ABUSED..
Episode 22
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I was discharged four days ago and Ella is insisting I rest more at home. She is treating me like a child, telling me not to do this or that. I am bored to my bones staying indoors; I am not a movie pundit else I would have feast my eyes on them.
My drawing book kept me occupied as I try to come up with new designs, I surf the internets at intervals to gain inspiration. I’m going to put my whole energy into my business.
I got tired with what I was doing, I decided to roam the internet and get the latest info and gossip. A notification popped up in my phone, it’s a friend request from – Maxwell. I wonder if he is stalking me, I accepted.
We started chatting immediately, he is hilarious I must say. We got chatting that I lost track of time, I was oblivious of Ella’s presence not until she hit the door so hard that I came conscious of her presence
” Heh Ruth nawa o🙄. Na who dey make you smile like this so tey you know when I enter.”
” I didn’t know you were back☺️”
” Sure you don’t. Whoever is chatting with you stole you mind. I opened the door you didn’t look, I have to hit your door to get your attention. This man is…”
” who told you it’s a man”
” I need no one to tell me, anyone with a lick of sense would tell from the smile on your face. Look! your are blushing”
” Ella!”
” Yes Ruth. Have you had dinner”.
“Hmmm.”
” Oh! He made you lost track of time. ”
” Ella you are not serious. I am not hungry”
” Is that so? You better go have dinner, you need to take your medication”
” Oh please! I am tired of those”
” Really! Anyways you don’t have a saying in this issue”
I frowned like a baby denied of her toys
” I don’t want to take any drugs”
” You can’t be serious”
She left and brought me dinner. Ella persisted that I take the drugs which I did. Having Ella is a blessing I got in prison. She might look unfriendly outside but she is sweet when you get to know her.
I would have been history if not for her😩.
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I resumed fully two weeks after I was discharged, Maxwell and I chat often. He is so friendly and exciting that I look forward to always chat with him.
He tried inviting me to his church but I declined severally cooking up one excuse or the other. He never complained or tried to push it. So gentle he is in speech and attentive that I feel so free around him. We have had lunch twice – on his invitation. He isn’t judgemental, I find it difficult as to why he wants to be friends with me knowing my status.
Not that he has made clear his intentions but I see the way he talks to me and treat me respectfully I know he is a gentle man.
I’m not fully certain about him, people can be deceptive. once beaten twice shy they said.
Busy with work, trying to put finish touches to one of my design. My manager interrupted
” Ma, someone is here to see you”
” who?” I asked barely shifting my gaze from the cloth
” One Mr Maxwell”
I raised my head giving him a knowing look which that he be let in. I quick adjusted my dress, checked my face and spray perfume.
” Hi” he greeted as he entered
“Hi”
” Well, I thought to check on you.”
” Oh! So nice of you. Please have a seat”
” Thanks. Nice place you have got”
” Thanks. what can I offer you?”
‘ Nothing”
” Hmmm. Dr Maxwell”
He smiled at the way I called out his name formally.
” Actually, I went to your boutique, I was told you own this place. Never knew you are a big woman. I met your friend she brought me, but she is gone”
” oh! Ella”
” Yes, Ella”
” How about we go for a movie? I got two tickets for a latest movie. I have one person just another to complete”
I sat over my shiny black desk my hands crossed as I feigned to think about it
” Doc aren’t you suppose to be attending to your patience”
” Yes! Doctors are humans too, we need time for ourselves besides I am on leave😊.”
” Ok. Nice one”
” So?” he asked searching for answers in my eyes
I couldn’t maintain the eye contact as I drifted my eyes to clothe I was working on earlier
” Ok”
” That’s yes” He said smiling victoriously like one who won a trophy.
” Give a minute”
” I wait for you outside”
I quickly finished my work, cleared my desk, picking my bag. I instructed the manager to finish the packaging before leaving.
It’s my first time being in a cinema, the movie was action thrilled c*m comedy. The feeling of being around people shouting and laughing in unison was exciting that I wished the movie never came to an end.
Alas it did! The hall was getting emptying as people were leaving. We towards the parking lot in silence.
” Thanks for your time. ”
” I should be thanking you for taking me out Doc ”
” It’s nothing.”
” I enjoyed every bit of it. I’m not a movie pundit, but I must confess that movie is interesting and funny”
” I’m glad you did’
‘ Thanks a lot”
We finally got to where we parked our cars, then he held my hands lightly
” Ruth”
I faced him shyly
” Yes”
” I like you”
What am I supposed to say, I just cleared my throat and the next thing I coughed
‘ Sorry’
‘ Thanks”
” I truly wish you can come for our weekend program in church. ‘
” I….I”
” Ruth, I am not kidnapping you. it’s just a program, you don’t have to attend all of it. it’s three days, you can attend the last one”
I truly don’t know what excuse to give this time, I don’t want to go for any church program.
” It’s fine if you don’t…”
” I will come”
I don’t know why I said that probably I don’t want him to feel bad. He is been nice to me and for some reasons had been inviting me for church activities.
The smile on his face when I said I would come melt my heart. I quickly snapped out of it. Ade’s smile made me feel that way, I am not about to let this one have the same effect. I am just attending to please him not much. Just this once and I am off.
I’m not comfortable around such environment, I don’t fit in I kept saying to myself.
” You can come on Thursday, I guess that will go well with you. I will text you the time and venue. You won’t regret it Ruth”
” Ok”
He saw me off to my car, we bade goodbye; He stood there watching me till I drove out.
Church! When was the last time I went to that place. I wished I didn’t say yes😩, I. have given my consent already.
I arrived home to see a smiling Ella, seems she ochastrated the whole thing judging from her facial expressions
” You had a good time”
” Ella! Miss match maker. You brought him to my place and left. Nice of you☹️”
” Didn’t you enjoy his company?🙄😁”
I went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water without responding to her, Ella plays too much. Quenching my thirst, I walked to the living room and fell on the couch.
” Ruth!! That guy likes you. I mean you need to see how worried he was when I brought into the hospital that day. I was puzzled with the way he took your case seriously. In fact he wasn’t on duty that night, he was about signing out when he saw you lifeless being carried into emergency unit and commenced treatment. I thought he was just concerned for a patient but with the way he attended to you with his colleague I knew you he knows you. He stayed till everything was over and you were out of danger. He left in the morning”
I was baffled by what Ella said, why is she telling me now😩? Besides she is just reading meaning into nothing. He is a doctor doing his job
” Ella, you think he likes me enough to embrace everything about me. See, the last thing I want right now is an emotional rollercoaster. I rather not be involved in any. I have accepted my fate. ”
” Listen to yourself. we are victims of circumstances. Yes! You have been through a lot that doesn’t mean that you should let you past keep you from enjoy your future”
” What future? Tell me to what am I living and hoping for a future?”
” This fate trying to give one”
” Oh please!”
” He knows you had an abortion, and you have a damaged womb and still want…”
” He just wants to play me. I am game! If not tell me what sort of man would want to be with someone as me🤷🏻♀️”
” Ruth! You are not your situation. You are human and deserve happiness, love and every good thing life can offer”
I scoffed trying to fight the tears threatening to fall
” I ruined my mother’s life, she hated me and denied me, my cousins treated me like a rag, Ade used me, Reuben tried to rape me, I was thrown in jail, I became a harlot and adding to the list I just committed murder almost three weeks ago and to top it I can’t convince anymore. So tell me, who will want to be with a smoker, a worthless person as me, doomed and evil😭😭…”
” Ruth!”
‘ Oh please! Don’t try to paint it. He just wants to play me. No one has bothered to reach out to me from my family, Ella I don’t want to do this. If he finds out about all this, do you think he will stay?😥”
She was crying not knowing what to say ; I picked my bag walking upstairs tiredly and tearfully.
I’m not ready to build any relationship that would dash my hopes and leave me high and dry. I have been a loner and I have gotten comfortable with it. I don’t want to be dragged out of my comfort zone and be thrown into misery.
TO be continued..
