HIRED WIFE

” Okay fine.. I will think about it tonight and if my instinct gives me the go ahead, then I will come here tomorrow to find out more details about her..” I paused when I saw Dave’s happy reaction before I continued

“… if possible I will see her tomorrow too, talk to her about it and if she agrees to the contract agreement, we will take it from there” I said and heaved already tired

” That’s my man! Now you are talking” Dave applauded happily as he checked his wristwatch, that’s when I became conscious of time and inquired from him

” Please, what is the time now?” I asked

” It’s 10:28pm, I think we should get going now since we are not much a fan of late nights” Dave said standing up

” I agree with you Dave.. let me go home and rest ahead of tomorrow” I said also standing up

From there, we both walked outside to the garage where our cars were parked.

Then we hugged each other goodbye, entered our cars and drove off to our individual homes.

The next day, I went to the club after thinking about what Dave said and made a decision to give it a trial.

At first, the bartender was skeptical about giving me the information I needed but after bribing him with a few naira notes, he succumbed and told me all I needed to know about the dancer.

According to him, her English name is Tessy while her native name is Nmesoma. She is from the Igbo tribe and comes to the club every Thursday to dance for money, which I knew already.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I asked of her age, family and educational background but he seems not to know, so I let it slide but I made sure to get her house address from the bartender before leaving the club.

I drove in my car that evening searching for the address location, and asking for directions from people I came across.

God knows that if not for Angie’s request and Dave’s suggestion, I won’t have embarked on this kind of stress.

After driving for a while, I was finally able to locate the neighborhood but it wasn’t what I had expected.

It was an undeveloped neighborhood which I did not even know existed in town until today.

I looked around wondering if I am truly not going to regret this decision I made, at some point I began having second thoughts about pushing through with it.

But then I remembered that I had less than three days before the surgery commence on Monday.

So I held myself as I walked to the wooden door and knocked on it gently while asking

” Knock! Knock! Please is anyone in? Hello!”

Almost immediately, a female voice answered from behind the door

” Yes! who is there? Lisa, babe is that you?”

” No, it isn’t Lisa, my name is Tony.. I am here to see a lady by the English name Tessy” I answered hoping that whoever was inside, would open up already

” I am Tessy.. please which Tony? From where?” The female voice probe further

” I hail from Delta State.. I’m one of your dance viewers at the Relieve Club and I got this house address from there too” I said

” why will you get my house address at the club? Is anything the problem?”

” No, everything is fine… I just want to see and discuss with you about something” I answered, already out of patience with the numerous questions

” What’s that you want to discuss with me?” She asked and I lost it completely

” Don’t you think it is rather proper that you open the door, meet your visitor and at least offer him a sit so we talk like adults instead of all this interrogation outside the door” I shouted already pissed with her questions

” So before we were talking like children? And what interrogation are you talking about, does this look like a courtroom?”

” Madam Tessy, please have mercy on your servant and open the door so we sit and talk.. my legs are already sore from standing abeg ” I begged dramatically

There was silence and after a while, the door was opened by the dancer lady who stepped out of the house and began scrutinizing me as though I was a criminal, as handsome as I am.

After she was done with her scrutiny, she looked at me in the face with boldness

” I am Tessy, who are you and why do you want to see me?” Tessy asked still looking at me

” Like I said earlier.. I am Tony Donald from Delta State, I am here to discuss something with you, it’s more of a job proposal” I said exhausted

” Okay.. let me bring you a chair, I’m coming” she said and I breathe out, thankful to God that she finally found me worthy enough to be given a chair to sit.

She brought two plastic chairs and we both sat down side by side, after which I went straight to the point as to why I was at her place, the contract proposal and everything else she needs to know about me.

After everything, I looked at her face to read her mind but her face was unreadable, just blank with no emotions on it

” so now I have told you all that you need to know, are you interested in the job as my hired wife?” I asked still looking at her

” What is the payment involved and how long is the contract meant to last?” Tessy asked calmly

” I will pay you three hundred thousand naira (300k) monthly for the job.. and I think it will last for like three months, hopefully my wife should be home before or by then” I explained

” Okay! did you say a young girl of four is involved?” Tessy asked to be sure

” Yes, my daughter is four years old” I confirmed

” Okay.. but you are yet to tell me why are you lying to her about her mother, to the point of hiring a wife?” Tessy inquired looking at me