SMILES, LIES AND DEATH
9:14pm
At the edge of the third mainland bridge can be seen a silvery-coated Chevrolet, inappropriately parked. The front left-door flung open as a young man, presumably in his early thirties, forced his way through the barricades of the bridge in haste, throwing himself down to the smirk of the waters.
A splash! His numb body begins to absolve deep down, he reminisces.
7:20pm
Hours ago he was in good company, his place of solace whenever he needs to avoid the quarrels that has plagued what he used to call home. Recently, his quarrels with Mayomiwa - his wife of about five years, seem to be aggravating. “You must marry that girl!”, his mother’s threats play out in his head. He lets out an awful grin, steadfastly holding out his almost empty tumbler. Oblivious of the happenings around him and whatever mistress of his that had seductively tried to gain his attention this evening. He gulped more alcohol against what he consumes on every other day, he hangs out with friends.
A week ago, on his way back from his numerous tryst meetings. Okundayo found his dearly beloveth wife — Mayomiwa, held by the waist, in the arms of another man. They were exiting Casablanca Groove, a posh hotel in the hub of Lagos. Later that day, he had accosted her of her infidelity or perhaps what he thought he saw, but she had shoved his accusations aside, telling him blatantly “You can go ahead and call a family meeting, Mister!”. The fact that his wife had the effrontery to deny not the accusations, left Dayo gobsmacked.
Five years ago, his family had relocated to Lagos from Kent in the United Kingdom. His mother, Mrs Shukurat Okeniyi - a powerful and influential woman is always found in the midst of the cream-de-la-cream in the society. In fact, her name made it to Forbes Top 100 Persons last year, and it is to keep up this high-profile relationship that Dayo had to marry the governor’s daughter later that year. The union sounded like a fixed match to the hearings of the would-be-couples, but for the sake of class, family ties and society, they were ready to put up this charade. Unfortunately, life happened.
8:50pm
Okundayo Damilola Okeniyi and Oluwamayomiwa Rachael Ajibade’s union would have been remembered as "…and they lived happily ever after”, but for the 'Arinlola scandal’. A week after Dayo realized his wife was an active player in the game he considered himself coach. He began to seek for answers to solve the puzzles in his life. If his wife ever attended those meetings she travelled for? If the reason she preferred to call their only daughter ‘Jide’ is in honour of her ex-lover? If only his mother had allowed him follow his heart… he continued lust in thoughts. Pondered on the IFS and WHYS.
He recalled Dr. Ifejuani’s words, “Your blood does not match Arinlola ”. He sipped the remainder of his beer, grabbed his keys and zoomed off.
9:00pm
The screeching of car tyres came to a halt. Dayo’s thoughts continue to taunt him as he thinks of the many things his family will do to conceal this from the public. “My daughter indeed!”, he grinned this last time. ‘The world will blame her for this!”
As his eyes almost shut out, he remembers one last time, her ravishing smile when they exchanged marital vows.
The Headlines read, "A Tale of Smiles, Lies and Death.”
