THE SWEET DEAL

Olisa walked out of the house, like a gentleman. He had on a gray suit tailored by brooks brothers, bespoke for him. A Hublot Classic Fusion Haute Joaillerie glittered on his wrist, and black handmade Tanono Crisci shoes, completed his ensemble. When he got outside the house, he put on a pair of Chopard’s sunglasses, to protect his eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. He walked to his car port, got into a silver Bentley and drove out of his villa.



Nadia sat on the floor, and tried not to breath. The room still smelled of Olisa’s signature fragrance, Clive Christian No1, and she didn’t need a reminder of him. She looked around her, but her eyes didn’t see the luxury. All she saw was a cage, a cage into which she had walked willingly and gladly. Blood dripped from her temple, and her stomach and back were sore from the beating she had just received.

She cried until the tears refused to flow anymore. She thought of calling Labake, but she already knew what Labake would tell her. She sent a text to Freda instead. Freda would know what to do about her appointments for the day. She wondered how she got herself in this mess, but who was she kidding. She remembers every step she took into this mess. Nobody could have stopped her then, and even now she didn’t totally regret her choices.

She thought back to the first day she met Olisa. She had gone to the beach with Labake and Edwin. It was Eddy’s birthday. She had felt like the third wheel, watching them unable to keep their hands off each other. She decided to walk around and give them some time to themselves. So she walked towards the car park. She still remembers the exact moment she set her eyes on him. Even from a distance, he reeked of money. Not just any kind of money, but old money. As a sharp Lagos girl, she had a radar to distinguish between the yahoo boys that just hit a few millions, the spoilt brats that had daddy throwing millions their way every now and then, and the best of them all, old money. Old money from an unending well.

He looked so dashing, and being so young had not made him look like the average rich Nigerian. No Olisa had charisma, Charisma that made him the envy of even his peers. She felt a strong magnetic pull towards him. She smiled, and stood there looking uninterested and bored (which she actually was. I mean the bored part). She knew that it was only a matter of time before she captured his attention. Nadia is a very beautiful woman. She had gotten the best genes from her Spanish mother and Fulani father. And she knew exactly how to get whatever she wanted.

She got Olisa. She didn’t even have to stand there for five minutes, before he caught the first glance of her, then the second glance which he took acting like he wasn’t staring. Then the mouth agape full blown stare. He walked towards her, like a man on a mission, and eight months later, Nadia walked down the aisle towards him like a woman that had hit the jackpot. (or so she thought)

Nadia stood up and went to her vanity table. She examined the gash by her brow, and thought about what colour of concealer best suited the area. The gash was barely visible, and it made her very furious too. Olisa never hit her face, he only hit her in places that clothes can cover. It must have been a mistake she thought to herself going through the entire episode and trying to pinpoint when the gash occurred. Then she remembered that she hit her head on the bed when he pushed her. That explains it, she gave a sigh of relief.

Nadia got to work applying her makeup. She had learnt how to apply her makeup professionally, as she had to look her very best no matter how bad a beating she got. Every marriage has its ups and down, and she felt hers was even better than most. She had never deluded herself into thinking she would get into the world of the crazily wealthy, without a price. She took every hassle on the way in stride.

She remembered the first time Olisa hit her. It was just two weeks after they met, on their third date. They had gone to the mall to see a movie, and were on their way back. Olisa mentioned that he wanted to grab a bite at a Chinese restaurant at the other end of town. Nadia told him that if he was craving Chinese, they should eat at the one closer to the mall, instead of going through the usual hold up which they would meet on their way to the restaurant and back home. Olisa had told her bluntly that they would only eat wherever he wanted. Nadia had then told him that he was being unreasonable. No sooner had the words left her mouth, than she received a resounding slap the force of which had hit her head on the window of the car.

She was dazed, and sat still all through the ride to the restaurant. When he parked the car, she got out and walked to the road to hail a cab. Olisa had chased after her, and knelt down by the road pleading for her forgiveness. They caused quite a scene, as he refused to stand up except she agreed to go into the restaurant with him. She obliged him, and when he dropped her off later that night, she sent him a text ending their relationship.

The next morning Freda had come into her room sounding like an excited chimpanzee. She was dragged out of bed, and into their sitting room. The sight before her, stopped her heart for a whole minute. Vases of fresh red roses (where the heck do you get fresh roses in Lagos?), shopping bags with luxurious names, really really expensive chocolates and cakes(the type that you feel you are wasting while eating them), and the icing on the cake had been a Mercedes G Wagon(he knew how in love with Mercedes she was). Now who wouldn’t forgive one small slap for all these goodies?

A trip to Paris and the second slap was forgiven. A shopping spree in Milan and Venice and the first beating was put behind them. When she realized that these beatings are a permanent part of the otherwise gentle Olisa, she set up some ground rules. First, he must NEVER hit her face (yes she loves her face). Secondly, he must NEVER hit her in public. He accepted her rules, and sealed it with a yellow canary diamond engagement ring. Nadia considered that a sweet deal.


Later that evening, she got a surprise call from one of the most famous jewelers in the world. She smiled to herself, as she read a mail from the pilot of their jet confirming the time of her departure. All was forgiven as usual. Olisa came back home and food was ready on the table and his wife was all smiles. He considered it a sweet deal indeed.

LIFE IS A CHOICE MY FRIEND
SO CHOOSE WISELY
ENOUGH SAID