Chapter 5 & 6

EMPTY PROMISES.

When I say Tony means everything to me I meant every word of it. He finished from Harvard and drives the latest car. He was sound and very loving.

Tony was always showering me with praises and makes my shoulder rise with pride.

Diane, my girlfriend called me one day asking me why I break up with Israel.

"Israel loves you sincerely, he had not been himself ever since you told him that it was over. He try reaching you severally but I guess you have already blocked him because of your new guy. Ava, think about what you are doing… even if you want to leave Israel do it in a matured way, not the way you are going about it. He has never hurt you in anyway, never demand from you rather he was willing to give you all his salary just to make you happy. You treat him like a houseboy, you make him cook for you and do your laundries when you were still in Lagos. But Israel never complains…he does everything without a frown. He is very special and not many men will tolerate such from their woman. Try and talk to him Ava, he is losing mind and has been begging me to plead with you to have a rethink…

Diane went on talking over Israel and how heartbroken he was. But I did not care. I have moved on with the man that I truly love. Tony is in my league and class. I have always wanted to associate with a man in my caliber and Tony falls into it and even more. But Israel is just a common guy with nothing to his name except his HND result and works in a commercial bank. He can't boast with anything. I have been managing him because of all the benefits of him cooking and doing many other domestic work for me but not again. I even hate his mare touch, my whole body feels cold at his touch and I love the fact he doesn't ask to get intimate with me, I only do when I want it. But with Tony I feel so warm and even ask for more of his touch.

I don't understand why Diane is campaigning for Israel. Her life is exactly where she wants it to be with the man of her dream who is very famous but there she was asking me to reconsider a man who is not even my type.

I can only conclude that Diane is enemy of my progress. She does not wish me well at all. For asking me to settle with a man like Israel, I'm going to cut her off if she continue with this.

Many of my friends do not even like the fact I was in a relationship with Israel. They said I was a high class babe, a Lekki big girl and I deserve better.

I knew that I deserved better but Diane will always want to talk me out of it. She will constantly say that Israel is a nice man and I believed her but not again. I'm done with him and I'm going to call it quit with Diane too.

I later said to Diane.

"Since you care so much for Israel why not go ahead and date him. Leave your famous boyfriend and date a broke low class like Israel. Whatever you want to do please do but make sure you leave me out of it. Go ahead with him since you don't want to see him sad. I'm in a great relationship. My present man is all I have always wanted. Handsome, outspoken, caring, finish from Harvard, rich and drives the latest car. What more can I ask than what I have been given already. It was as if God saw my heart and decided to bless me with a man like Tony. Light and darkness are placed before me and I chose light. Nothing can make me return to darkness. I'm done for good. Please don't call me again over Israel issue or I will trash you aside just like I did with him. Enjoy your life and let me enjoy mine. Don't be an enemy of my happiness.

I hang up the phone call. Diane was really pissing me off with her constant talk on Israel but that will be the final time I will tolerate such.

Tony said his bank card was still in the process, he has not been able to collect a new one so he will be needing some money from me until he is able to collect his card.

I did not think twice and gave him what he asked for.

My colleagues at work brought different maids for me but I did not like any of them. I finally settled with one of them that looks a little appealing to me.

Tony came to the house one day and saw the girl, he complained that he doesn't like her and I should dismiss her immediately.

I try to argue.

"Baby, she is the best among the three that my colleagues brought to me. Her name is Sulia and she understand English even though she can't speak fluently. Sulia can clean and also cook and that is all I need, if I send her away I don't know if I will ever be able to get a better maid in this part again.

That was all I said to Tony and he was provoked.

"Avala, I hate when you argue with me. Whenever I say something do it exactly the way I want it done. Women that argues are never submissive they always want to be in authority and do as they pleases. Don't try that shit with me. I hate it when I say something and you try to do another…

I had no choice than to agree to dismiss Sulia just as Tony wanted. He told me he has a girl that he will like to bring for me.

I asked him to go ahead.

After two days he came with the girl whose name was Halima.

She was learned and can speak good English. Halima was beautiful and has a fine shape. She looks posh to me and far from been a maid.

Halima can cook and also clean but I wasn't satisfied with those qualities.

I noticed the way Tony looks at her and I was not comfortable with that.

I complained to Tony that Halima looks like she has everything, she can get any kind of job she wants why will she want to be a common maid. Cleaning and cooking for me.

I wanted Tony to dismiss her but we got into an argument and he raised his hand and slapped me.

I was shock as I held my cheek because it was unexpected. I never expected such from Tony. Why will Tony raise his hand on me because of a common maid?

He quickly apologies and promised never to repeat that again. I have to let go and for peace to reign I allowed Halima to stay.

Maybe I was acting too childish and insecure like Tony once said. I loosened up and make sure I did not allow my insecurity to get the best of me.

I accepted whatever Tony said, I give him money anytime he asked. I try not to argue all the time.

I love Tony and I know once he retrieve his bank card he will stop asking me to give him money all the time and I believed him when he said he will never raise a hand on me again.

Oooooooh my Tony...My prince charming….

EPISODE 6

"…I was only with him because he was famous and rich but aside the fame, Jack is violence and I try to tolerate him for all those while we dated but I'm done. I give the world what they want to see and try not to tarnish his image but for how long will I have to continue that way. I called it quit. When I told him he thought I was joking and said I cannot break up with him but is like a movie when I showed him how serious I was. He was not even remorseful and said I will definitely come back to him. He said I can never get his type anywhere and I will have no choice than to come back. He can pick any woman of his choice and move on. There were many other pretty, classy lady ready to jump at the offer. I will never return back to him and I pray his next woman will not stab him to death. Not every woman can tolerate a man like Jack. I did but not again….

I was on a video call with Diane that evening and she was telling me that she ended her relationship with her man, Jack.

"Diane, I'm sorry to hear that but you could have endured maybe he will later change with time. Most lady will like to have a popular, handsome and well to do man like Jack. You shouldn't have let him slip off your finger. You would have sit and talk things through with him instead of breaking up. I just hope your next man will be close to Jack's status. I strongly hope you will not end up with an unfortunate person like Israel. I was very angry with you for even asking me to reconsider Israel, why will you advise me to do such knowing well that you can't accept such a nobody into your league. I wanted to cut you off before but I have to reconsider because of our years of friendship. You are well to do and I am too. We shouldn't ever settle with anything less Diane and that was why I said you should reconsider before calling it quit with Jack. His type is rare and his social status is high. Don't ever settle for less. I'm enjoying my life with Tony and I'm happy more than I have ever been because am with the kind of man I taste for. I'm bold and never ashamed of my man. Did I told you before that Tony finished from Harvard…?

Diane cleared her throat before saying.

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"Ava you did. You praise him too much, making him seem like Mr perfect. Are you sure that all the things he told you about himself is true? Well, if you are happy that is all that matters. I saw Israel last week coming back from work and I gave him a ride home. He is trying to move on, to move past the hurt and heart break. I invited him out for a lunch at a fast food over the weekend and he came. Israel, without considering how sad he has been of late after you kicked him out of your life, he still finds a way to crack me up. He is so entertaining and can pass for a great friend. Israel is really loaded and he refused me paying for the bills. I try everything but he said I should keep my money he got the bills. He paid for everything we ate despite I was the person that invited him out. Since we are both suffering from our last relationship we had something good to talk about. I dropped him off and we kept in touch. Ava, if I had such man I will never trade him for anything. Forget about class or status but Israel is smart, intelligent, cute and will pass for a great husband. He will make an amazing father and a loving husband. I wonder why you did not consider all that. I hope you will not regret leaving him for who you think fits into your dream man…Israel is a gold and many will dig deep before they find such man.

I burst out laughing. I laugh so hard that my phone almost fell off my hand. Diane did not say anything as she watch me from her phone since is a video call.

I can't believe Diane is this foolish. Something is definitely wrong with her.

"Diane I can't believe you will stoop so low to hang out with a man who is below you. I was expecting you to be thinking and aiming higher after Jack but here you are disappointing me with all this Israel talk. Anyway, is none of my business. I'm only disappointed and if you continued with a man like that you will have to count me off from been your friend. I can't move with a girl who is not thinking in a positive side of life. You can't move with a nobody like Israel. For me to dump his ass I have been looking for opportunity to do that and when I got one I couldn't wait to push him off my list. Go for somebody with a high class just like Jack or you return to Jack and work things out. Don't eat from the dustbin or leftover because that is what you will be doing if you ever consider a man like Israel…"

I try to talk some sense into Diane's head. She told me that she and Israel are just friends. She checks up on him once in a while and he does same but nothing is attach to it although she will like to have a man like that in her life because Israel was a clear definition of a perfect man.

I later end the call after trying to advice Diane who seems to have her own mind and already knows what she wants.

I just hope Diane is not going crazy to be thinking this way. Whatever she feels likes doing with her life let her go ahead but I definitely knows that Diane will not stoop so low to be with Israel, somebody who does not fit into her class. Diane will go for a man like her ex or she may return to Jack because she will not be able to cope with a Mr nobody like Israel.

I hope my advice will stick to her ears because I want only the best for her and nothing less.

I started noticing that anytime I keep money in my room it will miss. Sometimes if I keep fifty thousand I will come to meet twenty.

I wasn't sure of what was happening, I asked Halima if she came across any money because she was always the person at home but she said she did not see the money and do not touch my personal things.

Tony was not always around. He comes during the weekend and sometimes in the evening after running his personal business.

So it was me with Halima and within the week I'm always at work. I did not understand why the money was missing.

I complained to Tony but he said I was probably careless and wasn't sure of the exact amount I kept.

After encountering such for up to four times, I became sure that somebody was taking it.

I confronted Halima who denied. I took it to Tony when he came during the weekend because he was the person that brought her.

"…There is nobody else in this house except Halima, so is either her or there's a ghost stealing my money. If I wasn't sure before I am now because this is not the first or the second time.

Tony started vibrating angrily.

"Are you indirectly calling Halima a thief? Does she looks like a thief to you? If she was like that I wouldn't have brought her here. Halima is a decent girl and she cannot steal. Go and look for where you kept your money but stop accusing an innocent girl that has been so hardworking.

I try to argue with him and he strike me across the face again. The slap sent me crashing on my bed. This was the second time Tony was raising his hands on me.

I stared at him with terror in my eyes. He suddenly came to me pleading.

"Baby, I'm sorry for hitting you. Stop making me to do this. I am not a violent person but I hate it when you argue continuously with me. I want to be the man in charge. When I say something take it like that and don't argue. You know I love you so much and you are the air that I breathe. You are my queen and the crown on my head. You are so beautiful and I can't do without you honey. I want to someday make a home with you and I want you to rule my kingdom, be the mother of my kids and everything I can ever ask for….I'm sorry baby. I promise you that it won't happen again….i promise and am a man of my word. I will never break my promise. Believe me. Smile for me baby…smile…

He tickles me and I laughed out. Tony has a way of making me feel better in my worst situation and that was why I love him. He kissed and I responded so fast without wasting time and that was how the slap was forgotten.

Tony complained that his car had fault and he needed to fix it. Due to his money is still hanging in the bank because of his missing card he cannot make any big withdrawal.

I was already getting irritated with the way his bank was handling things. Is been several months already and he has been having the same bank issue. I wanted to visit the bank on his behalf and complain so that they can hasten up but he asked me not to stress myself that everything will be resolved soon.

I wonder how he would have cope with all the expenses that I have practically covered up for him. How would he be able to pay his bills if I wasn't in the picture.

But because I love him I count it as nothing. I'm glad to be able to help him with cash until the issue in his bank is resolved.

I gave him the amount he asked for and he was very happy. Seeing him smile makes me very happy.

The first and second month I paid Halima the agreed amount but on the third month she insisted I double up her salary. She said she only collected the stipend earlier because she was just starting but now she needed double of her salary.

That was really outrageous. Her request was unthinkable. She lives under my roof in one of my rooms and feeds too. I pays her a fat salary higher than what I planned to pay my first maid and more because Tony brought her. I complained to Tony and he asked me to go ahead and pay her the amount because Halima was worth it.

I decided not to argue with Tony I let it slide.

I started paying Halima the amount even though I wasn't feeling good with that but because of Tony i did not give it a deep thought.

One weekend, after hanging out with Tony in one of the expensive restaurant and I also paid all the bills as usual, Tony brought out a ring asking me to marry him.

I stare at the ring with a mixed feeling not knowing what exactly to say or how to react. I wanted to scream yes but something held me from jumping up excitedly.

This is what I have always wanted, to spend my life with a man like Tony so why am I having a mixed feeling? I really don't know if I should accept the proposal or not. I don't know if I'm ready for this.

All that matters is love right? Being with the man that falls into my "Mr Perfect"

I looked from the ring to Tony, I thought of the first and second time he slapped me so hard and he promised never to do it again. I believed him.

I thought of his authoritative nature but I waved everything negative off as I try to focus on the good side of him.

I don't know if I should say yes or no because my answer now will determine my future with Tony.

To Be Continued