Tbm, pls kindly confirm if you saw the alert from me around 12:20pm of today. If you do, please help me an manage that small token. I just can't turn away 4rm showing ma own appreciation. I know others will join too. Keep it up.

Tbm pleas bless wiv upd8. I understand today is a very sensitive moment 4 u. Buh plz, update small abeg. Suspense wee can not kee me

Countless 146 is honourably dedicated to the memory of my late brother, Olaniran Quadri, whose death on the 7th of November 2017 clocked a year yesterday.

How time flies, after the demise of a loved one.

My brother, continue to rest in peace. Coming to terms with your death has not been anywhere near easy... Its the hardest thing I've been trying to do this past 365days.
Nonetheless, I find solace in the great legacy you left behind during your temporary 31years on earth.

Missing you is the only task I will never get tired of doing. Your appartment in my heart will never be rented out for anyone. Rest on boda mi. Darous Misses you!


146. COUNTLESS.


The D-day (sunday) arrived just like every other day I'd ever witnessed during my 30plus years of living on this planet.

After bidding all the medical personels in the hospital a goodbye, (including the few acquaintances I met due to circumstances) I got inside my car and zoomed off of the premises of the hospital at exactly 6:43am with the strong hope of seeing the face of my wife, Adejoke and reconciling with her and Nike, her sister.

If you recall very well, you would remember that the last time I saw both of them was on sunday, 30th of May. The day that survived the 29th day of May which was my birthday and wedding day. A day also supposed to be the most happiest day of my life turned sour by the touch of Chioma's diabolical pranks. Although she wouldn't have had any weapon to ruin me with if I hadn't dwell with the devil in the past. Chioma may have been the b!tch captain that navigated a tricky period of transition of my life but it was I, with my unscrupulous way of life, who effectively sent the ship of my life heading straight for the iceberg. So its only logical that I accept everything that happened thereafter as my own fault.


While every force I applied on the accelerator takes me closer to my mansion where I hoped to find Joke, I can't help but remember all the memories of everything that transpired during my stay inside the hospital of 'NO MONEY NO TREATMENT' since over three months ago. Right from the day I first opened my eyes when a certain Nurse Faith tried seducing me to have sex with her up till yesterday when I started bidding everyone emotional farewel. I don't think I can ever forget those memories.

Mind you, the memories of the past three months can't be completed without remembering the impact of Dr Busari and Therapist Sarah on my life. Those two amazing women both contributed a larger quota of effort, time and caring attitude towards giving me this second life.

Apart from nursing me back to sanity, they also made me acknowledge the awful fact that, there's really no other way out of this situation for me unless I come clean with my wife. I still love Joke so much and according to Therapist Sarah, confessing all my lies and secrets to her is the only way I can be with her forever. She also stressed on the fact that I need to turn a new leaf, settle my quarell with Truth and end my friendship with Lie.

Dr Busari too had once told me that: we are not super heroes. The ability to remain resilient no matter the disappointment or heartbreak is the only thing that defines whether we're a loser or a winner in life.

Those advice and efforts from both of them had helped me undergone an amazing metamorphosis from being a depressive man that wants to die to become someone yarning to embrace life again.

These and many more were the kind of thoughts that strolled my mind as I was driving the car.

I took a deep breath and focused my full attention back to the road.

Ten minutes later, I switched on the car radio and it was the music of Celine Dion titled 'A new Day' that greeted my ears.

"I was waiting for so long,
For a miracle to come.
Everyone told me to be strong,
Hold on and don't shed a tear,

Through the darkness and good times.
I knew I'd make it through.
And the world thought I'd it all.
But I was waiting for you.

Hush now, I see a light in the sky,
Oh it's almost blinding me.
I can't believe I've been touched by an angel with love.

Let the rain come down and wash away my tears,
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears.
Let it shatter the walls for a new sun.
A new day, has come...

Where it was dark now there's light.
Where there was pain now there's joy.
Where there was weakness I found my strenght, all..... Time is seven o'clock. Welcome to sunday morning vibes on Rockcity 101.9 fm...." That was the voice of the presenter that interrupted the cool music that was entering my brain.

Finding motivation in that beautiful song, I muttered to myself that, truly, a new day has come. A day that will hopefully usher me into an era of lie-less and secret-less period of my life. A day I hoped will bring me closer to the sunny side of life. The more cheeful days. Its only a matter of hours. I just have to see her first.

Ironically, am not even scared or worried about seeing her. The mental preparatory sessions with therapist Sarah has given me a countless amount of courage and mental strenght that made the looming task am about to face seemed like a piece of cake to me.
According to Sarah, I've nothing to lose regardless of the outcome of my meeting with my wife. Best case scenario, she forgives me and everything becomes merrier. Worst case scenario, she rejects me. Thats just it. While the former would be the best thing to hope for, its also ideal to realise that the latter also has its own advantages. I.e, I will be left with a clean mind. A clean mind that will help me find balance in the future. I can travel far away and start a new life.

Just like that!.

_


Claded in an oversized Calvin Klein grey vest and a ragged blue jeans, I got down from the car and started approaching the gate of my mansion. My appearance was a bit scruffy. My face was covered in beards and the hairs on my head had grown out of moderate proportion.
I decided to appear that way so I can subtly pass a message to her that I've not been doing fine.

The sun has already commenced its unending daily trips from the east to the west by the time I stopped in front of the pedestrian gate of my mansion.

I took a moment to survey the environment. It looked deserted and unkept which means the house has not been getting the necessary sanitations.

Nonetheless, I pressed on the knob of the gate-bell and placed the receiver close to my ear hoping to hear a reply from inside. I waited ten seconds for a reply but none seemed to be coming forth.

I repeated the same action six more times but was met with the same futile result.
I concluded that maybe no one was in the house. I casted a searching glance at the big gate again and it was then that I noticed a new padlock used to lock it. Evidently, someone else had worked a new way of locking the gate apart from the use of remote control. That someone must be Joke.

Even though I have a spare remote control that opens the gate in my car, but technically, the gate can't be opened with it without first unlocking the padlock.

I stood at akimbo and begin to consider what to do next.
"where could she be o...?" I questioned myself and thought deeply. "maybe I should check her in her own house..." I concluded decisively and entered my car.

40minutes later. I was already at the gate of Joke's fenced cottage. I parked my car beside a tree few distance to her house. This is the same house where I'd threatened her to marry me or I will kill myself.

After knocking the pedestrian gate just twice, it opened slightly and a man who appeared to be the gateman poked his head out of the little space between the gate he was holding and its pillar.

"yes?, what can I do for you Mr Man..." He queried with a questioning look. I studied his face briefly to verify if I knew him. I remembered hiring the former one who was working here before but this one's face doesn't ring a bell. Obviously, this one seemed very new.
"what do you want?" He asked with an impatient tone.

"erm...morning sir...please, is madam around?"

"madam?" He squeezed a brow at my face.

"yes...madam Joke...." I answered specifically.

He withdraw his weight on the gate after I'd spoken and stepped outside fully. He was claded in a brown khaki shorts and a white round neck vest. A very old slippers serving as solace for his legs. At a guess, the man should be around the ages of 45 to 50.

"what business do you have with her?" The man queried frankly.

"no business sir, I just want to see her...." I stated with a cordial smile.

"does she know you?"

"hurr...not really....but I know her very well..."

He pondered on my words momentarily and gently stroked his mouthstache.
"is she expecting you?" He asked with a hard glare.

Getting tired of his questions, I frowned and said, "Baba, is she around or not? Just tell me that simple answer please...."

"she's not around." He cuts in. Evidently sensing my frustration. "She done go for morning service...."

"will she be heading home straight after church?"

"I can't really say..."

I was confused at that moment. Not knowing what next to say or do.

"is that all? Cos am busy with something inside.." The man said to notify me of his readiness to lock the gate.

"wait sir..., is there any way you can help me reach her to notify her of my presence?" I stated inquisitively.

The man paused briefly. He was virtually deliberating on my statement and surveying my appearance at the same time. "ok. I'll call her for you."

"thank you sir."

He turned around and started heading inside. He stopped at the gate and turned to me. "what details should I tell her exactly?"


"erm...erm...tell her, one Mr Kelvin is here..."

"and?"

"and that he claimed to know the whereabouts of Mr Darous...she will understand..."

The man squinted at my face after that statement. I was scared he would start questioning me about what I just said but apparently, he just went inside to make the call. Perhaps, he wants to leave that for his boss to do.

He came out four minutes later to tell me the result of the call he made. He said his boss has directed him to take me to the pre-sit section of the house where I can wait for her.

_


"if you need anything, you can just shout Mr Legbegbe, thats my name and I will be here." The man said to me after I'd settled down inside the familiar cushion of the pre-sit. I smiled at him and gave him an understandable nod before he walked out, leaving me inside.

Joke has promised to be back within the next thirty minutes, so that seems like enough time for me to prepare myself for what am about to face.

Firstly, am very glad that she's healthy and well again.


Secondly, the fact that she's rushing home to meet someone that claimed to know my whereabout means she's also desperate to meet me. And wherever the word 'desperate' is involved, rash decisions are likely to follow. Which means, even if she doesn't want to forgive me, the desperated part of her might lure her into doing so, and before she knows it, we are on our way to her bedroom to perform what we were suppose to have done on our wedding night.

I laughed out loud at that thought. I imagined how having a sex with Joke will be. Remember, she remains the only one am yet to have sex with in their family. Please, count Aunty Comfort out of this.

I pictured myself being alone with Joke on the bed. Where we are having sex! Oh my Gawd! It will be the most sexiest sex I ever had in my life. Having my lips on that soft lips of hers again. To feel my palms on her ample brests again. Ah! My life don better be that. To feel the comfort that comes from the closeness of her body agains mine again!

In papa Ajasco's voice, 'ohjigbijigbijigbi'. Hmmm, I'll do anything to feel the soft touch of her smooth and tender laps on my body again.

All these would belong to me once I get through the first stage of coming clean with her. I told myself with an optimistic mind.

The plasma television hanged on the opposing wall was on. And it was the highlights of the champions league matches played during the week, that was on display that caught my attention from the randy mood I was going through.

The matches were so interesting and intriguing at the same time, especially the one between Juventus and Manchester United. Gawd! That Jose Mourinho of a coach eh, he sure knows how to respond to hostility. I call him the verbal king.

While this was going on, a fizzle sound released from the gate at the enterance of the house was what returned my attention back to the room.

I rose up instantly with a tensive mind and took a peep through the curtain at the the compound.

A blue Venza which I instantly recognised drove into the compound. I swallowed hard on sighting it, because I knew it conveyed no one else but my wife.

I watched with increasing tension as the driver's door of the car opened gently and a leg covered in black slingback shoes appeared on the floor. At that moment, every fibre of my body was on fire and may likely explode if not extinguished very soon.

Instead of watching on, my apprehensive mood got to the extreme and before I knew it, I was back to my seat.

I sighed high with the aim of reducing the tension a bit, but it was futile. I tried to swallow again but unfortunately, nervousness has sahara my throat and turned it to a desert.
Nothing to swallow.

How am I going to face her in this state of mind. The chances of fainting is very high if I continue to embark on this road of apprehension and tension.

"calm down.,calm down..." The words of my Therapist came to my mind at that moment. Suddenly all the memories of the mental preparatory sessions with her started flooding to my brain.

"I can do this....I can do...." I was still muttering those words to myself when the door opened.

Instinctively, I stood up and quickly turn my back against the entrance before I felt a presence behind me. Her cologne was the first thing that saturated the whole pre-sit. I couldn't dare face her for the fear of fainting, or running mad or doing something extremely worse.

"hello, good day Mr Kelvin,...." Her voice called out softly and low but it was like hitting a sledge hammer against the iron in my tensive and petrified mind.

I still couldn't muster the right courage to face her. To hell with the whole mental preparatory thing.

Evidently, the only thing stopping her from knowing am the one standing was plainly my scruffy and untidy appearance, and maybe because I was backing her. These are the reasons why she was still standing at the entrance and not moving forward to confirm my identity.

I on the other hand was still glued to the same spot. A calender was hung on the wall I was staring at. I was staring at it but couldn't see the numbers. Just to tell you how intensely terrified I was.

"Mr Kelvin, whats wrong? Why are you backing me?" She voiced out her frustration. She paused briefly, probably to see how I would react to that. But getting none she continued. "has something bad happened to Darous?.....is it that bad that you can't even face me to tell me?"

I ignored all her words and started trying ways to reduce my tensive mood.
But before I could spend a second on that task, I heard her footsteps approaching me very fast. She stopped at my back and before I could think of doing anything, she turned me around very fast and our eyes met.

"Mr Kel...." Her voice trailed off slowly and her palms quickly found her chest. Her eyes nearly jumped out. She was stunned beyond words, extremely flabbergasted and astonished when she finally recognised me.

What happened next?....


TBC.

Copyright of @twitter. Darous_emmanuel.

Extremely flabagasted ride son of shango

Ah! Tbm, u wicked o. Wich kine wicked suspense be this? Chai... Joke, i feel 4 that lady... Brilliant work tbm bt wicked suspense. I hate8 suspense.

In papa Ajasco's voice,
'ohjigbijigbijigbi'. Dis story dey burst my dada MR DAROUS KEEP IT UP UR HEAD DEY THERE...RIP TO UR BROTHER MAY SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE . GOD BLESS YOU

paqman:
Extremely flabagasted ride son of shango

thanq broda. I app it. Thanx alo

Dmajor100:
In papa Ajasco's voice,
'ohjigbijigbijigbi'. Dis story dey burst my dada MR DAROUS KEEP IT UP UR HEAD DEY THERE...RIP TO UR BROTHER MAY SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE . GOD BLESS YOU

oh, so thoughtful of u. Thank u sir. I app the nice words. God bless u too sir

Mr darous smart you are really a motivated writter.....u know have read so many stories in nairaland....i must say the truth this is the best have ever read....i pray for shango to strike your brain with a thunder of ideas.......waiting for more update bro

u too much and ride on boss

Chai! TBM wants to kill me with suspense

TheBlessedMAN:
lolz... you think you are alone in the suspense mood? even me myself, am also in the suspense. Come and see how my fingers were shaking vigorously while I was typing this update. Trust me, u don't want to be in my shoes.

By the way dear, I saw the alert. Thanks 4 the token. I could hardly miss it cos its the only I've gotten recently. Thanx babe. God will bless you 4 me. Am grateful cos i have people like u to get me up when am down. Thanx.

awnn, am happy u acknowledge thiz openly. Ego wee nor let some writers do diz. Thanq 4 eliminating boredom from me with every upd8.

What a great writer you are Mr Darous. This suspense no be small one. keep it up bro. you gonna rule the world of script writing for real.

SirNumeroUno:
What a great writer you are Mr Darous. This suspense no be small one. keep it up bro. you gonna rule the world of script writing for real.

Wow, am extremely happy to read this sir. I really app it. Thank u very much

toluxad:
awnn, am happy u acknowledge thiz openly. Ego wee nor let some writers do diz. Thanq 4 eliminating boredom from me with every upd8.

I pray God should give me enough strength to remain loyal forever to u maam

mitchelljnr:
Chai! TBM wants to kill me with suspense

The feeling is mutual bro.

rukidanty:
u too much and ride on boss

Sure, I'll continue to ride as long as you are still on the bike with me..

Evn in ur lowest moment, you still find the skills to cum up with a brilliant, suspense-filled update like this one. No wonder you are on a league of your own. Am glad to be part of this historic moment on Nairaland.

I've been bery bery busy but aint never missed any episode. God bless you TBM.
Imagining Joke's response to all the drama!
This should make it to the screens awserugod

BiadeFolar:
I've been bery bery busy but aint never missed any episode. God bless you TBM.
Imagining Joke's response to all the drama!
This should make it to the screens awserugod

Oh brotherly, av missed your heavenly comments so tey i couldn't help but think thou art abandon me and my unending blunders ..... Am happy you are still on board. Thank u

WOOOOOOOOOW That's all i can say after reading this episode

TheBlessedMAN:
Oh brotherly, av missed your heavenly comments so tey i couldn't help but think thou art abandon me and my unending blunders ..... Am happy you are still on board. Thank u

who am I not to be on board, especially now that our sweet god of thunder is taking chill pill, even ASUU now strike pass him!
Blunder ko blender ni, wo ibile lemi o, mi o gboyinbo!

TheBlessedMAN:
Oh brotherly, av missed your heavenly comments so tey i couldn't help but think thou art abandon me and my unending blunders ..... Am happy you are still on board. Thank u

honestly speaking, the reason I've been scared to join is actually because I don't know how I'm gonna cope with all the backlogs I've missed out on

wow!!!! what a TheBlessedMAN!
We sure say one day you go make us proud DAROUS
Sweet Popcorn For You.

jagugu88li pls don't miss this...so so intresting and intriguing
if you have not started....pls go and start from page one because all the pages links each other very well
We have been here for over a year and it is getting interesting by pages.
Sweet popcorn for everyone here.

Oh my sweet amadioha! Did I just read Papa Ajasco in thiz update?


No wait.. Someone shud tell me I didnt just encounter something like Legbegbe in this awesome update.


No, no, I need someone to tell me that this update that just spoke about yesterday's Ucl match between my darling club and Juventus is all a dream.

This tbm is just too gud to be real. U are d best sir. I doff my heart sir.

Tbm, please check ur acnt. I just send u my little sense of appreciation. More to follow later.

Tbm, please check ur acnt. I just send u my little sense of appreciation. More to follow later...

She will faint I guess..
Nice update bro.

What an intriguing episode, well done tbm