jilted episode 78

JILTED
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Sequence 78
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General POV
Anthony's car came to an halt in front of a local pepper soup joint. He dialed a number and spoke few words into the phone. Soon, Emelda walk up to the car and took the seat next to him.
"I heard you were at the house sometimes ago, can you stay away from me? Please" He attacked immediately she made herself comfortable in the car. She chuckled clapping her hands noisily.
"Anthony, Just like that? All those years of romance meant nothing to you?" She blew at his face. He sat upright looking outside the car.
He turned to face her briskly "I am married now and I am expecting a baby, you left me Emelda, I loved you but you pushed me away"
"The baby isn't yours! I was at your house earlier today, she was having a conversation with the father of the child" Emelda spat showing all seriousness.
Anthony looked at her with a gobbled eyes, she nodded loving the look on his face.
"I know!" He said wiping the sweat on his forehead.
"What?!" She exclaimed not knowing what else to say.
"Ambrose is the father, her sister's husband but I don't care, as long as I am concerned, I paid her bride price and everything she's carrying in her body and blood is mine" He roared reaching for a black plastic bag at the back seat.
"2 million naira, you would forget about the Stanleys, you wouldn't tell my wife my little secret and you wouldn't go blackmailing her. Take the money and get out of our lives for life" He threw an envelope at her.
Emelda blood gush faster than ever, she wonder why he would take responsibility for a child that's not his. Without a word, she stepped out of the car holding the envelope with a shaky hand.
"Hey, was that Emelda?" Laura asked as she jumped into the front seat next to Anthony. She just collided with Emelda.
"She knows" Anthony said exhaling hard.
"Knows what?" Laura asked, hands open.
"She knows the child isn't mine" He announced.
"What?! How? You told her?"
"Your friend isn't ashamed, she still bring Ambrose to the house and discuss her pregnancy with him, for God sake we are married now and I thought she would let this Ambrose of a guy go" He yelled holding the steering.
"She's not my friend oo please, what kind of friend steals her friend's boyfriend" Laura hissed re positioning her bag on her Laps.
"Laura you never told me until recent, I was into Hanna already before you came out straight"
"I did everything I could, when you were with Emelda, I gave you body languages, so those tweaks and hot dresses didn't pass a message?" She shouted facing him, her eyes soaked in her tears.
"I didn't read meaning to them, you should have come out straight, how was I suppose to know you like me when you refuse to tell me. I don't read body languages, I understand only plain languages" He said trying hard not to feel guilty.
"And when I finally told you, what did you do?" She poured the tears, her heart bleeding.
"I was into Hanna already, you made our relationship work. Why didn't you just tell me when Emelda left? It's not like you aren't beautiful, I wouldn't reject you if you had told me, you are hot and juicy but, you watch Hanna and I begin our journey of love, you kept mute until we were so much into each other now you are blaming me?" He took her two hands and massage her forehand.
"I thought you wouldn't cope with her so long, she's a drug abuser, a smoker and a............."
"A strong woman, how many women comes out of the trauma of being jilted for their twin sister? My wife was jilted twice. The first time she spent a year at the hospital, the second time she fell right in front of me. She's been through a lot and she deserves to be loved, I love her irrespective of her short comings, can you please stop misleading her please?"
Laura slid her hands off his, she wiped her tears and frowned.
"Misleading her?"
"I watch and see every move, she's got her eyes on Ambrose and you have been helping her ruin her sister's home. I see it all, I just kept mute. I have a copy of their sex video, the one my wife disrespectfully had on our matrimonial bed. I mean, Mrs Stanley had sex with her sister's husband on our matrimonial bed? The arm injury, she told me she was injured by the door, it was actually Ambrose's doing. That young man doesn't want my wife but Laura wouldn't stop pushing Mrs Stanley to try harder"
Laura sniffed, she wondered how he knew all this yet pretended like all is well.
"How did you know all this?"
Ignoring her question, he breathed and stared at the open space "Please Laura, let Hanna be. If you start giving her good advise, she would forget Ambrose totally and face our home"
"Seriously? Did she tell you I forced her into sleeping with her sister's husband? What do you even want in a pregnant woman? The child isn't yours!" She barked.
"It's was you that first told me about her relationship with Ambrose, I and you know that I can't father a child. I am hoping that one day, my pills would finally boost my sperm and make me a proud father. There's something special about this lady, as long as I am concerned, the child is mine. Hanna is exactly what I want as a wife. She's free and real, she snuff drugs yes, she smoke, yes. She drink, yes. Those are the qualities that drives me to her, she's not a pretender, she's straight and open" He said smiling. He hope that she stop cheating on him soon.
"Anthony, I am shocked at you. This girl is capable of anything, let her go, I am here" She took his hand and placed it on her full boobs. He grinned and took it off.
"Nice stuffs you have got there, Laura please stop trying to push her out of my home, it won't just work because I am ready to spend the rest of my life with her"
"What is it she's got that I don't possess?"
"Loudness, realness and craziness, outspoken and bold, strong, determined and one that she's got that you would never have is my heart, I am in love with that lady" He lamented.
Laura's phone vibrated in her bag, she left it in vibration earlier on.
"mtcheeww" She hissed when she saw the caller. After hesitating for a while, she pick up.
"Laura, I am dead, Emelda was here" Hanna's voice busted from the phone's speaker. Laura rolled her eyes, she stretched her phone forward and placed it on loud speaker so that Anthony would hear their conversation.
"So?" Laura asked.
"She came in when I was having an argument with Ambrose, actually Ambrose got the package you sent, he was able to get the fact, he came to warn me in the house and we talked about the baby, Emelda heard our conversation, she vow to tell my husband, I have been calling you since now, where did you keep your phone?" Hanna yelled panting.
"I am sorry dear, it was on vibration. Why are you scared now? Does she have a prove? If Anthony ask you, deny it to the last Jare" Laura hissed looking outside the car.
Anthony slid down his seat a bit as he bite his lower lip, he wouldn't ask her a thing, he already knows all.
"Are you sure? What if he demands a DNA test?" Hanna panicked.
"See yawa, you are only three months gone, even if he wants a DNA, you would have to deliver first and am sure we would find a solution to that so just calm down and enjoy your marriage jorr" Laura giggled.
"It's not funny, I don't want to leave my home, I love Anthony" Hanna lamented for the first time. Laura expression changed, Hanna never loved Anthony.
"Love? It's no longer Ambrose?"
"Look, I am married now and I think I have to start loving him, you see that Ambrose ehn, we need to deal with him severely" Hanna hissed. Anthony turn to look at Laura, he hope she doesn't tag along in hurting the Fords.
"I dey your back, call on me anytime" Laura assured as she ended the calling sneering at the phone.
"Who do we trust in this world? This isn't fair, she take you to be her true friend and her sister think Hanna love her, what are you planning against someone's family again? Can you stop pushing Hanna to the grave?"
"Guy, you poke nose into someone's issue now, you took responsibility for the child even before she announce her pregnancy to you" Laura hissed.
"I had to come in, I love her and wouldn't watch her leave. She might have aborted the child or maybe leave completely, this child is a blessing to me, Just mind your business"
"My money?" She stretched her left palm towards him ignoring his last speech. He dumped the black nylon on her laps and she glanced through.
"How much?" She asked.
"1 million naira, this month and the last" He said with a angry face.
"Not acceptable, I am doing more job now, I am keeping your secret and your wife's"
Anthony chuckled softly "My wife is got no secret, I know about the baby already and I am claiming it, the child is mine" He responded.
"Oh really? Maybe I should just tell her you are streile then tell Haira who the father of Hanna's child is. I would fold my arms and watch you mend your shit" She threatened tugging the plastic bag into her bag..
"I would pay 600thousand monthly" He offered, she shook her head rejecting the offer "700 or nothing" She insisted.
"I would pay" Anthony said as he got the car ignited for a journey.
Ambrose POV
She was munching on some snacks when I return home. Her eyes swollen from too much sleep. I sat next to her as I talk to my child. She kicked softly and I held the area of movement.
"Where did you go?" She asked.
I rolled my eyes, I can't tell her where I went. I have hidden the pictures somewhere far that she wouldn't stumbled on it by mistake.
"Office, I went to clear some files, sorry" I pleaded kissing her ear lobe.
She remained silent, I tried maintaining eye contact with her, she looked everywhere aside my face. I pondered over the incidence, Haira wouldn't cheat, that am sure of. What does she want? Money? Attention, security, sex, or care? I gave her all. Aside our little misunderstanding over fasting and sex, we have been good so far. Our marriage is almost two years now and she has never been found close to fornication. The last thing I want to believe is that nonsense in those pictures. I have marked the dude's face and I am on the watch for him. I would get him locked up if I ever set my eyes on him.
"Haira, have you for once cheated on me or thought of cheating on me?" I suddenly asked. The meat pie she was chewing choked her, I quickly get her a glass of water and she gulped it down in a rush.
"You said what?" She asked stretching the empty cup for me to hold.
"Don't worry sweet, I trust you" I assured. I took the cup to the kitchen, when I return to the sitting room, she wasn't on seat. I went upstairs immediately, she's definitely there.
She stood in front of the dressing mirror and observed her body. I walk up to her and kissed her neck, she's upset with me for asking such a silly question.
"I am not accusing you of infidelity, I was just asking if you ever did or thought of cheating" I held my baby from behind.
"We have been married for more than a year, have you ever caught me cheating? I have been raped and molested twice yet you think ........"
I quickly cut her short, she's going to cry soon and I can't stand that.
"I love you Beatrice, happy birthday in advance baby" I turned her around, our lips locked, I shut my eyes and ate her lips passionately.
We had sex in the bath, she is so heavy that I wonder if she's got just one in her womb. I have started making arrangements for our journey, everytime I remember the pains of labour, my heart accelerates. I hope she comes out alive with our baby.
As for Hanna, she just taught me to look after my home, I have been making silly mistakes. The first time I got drunk in South Africa and my friend took advantage of my wife. The second time I lost my self at a party and our marriage almost crashed. I am not taking such chances ever again.
Hanna POV
I waited for his return, my heart burn, I couldn't call him, I was scared Emelda might have spoken to him over the phone.
I heard his car horn, I coiled in the couch I was sitting holding my tummy. God, please give me this one chance to make things right. My wedding is just a week old and my biggest secret is about to be blown open in the face of the world. I can't face the shame of being jilted the third time. I am loosing it all, where do I go if Anthony throw me out? Ambrose wouldn't take me either and shame wouldn't let me return home. Who fathers my child then? The pregnancy is for my sister's husband for God sake. If God makes things right in my marriage, I would let Ambrose and his wife be, I would face my home as from now on.
"Hey baby, hungry already? Let me rush down to the kitchen" He said immediately he stepped in. I got out of the couch and opened my arms for him to hold me.
"Uhmmm, have you seen Emelda today" I asked with a shaky voice.
He came to hold me close to him as he stared in my eyes "Did she do anything to you?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you have seen her, she was here hours ago"
I don't know how to go about this, I am just confused. All I want to know is if she has said anything to him.
"I saw her, she said shits but I trust you, I know our child is mine, now relax baby, I have to make dinner"
He leaned in for a deep kiss, it was so passionate and long. When he left for the kitchen, I held my chest panting heavily. So this idiot actually told Anthony? Her case is different, I would definitely get at her later. Thank God Anthony trust me so much, I am getting back at Ambrose, I don't want to remember the vow I made few minutes ago.
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TBC