ALONG CAME A WIFE --by Nickz

(Image source:www.timeslive.co.za)

I cast another glance at my wrist watch, not necessarily to determine the time as I had already glanced a minute ago, but to admire its luster and masculinity. It was a cherished wedding gift from Dad. I had forgiven him for missing my wedding. His job had mandatorily taken him abroad that week and he couldn’t miss the once-in-a-life-time promotion opportunity, even if it was my burial. It wasn’t new of him. I had understood him by now. He was a good father, he played his role in my life excellently but his beliefs were different from the ideal. He believed in living his own life too without letting that of his kids interfere. “I have a life with your mother. She’s the only one I’m obligated to. You kids just got in the way. Grow up, get education, get a job, get married and get the hell out of my life.” That was always his defense line whenever he did something “unfatherly” like missing my graduation ceremony or my wedding day. He was a workaholic with the energy of a new employee.

But today wasn’t about my father. It was ten minutes after twelve o’clock, a sunny Saturday and I was with Idaraesit at MildWind Boutique. She was picking up new clothes. “Big Daddy, please pull up this zipper for me. I think this dress is a bit loose around the hips,” she said, trying to get me involved in her shopping. I pulled the zipper up and continued typing a mail on my tab. “Big Daddy you haven’t said a word. Won’t you even look at the dress?” I didn’t realize she was asking. I thought it was more of a conclusive statement. Maybe it was a rhetorical way of seeking my opinion. I raised my face and examined her in the glossy grey gown. She looked as beautiful as the first time I met her. I was proud she was the one I walked down the aisle with a month ago. “Uh…yeah. It’s few inches loose, don’t you think that’s what you need? You know…” I hesitated to complete, then teased her in a lower voice, “…married ladies expand exponentially.” She threw me the mischievous ‘you-have-started’ look. I chuckled and continued typing my mail while she vanished behind the curtains to try out another dress.

One of the features that attracted me to this angel was her vivaciousness. She was everything I wanted in a woman. Even when I was certain she was the one for me, I had usually felt a lump in my throat each time I wanted to pop the question on one of our numerous dates.  Maybe I was afraid of leaving the known into the unknown. There was so much liberty in being single, so much freedom. I loved that freedom. I was responsible for myself alone. It didn’t matter if I played FIFA2012 with Chucks till 10pm or if I travelled to Abuja to hang out with an old classmate  for the weekend. Life was an adventure, a spontaneous journey. I could walk into the bar with my crew, flirt mercilessly with charming beauties, slip phone numbers into my pocket, sip ice cold beer and laugh into the nights. I could drive my Highlander at 100km/hr, jamming Rick Ross tracks, just to feel fly. I could step up to 120 just for the fun of overtaking a Lexus that sped past me. I could throw my shoes and socks carelessly on the room floor, ignoring the shoe rack at the corner of the room. I could eat my meal from the pot while watching TV in the living room. Life was spontaneous. Life was selfish and sweet. But I had to marry the love of my life.

Chucks had done everything to scare me from getting married at 28. He told me the ugliest matrimonial stories he knew, just to win me over for a few more years but that didn’t stop me from making him my best man. He was indeed my best guy. During the bachelor’s night, he had chained a heavy steel ball to my right ankle. “Sorry pal, I warned you, marriage is bondage. She’ll just drag you like that weight there. You have to get used to it.” It had taken almost an hour of clumsy movements and pleadings before Chucks set me free from the weight.

Seated here in MildWind Boutique absent-mindedly, waiting on my dear wife to try out all the dresses she picked, I could really feel the weight of that metal ball dragging me. I had to sit tight still.  She was supposed to come shopping with Glamie, her best friend but Glamie was unavoidably absent and she had to plead with me to be the emergency substitute. That wasn’t in the list of things I planned to do today. I had to save the unfinished mail I was typing on the PC as draft just to attend to her needs. She told me it would only take thirty minutes.

While she went behind the curtain to change, I picked up my tab again and continued typing. I had barely finished two lines when she re-emerged. She walked down to me again, requesting I help zip her up. I complied. She wriggled uncomfortably. She turned round, a slight frown was on her creamy face. “It’s too tight…so sad I love it so much.” It was a red gown, a little above her knees. It fitted tightly on her gorgeous body. She had the perfect body for any dress. If she wasn’t my wife or if I was still single and saw a girl like her in such a charming dress, all she’d have to do was wink to seduce me. She looked like a highly priced tramp that could turn the heads of men, including eunuchs. But she was my wife and the thoughts other men would have just seeing her dressed like that… “Berry, this would have been perfect on your 18th birthday. Too bad baby. You’ll have to drop it.” She looked visibly uncomfortable. “Yeah, I barely can breathe, so beautiful. What a waste.” I looked at the gold watch again. We had spent exactly fifty minutes so far and she had only tried three of the six dresses she picked. I was growing impatient. She went in again to change up. I could see the stress of changing wears all over her beautiful face. She wore a slight frown of worry as she walked inside again.

In moments like that, I recalled the weight Chucks had chained to my right ankle that night. It had an enormous significance. It meant I had to lay down my own interests sometimes—be it planned for or unplanned for—to satisfy hers. It meant she was a new part of my body. It meant I was responsible for her. It meant there will be moments of compromise, moments of patience, moments of understanding, moments of being there for her.

Those thoughts made me feel I could do more for her at that moment. I swallowed my impatience and single-man selfishness. She had taken up to an hour but it wouldn’t matter anymore, I was willing to compromise. When she stepped out from the curtains again, I gave her my best smile of approval.  “Oh my god! That’s my angel! You look so stunning Berry!” She was dressed in a lavender gown which conveyed a touch of class and royalty. She looked up in surprise and I caught the smile spread on her lips, just like ink on water. Her vibe was suddenly up and she was radiating with confidence. She struck a seductive akimbo pose and I didn’t hesitate to minimize my mail and open the camera. I gave her as many shots as the poses she could offer.  She looked like a model. She was a model—my model. The sales girl was watched and smiled when she blew me a kiss before rushing in to change again.

After few more displays, she dressed up and we were ready to leave. She picked four out of the six and we headed to the desk. I slotted my card into the POS. Fifty five grand. We walked out of MildWind hand in hand. “Big Daddy, thanks very much. So sorry it took longer. Don’t worry,” she smiled. “I’ll make it up to you. Just name anything you want for dinner.” She always had ways of warming my heart again.  I smiled mischievously. “Now that you’ve asked, I want you in bed for dinner, hot and spicy.” I had always planned to use that line on her one day and she presented the right moment. She gave out a surprised laugh and punched me on the shoulder while we walked to the car.

As we drove back, several thoughts ran through my mind. I couldn’t even drive above 80km/hr because she wouldn’t feel comfortable. I thought of how many times she’d have to be picking up my socks and shoes to the shoe rack before I could eject the habit. I thought of the phone numbers and pictures I had to flush out of my phone. I thought of the gone nights we used to have with the crew frequently. I had grown into a new man; she was a new part of me. I had to be there for her—with her. We had to grow together. The transition from me to us wasn’t going to be as easy as the oaths we exchanged before the excited witnesses. It wasn’t only an institution merely for satisfaction of coital cravings. It was the beginning of a new life. Somehow, I missed my old freedom, my single life, my selfish world. My Dad had pre-warned me of this feeling. He told me it’s going to be a journey of responsibilities henceforth—an enjoyable one, depending on how I played my ball. I gained a lot of wisdom from my parents’ marriage. They were my greatest marital inspiration. I was a bit nervous, hoping I’d never let down this fragile angel who loved me with her whole heart.

Idaraesit was sitting peacefully beside me, bobbing her head gently to the harmony of country music. It was like she sensed my thoughts. She stretched her left arm and gently massaged the back of my neck for few seconds. It was a silent communication and I understood it all. We were driving to Dr. Tino’s hospital.  She hadn’t seen her period in the last two days.