It was the third Monday in the month of May. Sukanmi sat in the sitting room watching a movie with a glass of juice in hand. He dropped it on a stool after few sips, cackled and thudded the floor with his feet at intervals. Maureen came in with a tray of small chops, curtseyed and served her husband. “Ehn ehn!, this is how a wife should treat her husband. You see now? My culture senior your own. I wonder what your parents taught you. You Igbo people are mannerless!", he said as she tried to hide the contempt written on her face. She informed him of their children's fees that were yet to be paid and also wanted to know why he had stopped using their joint account. Sukanmi became ballistic at the sound of these. He was infuriated by her supposed temerity. “You dare not ask me anything abi shey I force you to stop work ni? Shey I force you ni? If the money there is reducing, it's only normal but I'll only replenish it if I want to. Right now I have that hot babe to think about and she is actually better in bed than you are. You're an arugbo now, old cargo that's what you are and you don't know how to ride my bicycle well again. Foolish woman!", he barked at Maureen who was already crying.
     She remembered how gentle he was when he begged her to quit her job. She remembered the persuasive tone with which he had asked and also recalled how he boasted that he could take care of her and the children, how his business was doing more than well. She heard his voice in her head as his reason being that he wanted his wife to do nothing and enjoy his wealth played in her head. He had wanted her to relax and look after the boys only. Funny how he now showed love and care. She wondered how and where it all went wrong as she changed her kneeling position and sat dejected on the floor. She stuffed her mouth with some of the ‘chin chin' and drank what was left of Sukanmi's juice in frustration. He just didn't know how much she loved him and took her for granted.
     “Nurse!, Nurse o!!", another nurse called Barituka who was almost out of the hospital gate. Barituka turned to answer Abigail who was running to catch up with her. “Nurse Tuka, you don go forget your phone abi na so your bobo dey do you?", Abigail said. Barituka, touching her pockets to confirm the statement replied, “na true o, thank you Nurse Aby, God bless you. No mind me o, I wan go see my man, you know say we don begin dey make wedding plans sef". Nurse Abigail smiled at Barituka who collected her phone and waved goodbye.
     Richard's house was two streets away from the hospital. He and Barituka attended the same church, although different branches and had met at a general convention. It was love at first sight as they had an instant liking for each other. Barituka got to her fiance's house and was welcomed with a hug. Richard's apartment was a two bedroom flat, well furnished and looked like what a young man doing well would be able to afford. He offered her a chilled glass of juice and continued the football match he was watching. Barituka was not alien to the house, was well at home and went into the room to have a bath. When she came out of the bathroom, Richard was on the bed dressed in his underpants only. He had on a diabolic smile and Barituka who totally trusted him sat close to him while she applied her face mask. “So dear what colour of ankara do you think we should pick? I have some samples on my pho...", she said pausing to look at the hands that was trying to take off her towel. She asked Richard his intentions and he smiled again, “Baby let's just do this thing sharp sharp, I wee nor put everything inside, only the head, wallahi!, in fact your hymen will not break I assure you", he said with a needy stare. Barituka refused, tied her towel back and told him of how he had been waiting for so long and how their wedding was only two months away. Richard was visibly irate now. “Are you mad, what are you even saying? Are you not a mature lady? Is it not to just chuuk my tin inside you? What's the difference between now and our wedding? Am I not the one that will still marry you? In fact how sure am I that you're a virgin as you claim? Don't I go to church like you too? Who will know about it if we did something? See I'm tired of you o! If you know you're not going down with me tonight, you can as well kiss this marriage goodbye", he said as he took off his boxers thinking she would succumb. Barituka was more than surprised at Richard's new attitude. She looked at him like he was not the man she had been dating for close to three years, like he didn't know her worth anymore, like he was a child in an adult's body. She told him of how he had promised to wait and asked why he wanted to break them apart. He held on an adamant stare and was not ashamed that he had no clothes on. When he saw that she was not going to adhere to his request, he became even more enraged. “Oya! Oya!! pack all your belongings from my house. I don't want to ever see you again. You think I don't know how you've been giving yourself freely to other men in the church or you think men don't gossip too? Thank goodness I'm knowing the kind of person you are!", he fumed as he threw Barituka and her belongings out of his house. She managed to dress up before she was totally thrown out and made to look for a bike as she dried her tears. Richard seemed like he had been possessed by voodoo magic and she didn't believe he would ever be capable of what he had just done to her. Unable to find a bike on time, she sat under a street light shedding huge loads of tears. “What is my problem sef? I should have just slept with him. This is the umpteenth time I'm losing out of a relationship because of my refusal to have sex. Who virginity epp sef? All my mates who are not virgins and had profane lifestyles before marriage are happily married today. Just imagine Angela that was a public hoe, she's married to one of the richest guys in town. God help me!, don't make my vow make me a miserable person", she said amid tears.
     Nuel was not the dirty type but he wanted his room more than spick and span that particular evening. Isioma was coming over and he had a surprise for her. She had also told him over the phone that she too had a surprise for him. He was very sure his surprise was going to have a prodigious effect on their relationship. He quickly dusted the bed, just in case it was going to be used, put the broom in the kitchen and waited for her arrival.