The Anguish of Brother Oghenero

By: Ifeoluwa Orimoloye

(Being the second part of a piece initially titled: ladies first)

Regardless of the embarrassment, you stood up, having felt that conviction within you. You have imagined the worst and it has now revealed itself right before you. With the left-over of the functions from the kaikai, you stood up to take your leave. As fate would have it, you met Sister Faith along the road. You blame yourself for not obliging her. She has given you countless of indications over the past few months but you felt like she is weak, or at best condemned. That’s your best explanation or qualification for someone whose status has gone beyond being ugly.
Whether by instinct or kaikai, your guts told you that Sister Faith might still be interested. In any case, you still feel sorry for yourself and your consolation seems to lie in Sister Faith.

Her response to your greetings seems to confirm it all. She wanted you to just follow her home. You felt warm and relieved. The encounter with the devilish Ayanfe suddenly disappeared and it would not even matter to you whether or not Sister Faith is churchy. It does not matter anymore. She may not glitter but she seemed to you like gold.

You remembered how fondly she called your name after Church services and your lackadaisical treatment of her…how she declined amorous advances from the other brothers in the fellowship and especially Brother Paul, the choir coordinator and even Pastor Timi, who still wanted and pestered Faith despite being married. You dismissed all the thoughts with a wry smile.

“Well, I’m now back home,” you concluded within you.

With your arms locked in her arms, you enjoyed the walk to Sister Faith’s apartment. You began to not only see the future in her, you already saw her in your future. In your mind, you now reviewed your earlier disapproval of her with the conclusion that “she is not even bad after all.”
You both got home and she went straight to the kitchen. Without, thinking twice, you determined in your mind how ‘long’ a wife material she is.
Minutes later, she appeared from the kitchen with a tray in her hands, she looked pretty tired and in her tiredness you still saw the light, the beauty in her.

With so much admiration, she served you a sumptuous meal that predictable afternoon. Eager to eat the food, Sister Faith added another twist to the lunch that afternoon by handing you an envelope. You need nobody to tell you what the content of the envelope would be. Whatever this means, you knew it would be nothing less than a love letter. So, happily, slowly and courteously, you opened the content to your bewilderment.

The expression on your face was greeted with the unexpected response from Sister Faith,
“Yes, I will be getting married next month,” she said, emphasizing on the last two words.
This provoked what you later saw as a thoughtless question. Thoughtless for one, it did more harm than good and another, it betrayed the emotions that you have thus far jealously protected. This time around, you are already sweating profusely.
“Are you sure?” you asked, obviously disappointed.
“yes,” she responded reassuringly.
A moment of silence then ensued, followed by the deafening sound caused by the crumble of the plates in your hands…


photo credit: adobe stock