Thru the Years
Luke stopped walking and eyed his friend. ‘You’re still on this matter?’
Eme’s dark gaze flickered with uncertainty. ‘Guy, I can’t help it.’
‘Ah ah, but we spoke which day here? And all was well, abi?’
Eme nodded, his bald head shiny and smooth bobbing briefly. Then he cleared his throat. ‘I…eh…checked her phone.’
Luke shut his eyes in dramatic dismay, veiling pseudo alarm. ‘And?’ He prompted seconds later when his stare was back on his friend.
The other man shrugged. ‘I didn’t see anything.’
‘So why are your -?’
‘Because she has a password.’
‘Ehen?’ Luke dismissed. ‘Isn’t that normal?’
‘No, no, not for Anita.’
‘Huh? What do you mean?’ Luke inquired, a little confused.
‘She never passwords her gadgets…all the time we’ve been together because she might forget — ‘
‘But why did you go and check it in the first place?’
‘Because the whispering and clandestine calls haven’t stopped. I’m afraid to say this but I’m convinced my wife is cheating on me.’
‘Your worst nightmare come true, right?’ Luke grinned suddenly, lighting up a fair, friendly face in sharp contrast to his friend’s dark and serious one.
‘You think this is funny?’ Eme accused.
‘Guy, you’re imagining things. You people have been together for…what?…11 years now. Today is your anniversary sef. Forget it! She loves you. Why would she step out on you?’
‘Because I’m much older, because she’s too good for me, because — ‘
‘Enough, Eme! Enough, jor! You’re a good man and a good husband. And if you’re still uncertain, then ask her to her face instead of worrying unnecessarily.’
Eme exhaled harshly. ‘That’s the problem. I’m afraid to. What if I’m right?’
His friend dropped a hand on his shoulders. ‘But can you wait until after dinner tonight? Let me eat her special chicken sauce first. Se, it’s on the menu?’
Abruptly, Eme brushed the hand away. ‘I’m talking about my life and you’re talking about food!’ He resumed walking at a brusque pace.
‘Guy, wait nah.’ Luke broke into a jog to keep up. ‘As I can’t convince you otherwise, let me delay the confrontation for my benefit.’
His friend shot him a venomous look, said nothing, and kept walking down the street, quiet and fairly deserted at the time of morning.
Eme felt hot and bothered. Tugging at his T-shirt brought no relief because the heat came not from the routine, Saturday morning walk with his best friend and neighbour, but from the rising anxiety within.
At 52, nothing prepared him for an emotional issue such as this. Early in his marriage? Maybe. It took 10 years with Anita to believe she had eyes solely for him.
Elegant, gorgeous Anita chose him, an older, geeky-looking man over the slew of debonair suitors hanging over her every word back then.
He’d been late to every party in his life — completing school, getting his first job, and meeting and marrying Anita at 41. She’d been a mesmerizing, smart-mouthed graduate, and 18 years younger. He’d fallen for her hard, very fast at first sight.
Even now, motherhood had curved her beautifully, and he still missed a breath just staring at her.
Theirs was a marriage like any other, filled with ups and downs. And it was during the downs — their arguments and Anita’s smart mouth — that he felt the most inadequate, misplaced, and aged.
To Anita’s credit, she’d given him no reason to doubt her fidelity or commitment to him and the children. Well…until she’d resumed, two weeks ago, at a new job in a popular FMCG. That’s when the messages and calls began, occurring at suspicious hours and raising his heckles.
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Bad timing at best!
For their 11th anniversary, she’d bundled the children off to her mother’s and invited two couples — Eme & his wife, and one other — over tonight for an intimate celebratory dinner.
Contrary to Anita’s stunning looks, she preferred staying in and snuggling to a night out in the town.
So why did he feel inadequate now? Text messages and phone calls that Anita claimed were work-related?
Yes!
Something was definitely up. And he hated not knowing. He also hated knowing that it was a man on the other end of the line. That he was absolutely certain about. Every man knew when his wife talked to another man on the phone.
But, but what if he was wrong and all this fretting was for nothing?
But what if he was…?
The sound of a ringing phone jarred him back onto the street as his friend extracted a device from his tracksuit bottoms. So engrossed had he been in his thoughts that he’d missed the moment when they’d arrived in front of his house.
‘It’s the office,’ Luke said, after a glance at the screen; he owned and operated a travel agency. ‘I need to take it. Happy anniversary again, man. See you later.’ And swiping upwards he walked away, his voice carrying. ‘This is Luke.’
Eme stepped into a serene sitting room, half-expecting his last child, a 4-year-old, to welcome him back from his weekend exertions with an energetic ‘Daddy!’
Alas, the children were at his mother-in-law’s.
Instead, mixed muted sounds of speech and chuckles drew him to the dining section at the far corner of the space.
Anita backed him. Seated at the head of the table and still clothed in her nightwear, her mobile phone was glued to her left ear. She dipped her head to the side, making appreciative noises and exposing the iPad propped up on the table in front of her.
Noiselessly, Eme moved nearer.
Filling up the screen was the image of an idyllic, azure beach. Ideal for a vacation both Anita and he craved badly. She swiped left on the screen to reveal another angle of the beach with little cabanas and swaying palms.
He heard her sigh. ‘This is beautiful,’ she murmured. ‘Perfect, perfect. We’re going to have the time of our lives. Thank you.’ A smile slipped into her voice; her finger poised mid-air to swipe again.
What on ear -?! Something dark and sinister got a hold of Eme, gripping him by the jugular.
Moving swiftly, he stepped forward, ripped the phone from her ear and yelled. ‘Who is this man you’re always talking to, Anita?! Who?! Tell me now!’
He waited and watched the expressions flitter across her face when she turned around at his unexpected intrusion — shock, surprise, and no guilt.
‘Well?’ He demanded, getting angrier at her silence.
To his chagrin, she settled on resigned blandness and gestured toward the phone dangling from his palm. ‘Find out for yourself. He’s still on the phone.’
His eyebrows climbed in confusion. ‘Huh?’
She gestured again. ‘Go on. ‘
The bravado of moments ago seemed to seep away at her reaction to his outburst. This was not what he’d anticipated. He hadn’t meant to confront her now…either.
He lifted the phone to his ear. ‘Who’s this?’
‘Howdy neighbour,’ Luke’s familiar tone reached him.
‘Luke? Luke?’ Disbelief flooded Eme’s. “Why are you -? What is going on?’ His gaze flew fleetingly to his wife who stared back with a smug expression.
‘It’s not what you think, man. Plus, it was supposed to be a surprise. You just ruined it.’
‘What surprise? What are you talking about? Eme stared at Anita again, then dropped his gaze to the iPad’s screen which had turned white.
‘And by the way, you’re right. She’s too good for you. Later, man.’ Luke broke the connection.
Still puzzled and a bit subdued now, Eme lowered the phone, slanted Anita another look before finally settling on the iPad screen again.
His full names jumped at him before he noticed departure and arrival times, and the destination.
Anita’s name was right below his.
