Sunday, December 30, 2012

Different Man


As I cleaned out the room, my anger slowly calmed. I knew I was fighting a never ending battle. My marriage was becoming real. Fred was the perfect guy when we were dating. He always gave me a helping hand in whatever I needed to do. Then came the rings binding us together and the real him came out. I have no regrets on the decision I made marrying him but it gets frustrating at times. I was getting tired of his mess, picking after his socks thrown all over the place and used utensils left at the table when he was done. My attempts to talk to him didn’t help. He changed but after a few days, he returned to his old ways.

As I waited for dinner to cook, I went outside on the back balcony and called my aunt Tina. I was really close to her. I wanted to talk to her about my frustrations at my marriage. Aunt Tina had also had the best of both worlds. Her marriage was a mix between honeymoon phases to complete hell in a couple of hours. She was physically abused by her husband several times. Most women in her situation would have started a new life but she held on. I had never understood why but she treasured her children so much that she wouldn’t let them grown up without a father.

“Hello?” I asked.                                                                      

“Hey girly, what’s up?” She replied.          

“I’m good. Are you free tomorrow we catch up?”

“I’m free. Are you okay Catherine?”

“Yes Auntie. I really wanted to see you.”

“Alright then, come by the house tomorrow.”

“Thanks Auntie. Around noon is okay?” I asked.

“Noon is okay.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

I returned to the kitchen and checked up on the dinner. It was ready. I served it and took a plate to Fred 
who was playing a game with the console. He didn’t even look up. He grabbed it and took a bite before continuing to play the game. I didn’t want to get mad so I had my dinner in the bedroom while reading a book I had bought two days before. After a few minutes, I changed before sleeping.

I opened my eyes and found that it was already morning. The sun rays penetrated through the windows making the room look bright. I checked up my phone. It was around nine. Fred was still sleeping maybe because of staying up late. I had a shower before preparing breakfast. Fred woke up later and came to the dining room, still in his shorts, and grabbed a slice of bread from my plate.

“Morning.”  I asked.

“Morning.” He replied then went back to the kitchen. He filled himself a cup of tea then came and sat beside me.

“What time did you come to bed last night?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe around two o’clock?” he replied.

“Wow.” I said. “That game is really taking most of your time.”

“I guess, but it’s really good!”

“It’s addictive. Anyways, I am meeting up with Aunt Tina in a few.”

“Is she coming here?” He asked.

“No, I’ll be meeting with her at her place.”

“Pass my greetings.”

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Of Men...


As Ann was giving us more information on the god-parent topic, I munched on the crisps that were on the table. The cheese and vinegar flavor gave them a great taste. I later realized that I was a bit on my own zone when Ann slapped my hand. Mike had asked me a question and they were all waiting for my answer.

“What?” I asked.

“So can we go out tonight?” Mike repeated the question again.

“Huh?”

“We go to a club, like a whole nighter!” Mike said.

I laughed. “Seriously?”

Everyone nodded.                         

“Mike, Ann is pregnant. You think it’s good for her to go party it up all night?” I asked.

“It was her suggestion and I think it will be good for us to do this before the kid comes.” Mike replied.

“But …..” I started before I was cut short.

“Kate, we will just go have fun. When we are tired, we will all come home and rest.” Fred said trying to put the matter down.

“Okay.”

I finished the rest of the crisps on our way home with Fred. Our apartment was not that far from Ann and Mike’s house. I wanted to go to the salon since I had an appointment and also get time to finish some chores in the house before we went out.

I spent approximately two hours in the salon parlor as I had my hair washed, relaxed and had manicure and pedicure treatments. One thing I have never understood about salons in how you walk in without knowing much but leaving its doors with much information. The ladies I found were speaking about the recent scandal that had hit the political scene. One of the senior officers in the Government was caught by the paparazzi cheating on his wife. The pictures were racy. For the past two days, the local stations had been giving the story much spotlight although they seemed to have missed a few details as I got to find out. One of the ladies told us that the lady who was caught with the Officer was an escort. She had already gotten a book deal from a local publisher for a tell-all.

I returned to the house later to find Fred on the couch reading the newspaper with his legs resting up on the coffee table. The house was still in a sorry state as I left it earlier. These are the few times I never understand men. How could he be sitting comfortably in the house some chores waiting to be done! He hadn’t even emptied the bin so there was a smell in the kitchen.

“Fred, couldn’t you help with the cleaning?” I asked him.

“I already did that.” He answered without even looking up from the newspaper.

“Where?”

“I arranged the CD’s.”

I felt like slapping him hard on his face. I looked at him for a few minutes trying to see what to do with him. Men!!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Surprises


“Morning lazy bones!”  Ann said on the other end of the phone.

“Ann, its seven o’clock in the morning!”

“I know.”           

I shook my head.  “What’s up?  How are you?” I asked still trying to wake up.

“Mike and I are doing okay. By the way, what are your plans for today?”

I took about a second to remember it was Saturday. “I had an appointment at the salon at around 3 pm. Why?”

“Mind coming over my house at around lunch hour?” She asked.

“I’ll come over then. What are you planning?”

“You will see once you get here.”

After she hanged up, I spent another twenty minutes in bed before I woke up. I rolled over and checked on Fred. He was still sleeping although his mouth was open! How I wished I could sleep like him. He never hears anything happening while he sleeps even if it happens a few inches from him.

I washed up and started preparing breakfast. I decided to cook some pancakes instead of the usual cereal that we have each morning. I cracked the eggs open and mixed the other ingredients.  As I was cooking, Fred walked in the kitchen with his shorts half asleep. He was vigorously rubbing his eyes with his left hand. 
His hair was all shaggy.

“Morning baby!” I shouted to him while giving him a kiss on his cheeks.

“Morning” He said as he sat down on the stool next to the door. “What are you cooking? It really smells so good in here.”

“Pancakes.”

“Mmmhhh.”

“Go wash up while I continue cooking them.” I said.

Breakfast was served as soon as he came back into the kitchen. I told him about the call Ann and I had the morning and her request. His mouth was full with food so he nodded in agreement when I asked if we could go together.

“You know what they are up to?” I asked.

“I have no idea. I didn’t meet up with Mike this past week so I’m as blank as you.”

“Guess we will have to wait and see.”

At exactly one o’clock, we were at Mike and Ann’s house. Fred knocked the door and we were let in. We gave each other a hug before we sat down. I was so anxious to see what was going on. There were no traces of any surprise planned.

“Thanks for coming guys. We really appreciate.” Ann said while serving us food on the dining table.

“So what’s up?” Fred asked going straight to the point.

Mike laughed a little and shook his head. “Nothing much.”

“Seriously? You called us at seven in the morning to come over for nothing?” I asked irritated at the mind games. I was so anxious to know what the whole story was.

“Okay, we wanted to ask you if you would agree to be the god-parents to our baby.” Mike said grabbing Ann hand on the table. They looked at each other and smiled.

“Really?” Fred asked dropping his folk on the table.

“Yes, you two would make the perfect god-parents.”

Monday, December 3, 2012

Looking towards the future


At around five o’clock, I closed down my computer and went downstairs. Fred was waiting for me we go home together. We passed by the market and bought some food items then went home to prepare dinner. Fred helped out with most of the cooking as I was to prepare fruit juice also. We later served, went to the living room and ate as we watched a movie that we got from Mike and Ann’s place before going to bed. As I was getting out of the shower, I found Fred siting by the bed with some brochures.

“What are those?” I asked coming into the room.

“I was thinking maybe it’s time we started looking at mortgage options. We need to start thinking of the future and rent won’t be a good idea when we decide to have kids.”

“I agree. The rent is too expensive.”                                                           

“I looked at several mortgage offers today and found this.” He said handing me the papers.

I looked at the printed details on the qualifications on the mortgage options offered by several banks. For one, we were qualified to be given one. Both our salaries could sustain a mortgage and still be enough to run the house and other expenses.

“The information given here is great but which bank do we go to?” I asked.

“I think first we need to discuss the size of the house we want and how much we can be able to buy it at.”

“Maybe we need to discuss how big the family is going to be first.” I responded as I got into the bed. “How many kids do you think we should have?”

“Two maybe?” he asked.                                                                         

“I would like two also. Which gender?”

“I would love to have girls.” Fred answered “But a boy wouldn’t be bad.”

“I am open to any although I would prefer to have a boy and a girl.” I said.

“Yea, I would love that too.”         

“Do you want to start a family right away?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be too soon?”

“Deciding to start a family doesn’t mean we will get kids right away. It may be take a while or immediately but it’s always good to think about it.”

“I have been thinking about it for a while now although I have been on contraceptives.”

“Oh, okay. So should you stop using them?”              

I didn’t reply. I wasn’t sure if I was really ready.

Fred stretched his hand and touched my back “Incase you are not ready, we can just wait. You don’t have to force yourself.”

“You are not forcing me. But for now, can we practice getting them?” I said while moving close to him.

He smiled. He grabbed me and took me under his body. He kissed me hard on the mouth before proceeding all over my body. I couldn’t resist as I too began caressing him. This went on for a few minutes until I felt him inside me. He had penetrated inside me. What followed was spontaneous; the sex was awesome. Maybe the idea of trying to get kids was not so bad!