Married But Available. B. Nyamnjoh

after a tedious day. He sometimes frequented the house three times or more a day, and soon, it became the talk among close friends and neighbours who began jazzing about his frequent visits to her house. Most of them were not impressed with the attitude. They did their very best to advise both parties.”

      “And how did they react?”

      “The more people talked the more the couple appeared not to care. They intensified their bond instead. Not afraid of any confrontation they carried on their daily activities as if no other person had a say. They eventually launched a common economic initiative together. This involved breeding birds and selling them. They made contacts with enterprises of which they became suppliers. And they appeared to live a good life despite the prying and critical eye of the public.”

      “That was courageous of them,” remarked Lilly Loveless.

      “Yes, but where there is merriment, problems do arise. Once in a while, they got problems which made them vibrate. Mrs Gilbert would get so upset and send him off. ‘Take the door, I say. Leave my house before I hurt you.’ After a few days there is room for reconciliation. You never know what takes place. You only notice Mr Richard’s absence and likewise his reappearance. Their life continues normally, as normal as can be in such a situation. He visits when due or on demand.”

      “In and out he goes,” volunteered Lilly Loveless slyly.

      “You’re right. But at home,” continued Britney, “I have no idea of what happens. No one informs me of that. Mr Richard’s brothers still visit her home. Of late I was told it has become a family affair. In Mr Richard’s home village, his mother encourages him as she welcomes and entertains them. She is impressed about this new acquaintance. It has become a duty of always giving them treats. She is less concerned about Mr Richard’s wife at home.”

      “Is she not the right type?”

      “I was not told. Whenever Mr Richard is invited for lunch, Mrs Gilbert enters the kitchen to produce a delicious and delicate meal. ‘How lovely,’ he would say, eating to his fill. ‘I am overfed.’ He would spend sometime before taking off. At times he would be rushing off to work or home, hopefully, because, despite everything, his wife is his wife. He also has his own children who are contented with his presence.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “It was Mr Richard’s duty to see that everything was under control in cases of Mrs Gilbert’s absence from her home. He did make his rounds each day purposely to make sure all was OK, and to be able to report back when asked. Likewise, he did even have instructions for the children. This idea the kids greatly resented. But they could not do otherwise. He had total control until her return, when he would let her run her home. And at his own home, never have I heard of his wife over reacting. All she does is only to do her job, care for her children and look after her husband whenever he comes home. But she has discontinued her friendship with Mrs Gilbert.”

      “Well,” Lilly Loveless looked up and waved away the flies around her drink, “with a friend like that, who needs an enemy?” They both laughed. Britney readjusted herself on her chair and continued unfolding the affair between Mr Richard and Mrs Gilbert.

      “Unfortunately, the distance between towns did not strain the relationship, thanks to modern technologies of telephones and cars. Within hours everything is normal. They made sacrifices to pay each other visits. It was clear in everyone’s mind that when Mr Richard goes out of town he heads for Nyamandem to visit Mrs Gilbert. At a certain point in time, Mrs Gilbert’s parents questioned what she was up to. And her father asked: ‘Why don’t you marry him?’ She just did not think of that. Anyway he kept insisting that they marry instead of maintaining an affair for so long.”

      “I don’t think marriage is necessarily a solution,” said Lilly Loveless. “For all you know, both could have been running away from the reality of marriage.”

      “We are not speculating, are we?” replied Britney. “I’m just telling you things as they are, what I gathered from the interviews.”

      “I’m sorry,” Lilly Loveless apologised. “You are right. Science is not speculation, and I should know better, but what I meant was perhaps next time you should push further, to ask why, why, why all the time.”

      “And why not, I suppose,” Britney agreed.

      Lilly Loveless nodded. “And why is Mr Gilbert not in the picture, if I may ask?”

      “I thought I said he was imprisoned for 40 years for embezzlement, didn’t I?”

      “No you didn’t.”

      “I’m sorry. He used to be deputy head of a big state corporation, and stole too much for the government not to notice.”

      “I see,” said Lilly Loveless. “And he obviously didn’t invest much in his own family for Mrs Gilbert to survive on in his absence?” Lilly Loveless sounded sceptical.

      “Everything he owned was seized when he was indicted, all his businesses and property. Only the house in which Mrs Gilbert and the children lived was spared, because it was the one thing he graciously registered in her name.”

      “How sad!”

      Britney continued: “Mr Richard plays an important part in her life. He is always there to give a helping hand. Even in times of pain he is there for comfort.”

      “And Mrs Richard, taking it all in her stride?”

      “By the time Mrs Richard began to take action, every hope was blocked. Her marriage was at stake. She was fighting for her stability. She had lost her usual self. However, she has recovered considerably. Today, she is good looking, earns a salary, owns a house and car and takes care of everything. She is a success no matter the mess. How I admire her self sufficiency. She is graceful, even though Mrs Gilbert’s relationship with her husband still continues, and has done so for 11 years. Once in a while she comes closest to taking her own life, but always succeeds in turning back some how. She is a woman to admire, I believe.”

      Lilly Loveless was surprised to see Britney wiping a tear from her eye with the back of her hand when she looked up from her notebook.

      “A quick last story,” said Britney.

      Lilly nodded and added: “If you want.”

      ***

      “I know of a couple who have been married for 20 years, but whose sex life has ground to a halt because the wife can no longer stand to have sex with him. The husband used to present himself as the epitome of moral integrity, making out as if adultery was an abomination, only for her to find out that he had been deceiving her all along. He had, without her knowing, developed and sustained for years an extended appetite for coming with other women.