Deceitful Kisses

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful….
When Funke and her husband, Kola moved into Lagos after their wedding six years ago, she believed it was going to be a difficult task settling down in a new environment. Kola’s new job required that he resumed at the head office in Lagos; with the juicy benefits, he couldn’t resist the temptation of the offer. Funke, on the other hand, didn’t like the idea of relocating to Lagos especially because of cumbersome traffic. The thought of having to stay apart from her husband however made her have a rethink. Fortunately for her, she bumped into her old school mate, Mercy on their arrival who apparently lived in the same estate they moved to. Settling down into the busy city life became less tedious for her as Mercy helped her adjust quickly. This gesture endeared Mercy to Funke and within a short period, their friendship blossomed that they almost became inseparable. As a matter of fact, Mercy became Funke’s closest friend and special adviser. Although Mercy is the fun loving type, and Funke more reserved, they were able to accommodate each other.

Mercy owns an event management outfit which she is so passionate about, and over the years, she had been able to build a good reputation among her clients. When Funke couldn’t get a job after several attempts, she suggested that she joined her in her business. Kola didn’t really welcome the idea because he knew the only time he would have with his wife were weekends but it wasn’t enough reason for Funke to give in, and when it almost became a big issue, he allowed her to have her way.

Weekends became busier for Funke that she hardly had time just as Kola had predicted, but the fact that she was able to make good money from the business made her throw caution to the wind. Mercy didn’t discourage her either because she enjoyed Funke’s company and help, since she lives alone. She had earlier replied Funke when she enquired about her family that her husband lived in the UK but she had to relocate when she was tired of staying in a foreign country.

Kola tried severally to make Funke see reason especially due to the fact that they were trying to have a baby but all his efforts failed. Unknown to him, his wife was being influenced by her friend’s advice. Mercy had warned her at the beginning not to allow her husband tie her down with pregnancy until she had made a name for herself in the industry. She even encouraged her to get extra protection by choosing a family planning method that wouldn’t be noticeable by her husband. Funke did so well in the business that after a while, she was able to start up her own business while assisting Mercy whenever she had a job she couldn’t handle alone. Her business was on the upward move, but her relationship with her husband had nose-dived.

The matter came to a climax last year when Kola told his wife to choose between her work and her marriage. From the look of things, Funke knew something was wrong but couldn’t place it. Though she was taken aback that her husband could ask her to make such a decision after all her efforts in making her business grow, she still felt remorseful. Her sense of remorse vanished immediately she sought Mercy’s counsel. Mercy told her to stand her ground and not give in to her husband’s threat; after all, as a Christian it wasn’t permissible for him to divorce his wife. Funke was pleased with the idea as she went back to her husband to tell him that she wouldn’t leave her business for anything, her husband on the other hand did not press further but allowed her to have her way. She thought she had won but after two weeks, she got the shocker of her life: Kola had moved out of their home!

Funke couldn’t believe her eyes when she discovered that Kola’s room was empty. Efforts to reach him on phone proved abortive as his lines were switched off. While she was trying to look around for a clue regarding her husband’s whereabouts, she stumbled upon an envelope which was addressed to her, lying on the table in their living room. With trembling hands, she quickly opened it to read the contents. Kola simply told her that their marriage was over and that he was tired of living in a house with an unfaithful wife. He narrated how Mercy exposed her ‘infidelity’ to him with evidence of the receipt she got from the hospital where she had the contraceptives, which Mercy claimed was done to protect her from getting pregnant. He further explained how Mercy tried to have a fling with him but when he threatened to report her, she threw the bombshell at him. She told him to ask his wife to choose between her business and her marriage and her response would confirm her story. Kola couldn’t bear the betrayal, especially when Funke told him she wouldn’t leave her business for anything which he saw as a confirmation to Mercy’s story, so he decided to resign and move away from her.

Funke could not believe her eyes but because she still trusted Mercy, she picked her phone to confirm what she had read. To her utmost shock, Mercy didn’t deny it and bluntly called her a fool for swallowing every advice she gave her, hook line and sinker. ‘’Funke, my husband left me for another woman because I had no time for him, how then do you expect me to watch you enjoy your marriage and the business I introduced you to? Anyways, welcome to the club!” Mercy concluded as she terminated the call………………

We should be mindful of the company we keep because they can either make or mar us. There is nothing wrong with having friends but they shouldn’t be given the opportunity of playing ‘God’ in our lives. On the other hand, building a career/business is not a bad idea but when it has to be done to the detriment of one’s marriage or children; it becomes a problem. When your spouse seems to complain about your new job, promotion or adventure, it’s not always because they don’t want you to succeed, but rather, to draw your attention to the implications of such changes. The key is finding a way to strike a balance between work and family. May God guide us in choosing our acquaintances and help us prioritise as appropriate in our marriages.