VILE

Chapter 50: The Present

Tomike smiled at herself in satisfaction as she placed the last throw pillow on the couch. The living room looked just perfect. Less than twenty four hours earlier it was a hot mess.

There were paper coffee cups on the coffee table, dirty clothes hanging on the couch, a wig or two hanging on her coat hanger, paper work scattered on her center rug and her small book shelf was falling apart. Her open kitchen at the corner of the room was much worse.

Dirty plates and pots were pilied up in the sink and the marble table was covered in stains of different colours. The nylons and paper packaging from delivered food had filled up the dustbin beyond what it could take and some of the trash was on the floor.

Since she didn't spend so much time at home she had turned the living room to her operational base. Most times she didn't even bother cleaning up after herself because she was always in a rush; either to the hospital or to work.

That morning she woke up determined to clean up the entire house, her greatest motivation being that Dayo was finally coming back home. It had been six weeks since he had been hospitalized, six long weeks. The doctors insisted they kept an eye on him to ensure he didn't relapse or fall into a worse off condition. Tomike was just thankful she didn't have to worry about the expences since her health insurance came handy and the bills were the last thing she had to think of.

She sprayed air freshener, her final touch. She inhaled it smiling as the fragrance quickly enveloped the air. Just then there was a knock on the door.

Her face melted into dissatisfaction as she looked through the pinhole to see who it was. She hesitated to open the door but eventually did.

"I have been calling you" he spat out as he walked into the apartment.

"What do you want King?"

"Is that even a serious question? Wait, is that what you say after dodging me for over a month?"

"Yes King I'm dodging you because you're a bullet, one that could burst open my brain if I'm not careful"

"What are you saying this woman?" He said like a typical Igbo man.

"What do you want King?"

"Stop asking me that stupid question!" He was obviously furious, so Tomike didn't say anything else. He took a deep breath and his angry face was replaced with a sober one.

"What do I want Tomi? It's you, you're the one I want. I was almost losing it these past few weeks and the moment I got a chance I flew here" he was toe to toe with her now and stroked her hair. After a few seconds Tomike stepped back.

"Dayo is fine, thanks for asking"

Guilt washed over him, he had only been thinking of himself.

"I'm sorry, I was meaning to ask"

"This is why this cannot work anymore Kingsely. I'm afraid by the way you are consumed by me, or should I say the idea of us being together"

"No.. It's not like th.. "

"I don't want to hear it King. Please just go and don't come back. You have a wife and a beautiful daughter. What we had was in the past, don't shortchange that for an amazing future"

"Are you breaking up with me? Again! You can't be serious right?"

"What?" Tomike couldn't believe her eyes, tears were actually threatening to fall down his face. She almost chuckled in amazement.

"You know I don't love her, it was a marriage of convince, and I.. "

"But it's still a marriage!"

"I'll leave. In fact I've wanted to leave for a while, I was just having a rethink for the baby but Tomike it's you I want. I promise I'll take care of you and Dayo, you'll never have to work a day in your life, whatever you want but please don't leave me" he was sobbing hard.

Tomike was further taken aback as he grabbed her into a tight hug. She was dumbfounded.

This dude is really crazy.

She tried to push him away but his grip was too tight.

"Get off me!" He pulled back.
"Are you out of your mind? King just go okay, go!"

"You can't keep toying with my feelings Tomike" that angry look was back on his face.

"Just go King I don't want trouble" Tomike took a step back for each step he took towards her. She couldn't understand the look in his eyes, it was more of rage than it was hurt. She had never seen him that way before.

"You asked for trouble the day you called me and we spent the night together in that hotel Tomike"

"King you're scaring me. Why are you acting this way?" She had reached the wall. A part of her was terrified of what he wanted to do but another part was convinced that King wasn't that type of man, he never was.

But people change.

He held her arms tightly and pressed her against the wall.

"You asked for this" tears dropped from his eyes but he wasn't sad, he was angry. Tomike felt her heart beating fast inside her chest.

"King please, your hurting me" she was beginning to get really scared.

"All I want is you, is that too much to ask for?" His grip got tighter and he softly traced her neck with his lips.  Tomike felt a shiver down her spine but it wasn't the one she'd usually feel when he would do that. This time she was reminded of the cubicle room where she stayed with her stepfather, and the horror that that place brought to her life.

"King... Please..." Tears fell down her eyes, in that moment she was numb. The nostalgia numbed her.

King let go.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I don't know what I was thinking. Tomi, please forgive me I'm sorry. You know I would never"

As Tomike looked up she saw true remorse in his eye, but she was done with his madness. Right then, as she felt blood flow back to her body she slapped him.

"Get out! Get out!" She shouted in his face.

He turned around and he left. That would be the last time she'd see him. It was sad, even for her, the fact that someone who had brought so much excitement and hope into her life would leave in such a way.

I shouldn't have looked for him.
I should have left things the way they were.

She fell to the ground where she stood and cried and at intervals she would hit the floor beneath her as though it was the cause of her problems.