THE UNFAITHFUL HUSBAND ππ
Written by Henry Zibima
Episode 33
Jennifer’s POV
Just then, the doctor came out of the ward.
“How is my son now, I hope he is better?” Frank’s mum asked.
“Actually I have a message for you all and I want you to accept it with good fate”
“What happened” I asked curiously
“I and my team of nurses did our best but he – Mr. Femi is still unconscious”
“So is he is alive” Femi’s mum asked.
“Yes, just that he will need bed rest for about a week or more but with time he will get better”
Phew! Everyone heaved a big sigh of relief. At a point; I actually thought my husband had passed away.
“So can we see him now” I asked.
“No; until he is awake.”
“Okay, thank you doctor”
I sat back on my seat, my mind was now at rest.
“You are lucky my son didn’t die, if not… let me reserve my comments” she said snapping her fingers.
“Ah ah, mama it’s okay. Femi is alive”
I rolled my eyes at femi’s mum and hissed. That woman never liked me and she always searched for any opportunity to step on my toes.
*****
About two hours had passed yet the doctor had returned back. Some who had other important things to do had since left. It was only me, Femi’s mom, his elder brother and one of his aunts that waited to see him. And also my pastor who later joined us.
“You can see him now…he has regained his consciousness”
“Oh! thank God” we said almost at once.
“God you are too faithful, thank you for preserving my son” Femi’s mom said. We all rushed into the ward where Femi was kept.
He was connected to a drip, bandages all over his body and stiches everywhere; I immediately felt sympathy for him.
We atook seats beside the bed. Femi tried raising his head to see us but he withdrew; he must have felt tremendous pain.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“My son how is your body” Femi’s mum immediately cut in
“It… it is… better now” Femi struggled to say
“What really happened? Your wife said you came back home and collapsed?”
“You… you won’t understand”
“But is that what really happened?” Was she been serious I shifted my gaze to her and shook my head.
“Yes… but… but” Femi coughed “that’s not all that happened. I’m just happy you all are here to see me. Including…” He paused and raised his head a little. “Pastor?… I can’t believe you came to see me? After what happened?”
“Brother Femi, there is no benefit in unforgiveness. I hold no grudges against you”
“Thank you so much…sir. May God bless you. I’m really very sorry for the way I talked to you the other day, I should have listened to you but I didn’t and I ended up learning the hard way” Femi said.
“It’s good you’ve realized you were on the wrong path, you see that day after you left my house; I never stopped praying for you.”
“Once again, I really appreciate you sir, you’re really a Godsent”
“What exactly are you people talking about” Femi’s mum interrupted.
“I’ll explain later but please can you guys just excuse me and my wife, I would like to have an alone time with her”
“Alright” everyone said leaving only me and Femi in the room.
Femi’s POV
I was extremely ecstatic when I opened my eyes to the land of the living. I thought I wouldn’t make it, I was very scared that my encounter with those men would be my end. I found myself in a hospital ward, I tried getting up but I couldn’t. I felt pains all over my body and it was as if I had more weight than ever.
A nurse who came to check on me realized that I was awake and immediately informed the doctor.
“How did I get here?? Who brought me here??” I asked him. He told me not to worry; that my family would be seeing me shortly.
I felt so happy like there were butterflies in my belly, as I saw everyone’s faces. It made me realize how much they cared for me and how much I had been neglecting them. I was even more stunned when I noticed my pastor’s presence. After how I talked to him, he still spared out some of his time to visit me at the hospital; I was overwhelmed.
I regretted my actions; definitely. It was like a veil was removed from my eyes; I couldn’t even imagine how much I had hurt my wife. It was necessary I gave her a heart felt apology. I asked everyone to leave so I could speak to my wife privately.
“Jennifer, I’m sorry. I know I have hurt you; so much. I have been an irresponsible husband to you; please I need you to forgive me”
“Hmm” she sighed.
“Jennifer, I’m begging for your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me”
“Femi, do you think it’s that easy? Do you expect me to just say I have forgiven you, just like that. Femi, I am human; I have feelings and emotions. You men think you can just treat your wives anyhow you deem fit and then come back begging when things go wrong, just because you know we are tender, we don’t hold grudges for long and with time; we forgive.”
“Jennifer, it’s not like that. I’m truly sorry. I would have being on my knees right now if I could move; please forgive me for the sake of our children, our marriage” I said holding her hand, a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Femi” she said sobbing.
“I had already made up my mind to end this marriage”
“Jennifer please, I promise not to hurt you ever again, please”
“Even if I forgive you Femi, I don’t trust you, I can’t trust you anymore and that’s why I can’t remain in this marriage”
“Jennifer pleease. I’ve changed, just try me and you will realize I’m no more like before. I’m now the Femi you met before marriage, I promise you; I will take care of you and if I don’t do as I have said, then you can go ahead with a divorce”
We remained silent for a while before she finally broke the silence.
“I have forgiven you” she cried burying her head into my chest. I held her close to myself and consoled her. “I will always love you” I whispered
*****
After a moment of shedding tears and reconcilation, my wife finally asked.
“So what happened to you, how come you had all these injuries”
“My dear, I was kidnapped”
“Kidnapped?”
“It was Sonia’s boyfriend who arranged everything”
“Sonia has a boyfriend?”
“Yes, the evil girl tricked me, she and her lover used me to enrich themselves”
“Oh! So that is what Ijeoma was talking about”
“What was Ijeoma talking about?” I asked curiously.
“She said you were charmed, so that you wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever Sonia asked for”
“I was charmed? No wonder!, but how did Ijeoma know about it”
“That’s a story for another day, let me allow your mum to see you. That woman has been troubling me” my wife stood up and left the ward.
It was a shocker for me; to find out that I was charmed, that I had been living in fantasy,
****
Fast forward to a week later.
After more than a week of been offered medical services, I had recovered tremendously although the injuries were yet to heal. I was now able to stand, walk, hold things and freely move my muscles.
I was discharged and I finally saw my home; for what looked like I was away for a year. My kids ran to me and hugged me tightly.
“Daddy, we missed you. We were scared; we thought that you were going to die but mummy said that you will not die” my little one – Solomon said.
“It’s alright, daddy will not die okay?. I’m here with you” I held them tight to me.
*****
I had barely entered my house when I announced to my wife that I and the police would be going in search of Sonia’s boyfriend.
“But you just came back from the hospital; you’ve not even rested” she argued.
“I’ve been resting through out my stay in the hospital. I need to teach that boy a lesson for all the pains he caused me. Those people almost k!lled me before letting me go”
*
“But how do plan to find him, do you even know his name or what he looks like?”
“Jennifer, the idiot allowed me to see his face and he thought I will let him go free. Never! I have already called the inspector; we will go to Sonia’s place, and until she provides information about him; she will remain in the police cell”
“Hmm… So can I come along?” She asked.
“No problem, just hurry up let’s go”
We entered her car since mine was stolen, I drove while she sat in the other seat at the front. I had already informed the inspector, they drove behind us and I led them to Sonia’s apartment.
It wasn’t a fenced compound, so everyone around had already started looking; wondering what must have brought the police into the neighborhood.
“This is the place” I announced. The inspector went forward and knocked while my wife stood akimbo. There was a delay before the door was finally opened.
Right there stood the devil’s incarnate; looking meekly as ever like a naive child that isn’t capable of any evil doing.
“I am inspector Ibrahim Lateef, from the Nigerian Police Force”
“How may I help you” she asked innocently.
“I don’t have time for nonsense, officer that is the lady. Let us take her to the station for questioning, immediately!”
“No! You can’t take me anywhere” Sonia screamed.
“Officer, arrest her” I ordered.
“You can’t arrest me, and you can’t touch me because I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant for you Femi” she shouted handing over a sheet of paper to me.
It was a pregnancy test result; and it indicated positive. Haba! What has this girl done to me ; she just wants to ruin my life. Just when my wife had forgiven me and things were going smoothly; she gets pregnant!. My wife dragged the paper from me, and after thorough examination, her legs began to quiver violently and she fell at the spot.
TBC
