NO HIDING PLACE PT 2

I work as a head teacher in  a private educational institution (primary school). And among my students, Ada was the most outstanding. Her brilliance was just as wonderful as her looks and i took it upon myself to tutor her privately. Ada was also a very good child. Very obedient, helpful and truthful. I prayed to God to give me a child like Ada when it was time for me to have kids.



Ada recently had started slacking in her academics and was visibly withdrawn from her peers. From my experience as a teacher, i knew there was problems going on at home. Anytime i asked her what the problem was, she will begin to sob.

For some days, Ada stopped coming to school and this greatly bothered me. I took permission from the school authorities and went to visit her at her home over the weekend.

I found my way to a tasteful block of flats somewhere in GRA Lagos and rang the door bell i believed is that of Ada's. As i waited for a response, a very deep baritone thundered from behind the door-

“princess please see who is at the door.”

Few seconds later, there was a rattling of the locks and the door swung open. It was Ada. Her eyes grew wide with excitement as she screamed

               “uncle!!!!!!!”.

Without hesitation, she flew into my opened arms and i embraced her. Seeing her was joy.

“who is that????” the baritone voice growled.

Now standing Behind Ada was a very large, strikingly handsome man who was built solid like a rock. He was the older male version of Ada. No doubt he was her father.

My heart summersaulted at the sight of him and suddenly i began feeling a familiar stir in my groin.

“daddy this is my teacher. His name is uncle Uzor". Ada said excitedly.

“so you are the famous Uzor who has not allowed me have peace in this house ehh? Every time, uncle Uzor this; uncle Uzor that". He teased as he faked a frown arching a very bushy brow.


Stretching a large hand, he greeted me saying - “nice to finally meet you nwannem ( meaning brother/ family in igbo language)”. As i took his hand in mine, his warmth sent blood rushing into my groin so hard that if anything came in contact with my penis at that instant, it would have discharged.

“Am Uzor" i introduced myself.

“Dubem" he casually said.

As he welcomed me into his living room, i was blown away by the interior decor. Though simple, it had a very unusual but interesting play of colour.

“i should consider going into interior decor business right?.” Dubem chuckled

I was shocked. “you decorated all this yourself?” i asked in disbelief.

Dubem burst into a roar of laughter.

“what is funny?” i asked; confused.

“you need to see the surprise on your face mhen....” he said as he casually placed one large hand soothingly on my shoulder.

“you assumed a woman was behind this ensemble?”

“honestly i thought so" i replied.

He began telling me why he choose the colour combinations and how they compliment themselves. Truly he knew taste to simplest detail. I was so impressed.

Dubem’s sense of humour was amazing and he was so easy to talk to. In the course of our discussion, i brought up my concern about Ada. At first, he was hesitant but later opened up. He told me things where pretty rough with him because  he'd lost his job, the house rent was due and Ada's school fees was too much to keep up with. ( truly the tuition fee for my school was a cut throat).

When i asked after Ada's mother, Dubem informed me that they were yet to be married. Her parents had insisted she completes her educational pursuit first before marriage. She was currently in America pursuing a degree. From his body language, it seemed there was more to the story and he wasn't  happy with her being away.

When i asked if his inlaws could support Ada’s education, he looked at me as if i was speaking a ridiculous foreign language. Taking a deep sigh, he sarcastically  said  – “my brother.....i need Gods intervention. So if you know how to get the message across to him please do”
.

I encouraged him with some bible scriptures and when i asked to pray with him, he declined and said he doesn't do “religion”. Dubem was the sort of man who was blunt and whom you have to closely study  his expressions to understand his emotions.

I knew things where actually worse than he said. As if to confirm my suspicion, Ada said she was hungry.

“do you want indomie noodles?” he asked.


“i ate noodles last night and this morning” Ada replied.  Dubems face fell. Obviously he didn't have the resources for any other meal


“lets all go out to eat" i said quickly while giving Dubem a wink to play along. He had an uneasy frown but i didnt care. I told Ada to get her shoes and she hurriedly disappeared into a room.

“what is the meaning of this?” Dubem asked me. Arms folded and chest now double in size as if he was putting a barricade between us. I smiled and told him to calm down. Ada came out almost immediately and we drove to a nearby restaurant. On our way back, i stopped at a cash machine and withdrew 10 thousand naira. Ada was asleep at the back of the car at the time when i put the money inside Dubems breast pocket and walked off.

When i got home, my fiancee was already home. She was pissed that i came back late and didn't want to eat her food (even though i told her i had eaten before coming home). All through that night i couldn't sleep. I couldn't get Dubem off my mind. The more i thought of him, the more the memories of Echezona kept flooding inn alongside an erection.

Even though i was horny and longing for a man's touch and cock, other pressing matters weighed very heavy on my chest. My fiancee ( Juliet) noticed my uneasiness and asked what was the matter.


When i told her what weighed heavy in my heart and what i believed was Gods will for me to do, Juliet hit the roof. She went mad. In all my years if knowing her, i have never seen her behave so vile and selfish. She said it wasn't my business and that i had alot more better things to do with money. Infact she suggested i give her the money if i didn't know what to use it for. I neither cared nor listened.  The following morning i went straight to the bank to pay for Ada's school fees.

After my close from work, i called Dubem and asked to see him. He asked me “what for” and i declined answering. Anyways, he agreed and on my way to his house, i stopped at the market to buy food stuff. When i got to his house, he asked me who i thought would be cooking with the food items because he was a horrible cook. I let him know i will handle it if it would be a lot of trouble for him. I handed him the teller (evidence of payment) and the look he gave me kept switching from deep gratitude to suspicion.


“why all this? “ he asked...his large eyes starring into my soul seeking for answers.

“its the lords doing" was all i could say.

Sitting down on the sofa and starring at the teller in his hands, Dubem went into silence. I found my way to the kitchen and with Ada's help, we made a a pot of chicken stew and rice.

When the meal was ready, we all ate together. As i watched Dubem eat, my heart just melted. For the first time in my life, i imagined and wished for the possibility of having a home with a sweet man like Dubem and a super smart daughter like Ada as my own family. The joy that the thought brought to me is something only God knows.

I was lost in my thoughts when Ada said- “daddy uncle Uzor is looking at how you are eating". I felt like disappearing when Dubem looked at me, smiled and said- “you are a good cook Uzzi (a nickname he'd started calling me)”. It felt like i was seeing him for the first time as we looked at each other...it felt new.  As he saw me off at the end of the day, he asked me what he owed me for the nice meal. Knowing he wasn't religious, i asked him to come with me to church on Sunday because Juliet’s sister was having a thanksgiving on that day. “at least you can get to meet Juliet” i added. For some reason, i noticed anytime i mentioned Juliet, his body language will change.

Dubem told me he had a phobia for crowds but nevertheless would endeavour to attend the service. Over the days (before the Sunday), we spoke literally every day. Never missing a “good morning” and “good night".

Sunday finally came and my breath was taken away when i saw Dubem and Ada arrive. They where so smartlycan and was so proud of them...It felt like they were my family. When Dubem smiled as he saw me, it felt to me like “that is my husband”. Ada ran into my arms and we went into the church to get the seat i’d reserved for us. Juliet was meant to come with her sisters family so she didn't seat with us.

When it was time to welcome first timers, it took all the pinching (from me) in the world to make him stand up. I was surprised that no matter how hard i pinched him as to urge him to stand up, he didn't seem to flinch or express pain. I noticed how eyes where drawn to his giant built frame that was graced with all the handsomeness of heaven as he rose to a towering height to be welcome.


As i introduced Juliet and her sister to Dubem after the chutch service,  i was surprised at her behaviour. She started speaking with a foreign accent and was behaving oddly. Even her sister (who is married) seemed to be undressing him with her eyes as she came to greet him.

While they exchanged pleasantries, Ada asked me to buy her ice cream and as we walked to the vendor, she asked me who Juliet was.  Before she could get her reply, Ada said – “i don't like her. Tell her to leave my daddy alone”

Little did i know Ada was spot on with her instincts.

Some weeks later, i was in Dubem’s house showing him how to make afang soup (his favourite) in the kitchen while Ada was upstairs in a co-tenants house attending a birthday party. There had been an odd tension around Dubem for sometime and anytime i asked him if everything was ok, he will quickly change the subject.

“how long have you known Juliet?” he asked me.

I told him how we met in a campus fellowship in my 3rd year, how she preached to me and was one of the key instruments that led me to Christ etc.

He shook his head in pity as i spoke.

“do you trust her?” he asked.

I was confused at his questions. “what is the matter?” i asked.

“promise me you will be mature about what am about to disclose to you"

I was thrown into more confusion but i agreed to act mature to whatever he was about to disclose.

Getting out his phone, he seemed to be searching for something before handing it over to me.

He had opened a whatsapp chat page on his phone. “you recognize the number?” he asked. At first it didnt ring a bell but immediately i recognise the display photo on the profile. It was Sarah; Juliets sister who did the thanksgiving we had attended some Sundays ago.

“read through the messages” he said calmly...and i did. My eyes kept growing wider as i went through the messages. Turned out that Sarah who is a married woman and a mother of 3 was asking Dubem for an affair. What really caught my attention was the mention of Juliet in the chat. Sarah talked about how Juliet was a liar, how she was secretly seeing someone else who wasn't me, how she pretends to be a saint and all that.

I looked at Dubem with disbelief....Sarah was an elder in the church who was highly respected. How come she stooped this low to crave adultery?  I was still struggling to grasp what was going on when Dubem took his phone from me and gently told me there was more. A brief moment later, he handed his phone to me. Once i saw the display photo on the chat profile, i sank to the floor in sorrow.....i hadn't even read the messages. It was Juliet. My own fiancee. I knew this was bad.



“maybe i should take my phone back" Dubem said; quite harshly seeing my display of anxiety. But i insisted on reading the messages.

In the message, Juliet was warning Dubem to avoid her sister ( sarah) because she had been demanding his number ever since. Juliet was literally obsessed with Dubem. What broke my soul was that Juliet had gone to his facebook page and taken some of his photo (she shamelessly confessed to him and sent him the one's she liked most). Among one of the photos was Dubem in the gym in very tight gym shorts. Juliet had circled his crotch area with an editing pen. His crotch evidently looked as if he was hiding a cathedral in it and Juliet was asking him how big his penis was. She went as far as saying she won't mind having a child who will have his genes and was begging for a fuck.



In all the messages (including that of Sarah), Dubem played ignorant to their advances and remained cordial. I was trembling before i finished reading the messages. I was full of shame and unbearable sorrow.


“how will you handle this?” he asked me. Lost for words, i began to sob.

“i will suggest you don't make a fuss about this” he urged.

“i won't tell you what you should do...but i will suggest you critically think this over and also consider innocent people who might be affected if you blow this out"

I was too weak to even stand up from the floor. Dubem had to carry me to his bed room and begged me to rest my mind and stay the night. When the soup we were cooking was ready, he dished it and forced me to eat together with him from the same plate.

Ada later returned and i did all i could to mask my emotions until she went to bed. I was so depressed i asked Dubem for a strong drink. There was a mini bar in the dining area so, he got a bottle of rum.

I have never taken alcohol in my life until that day. The rum burned my throat and seemed to steam my brain. I was a complete drunken mess when i eventually passed out.

When I woke up the following afternoon with a thumping headache , i saw Dubem sitting and looking at me quite disappointed.

“what?” i asked him.

Taking a deep sigh, he shook his head and said (seemingly to himself)...”guess nobody is worthy of trust anymore in this fucking world". There was disgust in his tone.

“Dubem ogini?” i asked.

As if knowing that My fiancee and her sister where ho's wasn't enough to swallow, the next question shook my world.

“Uzzi, do you like men?...are you gay?...please don't lie to me”

I could see pain in his eyes.

Jehovah lord!!!!!!!

I felt like shitting on myself. The hungover cleared immediately.

“what is the meaning of this?” i asked feeling nervous.

“i asked you a question Uzzi...won't you answer?.....and who is Echezona?”

A thousand swords piereced my soul hearing that name. I didn't say a word. I just got up and left his house.


Written by Uzor B.