HIRED WIFE

” You will be fine Tess… what about her father? I mean your ex boyfriend, has he been in communication with his daughter after her birth?”

” I wish but no he hasn’t… After he broke up with me, the next thing I heard was that he was taken to the states by his uncle who lives there”

” United States?”

” Yes, that’s what I heard from his maternal aunty”

” Oh! that’s the same state Sophie is… don’t worry Tess, everything will be fine okay!”

” Yes I know that and by God’s grace, my daughter and I is fine already without him in our lives”

” It’s okay.. so when am I meeting my second daughter?” I asked teasingly

” When do you want to meet her?”

” How about this weekend?”

” How is that going to be possible when we both know your wife is coming back on Saturday… That reminds me, how and when are you going to tell her about our relationship? I need to know what I’m getting myself into Ton”

” Give me a week, I promise to sort things out by then… Meanwhile bring Chiom over tomorrow, I want to meet her” I said and Tessy lifted up her head to look at me

” Are you sure about this? you are really accepting my daughter as yours?”

” Yes, why not? If you love and has always accepted me and Angie even before you fell in love with me, then tell me why I can’t do the same to you and Chiom?”

” Well we both know that this part of the world favours men more than women… especially when it is a child gotten out of wedlock, the woman would automatically be seen as one who was loose in the past!” Tessy said and I felt that there’s more to the utterances

” From your utterance, I’m guessing you’ve been disappointed by men in the past because of Chiom!”

” Yes, about three men have left me simply because I told them the truth that I have a daughter out of wedlock… one of them even asked me to choose between my daughter and him”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

” And I’m guessing that you had choosen Chiom?”

” Obviously I had choosen her that’s why I am still single, I will always choose my daughter and family above every pleasurable things… besides I believe that any man who truly loves me will accept everything about me which includes my daughter…”

“.. so I don’t view it as a disappointment at all, I see it as God saving me from self-centered men.. Ton I love my daughter so much and that’s what matters to me” Tessy concluded whilst I heaved as I remember those instances Sophie had always choosen her work and other things over Angie and I.

Tessy is different and I love that about her.

Everyday, it seems like the more I am getting to know my hired wife now my girlfriend, the more I get to fall in love with her nature and personality.

” You did the right thing Tess.. I’m sure Chiom will someday grow to be proud of her mother who had never abandoned her for a man!” I said somewhat wishing Sophie had done the same thing back then, instead of exposing Angie to such emotional turmoil of a mother’s absence added with her previous condition.

” Ton I am curious about something!”

” What’s that Tess?”

” Were you really serious about the no sex before marriage? and you really meant it when you said you want me for keeps, that is marriage?”

” Common Tess, sex is meant for the married and I intend to respect your body by waiting for the right time… As for the second question, where you really expecting me to date you for fun at this point in my life? Of course yes I want you for keeps, that is marriage!” I said and Tessy bursted out in tears again wetting my shirt

This time she kissed me first while I reciprocated.

After we disengaged from the kiss, she looked at me with so much emotions as she said to me with all honesty

” Thank you Ton, you’re a good man because all men I came across always demanded for sex before marriage… and although I wasn’t so comfortable with it, I gave in to two out of the three men I dated after Ben, Chiom’s father!”

” It’s okay Tess, that’s in the past now… moreso I am not pure either because before Sophie came into my life I had dated three girls in the past, and I had premarital sex with them as my girlfriends” I confessed to make Tessy feel at ease with herself.

I guess I succeeded because she heaved and after a while said;

” Well like you said, everything is in the past now!.. we are in the future so lets face it together!”

” Yes Tess, we will face it and come out victorious.. I love you Tess” I said putting her head back on my chest, that way she would easily hear how much my heart beats for her

” I love you too Ton” Tessy said and slowly dozed off with her head on my chest.

Friday came and by evening Tessy brought her daughter Chioma over to the house, as she promised me she would.

I already informed Angie that a visitor is coming to the house and that she is someone very dear to mummy, hence also refers to Tessy as mummy too.

Typical of children she nodded her head vigorously, happy that someone her age grade is going to be coming to the house.

When the young girl came, I became immediately endeared to her, she is indeed beautiful and a replica of her mother, Tessy.

Chioma who is the same height as Angie, walked into the sitting room and following Tessy’s instructions to greet Angie and I, she first walked up to me and stood in front of the sofa I sat

” My name is Chioma Ikenna Ugo and I am my mother’s daughter” Chioma, Tessy’s daughter introduced herself whilst bowing in a dramatic manner in front of me

” My name is Tony and you are welcome to my home Chiom… you have a nice name. I love it!” I commented smiling at her and she smiled back at me

” Thanks uncle Tony.. mummy has told me a lot about you, she says you are a nice person!” Chioma said to me and moved over to Angie’s side of the sofa

” My name is Chioma Ikenna Ugo, it’s nice meeting you… What’s your own name?”

” My name is Angie Tony.. it’s nice meeting you too!”