Behind The Mask: A Tale Of Three Women And A Man

I thought I had a perfect life. A perfect family, perfect friends and the love of my life. My parents doted on me, leaving all their wealth at my disposal and yet confident that I would not abuse it. My boyfriend was the sweetest man by far and my friends were loyal. There’s this African saying that goes like this ” it is impossible to tell who your child is smiling at when you’re carrying him on your back”.

I would one day wake up to the realization that contrary to what others think, my life is a bed of roses and I am surrounded by thorns.

“My golden child” my mother called jovially from my bedroom door.

“Your ONLY child” I replied, we both laughed.

“Your father wants to discuss something with you,” she said, beckoning to me with her jeweled hand.

I shot up from my bed, walked into my closet and selected a blue jumper to wear under the singlet I wore. I locked the door behind me and took my mother’s arm.

“We’ll be traveling to Dubai next week,” she said.

“Yayy, when exactly?” I said. I never grew tired of walking through the desert. Its vast emptiness gave me a certain feeling of being small and yet significant.

“Tuesday. Hope you’re packing up” my mother asked.

“You know I’m always packed up,” I said, shoving her gently. It was true, I had a standard travel bag that was always packed and ready in case we needed to travel on short notice, which was almost every time.

My dad was seated on the couch with remote control, he smiled as he saw us entering the room.

“My girls,” he said fondly. “Ewa, come and sit down beside me”

“Daddy, how are you enjoying your day?” I asked.

“Well, African Magic is fine but it is not enough. I have a lot on my mind” he said. He picked up the remote and switched off the Television. I looked up as my mother passed with a tray of food. She was heading to the dining room. I shook my head imperceptibly, my mom insisted on doing her own cooking even though we could afford a hundred cooks if we so wished it.

I could not deny the fact that she cooked well. When I was little, I was the only child whose mother still cooked for her. I went to a school for high-class kids and some of my classmates barely even knew their parents. My parents, on the other hand, chose to carry me wherever they went. I was my father’s Ewaoluwadunni and my mom’s baby girl and they couldn’t imagine being away from me for more than a few days.

“Ewa girl, I have a job proposal for you,” my father said. I snapped out of my thoughts and sat up straight. This was important.

“Ehen daddy, tell me about it,” I said.

“Shey you know Mr. Orimoloye?” My father asked.

“Yes daddy, Segun’s father,” I said.

“Ehen! Segun. How about you and Segun?”

“How about us?” I asked, looking away from my old man “I have told you I don’t like him, daddy”

“Ok o. I’m not talking about love now. I’m talking about money” my dad said.

“Yes daddy”

“Mr. Orimoloye has offered you a job in his company,” he said.

“I’m still in school, daddy,” I said.

“I know. A job for when you graduate. I just want you to know I’m out there looking for the best place for you. If we get something better, Orimoloye would have to employ someone else” my dad said and winked.

“Thank you, daddy,” I said, squeezing his hand.

“Ewa my girl. Your mother has cooked food, let us go and eat.”

***

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The next day I was standing in Matthew’s bedroom and watching him fold his clothes.

“Baby, I’ll be traveling with my parents to Dubai next week,” I said. He paused and looked at me.

“Alright, when next will I see you?” He asked. I got up from the edge of the bed and went to lie on the pillows next to him.

“Don’t be like that. I’ll be back soon enough” I said.

“I know. I’m fine. I’ll miss you though” he said, hugging me close to his chest.

“I’ll miss you more, my love” I replied. We kissed and I picked up a shirt and started folding.

“What about school?” He asked after a while.

“As usual,” I said smiling wryly. When he gave me an inquiring look I continued ” Tessa and Gloria will help me if any assignments come up”

“You’ve got great friends”

“Don’t I know that?” I replied laughing.

“Come on, let’s go out for lunch,” he said, picking up his car keys. I turned back and saw that he had left his phone on the table.

“Your phone is here” I called out to him. He grunted from the living room.

“Can you get it for me?”

“Of course,” I said and picked it up. I had only just picked it when it began to ring.

“Your phone is ringing!” I called out, trying to double my pace so I could quickly meet him outside.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know!” I looked again to be sure. Yes, the number wasn’t saved.

“Pick it up then!” He called out. I paused, that was a first. I pressed the green button.

“Hello,” I said. A female voice answered and she sounded surprised.

“Hello, can I speak with Matthew?” She asked.

“Ermm. Not now. Sorry. He is not here.” I replied.

“Okay. Could you please tell him Gina called? He left his ESC402 textbook in class”

“Alright I will” I replied “thank you”

“You’re welcome,” she said, and the call went off.

On my way outside, I found myself wondering about our relationship. It was true that we were falling deeper in love every day but why did he trust me so much? I wouldn’t let him pick my calls like that. Was that his own way of saying he was ready for marriage?

“Who was it?” Matthew asked when I reached him.

“Gina,” I said simply. I waited for any sign of guilt on his face but found none.

“What did she want?” He asked me, closing the bonnet and leading me to my side of the car. Matthew, always the gentleman.

“She said you forgot your textbook in class,” I said.

“What does she mean forgot? I gave the textbook to her” he said, opening my car door and waiting till I was seated to close it. “I’ll get it back next week. It’s not like I have time to read with you around” he finished and fled.

“Hey!” I called out in a faux threat, smiling happily. Life was good.

***

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“Take this,” Tessa said, offering me a glass of purplish-blue liquid.

We were at the Blue Haze club downtown, celebrating my return from Dubai and the coming exams. The place was packed full with gyrating bodies, a guy spilled a drink down his date’s blouse and proceeded to lick all the liquid off.

“What is in it?” I asked, looking at the glass critically.

“I don’t know. Some hot guys down there were making it” she said, stretching her hand towards the abyss of bodies at our right-hand side.

“Okay,” I said. I shook the glass, it didn’t foam. I tossed it all down my throat.

“Woah. Easy girl” Tessa said.

“I’m okay”

“Sure.” She said, unconvinced “Let me tell you something before you get too drunk.”

“What is it?” I asked. My small eyes perused the entire club for an appropriate guy to dance with. I felt as the drink traveled down my body and sat inside my belly like a warm cat.

“I spent $100 less of the money you sent to me for shopping. I’ll send it back to you”

“Wait. What?” I asked turning back to her “You don’t need to do that, keep it.”

Tessa squealed and tossed back her drink “You’re the best!” she said. I blushed and looked away.

“I don’t believe that,” I said modestly.

“Where is Matthew?” She asked me.

“At a guys night out. He just texted me to say he’s having fun” I replied. Then something occurred to me. “Are you and Timi ever getting back together?” I asked. Timi was her ex-boyfriend for two weeks now. They’d broken up one morning for unexplainable reasons and I was worried about Tessa.

“I’m fine,” she said. As if she could read my mind.

“You sure?” I asked her.

“Yes. What? It is possible to forget months of fucking in a week! And I’ve had two weeks” she said. I looked wide-eyed at her. Their relationship was totally not that. Right? I had thought they were in love.

“What are you girls yapping about?” Gloria asked, coming to stand beside us. She was holding two glasses of wine. She handed one to me.

“Just boys,” I said when I noticed Tessa was not going to reply to her. There was a subtle pause after my answer, in which they both stared at each other. For weeks, they had been having this tussle I couldn’t understand. Yes, they had a fight last month about who got to wear what color of swimsuit and Tessa told Gloria she was a wannabe bitch.

Since then, relations between them had been frosty and I was literally the only glue holding our small group together. I drank the last of my drink and held my hands to both of them.

“Come on. Let’s dance!” I said.

I woke up hours later in the trunk of my car. I had passed out drunk. I felt a little soreness in my nether region and groaned. My menses had started at the wrong time. I hoped it hadn’t stained my clothes. I got on my hands and knees but still felt unstable. I couldn’t see very far. I was still drunk. Tessa and Gloria were passed out in the front seats.

“Wake up,” I said. Tapping both of them simultaneously. Gloria stirred but Tessa was still fast asleep.

“What?” She asked.

“We’ve gotta get out of here. Are you lucid enough to drive?” I asked.

“I think so,” she said. Cleaning away the drool from her face. She revved up the car engine.

“Don’t kill us please” I murmured as I drifted off to sleep.

***

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“It is time”

“Really? She’s here already?” I asked my mother.

“Yes. She’s at the junction so you don’t have to go very far” she said. She threw me my car keys.

“How do I look?” I asked my mom. I was putting on a yellow sundress and black flats. I had tucked my hair into a cap to keep from looking like a madwoman.

“You look beautiful. As always” my mom said and kissed me on my cheek. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I felt annoyed that my mom was incapable of giving me her honest opinion on how I looked but other times – like now – I was grateful for the confidence boost it gave me.

The young woman stood at the junction. Her pretty face was thoughtful and calm, as though she stood in an air-conditioned lobby and not under the steadily rising sun. She was wearing a peach blouse and brown office slacks. She looked as though she had traveled here for a business meeting and not to visit family. As I pulled close to her, I saw the things that marked her as my cousin. The height, the brown skin, and the small lips.

“Hello” I called out when I was standing in front of her. She ducked and looked at me. The recognition was instantaneous. “Sydney!” I called out excitedly.

“SlickPea!” She replied. I groaned and laughed.

“Come on in. I never thought I’d hear that name again” I said when she was seated beside me.

“Thank God I’m here to remind you.” She said. “Where is my welcome hug?”

“Seat belt,” I said apologetically “and I’m driving”

She looked at me as though I was silly. “Stop the car”

“What?!” I asked incredulously.

“Stop the car!”

“Okay, okay,” I said and quickly parked the car. I had just switched off the engine when I was wrapped in her arms and bombarded with the sweetest scent. It was odd but she smelled like home. We had just met but she felt like the sibling I never had.

“It is great to see you,” she said after we disengaged.

“I feel the same,” I said. We smiled at each other. I started the car and headed towards home.

“Were you not surprised at how easily I recognized you?” She asked.

“No, I figured that endless nights spent chatting on WhatsApp and sending pics to each other when we were teenagers would be enough”

“Well. Not really. I recognized you so quickly because I have been stalking you on all your social media accounts.” She said.

“What?!” I exclaimed, bursting into laughter “It feels great to hear that.”

“Oh really.”

“Yes,” I said. I stared at her face. My eyes were off the road so I couldn’t see the car barreling towards us.

“Look!” She said, pointing towards the road. I moved faster than I ever thought I could and dodged the car by a hair’s breadth. I was panting when it was all done. Cold sweat pooling under my armpits.

“I’m sorry about that,” I said after a while. I didn’t look at her anymore but kept my eyes on the road. My heart was racing out of my chest like a rare breed horse. No one wants to die when they’re living the best life.

“It’s okay. I guess that’s what I get for stalking you huh?” She said. I couldn’t laugh.

***

Hours after we got home I heard a knock at my door. I didn’t need to wonder, I knew it was my cousin Sydney. My father never came to my room and my mother never knocked.

“Come in”

She walked in, she had changed to singlets and shorts. “Your room is beautiful,” she said.

“Thank you,” I replied, smiling at her. “Come watch something with me”

“What is that?” She asked.

“A video of my birthday party last year,” I said. The bed dipped as she sat beside me and I started the video from the beginning so she wouldn’t miss any part. In the video, I was walking through the door of a shopping mall with Tessa who just kept talking about her recent manicure.

The shopping mall was dark when we stepped in and I was stunned for a moment, wondering if I had stepped into a crime scene. I was just about to turn around and flee when the lights suddenly came on and every member of my family and close friends, all thirty-two of them yelled Surprise!

The video skidded to the part where my friends were singing a happy birthday song to me while I sat there bawling like a baby.

“Your friends,” Sydney said. I nodded in reply.

“They seem nice,” she said.

“They are nice, sweet people and their hearts are full of gold” I blurted.

“Wow. That’s deep.” Sydney said sarcastically. “Anyway, you’ll never know a man’s heart until you dig deep”

“Is that even a saying?” I asked, wrinkling my nose at her.

“No, I made it up,” she said and we both laughed “I’m serious though,” she said after a pause.

“I don’t understand,” I said sincerely.

“You never know your friends until you’ve all gone through a crisis,” she said.

“I hope we never go through a crisis,” I said seriously.

“Well, yeah. But there are other ways to test your friends” she said.

“Test my friends” I repeated. I was beginning to get irritated at the conversation. Sydney talked on, oblivious.

“Yes, there’s this app that lets people drop anonymous comments about you when you send them a link. You could use it. It is a great way to find out what people really think about you” she said.

“That’s funny. If I send them the link, they’ll obviously reply under duress.” I said.

“Definitely. That’s why you’re not going to send them. Give me your phone!” Sydney commanded. She looked very excited. I handed the phone over to her.

“You’ve got 700 contacts on WhatsApp. Impressive. At least 300 of these people give a shit about you and will drop a message if you post the link on your status” she said.

“How will I know which message my friends wrote?” I asked, trying to make her see the stupidity of her idea.

“You will because they’ll be the only persons to see the update. All you need to do is change your status’ privacy settings. They’ll be counting on your getting three hundred messages and they’ll get sloppy. Then we’ll see what kind of person they truly are” she finished. I slowly connected the dots in my head. It was a wicked plan but it could work. She grinned when she saw that I was getting the picture.

“You in?” She asked.

“No,” I replied.

***

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That night I tossed and turned in my bed. I had told Sydney, no but I was seriously considering it. Wouldn’t it be nice to hear kind words from my friends? Know exactly what they thought and admired about me? But I was afraid. What if the messages they left weren’t kind? What if they weren’t the people I thought they were? I decided that I would do it.

I put on my phone and posted the link on my status. For good measure, I followed Sydney’s advice and added Matthews’s name into the mix. My hand shook as I turned off my phone and dropped it on the table beside my bed. I put off the light and went to sleep. I dreamt that I was laughing so loud our house shook, I kept laughing until I woke up.

First, I went to brush my teeth. Then I had my bath and went out to breakfast. I walked through the grounds with Sydney and we talked about our plans for the weekend. She suggested going out with me and my friends and I was reminded yet again of what I had been trying to avoid. I left her and came back to my room, where I proceeded to lock myself in.

I approached my phone as though it was a snake. Then I thought, what the hell? Why was I so scared? I knew my friends were loyal. Knew that Matthew loved me. I opened the app and saw the first message.

“I know you think you’re perfect, but you’re not. Your entire life stinks and you’re just too dumb to notice!”

The phone dropped from my hands. What was that? I picked it up and read it again. The words were swimming before my eyes but they were there, solid. I scrolled down.

“Can’t believe you didn’t notice what happened to you. You must be a real slut. Remember that night you came to the club with your friends? You were raped. I arranged it. Haha”

“No no no no” I kept saying. I dropped the phone on my bed. I walked towards the window and looked out without seeing anything. The pain in my groin that night hadn’t been menses. I beat my fist against the glass. I dropped slowly to the ground as I remembered. Both girls plying me with drinks had been intentional. They did not hate each other, they were working together.

I crawled back to the bed and picked up the phone. I would read Mathews’s message even if it killed me. But there were two other messages.

God, I hate your snobby guts but I want what you have.

P.S: I fucked your boyfriend. It was really good.

By this time I was numb. I knew the first message had been from Gloria. I could almost hear her voice saying it directly to me. The other two were from Tessa, I should have known she would go after Matthew. I had been a total fool with them both, what kind of rose-colored glasses had I been wearing? I scrolled down. The last message said:

You Are Sweet. Too Sweet.

I sat there for hours. My mind muddled by pain and disbelief. The tears flowed freely until the front of my shirt was soaked through. No one came to check on me. They were used to me locking myself in my room at odd times. Suddenly, my mind became clear and I walked over to my drug cabinet and brought out the prescription for sleep I had recently filled.

The alcohol was inside the cabinet above the drugs so I didn’t have to stress myself by moving very far. I stood at the toilet door, holding them in both hands when I thought to look back on my supposedly perfect life. A bitter chuckle escaped my mouth and I opened the door and stepped inside.

The whiteness of the walls made me think of heaven. I pulled towels out of the cabinet to make a mini fort for myself on the floor. My pack of pregnancy test kits fell with them but I certainly wasn’t picking. I was too busy thinking about my life. I now understood what people meant when they said a man’s life plays before his eyes just before he dies. My life was playing before my eyes, showing me the many ways I had been a fool.

I arranged the towels, some on the floor and others on the toilet seat so I could at least rest my head and have a peaceful death. As I bent down to sit on the floor, a wave of nausea hit me so fast that I vomited all over the towels I had arranged on the toilet seat. I wiped my mouth with a corner of one of the soiled towels.

Yes, my life was disgusting but I didn’t have to vomit when my ticket out of it was standing before me. My eyes fell on the home pregnancy test kits on the floor. I crawled over to them and brought one out of the pack. While I waited for the results, I arranged the pills on the floor in piles of ten and opened the bottle of spirit.

Five minutes later I dared to look at the strip. Two lines stared back at me. Positive. The night of the rape was three months ago so this baby was certainly Matthew’s. I stared at the open bottle of spirit and the pills. I broke the test kit in two. I stared again at the easy-way-out begging me in a very convincing voice take me, take me.

“This changes everything,” I replied, wrapping my hands around my belly.