The Lives We Lived

45: Her Husband's Men

Zainab kissed her son's cheeks and hugged him tightly again. She still had two hours with him before she would have to drop him at the daycare nearby. He had never been away from her during the day for more than an hour.

But this visit was necessary. If she was to make a better life for Bayo and his new sibling — she caressed her stomach — she had to leave early. As soon as her husband left the house, she would sneak back in and grab her clothes and other important documents.

When she left Lagos for her sister's house she hadn't been thinking of their future, only then and there. Now, she knew better.

If she wanted to start her life alone, she could. Almost everything could be replaced but her university degree which was useless because she wasn't a particularly bright student. But Bayo's adoption papers and birth certificate were things she could not replace and he meant the world to her.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, if her own child had been lost the day Bode beat her, she would not have been hurt as much as if Bayo had to suffer the wrath of having a pig like that for a single father.

There was a sharp knock on her door.

"Zainab?"

"Yes?" She turned in time to watch Kemi enter the room.

Her friend was already dressed in a dark blue dress with shiny cream pumps. Kemi looked like a respectable woman who could command respect from both men and women while she, she had won simple black joggers with a large shirt. Bode had disapproved of her wearing trousers but he had cheated on her with a woman who wore pants.

"Hanhan, you wear trousers?" Kemi asked.

"Yes, I'm going back to my house—" Kemi gave her a stern look and she hastened her words. "To pick my things."

"Better. You can stay here for as long as you like. Even until Bayo goes to school." Kemi beamed as she spoke.

Zainab nodded but she had no intention of impinging on the generosity of her hosts more than was necessary. If everything worked out as she had planned, she would be out of their house before April next year. Five months or so.

"But, don't tell me you're going back today." Kemi said.

Zainab sighed. "Please, don't try to stop me."

"It's not that. It's just, yesterday, you were almost hit. You still have some bruises. Wait for them to heal."

Zainab shook her head. "I can't wait. If I do, I'll lose morale. Let me go now, now that I'm still angry. Now that there is fire in my blood."

Kemi stared at her long and hard speaking in a low tone. "Call me when you get there." Then added, "Go with Osa. He's going your way."

"You mean he's still here?" Zainab stretched her neck, even though she couldn't see past the hallway.

"Yes, why is that surprising?"

"You're leaving the house before him?"

Zainab would never ever have thought of leaving the house before her husband had and that was only after he had eaten. She was never to appease her desires until she had done his. That was how it worked and for a good part of her life, that was normal.

"Yes, we're not going the same way. Besides, he slept in a little late. Thank God for his secretary oh. He's not coming home as late as he used to." Kemi's smile grew wider.

Zainab's chest twisted with jealousy. If she had just been patient, Eniola could have been hers. She too, could've looked forward to her husband spending time in the house. She could've had children older than Bayo but she had plucked her fruit too early from the tree and now she had to suck her cheeks as the sour taste filled her mouth.