{"id":8595,"date":"2022-05-27T18:06:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T16:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prod-2018.frictions.co\/?p=8595"},"modified":"2022-05-31T13:03:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T11:03:54","slug":"nous-avons-ete-maries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prod-2018.frictions.co\/english\/love-better-s3\/we-were-married\/","title":{"rendered":"We Were Married"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2018What were we thinking?\u2019 she asked, her eyes fixed on her mug of coffee, face pinched with disdain.<\/p>

He stared at the same cup with a rueful smile \u2018It was the eighties,\u2019 he said \u2018we were young.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018But we were friends, such good friends\u2019 her voice was still raw from the unfairness of the whole thing \u2018You borrowed me school fees money for final year, I used to come and cook for you and your housemates, and we talked about everything, remember?\u2019 she looked up from the cup to his eyes \u2018What happened to us?\u2019<\/p>

He shrugged \u2018We thought we understood each other so well and everybody wanted to know why we were not married already\u2019 he looked out the glass screen into the cold wintry night \u2018love obliterates everything. It was the eighties and when you are in love in the eighties you get married. So we did\u2019 his gaze returned to her cup and the bitter smile to his face \u2018then we stopped understanding\u2019.<\/p>

\u2018Love obliterates everything\u2019 she echoed, gently wringing a knot out of her neck encased in purple turtle neck with both hands, looking at his face for the first time.<\/p>

He sat up and looked at her square in the face \u2018But you\u2019ve fallen in love again\u2019 he chased her eyes down and caught it before it could escape into the cup of coffee. She was too stunned at the question to reply. She took the cup in both hands and brought it to her lips, eyes shut. He considered perhaps he\u2019d been too harsh so he added \u2018with a nice man.\u2019<\/p>

She barely swallowed before replying, some of the bitter sweetness still in her mouth \u2018of course he is nice, or else I would not have left you for him\u2019 some driver started horning repeatedly in the driveway and they both turned to look through the glass screen at the flashing headlights \u2018I am just joking o RMD I was just joking\u2019 her voice grew distant \u2018I left you a long time ago\u2019 she turned to look at two white drivers shouting now at each other in the snow, vituperations muffled by the glass. She returned to his face and found him looking at her. She felt she had to explain \u2018It was in our early thirties, that time you were teaching in that God-forsaken polytechnic, those months when we had sex all over the place.\u2019<\/p>

He smiled at his own cup remembering \u2018we left notes everywhere. When one of us found a note we\u2019d immediately stop what we were doing and meet at the location in the note\u2019 she giggled \u2018office cleaning, car wash, kitchen appliance. I remember one of my students found your kitchen appliance note on my desk\u2019 he was breathless with laughter \u2018I had to explain-\u2019<\/p>

\u2018O my God stop!\u2019 she was laughing too.<\/p>

\u2018-bathroom shower, choir store room-\u2019<\/p>

\u2018O my God we did it in St. Tansi?\u2019 he nodded and her hands flew to her mouth \u2018O my God.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018-Library study-\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I could never understand why you left the Library note for me all the time.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018It was a peaceful quiet place.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018As it was supposed to be!\u2019 she shook her head \u2018You just loved breaking the law.\u2019<\/p>

He shrugged with his adolescent smile that she now realised he will carry to the grave \u2018I loved breaking the law with you.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Anyway!\u2019 she said a bit too loud \u2018anyway I was dusting those cushions in our small apartment in Obalende and then I saw a note for Library, or was it Kitchen?\u2019 her eyes flew to the ceiling for an answer then returned \u2018No, it was Library. You always chose Library. Anyway I was excited as usual,\u2019 he rolled his eyes \u2018I was. Every time. Come on RMD you know I always loved surprises. Anyway even though I was excited that day I remember feeling a little sad that it wasn\u2019t really a surprise anymore. I woke up every morning knowing a note with a venue for love will happen to me either by my doing or yours. And yours will always be that school library.\u2019<\/p>

He grimaced \u2018but we went to the State Library once.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018A library is a library!\u2019 she snapped \u2018it wasn\u2019t even the monotony of our spontaneity that bored me in the end, it was well,\u2019 she looked out the glass again \u2018the curve of your thing\u2019 his eyes narrowed into slits and she continued in a half-amused half-apologetic voice \u2018you know what I\u2019m talking about!\u2019<\/p>

\u2018You said,\u2019 he took a sip of his coffee, eyes still on her \u2018you said you liked it\u2019 he dropped his cup and sighed at it and said \u2018women\u2019.<\/p>

\u2018I do!\u2019 his eyebrows flared \u2018I mean sorry don\u2019t be silly, I mean I did. But women process all these things differently from men. As I dusted those dusty cushions that day it dawned on me that I will spend the rest of my life being bludgeoned by that curved thing in weird places.\u2019
Everybody was looking at them now so that they were reminded that they were Nigerians. Probably the only ones in this American coffee shop.<\/p>

\u2018So you wanted something different,\u2019 his voice a harsh whisper \u2018well you could have just told me, hell, I could have allowed that our he-goat neighbour that you were always ogling at have you for some days, those early days I loved you that much, would have done or let you do anything to be happy, so long as you were happy with me\u2026\u2019 he bent low over the table and glanced sideways then turned to her and pointed his right hand to his chest \u2018me! I wanted you to be happy with me.\u2019<\/p>

She was startled. Everyone back home was saying they had become too American, in the way they talked and the way they dressed, that even Nigerians in America dressed in a way you could easily identify. She had thought all that was rubbish, but now listening to his outburst, she wondered how many Nigerian men back home would be happy to share their wives with other men if it made the wives happy. She didn\u2019t dwell on the thought too long.<\/p>

\u2018It wasn\u2019t just that, there were other things! Like the way your students treated you in that place, the terror of cultists, remember what they did to the neighbour you are accusing me of ogling at almost two decades later eh. And you never wanted to leave. I knew, we both knew you could get a better lecturing Job in the US but you insisted on staying in that shanty town. As for the thing\u2026\u2019 she rolled her eyes and he almost laughed at how ridiculous it was that she was rolling her eyes at her age \u2018well I haven\u2019t not met any man after who didn\u2019t have a bent thing\u2019 she looked out the glass screen at the light snow falling outside and shuddered \u2018I think the \u201cGood Guy\u201d I\u2019m with now is the worst. I really started thinking of coming back to you after the second guy,\u2019 her voice grew small \u2018just wasn\u2019t sure you would take me back, I was your first love, I ruined love for you.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I would have taken you back.\u2019<\/p>

There was a long moment of silence and the snow fall increased outside, almost obliterating the night. She finished up her coffee.<\/p>

\u2018Any way thank God I am in love now.\u2019<\/p>

His wry smile returned as he stirred the teaspoon in his empty cup \u2018after how many of us?\u2019
She laughed so loud that she had to cover her face for fear of attracting the crowd\u2019s angst again \u2018four\u2019 she said giggling. When her laugh subsided she became serious \u2018you, how many?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018None.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Liar.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018You just admitted that you ruined love for me.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Is a lie! You men are different, your bodies cannot just-\u2019 she wringed the air in frustration \u2018you are men!\u2019 she finally let out \u2018My mother\u2019s twin sister\u2026\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Aunty Obiageli.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Yes, remember I told you last year that she died on her way to her son\u2019s second wedding?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Yes, yes, yes I remember, I talked to him on the phone. They had to postpone the wedding.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Exactly!\u2019 her eyes were lit \u2018His first wife had not been dead for up to two weeks when he got a new one and a traditional wedding date was set. After burying his mother he waited for just one week to resume his second wedding ceremony. When I questioned him about the rush he said \u201cAunty eh, all this things that have happen to me I need comfort\u201d but I asked myself, who comforted his mother for those forty something years after his father died? After his father no other man, and he can testify to this, no other man crossed her bedroom door,\u2019 she smiled as he shook his head, knowing she had won \u2018so don\u2019t tell me anything about ruining love for you. I know men very well.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Fine. You win but this one doesn\u2019t qualify as anything.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Tell me, tell me, tell me!\u2019<\/p>

\u2018There was one girl.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Just one girl?\u2019 she shook her head \u2018I don\u2019t believe you.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Fine, we can change the topic.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018No, no, no I believe you please tell me,\u2019 she grabbed his hands across the table \u2018tell me!\u2019<\/p>

\u2018She was one of my students.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Ha!\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I\u2019m not talking again.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Please I swear I will be quiet now. My mouth is zipped. Which university? I am sure it was from your university days, I\u2019m sure.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Why are you so sure?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018You will never cheat on me. And once I left you left the polytechnic to lecture in ABU Zaria. Was it there?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018No\u2019 he looked at the mug \u2018Berkeley. A White girl. Twenty at the time.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018What!\u2019 then she caught his eyes and apologised \u2018My mouth is zipped.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I wasn\u2019t really looking for anything you know. And at first I thought she was too young. When I got over that I thought it was a race thing. I\u2019m sure you know how whites behaved in those days when you first got here\u2026\u2019 he intoned a whiny voice \u2018Can I help you with that? Are you going somewhere? Are you lost? You know?\u2019 she laughed and he smiled too. At his cup. It was good to experience her laugh \u2018But then I wasn\u2019t Black American, I even shunned those Pan-African lecturer unions and Africans-in-Diaspora shit.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018The point RMD.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Well that\u2019s the point.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018What?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018She had a crush on RMD.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018What!\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Her Nigerian roommate brought one of his video cassettes all the way from home and before long the whole department started calling me RMD,\u2019 he looked up from his cup to her with such a brilliant flash of hatred in his eyes that she shivered \u2018you shouldn\u2019t have started that name. I warned you that it would stick.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018It is not my fault! You look like him, ask any Nigerian. Coming to think of it,\u2019 she said laughing \u2018you look like him at every age! And those are your initials. Blame your parents for that not me. Anyway joor, continue.\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I was in my 30s? Anyway my only problem was when she wanted to keep me after getting married to a fine young vet. Her \u2018African obsession\u2019 she called me.\u2019<\/p>

She exclaimed \u2018what!\u2019 and just then a waitress with freckles on her fresh pale face stopped at their booth \u2018would you be needing anything more?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018No!\u2019 they chorused. Then looked at each other and broke into laughter.<\/p>

\u2018No thank you\u2019 he quickly added as soon as he could speak.<\/p>

The girl who couldn\u2019t have been more than eighteen looked like she was suffering from a bout of constipation \u2018well it\u2019s just my boss-you\u2019ve been here for more than an hour now and only ordered two cups of coffee without sugar so-\u2019<\/p>

\u2018So?\u2019 interjected the woman. \u2018We were married.\u2019<\/p>

The man sighed.<\/p>

\u2018I understand. But my boss was wondering-\u2019<\/p>

\u2018Get us two more mugs of coffee\u2019 he intervened, touching the waitress on the arm lightly and flashing the girl his most winning smile \u2018is that okay?\u2019<\/p>

She nodded with a smile full of gratitude, locked eyes with the woman briefly before collecting the empty cups and walking away, her ponytail bouncing after her.<\/p>

\u2018You still do that thing\u2019 she said to the glass screen as the snowfall waned outside.<\/p>

\u2018What thing?\u2019 he genuinely wanted to know.<\/p>

\u2018Never mind.\u2019<\/p>

They resumed their silence, both staring out the glass screen. The snow fall had cleared. A young black man, his mixed race twins whose genders couldn\u2019t be guessed from the distance and his very pregnant white wife emerged from a blue truck and made for the coffee shop, all mummified in matching wool caps and parkas and boots. They watched them grow bigger and bigger until they disappeared briefly and appeared inside the coffee shop. He caught the smell of smoke when the man walked past, then a whiff of vanilla as the woman pushed the waist high twins past him. Boys he realised. \u2018I always thought you left me for America.\u2019 He said.<\/p>

\u2018What?\u2019<\/p>

\u2018I always thought you left me for your American dreams.\u2019<\/p>

She smiled sadly, still looking out the glass screen. The waitress brought the cups of coffee and she tried to smile at her apologetically but the waitress turned on her heel and left. She sighed and said to him \u2018Now America has both of us.\u2019<\/p>

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Don't miss the next stories ...!<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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