SHADOWS (1)

 “Hey, baby! Are you
okay?” Seun asked as she planted a
kiss on George’s cheeks and sank
into the sofa beside him.

“I’m fine,” he replied
nonchalantly, flipping through the newspaper in front of him.

“Something has to be
wrong, baby. You’ve not been yourself for over a week now. Talk to me.”

He rolled his eyes.
“Woman, can’t you just leave me alone? Don’t you havw something better to do?”

“Are you serious right
now?” Seun asked, surprised. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Will you allow me read
this in peace or you want me to leave the house for you?”

She stood up. “You know
what? I don’t care. Do whatever you like. I am tired of all these!”

She entered the
bedroom, forcefully shutting the door behind her. She sat in front of her
dresser, looking at herself in the mirror.

Where
have I gone wrong? Did I do anything wrong asking him those questions? Was I
supposed to leave him with all that attitude? Why are all these happening to
me, to us? She thought.

She opened one of her
drawers and brought out a journal. She had only recently began writing things
down.

Dear
Diary,

Something
is wrong with George and I don’t know what. Every day, I feel us drawing apart
from each other…..more like he’s drawing away from me. What else am I supposed
to do as a wife?

Her phone vibrated
beside her. She dropped the pen, picked up the phone and checked. It was Olakemi, her younger sister, wishing
her a happy marriage anniversary in advance.

She smiled painfully.
In two days, they were supposed to celebrate their sixth year together as man
and wife. What will we celebrate now, our
fighting all the time?

She remembered how
beautiful the last five years had been. It looked only like yesterday when she
said ‘I do’ to her man……the man who now acted like a complete stranger.

Where
is the man I married?

They had met first at
an end-of-the-year party Seun’s company, GAB Innovations, had put together.

The CEO, Mr. Raju Anwaar, had flown in from
India to be a part of it and had introduced them.

“George, my friend, I
want you to meet one of our top IT experts in this company, the best, I’d say.
Her name is Seun Makinwa. Seun, this
is George Okotete. He’s the owner of
GG Gaming Company. Remember him, right?”

“You flatter me too
much,” Seun said to her boss, shaking George’s already outstretched hand. “Nice
to meet you, Mr George.”

“Same here,” looking at
her in a way that made her uncomfortable.

“I can see how well
your company is doing, Mr Raju, so I can tell you have a dedicated team.” Mr. Raju nodded, smiling. “However, I had no idea the Seun you were always talking
about was a lady, given all the achievements.

“What does that mean,
Mr. George? That a lady cannot achieve…..”

“Don’t put words in my
mouth,” George said, interrupting her. “I don’t mean anything whatsoever. I’m
only surprised.”

I’m
not going to stand here and be insulted.

“You know what? It was
really nice meeting you,” she said, faking a smile. “I’ll just go and see if
our guests need anything.”

“Okay. While you’re at
it, how about you get me another glass of wine?” George said and turned to face
Mr. Raju.

She wanted to give him
a reply but the look on her boss’ face stopped her.

Minutes later, she was
pacing in the bathroom, seething in anger. “Madam, you need to calm down ooo.
We came here to have fun….don’t ruin your makeup because of one guy,” Hannah, her friend and colleague said,
adjusting her gown.

“Can you imagine the
rubbish? I was already angry with the nonsense he was saying about my being a
woman, and then he asks me to get a glass of wine? What insolence! Who does he
think he is?”

“Errrr…..the CEO of a
company that you’re not.”

“So, that gives him the
right to insult others? I wonder how he treats his employees.”

“Mama, calm down
naaa….it’s okay. Can we go and have fun now? There are lots of fine boys today
and I’m getting one for myself.”

“With the way you are
dressed, I will be surprised if they don’t fall over you.”

Hannah smiled, turning
around for her friend. “I know, right? I’ve got the curves in the right places,
yeah?”

Seun laughed. “Yes, you
do. Thank you for listening to me.”

“Anytime, my friend.
But let’s not lie, that George guy is handsome. Ahhhh……tall, dark, amazing body
build…..and he has money. Women will be falling all over for him. Oh God!”

Seun watched her friend
gesticulate as she spoke about George, disgusted. “Well, you and every other
woman can have him for all I care. For all we know, it could he his family’s
business that he flaunts as his,” Seun said.

“You are just being
jealous. Whether it’s his or his family’s, money na money, company na
company….you sha don’t have one. Let’s go, biko.”

The party was turning
up when they got back to the hall. “I love this DJ. This is my song, babe. I’ll
see you later. Let me mingle if I don’t want to die single standing beside
you,” Hannah yelled and danced away.

Seun laughed. The noise
was just too loud for her so she stepped out.

“I was wondering when I
would get my glass of wine,” she heard the voice behind her and got angry
again. Lord, help me stay calm.

He stood in front of
her, all tall and powerful. “Why are you out here when people are having fun
inside?”

“I should ask you the
same,” she replied.

“Touché. How about we
go in and, how do people say it, dig it?”

She had had enough. She
stood up, barely reaching his shoulder. Damn!
He is this tall? I wish I was taller.

“You know what? I’ve
had it with you for one evening. I do not appreciate people who look down on
others simply because they don’t have money….”

“What are you…..”

“I am not done,” she
interrupted him. “I find it really annoying and disrespectful. And you have the
nerve to ask me to dance with you? Me? Never! You can go ahead sweeping other
ladies’ feet with this arrogant attitude. Definitely not me.”

She left him there,
surprise written all over him. She felt good too.

Seun smiled. Guess who got swept off her feet finally?
Me.

She looked at the
journal beside her and suddenly didn’t feel like writing again. She closed it,
exhaling again. Where is the man I fell
in love with? What happened to him?

(To Be Continued)