#50DaysCountDownTo2015 – DAY 49. Written by – Zeenike Lizi Ike. She blogs at – http://zeenike.wordpress.com/

This is based on a True Story. Of course, names, dates and locations have been changed, I don’t have liver. This happened to a friend of mine and I’m telling you, not just for the sake of asiri (which is as good a reason to tell a story as any), but because I have a question. But first, here is the story:

Fati finished her National Service in 2011 and through her father’s influence immediately got a job in one of the larger oil companies. It was there she met Haruna and six months later they were married. Some people thought it happened too quickly but Fati knew Haruna, she knew he worshipped the ground on which she walked and she was certain she had made the right choice. A (suspiciously) few months later they had their first child and everything was perfect, the couple couldn’t have been more in love.

Then one day Fati’s boss called her up and told her they were sending her off on a 6 month long course to China. She was torn, this was an opportunity she would give her left arm for but she had a baby and a husband to consider, what should she do? But Haruna made up her mind for her. He told her he wanted the best for her, wanted to see her rise as high as she could in her career, he was so proud of her. “Don’t worry”, he’d said, “I’ll bring little Ibrahim over to visit every other month and before you know it you’ll be back home. You can’t miss this opportunity because of us”.

So Fati packed her bags, flew to China and settled in. She attended her lectures and seminars and counted the days to Haruna’s first visit. They’d never been apart this long and six weeks into the separation she was just beginning to realize that women too got horny. So you can imagine her frustration when Haruna called to say he wouldn’t make it at the end of that month like he had planned, but not to worry, he’d be there before the third month was over.

The third month came and passed but Haruna’s business had just opened a new branch, he couldn’t make the trip just yet, he hoped she understood, but he would definitely be there before the end of month four. With a sigh of resignation Fati said OK. She had become quite adept at using her electric toothbrush to ‘take the edge off’, but it was still no substitute for a man after so long.

One day during month four Fati sat in the cafeteria after lunch. These days she’d caught herself daydreaming quite often. And these were not just your average, everyday daydream. No. To her horror these daydreams were x-rated, dreamed in alarming HD detail, making her feel warm in unspeakable places. She’d said Astaghfirullah so many times, she didn’t think God was listening anymore. No one ever told her she would miss sex this much, hell, women weren’t even supposed to like sex if she went by what her grandmother told her back in the day. That was all bullshit, she knew now. The phrase “A woman has needs” was beginning to make perfect sense, the word konji was beginning to take on new meanings… She was yanked out of her reverie when she heard her name called with a distinctively Nigerian accent. That was strange, she was the only Nigerian here. She looked in the direction she’d heard the voice and let out a gasp. Lo and behold, walking towards her in all his perfect handsomeness, with his perfect smile plastered on his perfect face was Abu, her university ex-boyfriend.

She got up and gave him a hug, noticing he still used the same cologne he’d used back in school. She asked what he was doing there, he said he worked in the Lagos branch of her company and had been sent over last month for a similar course. Where was he staying? In the same apartment complex as she was, two blocks from her.

In retrospect Fati realizes she should have sensed the danger then, but the fact is she didn’t. Or maybe she chose not to?

Anyway, it turned out Abu’s course was quite similar to Fati’s and they began to meet in the library to discuss after classes. As the weather got colder they decided to move their meetings to the apartment common room where it was warmer.

Then Haruna called again. His dad was ill, he wouldn’t make it to China this month either. But then again, she only had two months to go anyway, so what was the point packing Ibrahim up and making the journey? She agreed with him and hung up the phone. Later that day she got to the common room for her usual meeting with Abu and found a group of other tenants holding a party. Abu suggested the natural alternative – his apartment – and she said OK.

It wasn’t so bad, she thought as he unlocked the door and let her in. For a bachelor Abu kept everything pretty tidy. She could even make out the distinct smell of his cologne mixed with subtle hints of cigarette smoke she remembered from their days at school.

After studying for a short while they sat on the carpeted floor and drank hot cocoa, listening to music and talking about old times and all the things they’d done while they were together… She wasn’t paying very much attention to what Abu was saying as she watched his lips move. She had always loved his moustache, Haruna didn’t have a moustache. God, Abu was so handsome, why did she ever break up with him again? He used to be a really good kisser back then. Was he still a good kisser? Abu seemed to have been reading her mind because just then he leaned in, stared at her for a second like they do in the movies, and then kissed her. She tells me she doesn’t know who made the first move to shed clothing but somehow she found herself naked in Abu’s similarly naked arms and by then it was too late. She tells me she fled Abu’s apartment immediately it was over and tried to avoid him thence forth but somehow it happened again. And then again. And then one more time. And then it was time for her to return to Nigeria and her family.

Now this is the question. Fati is home now, dying of guilt and wanting to know whether to confess to Haruna. I had a few questions for her, (1) Why does she really want to confess? Is it for Haruna’s sake or just to heal her conscience? Would she just end up hurting him for no reason? What if Haruna decides he can’t take it and sends her packing, what happens to little Ibrahim? (2) But then again, what if she doesn’t tell him and he finds out? Wouldn’t that be even worse?

Abeg, what should I tell her?

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