Shadows Part 5

“I mean why do you guys make promises you can’t keep? I can’t imagine how embarrassed I would have been if I was in her shoes.” Kayinsola was saying to Rotimi as she sorted out her things for the next day. “But then I remember you saying he confided in you about something, maybe that’s what was bothering him.”

“I would be bothered if I was in his shoes.” Rotimi muttered.

Kayinsola turned to look at him. “Is it really that bad?”

“It is.” He replied scratching his beard, enjoying baiting her.

Kayinsola looked at him again. Could she ask? “How bad is it?”

“Bad, really bad… I shouldn’t tell you… I won’t want you telling anyone.”

“Why would I tell anyone? Have I ever revealed a secret?”

Rotimi exhaled, pretending to be reluctant about sharing Leke’s secret. “Well, he sort of embezzled money at his office.”

“What? He did what?”

“It gets worse. He framed someone else for it and the person has been fired.”

“What?” Kayinsola was shocked at what Rotimi was telling her. “So the house he built…”

“Was from stolen funds.”

Kayinsola clapped her hands and sat on the bed. “Na wa o. And we were thanking God for him when he shared the testimony in church.”

“And the sad part is that he is not willing to come clean. He would rather pay the innocent guy off. In fact he already has.”

“No wonder he wasn’t willing to spend more money.”

“Can you see that envy is not wise? His life looks great but he can’t even sleep at night.”

“Hmmn.”

Rotimi was too preoccupied with his agenda for him to notice that he had just talked about himself. He wasn’t done baiting Kayinsola. “I just feel sorry for the girl he wants to marry. She has no idea who she is getting married to.”

Kayinsola looked up at him. He was right, and even though she had promised not to say a word she knew she had to tell Titi.

Rotimi read her mind. “If you tell her, he’ll know I told you.”

“That won’t matter if the police go to arrest him on their wedding day.”

**********

Jeffrey stood in his boutique and smiled. Things were looking up. People were already trooping in to see his stock. The DJ was blasting the latest music and dancers were gyrating in front of the boutique. He had a good feeling about the business and couldn’t see why his wife thought he would fail.

He didn’t understand Augusta. What was so bad about him collecting some money from a rich boy who had a lot of money to spend? He wasn’t interested in finding out. The most important thing was he felt like a man again, he felt in charge. He had something to do that would put food on the table. It was even better than his former employment where he wasn’t a senior staff. At his boutique he had already employed three people who called him ‘sir’ and following his orders. Wasn’t that something Augusta should be proud about? He had asked her to quit her job as a teacher and join him in the business but the conversation hadn’t gone well at all.

“I should do what? Leave certainty for uncertainty? No way.” She had said.

“What do you mean by uncertainty? Am I not the owner of the business?”

“Are you going to pay me a salary? What would I be doing? Sitting down all day and eating?”

“Why should I pay you? Aren’t you my wife? Isn’t all the money going to end up in your pocket?”

“You won’t pay me. So before I buy pant, na Jeffrey, before I buy credit, na Jeffey. Not so?”

“Augusta I’m trying to make your life better. Why do you have to go and be saying sir to someone when your husband owns a big boutique?”

“I’m not interested, thank you.”

“You’re just not happy for me. You’re waiting for me to fail ba?”

“No, I’m waiting for you to impress me! If you want me to join you, you have to prove it to me that you’re serious.”

“So I’m unserious? I should impress you!” he had hissed and walked away.

What exactly was Augusta’s problem?

**********

Kayinsola was nervous, she wasn’t sure how to go about telling what she had heard from Rotimi about Leke. All Titi could talk about was the wedding and the honeymoon, making it more difficult for her to accomplish her mission.

They were at the wedding planner’s office for the cake tasting. So far she had been overwhelmed by the deliciousness of the cakes they’d been tasting.

“And this is a white chocolate and raspberry cake.” The baker said.

“Oh my God! Titi you should do this one!”  Kayinsola gushed.

 “We’re doing it!”

“But you haven’t tasted our lemon cake…”

“Okay let’s taste it, but I doubt that it can top this.” She put another forkful into her mouth.

After they were done with the tasting, they decided to go for drinks.

“It’s really easier to plan a wedding with a wedding planner.” Kayinsola began.

“Oh yes, all I have to do is decide what I want. You should see the place we’re going to for our honeymoon! I can’t wait!”

Kayinsola smiled. “You’re lucky you have a fiancé who is willing to give you what you want.”

“Does he have a choice? He knows I’m high maintenance.”

Indeed. Kayinsola thought. “He just suddenly got rich! Hmmn, God do my own too suddenly! He got promoted abi?”

“No he didn’t. He made some investments that really paid off.”

“Ah, he should come and talk to my husband o! What kind of investment is it if I may ask?”

Titi was silent for a few seconds. “He didn’t say and I didn’t ask, as long as he’s doing right by me he can go on investing!’

They laughed. “Well you’re lucky he’s a good guy, not one of those guys who will steal or kill and then embarrass the family in the future.

“Hmmn… yeah… you’re right.” Titi said with less enthusiasm. “Anyway, we both have good guys. I mean your husband is… perfect!”

Kayinsola really laughed. “He’s not!”

“Please! He’s a leader in church, he works with a multinational, he’s a good dad, and he’s a fine boy! What else could you possibly want? There are no nasty surprises, I’m sure you guys share the word and sleep in each other’s arms…”

Kayinsola laughed again. “He’s… he’s a good guy. I love him.”

“I should get going, I have a meeting in the next thirty minutes.”

“Me too. I should be at work now.”

They bade each other goodbye but left with questions in their hearts regarding their men. Did they really know them?

**********

Kayinsola drove into her office and belched. She had had so much to eat and drink that she wondered if she wouldn’t doze off at work. She touched up her make-up and stepped down from the car.

“Kayin baby.”

She stopped cold. Only one person called her that.

“T.J.” She said turning around. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t reply me so I had to come look for you.”

“How did you get my number?”

“I have eyes everywhere.” He said with a sly grin. “You’re more beautiful, your church boy is trying.”

“What do you want?”

“Lunch. I just want to talk to you.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I believe there is.”

“We don’t have anything to talk about T.J and you should never come here again.”

T.J’s eyes clouded over with anger. “Don’t you dare tell me what I can or cannot do.”

“Suit yourself.” She started to walk away.

“What did you do with my baby?”

Kayinsola froze and turned back to him slowly.

“Yes, I know you were pregnant. I saw the test strip, you carelessly threw in the dustbin. Where is my baby Kayinsola?”

She didn’t respond, she walked away, fast.