CHAPTER 4

#Franklin Howard

"Okay," Amelia replied, and we started eating the chicken pepper soup that the waiter had earlier served us.

We did not speak to each other while eating, as the pepper soup was spicy. After we were through and had a few drinks, I began to feel a light headache. I smiled at Amelia and told her, "I have to go home now. How about we meet up tomorrow, Sunday? Do you go to church?"

"Um, yes, Franklin. But I would like to have some time with you tonight. You know, just you and me," Amelia touched my hand, and I quickly withdrew it, understanding what she wanted.

"No. We cannot do anything silly for now. I'm still married to your sister, and my family isn't aware that I want to divorce her," I told Amelia, as I was beginning to sweat despite the air conditioning unit in the private parlor.

Amelia frowned and tried to touch me again as she said, "No one would know, Franklin. I have always wanted you, and now that I'm back, we will be together, and you will send Natalie away."

I wanted to give in to the idea of what Amelia said. My parents did not like Natalie and had only married me to her to hide our family shame, as my father would not want the news to spread that I had slept with a young woman in her father's house.

I had low memory about how Natalie and I had sex. And each time I tried to think about it, I would develop a headache.

"No," I said, rising to my feet. I told Amelia, "We will get to do all that later. I promise you, I'm not sleeping with your sister. After she set me up, I have been living with her like a neighbor, and we haven't done anything intimate, like making love."

"Really?" Amelia's eyebrows shot up as she looked at me in shock.

"Yes. We have separate bedrooms, though sometimes we use the same room, and Natalie knows not to cross boundaries with me."

"But you have seen her nàked?" Amelia queried me.

"No," I quickly waved off the topic of seeing my wife nàked. It was something I did not like to see.

Natalie was more beautiful nàked than wearing clothes. What did I expect from the daughter of a prostitute? Thanks to the fact that she did not know how to dress and mostly wore loose-fitting clothes that weren't good quality.

I wondered who had advised Natalie to learn fashion when she wasn't fashionable.

I would have preferred to open a supermarket for Natalie, but what if she seduced her male customers and drugged them?

Natalie was still my wife, and I was very famous in this part of the city. I would not want my wife to drag my name through the mud with her wayward life, coupled with the fact that I had not touched her since we got married. So it was best that she stayed home.

Although I enjoyed Natalie's good cooking skills, I did not want to acknowledge that I liked anything about her.

Once I divorced her, I would employ a chef to take care of my meals, as I did not like eating fast food. Also, I would employ the services of a dry cleaner to take care of my laundry. That way, Natalie would be of no use to me.

"Come, let's go home. I will drop you off at home, as it's already getting late. Tomorrow, we will get to hang out again," I told Amelia as I saw her frown.

Amelia stood up from the chair and hugged me, telling me, "I really want to spend the night with you."

"Do not worry; we will get to meet later." I carefully pulled Amelia away from hugging me, as I was beginning to feel sick and sweaty.

"Waiter!" I called, and soon cleared our bill with my debit card. Once we left the restaurant, I drove back to the Jacksons' residence, knowing it was a short distance from my home.

I arrived at the front gate and parked my car while I unlocked it from within, unable to get down from the car and pull the door open.

"Franklin, you promise that we will hang out together tomorrow?" Amelia asked me as she looked at me with her lovely blue eyes.

"Yes," I replied, and Amelia got out of the car.

"Take care, sweetie!" Amelia waved at me as I watched her walk back to her father's house.

I locked my car door properly and was feeling horny, as I wanted a warm body at the moment.

"What's wrong with me? Was I drugged?" I wondered and quickly started the car engine and drove home.

For three years that I had been married to Natalie, I had not patronized a prostitute. I did not want to now, so I drove home, thinking once I got there, I would feel alright.

It was my habit to fall sick each time I ate out, as I did not like it.

I arrived home late as I drove into my compound and parked my car.

I staggered getting out of the car and dragged myself into the house. I did not know what time it was, but I was certain that it was already late.

As I arrived at the front door, I knocked, but there was no response. I banged on the door, and when it finally opened, Natalie was standing there, wearing a light green gown.

"Welcome back," Natalie greeted me as she moved away from the door for me to enter.

I entered the living room, and as Natalie locked the door and turned to face me, I could not hold it back anymore. I grabbed her arms and yelled at her. "What did you do to me?"

"Huh! What did I do wrong?" Natalie asked me, as her big brown eyes welled up with tears.

I looked at Natalie's face, as I could not believe that I was beginning to find her attractive. As I tried to look away from her chest, my eyes kept going downward to stare at her huge bosom.

"You drugged me again, didn't you? Can't you accept that I do not love you and our marriage is fake!" I yelled at Natalie again, wanting to suppress my desire, but my body was overheating, and I did not know how long I could endure this.

"I do not know what you're talking about. Aren't you the one who left the house just now with Amelia? What did she do to you, and now you come back accusing me?" Natalie sobbed, and I refused to believe that Amelia would drug me.

"Shut up. We have been at home since morning. I ate your food before going out with Amelia. Was that why you refused to let Amelia eat your food—because you put a love potion in it!" I shouted, not wanting to believe that now that I had finally made up my mind to divorce Natalie, she dared to use voodoo on me.

"No, Franklin! I cannot do that! I know that you do not like me, but I cannot stoop so low as to drug you. I want us to end our marriage peacefully and go our separate ways. I will get the divorce papers ready by Monday," Natalie said.

"And you want me to believe that? I have spoken to you several times about us getting a divorce and for you to leave, and you refused. Now you have drugged me again, just because you saw me laughing with your half-sister. Well, guess what? It worked, and I cannot help but desire to have you tonight," I said.

"What?!" Natalie gasped and struggled to break away from my grasp on the door as she yelled at me, "No, Franklin! I do not want you! Once you're awake tomorrow, you would lie that I used you. Let me go!"

I ignored Natalie's screams as I carried her up in my arms, and took her back to our room on the top floor.