I drove into the compound like a mad man, and as soon I as parked my car, I went to the

neighbour’s house to look for her. Luckily for both of us, she was not at home. Her husband,

however, was at home. I greeted him and he answered calmly and asked me what was making

me look so wild and bad tempered.

“I cam to see your wife.” I told him.

“What for?”

“I want to tell her to stay away from my family affairs. Since she is not home now, I am begging

you to help me beg her. I didn’t come into this neighbourhood for her. Let her leave me alone.”

We were standing at the verandah while we talked, and since I was raising my voice, the

neighbour’s husband didn’t want any embarrassment. So, he invited me into his house. After we

had sat down in his living room, he asked.

“So, what actually did my wife do?”

“She made me broke up with my fiancée because she wouldn’t keep her mouth shut. She

engineered that lady in my house to tell my beautiful fiancée that we are not related. Now, she

has broken up with me.” I narrated.

“Oh! Is that the issue? I already know about it. Actually, I have been wanting to talk to you about

it. But as you know, you are not a very open person. However, now that you have created this

opportunity, let me grab it.”

“What do you want to say?”

“I would wish that you forget about that your fiancée and concentrate on the lady in your house.”

He spoke.

“What?”

“Yes. See, between you and I, let me be honest with you. I have been observing that lady in

your house and she is a capable woman. She is a true wife material. You need to be the tailor

that would transform that material into a beautiful dress. I have observed her for a while now.

She is very calm and responsible. She is also very simple and down to earth. The most

important thing is that she is very, very tolerant. Look at all the trouble you have put her through,

and she is still with you, persevering. If it was my wife, haha, she would have dealt with you.” He

spoke at length.

“So, what are you proposing? What are you suggesting?” I asked.

“Marry her.”

“What? But she is not my type of woman.” I complained.

“Yes, but you have been sleeping with her. She may not be your type of woman but she is your

equipment’s type of woman.” He laughed and then, became serious again. “Mr. John, what is

actually your problem with her?”

“I don’t even know her. I just saw her on the road and helped her because she was desperate. I

didn’t bargain for anything like this.”

“How about your equipment? I guess it also didn’t bargain for her.” He laughed.

“Can you be serious for once?”

“Of course, I am serious. Please, marry that woman, and I assure you that you will never regret

it. Take my word for it. I have spent more time on this earth than you. Take it from me like an

elder brother.” He tried to convince me.

“But she is a baby mama. She has a child for another man.”

“So, what does that mean? Is that an obstacle to a happy home? Look at me, do you know that

those my two grown up daughters were not fathered by me?”

“What?”

“Yes, my wife brought them to the marriage. She already had them before I even met her, and

she had them with two different men. I still got married to her, anyway. Now can show me any

family in this compound that is happier than mine?”

“I have to be honest, no.”

“Good, so take my advice and marry that lady. She needs someone to take good care of her.”

“Indeed, why don’t you take her for a second wife?”

He laughed seriously at what he said and slapped his thigh.

“I am not a polygamist. I have already found my own woman and I am already making my own

family. So, do the right thing and stop delaying. As for my wife, I will deliver your message to

her, but just know that nothing will change.”

“So, it is a conspiracy between you and your wife to make sure that my fiancée abandons me,

right? It was all a ploy to force me into marrying Jane. Now, let me tell you, it’s not going to work.

It won’t work. As for your wife, she still has me to contend with.” I got up angrily and went to my

own home.

When I got home, I met Jane in the living room. She was watching TV.

“Good afternoon, Sir, and welcome.” She greeted calmly.

“Turn off that TV. I need to talk to you.”

“Ok.” She said and turned off the TV.

“Now, you were supposed to have been gone from my house by now, but you haven’t. You have

instead connived and conspired with my foolish neighbours and my fiancée has left me, fine.

You want to take her place, fine. So, from now on, I going to reduce your rights in this house.

You will never use tap water to wash your clothes or do any type of laundry."

“What?”

“Yes, you will also not be using the gas cooker to cook. If you want to prepare any food for you

and your fatherless daughter, you will have to use that three stone fireside in front of the

compound. Do you understand?”

“I have heard. Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me? Are you trying to make fun of me?” I asked.

“No, I am not.” She spoke hurriedly, covering her face. She thought I was going to slap her.

That was the condition in which I put Jane. Life became very difficult for her. My house was

modern, and I had all the recent gadgets and kitchen utensils and appliances. However, I

prevented her from using any of those. I was bent on suffering her until she herself decided to

go and leave me alone. She was always sick and always looking very tired and worn out. I didn’t

care because I wanted to see her gone as soon as possible.