MANY TROUBLED WATERS Part 3 . SERVANT OF SIN 2

She watched through the window as Chiji drove in through the gate. The gate keeper helped him take some stuff out of the car and he made his way into the house. The days she would excitedly rush down to welcome him home had gone eons ago. What was the point when he was always as unresponsive as a metal pole?

The kids were fast asleep, time to shower and catch some sleep for herself. She stood up and headed for the bathroom for her evening shower. She felt alive for the first time in a long time. Maybe it was a sense of adventure in the fact that she was doing something that she would never have thought of doing some years back. Maybe it was reuniting with Ken that made her feel extra alive.  After another chat he'd asked for her number and she had gladly given it. Calls were always better. Hearing his voice for the first time after so many years bathed her with a warmth that was unbelievable . He still sounded the same. Nothing had changed.

“You still listen to MJ?” he was referring to Michael Jackson. Both of them shared an obsessive passion for his music

“Ken, MJ’s dead and my love died with him”

He laughed that same throaty and beautiful laugh of his.

Back in the day both of them could spend hours listening to MJ’s music. That was back in the day when rap was the rave either that or the hyper sexualized lyrics of R. Kelly. For Ken it was either Al Jarreau or some other jazz icon. Ken was an old soul.But most especially he loved  MJ, he had his entire collection from Jackson 5. Infact the day she watched his response to ‘Earth song’ was the very day she realised she had fallen in love with him.

“So… what happened to you, what exactly are doing with yourself?” he quizzed gently

She was quiet for a few seconds

“Nothing much , just being married, having babies…” her voice faded off.

“Kiki I still can’t believe you married that jerk” he sounded a bit upset, she could still hear the old pain in his voice. More silence. Years ago she would have argued that statement, but life had thought her many lessons and she was completely defeated and humbled.

The sound of Chiji entering the room brought her out of her reverie. She quickly dried her body and stepped out of the bathroom.

“Welcome” she tried sounding cheerful

“Yea thanks” he responded without even looking at her. It didn’t bother her any more. She was used to it.

“What would you like to eat?” she asked even though she already knew what he was going to say. It was the same almost every night for years now.

“Anything”. It was always the same. He had no interest in her, or in any conversation with her outside family matters, in her interest or in her cooking. He showed a little enthusiasm for the sex but just long enough to satisfy himself and then he would snore off while her body screamed for satisfaction. She had talked to him about it once and his response made her regret even asking.

‘What do you mean I don’t satisfy you? What have you been up to?” his tone was menacing

“I’m serious Chiji; you can’t keep doing this to me. I’m also human” She said tearfully

“Is that a threat Kiki? Anyway I had a rough day at work…you have a hand, sort yourself out” he turned his back at her and started snoring almost immediately.

She couldn’t believe what he had just said. He was suggesting she masturbate. She was beyond humiliated, she felt beyond crushed. She felt like tearing his back with her nails but knowing what he could do to her kept her in check. She had seen him fight like a demon once and she promised herself never to do anything that’ll make him touch her violently. However, after bearing one more year of the burning and torture she finally took his advice.

She left him as he made his way to the shower and went down stairs to heat his dinner. She sank into her thoughts once again.

While Ken came into her life like a gentle breeze, Chiji came in like a whirlwind. He came into her life like a real life action hero. The only problem was that this action hero did not moonlight as a journalist or a nerdy student…he was a Frat boy, and of the worst kind.

To be continued… Part 4. REFUGE OF LIES