Work was only a means to pass time. Kelvin had lost the zeal to work but he continued at it. He missed the random texts from his wife before she bursts into his office. He missed their office fucks. Their lunch time together. The stolen losses on the corridor.Amara sent him an email, the long awaited email and instead of joy, he felt despair. They had been waiting for approval to visit London and finalise the plans for Tech Valley new branch. His fingers shook in trepidation. This would have been a good time for him and Leila to travel to London so he could show her some of the beauties in that city without his parents’ interruption but she wasn’t even talking to him. The most he got out of her was a grunt and murmurs of approval each time he brought her meal. He had learned to cook pasta because of her. When Kelvin had served her a plate full of pasta that was golden brown because he had taken it off the pot too late, she had eaten it all up without

Leila ignored the doorbells and knocks like she had been doing since she decided to live at home. They would go away if she ignored them, the same way Kelvin also left. Sometimes, her silence didn’t work on him but her words did. The knocks persisted. She rolled onto her back and let out an angry, frustrated growl.She felt like shit. She felt like shit for losing her baby. She felt like shit for hitting Kelvin.Oh, God. She shoved a fist into her mouth. She hit Kelvin. She hit her husband. But he deserved it. He thought he could earn her forgiveness with his stupid gifts. If she wanted a phone or a car, she would get one for herself. Now that she had ruined the one he bought for her, she had no intention of getting a new one. She was tired of the outside world bothering her.She was tired of Kelvin bothering her but her heart had skipped when evening passed and he didn’t bring her dinner. This morning was the same thing. He didn’t let her know

For a while after her mother left, Leila could only hear her words playing over and over again in her head. Don’t lock him out.She already did. But she could fix it. She would fix it. Where was he? It was a few minutes past nine and Kelvin was nowhere to be found. He didn’t pick her calls or reply to her texts. A call to Amara informed her he was not at work. They both left the office early today. Leila didn’t let her fear show as she thanked the woman. She ended the call and made her way to the kitchen.Yam pottage was his favourite so she got to making it. She was in the process of peeling the yam when she heard the sound of the door opening. Leila froze. Should she go to welcome him or wait for him to show up? She decided on waiting for him to check on her in the kitchen and if he didn’t, she would go to the room. Minutes later, when the yam was boiled and Kelvin had not showed

Leila was depressed. Without Kelvin, her life had no colours. He didn’t call or text to let her know he had arrived. Every information she had gotten over the last week was from Amara or the internet. She wanted to be mad at her husband but she lost that right the moment she called him names and took out her anger on him.  Everything Kelvin said was right. And she was ashamed of herself. For betraying their love the first chance they got. Her phone rang with her mother’s number. She picked the call with a tentative smile. Her mother knew too much about her marriage troubles already and she didn’t want to pile more information on her.  “Hey, mum.” Leila rolled onto her back, one arm over her forehead. She had taken to sleeping in the master bedroom since Kelvin left. Her nightwear consisted of his top and shorts. It was the only way she could be closer to him.  “Lei-Lei, how are you?”  “Okay, mum. How are you? How’s Dad?”&nb

Kelvin called her Leila, not Leilani. Did that mean they were now okay? No, it didn’t mean that. Look, he brought a woman to his suite. What were they planning to do before Kelvin saw her? Granted, she looked like she was from his office based on her dress style but her overactive mind teased her with other thoughts. If he had moved on, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. A yawn escaped her. The flight here was lonely. She never wanted to fly again except he was there to ease her fears. Her heart skipped again as she thought of Kelvin and his guest. Should she spy on them? She chose not to. She trusted him to keep their vows. He might be angry but he still cared, right? Leila pulled the cover over her head and let the sleep take over her.Moments later, someone shook her awake. She blinked sleepily. The blurry face in front of her became clear and she saw Kelvin. Conscious of him, she slowly sat upright. “Hey,” Leila said.