Chapter nine

Sometimes quarrels and competition are essential; it brings out the hidden strength of a person that he all along kept suppressed- mine.

Without an opponent a man or group cannot grow stronger- Mao Tse Tung.

With the absence of an enemy or enemies people tend to grow lazy, less creative, less subtle and witful-- mine.

Was he jealous Ifeoma thought to herself, the thought itself seemed impossible. Obi couldn't be jealous, he didn't even like her. He must be drunk or high on something Ifeoma said in her heart.

"Baby" Obi said a second time. Ifeoma was more than puzzled. She closed her eyes, pinching herself a little as she opened her eyes again just to be sure she wasn't in lala land. Ifeoma opened her eyes to see the two men glaring at each other, throwing invisible daggers. What was happening? Why were they scowling at each other like they were ready to shoot themselves if they had guns.

"Ify, who is this?" Greg asked even thou the answer to the question was obvious.

Obi hated the way Greg had called Ifeoma, "ify" with so much emotion in it. He didn't know why he was acting the way he was but one thing he knew was; he was jealous. Jealous of the way he shorten ifeoma's name, jealous of the smile on her face when he stood watching them a while ago. He hadn't known she had such breath taking superionic laughter. He didn't even know she had dimples yet he noticed all these when she had smiled at Greg. Obi felt unexplainably cheated and hurt.

So when Greg asked who he was he didn't wait for Ifeoma to do the introductions he felt the need to mark his territory and put this superbious man in his place. He voiced out a reply before he could realise the significance of his actions.

"I'm the father to her child, her husband and the love of her life" Obi said making emphasis on the word "love".

Greg was stunned, Ifeoma was stupefied. If this was a dream Ifeoma hoped she wouldn't wake-up. Greg wanted to make a reply before Obi jumped to say:

"If you don't mind, as you can see my wife is pregnant and I'm sure she must be tired; she isn't meant to stand for so long" Obi said as he guided Ifeoma towards the other side of the mall.

Ifeoma followed Obi like a robot; no questions asked like Obi had a remote to her compliance.

"Enter the car" Ifeoma heard Obi say. She didn't even realise they were now at the parking lot. She had being lost in thought over Obi's actions, most especially words. What did he mean by he was the love of her life? Not that it wasn't true but she would be deceiving herself to even think for a minute that Obi could mean what he said. Yes she loved him; he was indeed the love of her life but in his eyes; she have always being his obligation; his responsibility. She wondered what he meant by all he had said to Greg. Realising herself, she looked around to realise they were now at the malls parking lot.

"I came with a car" she said confused on the hostility on Obi's voice.

"I said; enter the damn car!" Obi opens the car for her as she entered momentarily forgetting about the car she came with. Obi jammed the car door in a rash rage as he turned around and entered the drivers side of the car.

"Put on your seat belt" Obi said in a croaky tone.

"What?" Ifeoma asked still confused over everything.

Obi ignored her and fix her seat belt on her himself. Adjusting back to a driving position he puts his seat belt on and matching on the petals he started he car and voom! He sped off.

"I'm out for few days and you're already contemplating cheating on me" Obi said filling the awkward silence between them.

"What?" Ifeoma asked confused.

"You were smiling with that man!" He said whist subitaneously hitting on the car horn. Ifeoma was taken aback by the simultaneous sound that followed. "Damn! You're pregnant for fucks sake!" Obi shouted.

This was the first time Ifeoma heard him use the 'f' word but what she couldn't understand was why he sounded so angry. If anyone should show any form of aggravated emotions then that should be her, she thought to herself. Comporting herself and putting her fear and shock to bay, she replied the stranger behind her posing as Obi.

"For starters, I don't understand why you've being shouting like you saw me having sex. Greg is my..."

"You might have as well planned to_ you even call him by a pet name" Obi shouted.

"Everyone calls him Greg" Ifeoma shouted back. That seemed to do the magic as there was a sudden emergency silent between them but trust the hormone, Ifeoma soon disrupted the silence.

"You go away for days to god knowns where without as much as a text message only to walk into the mall- I went to shop in and was all rude to my friend, that is unacceptable" Ifeoma said as she felt her adrenaline rush through her. That statement alone made Obi want to punch something.

"What do you mean it's unacceptable? How exactly was I rude to that superbious friend of yours? Aren't you my wife?"

That kind of ticks in Ifeoma's brains; "aren't you my wife?" Of course she was his wife only on papers, he had never treated her like a real wife nor performed his conjugal duties as a proper husband. He had treated their marriage like a mare obligation other than the partnership it was meant to be. Ifeoma recalls the things Obi had said to Greg in the mall and her face turned red from the reserved shock she had felt and still feeling. Maybe it had to do with male ego she thought to herself, of course he meant nothing of what he said to Greg. It was his masculine ego at work Ifeoma thought to herself.

"Are my?" Ifeoma said suddenly.

"Are you what" Obi asked.

"Your wife" Ifeoma said looking at him.

Obi was silent for a while as if thinking of a response thou the answer was quite obvious. "You know you're- we're married that makes us husband and wife" Obi finally said.

Ifeoma wasn't satisfied with the answer Obi gave. Since he left days ago Ifeoma had being thinking about the charade they were both living in. She realised she wanted more. "I want more; I want something real" she finally said.