DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
EPISODE 11
Femi drove out of the hospital to two way lounge in Maitama, it was his favourite hang out spot, where he had visited many times with his colleagues and their mistresses. It was still early evening when he got there but the place had people from all walks of life who had just like him come to drink away their sorrow. He walked over to the bar attendant who recognized him immediately and gave him a glass of vodka at his request. Femi poured the content of the glass in his throat at one gulp and handed the attendant the cup for another pour. Soon enough, he was pretty drunk and he knew that he couldn’t return home to his barren wife that night.
He thought of Licia and all that had transpired between them at the mall and he knew he had to go back to her. She had a way of making him forget his sorrows and that was all he needed that night. After dropping some naira notes for the bar attendant, he attempted to get up but he felt his legs quivering, he was staggering and almost lost balance. “Gosh, I wish I had accepted the driver that the bank gave me. I hope I don’t go and kill myself on the road this night, he remarked”.
He got into his car and drove to Licia’s residence. When he got to the compound, his heart fell when there was no bulb reflecting from her bedroom window, he thought she was probably not at home.
Femi: “I hope Licia is around o, if not, I will just go to Sokale and carry prostitute this night, I can’t just go back to that my house tonight”.
He walked up the stairs and tapped gently on her door. There was no response and he began to tap harder.
Licia was having her bath when she heard the knock on her door, she knew that she wasn’t expecting anyone and so she ignored the knock. But when the knock persisted, she rushed through with the bath and came out.
Licia: “Yes, who is there?” she asked before opening the door.
Femi: “Open the f*****g door, baby”.
Licia: “Who are you and why should I open the door? Do you pay my rent?”
Femi: “It’s me, Femi. Open it and I will pay the damn rent and buy the house for you”, he bragged in his drunken state.
Licia: “Femi?” she opened the door and barred the entrance with her arms akimbo.
“Yes, what are you looking for here? You ought to be out shopping with your wife and now”.
Femi pushed her into the room and came upon her. He was in the mood to devour her body, an animalistic desire triggered by the high volume of alcohol in his system.
Licia: “Get your filthy body off me”, she pushed him away and got up from the sofa.
Femi: “Why don’t you want me to touch you?”
Licia: “Femi, in fact, come and be going biko. I don’t know what you are doing here, the last time I checked, you were a married man who had resolved never to cheat on his wife anymore.
Femi: “I am sorry, I had to say that to douse tension but now I know better. I am willing to make amends, name your price”.
Licia: “I am not for sale, Femi. As you can see, I was busy with another man inside before you knocked. So, use the door”.
Femi: “You are lying and you know it. I am going nowhere until I satisfy my desires”.
Licia: “I need one million naira, my rent will soon expire and I don’t have enough money to pay”.
Femi: “Consider it done. I will give you a check of 1.5 million naira when I leave here. The extra N500, 000 is your shopping allowance”.
Licia: “Thank you so much, Femi. You are the best boyfriend in the world”, she hugged and kissed him. “Poor you”, she remarked. “You reel of alcohol, meaning that you have been drinking. Look what your wife has done to you”.
Femi: “Hey, hey. You refer to me as a boyfriend? I am a man and not a boy and now I am going to show you how much of a man I am”. He grabbed her and threw her on the bed and began to undress.
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Shana was discharged from the hospital two days later, all through her stay in the hospital, Femi had not visited nor called and she knew that he had abandoned her for the other woman. She thought of calling her parents to inform them that she had lost the pregnancy but she thought against it, she didn’t want to scare them unnecessarily. She was still thinking of what to do when her doctor walked to her room.
Doctor: “How is my patient doing this morning?”
Shana: “Alive, doctor. That is all I can say”.
Doctor: “Well, you have been discharged and I advise that you take your medication as prescribed and come regularly for treatment”.
Shana: “Thank you, doctor. How much is my bill?”
Doctor: “But your husband is not here yet, how can you pay?”
Shana: “That won’t be a problem. I have my phone here, I will transfer via mobile app”.
Doctor: “If you insist, I will send the cashier to you with the bill on my way out”.
Shana: “Please do, thank you. Kindly tell the security to arrange for a taxi that will take me home, I am trying to connect Uber but my network is fluctuating. I will pay for the taxi”.
Doctor: “You don’t have to worry about that. I will instruct one of hospital’s drivers to take you home in my car”.
Shana: “That is very thoughtful of you, thanks”.
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When Shana got home, she felt lost. It was like she was in another planet all together. She had left the home with her baby kicking in her womb and now she had returned empty handed. She knew that things would never be the same for her again and she decided to get a job after her recuperation period. She had decided to get a job after their honeymoon but Femi had insisted that she stays at home as a full time house wife because he could afford to fend for her. “No, I have to get a job, whether Femi likes it or not. That is the only way that I can deal with this depression that is creeping in on me. If I don’t get something to do fast, I will just die in this house”, she soliloquized.
She rested a while and then when evening was approaching, she got up and went to make dinner for Femi who was yet to return from the office. She had a left over soup in the freezer and she quickly made semo for him and arranged the dinning area. She was angry with him for abandoning her in the hospital but she was determined to play her wifely roles even in the face of rejection and provocation. After cooking, she walked to the bathroom, freshened up and dabbed her face with mild powder, she was still feeling weak and so went back to bed.
Femi on the other hand made up his mind to come home for a change of clothes. Ever since he abandoned his wife in the hospital, he had been spending the nights at Licia’s house returning to his own house only to pick his clothes and other personal effects. He was therefore surprised and disappointed when he came and met Shana at home. He had hoped that she will stay longer in the hospital so that he could have the time to enjoy his sexcapedes with his mistress. He opened the bedroom door, walked in and ignored his wife’s greetings.
Shana: “Ifemi, won’t you at least answer my greetings? Remember that you haven’t seen me for many days”.
Femi ignored and walked over to his wardrobe.
Shana walked to him and touched him on the back. “I am talking to you, Ifemi”.
Femi threw her hands off him. “What is it? Can’t you keep your body to yourself? I can see that you are in the mood for trouble this evening”.
Shana: “How can you even say a thing like that? I am the one who is supposed to be angry because you abandoned me in the hospital. Anyway, dinner is served. Come let’s go and eat”.
Femi: “You can go eat alone. I am not hungry”.
Shana: “Well, I have decided to go get a job. I am a qualified graduate and getting a job won’t be a problem with the kind of connection my parents have”.
Femi: “You will do no such thing. Your job is to remain in this house as a full time house wife and that is my final answer”.
Shana: “You must be kidding me, Femi. You want me to stay and die of boredom in the house when you are all over town having fun with your cheap husband snatcher of a mistress?”
Femi raised his hand and struck her hard on the face. Shana didn’t expect what Femi did next. She staggered and fell back. She got up and Femi struck her hard on the face again. She fell down and began to weep. “I regret marrying you”, Femi said and spat on her and walked out of the house.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 12
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