INVADED

1
September 14th 2008

As Bridget removed her wedding ring and placed it on the dressing table; she cleaned the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. No matter the circumstance she wasn’t going to appear weak in front of her husband. She knew Odiong’s stock in trade was to prey on the weak; she had seen him with his employees. She heard the bathroom door open and observed her husband walk in with his silk towel round his waist

‘I thought you would be asleep by now’ Odiong said walking up to his wife and putting his arms on her shoulder

‘And I thought you would have moved to the guestroom by now but once again Odiong we disappoint each other’ she said with a stainless smile and walked away. Odiong sighed and raised his eyebrow up. not this night he wasn’t ready to pick up an argument with his wife. But Bridget seemed offended by her husband’s nonchalant attitude

‘Any woman Odiong’ she started, raising her voice. ‘You could have had any woman any; Mary, veronica, Monica, Alex name it in the whole of Lagos but it just had to be Layomi didn’t it? Hmmm….it just had to be my best friend”

‘Bridget please……..not tonight’ Odiong sighed. ‘You know how Antonia gets when we fight and she’s just a wall away from us’

‘Two years you religiously cheated on me with her. Two unending years. Do you even possess a conscience?’ she continued ignoring his comments

‘It wasn’t planned Bridget it just happened’ Odiong said rushing to her. Bridget let out a loud mocking laugh and sat down at the side of the bed

‘So…that’s your excuse; it just happened? You just happened to have an affair with my closest friend Odiong!’ she yelled ‘That’s your excuse!”

‘I’m sorry’ Odiong whispered rushing to her and shushing her ‘I’m really sorry Bridget’

‘No…the only thing you are sorry about is the fact that you were caught if not you were ready to go on for as long as it can take and heaven knows how long that is’ she said raising her hands to allow a respectful distance. Odiong stepped back putting his hand on his forehead in confusion and pacing left and right. Bridget finally calmed down and laid down on the bed backing Odiong

‘I know Bridget’ she heard him say softly his breath behind her neck ‘I am wrong with everything and I blame it on my gullible nature to want more than I have’ Bridget scoffed ‘ You are an amazing wife and you don’t deserve this or any bad treatment’ he paused and sighed unsure of what to say next. ‘Just tell me what you want me to do?’ she turned to him and looked at him sharply

‘You can start by picking up your PJ and getting the hell out of this room so I can sleep. I don’t want your adulterous body beside mine’ she said sternly and turned back. Odiong stood up and let out a sad smile

‘Okay… I’ll stay in the guestroom this night’ he submitted. Hearing that, I carefully shut the door and crept back to my room. Once I was safely in it I bolted the door behind me and headed for my bed. Three nights in a row; would my parents ever get tired of this? I cleaned away the tears that were building up. I felt like that was the beginning of my sadness and truly it was but it wasn’t based on the failure of my parents; it was based on my own failures as a young adult with a brain and a choice or should I say on a simple misfortune that landed on my shoulders. As I write this book today; September 23^{rd 2013}; I am reminded of how all this started that night five years nine days ago when I laid down on my bed and brought out my Sony Erisson. I’m sure you are wondering; what started? What misfortune? Rushing into conclusion won’t tell you the whole story; it has to be written detail by detail. I am Antonia Soni and this is my story.

I picked up my Sony Erisson from my bed and dialed Muna’s number. Muna was my best friend at that moment. She was the only one that brought a little excitement and adventure to my life which was what I needed at that moment

‘What’s up’ she said I smiled recognizing her tiny girly voice

‘Mom and dad are at it again’ I sighed putting my hand on my forehead. Muna sighed equally

‘Sorry sis’ she said ‘three nights in a row now; that must be some kind of record’

‘Yeah in the Soni history. This is getting serious and I’m getting scared. Irene is coming back in the next one week she can’t meet mom and dad like this. That girl is just thirteen’

‘And you’re just sixteen’ Muna interrupted ‘I hate to break it to you Soni but your long holiday sucks. My parents haven’t been in for at least a week now and my bro is over at his friends place. I suggested you come sleep over and maybe we could go to Slim’s house party this evening but you insisted on staying with your mom. How’s that working for you now?’ Muna was right; I was wallowing in sadness while I could have been at a house party.

‘Come on Antonia it’s not too late to scale your window. The party is just hitting up’ she begged. I sighed

‘I can’t. I can’t just leave the house’

‘Folarin will be there’ she sang. I blushed and looked down shyly

‘How are you so sure?’

‘Because……….. I spoke to him yesterday’ she sounded sincere enough ‘you deserve to have fun Tonia. You worked the whole semester and brought home a spectacular result. I mean that thing’s good enough to be framed’ I laughed out ‘and how do Mr. and Mrs. Soni repay you? Well I’m not talking again. Text me when you are in front of my house if you come. The estate is safe enough for you to leg it; it’s just eight’

‘Okay…. Okay I’m coming’ I said trying to convince myself

‘Good…..see ya’ and with that she ended the call. I sat up from my laid down position and looked towards my scattered wardrobe. My blue flare gown looked back at me. That looked good enough for a party at this time. My heart pounded at the thought. I was just sixteen while Fola and Slim were both nineteen. My mind told me it was wrong for me to go out and I was beginning to agree with it but then I heard my parents’ door slam

‘Is that what you want Bridget? Huh! Good lord you’re crying. I am no saint I’m trying to make everything better and you keep treating me like a virus’

‘Oh shut up Odiong!’ my mom interrupted rudely. I don’t give a rat ass how I treat you; you earned it’ she yelled back

There was no thinking about it; that was it. I walked up to my wardrobe and picked up my blue gown along with my flats. I couldn’t stay in the hellhole my parents had turned my house into. Picking up my schoolbag, I placed my things inside and headed for the window. To me I was stepping out of the fire my parent’s created. But at times wisdom teaches you to stay in the fire whose degree of hotness you are aware of but I wasn’t wise enough; I was just a kid who wanted an easy way out

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As I dialed Muna’s number my heart beating faster and faster by every minute. I looked round for any familiar face. I didn’t want to be caught by anybody. Everyone knew my parents and how they were strict with my movements and seeing me out by this time would be odd

‘Yes’ she said

‘I’m outside your house; hurry!’ I rushed out and ended the call.  I paced left and right several times then finally sat down on the pavement. The gate opened after a few minutes and Muna walked up to me with a warm smile

‘Halleluiah; she didn’t die’ she joked pecking me playfully. I giggled and pushed her away jokingly

‘Yeah yeah whatever. Lets just get inside’ I said working ahead and leaving her behind

‘What cloth did you bring’ I brought out the gown from my bag and tossed it to her

‘if there is anything I successfully taught you; it’s how to choose the right cloth for the right occasion’ I rolled my eyes and unlocked her front door

‘You didn’t teach me that’ I said entering the house and sitting down on the sofa at the visitor’s sitting room

‘I was talking to Queen yesterday and guess what’

‘what’

‘She’s in Lag and she is coming over!’ Muna squealed. I rolled my eyes

‘What….. I thought you loved Queen’

‘We had a little fight on the last day at school. Something about me being nosy about her and Chidi’s relationship’

‘Wow…. How come I didn’t know about that’

‘It was a really embarrassing fight. Chidi dumped her because of it.’ Muna’s eyebrows shut up

‘What was it about?’ she rushed out anxiously sitting beside me.

‘I promised to keep it between us. something’s are censored to your ears Muna’

‘Why?’

‘Cause you can’t keep a secret’ she sighed and shut me a surprising look

‘That is not true. Whatever I am going to get dressed. Slim and Fola are on their way as I speak.’ She said standing up

‘I’ll go get you a shoe horn so you can squeeze those boobs into your dress.’ She joked from a distance. I laughed out

‘That’s crazy talk Muna’ I shouted. I started removing my shorts ready to wear my gown. Something still felt wrong as if something was going to happen. But I reminded myself that it was just my silly conscience and nothing was wrong. This was better than listening to Mr and Mrs. Soni argue endlessly. Whatever it was something killed the little voice of conscience that kept singing to me. It just clocked nine and I had no idea what the rest of the night held for me or Muna...........................................TO BE CONTINUED