THE PERFECT WIFE

Chapter Eleven

Alex never ceased to remind Ebere of his love for her while she prepared to return to Nigeria to face Nonso once again. He saw it as fate being responsible for the divorce of Nonso and Ebere so he could get married to her as he had always dreamt of while they were still in secondary school.

"What if I come along too?" Alex suggested during one of those dates he had gone with Ebere two nights before she'd be flying back to Nigeria.

"No, Alex, that ain't necessary. No one knows how long the annulment process will take and it wouldn't be nice for you to abandon everything you're doing here just to come with me." Ebere said.

"But I'm ready to do just anything for you. I don't mind provided I'll get the chance to see you everyday." He replied as he grabbed her hand. He noticed she was still wearing her wedding ring.

"You really love him didn't you? Despite the fact that he hurt you and played with your feelings, you're still wearing his ring."

"Alex, I'm still married to Nonso by law and this ring is the evidence of that bond. Once I'm able to annul the marriage, I'll return his ring."

Alex stared at Ebere with so much admiration. He found her to be exceptionally beautiful with her dreamy eyes. He just couldn't wait for the marriage between her and Nonso to be annuled so he could have her all to himself.

"I love you Ebere." He said caressing her hand.

"Alex, I'd wish you wait for me to return before you start making these moves. You're a nice guy and not very difficult to love but if I must be honest with you, I don't yet know how my meeting with Nonso would turn out to be so please, keep it cool for now."

"Why Ebere? Do you still love him?" Alex asked because he could see through Ebere that a part of her was still very much attached to Nonso. Her lips were saying something different from what her heart was trying to say.

"Alex...."

"You haven't answered my question Ebere. Do you still love him?"

"I don't know Alex. I don't know. Why do I still feel like I'm angry at him. I shouldn't be angry at him anymore for what he did to me right?" Ebere asked expressing how she was feeling at that particular moment with all sincerity.

"He still has a place in your heart then. A part of you still wants him but I'm not giving up Ebere. I'll fight to get you and love you much more than he ever did. I'll never hurt you and will always treat you like the queen that you are.

"Alex, I think I should be going now. It's getting late already and Amaka might be missing me already." Ebere said as she tried to avoid the entire conversation.

"Alright then, let me drive you home." Alex replied as he called the waiter and settled the bills. He knew it would be difficult but at the same time saw hope for him to win Ebere's heart.

All necessary arrangements were made by Ndubisi for Ebere and Amaka to fly back to Nigeria. Even if Ndubisi was not really comfortable with the idea, he had no choice but to grant her request. Ebere was the type that wouldn’t change her mind once she sets her mind on something. He was afraid that Ebere had not really forgotten about Nonso and that it could still be possible for Nonso to get her to forgive him.

“You see honey, I’m not comfortable with the fact that Ebere is going back to Nigeria so soon.” Ndubisi said to his wife Susan a night before the departure of Ebere and Amaka.

“Why do you say that?” Susan asked.

“I feel Ebere is still so much affected by Nonso. If she sees him now, she may grow soft and forgive him again. I know how much Ebere loves that man.”

“Don’t you really want Ebere to have her family back? You see, every time I look at Ebere I can see a woman who misses her husband. I really feel sorry for her.” Susan said with so much empathy.

“It’s not like that dear. But I think Alex should be given a chance too. Since Ebere started going out with him, she had really come alive. She no longer looks depressed and she smiles alot now. This is the Ebere that we handed over to that Nonso but he didn't appreciate it." Ndubisi said.

"I don't agree with you dear. I think It would have been different if Nonso hadn’t married the lady that got pregnant for him." Susan said.

"Maybe you're right but if you should ask me, I don't want Nonso and Ebere to get back together ever again. I don’t want my sister to have a polygamous family so the marriage must end.” Ndubisi said.

“You know Ebere is very strong. I don’t think I’d be able to live if you did something like that to me.”

“I can never do something like that to you. I love you so much and I’ll never hurt you.” Ndubisi said.

“I love you too.” Susan replied.

The two of them closed themselves in a warm embrace and settled for a kiss as they bid each other a good night greeting.

Ebere couldn’t sleep that night. She kept thinking about what her outcome with meeting with Nonso would turn out to be. She really wanted to end the marriage and move on with her life. She wanted to give Alex a chance considering how much he had showed her in the few months he had started going out with him and how he had really helped to speed up her recovery from the whole Nonso's betrayal and infidelity but she knew that as long as she was yet to annul her marriage with Nonso, she wouldn’t be able to open her heart to to Alex and to reciprocate the love he had shown her. However, on a second thought, she felt sorry for Amaka because never had she imagined that her daughter would grow up in a broken home. Not once did she imagine she would have to remarry while her husband was still very much alive

“I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a complete family. I’m sorry you have to grow up with your parents living apart. Forgive me.” Ebere said turning to Amaka who was already asleep. The thought of her seeing her dad again got her so excited that she slept so early. She just couldn’t wait to see her dad again. She had really missed him and just couldn’t wait for the day to break.

Ebere and Amaka arrived at the Murtala Mohammed Airport that fateful Saturday. Amaka was glad to be back in Nigeria. She took a long breath in to fill her lungs with the Nigerian air. The weather in UK was different and she really missed Nigeria especially her dad whom she believed was the reason they had returned. The two years she had spent away from her father had really made her miss him so much and she just couldn’t wait to see him again.

Ebuka had come to pick them up and Amaka was glad to see uncle Ebuka again. She ran to him and he closed her in his embrace. Amaka really missed Nigeria and most especially her dad. She was really glad when her mom told her they would be coming back home.

"Does that mean I will be seeing daddy again?" she had asked.

"Yes honey, you will be seeing your dad again." Ebere had replied.

"I really miss daddy and can't wait to be with him again." She said. Amaka was already approaching eight years old and her birthday was just two months away. She had grown bigger and more beautiful - a true Igbo lady.

Ebuka embraced Ebere his twin sister and he was very pleased with what he saw. Ebere was no longer looking depressed and she was full of life and vitality. She had become more beautiful and younger too. He could tell that Ndubisi their elder brother and Alex the new suitor that was after Ebere had really taken good care of her.

The three of them drove to his place. Ebere noticed there was a beautiful lady in the house and without being told, she already knew who she was.

"Meet my fiancée Onyebuchi and sweetheart meet my twin sister Ebere and her daughter Amaka." He said.

"I finally meet my baby's twin sister. He wouldn't cease to talk about you." Onyebuchi said embracing Ebere and Amaka. Ebere suddenly remembered the time he had also introduced Nonso to Ebuka while they were still in school. Nonso had said the same thing. "I finally meet my baby's twin brother. She wouldn't cease talking about you."

Ebuka had come to visit her in school and she had used that opportunity to introduce Nonso to him though not as her fiancé but as her boyfriend.

She quickly threw the memories away and considered them obsolete. She didn't want any funny and stupid memories coming back. She wanted to end every form of tie with Nonso. She wanted to pursue a better career in life and subsequently get her shares back from the company. She had no idea that CUBRAN BEVERAGES was no longer operating. She decided she would visit Nonso at the house they had stayed before they got separated but Ebuka told her Nonso was no longer there and that he seized the house.

"I bought the house for him to stay in it with you and since you were no longer with him, I seized it awaiting your return." He said.

Ebere felt bad for Nonso because of what her twin brother had done but she remained quiet.

"Do you have any idea where he stays now?" Ebere asked.

"I heard he is staying in one of those apartments in Richmond's Villa." He said.

"I will go to the office on Monday instead." She said.

"I'm sorry dear, there is no more office. CUBRAN BEVERAGES is no more. It was shut down about four months ago." Ebuka said.

"Why didn't you tell me any of these while I was away?" Ebere asked.

"It's of no use sis, both Ndubisi and myself pulled out our stocks and that was the end." He said.

"Why did you do that? You two owned 70% of the shares in that company. You should have known that pulling out would cripple the business." Ebere said.

"Wait sis, are you angry at us? You should be angry at that man who played with you and not us your brothers who did what we had to do." Ebuka said.

"Even at that, Nonso was my husband and you should have told me before doing all that. It was too much. What you guys did to him could make him commit suicide." She said as an expression of shock enveloped Ebuka. He found it difficult to believe that Ebere was still concerned with what was going on with Nonso's life. He didn't expect it at all. He finally came to understand why Ndubisi was vehemently against the idea of her coming back to Nigeria.

"Look sis, if he likes he should commit suicide it does not concern me, he played with you as if you were a piece of trash. He deserves everything." Ebuka said.

Ebere knew it was useless arguing with Ebuka. Even when they were still kids, Ebuka had always been the king of argument. She went upstairs leaving him, Onyebuchi and Amaka in the sitting room. Ebere suddenly had pity on Nonso. She knew Nonso must be going through a tough time. Nonso had depended on that company for survival and now that it was no more, she could tell he was in a difficult situation. Even if she was no longer interested in marrying Nonso anymore, she still had a soft spot for him. There were times she wished she hadn’t listened to her brothers’ suggestion to end her marriage with Nonso and had just stayed back to settle everything. She had really loved Nonso so much that she wanted him to be happy even if she was no longer a part of his life. She just couldn’t wait to see him and to make sure he was doing fine.

Early that Monday morning, Ebere decide to drive down to Richmond's villa if she would find Nonso there. On getting to the place, she felt bad. It was not the type of place she expected Nonso to stay. It was a crowded villa and the houses were old. The neighbourhood was dirty and without being told, she knew Nonso was having a tough time. She hadn’t yet seen him but she was already feeling sorry for him. She wasn’t expecting Nonso to be living a difficult life. The reason she left him was because she wanted him to be happy but from what was already being presented before her, she could tell that he was finding life really difficult. She went to one of the flats to ask for Nonso and the neighbours showed her the particular flat.

She felt nervous but she had to see him. She knocked on the door waiting for an answer. Her heart beat faster and her pulses increased steadily. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to stand the sight of Nonso again. It’s been over two years that she left him but it was just like yesterday. She wasn’t expecting herself to be affected by the fact that Nonso was the one that she had come to see but she was. She felt like turning back when she heard a voice from inside.

"Who is there?" the voice spoke from inside. It was Nonso's voice. It was the voice of the man she had once married and whom she had come to say goodbye to. It was the voice of the man that showed her what it really feels like to be loved and to be treated like a queen. It was the voice of the man that shattered her heart and broke her trust. It was the voice of the father of her daughter. She composed herself waiting for him to come. She didn’t know what will happen next but she was ready to act strong and do that which she had come to do.

She remained silent and didn't say a word forcing Nonso to come out to see for himself who it was. On opening the door, he was shocked to see Ebere standing in front of him like an angel beautiful beyond words could describe.