ADUKE….
Chapter 19.
….. I couldn’t believe my eyes, could Ben really mean this,I mean is he really serious with all he said.i was confused,but then I believed God and his word,I just ignored all Ben had said took my bags to the bedroom…
As i arrived the bedroom,he was in the shower,I opened my luggage and was about unpacking,when he came out,he saw me about unpacking….
And what do you think you are doing,he asked angrily,I am unpackinnnnnnnnn,get your stupid self and things out of my bedroom,he shouted..
I thought this is our bedroom,I said gently.you must be sick,you must be very sick,so when I told you,your are nothing In this house,you thought I was joking?,take yourself and your thing’s to the guest room,he said…
I was speechless,but looking at his eyes,I knew he was serious,I took my stuffs and unpacked in the guest room.is this how I am going to leave my life,a prisoner in my own home, wouldn’t it have been better he divorced me as he had wanted,I thought….
But then I found courage in God,and believed my husband was going to change for good .
The next morning,I woke up like every other wife would,did some morning chores,and made breakfast, Ben had woken up late…
Goodmorning honey,I greeted him as he came out,he gave me a disgusting look as response,I didn’t mind, your breakfast is ready,I said smiling,he gave a long hiss and walked out on me…
Ben treated me like trash,with no regards or Respect,at some point I started wondering if this was the same Ben that was all loving….
I soon resumed work,and on my first day at work, Ben came over,I was still the one handling his account,he requested to see the bank manager,he had come to close his account with the bank…
That was no good news at all,he was one of our biggest costumers,the bank manager was surprised..
He didn’t want anything to do with me Indeed,the bank manager called me to his office, asking me why my husband had closed his account,I didn’t know what to say, Aduke,you and I know that isn’t a good news,you either convince your husband to continue banking with us,or you would be faced with a target of getting customers to replace him or your job would be at stake,he said angrily and asked me out…
I got home and didn’t know how to present the matter before Ben,he was watching a fashion show,when I arrived from work..
Honey goodevening,I greeted,of course he didn’t answer,honey I know it was because of me your closed your account with my bank, please I beg you to reopen,else my job will at stake, please Ben,if you like,I would no longer handle your account, someone else will,just bank with us please,I pleaded…
Well,I don’t want my money where you are,I don’t want anything to do with you,you know why, because you disgust me,he said and left the living room to the bedroom……
I was then faced with the task of marketing,and getting customers,it wasn’t easy at all,I started returning late from work…
Getting home one day,it was almost 11pm,the traffic was terrible,I got inside the house and saw Ben Angrily seating on the couch, honey goodevening,I greeted,so you think you can be under my roof and visit your lovers right,he shouted at me …
Honey what are you talking about,I asked,who was the man you were with in the hotel earlier today,he asked….
I was wondering how Ben had found out,indeed I was in an hotel earlier that day,but it was a business meeting with honorable Jude,I was trying to convince him to open an account with us,we weren’t even in a room or any exclusive place,it was in the bush bar of the hotel,and we weren’t alone as the honourable’s personal assistant,a female was with us…
I was there on a business meeting,with a potential customer…I said politely..
You’re such a shameless sl*t,he raised his hand to hit me,but held it up and didn’t bring it down on my face…
Today is the last day you will work in that bank, tomorrow you are going to become a housewife,he said,and went to the bedroom, apparently he was waiting for me to return….
Even though it was kind of a sad news that Ben was asking me to quit my job,I was happy he had said a housewife,at least Ben saw me as a wife…..
Being a stay home wife was no easy thing for me at all, I wasn’t used to that ,but I had no choice,I was trying to make my marriage work,but Ben was pushing me beyond my limit,at times I encourage myself that things would get better…Ben was mean,he wasn’t eating my food,we weren’t sharing the same room, neither did we go out together,we were actually worse than roommate….
It was six months after our wedding already,and three months since I had lost my job,I was becoming a shadow of myself,I was almost getting depressed.
Maami came visiting and asked how things were,I told her Ben had changed,he was no longer the Ben I had fallen in love with, he’s mean to me,comes home very late and I dare not ask where had been, doesn’t touch my meal,and above all, hadn’t even touched me as a husband would touch his wife….
Maami was shocked.omomni,don’t you think we should have just allowed him go on with the divorce,I mean this is slavery,you can’t continue like this , does he hit you,she asked….
Oh no mother,Ben has never hit me,not physically,I am only suffering psychologically and emotionally,I cried….
My daughter, psychological and emotional torture is even worse,my daughter if it gets to a point you think you can not take it anymore, please do not stay back,you are all I have and you are precious to me,and stop thinking,you shall be fine,she said….
Of all the ill treatment Ben did,the one that got me was Ben bringing a lady home,I mean how could Ben disrespect me this much….
The lady joined Ben in the bedroom,showered and changed into Ben’s t-shirt,oh I was so mad,they even came to join me in the living room ,Ben sat while the lady placed her head on Ben’s thigh,they took the remote control and changed the channel,the lady asked who I was,and Ben replied her saying she shouldn’t bother as I am not important…
Oh that really hurt,I knew right then I couldn’t take it,my head was spinning fast,I knew I had to leave the house at least for my sanity…..
At the break of dawn,I packed some clothes in a small luggage,I got to the parlour,and saw them both, laughing having fun with some snacks…
I wonder who eat snacks so early in the morning,I didn’t say a word of greeting to Ben,and he on the other hand didn’t ask where I was going with a bag, of course he didn’t care.
I gave both of them a disgusting look and continued walking,then I heard a knock at the door….
I wondered who would have come visiting so early in the morning.i decided to see who it was as I got to the door,low and behold I couldn’t believe the person I was seeing……
Written by
Rejoice Igbinovia Aluyi
