“Are you sure you are O.K?” Doctor Seye wondered and he nodded with a smile on his face. “If you want to take some time off…”
“There will be no need for that, Doctor.” He cut his boss off. “I am absolutely fine.”
No! The smile was not forced, but genuine and he was sure people could see that. He came to the hospital with a smile on his face like he always did and attended to all his patients as cheerfully as ever. Doctor Kerla had even offered him lunch and he had declined politely.
“I am fine Doctor,” he said to her.
“I know things are difficult for you now but if need me…”
“That would not be necessary,” he waved her off.
Doctor Tunde naturally did not like to feel sorry for himself, so whenever there was a trying situation, he did his utmost best to keep his head high and keep a smile on his face. But at that moment, he wondered why everyone was feeling sorry for him.
As he drove home from the hospital, he thought of his wife and he gave a big smile. She was waiting for him in the house and he could not wait to get back to her. Two years of marriage and it felt like he was still on his honeymoon. He recalled the previous night and how exciting their love making was. It was like the first time they did it and he wondered how he could get so obsessed with another human being.
When he left for work that morning, he had promised her he would get back as soon as possible and he did not want to disappoint her. He knew she would be seated on the couch in her favourite underwear, waiting for him to come back. Same underwear he got her during her last birthday.
He drove into his estate which was a growing one. When Tunde and Ogechi, his wife had moved into Benta Estate, it had very few houses in it and they did not have a neighbour within a 10 mile radius. Now Mr Nnamdi, the architect and part-time plumber had moved in just opposite them with his beautiful set of twin girl. Ogechi had gotten so fund of them and when she left, he was sure they missed her so much. But now that she was back, Tunde was sure the girls would be excited to see her. He didn’t just want to spring the surprise yet so she had been indoors since she got back.
As Tunde drove into his compound, he noticed Mr Nnamdi in front of his house tending to his flowers and giving him the same look everyone in the office was giving him, a look of pity. He waved at his neighbour and drove into his compound. He quickly got down and hurried into his house and bolted his door to avoid another sympathy lecture from his neighbour. And just as he predicted, he saw his lovely wife sitting on the couch with her favourite underwear.
“Babe,” he smiled at her but she just sat with a straight face. “I’m sorry I came back a bit late. People in the office have been giving me these pity talks and even Kerla offered me food. I know how much you dislike Doctor Kerla so I declined.” He removed his tie and put on the fan as he felt the sitting room was a bit stuffy. “I hurried back here as soon as I was free because I didn’t want you to be lonely,” he said. “You must be hungry. I still have beans from this morning.”
He hurried into the kitchen and put on the gas cooker as he tried to heat the remainder of the beans he prepared that morning. He suddenly heard a knock on his door and he knew exactly who it was. As he walked towards the door, he could see a hint of frown on Ogechi’s face. “I just want to dismiss him,” he said. “It won’t take long.”
“Doctor Tunde,” Mr Nnamdi forced a smile as Tunde opened the door but stood on the way, preventing his neighbour from coming in. “I don’t know if this is a good time…”
“This is not a good time,” Tunde confirmed.
“I’m sorry,” he apologised with pity in his eyes. Tunde hated it! “My daughters played into your compound this morning and they went towards the back of the house…”
“You know you should control your daughters more,” Tunde frowned.
“Yes,” the architect stammered. “But they came back and complained of a smell emanating from your house. I went there to confirm and the stench is just terrible. And even now I can…”
“Rats!” Tunde cut him short. “I killed a lot of rats recently,” he said and Nnamdi nodded even though his expression proved he was not convinced. “Have a nice day Nnamdi,” he said as he slammed and bolted the door on his neighbour.
He went back to the kitchen and served himself some beans. He came out with two spoons but Ogechi seemed like she wasn’t interested. He sat just opposite her and ate slowly as he regarded his beautiful wife. All he wanted to do was make love to her like he did the previous night and he knew she was up for it. Then he noticed a hint of frown on her face.
“You think he saw you?” He asked and she was quiet. “He is going to call the police isn’t he?” Tunde wondered. “And if he does, they are going to take you away! I will not let that happen,” he said as he put a spoon full of beans in his mouth before dropping the plate and standing up. “What should I do?” He wondered and still she was silent. “I can’t kill him, he has two daughters!” He said. “But if I keep him alive, he will definitely call the police. Killing him means the police might come here for questioning and they will see you anyway…except we run away,” he smiled. “I do not think those twin girls can do without a father, so I have to take them out too right? It will be mercy!” He nodded. “Let me get this over with. I will be back as soon as possible,”
He didn’t have a weapon so he walked into his kitchen and picked up his shovel. Same shovel he used in digging up the corpse of his late wife, Ogechi.
