The House Wife
Episode 7
“I want to go to the shopping mall to see a tailor. There is a new material I bought and I want to use it to make a gown. A friend told me about a new tailor at the mall and I will like to patronize her.” Kassandra said. She bent down and picked her car keys from the marble table in the living room. Ali was watching BBC news. For a moment, he shifted his attention from the TV and focused on Kassandra as soon as he heard that she was about going to the shopping mall to see a tailor.
“Where do you want to wear a new gown to? You have a lot of gowns and you have not even worn some of them at all. Yet, you still want to make a new dress? Is there a wedding coming up?” Ali asked his wife. He did not want Kassandra to go to the shopping mall because she may find out that Nancy is actually the owner of the shop there and that she is not an apprentice to anyone.
“There is no wedding coming up. I would like to visit my father this weekend. So, I need to look good. I want to wear a corset. There is a new shoe and hand bag I bought yesterday and the colours match with the material. I would like to wear them when going to see my father. My friend said the tailor is particularly good in making corsets.” Kanssandra said with ‘shakara’ in her voice.
“What if I give you N100k to buy yourself an already made gown? Would you still go to the shopping mall?” Ali asked. He was throwing bait at Kassandra. He knew that she will fall for the bait.
“Are you serious or you are joking?” Kassandra responded. She was laughing in a romantic way. Soon, she dropped her car keys and drew closer to Ali. She sat on Ali’s lap and placed her left hand on his shoulder.
“If you are serious, then there is no need going to the shopping mall. I will stay home with my darling husband.” Kassandra said. Ali picked his phone and soon, Kassandra got an alert of N100k in her own phone. She was so happy. She hugged her husband so tightly and Ali pushed her gently and she fell on the soft cushion playfully.
“There is no one at home. There is joy in my wife’s heart. I’m also happy to see her smile. I have so much attraction for my wife. This is a perfect moment for a couple to have fun. Let me try and see if she will allow me to connect.” Ali thought in his heart. He was imagining plenty things.
When Kassandra fell, Ali playfully sat on her belly and made his moves. Kassandra allowed him to touch her everywhere, but when he wanted to travel to the headquarter of enjoyment, she pushed him off with so much aggression. Ali fell and hit his head on the marble table in the living room. He started bleeding profusely.
“I’m sorry darling, but I’m not ready for love-making yet. Please give me some time.” Kassandra said as she brought out a piece of white tissue and wiped off the blood coming from her husband’s head. The tissue was soaked in blood and it turned scarlet red.
“One day, you will kill me for no reason. Just because I want to touch my wife. A wife I married with my own money. What did I ever do you? Is it a crime to marry you?” Ali asked Kassandra emotionally. The pain in his heart was more than the pain coming from the wound on his head.
“I’m sorry my darling. I’m truly sorry.” Kassandra responded. She stood up and left the living room in tears.
Meanwhile, the next day, Kassandra still visited the mall despite telling her husband that she won’t.
“Where is your madam?” Kassandra asked the apprentices in the shop. They were four in number and all were putting on white uniform. She did not know that she was at Nancy’s shop at the shopping mall. Nancy had gone to retouch her hair at a nearby salon. Soon, she returned and she came face to face with Kassandra.
“You are the owner of this shop?” Kassandra asked Nancy. The both of them were shell-shocked. Nancy was so shocked that she nearly ran away. In fact, she wanted the floor to open and swallow her. But there was nothing she could do, so she decided to stand up for herself with courage and unwavering determination.
“Yes, this is my shop. Would you like to make a dress?” Nancy asked Kassandra while looking at her eyeball to eyeball. It was a very tensed moment. Nancy refused to embarrass herself in the presence of her apprentices by answering the house help of Kassandra.
“You mean, this is your shop? Like you are the madam who owns this shop? Or you are just an apprentice?” Kassandra asked again this time around with emphasis on each word. She wanted to be very sure she was at the right place, but Nancy’s shop is the only tailoring shop at the mall, so obviously she was at the right address.
“This is my shop. My apprentices already told you that I’m the madam. If you would like to make a dress, we will be glad to attend to you.” Nancy responded with so much courage. Her voice was not even shaking. Kassandra quietly left the shop.
“It is my husband that will answer my questions, not you.” Kassandra tells herself as she mounted her car and drove out of the shopping mall with speed.
“Who is Nancy to you?” She asked Ali as soon as she got home. The time was around 4pm and Ali was preparing to go out and take one bottle when Kassandra drove into the compound.
“I already told you she is my uncle’s daughter. What is the problem?” Ali asked.
“You lied to me. Why did you open a tailoring shop for her without telling me?” His wife’s voice came with anger and clapped like thunder, but he is finally ready to set the records straight.
“I see that you have gone to the mall despite promising you won’t go. Now, you have seen what I was trying to stop you from seeing. I didn’t tell you because I know you would not welcome the idea. You are a very selfish person who never considers other people’s happiness. All you care about is yourself. You put yourself first and then every other person comes second. You don’t care about anybody. You are a very selfish human being. If I ever want to do anything good for anyone, I would never tell you because I know you will talk me out of it. Besides, it is my money that I used to open the tailoring shop for her. You don’t make any money in this house. You don’t do any business and all you do is sit and focus on the TV. Don’t you ever in your life question my decisions concerning how I chose to help my family.” Ali said. His voice was sounding ‘kabum kabum’ like gunshots and they were scattering Kassandra’s head into pieces.
“My God! Help me not to collapse.” Kassandra said to herself. She could not reply all that Ali said to her. Truth is very bitter. It was the first time her husband spoke to her with so much harshness. The words Ali said to her pricked her heart like the tail of a desert scorpion. She said nothing and she simply started weeping. She went into the bedroom and wept throughout the night thinking of herself as a very horrible person who is selfish and wicked. Somehow, she also figured out that her inability to make love with her husband has become a serious problem in the house, so she decide to do something about it.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to visit my father. He has some questions to answer. What is happening to me in the bedroom is not ordinary and he will answer all my questions when I see him tomorrow.” Kassandra said as she packed her bags, ready for the journey.
