EPISODE TWENTY-FOUR
(Hazeemah gazes at her husband, admiring him as he sleeps. She smiles, licking her lips.)
Hazeemah: (softly) Aww... He’s always adorable when he sleeps. (Gently caresses his face, tracing his Adam’s apple.)
(M.K shifts slightly, adjusting his position for comfort.)
Hazeemah: (caressing his body, whispering) Baby... baby.
M.K: (groggily, half-asleep) Hmm? Yeah?
Hazeemah: I miss you.
M.K: (mumbling in his sleep) I hope it’s not what I think it is...
Hazeemah: (softly chuckles) Yeah…
M.K: (sighs, still drowsy) Aren’t you tired? It’s been a hell of a day for both of us. I expected you to just sleep.
Hazeemah: I know, but... (climbs onto him) I miss you.
M.K: (yawns tiredly, turning his face away) I’m exhausted, honestly… Maybe next time, okay? (Turns over, drifting back to sleep.)
Hazeemah: (frustrated, sits up) Why are you like this? It’s been more than a month since you touched me, and now that I’m the one asking, you’re pushing me away?
(M.K doesn’t respond—he has dozed off completely.)
Hazeemah: (angrily nudging him) M.K!
M.K: (grumbling) What?
Hazeemah: So you’re seriously rejecting me tonight? Are you for real?
M.K: I said tomorrow will be better… but right now, I have no strength left in me.
(Hazeemah huffs, climbs off him, throws on her night jacket, and storms out of the room.)
M.K: (sighs heavily, rubbing his face) Come on, babe… wait. Hazeemah! (Sits up, watching her leave.)
A Few Minutes Later – Living Room
(M.K, still drowsy, sluggishly makes his way downstairs. He finds Hazeemah curled up on the couch, fast asleep.)
M.K: (standing over her, shaking his head) What is wrong with her tonight? (Moves closer, gently places a hand around her waist.) Baby…
Hazeemah: (furiously pushing his hand away) Just stay away from me. I gave you the privacy you needed, so give me mine.
M.K: I know you’re mad at me—
Hazeemah: Of course, I am! And I have every right to be!
M.K: I know… I know. But I told you, I had a stressful day. I promise I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.
(Hazeemah sits up, arms folded.)
Hazeemah: M.K… don’t you love me anymore? Am I no longer attractive to you?
M.K: What? No! Why would you even say that? You know I’ve never regretted a moment with you, but you have to understand—
Hazeemah: Exactly! If you’re having an affair, just tell me. Marry her quickly so you can stop punishing me.
M.K: What? It’s just one night that I rejected you, and you’re already making wild accusations? What about all those nights you rejected me?
Hazeemah: And the fact that I came to you tonight should show you how desperate I am! It’s been more than two months, M.K! Two months! I am your wife! Your wife! You always complain that I don’t prioritize bearing you a child, and here I am, begging you to touch me. Is that fair?
M.K: (exhales, rubbing his temple) It’s just one night... You know what? Let’s go back inside. I’ll try my best.
Hazeemah: No need. I’m not in the mood anymore.
M.K: (stares at her, incredulous) You have got to be kidding me.
Hazeemah: (folds her arms, looking away)
M.K: (frustrated, rubbing his face) So let me get this straight—you made a scene about me rejecting you, but now that I’m willing, you’re the one saying no?
(Silence.)
M.K: I should be sleeping right now! I should be having my beauty sleep, and instead, you’ve turned this into a whole drama! (Throws his hands up and turns to leave.)
(Hazeemah suddenly bursts into tears.)
Hazeemah: (crying, voice trembling) I finally realize… you don’t love me at all. You hate me!
(M.K pauses, turning around, staring at her like she’s lost her mind.)
M.K: (looking up, exasperated) Dear God… Someone is driving me insane tonight.
(Hazeemah increases the volume of her crying. M.K sighs, rubbing his forehead before slowly walking back to her. He sits next to her, watching her for a moment before gently pulling her into his arms.)
M.K: (softly) Allow me to die before you bury me.
(He lifts her into his arms, carrying her toward the bedroom.)
Hazeemah: (smirking behind his ear, whispering to herself) Mission accomplished.
**************************************
Two Days Later – At the Hospital
(Mr. Oyegbami sits on a hospital chair, reading a book. He flips a page, nodding to himself.)
Mr. Oyegbami: (murmuring to himself) Hmm… intriguing.
(The door gently opens. He looks up and is surprised to see Miss Shola.)
Miss Shola: Can I come in?
Mr. Oyegbami: (startled) You again?
Miss Shola: (pauses) You don’t want me here? (Turns to leave.)
Mr. Oyegbami: No! Please, stay. I was just… worried you’d take the risk of coming to see me again. (He quickly gets up and helps her sit down.)
Miss Shola: Thank you.
Mr. Oyegbami: I was actually thinking of seeing you tonight. I wanted us to talk properly.
Miss Shola: Yeah… about that. About what I said to you two days ago—I realized I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I got angry over petty things. I should be thanking you instead… not lashing out.
Mr. Oyegbami: The only way you can repay me is by taking good care of yourself—because now, a part of me is in you.
Miss Shola: (nods in affirmation)
Mr. Oyegbami: And one more thing—learn to rest. Enough of chasing money. I’m sure the money in your account right now is enough to last a lifetime. Take some time to enjoy life.
Miss Shola: (nods again, softly) Alright, sir… I’ll heed that advice.
Mr. Oyegbami: (chuckles) So, how are your boyfriends? Or should I say, your husband?
Miss Shola: (laughs lightly) Yeah, right…
Mr. Oyegbami: Trust me, if I were married right now, my wife would never have allowed me to donate my kidney to my ex-wife. She’d assume I still have feelings for you.
Miss Shola: (smirks) And do you?
(A brief pause. Mr. Oyegbami stylishly admires her.)
Mr. Oyegbami: So… what about you? Any man in your life?
Miss Shola: (smiles faintly) I wish… but I barely had time for you. How would I have time for someone new? He’d leave—just like you did.
Mr. Oyegbami: Then I guess the reason behind our divorce wasn’t my fault after all.
Miss Shola: Excuse me? You cheated on me—with multiple women. You changed. You stopped touching me.
Mr. Oyegbami: Because you were always busy with work! And I needed you. I was ready to have another child with you. How many nights did I come to you, only to hear the same excuse—you were tired, you had no strength?
Miss Shola: (silent, looking away)
Mr. Oyegbami: At some point, I even assumed another man was filling that space because you never demanded intimacy from me. I was desperate for your body, Adeshola.
Miss Shola: (still speechless)
Mr. Oyegbami: I had no other choice. I sought satisfaction elsewhere. It was my only option when you prioritized work and money over our marriage… over our child.
Miss Shola: At least I didn’t cheat. But you did.
Mr. Oyegbami: And you expected me to just endure it? To sit and suffer in silence while you neglected me? I’m not a robot, Adeshola. I’m a man. I held myself for as long as I could. But trust me, none of those women ever felt like you.
Miss Shola: But what about me? I never cheated. No man has touched me since you. You were the last, and you will always be. But you never tried to understand me. All you ever talked about was sex! It was frustrating.
Mr. Oyegbami: Because I loved you, Adeshola! I still love you.
(Miss Shola lowers her gaze, hearing the words she has always longed for.)
Mr. Oyegbami: Why do you think I came back? Why do you think I risked my life to save you? There are millions of women—beautiful, young, fresh—but none of them could replace you.
(He moves closer, gently taking her hand.)
Mr. Oyegbami: Saying I did it for our daughter… that was just an excuse. I did it because I was scared to lose you.
(Miss Shola stares into his eyes, searching for the truth in his words. She slowly raises her hand, caressing his face. He closes his eyes at her touch.)
Miss Shola: (softly, getting emotional) I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry I wasn’t the wife you needed. I didn’t realize how much I was starving you.
Mr. Oyegbami: It’s alright. Back then, I suspected something was wrong with you. I knew you were hiding something. You covered up your pain with work. I saw all the pain relievers you kept in the room. I told you to go to the hospital—countless times—but you insisted it was just stress.
Miss Shola: (tears welling in her eyes)
Mr. Oyegbami: When you left for vacation, I was actually happy. Do you know why? Because I thought—finally—you’d rest. You’d spend time with our daughter. Even though you didn’t tell me about the trip, I was relieved.
(A brief silence.)
Mr. Oyegbami: When you came back, I was ready to talk things through—to fix everything. But instead, you handed me divorce papers.
(Miss Shola covers her mouth, unable to hold back her tears.)
Mr. Oyegbami: I was devastated. But I accepted it. Not because I wanted to—but because I didn’t want to seem desperate. So, I fought for full custody of our daughter. That was my only way to make sure we’d still see each other.
Miss Shola: (whispering, tears falling) I never knew you cared this much… I’m so sorry.
Mr. Oyegbami: I owe you an apology. I wasn’t the best husband. I wasn’t the best father. I lost myself after our divorce. I let lust take over. And I regret every bit of it.
(He wipes her tears, cupping her face.)
Mr. Oyegbami: But I promise you—I’ve changed. I’ve put all that behind me. Please, Adeshola… give me one last chance to make things right. Let’s go back to the way we used to be.
(Miss Shola sobs as he gently pulls her into his arms.)
Mr. Oyegbami: Stop crying, please…
(She buries her face in his chest, holding onto him tightly.)
Watch out for the next episode!!!