We got into the car and Tyrone calmly placed me on my seat. Mum sat next to me and cleared her throat. I immediately turned my head to the other side and pretended to sleep, breathing in and out deeply. She just sighed and left me to be.
The ride back was peaceful on the outside but stormy in my head. I reminisced about the night over and over till I dozed off at a point. I naturally woke up immediately after the engine was turned off. My head was pounding. Seth immediately came from the driver’s seat to help me out. Mama seemed to have calmed down as she helped with my bag. She looked on with pity in her eyes.
Seth on the other hand, was holding my waist so tight. Tight enough to get my attention. This is one naughty guy. I muttered to myself. I held on to him till we got to the entrance. That was where his jurisdiction ended. Mum helped me the rest of the way to the room. She helped me undress and shower before tucking me into bed.
A knock came through. Mum went for it. Then I heard Opeibea’s voice. Goosebumps immediately designed my skin in fear as she asked mum if she could have a word with me. Mum shut the door with the excuse that I was already sleeping.
The next few minutes were calm. Till the door opened and Opeibea’s silhouette came tiptoeing in. I quickly pretended to be in a deep sleep. My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it in my ear.
She tapped me harshly.
I was unmoved. She did it the second time and exhaled loudly.
“Vee”, she said as she shifted closer to me on the bed.
“I know you’re sleeping that’s why I have the courage to say this…You know, I’ve always been envious of you. You were more intelligent than us, more beautiful and more of everything. We always felt inferior to you. So we always saw you as a competition”.
She paused.
“Fast-forward we grew, and you met Joey, we were secretly hoping that you would end up with a ‘nobody’ and then Winston came into the picture.”
She chuckled, “we were secretly betting he would also leave.”
“Then you married.”
“So we used you as the standard. This time, we should get higher than you. Then I found my husband. I became the envy of everyone.”
“But Opeibea, he doesn’t love me wholly…”
To be continued…
Akua Karle Okyere
Akua Karle Okyere is a lifestyle blogger at The Vocal Ghanaian and also a PR technician. She enjoys researching on travels and tours and writing fictional stories in her leisure time.