Shile was not actually her lover. Shile was infact a childhood friend of hers but how could she tell Ben that he was a friend? Ben was just too jealous so she thought telling him about Shile would end badly but...

Ben was sure he saw the scene quite clearly. He saw his wife giving a close lasting hug to a man outside a restaurant and he could also see the man, holding her close around her waist. Ben just drove past as if he had not seen them.

Later that day when they were both in bed, Ben could not take his eyes off his wife. His mind had flown away like a bird that he was not even aware that she had rested her gaze on his face.

Feyi tapped him. “What are you thinking about? I've been looking at you for a while yet you didn't even notice.”

“Pardon me. I'm just thinking about random things.”

“You've got to take it easy then.”

That was the time her phone rang. She heaved a sigh and stretched her hand to pick up her phone from the bedside table. Ben could see how uncomfortable his wife became on seeing the caller. She cut the call and hissed.

“Who's phoning you at this hour of the night?”

She shrugged. “Just a colleague at work. I'll just switch this off,” she said and switched off her phone then returned it to where she picked it from.

“Isn’t that rude? What if it's important?”

“I know why she's phoning. She's asking me to help her with some work but my work is enough already, I can't overload myself.”

He sighed, twitching his nose. “Alright, let's sleep.”

The next day, on arrival at work, Feyi found Shile waiting for her by his car. She swore as she hurriedly alighted her car and looked left and right as if wanting to cross the road. He smiled briefly as she approached his car.

“Good morn—”

“Shile!” she shouted, taking him aback. “Do you want to chase me out of my home?”

He raised a brow and his brow wrinkled up. “What are you saying, Feyi?”

“Why did you choose such an hour to call yesternight? You didn't even care if my husband was there or not.”

He chuckled. “Why do you make it sound as if we're having an extramarital affair? We're both married, remember?”

“Oh, you know but my husband doesn't give a hoot about whether you're married, calling at such a time means we're having something behind him.”

“He wouldn't have thought that way if you had introduced me to him or at least let me speak with him last night instead of switching your phone off.”

“He still would think I'm trying to fool him.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. “That would still have been better than knowing about us himself. I understand that a jealous spouse is hard to deal with but a relationship where you don't trust spouse or be honest with your spouse is seriously not worth it. It's like a sandcastle built by the sea.

Ben swore angrily on seeing the pictures sent by his informant. His wife was seeing that man again! He was even holding her! He could see the love in his eyes! What was he going to do? He thought for a while and concluded on dealing with him.

Feyi was back at the company's gate and the gatekeeper had opened the gate for her when she heard the shattering of glasses. She looked towards where she had just left and found Shile's car being hit repeatedly by some men while Shile kept shouting for help. Feyi immediately rushed at the scene. Feyi could recognise one of the three hefty men hitting the car.

“Fola, what do you guys think you're doing?”

“Madam, na oga send us o," he said but they continued.

“Stop what you're doing right now.”

“We can't o, madam, he say make we make am a complete write-off. Maybe you should call oga.”

Feyi's hands trembled as she tried to phone her husband's line. Just then, he arrived in his car. She immediately rushed at him all vexed. “What the hell is going on, Benjamin?”

“Will you please calm your nerves and stop barking at me!”

“Why did you instruct these guys to wreck Shile's car, huh?”

“Shile?”

“Huh! The same Shile I grew up with at Ibadan! The same Shile you said was my first love because I loved talking about how much he cared about me!”

“Why didn't you tell me then?”

“Tell you? When I told you about my senior at school that came to visit us during Christmas, what did you do next?”

“But he was a stranger. Shile isn't. That aside, the Shile you told me is married.”

“So was my brother's friend that you slapped at the terminal!”

“Calm down, Feyi,” Shile said, trying to placate her.

“Calm down? Can't you see what he's done?”

“You still need —”

“You know what, I'm tired already. I'm fed up with all of these. And you must solve the problem you've created. I'm already late for work.”

After Feyi had walked into the company, Ben instructed the hefty men to leave and he stood by the wrecked car with its owner, both exchanging glances once in a while.

“If you hadn't been a jealous husband, your wife would have told you about me but she was scared you would not believe. She had failed to think of what would happened if you realise on your own like now. I wouldn't blame you alone, you're both wrong but you didn't even create room for truth in your relationship.” Shile paused. “I don't know why you're like this. Maybe it's because you're newly wedded or it's because your wife is so attractive.” He sighed. “I just showed up today to tell your wife that I'd be returning to Abuja today contrary to what I told her yesterday that I'd be working in one of my company's branches here in Lagos till next week.”

“I thought you were dating.”

Shile shook his head. “Science is known for using these three methods – observation, deduction and prescription and that's what you're doing too. You observed, deduced and concluded that I am dating your wife. You're not science. It's better you learn how to observe, find facts and disclose.”

“I sincerely apologize, Shile. I'll find a way of fixing the car.”

“This write off?” Shile laughed.

© Imole Olusanya