A LETTER TO MY WIFE [episode 3]

 

I got back into my apartment, furious. I couldn't even listen to the fabulous music anymore because the atmosphere wasn't calm like a few minutes ago when I was listening to 'THE MOMENT' album by Kenny G.

The inflatable air sofa became uncomfortable as I stood up and stepped towards the fridge by my dining.

I took out a bottle of Bailey Irish cream and filled a margarita glass to the brim as I took the first sip making the glass half. All I wanted was to forget about what I saw in flat 6. I should have left flat six the way it had been.

Thirty minutes later, I heard my phone ring as I looked at the caller. It was Tony.

"OgaTenny," Tony called

"Hey bro, are you at my gate?" I replied

"Yes, boss", Tony replied.

"Put the phone on speaker so I can tell Bello to give you access," I said.

"The phone is on speaker now, sir," Tony updated me.

"Bello, na me Tenny, abeg allow Tony come inside," I instructed

"OK, sir," Bello responded.

I stood by my door as Tony climbed up, and I ushered him into my house to brief him on what he was to do.

"Tony, take one shot, na," I said as I handed Tony another margarita glass.

He turned some Irish cream into his glass until his glass was half.

Tony began to sip his baileys Irish cream as I briefed him.

"Tony, na my neighbour car you go fix, e dey for our junction. Follow me, make we go," I said to Tony.

He finished his drink and followed me.

I called Nene while standing in front of my flat to avoid seeing the Zee world master.

The phone rang as Nene answered. I was the one who spoke first.

"Nene, Tony is here. Please, can you come out so we can go and give him the car," I asked her?

"OK, Tenny, just a moment. I'm coming." Nene replied.

Less than five minutes, Nene came out, wearing a ladies' fashion button gown and summer women's flip-flop slippers. She looked so beautiful, and I couldn't help but stare and smile at Nene as she smiled back.

Myself, Nene and Tony walked downstairs as I unlocked my 2017 Toyota Corolla SE model. Nene reached out for the back seat door behind my seat, but I told her to sit at the front as Tony won't be coming back with us.

We drove to where the car was, and Nene unlocked her 2016 Toyota Venza XLE, removing a document as she handed Tony the key.

"Tony, whatever it is, let me know. Thank you," I said to Tony as I entered my car with Nene.

"Please, can you take me to the BOOMS SUPERMARKET? I need to get a few things for the house." Nene asked.

"Sure, Nene," I answered as I began driving in that direction.

It was as if she knew I wanted to ask if that was her boyfriend because I had never seen a guy at Nene's apartment since she moved in a month ago.

"Tee," Nene called me in a soft tone.

"The person you saw in my house is ...........

 

Watch out for the next episode....

©️SOB BOOKS.

A LETTER TO MY WIFE (EPISODE 2) by Siloko Oyintari Ben

  

                       

Discarding happiness to get happiness is an Irony that is underrated. I didn't even let the phone ring so much as I tapped the button to receive Nene's call.

Internally, I felt so much joy as I answered the call.

"Hi Tee", Nene responded first.

"Fine, girl", I replied.

"Please can you help me call your mechanic, so he can come and fix the car," Nene asked?

"Yes, Nene," I concurred. 

In my state of confusion, I called her Nene instead of the fine girl because I expected her to call me over to assist her in whatever she wanted or for company.

Nene dropped the call after I assured her that I would call Tony.

The moment Nene hung the call, I called Tony.

As the phone rang, Tony answered quickly,

"OgaTenny, I greet you," Tony spoke in his usual jovial way.

"Bro, how are you? Hope the rain no keep you for house?" I asked Tony

"No o oga, I dey workshop already. I need to work, so I go carry Blessing go BOUNCING STAR this night," Tony responded.

I laughed as I responded, 

"Na enjoyment you dey o, meanwhile, I need you to come carry car for my place."

"OK, oga Tenny, I dey come." He affirmed.

As the call ended, I decided to go and knock on Nene's door to see if I could get a chance to render any service since she didn't invite me when she called earlier.

I took the bull by the horn, using the option of telling her the feedback I got from Tony.

"If the bull horn wan wound me, make e wound me,"

I said to myself as I tapped gently on Nene's door. I heard a masculine voice, but I wasn't sure if it was from the television or the radio inside Nene's sitting room. At this point, I hoped it was the television.

"Yes, who's at the door," the masculine voice responded to the gentle tap on the door as he opened to the door to check.

'Good afternoon,' I greeted.

'Afternoon,' replied the voice.

'I'm looking for Nene, please,' I said

'Nene! Nene! He called. Someone is looking for you,'

He said in a tone Nene heard as he moved back to the couch with the door open as I stood in a sculpted form. I watched him sitting comfortably with his legs lying straight on the sofa and concentrating on the 'Zee World' channel.

(Zee World is an English-Bollywood entertainment pay television channel in South Africa. It was launched on 3 February 2015)

I was already boiling inside of me, so many thoughts on my mind as I began to murmur,

"Why this girl go tell me to call mechanic for her when she get boyfriend for house? Na wa, I don suffer....and see as him dey, grown up man dey watch zee world." At this point, I was jealous as my mind was biased.

"Oh, Tenny," Nene called as she approached the door where I was standing. I wasn't interested in going inside her house anymore because I had no idea who the guy was. Even as she called me Tenny instead of Tee, I wondered if the rain that beat her earlier made her think differently.

"I called Tony already, and he is on his way," I summoned courage in the heat of my annoyance to speak to her without my anger in view.

"Oh, that's nice of you. You should have just called instead of stressing yourself."

As she talked to me, the guy left the sitting room for the bedroom. He was in short and singlet, while Nene was in singlet and short, revealing some points on her chest. 

Thoughts were already running through my head for the second time when I saw what Nene was wearing. I had concluded that the guy had already heated Nene. That's why she wasn't shivering anymore.

"When Tony arrives, I'll let you know," I said as I walked back to my flat, with Nene responding, "thank you, Tenny." 

Watch out for episode 3, to find out to what transpired afterwards.

©️SOB BOOKS.

image reference - [https://www.yourtango.com/experts/david-wygant/deadly-danger-infatuation]

A LETTER TO MY WIFE by Siloko Oyintari Ben

 

A LETTER TO MY WIFE

                by Siloko Oyintari Ben

(SOB BOOKs production)

 

The rains had started on a beautiful Saturday morning with dark clouds. I peeped through my window, hoping to have a good view from my apartment on the three-story building along Liverpool crescent in St Abz mini estate. Growing up with dreams was the best part of my life.

The day I moved into my apartment, Flat 5, block A, I fell in love not just with my flat but flat 6, which housed a banker, Nene.

Nene was light-skinned, beautiful, and a figure eight, about 5.9ft tall. She was just a perfect figure of the picture for a woman of my dreams.

The moment I slid my curtains and looked towards the gate of our mini estate, my eyes caught Nene running in from the entrance towards block A, directly opposite the gate.

The buildings were painted in white colours as white colours had always been a beauty to behold. Immediately I sighted Nene, the good Samaritan in me ignited as I left the window for my door, hoping to render any service Nene wanted.

I heard her footsteps approaching as she was climbing the third floor. I had already summarised a way to initiate communication with her.

Nene was already soaked from the rain as the water was drizzling from her gown, and Nene was shivering.

"Oh, sorry, Nene," I began to say those crammed words, and the response returned as anticipated.

"Thank you, Tee," Nene responded, as she called me a different name for the first time. I remembered telling Nene my name was Tenny, and since then, she has been calling me Tenny. However, today, I got a different name. I was joyful because it was a dream becoming a reality.

"Fine geh," why did you return under the rain? What happened to your car? I inquired.

I summoned the courage to call Nene' fine geh' because she had already called me a different name, so it became a situation of preparation meeting opportunity.

"My car developed a fault by Romeo Spot," replied Nene.

(Romeo Spot is a jazz bar by the junction leading to our estate.)

"Don't worry. 

(Tony is my mechanic, a dark fellow skilled in fixing Toyota cars.) After the rains, I'll call Tony to look at it."

"Can I assist you with anything," I asked Nene.

"Not really. If I need your assistance, I'll ring you." Nene responded as she unlocked her flat and entered, leaving me behind.

"Now them never leave me......., they have left me...."

I said to myself as I looked at the gate and developed cold feet, which indicated the mission failed because I had so much fantasy in my head as I had always admired Nene.

I returned to my flat and sat on my blue three-seater couch in my sitting room. This time, I turned on the music player and connected it to the Bluetooth on my phone as I began to play a selected fantastic mix from my phone.

Sunny Neji was playing, and the title was "Still The One...."

Ten minutes later, my phone rang. It was Happiness calling as I looked at my phone.

"Wetin Happiness deh call me for na? shey she say she no want me, why she deh worry me?" I muttered to myself as I allowed the phone to ring without answering.

Happiness is a colleague of mine in the Nations Development Organisation. She serves in the Protocol department, while I do in the Documentation department.

She called again, and I ignored her call for the second time as I continued my music.

The thunders were rumbling, and the rain still poured heavily as my phone beeped. It was a text message, and I opened it to see the sender and the content.

It was Happiness.

'Are you home, Tenny? I want to stop by and say hello in the next hour. Kindly respond.'

I responded immediately, 'Sorry, Happiness, I can't take calls right now, and I'm not home. I went to visit my uncle in Bolton Avenue.'

(Bolton Avenue is about 1hr drive from my house. )

'OK, noted. Some other time then,' came the response from Happiness.

Thoughts of Nene were just all over my mind.

Ten minutes after the conversation with Happiness, a call came into my phone. This time, it was Nene calling.

Watch out for the next episode.

Soti : The man & his choices.

The Banga boys are respected across the communities within the river banks.

The boys were instructed by General Pick-Two never to enter any community except recruitment period, and they are not supposed to harm any individual from those communities.

“Kipu, stop this boat”

Weni ordered the boat rider as he anchored the boat immediately at Pina-ama jetty.

Indibala, raced like a cheetah the moment he sighted Soti and Weni. Soti chased him immediately, with Weni following behind.

Weni had a type two AK 47 milled receiver rifle so his pace was slow, unlike Soti, who was carrying a 1911 commander pistol, as Indibala ran in the direction where soldiers were guarding a federal facility.

Aunty Tare’s sickness had worsen. Inetimi was now living with us at Garden City, leaving our energetic grandpa who was seventy eight years to take care of aunty Tare with herbs, as grandpa said the English man's chalk isn’t effective on aunty Tare.

“Indibala, stop there”.

Soti ordered as he fired two shots in the air from his pistol. Fear gripped indibala whose feet got stuck to the ground, as he heard the shots. He never processed the stop signal, but the shot signal.

The soldiers, upon hearing the shots fired, advanced towards the scene. Weni was four hundred meters from the scene when Soti shot Indibala three times, killing him instantly.

Just then, Soti sighted the soldiers and opened fire on them as he fled for the jetty thinking he was still fortified. The soldiers returned the shots as they pursued and their bullets penetrated him.

Weni saw Soti falling to the ground as the shots hit him. He dropped his AK rifle and sprinted as fast as his legs can carry him towards the jetty.

The Banga spy for the mission had tailed them and seen what happened. He knew the soldiers will capture the team if they decide to wait for Weni, so he ordered Kipu to ride the boat back to the camp.

Soti and Weni had disobeyed commanders order and they had no choice than leave them to their fate.

Weni got to the jetty and the boat had left. Immediately he turned back, he saw the soldiers who told him to stand still, but he disobeyed and was still trying to run towards the river when they gunned him down.

Aunty Tare was still hoping her Soti will return back someday, but Soti was never coming back home. He drank too much power and died from the overdose.

SOB BOOKS

SOTI ARRIVES CAMP VICTORY

The holiday lasted for another week which I enjoyed every single day. These moments were times I wish the government will declare one month of extra holidays for students just to prevent us from going to school, but that was not going to happen, as I made up my mind that I will be leaving soon for the garden city.

Aunty Tare had not been feeling too well since Soti left Buru – ama with the Banga boys, having no idea where her heir was taken to.

Daily, her condition worsened, as she continued to blame herself for not paying attention to the attitude of Soti, until Soti left with the Banga boys. An incident she tagged, the horrible event.

Soti arrived Camp Victory the following day at 04:00 hrs. Central African Time.

Boys were chanting when the new recruits arrived. On sight, were various types of gun. A fourteen years old boy was handling a FN rifle, another was with an AK rifle, while a boy about fifteen was mounting a GMP rifle from the top of a van with an inscription, ‘Victory for Crusade’.

Soti, on sighting all these became excited because he knew at some point he was also going to bear arms. This was the kind of life he wanted all these years. He had always looked up to violent people as mentors and now he hopes to grow in this line to have mentees.

At one session of Camp Victory was a sacred place fenced with a thatch. The sacred place had a little stream for fortification and cleansing. Soti and the other recruits were taken to the sacred place and they had their cleansing and fortification.

This got Soti more excited as evil thoughts ran through his mind.

‘Attention everyone’, Commander Kuro ordered as General Pick-Two stepped in.

“How una dey my boys”, General Pick-Two asked.

“Fine general”, the boys echoed.

Soti and the new recruits had been briefed about the general by the commander.

General Pick-Two still speaking,

“I welcome una to camp victory, I hope say Commander Kuro don tell una everything una need to know for now, and him don also give una the

commandments for this camp?”

“Yes general”, the boys shouted at the top of their voices.

“Impressed, I must say, welcome to the Crusade family.” The general concluded.

“Thank you general”, the boys responded.

General Pick-Two left as Commander Kuro stepped in to give further directives.

It was the twelfth day of September, two thousand and ten, as Mr Koffi drove into grandpa’s compound from the Garden City in his black Toyota Corolla 1.8 GLi. My dad worked with Forex Mortgage Bank, and that was his official car.

My father, Mr Koffi was born in Senegal, he was ten years when they returned back to our country.

“Bodi, how are you enjoying your holidays"?

My father asked me, even though he didn’t feel too happy because his only sister, Aunty Tare was sick. After an hour of his arrival, he went inside Aunty Tare’s room with grandpa, while Inetimi assisted me in packing my belongings. I knew they were discussing about Soti and Aunty Tare’s health as they spoke in low tune.

Thirty minutes later, Dad called inetimi and I inside the room so I can say farewell to Aunty Tare.

Grandpa and inetimi walked us to the car. Dad opened the trunk for me, and also opened the pigeon hole and brought out a white envelope. I knew it was cash, as he handed it to grandpa. I wouldn’t need anyone to inform me that my father was a giver, as he makes other peoples need his priority. I had learnt so much from Mr Koffi.

Inetimi and I carefully loaded my blue box and black school bag inside the trunk of my father’s Corolla, after which I hugged Inetimi and walked to the front seat.

My fourteenth birthday was approaching as I was born on the twenty fourth day of November, nineteen ninety six.

Daddy handed inetimi one thousand naira in one hundred naira notes. You could see the joy on inetimi’s face as we were driving out of grandpa’s compound, he was holding ten mints of one hundred naira note.

Soti and the new recruits had taken their oaths and undergone rigorous two months training at Camp Victory. He had joined other teams for several operation which they carried out successful. He had also impressed the general and here was Soti, been promoted to lead a team for an assignment.

Soti was given the privilege to lead a team due to his efficiency in training and also his contribution in various assignments. His team was given an assignment at Tonba Creek to destroy a crude liner

On their way to Tonba Creek, he sighted Indibala at one of the river banks. Indibala, a young man who had visited Buru-ama some years back with his friends during the Buru-ama festival had arguments with Soti and Weni at the beach festival, where Indibala and his friends ganged up and beat Soti and Weni mercilessly, leaving them with a huge disgrace.

Soti signaled Weni, pointing out to indibala. The rules were about to be broken…….. …………………………………………………………….

Watch out for the next episode.

SOB BOOKS.

THE LOUDEST SILENCE

As the current user of the female restroom stepped out, it became Sinivie’s turn. Floxy was still dancing trying to balance her tummy so she wouldn’t have to defecate on her body as that would be a real shame.

She looked behind, left and right and seeing that nobody was in sight, raced to the male toilet and tapped gently at the door.

‘yes, na who be that’?

asked Puluvie.

Na me Floxy. Abeg, make I come use the restroom na. Na die I dey, Floxy lamented.

This made things worse for Floxy as Puluvie responded,

‘Na taboo o for this compound, so no way for you to use the male toilet. Just endure.’

This spelt doom for Floxy, who had no choice but to say silent prayers for grace to endure her ordeal.

Floxy didn’t know Sinivie, but Sinivie knew her. On Sinivie’s part, it was wickedness and payback, but to Floxy, it was ignorance, because she never knew what was going on.

‘Madam, please, help me. Let me use the toilet, even if it is for one minute, and you will come back. Please, Madam, I beg you.

Floxy was still begging when Sinivie responded,

“Ok, just hold on a bit’.

Maybe, an angel touched Sinivie’s heart as she came out to let Floxy in.

She rushed in and soon, sounds reporting the attempts of a distressed stomach to unburden itself were heard.

Gbruuuuu! Gbruaaa! Puum! Kprakprakpra!.

Sinivie met Puluvie outside and they both burst into laughter. Before Puluvie could say anything, his upset stomach made another sound and he headed back to the toilet.

The following day, Puluvie lied to Floxy that he was traveling just to get her to leave, because he had another girl coming to visit him. Floxy had no option than to go back to Akubo in Pelepele-ama.

Get ready to grab your copy soon.

SOB BOOKS.

WHERE IS SOTI?

                                     

 “Soti ! Soti !!” wait for me.

Inetimi screamed at the top of his voice as his older brother left grandpa’s hut, heading for Kiri - Layout, to see Weni, his best friend and partner in offensive related activities.

Soti will never listen to his mother, aunty Tare and grandpa who continuously tell him to keep his distance from Weni.

Maybe, Soti is trying to boycott the farming with us.

Grandpa and aunty Tare had already sorted out the tools for which we were taking to the farm. These tools includes, hoes, machetes, baskets and paddles, because we are crossing over the Forcados River.

Soti was heading for the community playground in Kiri - Layout, which is about 3km from my grandfather’s hut.

Inetimi overheard Soti and Weni discussing something but he never paid attention to details so he couldn’t get the purpose of the meeting, he only heard about the venue, but there was no way he will tell his mum because he loved his brother so much and avoided anything that will cause harm to him.

He thought he was saving his brother from been thrashed, but he never knew there was more danger ahead.

Visiting Buru-ama right from my childhood was a thing of fun. It was the best childhood memories I had. I enjoyed the taste of the Forcados River, flowing past Buru - ama. The colour is like that of Nutri - C. or Lipton tea, but ours was natural. Sometimes, we waited for faeces to flow past before fetching water to drink.

Soti and Inetimi were the only children from my aunty, Tare. Her husband fled when Inetimi was only three years, and ever since, grandpa had always looked out for the three of them.

Soti was just a replica of Mr Egbelegbele, his absconded father with hardened heart.

“Today, me flog am for Soti”, when cry for him eyes, so me stop. Granpa said

(Today, I will flog Soti until he shed tears)

Grandpa doesn’t speak English and his pidgin was not clear. Often times, he speaks our native dialect. Listening to grandpa speak the native language was an advantage to us, because it was easy for us to understand and speak our language.

The sun was scorching as the time was approaching nine o’clock in the morning. I, grandpa, aunty Tare and Inetimi set out around thirteen minutes to the hour of nine for the Forcados River to board the boat. I was in possession of a small paddle, so was Inetimi but the difference was, he carried a basket in addition, while I carried one hoe and a machete.

Arriving the river bank, Inetimi had to bail the water from the canoe, then we boarded.

Holiday was always fun in Buru-ama. The journey from the garden city to my village was not even as exciting as my stay in Buru - ama. Grandpa had so much to offer.

The wisdom of the elders can never be overlooked, I said to myself as I turned back and stared at grandpa’s grey hair in my seated position.

The canoe had five seats and grandpa was sitting at the back extreme of the canoe, while I sat in front of him. Aunty Tare was sitting at the front of the canoe with Inetimi behind her. The seat between myself and Inetimi was empty. Had soti joined us, he would have occupied the seat.

As we began paddling from the bank, two speed boats sped past us. The men were putting on different clothes with white scarfs. Arms and ammunitions were also sighted. These were signs that the Banga boys were in town.

Paddling on the Forcados River, faeces were floating with water hyacinth escorting them, occasionally, we saw fishes but we were net-less to help carry the fishes home for pepper soup.

We arrived the other side of the Forcados River, checked the farm, weed the unwanted grasses around the crops and made our way back home around ten minutes after the hour of two in the afternoon.

(Three girls whispering) - I talk am, I talk am, that boy go follow.

“Who were they referring to?”

I asked Inetimi.

The moment the girls turned and saw grandpa, shock waves held them.

Grandpa charged them,

“wetin talk una talk, come here Ebi, wetin you talk am for?”

Then she responded,

“papa na soti, e don follow Banga boys.”

Grandpa didn’t say anything further, he only signalled us to proceed.

Kpo ! kpra !! kpa ! kpa !! kpa ! – The Banga boys were announcing there exit with gunshots in the air from Buru - ama as we were about to cross the tarred road dividing the river banks from the town. They never shoot at natives, their main purpose was to recruit boys to fight for something they desire.

Soti had it all planned out. We sighted him and Weni behind their van with other recruits, sitting at the edges of the van. He was now tying a white scarf. Soti never loved college, he wanted to be powerful and dreaded. There he was, beginning his dream.

My holiday was coming to an end as schools were fast approaching………………………………………

Look out for the next episode.