Too High A Price – 5

On the day they got married, she had been filled with so much hope. She had never had the illusion that Samson was Mr Perfect and had stopped believing that he was even Mr Right. But he had been her choice and she had told herself that she would learn to make a good life with the man she had chosen.

She had been working hard to make that good life, unwilling to give up, until he offered her as a prize to another man.

His parents had been shocked. His father said he wasn’t going to believe anything until he heard from his son. So, he called Samson and asked him to come over that night.

“Why are you here?” He asked the moment he entered the house and saw her.

“I came to tell Daddy and Mummy what is going on.” Naomi replied.

“You did what?”

Before she could respond, his father spoke, and in the calmest of voices. “She’s not the one who invited you over, I did. Sit down. We all need to talk.”

“Good evening, Dad. Good evening, Mum.” Although he was greeting his parents, his eyes were on her. “I’m sorry, but Naomi needs to be somewhere right now.”

“And where exactly does she need to be, Samson?” His father asked.

“Dad, this is between my wife and I.” He strode over to where she was seated, grabbed Naomi’s hand and pulled her up. “Let’s go. This has nothing to do with my parents and you shouldn’t be involving them.”

“Let go of my hand.” She knocked off his hand and sat down again. “I told them everything, Samson. Including the fact that it was you who offered me to Benjamin Akintunde.”

“You told them? How could you, Naomi?” He actually looked shocked. “This was between us. Our problem, not a public affair. I assured you that no one else will hear of it.”

“No one else will hear of what, that you stole over one hundred and forty million naira from the company you work for and offered your wife to your boss as payback?” His father demanded.

“Dad, like I said before this is between Naomi and I.”

“So, it is true. You stole money and the only way you can think to pay that money is offer your wife to another man.”

“I didn’t offer my wife to him, Dad!” Samson snapped and stamped his foot. “He asked for her. He’s been making advances on her and saw this as an opportunity to get what he wants.”

“He said you offered me to him, Samson. He said you made the offer, not him.”

“And why would I do that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because you don’t want me anymore?”

“Naomi, don’t be stupid. I told you the truth from the beginning. I never lied to you…”

“You lied to me when you kept stealing money and didn’t tell me anything about it. You lied to me when you cheated on me with other women. You keep lying to me.”

“I am not lying to you. He’s the one lying. I don’t know why he would, but I guess he’s trying to manipulate your feelings.”

“It doesn’t matter who’s lying or what that man is trying to do. What matters is that you sent your wife off to sleep with another man. What kind of man does that?” His mother spoke for the first time.

“Mum, this is none of your business. This does not concern you and Dad. It’s Naomi’s and my business.” He grabbed Naomi by the hand again. “Come on, let’s go home.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She pulled free and stepped away from him. “This is not just between us, Samson. Nothing was ever between us. There were other women involved in our marriage and right now, there’s a man who thinks my body should be payment for his stolen money because my husband told him so.”

“Damn it! I didn’t tell him that.” Samson yelled.

“Keep your voice down, young man.” His father ordered.

“How can you do something like this, Samson? How can you think of letting another man touch your wife?” His mother asked. “It’s an abomination.”

“No, it’s not an abomination. She’s my wife and I can do whatever I please with her!”

“I’m your wife, not your property. You don’t get to do whatever you please with me.”

“Oh, can you just be useful for once? Naomi, your husband is in trouble, can you save him and stop being sanctimonious and self-centred?”

“You want her to save you by sleeping with another man? Samson, are you mad?”

“No, I am not mad. Would you rather your son goes to prison, Mum? Is that what all of you want, that I go to jail?”

“No, that’s not what we want. We didn’t bring this upon you.” He was such a jackass. A jackass who never took responsibility for his actions. Why did she never see that? “You did this to yourself. And I am not going to cheapen myself to get you out of it.”

“Then get out of my life!” He howled and shoved her. “Get out of my life. I’m done with you. You were always useless. A complete useless woman.”

Naomi slapped him.

And when he raised his hand to hit her, his father shoved him aside.

“Don’t you dare touch that woman! What has come over you, Samson? What is this nonsense?”

“This nonsense is that I no longer want to see this woman. She’s not my wife anymore.”

“Good, because I’m sick and tired of a neglectful, cheating husband like you.” She picked her purse and turned to his parents. “Daddy, Mummy, I’m going to my parents’ house.”

His mother shook her head. “No, Naomi, wait. Let’s resolve this.”

“Let her go.” Samson shouted. “She’s useless to me. She has always been useless as a wife.”

“No, you are the useless one. A useless, worthless man.” Naomi threw him a disparaging look before stalking out of the house.

Four years, one miscarriage, one failed IVF and many months of unhappiness and her marriage was over. No, he hadn’t been a good choice and she no longer had to live with the bad choice she’d made.

Not ever again.

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The End.

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