condemned idol episode 4

#CONDEMNEDIDOL
#EPISODEFOUR

"Cut!reduce the light from the camera,it still looks like afternoon" the director fired.

After they took the last scene,they were to end it there and continue the next day...
Vanessa's interest was somewhere else,her husband.
Ever since she had told him off when he wanted them to spend the weekend together she had been so troubled.
Her phone rang. It was her brother,James."Hi "

"Sister,i guess you guys are done for the day,I am in front of Nollywood bricks. Come meet me outside"

Vanessa rushed out.
Her brother was waiting at the garden,"James,how are you?"

"Sis,did you pray as I asked you to?"

She didn't know how to answer that.

"Sister! don't you know that every woman has to pray for her marriage every second? don't you know that the marriage of a prayer less woman doesn't last?don't you have the intention of keeping your marriage?"

She was defensive, "Why are you bombarding me with all these questions all of a sudden?"

"You have appeared in all the trending movies!!! what time do you give to your family? I heard you are planning to travel to China with Marky Leeves and other members very soon. Fans are rooting for you and Marky Leeves despite the fact that they know you are married! and that is because you gave them that impression because you are even more committed than a single actress. If I was the husband of such wife,I would be depressed sincerely. Is this what celebrity life is all about? inconvenienting yourself to please fans that don't even know you personally?".

She was angry that he was openly accusing her,"It will all end very soon but all the same I need to be popular!!! "

"Then you should have done that when you were single!your wants are insatiable! even after the world knows you,there will get to a moment that you will even be needing the impossible. Don't allow your vision to control you,control your vision so that you wouldn't be blind and fall into the ditch"

Vanessa swallowed hard as she accepted all the accusations.
She was deeply sorry.
Maybe truly, she had neglected her married life, "What do I do now?"

"When last did you cook for your husband and carry it to his office? When last did you have a good time with your husband and make this world you are trying to please also realize that you have a family that you are trying to please too?"

There was a sarcastic glint in her eyes as she watched him,"Look at this single man advising his married elder sister "
They chuckled.

She sighed deeply to herself," Truly, I have never even called my husband in the middle of work to ask how he is doing, I only try to make amends at night when we both get home . Let me call him now"she began to dial through her phone,but within her,she was panicking.
What was she going to tell him when he connects the line?wouldn't he feel it awkward because she had never done it?

As if her brother could hear her thoughts, he smiled softly and said, "Husband and wife are one person. You don't have to rehearse what you will say to your husband, it only requires common sense,love and respect"

He connected the line, "Hi Van...are you alright?"

He was asking if she was alright because she had never checked on him during the day...oh....her bad."Darling, hope you have eaten lunch? "

"Hello?please this is Roland Raymond speaking please"

"Sweetheart it is me. It is your wife. Can I call you back? probably you are busy right now..."

"....No,I am not busy .Vanessa,are you sure you are alright? what do you want?"

"I want to be with you today. I missed you,that is why I wanted to maybe eat with you if it is okay by you though"

"Where do you want us to meet,Vanessa? I am done for today"

"I am done for today too. Maybe from there,we will go pick Patricia"

"Where do you want us to meet dear?" he sounded impatient and overjoyed.

"Saint Villes eatery"

"Where are you now?let me come and pick you up while we go together from there"

She wanted to explain that she would come herself, since she also brought a car but her brother pinched her, "Huh...er...Okay yes,I am at Nollywood bricks. I am at the front waiting. I love you" she disconnected the line immediately and swallowed her breath. She felt too awkward to wait for him to respond his own 'I love you too'. She just couldn't bear it.
What if after she had told him I love you and waited to hear him respond but he bluffs it?She would feel too hurt that she wouldn't be able to contain it in her heart, so, it was better she just disconnected the line just like that.

Her brother smiled at her,"You know why I don't fancy this wealthy life and fame of a thing? most time, it is a distraction from our personal life. The time we suppose to give to God and our family, we give it to strangers that worship us. I value a happy life more than a perfect life "

She nudged him, "So,what is going to happen to my car?"

He laughed, "Your driver will drive it home".

The director rushed to them," We changed plans. Rain will fall tomorrow in the morning and it will be a mess to the camera so we have decided to take that last scene tonight ".

Vanessa had already taken a step...
Even when temptations were arising, she had taken that step and there was no turning back.
For the first time, she was going to let the world know that she had a family and family was more important than anything. "I am sorry, Han. I and my husband are eating together now .I won't be returning".

He was shocked, "Vanessa?you know how important this movie is to all of us"

"This movie is not more important to me than my husband"

He was shocked. She had never refused any scene especially at critical times like that, "Are you for real?"

Her phone rang. It was her husband. "I think my husband is here already. Goodnight Han" With that, she patted her brother on his shoulder and ran as fast as she could towards the garage.
Her husband's car was parked.
She smiled and got into the car.
He didn't look at her. She could sense that he was also feeling awkward.
They had lived together, but they hadn't had time for each other.

He drove on without saying a word.
She knew that a lot was on his mind.
Her phone began to ring.
He turned to her, "Are you sure we will be able to eat together?you seem to have a work on..."

She sighed to herself.
The caller was Marky Leeves. He always looked for one excuse or the other to talk to her,using the movie as excuse.
She looked pleadingly at him,"Can you help me answer the call and tell him that we are eating together and he should call tomorrow during work?"

He was surprised at her, "Why do you want me to talk to him?"

"That is because you are my husband, and every other man must know that Roland Vanessa has a husband".

He was too impressed.
He connected the line, "Hello,I and my wife are going to eat. Do call back tomorrow "

"Er...Mr Roland?"

"Yes...call her back tomorrow when she gets to work. Goodbye" he disconnected the line.

They smiled at each other and held hands as he drove on.
Her phone rang again. This time, it was the director. She could see the uncomfortable glint in her husband's eyes. She didn't want him to feel her career owned her more than he did anymore.
She switched off her phone immediately.

He was shocked, "You don't have to worry about me,Vanessa. You can answer the call. It seems too urgent"

"Have we ever had time for each other?I have always had time for this people, disappointing them now doesn't make it an abomination. It is more of an abomination to disappoint my family".

They ate together happily when they got to the eatery.
Fans were there and they took pictures of them and posted it online.
After eating, they rushed to pick Patricia from school.
The four year old was excited to see her parents together in a car coming to pick her up.
One of Raymond's old time friends zoomed past and reversed.
He and Raymond shook hands excitedly and he greeted the very beautiful Vanessa,but there was disgust on his face when he sighted Patricia, "You have a child with down syndrome? Wow, such a beautiful family. Why did the devil have to do this?"

Raymond kissed Patricia on her forehead. "I don't know about any other down syndrome child but my child is too cute. She is special to me so please watch the way you talk of her"

The man scoffed as he watched some teenagers taking pictures, "Take her into the car,the whole world is watching"

Raymond fumed at him,"If your plan is to ruin my day, you have failed! After fifteen years,you are still foolish, it is a pity"

The man smirked, "Who will take over Alex vanes?this embecile?"

Raymond tried to punch him but Vanessa held him from behind,"It will get to the news if we act rash now. Let us continue our good time with each other, okay? "

They walked back to the car and he drove them home.
It finally occurred to Vanessa that her husband hadn't hated her because of their child's illness but because she hadn't given her family her time.

She and her husband cooked together that day.
They also called all the maids to the dining table and they all had a feast after they had prepared the meal.
For the first time in a long while,they were genuinely happy together.

After dinner, they watched movies together and played games until they were both dozing off.
Raymond opened his eyes and stared at his wife with a sincere glint in his eyes, "Today was the happiest moment of my life because the woman I love for the first time made me the most important thing in her life"

She was excited, "Can we commit our marriage into the hand of God before we go to bed?"

They prayed that night, committing their marriage into God's hand and Raymond looked up at her, "Will you be fine if you get pregnant before the movie you want to act with Marky Leeves in China?"