Another Shot at Love

Chapter 13- Desperation

She stood over the sink in the kitchen scrubbing away the black from the pot in a uniformed motion. The only problem was that the pot was no longer black but Tess kept scrubbing it as if it will remove the darkness that had clouded her heart.

Why were relationships so hard? Why couldn't she have a man that loved her just as much as she did? A man who would cherish her, kiss her good morning, hold her hands unconsciously just because he wanted to feel her skin over his. A man who always wanted to talk to her and who will miss her as much as she missed him. Kunbi was everything every woman dreamt of, he was successful, wealthy, hardworking, and principled. He was tall, handsome... but his heart belonged to someone else. She had always known it but she thought somehow, she would grow on him and win his heart. It was working and for a while Tess and Kunbi were perfect but now? She sighed and dumped the sponge she was using in the sink before she turned on the tap. As the water ran over the now immaculate pot, Tess watched it absentmindedly, then she shut the tap off and turned the pot upside down for it to drain properly. She turned around, with her back leaning on the sink and faced the spotless kitchen. She was a wife material, she cooked, she cleaned, she did his laundry, and she gave him pleasure in the bed room and everywhere else that he liked. What else? What else did he want that she didn't do?

She pushed herself off the sink and headed for the sitting room. That was when she heard the consistent knocking on her door. As she walked towards the front door, she caught a reflection of herself in the mirror. She was petite yes, but beautiful, fair and sexy in the tank top and jeans bum shorts she had on. She knew she was beautiful and sexy, so what did Kemi have that she didn't?

"I am coming!" she called out to whoever was at the door. She was in no mood for a visitor but maybe that was exactly what she needed—a distraction from her tormenting thoughts.

Tess opened the door and when she saw her friend Isioma in her tall glory, she almost broke down in tears.

"You really are my best friend. How did you know I needed you?"

Isioma pulled Tess in for a hug and patted her hair down. Isioma always did that to Tess, because she was taller than Tess, although Tess hated that gesture, on this fateful day, it was endearing.

"Tessie what's going on girl?" Isioma asked still holding her friend.

"I don't know. I am worried! I think I am losing Kunbi again."

"What?" Isioma led Tess to a double seater and helped her sit. "What do you mean? Everything just got better!"

"I know, but it has become so much worse."

"How? Break it down to me."

Tess sniffed and wiped her face "Isioma, he comes back late again, he forgets some of our dates like he use to before and we haven't had sex!" She screamed the sex part and Isioma gasped.

"Oh no! Not the sex."

"I know right?"

"He is so different Isi... I don't know what to do."

"Did you both fight?"

"No! Everything has been good. Just that one day he came back and he was acting lost. Yes!" Tess raised her hands up like someone that just remembered an answer to a multimillion naira question. "It was the day he had lunch with his mum. He came back and was acting strange."

"How strange?" Isioma enquired.

"Lost in thought? Distracted?"

"Hmmm! Go on..."

"Anyway, I asked him what was wrong but he was elusive before he went to shower. When he came back he made love to me like a beast. I was scared but I loved every bit of it."

"So what's wrong?"

"That was the last time he touched me. Then a few days ago his mum came around the house but since she doesn't like me, I went to hide behind the staircase so she wouldn't know I was in the house. She was talking to him about another woman then all of a sudden she started speaking Yoruba but you know I understand small. What I was able to pick from the conversation was that Kemi is back to Nigeria."

Tess finished her long narration with a deep exhale.

"What?" Isioma sat up in her seat. "The bitch chose the wrong time to come back. And could Kunbi be so foolish to go back to her?" She looked round the house in deep thought "I thought you said he hasn't spoken to her in years?"

"That is what he told me."

"And now she is back?"

Tess nodded and buried her face in her palm. "I am confused Isi. I love Kunbi with my life. Where will I start from if he leaves me?"

"He will not."

"I am not as confident as you are Isi. I am thinking about confronting him about it."

"And you think he will admit the truth to you?" Isioma laughed sarcastically. "Girl you dey fall hand o! Which kin talk be that one? You want to confront him and say what? Ask him if he is seeing the Kemi that left him in Nigeria for so many years? You think he will say 'yes babe! I am seeing her but I am sorry it is you I want to marry?" Isioma laughed again.

"Stop laughing Isi and give me a solution. I am confused."

"Babe! Take it by force! Even bible talk say make the violent take wetin concern am by force."

"How?"

Isioma watched her friend silently for a short while before she spoke up "you might not like this idea since you too dey form good girl..."

"I will do anything Isioma, as long as it is not juju."

Isioma rolled her eyes at her friend. "Get out. Do I look like a juju type of person?"

"Oya sorry! Just tell me."

"Get pregnant for him."

"Isi... I can't! I..."

Isioma raised her hand to stop Tess. I knew you would say no. So why did you ask for my help?"

"Get pregnant without getting married? It is too risky abeg!"

"See this one? It is a normal thing joor. Who wants to be wife when they can be baby mama?"

"Ah!" Tess exclaimed and was about to say something when Isioma held up her hand again. "But don't worry you will be a wife not a baby mama. The only difference is that you will have to be a baby mama first. You see, people like Kunbi, their family will never allow their heir to be outside the family name so by force, his mother will accept you and you both can get married."

Tess thought about what Isioma just told her and if she was being honest it sounded like a good plan. In the moment she didn't see the pot hole in the plan. She was too desperate to even consider the fact that Kunbi might be smarter than her.

"So what will I do now?"

"Did you stop taking your contraceptives like I told you to?"

Tess eyed her friend but nodded head.

"Good!" Isioma clapped her hands. "That was about three weeks ago right?"

Tess nodded and started biting her nails, a bad habit of hers whenever she was nervous.

"So in a few weeks you will start ovulating." Isioma paused "Let me know when you start okay?"

Tess looked at her friend for a long time without saying anything.

"Abi you don't want to do this thing again?"

Tess shook her head. "I love Kunbi so much, and I will do anything to keep him! Including getting pregnant."

Isioma smile. "That's my girl!"