Becoming Claire Fredrickson : Episode 6

By morning Bode was gone. I didn't realize when i slept but it must have been in the early hours of the morning because I woke up around midday. I was relieved that Bode was gone. That simply meant I didn't have to talk about the night before. I wanted to go downstairs and make some strong coffee(I felt hungover), but I wondered if Bode had told them and they would think of me as a traitor. I picked up my phone and saw 15 missed calls, and a couple of text messages from Frank. They went from reminding me to show up to being angry that I didn't and then being worried that I wasn't responding. He was such a sweetheart.

I weighed it in my mind and decided Bode probably didn't tell them so whatever. I was going to go get my coffee downstairs. I was on the defensive when I got downstairs, I figured if he had told them I wasn't going to let them bully me. Thankfully no one was home. They had all gone to God-knows-where. I liked being alone in the house, I heard my phone ringing upstairs and I already knew it was Frank or maybe it was Bode. Whoever it was, I didn't care. This was my sanctuary.

As I drank my coffee the solution came to me. I had gone soft since I had been in Lagos and Lagos was supposed to harden me. Bode had humiliated me the first night we slept together and I had done nothing. I had done absolutely nothing to make him pay. The old Kike would have never let him get away with it. Instead I had bent to his will and continued to endure his nonsense. I had made him fall for me but even I had to admit it wasn't conscious. Its not like I set out for that to happen, it just did and its a failure on my part because I should've. I knew a long time ago that women don't get to the heights I desire by being cute and cuddly, we have to be ruthless.

I haven't done anything ruthless since I arrived this town. Ive just been following Sheila around and following Frank around and bending to Bode's whims. Well, not anymore, the fangs were about to come out. I was going to take what I deserved. First, I would make an example with Bode. This was the event horizon, the defining point of my life. People would judge how I handled this. Was I a weakling or a strong ambitious woman who deserves success.

As I sat in that chair I devised a plan, to take Bode for everything he was worth and use Frank to actualize my plans. I felt bad about using Frank, it wasn't his fault but you know what they say about love and war. The girls would get caught in the crosshairs but they should've known better than to smooch off another man. I felt really bad about Sheila for a split second, I wanted to warn her. She was my friend or at least I saw her that way. But I also thought she was weak, for all her knowledge and all her years I didn't think she should be where she was in life. In this life, only the strong survive. She was smart but she wasn't strong. I figured I would warn her, only because I wanted her as an ally. If I was going to make it in life, I would need her cunning. I had heart but sometimes you needed experience that only the years could give you. Sheila had that.

Once I had decided I felt better, I even looked better. I had a long shower and went to buy a dress. Was going to have my nails redone but I realized it would be counter productive. You see, I planned to go see Frank that evening with a long and winding tale, freshly manicured nails wouldn't lend credence to my story.

I went to Frank's around 3 that afternoon, I knew he would be home because he didn't go out much on Saturdays. When he opened the door he had a look of both joy and relief on his face, the look quickly turned into anger. It turned so fast I wondered if I imagined it was there in the first place. He was so mad, he said I was irresponsible, I was selfish, I didn't regard anybody but myself...blah blah blah. I wanted to laugh because it was funny and a little cute but that would have been counter productive seeing as I wanted to spin my tales of woe.

While he was on his rant I started to cry, I had planned it all out. I was going to tell him about Bode, playing my role as a victim. While I cried in his arms I played Bode as a monster, I said he snatched me from my parents and promised to marry me. How he was emotionally and physically abusive, how I didnt know love until I met him. And how Bode found out about us last night and threatened to kill me. You see I knew Frank, its not like he was in love with me or anything. He liked me and was attracted to me but he was a wild horse, and he was too much in his prime to want to settle down, but he liked me a lot, a lot more than most girls so he was very protective of me. He was so mad he wanted to kill Bode, I was so glad I wanted to kiss him, my plan was working. But I played the scared, vulnerable card 'Bode is too dangerous'; I wailed.

Eventually I told him what I wanted, I wanted travel documents and a foreign passport. I wanted to buy a house in France so I could 'get away' from Bode. I wanted him to help me set up a foreign account with money I had been 'saving' I claimed(I planned to get the money from Bode).

I spoke so softly I almost believed I was distraught. Frank bought the story though, hook, line and sinker. I knew he could get me these things because in the short time we were together I knew he was no honest man.

I rewarded his devotion with a little 'afternoon delight' and ran home in time to meet my wonderful Husband-to-be. I told Frank I didn't want Bode to suspect anything or I would be dead. This was half true though.

I got home just in time for Bode's return. I acted like I had been home all day reeling from the news. Told him how I had even started planning the wedding. I would need one million dollars to order my engagement ring. I wanted diamonds. Bode didnt flinch(I liked that).

That evening Frank called, he asked "What name do you want on the passport?"

.....