CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO “CONVINCED”
© Opeyemi Akintunde
Inspired by the Holy One
Imade’s POV
I was already on the plane.
Because what do they say about Half Bread?
I didn’t wait till morning to think myself out of it.
The moment Teju’s message came in, something in me folded quietly. Not dramatically. Not painfully. Just… serious.
There was a 5:00am flight back home.
I humbly packed my box bag, checked out without fanfare, and left the hotel that same night. By 1:30am, I was already at the airport, sitting upright on one of the metal chairs, my handbag hugged to my chest like a child forgotten at school.
I slept there… Lightly….Restlessly.
Like someone who didn’t want to dream too deeply, in case the dream turned into regret.
Now, seated on the plane, belt fastened, window seat, I stared straight ahead and told myself what I needed to hear.
Half bread is better than none.
Teju was my half bread.
My parents’ wealth was my half bread.
The life already arranged for me… half bread.
Daniel had been a full loaf fantasy….Sweet…Warm…Full like Agege Bread but Impossible to keep. It was time to snap out of the fantasy.
I closed my eyes, hoping for silence.
That was when I heard her.
“You look pretty young in marriage.”
I opened my eyes slowly.
She was seated beside me.
Around sixty. Maybe older. She had that Look…That look of seasoned concern that comes with women who have raised children, grandchildren and now feel entitled to comment on other people’s lives.
“Is your husband on this flight?” she asked kindly. “If he is, I can switch seats with him.”
“No, ma,” I replied politely. “He’s not on the flight. Thank you.”
She frowned.
“Why? You people work in different countries?”
Ah! Here we go.
“No, ma,” I said quickly. “I just came for a solo vacation.”
She looked at me like I had just confessed to robbery.
“Solo vacation?” she repeated with dread! “How old is your marriage? Three years? Five? Seven?”
I swallowed.
Ashamed of the truth.
“We’re not up to a year,” I said quietly. I managed the truth.
Her eyes widened.
“What?! One year and you are already doing separate vacations?”
She leaned closer.
“Let me guess… you people sleep in different rooms?”
My throat tightened.
“We…” I was lost for Words because how was I supposed to explain that my marriage was not even up to four days?
Hours….Days.
“We…” I tried again.
“We agreed to it, Right?,” she finished for me.
I seized the lifeline.
“Yes, ma. We agreed.”
She hissed softly.
“Don’t agree on nonsense.”
Then she looked at me properly.
“If a man allows you to have your way too easily, you are not that important to him. He has a backup babe somewhere.”
My heart skipped.
“You travelled alone in your first year of marriage and your husband did not follow you? My dear, you are not the only one in his heart.”
She adjusted her wrapper.
“Wait. Tell me about your relationship.” She asked out of the blues.
Ghen ghen.
I exhaled slowly.
There was no escape.
“Ma… my marital story is complicated,” I said, then found myself talking.
…About the marriage arrangement, about love that never came, about expectations choking happiness, about silence, about leaving, about returning.
She listened without interrupting.
When I finished, she shook her head slowly.
“My dear,” she said, “you will live a long, miserable life. Both of you.”
My chest tightened.
“You should end this thing and pursue happiness,” she continued plainly.
“And hear this well…if your husband didn’t follow you when you threatened to leave, it’s because he has already accepted life without you. He has someone else.”
The words landed hard.
She leaned back in her seat.
“One more thing,” she added.
“If a man truly wants you, he will fight for you. Not negotiate timelines.”
I stared straight ahead.
Half bread suddenly tasted dry.
To be continued…
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Who are these miserable comforter na? Everyone giving there own points of view according to their own tradition and not according to God eternal words.
Who is this again bayi, when I was thinking she would talk some senses into her head, she comes confusing everyone. God abegeth thee 😅😭
Replying to @Tosin
Asin eh
E weak me😂
Imade tells the story of her life to whoever cares to listen without channelling the issues to the right source. This is adding up to to all her problems…..from rich-sick husband, to the fantasy dream man to half bread now to dry bread. God help you
You see! Now the woman have confuse her more…
Stay with your husband there is storm ahead, no! You wouldn’t listen.
This elderly woman is another demon
It is well
Holy Spirit help us
Wahala be like wetin again?!
Hmmm…
This is what happens in real life. We are only advising because we have seen/read both sides of the story. If we happen to put ourselves in Imade’s shoes, a great number of us would not act any different.
May God help us. Amen.
Imade, wake up ooo. May the Lord guide you, Amen.
I somehow thought Daniel would be on this flight. Lol. Well, Imade, stop listening to everyone and listen to God. You have not prayed at all in all this saga o. I thought that you are born again.
This Imade falls for everything she hears, and feels. She has no sense of direction or focus. She is like a football being tossed around by everyone who cares to talk with her.
What a shameless personality.
Hummmmm I think am learning not to use what am passing through or have pass through to judge another man’s situation and also to allow the spirit of God to lead me hummmm Imade ooooo haaa
Hmmmm
It is well o
Different advice .. I pray she gives the holy Spirit a chance
This is serious.
LORD, set a watch before my mouth, keep the doors of my lips 🙏
Imadeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Girl, you need to wake up
You know how that guy respects you,you do
You know him better than what she’s telling you,girl wake up
Replying to @
She needs to have a mind of her own, not listening to all advice I mean how can someone tell such things and believe your life will go that way 🤷🤷haba
Replying to @Eniola
She is just using her life and future to play probability game.
She should just let God take the lead, not random people, she needs to listen, she’s just hearing!!
It is well indeed ooo. I think all these people are planted on her path to make her lose her marriage. I see the hand of Beauty in all these.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣the half bread tasted dry got me laughing
I feel God wants Imade to get to the point where she choose to make her marriage work not base on what people want or what they’re say.
oh this marriage has gone through alot 😭😭😭 so many traumatized people been used by the devil to pull it down.
I strongly believe God has a plan for this union.
When the HolySpirit is not your adviser, you will hear different versions of advice that will sound right.
Replying to @Olanike
Exactly, when you give the wheels of your life to someone else apart from God, different people will turn the wheels to different directions according to their understanding.
Kaiiiii
I just wish she listened in the first place.
But why is Imade allowing people’s words to dictate her reaction and next actions?
So many people are talking out of trauma these days, and if care is not taken, even if a person is trying to manage a situation. Trauma stories shared by others can lead you to accept the wrong thing.
I hope this marriage stands against all odds
At this point
It is well o