THE PERFECT WIFE

Chapter Twelve

Nonso was unable to recover from the shock. He hadn't expected to see Ebere at the door. He wasn't expecting anyone who looked like Ebere and after seeing his once beautiful wife standing at the door, he felt like crying. He didn't know what came over him but the next thing he saw himself doing was running to embrace her. He held her in his embrace and Ebere just stood like a piece of log. She didn't know if she should push him away or hug him too. She wasn't ready for any form of drama and just allowed him to embrace her.

"I'm sorry." he said as he broke free from the embrace.

"I am really sorry. I shouldn't have done what I just did." he added.

"It’s okay. How are you doing?" Ebere asked.

"I'm doing fine and you? How's our daughter? She must be a big girl now." Nonso said all in one breath.

"She's fine and she misses you." Ebere replied honestly.

Nonso ushered her into the house and Ebere could tell that life hasn't been fair to him. The house was really looking old from the inside and the furniture too were old. The sets of electronics were not the ones they used to have in their old house. As she took her eyes round the house, she could really tell that life had not really been easy for hm. She was expecting to see Sandra but from the look of things, she could tell that Sandra wasn’t at home.

"Did she come with you? Is she currently in Nigeria?" Nonso asked still trying to find his composure.

"Yes she did. She's at Ebuka's." She replied.

"I can't wait to see her again. She must have really grown taller and more beautiful too." Nonso replied trying to initiate a perfect conversation.

"You're right. She is your daughter and you are free to see her anytime you chose. I won't deprive you of your right as a father to see your own daughter but that's not why I came to see you." Ebere replied.

“What of your wife Sandra?” Ebere asked.

“She left the house since morning. Sandra doesn’t stay at home. She goes out early and comes home late.”

“You are lucky to have someone like Sandra. She understands her husband’s financial state and she is doing all she could to assist him. I just got to know that Ebuka and Ndubisi pulled out their stocks from cubran beverages. I know how much Cubran beverages means to you.”

“it’s okay. I think I deserve what I got and I don’t blame anyone for my misfortune. You are really looking different and I must confess more beautiful than the last time I saw you.” Nonso said.

Ebere was taken aback by the compliment. She wasn’t expecting Nonso to be so comfortable around her but she was wrong. It was as if nothing had ever gone wrong in their relationship and with the way he complimented her, memories of old suddenly came back to her. She immediately became uncomfortable being with him alone in the room. She didn't want the neighbors who don't know anything about their past to start bad mouthing.

“What can I get you?” Nonso asked knowing that he hadn’t offered anything to his guest. He wanted to play nice as he had really missed Ebere so much. He just couldn't take his eyes off her seeing how beautiful she was looking and how she was so full of grace and poised too.

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Ebere replied.

“I came for something much more important and I don’t intend to stay long.” She added.

At that point, Nonso could read deeper meanings to the words Ebere uttered. He could tell that Ebere had not just come to see him. What was he thinking? How could Ebere just want to see him after all he had done to her. There must be a very important reason why Ebere had taken the pain to look for him and whatever it was, he wasn't going to let it ruin the opportunity he now has to finally apologize for what he did to her about two years ago.

"Honey, I know I did wrong by cheating on you back then and playing with your feelings and I am really sorry. I wish I could turn back the hands of time" Nonso said.

"It's okay dear, that's in the past already and it is actually why I have come to see you" she said.

She went to her car outside and came back with a big brown envelope. She handed it over to Nonso who was already nervous to see the contents of what was in the envelope. He opened it and after reading it felt like crying.

"You want a divorce?" he asked.

"Yes dear, I am ready to set you free so you can enjoy your marriage with Sandra." Ebere said.

"And you think I will accept that? You think I will allow my daughter to grow up with her parents apart? No this won't happen." Nonso said.

"That is the reason I came to see you and that is the best thing for us to do now. The marriage didn't and won't ever work again" Ebere said.

“Look, I know I was very stupid back then. I know I made a mistake but believe me when I say I never wanted the marriage to end. If not for the financial crises that I found myself in I wanted to come look for you and Amaka overseas. Not a single day goes by for the past two years that I don’t think of you and our daughter.” Nonso said grabbing Ebere by the hand.

“I don’t think that’s important any longer. Your daughter is a big girl now and she is old enough to understand that her parents can’t be together. I have moved on and I expect you to do the same thing.” Ebere replied trying to act strong even if deep down inside of her she was feeling emotionally down and wished it was possible to have her marriage back.

She wasn’t expecting herself to be affected by Nonso any longer but merely seeing him reminded her of the fact that there was once upon a time when Nonso was all she ever wanted. When he grabbed her hand, she suddenly missed him. For the past two years she had lived without being cuddled or kissed. She really wished Sandra hadn’t come into the picture but she just couldn’t let her guards down and pretend as if nothing really happened. Nonso had really hurt her and she wasn’t ready to allow him hurt her again.

“I really hope you will sign the divorce papers and get the marriage annulled as soon as possible.” Ebere said and then stood up to take her leave.

Nonso felt like darkness had overshadowed him one more time. He wanted to stop Ebere from leaving but he couldn't. He watched her as she drove out of the villa still holding the divorce papers in his hands. He couldn't believe he waited for Ebere all these while only for him to lose her for real. He knew he still had a little place in Ebere's heart. He felt it when he hugged her and how she had stared at him when they saw each other. He could feel Ebere still felt a small amount of love for him when he grabbed her hand and that small love was worth fighting for. He would fight to get his wife and daughter back even if it means he will have to die trying.

As Ebere drove back home, she became emotional. She thought she had forgotten about Nonso and was ready to live her life without him. She thought after seeing Nonso, she would be ready to give Alex a chance and reciprocate his love for her but after seeing him, it was as if she just began. She had not yet gone over Nonso and still felt affected by him.

“You should be happy with Sandra. I didn’t return to meet you in this state.” Ebere said to herself as she drove out of the villa. Even if Nonso had really offended her, she never wanted him to suffer or to become miserable but it appears she was wrong.

Sandra returned that evening and learnt that Ebere had come. The neighbours told her that Nonso hugged the lady immediately he saw her and that the lady looked rich.

Sandra knew that there was only one woman whom Nonso had really loved with the whole of his heart and that was Ebere.

"Ebere was here earlier wasn't she?" she asked. Nonso was still in deep thoughts and was still feeling broken over Ebere's divorce request that he didn't hear Sandra.

"I am talking to you." She said pushing him.

"Yes, what did you say?" Nonso asked.

"See how miserable you are and what is that you are holding?" She asked pointing to the divorce papers.

Nonso told her that Ebere and Amaka were back and that Ebere was filing for a divorce. Sandra burst into a mocking laughter.

"Even your so called angel of a wife is leaving you too. I thought you said she will come back to you? Hahahahahahaha." She said laughing louder.

"Nonso, you are cursed. I tell you, you can't rise to your feet again. If I had known, I wouldn't have married you." She said.

"And that reminds me, I will be filing a divorce too. I can't come and die all in the name of marriage." She said and laughed even louder as she fell on the bed.

"Nonso love, you're finished!" She said with a mocking outburst of unreasonable laughter leaving Nonso to regret the day he first met her.

Nonso couldn't hold himself. Sandra's words were hurting. They were piercing and she was adding to his pains. Tears betrayed his eyes and they flowed down in their own accord. He couldn't wait for Sandra to divorce him because she had brought him nothing but bad luck. His life turned around for worse right from the day Sandra walked into his office and he regretted every bit of what happened that day.

He swore to himself never to grant Ebere's request. He wouldn't agree to her divorce request. His wife and daughter were back and he wouldn't allow them to leave him again. He couldn't do anything to stop them when they first left but he would do something this time around.

"How did it go?" Ebuka asked the moment Ebere walked into the house.

"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it now." Ebere replied leaving him and going straight to her room.

She fell on her bed and without intending to, she started crying.

"Why is it so hard to stop loving you even after hurting me so much? Why do I feel like I still want to be a part of your life even when it's not supposed to be anymore? What have you done to me Nonso?" She cried.

Ebuka had followed her and standing at the door, he overheard everything. He couldn't believe that Ebere was still in love with Nonso after all he had done to her. Indeed, Ndubisi was right. Ebere's love for Nonso was actually second to none.

That evening, Alex called to check up on her. He wanted to know the outcome of the meeting with Nonso and to see if he still had a chance with Ebere.

"Hello, Ebere, how are you doing?" He asked over the phone.

"I'm fine Alex and you?" Ebere asked.

"Doing great. Just missing you."

"Alex...,"

"I know you asked me to wait till your marriage with Nonso is annulled but I just can't help it."

"So you know, Nonso doesn't want the divorce. He refused to sign the document."

"Did that make you happy or it made you sad?" Alex asked.

Even if Ebere was making it look like she wanted a divorce, Alex could still tell that she had feelings for Nonso.

"Alex..,"

"I understand. I'll still be here waiting for you when Nonso finally agrees to your divorce request. I hope it happens soon. I love you." Alex said and hung up without waiting for Ebere to give a reply.

Ebere felt sorry for Alex. She wished it was possible to reciprocate his love for her but there was still a part of her that still wanted things to work out with Nonso.