sky showering the atmosphere with inescapable heat. While such warmth was a familiar reality in West Africa, especially during the hot season, the annual complaints about it persisted as if it were a maiden experience.

 Four weeks had passed since Teni and the other delegates returned from the International Journalism Conference in France, and four weeks since her breakup with Jim. She was adapting to her single status, embracing a life without actively seeking a partner.

 Returning home from work, she indulged in a refreshing cold shower to soothe her skin, then decided to take Bella for a walk. Truthfully, she wouldn't pretend this was solely for the pleasure of it. The vet had advised occasional walks for Bella's health, and Teni also appreciated the cool evening breeze. Having lived in Africa for two years, she had grown accustomed to most things, including the seasonal heat.

 Gathering her keys and phone, she tucked them into the small purse slung around her neck. After changing into her sports shorts and a sleeveless top, she slipped into her pink sneakers, fastened them, and prepared to leave.

 "Bella, come on, let's go for a walk," she called to her dog. Bella eagerly sprang up and joined her at the door, relishing the prospect of being outdoors, a privilege rarely afforded due to her stubbornness outside and Teni's demanding schedule.

 "You need to be a good girl while we're out, okay?" Teni said, bending down to attach Bella's leash to her collar.

 Satisfied with her simple attire, Teni briefly checked her reflection in the full-length mirror, turning this way and that, giving herself a confident nod. Her purple sleeveless top featured white and pink stripes, a vibrant contrast to her brilliant white shorts. Her bust stood out proudly, while her tight shorts accentuated her curvy hips in a way that spoke of classic African femininity. Even without makeup, her natural beauty and simple outfit made her undeniably attractive, a fact she acknowledged with quiet pride.

 Holding Bella's leash in her left hand, she opened the door with her right and stepped out of her apartment with her dog.

 As she strolled with Bella along the grassy path leading to the pine plantation, she felt a longing to call her mother. It had been some time since they last spoke, and she missed her, despite Rhoda's persistent nagging about marriage. Rhoda still couldn't understand why Teni wouldn't forgive Jim and had ended their two-year relationship so abruptly. She had pleaded with her daughter to give Jim another chance, but Teni remained resolute.

 You're not getting any younger; the sooner you marry, the better, Rhoda's words echoed in Teni's mind, and she still couldn't grasp why her mother viewed marriage as the solution to every woman's life.

 Teni's thoughts were abruptly pulled away by Bella's restlessness, the dog constantly veering off the footpath onto the grass, requiring Teni to tug her back. Bella acted as if she were leading the walk, pulling Teni this way and that.