Alone in the comfort of our matrimonial sanctuary, I study the pictures for the umpteenth time. I caress my nude body enveloped snugly in another’s. Trace the O of my mouth in that frozen moment of reckless abandon. Efe’s thick mop of dark hair is nestled between my breasts; scavenging hidden pleasures.
The intimacy captured and the angles suggested where the hidden camera had been planted. Was there a video of this too?
The stranger who introduced himself as Raphael hadn’t mentioned one.
Was Efe also complicit in the blackmail? I don’t want to think so but I have to find out. In all my years, I had never once thought of blackmail as a real thing. I have to find out Efe’s part in this scheme. I dial his number.
“Give me a bottle of beer”
For the first time in ages, my voice sounded good to my hearing. Authoritative. Original. Purposeful.
Money had that special effect on me even when I was just expecting it. I still think I should have asked for more than ₦3m. The woman hadn’t begged me to reduce the amount. The pictures hadn’t seemed to shock her as I had expected which only meant it wasn’t the first time she had faced blackmail in her adulterous existence.
The beer suddenly tastes like piss in my mouth and reminds me of my poverty. Though my account balance disagrees, I think it’s the perfect time to announce my climb out of it.
“Bring me a bottle of Hennessy”
I step inside the house weary but determined to head instantly for the shower. I might decide against going to work tomorrow. Hubby is hosting a visitor in the living-room so I take the kitchen entrance to circumnavigate around the living-room. We’d see later in the morning. My plans fail as I hear him calling out insistently. I take a moment to suck out the irritation from my body before I start walking towards the living-room. Tobi has had a haircut and is looking so very attractive that my irritation evaporates and I find myself in his arms sharing a deep kiss.
Then I remember the visitor. I turn to apologise.
It’s Raphael.
I wait for Raphael’s visible smirk to disappear before I can start talking. It does not. So I start talking nonetheless. I have to repeat what I say again because suddenly he finds comprehension impossible. I look at Sayo and it seems that as Raphael’s smirk gives way to a frown and understanding dawns, his smirk finds a home on her face. This amuses me so much that I struggle to keep from smiling.
“I can still leak this to the blogs. Your reputation will suffer”
Now, I laugh.
“Bros, I have just told you my wife and I have an understanding and her sexual life out of this house is her business. I can forgive your initial attempt at blackmailing us but if you take matters beyond this, you’ll pay dearly for your foolishness”
Sayo is chuckling as she comes to sit on my lap.
Raphael doesn’t wait to be told to leave and in his haste forgets his phone. I call him back to retrieve it. Without meeting our eyes, he says he’s sorry.
I carry Sayo in my arms to the room. She says she’s tired as I playfully nuzzle her neck but I see the tell-tale twinkle in her eyes.
I brace myself for a long night.
