Chapter 41

"Well, Olu will just have to get over it. In fact, it is about time we found him a wife of his own. Perhaps we can have a chat with some girls who are in their final year at school, and identify some possibilities."

"Are there some black girls in the High School here, my husband?"

"Unlikely, Simi. Most of the population here are white. All my neighbours are white, except for the Japanese gentleman to the north of us. No-one on Rehome is bothered about marrying people from different cultures and races. We are a new community here, and attitudes are changing fast to accommodate that. Olu might find a nice white girl."

"Oooh. That would be interesting to see. The only white people we saw in Lagos were either business people, or rich tourist visitors."

"That is as may be, Simi. Rehome is different, in so many ways, including how women and girls are viewed. Females here are regarded as the same as males, with the same rights, and also the same duties. Being regarded as a citizen means you have to act as a citizen. You or I might be asked to sit on a jury deciding local crimes. The jury here does everything, from examining the accused to questioning witnesses. Then the jury not just decides whether the accused is guilty, but if he is, the jury recommends the punishment, and that gets confirmed or amended by the Governor. Arguments by lawyers are excluded, and the only legal man present has the duty of advising the jury on points of law: telling them what they can and cannot do. It can be fascinating to watch, I am told. Perhaps we will visit a jury sitting some day, as an educational entertainment."

Olu appeared to make sure they could sneak away from the reception, or at least that was what he said. He actually had arranged a send-off in the taxi he had arranged for the quartet. "Winston, Adeola and Eniola are downstairs, ready to join you in the taxi. Are you and Simisola all set now?"

"I think so. Oh, Olu, a bit of private information for you, so that you are not surprised when it finally comes out. Simisola's Mum is secretly engaged. Some man has proposed to her, she has told Simi, and apart from us, you are the only other person being told. You must keep it to yourself, and not reveal it to anyone else until Tokunbo is ready to reveal her engagement. I thought you should be informed, in case your friendship with the lady is affected. I would not like to see you shocked by the revelation, old friend."

Olu seemed to take the news with equanimity. He nodded, and said, "Thank you for considering my feelings about it, Winston, and Simisola. I guarantee not to say anything about it until Tokunbo feels the time is right. I assure you I will not be upset when she finally reveals all. Now, lets get you down the back stairs to that taxi."

"Thank you for being my Best Man, Olu. You did everything correctly, and we appreciate it."

"Glad to be of help, Winston. I like to make sure EVERYTHING is done correctly." Winston missed that emphasis.

The happy couple crept down the back stairs, to be met by the twins, and they all held hands as they slipped out to the taxi. As the taxi driver went to open the door, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by their friends who threw rice and flower petals over them. The twins giggled, as they recalled the same thing happening at their earlier wedding with Winston, but he had clearly forgotten his friend's underhand methods. Olu laughed at them, and said to Winston, "I did say that I did EVERYTHING correctly. That included the send-off, old friend!"

The taxi took them home to the farm, but on Winston's instruction, the vehicle drove past the front door and on to the large barn. There they were decanted, and waved off the driver. Simisola was puzzled at this, but the twins knew from experience what was happening.

They all entered the empty barn, and Winston announced, Welcome to the marriage bed, Simisola!"

She looked around in confusion. "I cannot even see a bed, my husband."

"You see that ladder, Simi? Go and climb it, to the top. I will be right behind you, and the twins will be with us as well."

When she reached the level, of the hay loft, she was staggered to find a wide bed in the middle of the floor. It had a canopy mounted above it, so that the bed could be enclosed from draughts with light curtains. Beside the bed was a wardrobe.

Winston announced, "My new wife, Simisola, I welcome you to our marriage bed. Olu devised this little hideaway for when I married Adeola and Eniola, so that their younger siblings would be kept from disturbing us, and we thought you would appreciate it as well. The wardrobe contains our bedclothes, and a change of clothing for wearing tomorrow, when we face all your new relatives."

Simisola found herself with tears in her eyes. "It is so romantic. Thank you, Winston; thank you Adeola; thank you Eniola; it us a wonderful gesture. Only one thing mars my perfect day: I cannot give you my virginity, my husband!"

The twins gaped at her. She was a year younger than them, and was not a virgin? Winston was more relaxed. "Simisola, I have married you for life. It matters not to me whether you are a virgin or not. It matters only how you act as my wife. If you love me and behave decorously in that position, you will join a loving relationship with us all."

Eniola blurted out, "But you told us you were a virgin, when we met you!"

"A small lie, appropriate at the time. I cannot hide this from my husband, however, even if it stops him from loving me."

Winston was horrified at the idea. "My WIFE, nothing in the past will stop me from loving you, as long as you are able to love ME. If you wish to keep that matter to yourself, that is fine by me, and I hope by my other wives." He glared at them, as if daring them to contradict him. They rushed to reassure Simisola. "It is okay, Simi. Being a virgin is much overrated. Learning with Winston to NOT be a virgin is much more fun!"

Simisola was still not happy. "No, I must tell my husband, so that he will understand. It happened about a year ago, when my uncle – my father's brother - came to visit. Mother had to go to the shops to get some extra food for the family meal, so I was left with him. He told me that I was old enough to become a woman, and that he would "help" me. I was innocent, and did not know what he meant. I soon learned! He took my clothes off - I was not wearing much – and put his fingers down there, rubbing my ... pussy ... and then he opened his robes, and made me stand in front of him while he put his penis into me. It hurt! It hurt a lot, and then he spurted over my tummy. I found I was bleeding from my vagina, and he said, "There you are. You are now a woman like your mother, and when I have her in my household, I will have both of you to enjoy."

The twins gasped at the horror of this rape, for that was what it was. Winston was not happy, either. "Did you tell your mother?"

"No. Uncle said if I said anything, I would be accused of trying to steal from him, and making up a story to hide it."

"But the bleeding!" declared Adeola.

"I mentioned that, but he said, "So your monthly started early, and you decided to make use of it, little girl!"

"So I ran and cleaned myself up, and said nothing, but from that day, Mother knew I did not like uncle. I would never allow myself to be alone with him. That was one of the reasons she decided that a life off-world would be preferable to life in Lagos as a widow, under uncle's control. I was delighted when Winston's father came and asked about me marrying his son. It meant I would be taken out of reach of uncle, for ever. I think mother suspected that she would be at risk if she joined uncle's compound, so she paid him to let her leave with me."

Eniola said to her, "That is a sad story, but you can get over it now. Winston knows how to make a girl happy, as we discovered, and we will help him to do the same with you."

Simisola's main difficulty with her wedding night was the participation by the other two wives, but their enthusiasm soon made her forget her worries. They insisted on teaching her the joys of stimulation by mouth, tongue, or fingers, in tandem with Winston. They all explored breasts, faces, hair, necks, arms, legs, and crotches, so that by the time Winston inserted his penis Into Simi she was almost demanding that he do so. In moments, they were bucking at each other; he trying to hit all the right spots, and she trying to get him to not forget her clitoris.