I was just staring at him, listening to him. And trying to make sense of all he was saying to me. I was also searching through his face to see if I could see signs he wasn’t being sincere to me with what he was saying. But I saw nothing. Yet, I was not one hundred percent certain he was speaking to me from the depth of his heart.
“The truth is that, if I do not choose the perfect time and we go to the Registry and it gets to my wife, all hell will be let lose. And this is why I said, it must be a secret between us, for now, until that appropriate time will come when I will officially announce you as my second wife to my entire family….This is the best I can do for now!”For a moment, I felt like slapping the man hard across the face! I felt like descending on him and make him see reasons why he should never ever think of me as some cheap commodity he acquired and could treat anyhow he chooses. I felt a surge of hot anger rush through me at that very moment but I controlled myself.
I opened my mouth to speak but I quickly stopped myself in time because I wasn’t sure if the words that would proceed from my mouth would not reveal the red hot anger boiling inside me. I was scared I could say something really nasty to MD and he won’t like it all. I am helping both of us, and you especially, by suggesting we keep the wedding a secret for now. If Elizabeth finds out, it will be war, not just for you but for both of us. And trust me, she won’t spare us both!”I smiled. I nodded slowly and beamed him a wry smile yet again.
This man must still be thinking I am still that little native girl that he swept off her feet years ago. “So, MD, to be kept hidden and relegated to the background in your life and family is your idea of wedding? Is that what you think I deserve? For all that I represent in your life, this is what you think suits me right now, am I correct? No problem.” The man was out of his wits, he didn’t know what to say to me any more. “So, when do you now think will be the appropriate time to tell her Majesty your wife, that I have officially become your wife? When is that appropriate time you think you will tell her and she will jump up in excitement and roll out the drums to welcome me into her home? You want to hear the truth, MD, I will tell you….that moment will never come, it will never happen! Except you do not want to be truthful to yourself!” MD remained quiet. He obviously was thinking about what I just said.
It must’ve made some sense to him. He thought about it long and hard, then he looked up into my face, sighed like a man who has given up on a battle, then he asked me, “So, how do you think you and I can get married and not get into trouble with my wife if we don’t keep it quiet?”I could only look at him in absolute shock. He was not making any sense to me at all. Why would I want to get married to him and hide it from his wife in the first place? Why should he be suggesting such nonsense to me? “MD, why are you asking me that kind of question?” I’d thrown at him, letting my voice rise again. “Why would I want to hide the fact that I am married to you from your wife? How does that make me happy?”He looked at me for a long spell without blinking. There was both anger and frustration in his eyes.
He was confused. He didn’t know what to do or how to deal with the situation. “Anita, I am tired and I have no idea what else you want me to do….” He said, exasperated. “What do you want me to do now?”“Marry me and take me home to your wife!” I spat, looking away from him.The man looked at me and slowly shook his head. “But you and I know that is the wrong thing to do, it is impossible.”“So, you want me to be a hidden wife, after giving you your only fruit? Is that what you think befits me, right?”MD became quiet. He was thinking long and hard. “Listen, Anita, you need to give me time to think about this. I can understand your frustrations and I assure you I will do all I can to make it up to you. But you must give me time, please….”I was calm. I stayed quiet. I listened to him as he pleaded for more time.
But to be honest, I was not impressed and I told him so.“Listen, MD, you know I have heard you plead for time over and over again, so why do you think I will believe you this time?”“Because I mean it…. Because I really want to make you happy,” he answered, sounding very sincere. “Just give me a bit more time, okay?”I shrugged. “It is okay, I have heard you, I will give you time,” I said to him.“Oh, thank you, my darling….”“Hold on a minute, MD,” I cut in before he was done expressing gratitude. “Here is the deal: if I wait for the next couple of months and I hear nothing about the wedding from you, I will take my son and disappear! You won’t see me or your child ever again!” …To Be Continued
