Episode 47

Last updated on May 16th, 2023 at 12:27 pm

TW: This episode contains a discussion of sexual abuse.

“I think it’s a new fetish,” Vic said. We were on a call.

“I think so too.”

“I hate how we are discussing violation like it’s something not totally bad. It’s insane, Lape.”

“What would you have me do, Vic?” Vic was silent.

“I told mummy and she thinks it’s absurd for me to see my husband wanting sex as a violation. She said I am a lucky woman because he doesn’t hit me.”

“I am sorry, but what did you expect her to say? It’s like there is an award for mummy if you remain married.” Vic replied. I started laughing. Admittedly, mummy acted like my being married was a sure pass for her to heaven. Apart from her status within the church, I saw no reason for her to want me to be married so badly.

“I have considered leaving so many times, but where do I go?” Vic sighed. “See, let’s do this accounting, please. I have been missing some cash and I don’t know if my head is just too full to calculate or something.”

“Oya, let’s do it. Olodo.”

***

More often than not, customers paid into the business account. Only on very few occasions did we do Pay-On-Delivery which was usually for very little or impromptu orders. I brought home the cash and once it was up to ten thousand naira, I went to deposit it in the bank. This took a while since most of the orders are paid into the account directly. What I didn’t know was that someone had been stealing my money.

I had not had any issues with money with Sarah. I doubted it would be any of her workers. I had noticed some amount missing since I got back from Lagos. And the only person that came to mind was Jude. I would most likely never know for sure, but if it was him, why would he do that? This issue seemed a bit trivial, but I was losing money, however little. I changed where I used to keep my money and tried to observe what was happening.

It was not enough for me not to keep money at home again, I needed to understand what was happening. I used to keep the money under my clothes in the section of my wardrobe, now I moved it to the children’s wardrobe. I took pictures of how my clothes were arranged and waited for some days to see if there would be any difference. I didn’t know if it was in my head, but when compared to the picture, my clothes seemed to be scattered. What new thing is this man up to?

***

The past few months had been puzzling. It’d been a host of events that I couldn’t wrap my head around. Almost like Jude lost it and became unhinged. He was coming into the room more frequently, removing my clothes roughly even if I was asleep. I started locking the door and one night he came and tried the door and started banging. He was banging really hard, like a thief. I had to open the door so the kids didn’t wake and he literally dragged me into the other room.

I later discovered that he was the one stealing my money at about the same time I noticed I was getting some bad reviews on my business page. I think this was the most unsettling for me. I had all my life and hopes on my business and I did not want it compromised for any reason. I started looking into the reviews and apologizing, until I saw that they had never ordered anything from me.

I started texting them in their dms and it seemed like they were sending almost the same thing. I had to block them. After blocking, a new set of bad reviews would be on my page and it was getting really bad. It was Vic that suggested Jude. I doubted it. I told her he didn’t even have an Instagram account. In the end, I agreed to check his phone. 

I never understood why he never locked his phone. He had a lot of things that could implicate him, but I doubt he cared. It seemed like he was inviting me to see whatever I wanted to see and no one could hold him. 

***

Apart from seeing that Jude had established a business for Rolake in Ilorin, I confirmed that he was truly the one opening different accounts to ruin my business. The same person, the same serial cheat that was fond of establishing a business for his mistresses was the same one trying to sabotage mine. Why would anyone be this wicked?

That did it for me. My business would be almost two years and it was doing fine. It was not easy; customers could be very hard and sales could be dull, many things went wrong, but overall, it gave me a sense of accomplishment. Knowing Jude was behind those accounts made me feel a bit better. I felt like I could handle it easily now. So, I started deleting his comments and, in the inbox, I let him know I was aware.

“This is like a Nollywood movie,” Vic said during our call.

“I tell you. I have watched and even read it. God knows I have laughed while reading some, cos no one can be that jobless.”

“Apparently, someone with a mission can be that jobless.”

“Vic, I am going to do it.”

“Hmm,” Vic sighed, “if you are totally sure, go ahead. I am always behind you.”

“I am scared though. This man is crazy.”

“He is.”

“But I have to do it. I can’t take it again.”

“Is it still Ibadan?”

“Yes, Lagos is expensive. Osogbo is actually the best, business and all, but we need the distance. For him not to even know where we are at all, Ibadan seems smart and cheap. I just have to make sure I am far from his family.”

“Mummy and I can help with the apartment. Have you told Sarah?”

“No, when next I go to her company, I would tell her.”

“I hope you are able to go through with this. I really do.”

“I hope so too, Lape. I am really weak. I feel like anything can break my resolve.”

“I understand baby girl.” 

We exchanged e-kisses and ended the call. I heaved a sigh; I was really going to do this. I meant it when I told Vic that any reaction that remotely seemed positive would break my resolve. Every day, I read up on women that had been there before. I wouldn’t lie to myself thinking it would be easy, but I hoped to all the powers that be for strength. I saw Dolapo trying to put something in her mouth and got up to carry her. Stop stalling Ojuolape.

Then, I dialed the agent’s number I had saved on my phone for a while and introduced myself to her.